Chapter 66

July 16, sunny, temperature -2 degrees Celsius.

Just as Lin Youde and others in Dingyuan Fort were deeply troubled by the Spanish adding two more cannons overnight, more than ten kilometers away, Peng Zhicheng was seeing off a detachment about to set out.

The core combat force of this detachment was the 82 soldiers of the Fifth Infantry Post. To strengthen its power, it was also equipped with the entire First Artillery Post and a part of the spear-bearing auxiliary troops composed of Zarua and European prisoners of war, with a total of over 250 personnel. The overall commander was Lieutenant Colonel Liao Meng, deputy commander of the First Infantry Battalion, and the deputy commander was Captain Zhu Liang, the training officer of the First Battalion. The combat mission of this detachment was to strike the Spanish supply lines south of the Da Yu River.

Liao Meng and others saluted Peng Zhicheng for the last time, then turned and mounted their warhorses, heading southwest. The main Spanish forces were concentrated along the Dingyuan Fort line, with only about a hundred musketeers guarding the capital. Given this, the Army Department naturally could not leave their forces idle. Following the dispatch of the cavalry infantry post mainly composed of the Sixth Infantry Post, the Army Department now sent out the Liao Meng detachment, centered around the Fifth Infantry Post.

The Liao Meng detachment had 82 musketeers equipped with 32-乙 type flintlock muskets, 100 spear-bearers (equipped with a small number of matchlock muskets and 32-甲 type flintlock muskets), 45 artillerymen (with 8 cannons), and some logistics personnel, totaling 256 people. Additionally, they were equipped with 40 large wagons, 150 draft horses, and over 30 riding horses. According to the latest orders from the Army Department, Captain Liao Meng was to command all forces, including the cavalry battalion, the cavalry infantry post, and the Fifth Infantry Post. After marching for about half a day in the southwest direction, the Liao Meng detachment met up with the cavalry battalion and the cavalry infantry post, significantly increasing their strength. At this point, if they encountered Captain Torres' Spanish cavalry, Liao Meng was confident he could engage in battle.

On the morning of July 17, after the Liao Meng detachment merged, they began to enter the area where Spanish transport teams frequently traveled, preparing to cut off the Spanish supply lines. At 8 a.m., the cavalry battalion's scouts returned, reporting that they had discovered Spanish forces. This was not a surprising piece of news, as Captain Torres' 400 cavalry had been active in this area, and they were not blind; they would certainly spot this sizable force immediately.

By noon, the two forces finally met on a plain. To Liao Meng's surprise, the Spanish forces included over 300 infantry. It seemed the Spanish were very protective of their lifeline, Liao Meng thought.

"Form up, prepare for battle!" Liao Meng began to give orders. The logistics personnel parked the wagons on the left side, then took out 32-甲 type flintlock muskets, matchlock muskets, and other weapons, standing in the wagon formation to defend the left flank. In the center, 100 spear-bearers, each holding a three-meter-long spear, formed a 20x5 square formation in front of the wagon formation. The square formation had five rows, each with twenty people, with a 1.5-meter gap between each person. Behind the spear formation were 164 musketeers from the cavalry infantry post and the Sixth Post. The 107 personnel of the cavalry battalion were on the right flank. Between the left flank and the center, and the center and the right flank, four cannons were placed, with the artillerymen busily loading ammunition.

The officers loudly shouted orders to their soldiers to form up. The cavalry battalion and the musketeers were relatively easy to handle, as most had undergone regular military training, and many were veterans. These veterans remained calm, as they had experienced much larger battles. Their composure was well-transmitted to the new recruits, reducing their tension.

Compared to these regular troops, the temporarily recruited spear-bearers were somewhat inadequate. The officers had to beat them with their sheathed sabers to get these pirates and natives to reluctantly form up. To boost morale, the officers loudly announced that anyone who stayed until the end of the battle without fleeing would be pardoned for their past crimes, granted the status of a free citizen, and rewarded with ten silver dollars. This somewhat restored the morale of the soldiers.

The 300 Spanish infantry seemed to have been temporarily reinforced from the north bank of the Da Yu River, with more than half being musketeers. They also began to form a loose formation on the opposite side, with a few small cannons in the center. However, this force was likely just a supporting element for the cavalry, and the Spanish would still rely on their cavalry to win.

Sure enough, moments later, the Spanish cavalry began to accelerate, heading directly for the right flank of the Liao Meng detachment—the cavalry battalion. If they could break through the cavalry battalion, they would have the freedom to fight or retreat, completely controlling the battle. After the cavalry moved out, the 300 infantry also began to advance. The battle officially began!

"Boom! Boom!" The cannons of the First Artillery Post fired first, with 8 cannons concentrating their fire on the slowly accelerating Spanish cavalry. The first round of artillery fire was not very effective, with only four shells hitting the moving horsemen. However, these four solid iron balls caused considerable chaos among the 400 cavalry. Although the ground was soft due to recent rain and snow, preventing the shells from bouncing, the Spanish still suffered over a dozen casualties.

