"This is the most heroic and saddest charge I have ever known. It is the tragedy of all Americans!"
"They fought for the British Empire to the end, but the British Empire had no intention of dying with them from the beginning, and how much better off are we Mexicans than they are?"
"The Royal Navy has tried its best, but still failed to reach the battlefield before the Americans retreated. I hope they can persist until the end next time!"
"Yao Xi, the white ghost dog bites the dog, causing heavy casualties. It's great!"
The above three paragraphs are from "I am not a sinner - President Jackson's war memoirs", "Too Far from God - Admiral Groley's Secret Report", British First Sea Lord Sir Hardy's answer to reporters' questions and Texas City Enomoto Takenoki's drunken nonsense at the celebration banquet.
Of course, the parties participating in this battle at this moment, although they are full of evil intentions and are forced to be helpless, they still have to go on the path they choose, crying and laughing. Because when things have reached this point, there is no turning back for anyone!
Admiral David Porter's ship, the United States, was now operating at full power. The roar of blowers, steam engines, and piercing sirens resounded throughout the ship, almost covering up the roar of artillery fire on the battlefield. Even if this battleship is equipped with a power system that is not up to standard anywhere (if only some parts were not up to standard, it would have been replaced long ago), even if it can overcome this hurdle, it will probably take several years to return to port. It took months to replace all boilers and steam engines.
But at the moment, no one thinks too much about whether the boilers and steam engines can survive until the battleship returns to port? Because this battleship is charging against 14 280mm cannons - there is probably nothing more brainless in the history of naval warfare than this.
But for David Porter, this tactic of actively giving away the T-position is the only way out.
If you are lucky enough, the U.S. Atlantic Fleet may have a chance to disrupt the Mexican battle line... As long as the fight turns into a melee and the ships of both sides are strangled together at close range, the enemy's aircraft will not be so easy to find. The bomb was dropped on the right target.
As long as the British Caribbean Fleet led by Admiral William Bagga arrives, the U.S. Navy may turn defeat into victory and win this crucial battle that determines the success or failure of the United States and Mexico!
David Porter, who still holds on to the last glimmer of hope for victory, is now standing in the command tower of the USS United States battleship, clutching the railing in front of him with both hands, and looking with red eyes at the main guns and auxiliary guns of the two Hero-class battleships ahead. The cannon outputs ammunition crazily towards him!
"boom"
In his sight, a bunch of black dots rushed across the sea like lightning. One of the 280mm armor-piercing projectiles hit the front of the No. 2 turret on the bow of the USS United States. Time seemed to slow down in an instant. David Wave Te only saw the twin-mounted turret rapidly inflating like a balloon that quickly filled with air, and then turned into a dazzling ball of fire. The entire battleship seemed to have been kicked violently by a giant. After shaking for a few times, it felt like a magnitude 7 earthquake had suddenly occurred inside the command tower. Everyone was knocked to the ground except for David Porter, who was holding the railing tightly.
David Porter stared with bloodshot eyes, looking down at the exploded turret below the command tower. Theoretically, the front of the United States-class main gun turret can completely withstand direct hits from Hero-class 280mm armor-piercing projectiles at close range. David Porter once witnessed the British using an 11-inch 45 A cannon with twice the diameter can completely block it from hitting the same steel plate as the front armor of the Victory-class main turret at close range!
But why can’t the United States-class, which is a complete copy of the Victory-class?
"They must be profiteers from Pittsburgh." David Porter immediately thought of the reason - the manufacturers that built the United States are a group of profiteers who deserve to be hanged!
"Air raid."
A shrill roar interrupted David Porter's thoughts. It turned out that the slow-flying wings in the sky had reached the top of the United States and began to drop bombs one after another.
At this time, David Porter discovered another thing that made him desperate - he seemed to be unable to use a Z-shaped route to avoid bombs, because that would slow down the battleship's already not very fast speed, making it Exposed to the enemy's 280mm main gun bullets for longer periods of time!
