Chapter 138 Li Hongzhang shows off his power in Shanghai
Li Xuyi was seriously ill, and Zeng Guofan lamented: I hope that the commander will survey northern Anhui and resume his eastward march; the natural choice is already hopeless! Duogong's entire army came to Qin's aid, and he never returned. After the vacancy of Yuan Wuqiao was opened, he became seriously ill. I wonder if he can stay in Linhuai again? Wu, Xi, and Duo are all gone. I have to take care of Huaibei at the same time, and I don’t have enough energy to take care of it. Among all the generals in Jiang, Chu, Anhui and Henan, only Commander Run can harmonize and unite one family. Although I have the ambition to communicate, I suffer from my short talent and laziness, and my knowledge of writing is too sparse, so I cannot unite everyone's will to achieve great things. Before Runshuai passed away, he recommended Xi'an to support the overall situation. After Xishuai's death, it was difficult to continue!
Zhao Liewen, an aide, said: "Don't worry about your commander-in-chief. After Chen Yucheng, there will be no big enemy in northern Anhui. There are hundreds of thousands of seedlings trained and repeated followers, so there is nothing to worry about. The bandits are everywhere and there are mobs, so there is no need to worry about them."
Zeng Guofan said: "Without Chen Gou, northern Anhui can be relieved." Yuanfu's army besieged Jinling. The army was so large that there was no support. Hong Ni, an old and treacherous bandit, had only a few officers and soldiers, and often provoked thieves to attack the camp. Our army fought hard and held on, which was very difficult. When Shaoquan arrived in Shanghai, he first killed Feng Rikun to intimidate the green camp, boost the army's power, and win the battle; then he impeached several people from the Taoist government to remove Wu Xu's wings; he again separated the road with Guanli to provide money; Shaoquan really was Talent too.
Zhao Liewen said: The nine commanders stationed troops in Yuhuatai and defeated the three puppet kings Yang Fuqing, Hong Yuanchun and Li Mingcheng; Li Zhaoshou's troops suppressed the puppet Chen Kunshu rebel bandits and broke through more than ten thieves' bases at Shibu Bridge; Bao Chao defeated Ningguo and was reduced to six soldiers Ten thousand; Zuo Zongtang's troops arrived in Quzhou and advanced step by step; Li Hongzhang regained Pudong after his great victory in the west of Shanghai. With such a trend, the Guangdong rebellion will definitely be wiped out within one or two years.
Zeng Guofan said: People who have no long-term worries must have immediate worries. Within a month, the reinforcements of the thieves will definitely swarm Yuhuatai. A big battle is imminent, which is related to the life and death of the Hunan Army. Send my order quickly, Bao Chaoting's army does not need to rest and move towards Gaochun and Lishui. Connecting with Yuhuatai. Pudong was immediately captured, and Li Hongzhang's troops quickly attacked Qingpu in the west of Shanghai to hold back the main force of Li Xiucheng's rebel bandits. Zuo Zongtang's troops besieged Quzhou with all their strength, and Li Shixian's rebellion was blocked so that he had no chance to escape. Jiang Yili's recruitment of bravery in Hunan was completed, and there was no need to delay it. He must reach the battlefield in Quzhou within two months. Li Xiucheng rebelled against the bandits and attacked Shanghai for half a year, acquiring many foreign guns and cannons. Zeng Guoquan and Zeng Guobao's troops must dredge Shenhao, build battle forts, and add forts. Peng Yulin and Yang Zaifu's navy must work together to transport military pay from various places, soldiers from Anhui and Jiangxi, and supplies from Suzhou and Shanghai to the gates of Jinling City.
Bao Chao received the order and hesitated for ten days before attacking. The medical officer reported that more and more people in the army were suffering from vomiting and diarrhea. The disease was so severe that they would die within a day or night.
Bao Chao was horrified and said: I was busy attacking the city and neglected the soldiers. I deserve death! Quick report, Commander-in-Chief, our soldiers have worked hard for too long and are suffering from many diseases. We should take a short rest before marching. Immediately pass on my order, the sick in each camp must be separated and housed separately; the generals in each camp, whether they are sick or not, must drink the decoction to cure the disease if they are sick, and strengthen their health if they are not sick. Those who disobey orders will be severely punished!
