The 12th and 13th Divisions of the Dingbei Army, after occupying the city of Boli, where the Russians were empty, left 1 regiment to defend the city, and the troops of 2 divisions marched to Amur, an important city in the Russian Far East.

On the evening of September 13, when the 14th Division captured the inner city of Svobod, the troops of the 12th and 13th Divisions rushed to the foot of the city of Amur and immediately began to encircle the city. The city of Amur was later known as Komsomolsk.

Zhang Zuolin and Li Yuandong, the two division commanders, were also a little tired because of the rapid march, Zhang Zuolin stretched his waist and said: "It's okay, Brother Yuandong, let's surround the Russian 21st Army in Amur City!" ”

Li Yuandong said with a smile: "Our two divisions did not run this way in vain, as long as the 21st Army of Amur City is wiped out, there will be no main force of the Russian army in the entire area of the Khingan Mountains outside Russia!" ”

Zhang Zuolin said: "It's not just the Outer Xing'an Mountains, the guards, the map!" ”

The guards beside Zhang Zuolin immediately handed him the military map, and then Zhang Zuolin opened the map and said: "Brother Yuandong, you see, as long as we wipe out the Russian 21st Army in Amur City, starting from the Outer Khingan Mountains and ending to the Lena River above as the dividing line. From the demarcation line to the east to the easternmost Bering Strait and Kamchatka, there are at least a few million square kilometers of land, and the Russian army has no troops, not even many Russians, and there may be more than 100,000 people in a few million square kilometers of land. Ha ha. Brother Yuandong, this is a great credit from God to the two of us to expand our territory! ”

Li Yuandong watched Zhang Zuolin draw a big circle on the map, and said excitedly: "Okay." Brother Zhang, this great credit, our brothers want it! The principal will definitely not object to our 2 divisions seizing these millions of square kilometers of land! ”

Zhang Zuolin rolled up the map with a smile, handed it to the guard next to him and said with a smile: "Let's study how to take Amur City and eliminate the Russian 21st Army inside!" ”

Li Yuandong thought about it for a while and said, "That's it, Brother Zhang, it just so happens that each of our divisions has surrounded Amur City in 2 directions. Let the troops rest for the night today, and early tomorrow morning. Each of our divisions is responsible for the attack on the city of Amur in 2 directions, and it will blossom on all sides! ”

Zhang Zuolin nodded and said, "Okay!" According to the method of the Yuan Dong brothers, the army will attack the city early tomorrow morning! ”

Zhang Zuolin finally said to the brigade commanders of the two divisions beside him: "All troops, be careful at night, don't let the Russian army in Amur City escape!" ”

Inside the headquarters of the Russian 21st Army in the city of Amur. Lieutenant General Yevgnievich, the commander of the 21st Army, said to his 3 division commanders and 6 brigade commanders with a sad face: "Now that the Dingbei Army of the Qing Dynasty has surrounded our Amur City, although the telegram sent to me by Governor Alekseev said that if the battle situation is unfavorable, our 21st Army can retreat to the Siberian region in the east, but now that Amur City is surrounded by enemies on all sides, it is difficult to retreat, what do you think we should do?" ”

A division commander of the 21st Army said: "Commander, although our 21st Army has nearly 30,000 troops, we have not built strong fortifications in Amur City, and we are facing the Dingbei Army, which has strong combat effectiveness. To tell the truth, it is difficult for our 21st Army to hold the city of Amur, and it is better for our whole army to take advantage of the fact that the foothold of the Dingbei Army is not stable. The whole army broke through to the east and retreated to the Siberian region to the east. ”

One brigade commander of another division said: "Most of the Siberian region in the east is no man's land, and even some small towns cannot provide supplies for our first army. It is better to break through to the south, and then our 21st Army will make a detour to avoid the main force of the Dingbei Army. Evacuate to the fortress of Vladivostok. ”

The commander of the 21st Army, Yevgnyevich, nodded, he actually planned to flee as well, and he was also inclined to break through to the south and retreat to the fortress of Vladivostok.

