While the harbor of New Orleans was under fire, 22 warships were moored in a row in the sea area 5 kilometers outside the harbor.

These warships were both steel warships and wooden sail warships, but all of them flew two flags, one of which was the national flag of the Chinese Empire - the five-star red flag, and the other flag was a bright orange background, near the flagpole, embroidered with two large black regular script simplified characters: East!

Among them, the five-star red flag naturally represents that the nationality of these ships belongs to the Chinese Empire, and as for the flag with an orange background and embroidered with the word "Oriental" in black italics, it is the group flag of the Eastern Bloc.

Therefore, since these 22 warships all flew these two flags and appeared in the waters off the coast of the United States, it means that they are a task force subordinate to the Eastern Bloc!

However, although this fleet is also called a task force to the outside world, it is actually not a task force in the original sense, but a kind of fleet that has been reorganized and expanded.

In this fleet, there are a total of five real main warships, the largest of which is the Suzhou frigate, which is based on the Jiangwei II-class missile frigate, and the other four smaller warships are Changshu, Kunshan, Taicang, and Jiading, which are based on the Jianghu IV frigate.

Among them, the three ships, the Suzhou, Changshu and Kunshan, are all old ships purchased by Li Yongji from the modern society when he was in China, while the Taicang and Jiading are the new ships ordered by Li Yongji from the modern society after he came to the Red Fort in Hollywood.

With the exception of these five modern warships, most of the other ships were wooden sail clippers, but they were all refitted, with high-powered diesel engines and propeller thrusters added to the stern.

Most of these sailing ships have a displacement of about 2,000 to 1,500 tons, and in terms of armament, they are only equipped with a single-barreled Type 59 57-mm anti-aircraft gun in the bow and stern, and they are only auxiliary troop carriers and supply ships.

At this moment, Li Yongji, who is alias Li Yuanzheng, is only wearing an orange jacket. Standing in the captain's room of the Suzhou, holding a telescope, quietly observing the situation in the harbor of New Orleans in the distance.

And beside Li Yongji, there was Mo Haiwen who was wearing a snow-white vice admiral uniform, and at this moment he was standing beside Li Yongji in a regular manner, with a stern and serious face, as if he was a little soldier waiting to be reviewed.

After a while, Li Yongji put down the binoculars, turned his head to look at Mo Haiwen, and said with a smile: "Don't be so nervous. Relax, relax. ”

"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander." Mo Haiwen nodded slightly, "This is usually the way the humble position is, not deliberately. ”

"Hmm." Li Yongji nodded, no longer said this, but continued to look in the direction of the port of New Orleans, "The landing operation is already underway, do you think we forced the landing this time." How much will there be to lose? ”

"Back to Your Excellency, Commander." Mo Haiwen said sternly, "The warships they can leave the port have been completely wiped out by us, and the coastal batteries have also been destroyed by our 122mm rocket artillery and capital naval guns, and they have lost their defensive capability. Plus the Dream Division that landed is well-equipped. I have a lot of combat experience, and I believe that there will not be much problem during the landing process, although I dare not say that there will be zero damage, but I think it should not be more than a hundred. ”

"I hope so." Li Yongji frowned.

Truly. In order to send troops this time, Li Yongji took great pains.

In fact, the task force led by Li Yongji set off as early as October 15, 1862. Then, at the end of December, it bypassed Cape Horn and arrived at the port of Havana, Cuba.

After that, Li Yongji did not quickly lead troops to attack the continental United States, but only sent a small number of intelligence officers to pay close attention to the dynamics of the Civil War, especially in the direction of Vicksburg.

Because he knew that on the Eastern Front, there was Robert . General Lee, as well as the trench tactics that Li Yongji painstakingly sent, believe that there will not be much of a problem, so for the Allied States, the biggest variable is the western front.

In the western front, the most important is undoubtedly Vicksburg, because of its special geographical location, it is the most important strategic hub of the Union State, if the Union continues to control here, it can continue to obtain a steady stream of supplies from the west, if the Union State occupies here, then the Union State will be dangerous.