The medical officer said: Report to Commander Bao, this is a plague!
Bao Chao said: Don't I know! Treat the sick soldiers as soon as possible. If you say the word "plague" again, you will be beheaded!
When Zeng Guofan received the report, he was surprised and said: Yuanfu came to report and said that diarrhea was prevalent in the army. Immediately pass on my order to Zhang Yunlan's tribe, and rush to Ningguo to assist Bao's tribe.
Zhao Liewen said: Last year, the plague was prevalent in Changshu, Wuxi and Jiaxing, and the dead were everywhere. Could it be that it has spread to Jinling and Ningjun now?
Zeng Guofan said: After the army, there must be a great epidemic. We are deeply afraid that there are too many sick people, and we have no confidence in the battle and defense. After several years of hard work, the war area has expanded from a large area to hundreds of miles. If there are sparse dangers, it is unimaginable. However, Li Shaoquan in Shanghai sent letters to and from him, and there was no mention of an epidemic. Shaoquan attacked the east and west with great momentum. He then ordered Li Shaoquan's Huai army to besiege Qingpu and Jiaxing, which delayed Li Xiucheng's return to Jinling.
After Li Hongzhang received the order, he ordered his deputy general Cheng Xueqi to lead the main force of the Huai army and Hua'er's victorious army to jointly attack Qingpu.
On August 2, 1862, Cheng Xueqi led his troops to Qingpu City, and on the 5th, Huaer's victorious army also arrived.
Cheng Xueqi said to Waldao: If the two armies attack together and the guns and artillery are fired, the city wall will be broken. After the city is broken, the thieves will surely flee. I will set up an ambush outside the city and completely annihilate the thieves.
Waldao: I can break the city wall with field artillery, and then we can wave the flag and go up.
On the 7th, the Huai army and the foreign gun team jointly attacked Qingpu.
The Taiping Army held on for two days, suffering heavy casualties and being forced to evacuate.
When Li Xiucheng heard about it, he urgently summoned the auxiliary king Yang Fuqing, Mu Wang Tan Shaoguang, Ting Wang Chen Bingwen, Xiang Wang Liu Guanfang, Na Wang Gao Yongkuan, Feng Wang Gulongxian, Xiao Wang Hu Dingwen, Hang Wang Tang Zhengcai, Xiang Wang Chen Panwu, First King Fan Ruzeng, King Lu Deshun and Protector. Wang Chenkunshu, supplementary king Mo Shikui and others discussed the matter of aiding Beijing to attack Shanghai.
Li Xiucheng said: "Last month, I sent Suzhou's wealth, rice and arms to Tianjing. The city of Tianjing is large and has wide walls. It can be defended for two years without any problems." The Xiang Yao moves from top to bottom, and its advantage lies in the water army. I have to work hard, and the water channel is difficult to fight. The Xiang Yao has won consecutive victories, and its momentum is strong. I don't want to fight. After two years, the Xiang demon soldiers will no longer have the intention to fight, and then they will fight again.
Yang Fuqing said: To report to His Highness King Zhong, Zeng Guo’s Quan Yao army did not attack a city every time. It dredged two roads and built strong fortresses inside to resist the city troops in the front and resist the reinforcements in the back. Ji’an, Jingde, and Anqing, All of them. This trick is being used again now. I will not fight with it. It is exactly what the devil wants. I sincerely ask Your Highness, King Zhong, not to take it lightly.
Li Xiucheng said: "Once the demon came to the capital, and the king of heaven sent three edicts to save the capital. Now he asked me why I didn't set up a team to issue the issue. He asked me again what I wanted to do. He asked me again whether I knew the laws of the country because of my heavy responsibility. If I didn't obey the edict, The national law is intolerable! The King of Heaven's edict is urgent, but I don't know the benefits. In my opinion, the army is divided into three groups. Brother Yang assists the Qing troops to attack Ningguo and contain Bao Yaoting's army. Chen Xiongkun's calligraphy department besieged Dangtu Jinzhu Pass and cut off the demon's food route. I led Gao Yongkuan, Lu Deshun, Li Shixian and other thirteen brothers to gather the main force and besiege Yuhuatai. The kings quickly made preparations to attack Tianjing at this time next month. In addition, King Mu Tan Shaoguang and General Cai Yuanlong quickly mobilized 100,000 troops from Suzhou, Kunshan, Jiaxing and other places to counterattack Qingpu.