Yevgnyevich did not expect that after the start of the war, the Dingbei Army would be able to reach the city of Amur in the hinterland of the Far East, so he led the army to the city of Amur and did not build any fortifications.

Now that the war situation in the entire Russian Far East is rotten, the army of the Dingbei Army has actually surrounded the city of Amur, you must know that the city of Amur does not even have a city wall, is it possible to let the 21st Army rely on some temporary fortifications piled up with sacks to resist the powerful Dingbei Army?

Yevgnyevich had already made up his mind to retreat, but he still asked several other subordinate officers: "I also think that it is more appropriate to break through to the south, what is your opinion?" ”

The other 2 division commanders and 5 brigade commanders looked at each other, and all agreed that the whole army of the 21st Army would break through to the south tonight, and no one wanted to defend the city of Amur and live and die with the city of Amur, after all, there is only one life, and these high-ranking officers of the Russian 21st Army still cherish their lives.

Seeing that his subordinates all agreed to retreat, Yevgniyevich nodded with satisfaction, then looked at his pocket watch and said: "It's 7 o'clock in the evening, you go back and prepare immediately, at 11 o'clock tonight, the whole army will attack the Dingbei Army south of Amur City, God bless us to be able to stand out!" ”

At 11 o'clock in the evening on September 13, the troops besieging the city south of the city of Amur were the 121st Brigade of the 12th Division.

After the 121 Brigade arrived in the south of Amur City, the whole brigade worked together to dig a simple trench, because Zhang Zuolin specially told not to let the Russian army in Amur City break through and run away at night, so the officers and soldiers of 1 regiment of the 121 Brigade fell asleep directly in the trench, and arranged for officers and soldiers on duty at night to prevent the Russian army from sneaking up.

Suddenly, a soldier on duty saw in the direction of Amur City that there seemed to be a group of black figures moving in the direction of Amur City, and the soldier wiped his eyes with his hand, yes, there were indeed people!

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Enemy attack by the Russian army! The soldier on duty suddenly shouted.

The officers and soldiers of Dingbei in the entire trench were immediately awakened, and when they saw that the direction of Amur City was indeed densely packed with Russian soldiers, they were approaching their trenches.

The Russian army also heard the shouts of the trenches of the Dingbei Army. Knowing that it was no longer possible to sneak into the position of the Dingbei Army, the Russian officers and soldiers shouted: "Ula! Ulla! "The charge began to start on the trenches of the Dingbei Army, and more than 80 75mm field guns behind the Russian 21st Army. It also began to shell the trenches of the Dingbei Army, suppressing the firepower of the trenches of the Dingbei Army and covering the charge of the Russian army.

The officers and soldiers of Dingbei in the trenches immediately fired fiercely at the charging Russian troops, and the fierce gunfire suddenly broke the silence of the night.

The attack, supported by the Russian infantry artillery, almost broke into the position of the Dingbei Army, and thanks to the critical moment, the 121 brigade heavy artillery regiment of the brigade began to fire 30 105mm howitzers. The Russian artillery was blown up to the ground, and the officers and soldiers in Dingbei in the trenches showed their powerful firepower. Repelled a charge of nearly 10,000 Russian troops.

The commander of the 21st Army, Yevgnievich, saw that the troops of the 1st Division suddenly attacked, and without even attacking the positions of the Dingbei Army, he was beaten back, and the artillery for infantry support was lost a lot. He shook his head helplessly.

After that, the 21st Army launched two more breakthrough attacks, but they were all knocked down by the powerful firepower of the Dingbei Army, and they did not even touch the edge of the Dingbei Army's position, and the 21st Army had killed no less than 4,000 people.

Several division commanders and brigade commanders looked helplessly at the army commander Yevgnievich and asked Yevgnyevich what to do next? You can't break through with such an attack!

