In the early morning of April 5, off the coast of Florida, a huge fleet was quickly passing through the vast Atlantic Ocean, advancing toward the southeast.
6 United States-class battleships, 2 Pennsylvania-class armored cruisers, 2 Baltimore-class second-class protected cruisers, 2 Philadelphia-class second-class protected cruisers, 4 Boston third-class protected cruisers, and 6 Orleans third-class protected cruisers.
A total of 22 battleships, armored cruisers and protective cruisers, plus as many as forty destroyers of various sizes, formed an unprecedentedly large fleet! Because all of these ships were powered by coal stoves and steam engines, the billowing smoke was particularly eye-catching and nearly obscured the sky. Such a magnificent scene really makes every American who is lucky enough to witness it feel very excited. Coupled with the two old-fashioned cruise ships New York and Maine at the front and the two accompanying third-class protected cruisers, the entire U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet is almost complete except for the ships that are being overhauled or upgraded and rebuilt at the shipyards in Baltimore and New York. Move out! Therefore, many officers and soldiers of the Atlantic Fleet are confident of victory - this time the opponent is not the "British father", but the Mexicans!
And "Dad Ying" is quite American. Although "Dad Ying" is an unfilial father, he is America's biological father after all! When the United States was bullied by Mexicans and yellow people, British father always stood behind the United States.
Therefore, the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, although they have been "tied" by the Mexicans and the Yellow Race for a while in the First Battle of the Atlantic, is still full of confidence.
Atlantic Fleet Commander David Porter is certainly confident. Although he lost the battle last time, President Andrew Jackson still promoted him and made him the first admiral in the history of the U.S. Navy.
However, his confidence does not all come from the support of his father and his rank of admiral, but also from the forty aircraft carriers under his command!
Forty aircraft carriers!
Any American admiral with forty aircraft carriers will have the confidence to win!
Moreover, Britain and the United States are joining forces in this battle, and father and son are of the same mind! In addition to more than 100 surface ships (including 40 aircraft carriers) under David Porter, dozens of ships (including more than 20 aircraft carriers) from the British Royal Navy's Caribbean Fleet are also arriving.
When the two forces were combined, there were more than 60 aircraft carriers, 12 battleships, and 10 armored cruisers. How could they lose?
But he still didn't dare to take it too lightly, because he hadn't yet merged with "Dad Ying's" fleet, so he suddenly felt a strong sense of uneasiness in his heart.
"Where are Vice Admiral William Baga's British Caribbean Fleet currently?" David Porter turned around.
"The telegram from half an hour ago stated that they have arrived near Little San Salvador Island, which is less than 200 nautical miles away from us. If we stop going south, the Caribbean Fleet will be able to join us around three o'clock this afternoon."
David Porter nodded, then raised his telescope and looked at the sea in the south. With the light emitted by the rising sun over the eastern sea, he could already see more and more smoke pillars appearing on the horizon. The graceful yet mighty figure of the armored cruiser has slowly appeared in the eyepiece of the telescope. After the two Haohan-class ships, more masts of the escort-class destroyers appeared. These escort-class destroyers were actually ahead of the Haohan-class, but they were only "big destroyers" with a standard row of 2,000 tons. Their low masts made them late. After a while, he appeared in David Porter's sight. Also appearing at the same time is the standard 6,500-ton Warrior-class cruiser.
The vanguard detachment of the Mexican-Texas Combined Fleet soon appeared completely in the eyepiece of Admiral Porter's telescope!
David Porter knew very well that behind this vanguard unit must be the main formation of the Mexico-Texas Combined Fleet. There must be several hero-class battleships among them!
However, David Porter knows very well that the real trump card of the Mexico-Texas Combined Fleet is not the Hero-class battleship, although the Hero-class can definitely be regarded as an epoch-making first-class battleship. However, the development of cannons and giant ships in this era is too rapid. The powerful battleships that are proud of the world today will become a "rotten sea" in a year or two - completely unsightly! This is the case with the Hero class. Its 280 mm 45-fold rapid-fire cannon was definitely the world's number one main gun when it first came out! But now, even the United States class uses a 12-inch (305 mm) main gun, and the turret layout is more reasonable and the artillery output is more powerful!
If the Mexico-Texas joint fleet can only rely on a few Hero-class ships, then the Mexicans and Japan will not even have a chance in today's battle. But they still have aircraft-carrying frigates and aircraft!
Thinking of airplanes, David Porter couldn't help but look up at the sky. It was empty. Their plane hadn't arrived yet.
But David Porter is not afraid even if he comes!
Because he also has planes. There are a total of 40 planes!
Thinking of this, David Porter confidently ordered: "Notify all destroyers towing aircraft carriers to prepare to launch carrier-based aircraft at any time!
Inform the New York and Maine to start bombardment from 10,000 yards away. Remember not to let enemy light ships get close to launch torpedoes. According to accurate information, the enemy has a torpedo with a range of more than 10,000 yards and a speed of more than 30 knots! "
"Yes, sir!"
"Did the reconnaissance plane detect the American armored cruiser?"
On board the Akagi, the flagship of the Mexico-Texas Combined Fleet Ambush Squadron, the squadron's admiral Takeuki Enomoto once again asked the staff around him questions.
"not yet."
The aviation staff officer next to him, a naval aviation major from the Ming Dynasty, shook his head and said: "It's really strange. They have been following the main formation for two days. They look like followers. Why did they disappear so early this morning?" What’s up?”
Missing are the six Cressy-class armored cruisers of the American "British Father" and the second- and third-class cruisers and destroyers that follow them. Until yesterday evening, they were still following the main force of the Mexico-Texas Combined Fleet. Look. I was not in a hurry at all. But I didn't expect that as soon as it got light today, a Mexican cruiser in charge of the rear found that the American patrol unit behind it was missing.
So they immediately powered the flagship Bolivar, and the Bolivar immediately contacted the Akagi and asked the Akagi to send a carrier-based aircraft to look for it.
"Forget it if you can't find it." Enomoto Takenoki shook his head. He now has a more important task, which is to send carrier-based aircraft to attack the main force of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet that is about to engage the main formation. This is really strange. Atlantic Ocean How did the main force of the fleet slip away from the south to the north? Could it be that the "fake fleet" that passed through the windward strait before was always there? Inflatable? Papery?
Unable to figure it out, Enomoto didn't think much about it. He just turned around and asked, "Are the carrier-based aircraft ready?"
"Okay, the first assault wave consists of 5 Ssangyongs and 90 Sea Dragons." Then the aviation staff said, "We can set off at any time!"
"Very good!" Takenobu Enomoto nodded heavily, "Half an hour after the first assault wave took off, the second assault wave began to take off. In addition, the bloody red flag is now raised! Tell all carrier-based aircraft pilots that today's attack order is It was personally issued by Lieutenant General Zhuge, Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet of the Ming Dynasty. This is not a war for Mexico or Japan, but a battle for the Ming Dynasty! It is a fateful battle between the Ming Dynasty and the United States of America. I hope you will fight bravely to kill the enemy!"
"Yes! Sir!" Then the aviation staff replied loudly.
(End of chapter)
