On the afternoon of September 20, the rumbling of artillery kicked off the battle of Tingsi Town.

Tingsi Town is the southern gate of Xianning and the only way to Wuchang. Tingsi Town is stuck on the official road from Yueyang to Wuchang, which is a small town passed by the Guangdong-Hanzhou Railway under construction, bounded by the Tingsi River, Puqi in the west of the river, and Xianning in the east of the river. There is a rolling hill in the east of the town, and Ta Nao Mountain is its commanding height. It coincided with heavy rain for several days. The west and north sides of the town were surrounded by floods, adding a natural barrier to the defenders, and if they wanted to pass through the town and go straight to Wuchang, the attackers could only attack the high ground from the east and south, so as to pry open the gate to the north.

Guarding the highlands east of the town is the 4th Regiment of the 1st Division of the Republic of China, whose predecessor is the 34th Bid of the 9th Town. After Huang Xing arrived in Wuchang, he took over the command of the Wuchang Rebel Army. The arrival of Huang Xing changed to a certain extent the situation in which the revolutionary party in Wuchang was leaderless and did not belong to each other, at least Lin Shuqing's ministry said that he fully accepted Huang Xing's command.

As a result, Huang Xing reorganized the Ninth Town into the First Division of the Republic of China, and appointed Lin Shuqing as the division commander, with a total of four infantry regiments and one artillery regiment in the first and second brigades. Lin Shuqing's deployment of leading the Ninth Town to the front line of Puqi and Xianning to fight was also recognized by Huang Xing. Huang Xing also reorganized Li Yuanhong's 21st Association uprising force into the second division, and appointed himself as the division commander, with Li Yuanhong as the deputy division commander, under the jurisdiction of the 3rd, 4th, 2nd brigade and 4th regiment, but the lack of personnel was very large, so he vigorously recruited the masses of the Lianghuhui Party to enrich the second division, which was still in the process of reorganization and rectification, and served as the guard of the three towns of Wuhan.

As soon as the telegram was sent to Shanghai, Huang Xing, Song Jiaoren, and Tan Renfeng judged that Long Qian would no longer negotiate peace, and war was inevitable. In order to hold the position of Tingsi Town. To thwart the possible attack of the Mengshan Army, Huang Xing drew a large number of weapons from other troops, especially the former Li Yuanhong's department, and in addition to artillery, he concentrated all the machine guns on the First Division, and Lin Shuqing naturally supplemented them to the Second Brigade (formerly the 17th Association), which was his own cronies, so that the strength of the Second Brigade was greatly strengthened.

The 4th Regiment of the 1st Division of the Republic of China was responsible for the frontal garrison of Tingsi Town, the regimental command post was set up in Ta Nao Mountain, and the three battalions occupied the high ground in the east of the town, in the days of confrontation between the two armies. The fourth regiment was under the supervision of Lin Shuqing and vigorously built fortifications. Hoarding ammunition. Another regiment of the 2nd Brigade, the 3rd Regiment, was deployed in the town behind the 4th Regiment, ready for reinforcements at any time.

Lin Shuqing reported to Huang Xing after inspecting the position, "The time and place are all on our side. The governor led the department. Thwarted the fierce attack of the Mengshan army. ”

The attacking party was the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Division of the Mengshan Army. Two regiments were deployed, seven attacking from the south and nine from the east. The artillery regiment of the 1st Division took up positions south of the 7th Regiment. 24 cannons were concentrated, including 6 mountain guns of 75mm each.

The artillery that had been holding back their strength poured more than 600 shells onto the high ground east of the town within half an hour, and at 3:25 a.m., the 7th and 9th regiments simultaneously launched an attack on the high ground.

Inspired by the founding of Shanghai and the personal commendation of President Sun Da, Lin Shuqing was determined to defeat the Southern Army of the Mengshan Army on the front line of Puqi and Xianning. Since we have already come out of here, there is no reason not to fight this battle. Lin Shuqing knew the importance of Tingsi Town, and was restricted by Axe Lake, Lu Lake, and Liangzi Lake, and the southern army marched north, and had to pass through the middle of several major lakes, and Tingsi Town was stuck in the throat. If this place is lost, Wuchang will open its doors and be directly attacked by the southern army. This is also the reason why Lin Shuqing insisted on advancing the front to Puqi Xianning.

The Mengshan army on the opposite side has been here for many days, and has been moving back and forth in a dangling manner, and has not launched a real attack. This gave Lin Shuqing confidence, and they didn't want to fight! But since yesterday, there have been more and more signs that the Yugoslav army is about to attack!