In another time and space, the turning point of the Civil War is said to be the famous Battle of Vicksburg, and it was after this battle that the Confederate states in the South deteriorated.

Of course, these are not what Li Yongji cares about, what Li Yongji cares about most is actually Grant's Tennessee Legion, because as far as Li Yongji knows, the most powerful legion in the United States of America is this Tennessee Legion, and the most famous generals of the United States, Grant and Sherman, are also in this legion.

According to Li Yongji's conception, although the number of Dream Troops led by him is small, but it is strong, so it cannot fight with the federal army little by little, and if it is to fight, it must fight a decisive battle.

In addition, although Li Yongji has a map provided by later generations, the real terrain of the alliance country has to be detected in advance, so that no accidents will occur.

Therefore, after Li Yongji came to Havana, Cuba, he was not in a hurry to join the troops, but while adapting to the environment and training troops, he paid close attention to the shape of the American Civil War, and the spies he sent out not only had to investigate the battle situation, but also to survey the terrain and prepare for the advance of the army.

Fortunately, both the North and the South are currently relatively friendly to the Chinese, especially those Chinese businessmen who sell special drugs, they dare not offend, which also allows these nominally Chinese drug smugglers, but in fact spies, to pass smoothly between the United States and the Allied States without a little difficulty.

Finally, when Li Yongji heard that the Battle of Vicksburg had broken out and that the main force of Grant's army had appeared in Vicksburg, he decided to send troops immediately, and the preferred target was the port of New Orleans.

According to Li Yongji's plan, he would lead his troops to occupy the port of New Orleans and gain the mouth of the Mississippi River, and then leave a part of the army to defend it, while the other part would continue to sail up the river to Vicksburg, and then engage in a decisive battle with Grant's Tennessee Army.

In fact, Li Yongji originally wanted to pull the British and the French to send troops together, but the British and French armies have been very hesitant to send troops recently, and they only sent a few warships to fight two naval battles with the navy of the United States of America. But it did not really block the coast of the United States of America, nor did it really hit the navy of the United States.

Therefore, although Britain and France have declared war on the United States of America, in fact, like China, they are all loud and rainy, and they do not contribute to the work. Otherwise, with the strength of the British and French fleets, even if the United States produced a large number of ironclad ships, it would definitely not be the opponent of the British and French navies.

It was only when he understood the urine nature of Britain and France that Li Yongji decided not to have anything to do with them. All of them have to rely on themselves, that is, all on their own, Britain and France, let them be, anyway, they declared war on the United States, and also recognized the sovereign status of the Union State, which is enough.

In order to send troops to the eastern part of the United States this time, Li Yongji made full preparations.

Just in case, not only did he bring all the dream masters of the entire 30,000 people. Even Shi Dakai's 6,000-strong expeditionary force that made a big fuss in Japan also brought it, and let them all reload with 56 semi-automatic rifles, which can be said to be strong.

Although the main force was taken away, Li Yongji was not worried about the California side. Not to mention that 60,000 standing troops have been recruited, and even if there are 500,000 immigrants, almost all of them are young and middle-aged, and everyone has a gun. You can turn into an army at any time, and you are not afraid of anything at all.

Before deciding to land at the port of New Orleans, Li Yongji had conducted no less than 20 landing exercises. Therefore, everyone is no stranger to landing operations.

Even so, before the landing, Li Yongji asked the task force to spare no ammunition, use naval guns and rocket artillery, and open full firepower, and repeatedly washed the ground with artillery fire for two hours, during which the supply ship also came to replenish ammunition, which supported this crazy shelling.

As a result, not only did the Port of New Orleans become a sea of fire, but even the United States fleet in the Port of New Orleans was suffocated in the port, and not a single one of them rushed out, and all of them were sunk.

After discovering that their fleet had been annihilated and the port had been bombed, Li Yongji sent a landing force to land in a modified sand boat.

While Li Yongji was chatting with Mo Haiwen in the captain's room of the Suzhou, the landing force had been attacking for more than half an hour, and during this period, Li Yongji had been very worried, and repeatedly radioized to the commanders below to emphasize that the attack must be cautious, and once the attack is blocked, do not act recklessly, and immediately determine the direction and call for fire support in the rear.