If the armor steel of the USS United States battleship were all qualified products, I wouldn't be worried. But the problem is, even the frontal armor of the main gun turret on the bow of the USS United States cannot withstand it...
Thinking of this, David Porter, who was almost desperate, could only yell: "Don't worry about the planes in the sky, wood cannot defeat steel... We must rush into the enemy's battle line as quickly as possible!"
"boom!"
As soon as David Porter finished speaking, there was a loud noise under his feet, and then the annoying noise made by the battleship's main engine was reduced by at least half. But this is not a good thing! David Porter's face immediately showed an expression of despair, and then a staff officer shouted: "Admiral, there was an explosion in the boiler room!"
This is news that is not surprising at all. The boilers and steam engines of the United States are all unqualified. They can only be used with caution at ordinary times. They dare not turn on the forced ventilation and use it to death. But today, in order to fight the enemies on the water and in the sky, , David Porter couldn't control the quality of the boilers and steam engines at all. From the beginning of the war to the present, he kept them running at full capacity, only to break down at the critical moment.
Admiral David Porter already knew that he was doomed. He was now riding on a broken battleship that had lost most of its power and was built to be substandard. He had to face threats from the surface, the air, and possibly underwater. (torpedo) firepower.
If this is not death, will there still be dead people on the battlefield?
Thinking that he would soon die for his country, David Porter, who had been fighting for the United States for most of his life, tidied up his military uniform, stood up straight, and prepared to face his end like a true warrior.
When David Porter was preparing to face death, his enemy, Admiral Glore of Mexico, had also been beaten badly. Although his USS Bolivar occupied the T-shaped position, the bow of the United States-class ship The firepower of the USS is not weak either. Each ship has 4 12-inch cannons on the bow. Six ships have 24 guns. Even if you deduct the 2 guns of the United States class, there are still 22 guns. Now they are all beating the Bolivar. .
Although every hero-class battleship has the best quality of this era, its design indicators are there. It is simply impossible to block the bombardment of 22 12-inch guns at a distance of 5,000 meters and 6,000 meters!
But knowing that he couldn't withstand it, Admiral Glore had nothing to do. Because the engine room and boiler room of the Bolivar had been hit by bombs, and most of the power was gone! Moreover, holes were opened in the waterline parts of the bow and stern of the ship. Hundreds of tons of sea water poured in, and the speed of the ship was greatly slowed down, making it impossible to escape.
The Bolivar's sister ship, the Agustín I, was not much better. It was also beaten black and blue and was dying.
After these two expensive battleships completed their initial battles, they were probably at the end of their lives. Even if they could return to Port Elizabeth, it would be impossible to repair them solely relying on Mexico's industrial capabilities. To drag them to Pearl Harbor for overhaul at the Ming Navy's factory, the Nicaragua Canal would have to be opened. What repair value will the Hero level have by then?
I have to admit that a naval battle involving giant ships and cannons is simply not something that a non-industrialized country like Mexico can afford!
"boom"
With a loud noise, the hull of the Bolivar shuddered violently again. The huge hull seemed to be hit by something. The stern of the ship was violently pushed to the right. The people in the command tower suddenly fell around. After everyone regained their feet, bad news came from the phone.
"Admiral, the stern of the ship was hit. The armor-piercing projectile got into the power compartment, and a big explosion occurred inside. The stern of the ship is rapidly filling with water."
Finished
Everyone knew that the Bolivar could not return to Port Elizabeth!
Guerrero stood up and looked at the battlefield ahead - the enemy's situation was not good either. Six United States-class ships were being bombed by planes. They were all covered in smoke, and one of them was more seriously injured. The smoke was almost reaching the sky.
"Admiral, Colonel Wang Wen's cruiser formation has arrived!"
This time there is finally some good news!
Admiral Guerrero took a sharp breath and loudly ordered: "Okay, the opportunity has come. Order all destroyers to launch an attack and use torpedoes to sink all enemy battleships and armored cruisers!"
(End of chapter)