Perhaps shocked by the long range of the Liao Meng detachment's artillery, the Spanish cavalry increased their speed, charging straight at the right flank. The cavalry battalion, led by Xu Yu, a former nightclub security guard, gritted his teeth and drew his saber, shouting, "Damn it, even after crossing over, we still have to risk our lives! I'm really screwed! To hell with it, what's there to fear? Brothers, if I die, you must avenge me. When we sweep through Mexico and trample Madrid, don't forget to burn some paper for me! Charge!"

"Ura!" The 107 cavalrymen spurred their horses, bravely charging towards the Spanish.

The artillerymen of the First Artillery Post fired another round, creating over a dozen casualties in the Spanish ranks. At this point, the distance between the two cavalry forces was very close, and the cavalry battalion's soldiers fired their 1633-type flintlock pistols, instantly bringing down over fifty Spanish cavalry. They then drew their sabers or lances, increasing their speed to the maximum, and collided fiercely with the Spanish cavalry.

"Fifth Post, Sixth Post, advance!" A whistle sounded, and the flintlock musketeers of the two posts moved through the sparse spear formation, forming a tight formation and rushing to the edge of the cavalry battle. The artillerymen also switched to explosive shells, shifting their target to the Spanish infantry advancing towards them.

"Fifth Post, Sixth Post, all, quick march, fire, ready... fire!" The battle had just begun, and it was already at its most critical moment. Liao Meng, regardless of the situation, personally commanded the two posts' musketeers to support the cavalry. The cavalry battle was only a few hundred meters away, and the two posts' infantry reached the edge of the battlefield in a short time.

At this point, the cavalry battalion's over 100 riders, after suffering significant casualties, were retreating to the center of the battlefield, with the Spanish in hot pursuit. Liao Meng saw this perfect opportunity and could not let it pass. The 164 flintlock musketeers, from over a hundred meters away, fired a volley, causing heavy casualties among the pursuing Spanish cavalry. At least forty riders fell, and the pursuit was disrupted, creating significant chaos.

"Load... free fire!" Liao Meng shouted. In fact, he could have stopped shouting, as the soldiers on the noisy battlefield could not hear his orders. They had already entered a state of free fire.

Black smoke rose on the battlefield, from the musketeers firing. The strong west wind quickly dispersed the smoke, and the battlefield saw over thirty more Spanish cavalry corpses. At this point, both sides' cavalry formations were in disarray, with the cavalry battalion's remaining dozens of riders crossing the entire battlefield, circling around the left flank's wagon formation to the rear of the infantry. The Spanish, in hot pursuit, were hit by the random fire from the logistics personnel's matchlock muskets and 32-甲 type flintlock muskets as they circled around the wagon formation, causing another dozen casualties.

On the main battlefield, the Spanish infantry suffered heavy casualties from the 8 cannons, especially the over a hundred matchlock musketeers on the flanks, who were hit by explosive shells, with at least a quarter of the soldiers losing their combat ability.

"Spear-bearers, advance!" Deputy Commander Zhu Liang, observing the battlefield situation, finally decided to commit the last combat force, as there was no need to hold back anymore.

"Spurt!" A basin of hot blood splattered on Zhu Liang's face, the blood of a nearby soldier. An iron ball had penetrated his left side, and the powerful heart spurted blood all over the ground.

The Spanish artillery opened fire!

"Advance! You cowards!" The veteran spear-bearer officers, either drawing their sabers or 1633-type flintlock pistols, glared fiercely at the hesitant new recruits. Under the real threat, the new recruits finally took their stiff steps, advancing mechanically to the rhythmic sound of the brass whistle.

The flintlock musketeers of the two posts had gradually gathered together, with few targets left to choose from. The number of Spanish cavalry had sharply decreased to less than two hundred, and they were divided into two groups. Their opponents, the cavalry battalion of the crossers, still had over sixty riders. These remaining cavalry, relying on the support of the two posts' infantry, temporarily escaped the Spanish pursuit. After reloading their pistols, they roared and charged at the enemy again.

The 8 cannons of the Second Artillery Post had switched to chain shot, divided into two sides. The four on the left continued to fire at the Spanish infantry, while the four on the right took the opportunity to fire at the Spanish cavalry, which had slowed down due to the continuous fighting. The excellent performance of the cannons inflicted terrifying casualties on the Spanish cavalry, and the weak-willed Gaucho cavalry began to retreat, leaving the Spanish to the rapidly advancing cavalry battalion. On the distant main battlefield, the four Spanish cannons were also firing, but their infantry, hit by the chain shot, had already suffered dozens of casualties, and their formation was on the verge of collapse.

The Spanish were showing signs of decline.