Li Yongji now has no aircraft bombing, so he can't play the integration of air and ground, but he is only attacking the port now, and the entire port is within the attack range of his own naval guns and rocket artillery, so it is still okay to play the coordination of infantry artillery.

The reason why he was so cautious was because in Li Yongji's impression, it was very dangerous to land on the beach, even if his own side had absolute firepower superiority, because when the soldiers appeared on the beachhead, there was no cover, even if the opponent's weapons were likely to be only smoothbore guns and smoothbore guns, the power was enough to kill people.

The troops of the Dream Division were all personally trained by Li Yongji, and he had feelings for many people, and he did not want these elites who had been trained so hard to be consumed in a large number of landing operations.

However, in Mo Haiwen's opinion, this majesty was really a little worried, thinking that he knew too well how powerful the previous artillery preparation was, and he didn't believe that under that kind of artillery attack, those Americans still had the courage to continue to resist, anyway, if he was replaced, even if he didn't die, he would definitely surrender.

Not to mention anything else, just talk about the kind of 122 mm caliber rocket artillery, the power of one rocket artillery is enough to kill two companies, and so many rocket launchers hit it in an instant...... Mo Haven felt that this was a pure waste of ammunition.

Because according to intelligence, the port of New Orleans has only 6 sail battleships, less than 5,000 infantry, such a small number of troops, but so many shells are projected in the past, or a whole division, 30,000 people attack, this has no possibility of defeat at all.

Therefore, if it weren't for Li Yongji's insistence, if Mo Haiwen had been replaced and let him fight by himself, he would never have been so extravagant with full firepower, or would have been at full fire for two hours.

In fact, it is not to blame Mo Haiwen for slandering here, in fact, even Shi Dakai, who doesn't talk much next to him, muttered a little, feeling that this majesty was a little too cautious.

If you fight according to the method of your majesty, then you will not use bullets and bayonets to fight people, but use shells to kill people, although it is very cool and powerful, but it is completely worth the loss, and it is too wasteful of ammunition.

In fact, they don't know that Li Yongji has seen modern warfare. This kind of Cheng dù's firepower coverage, Li Yongji still feels a little too pediatric, and feels a little dissatisfied.

In addition, although there have been many exercises before, it was an act after all, and this was the first time Li Yongji had led his troops to conduct a landing operation, and it was inevitable that he would be nervous, and once Li Yongji was nervous, or afraid of what happened, the only way he could think of. It's fire coverage, fire coverage, continue fire coverage!

If it weren't for Li Yongji's carefulness, it wouldn't have taken two hours at all, and at most half an hour of fire coverage would have been enough.

Because according to previous experience, the preparation of artillery fire before the landing, that is, half an hour, is not because of anything else, but mainly for the characteristics of rocket artillery. After all, the launch speed of the 122-mm 40-barrel shipborne rocket artillery is too fast, and it is too troublesome to replenish.

In the past, only one ship, the Suzhou, had a 122mm 40-barrel rocket launcher, but the two frigates Taicang and Jiading were added later. Unexpectedly, two 122mm 40-barrel rocket launchers were brutally installed, so that the two small frigates, Taicang and Jiading, were obviously inferior in tonnage to Suzhou, but their firepower surpassed that of Suzhou in an all-round way. It has become two veritable firepower platforms.

You can imagine that five 122-mm 40-barrel rocket launchers, one salvo is 200 rocket launchers. One explosion is a large area, plus a 100-mm automatic naval gun with a super high rate of fire, and other secondary guns, that scene is no different from washing the floor.

In addition, in order to pursue accuracy, Li Yongji ordered the fleet to anchor and fire its guns within a range of five kilometers, and at this distance, the firing accuracy of all kinds of weapons is terrifying, especially all weapons have complete sets of artillery aiming systems, and in advance, the spies have been informed of the strategic division map of the port of New Orleans in advance, and know the specific locations of important strategic targets, such as military camps, warship mooring areas, and so on.