Seeing the gazes of several subordinates, Yevgnyevich sighed and said: "Forget it, you can't break through the siege at all after such a fight, order the troops to withdraw to Amur City!" ”

The Russian 21st Army broke through because of the strict defense of the besieging troops of the Dingbei Army, and it did not succeed and retreated to the city of Amur in disgrace.

Zhang Zuolin and Li Yuandong, who were already asleep, were woken up by the sound of gunfire. Zhang Zuolin looked at the direction illuminated by the artillery fire, and then muttered sleepily: "Damn, it's not safe to sleep." The Russian army on the third watch in the middle of the night still wants to sneak away, how can it be so easy! Q: What is the situation with the 121st Brigade? ”

The personnel of the division headquarters hurriedly contacted the 121 Brigade by radio and asked about the situation on the position.

Li Yuandong, who was wearing a piece of clothing, said to Zhang Zuolin with a smile: "It seems that the Russian 21st Army does not have the determination to fight to the death, and our siege may be easier tomorrow." ”

Soon after, the 121st Brigade called the division headquarters, and Zhang Zuolin glanced at the telegram. said to Li Yuandong: "Brother Yuandong, it's okay." The Russian 21st Army can't run, let's go to sleep! ”

Sure enough, not long after, the gunfire south of the city of Amur stopped, and the Russian 21st Army was driven back into the city by the 121st Brigade.

The commander of the 21st Army, Yevgnievich, returned to the headquarters in Amur with 3 division commanders and 6 brigade commanders, and looked at the 9 subordinates who were not looking good, and the dejected Yevgnyevich said: "Everyone, what should we do now?" Breaking through is no longer possible! ”

The three division commanders and the six brigade commanders looked at each other, and they all had the intention of saying something.

Yevgnyevich actually knew in his heart that there was only one way for him to choose now, and he hoped that his subordinates could say it, so that he could agree to it, so he glanced at his subordinates again and said: "It's all this time, what can't be said!" ”

One brigade commander stumbled and said, "Commander, why don't you ...... Or let's surrender! ”

Yevgniyevich breathed a sigh of relief, and finally someone offered to surrender, and he pretended to say: "Surrender, not very good?" What do you think? ”

The other 3 division commanders and 5 brigade commanders heard that their army commander already had the intention of surrendering, so the 3 division commanders and 5 brigade commanders said that surrender was a good way out!

In the end, the commander of the 21st Army, who was born as a hereditary nobleman, decided to lead the 21st Army to surrender to the Dingbei Army early tomorrow morning.

Early in the morning of the 14th, the 12th and 13th Divisions surrounding the city of Amur were preparing to launch an attack on the city of Amur.

When the Russian officer with the white flag walked into the position of the Dingbei Army, a soldier of the Dingbei Army brought him to Zhang Zuolin and Li Yuandong. The officer of the Russian army muttered a lot to Zhang Zuolin and Li Yuandong, Zhang Zuolin couldn't understand Russian, and asked an adjutant next to him who knew Russian: "What did this old Maozi say?" I muttered a lot, and I didn't understand a word! ”

The adjutant said: "Division commander, Lao Maozi said that he came to us on behalf of the commander of the Russian 21st Army, Yevgnievich, to discuss the surrender with our army!" ”

Zhang Zuolin's eyes suddenly widened and said, "This old man is too complete, so he will surrender!" ”

Li Yuandong said with a smile on the side: "Isn't it better, Brother Zhang, our troops have avoided the loss of the siege!" ”

Under the condition that Zhang Zuolin and Li Yuandong promised to guarantee the personal safety and personal property of the officers and men of the Russian 21 st Army that their personal property would not be confiscated, nearly 24,000 officers and men of the Russian 21 st Army surrendered to the Dingbei Army, and then the 12th and 13th Divisions of the Dingbei Army entered the city of Amur and occupied this important town in the Russian Far East. (To be continued) R580