August 6, 1875 AD, American Empire, Iowa, Conseil Bluffs Bridgehead. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

The gunshots rang out sporadically, and there was never a time to stop. This is the vanguard of the U.S. Army exchanging fire with the alert troops of the Donghua Army!

East of the Missouri River, this small town called Selmelt Bluffs was founded by Mormons in its early years. It was not very large by now, only a few thousand inhabitants, all white, and had now retreated. All that was left for the Donghua Army was an empty town. But they were not willing to set fire to their homes, which was obviously a fatal mistake.

Occupying here is the Fifth Division of the Donghua Army, the division commander Huang Bingkun is a native of Hunan, the word Hanxiang is Chinese New Year's Eve six years old, is a low-level officer of the early Ming Expeditionary Force, and most of the lower-level officers and soldiers of the expeditionary force immigrated to Donghua after the end of the First North American War. Later, he went to the first phase of the Donghua Army Military Academy (he did not go to a military school in China), and he was an old-timer in the Donghua Army, with extremely rich military experience. And the Fifth Division under his command is, of course, also a powerhouse of the Donghua Army. The Donghua Army's infantry divisions now have more than 60 numbers, but only the Guards Infantry Division and the top 20 infantry divisions are elite backbones, and the rest of the units are formed by a mixture of reserve officers, soldiers, and recruits from these elite divisions.

It was precisely because of his elite soldiers that Jujuan entrusted them with the task of holding the bridgehead of Consel Bluffs. The vanguard of this > division crossed the Missouri River to Cantel Bluffs on August 2. In the following five days, the whole division was under the leadership of Division Commander Huang Bingkun. It's like I'm going crazy. Everyone only sleeps three or four hours a day. The rest of the time was spent digging trenches, building fortifications, and rushing to transport all kinds of supplies. Because they know that these precious hours are all exchanged for the lives of the cavalry brothers! It was they who were desperately delaying the movement of the US military that gave them these precious days.

Now, the town of Cotherl Bluffs is unrecognizable. Houses in the town were either demolished and building materials were used to construct a ring of defensive positions outside the town. Either they were reinforced and reinforced, becoming warehouses for stacking ammunition and supplies or where command structures at all levels were located. On top of a clearing near the Missouri River. There are also 18 120mm howitzers lined up! This is the treasure of the Fifth Division, and it can be used to carry out long-range fire strikes! Out of these 18 120mm howitzers, the Fifth Division also has 36 75mm rapid-fire guns, which have a relatively close range and are generally used for direct fire, and are placed in camouflaged and reinforced artillery bunkers behind the first line positions.

There is no doubt that the Fifth Infantry Division of the Donghua Army is ready to fight a real tough battle here -- as long as you know a little about military affairs, you can know that without pulling out the four nails, including Cantel Bluffs, the Americans will not be able to use troops west of the Missouri River with confidence...... Unless it is completely besieged with several times the number of troops! However, these four points are all against the Missouri River, as long as they can't be taken. The U.S. military would have no way to transport supplies by river. If the East Chinese Army completely destroys the railway line during the retreat, and at the same time jams the Kansas River with a stronghold. Then the logistics of the Americans' army of more than a million people will probably be a big trouble.

After a few days, Huang Bingkun's eyes were already red. was sitting on a pile of wooden boxes and talking to Bai Qili, the commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, who also looked tired.

"It's really the main force of Lao Mei, there is no doubt about it! There were many soldiers pouring in from the east like a tidal wave, at least hundreds of thousands! Han Xiang, you're going to have to fight hard this time. ”

Huang Bingkun took a big sip of coffee and said with concern: "Cunxiao (Bai Qili), your casualties are not small, right?" I've heard gunfire here at Council Bluffs, it's not your average crowd! ”

"It's okay, more than thirty percent of the casualties ......" Bai Qili smiled bitterly, "Many good brothers have gone, and they have to write letters of condolence in the next few days, it's really hard!" ”

"More than three percent......" Huang Bingkun looked at him in surprise, "So many?" I'm afraid that the first cavalry division won't be able to use it without a three-month rest, right? ”

"Where's the three months?" Bai Qili stood up and nodded at his senior brother, "The king gave 1,200 additional soldiers a month!" Little brother, I'm going to Lancaster to report soon......" He paused, "By the way, is there any news from St. Louis?" ”

Huang Bingkun frowned: "It seems that Henry I of Mexico has already come forward, and it is estimated that there is no big problem." Cun Xiao, do you have relatives trapped there? ”

"Daddy is stuck in St. Louis!" Bai Qili shook his head as he walked out, "It's not good to stay in San Francisco at such an old age, it's really an old fool!" ”

As soon as he walked to the door, there were several muffled explosions outside, it was the 75mm rapid-fire guns and 105mm howitzers of the US army firing!

Huang Bingkun stood up abruptly and said to Bai Qili: "Brother Xiaoxiao, the younger brother will not be sent away!" As he spoke, he picked up the binoculars on the table and strode out of his division headquarters with a few staff officers and heralds. The shelling just now must have been a harassing firing and test firing by the US artillery, and a more violent bombardment and infantry attack was already imminent!

……

"Are the Fifth, Sixth, Eleventh and Eighteenth Divisions ready for a fierce battle? Are the supplies sufficient? Is morale high? They're probably going to be under siege! Let them hurry up and build the fortifications, and be strong and strong! ”

"The Sixth Army's movements need to be accelerated! Grinding and thinking this is Asia? Now it's 40 million white people beating us 18 million Chinese! Then send a telegram to urge. Within a week, you have to get to Lancaster! ”

"Have you made contact with the Daming? When will Father be in San Francisco? I don't have time to greet him, so call Yung Hong and Henry and let them take care of it. ”

Jujuan sat in his headquarters, his face sinking like water. But his demeanor remained calm. In his mind, he was trying to get a complete grasp of the distribution of his troops. And control their actions with brief commands. This battle of more than 2 million or even 3 million people has now begun! This is his Jujuan's "Italian Campaign", if he wins, his position in Donghua, no, in North America and the Greater China system can be truly consolidated! He will be a military strategist comparable to Napoleon I, a military strategist capable of commanding a million armies and entire wars! When the old man has had enough of playing in North America, he will be able to control the entire North American battlefield.

At the same time, the shells of the Americans had already exploded accurately above the positions on the front line of the Cantel Bluffs bridgehead. This time it seems to be an official bombardment! Hundreds of mountain artillery guns were lined up in the wilderness directly east of the Cantel Bluffs bridgehead, these were 75 fast guns, and the firing range was only four or five thousand meters, so they were not used for indirect aiming, but were directly placed on the front line to shoot direct aiming. Therefore, the shells were also accurate, and rows of blue-black smoke columns rose from the first line positions of the Donghua Army. From time to time, broken limbs were blown apart and flew around.

Huang Bingkun has already been on the front line, holding a telescope in his hand and watching the battle with a gloomy face. This time the enemy is really menacing! There are hundreds of cannons lined up alone! There should still be 105mm or even 150mm heavy guns hiding behind and not firing, right? As soon as their 120mm howitzers bombarded their exposed artillery positions, they would be covered by heavy American artillery -- there were their hot air balloons in the air (of course, there were also Donghua hot air balloons).

So Huang Bingkun has already ordered, all the cannons have endured and never let go of a single cannon, just wait for the old American infantry to come up and understand their power!

Thirty minutes of artillery preparation was over in a blink of an eye, and the battlefield was already covered in gunsmoke, but everyone knew that the infantry charge would begin after the artillery fire! Huang Bingkun hurriedly gave the order: "Order all troops to enter the combat position!" The Yankees are coming up! (To be continued......)