The night is like ink, and the guns are like thunder. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 infoOn the Great Plains of Central America, in the wilderness north of the Missouri River, the vanguard of two million-dollar armies has collided and engaged in a bloody and fierce battle. It is the same cavalry that rushes to the vanguard of the US army, the same elite, and the same firepower!

It's North America with its vast plains. Whether it is Donghua, the American Empire, or the Confederate States of America, they can all be said to be countries on horseback. Horses are not a rare species at all on this rich Big 6. Therefore, the armies of the three countries have a large number of horses, and they also have quite elite cavalry.

And the cavalry of these three countries have similar ideas, they are not the brainless old big 6 cavalry, always stubbornly obsessed with sabers and spears. The cowboys here in the North American Big 6, whether white or Chinese, all agree that the revolver is the best melee weapon, if one is not enough, two will be matched, and if it is not enough, simply buy a beaded rifle. Guns are better than big blades, right? Therefore, the cavalry of these three North American countries has long ignored the cavalry charge of spears and sabers, and has turned themselves into complete mounted infantry. Ride on horseback, dismount and shoot! It's not pretty, but it's very practical.

When Bai Qili arrived at the front line with his guard company, the well-trained Donghua cavalry had already spread out a battle line on the battlefield, and their tactics were the same as that of the infantry, using platoons as a unit around a Type 73 water machine gun. The Type 73 machine gun, which was assigned to the cavalry, differed from the infantry model in that it had a steel shield that could withstand bullets. It can effectively defend against the accurate fire of enemy snipers, and at a time when mortars were not yet widespread (currently only the Ming army had them), this machine gun was definitely a difficult point of fire on the battlefield.

Five companies of Donghua cavalry had already deployed fifteen such firing points on the open battlefield. A wide front of 1o km is formed. The regimental headquarters of the first regiment of cavalry also came up in motion. Occupy an abandoned farm as a stronghold.

When Bai Qili arrived on horseback. The exchange of fire between the two sides has ceased for the time being. The commander of the first cavalry regiment is also a young man, named Wang Jian, Zihua, and Bai Qili are classmates of the military academy, and they are only 25 years old this year. When Bai Qili walked into the temporary regiment headquarters, he was studying the map with the staff officer of the regiment headquarters under the oil lamp.

"Zihua, how's the situation?" Bai Qili didn't wait for Wang Jian and them to stand up and salute, and opened his mouth to ask.

"An encounter. After playing for 2o minutes, it's a tie. Wang Jian still gave Bai Qili a military salute, "Lao Mei on the opposite side has at least twelve machine guns, it should be twelve companies." Like us, we went on the defensive. ”

"How's the casualty?" Bai Qili habitually beat his leather boots with a horsewhip, and whenever he was nervous, he would do so unconsciously.

"Eighteen dead, ten seriously injured, and no one is missing," Wang said. "Enemy casualties are unknown, but we have captured a scattered American cavalryman. Interrogation is ongoing. ”

As he spoke, there were a few faint screams, and it seemed that someone was being beaten. Soon someone sent the results of the interrogation, and the American troops on the opposite side were the 1st Cavalry Division of the 6th Army of the American Empire, which had been stationed on the east bank of the Missouri River three months earlier.

"Haha, it's an old rival!" Bai Qili smiled, and looked at the map that had just been marked by the light of the oil lamp, "It seems that there will be a tough battle tonight, I know the temper of the US First Cavalry Division, but I won't retract it after touching it!" ”

The troops that could be sent out by Sherman to take the lead were of course the elite of the elite, including not only the 1st Cavalry Division, but also the other eleven cavalry divisions under the US 6th Army Cavalry Command, which stretched out from St. Joseph's territory north of Kansas City and along the Missouri River to Sioux City in Iowa, pulling out a wide front of 36o kilometers. Sherman's army of one million can only be stretched out to this point, and if it continues to extend, the battle line will be too thin. Of course, Sherman would not have placed his army evenly on such a long front, and adopted a strategy of focused deployment.