Tan Shaoguang and Cai Yuanlong received the order and divided their troops into two groups, the north and the south, to besiege Qingpu. They attacked Qingpu for six days without getting close to the city walls.
Tan Shaoguang said: The demon army relied on foreign guns and cannons to fight stubbornly in the city; our troops suffered more than a thousand casualties and did not gain any advantage. It would be better to abandon this fortified city, attack Shanghai instead, lure the monsters out of the city, and annihilate them in field battles.
Cai Yuanlong said: If we attack it, we must save it, so we must all our strength to attack the key passes such as Beixinjing, Fahua Town, Caohe Town, and Xinzha to the west of Shanghai, and fight the demon decisively.
On August 23, Tan Shaoguang and Cai Yuanlong led their troops to approach Shanghai and besieged Kuang Wenbang's troops in Beixinjing. General Liu Yulin, the commander of the Yuzi Camp, came to the rescue and was surrounded and annihilated. The defender Xiong Dechun led his troops there and was also beheaded.
Li Hongzhang was frightened and secretly ordered his admiral Kuang Wenbang to stand guard and wait for help. He also ordered deputy general Wang Donghua and senior general Zhang Yuchun to lead their headquarters and provide assistance nearby. Cheng Xuequi, Guo Songlin, Teng Siwu, Han Zhengguo and other troops immediately left Qingpu, and since then Attack; Liu Mingchuan, Wu Jianying and other four battalions quickly abandoned Jinshan Guards and went north to encircle them. The Huaer Foreign Gun Corps and the Huangyi Shengshui Division also rushed to help.
On the 26th, Cheng Xueqi and others rushed to Beixinjing. As soon as they arrived at the city wall, they were heavily surrounded by the Taiping Army. Tongjuan Han. Zhengguo led his troops to fight back. He was hit by several bullets and died of serious injuries. Cheng Xueqi, Guo Songlin and others fought hard for several hours and struggled to hold on.
On the 27th, Li Hongzhang and the county magistrate Li Hezhang led three thousand troops and arrived in Beixinjing.
At dusk that day, Li Hongzhang gave an order, Cheng Xuequi, Kuang Wenbang, Guo Songlin, Teng Siwu, Li Hezhang, etc., each led his troops, poured out of the city fortress, and fought to the death.
Tan Shaoguang and Cai Yuanlong fought until late at night. They were unable to catch up and retreated.
The next day, Tan Shaoguang and Cai Yuanlong organized their troops to fight again, but they were unable to defeat them, so they retreated to Jiading.
Hongzhang was overjoyed when the Huai army won a great victory. He reported to the named Admiral Kuang Wenbang that in the Battle of Danyang the year before last, Zhang Dianchen was defeated, but Brother Kuang retreated with all his troops. Now he has firmly held Beixinjing and suppressed the enemy to death. Brother Kuang's fighting power is in vain. generally.
Kuang Wenbang said: "Zhang Shuai is a bloody man. On the day when I go to war with Zhang Shuai, it will be a pleasure for you, my lord, to move to Qimen."
Li Hongzhang took a look at the situation and ignored him.
Lieutenant General Cheng Xueqi said: "I tell you, Lord Zhongcheng, that Huaer's foreign gun team is really unkind!" Breaking through thieves' strongholds, grabbing rice and silver, and being arrogant about everything.
Li Hongzhang said: Songjiang City was destroyed, and Huaer openly extorted rice shops and ransacked government offices in the name of lack of pay, and obtained more than 200,000 taels of silver. If things go on like this, they will become bandits. If there is no permanent victorious army, can I fight against thieves?
All the generals said yes.
Li Hongzhang said: Tan Ni has been defeated in a row, and Li Ni Xiucheng will definitely come back. Each battalion must not slack off, take a short rest, and reorganize the army to fight again. Huang Yisheng, the commander-in-chief of Huaiyang Town, together with Huaiyang Navy Deputy General Wang Donghua and Staff General Zhang Yuanlong, quickly attacked Dianshan Lake and restricted the access to the Shanghai Waterway. Lieutenant General Hua Er led his headquarters southward into Zhejiang and attacked the coastal areas of Cixi and Ningbo.