Intelligence was obtained in advance, and the surprise attack was again an asymmetric attack with high technology to suppress low technology, and in fact, it did not require two hours of fire preparation at all, and it was completely enough to destroy the opponent's important targets.

Sure enough, just when Li Yongji was still worried, a voice suddenly came from the walkie-talkie: "Report to the headquarters, all the officers and men of our second regiment have all landed at the designated location on No. 2 and are carrying out first-level defense, please instruct." ”

As soon as he heard this voice, Li Yongji knew that it was Li Fei's voice, and immediately picked up the walkie-talkie: "Hey, is it Li Fei, the head of the second regiment, I am Li Yuanzheng." ”

"Yes! Your Excellency Commander, Colonel Li Fei, Commander of the Second Regiment of the 1st Mengshi Division of the Expeditionary Force, reports to you. ”

Unlike the Praetorian Guard and the National Defense Force, there is no brigade under the division, but it is directly divided into four regiments, namely the first regiment, the second regiment, the third regiment and the guard regiment directly under the headquarters.

Each of these four regiments is a motorized reinforced regiment with a sound establishment and can fight independently, and the full strength of each regiment is 9,000 men, and the total number of the four regiments is 36,000.

In order to facilitate supply and improve mobility, the four regiments have the same number of people, the same establishment, and the same weapons and equipment, and they can not only fight separately but also complement each other when necessary.

In other words, the four regiments are the same combat units with the same number, the same establishment, and the same equipment, and all treatment and supplies are treated equally.

As far as combat effectiveness is concerned, since the Dream Division uses all modern weapons and equipment, and its firepower is not as fierce as it can be, if a regiment lets go of fighting, it will not be a problem to beat an army in this era.

It is precisely because of this, coupled with the advanced communication system, that this kind of standardized reinforced regiment with the same number of people and equipment has been carried out, which has not only facilitated supply but also convenient command, made operations more flexible and mobile, and facilitated the implementation of interspersed operations and small group operations.

"Okay, I got it." Hearing Li Fei say this, Li Yongji smiled, "How was the landing process?" Is the enemy resisting fiercely? How many casualties? ”

"Report to the Commander." Li Fei replied, "Our troops did not encounter any resistance during their advance. As for the casualties, there were no casualties except for a soldier who accidentally broke his foot slightly. Well, even the soldier who broke his foot is said to have been dealt with urgently, and it does not affect the combat effectiveness. ”

"Yes, well done. Be vigilant and don't be careless! ”

"Understood, Your Excellency, Commander." The voice on the walkie-talkie raised a little, and it was obvious that Li Feiqing on the other end of the phone was very excited. "You must keep in mind the commander's teachings, be cautious and cautious, and you will never act recklessly."

"That's good." Li Yongji smiled and nodded.

"Your Excellency, Commander, since our troops have occupied the designated beachhead, I request that the follow-up troops land immediately, and then immediately launch a tentative attack on the front."

"Good." Li Yongji said, "I will let the other troops land immediately, you just need to continue to be vigilant, be sure not to let the enemy have any chance, and ensure the safety of the landing of the follow-up troops." Other than that, don't make any rash moves, do you understand? ”

"I understand, our department will do our best to do a good job of vigilance and ensure the safety of the landing of the follow-up troops!"

"Very well, so be it."

After hanging up the walkie-talkie, Li Yongji looked at Mo Haiwen, and then at Shi Dakai, who was silent next to him, and said to Shi Dakai with a smile: "My chief of staff." Now it's up to you to order the follow-up troops to land. ”

"Yes!" Shi Dakai also immediately put his legs together, touched the heels of his two leather shoes, and lowered his head at the same time, "Execute the order immediately." Your Excellency the Commander, ”

After speaking, waiting for Li Yongji to nod, Shi Dakai picked up the phone and began to issue orders in an orderly manner.

And looked at Shi Dakai's appearance. Li Yongji nodded, as if he was very satisfied.

At this time, Shi Dakai was wearing leather shoes. Wearing a tie, the army uniform of an American-style small lapel major general in the post-Japanese War drama, with white gloves on his hands and a big cap, it is called a handsome style.