Similarly, Jujuan only made a breakthrough at four "points" — Stress Bluffs, Rockport, Missouri Vally and Onawa — erecting a pontoon bridge over the Missouri River and establishing a bridgehead on the east bank of the river. The distance from Rockport, the southernmost of the four points, to Onawa, the northernmost point, is about 2oo kilometers. In order to cover the construction of bridges and bridgeheads, Jujuan sent three cavalry divisions, namely the 1st Cavalry Division, the 2nd Cavalry Division, and the 3rd Cavalry Division, to cover the battlefield. However, Juan's deployment, Sherman did not know.

"Mr. General, on the front between Rockport and Onawa, there are the vanguard of the Chinese army. Winfield. Lieutenant General Hancock's 3rd Army and Ro. Lieutenant General Amista's 4th Army also had Joseph Amysta. None of the 6th Army under the command of Lieutenant General Hook arrived at the designated place in time. ”

Ulysses. Major General Grant stood in front of Admiral Sherman, a solemn look on his face. The "sinner" of the First North American War had a hard time after the defeat of Gettysburg, first being demoted as a scapegoat, then having to deal with endless investigations, and being financially difficult, almost becoming a beggar. It wasn't until later that the old friend William. Sherman became the commander-in-chief of the 6th Army before he changed his fortune and became one of Sherman's main staff, and his rank was slowly promoted to major general.

William. Sherman just glanced at his old friend, then turned to the chief of staff, Philip Lee, who was lying on the map. Henry. Sheridan said, "Has anything changed in Kansas City in person?" ”

"It's still the same, the Chinese army has switched to defense, and the Southern Yankee Jackson doesn't have much offensive **." Lieutenant General Sheridan replied with a wry smile. The obstruction of the attack of the three armies does not mean that the situation in the war is unfavorable. The battle has only just begun, and if the Chinese army is about to collapse at the first touch, it will definitely be a deception. However, the low enthusiasm of the Southerners made senior generals of the Northern Army like Sheridan very dissatisfied, and in their view, the reason why the United States had fallen to this point was because of the rebellion in the South. Now that the facts have proved the mistakes of the south, they should atone for their sins, how can they "make contributions but not make efforts" like they are now?

"Mr. General, it's better to urge Jackson again and let him fight back as soon as possible!" Sheridan said with some dissatisfaction.

"There is no movement in Kansas City......" Sherman shook his head, his expression slightly distressed, but more determined. He looked at Grant and lowered his voice: "Go and call Lieutenant General Hancock, Lieutenant General Amista and Lieutenant General Hook, tell them to launch an offensive as soon as possible, and be sure to defeat the enemy while his foothold is not stable!" Then call the 1st Army and the 5th Army and ask them to send troops across the Missouri River to build a bridgehead! ”

The gunfire crackled like popping beans. The roar of Donghua's Jason Model 1873 machine gun is intertwined with the gasping sound of the U.S. Army's Colt machine gun (produced by Colt Corporation, similar to the Jason Model 1873 machine gun). Occasionally, there was the sound of grenades and 75 artillery shells exploding at each other. On the east bank of the Missouri River, after daylight fell on 5 August, the vanguard of the U.S. Army launched an offensive on the front of about 2oo kilometers between Rockport and Onawa, where they had been blocked. They seemed to be desperately trying to press back the cavalry units of the Donghua Army that controlled the front of the position. The scale of the infantry and cavalry units of the US army dispatched was also quite large, and the scale of the whole regiment and battalion was combined with the defensive line of the three cavalry divisions of the Donghua Army. Four infantry divisions of the 6th Army were crossing the Missouri River and building defensive positions at Council Bluffs, Rockport, Missouri Valley, and Onawa. Now is the critical moment, how can Donghua's cavalry be willing to relinquish control of this battlefield? The battle between the vanguard teams of the two sides immediately started on all fronts. The Americans attacked desperately, while the cavalry of Donghua defended desperately, doing their best to delay the opponent's offensive. The situation is now clear, the main forces of both sides are concentrated in this direction, and a decisive battle of unprecedented scale will soon begin! (To be continued!)