This dress is the official uniform of the expeditionary force general finally selected by Li Yongji, which is basically the official uniform of the American army general of World War II who acted in movies and TV series in modern society, and some small modifications have been made, such as adding a corset and shoulder pads, which shows the figure more and makes people look more heroic overall.

Li Yongji implements a principle, since he has the conditions, the military uniform must be handsome and good-looking, and the more elite the troops, the better the military uniform.

However, because the textile level of this time and space is not enough, high-end military uniforms can only be imported, so from the cost consideration, the Praetorian Guard uses four-color camouflage uniforms, and the National Defense Army uses 65-style military uniforms, in order to maintain a balance between good looks and cost.

Military uniforms are consumables and bulk consumables, so if they can't be produced by themselves, Li Yongji will not use them as his own military uniforms. And whether it is a four-color camouflage uniform or a Type 65 military uniform, it can already be produced within the empire.

Although the so-called self-production, which refers to the production of equipment imported from modern times and local raw materials, including fabrics, etc., cannot be regarded as complete self-sufficiency, at least for the time being, it seems that self-production has been achieved, which is enough to cope with the consumption of the army.

In this way, even if you are not in the Empire and cannot continue to import ready-made military uniform sets from modern society on your own, it will not affect the clothing supply of the Imperial Army.

If it weren't for the cost and self-production issues, Li Yongji would have replaced all the Janissaries with the uniforms of the German army in World War II, especially the SS uniforms.

Without him, the military uniforms of the German army in World War II are good-looking, and Li Yongji personally likes them, but the production process is complex, and the material problem is not easy to solve.

However, the situation of the Dream Division is special, this unit was originally intended to be Li Yongji's own personal unit, and since it was carried with him, he was naturally not afraid of supply problems, so he used all modern military uniforms.

However, modern military uniforms are only for combat uniforms, and other military uniforms, especially general uniforms, still follow Li Yongji's personal aesthetics, that is, the American-style national army general's official uniform in the drama of the Anti-Japanese War in later generations.

The American-style national army general's uniform in the anti-Japanese war drama is not the standard military uniform of the national army at all in another time and space, but it is just a knock-off made in later generations in order to make movies and television look good, but it is undeniable that from the perspective of good-looking Cheng dù, it is indeed popular, so Li Yongji used this military uniform as the standard military uniform of the expeditionary force.

Of course, the necessary changes are necessary, for example, the cockade is not a blue sky and white sun, but a red plum blossom in the middle of two crossed brushes, surrounded by golden ears of wheat, which also looks very good.

This design is naturally from Zhang Xinda's hand, and it is said that he designed it himself, not to mention, it is indeed a little luxurious, and it has a strong Chinese style.

In addition, this Shi Dakai's epaulette has a golden five-pointed star on it, indicating that he has the rank of major general, which is not only applicable in the expeditionary force, but also in the Wehrmacht and the Praetorian Guard.

In other words, the military rank system does not distinguish between the Praetorian Guard and the Wehrmacht, and it is a system common to the whole army, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs is under the unified responsibility.

After Shi Da gave the landing order, the whole army accelerated the landing operation, and this time because the landing field had been opened, it was not as careful as before, so the speed was much faster.

After most of the Dream Masters completed the landing one after another, they immediately launched a tentative attack on the city of New Orleans, originally thinking that they would be resisted at this time, but who knew that there would be no resistance at all, only a ruin and corpses were seen in those possible places of resistance.

When the troops penetrated deep into the city, they finally found a few remaining American soldiers, but when they saw the Chinese army, they immediately surrendered, without the slightest will to resist.

In the end, when General Charles, who had been lucky enough to escape, officially ordered the surrender under the white flag, the battle for the New Orleans port landing was over, and the entire attack lasted less than six hours.

At this point, without much resistance, the entire port of New Orleans was completely controlled by the Chinese Expeditionary Force, and the control of zhì here meant that the gates of the Mississippi River were opened. From then on, the task force could take its troops up the river directly upstream, directly to the vicinity of Vicksburg, where they would take on Grant's Tennessee Corps. (To be continued......)