Lin Shuqing personally rushed to the Fourth Regiment to supervise the battle, determined to thwart the Mengshan Army, which had been smooth sailing since the start of the civil war.

Lin Shuqing mobilized the troops, "The Manchu Tatars have abdicated, and the Republic of China has been established!" Marshal Huang Xing has arrived in Wuchang! Winning the Mengshan Army, everyone is the founding father. In order to avenge Zhao Boxian and other martyrs, for the sake of the Republic of China, we will never retreat! ”

The Fourth Regiment was Lin Shuqing's old unit, and he believed that the Fourth Regiment, with its large number of members of the Revolutionary Party, would play a mainstay role in the Battle of Tingsi.

The battle that began on the afternoon of the 20th was fierce from the beginning. The 3rd Brigade of the Mengshan Army launched two successive charges on the heights east of the town, and both were defeated. Because the terrain restricted the deployment of troops and the development of infantry firepower, because the muddy footless restrictions the actions of the attackers, and because the Third Brigade had basically not fought any hard battles since the outbreak of the war, this unit, which had supplemented a large number of non-commissioned soldiers of the Guangdong patrol battalion before the war, did not play with the momentum it should have, and retreated in the face of casualties.

The failure of the two unsightly attacks made the feudal pillar of the warlord furious. He was ordered to be shot on the spot by the commander of the 6th Company of the 9th Regiment and the 2nd Battalion of the 7th Regiment. The reason is to retreat. The sixth company of the Ninth Regiment was promoted to fight to the death and did not retreat, and the squad leader was the company commander, and the company commander of the fifth company of the second battalion of the seventh regiment was the battalion commander because the fifth company had been nailed to the slope of the hill and did not obey the battalion commander's order to retreat with the other two companies.

This move shocked the Third Brigade. In particular, the commander of the second battalion of the Seventh Regiment who was shot was an old subordinate of the commander of the Feng Division, and the soldiers recruited by Feng Guozhu when he stayed in the base area after the king of Mengshan Junqin went north, and when the battalion commander got married in Guangzhou, Feng Guozhu personally presided over the wedding and took out a big red envelope. Now it's time to kill it!

"Whoever treats Lao Tzu's words as a fart, Lao Tzu will kick his head as a ball! Keep beating Lao Tzu! The head of the regiment personally led the team to Lao Tzu Chong, and if he couldn't beat Ta Nao Mountain before dark, he would be removed from his post and go down to be a gangster! Feng Guozhu shouted at the officers with red eyes.

The attack resumed at five o'clock, the 7th Regiment and the 9th Regiment fought desperately under the strict orders of Feng Guozhu, and the Military Judge Advocate Office organized a team of supervisors, and all officers and soldiers who retreated without permission were shot on the spot! The regimental officers of the 7th and 9th regiments personally led the attack, rushed regardless of casualties, advanced a section, dug trenches on the spot to consolidate them, and then fought upwards. The Mengshan army's play made the defenders unbearable. The defenders began to crumble as the mortars that followed continued to destroy the defenders' already scarce heavy machine-gun fire points. At about 6 o'clock in the evening, except for the main position of Ta Nao Mountain, most of the surrounding high ground was captured.

The 7th and 9th regiments suffered heavy casualties. The bodies of fallen officers and soldiers littered the hillside. Most of the dead were new recruits, both in terms of battlefield experience and will to fight. Recruits are not comparable to veterans who have fought more than two battles.

The commanders of the 3rd Brigade personally went to the front line, adjusted the troops, and concentrated firearms (mainly mortars), because the heavy machine gun positions were difficult to construct and were in a state of attacking from the back, Guo Haichang, the commander of the 3rd Brigade, personally went to the 7th Regiment to attack the Ta Nao Mountain position, organized 19 mortars to bombard the enemy position, covered the main attack of the troops, and determined to capture the main position before dark.

But the assault on Ta Nao Mountain had not yet begun, and the counterattack of the People's Army began. Lin Shuqing also red-eyed. He urgently transferred the 3rd Regiment of the Reserve to carry out a counterattack. If the exemplary position that you boast of is broken by your opponent for half a day. Not to mention the danger of losing Tingsi Town, the morale of the troops is afraid to collapse!

Two armies determined to overthrow the Manchu Qing Dynasty fought to the death on the heights of Ta Nao Mountain. Feng Guozhu, who commanded the battle at the headquarters of the 3rd Brigade, strictly ordered the troops not to take a step back! At the same time, the artillery regiment was ordered to concentrate its firepower on the depth of the civilian army and reduce the pressure on the front-line attack troops. Chief of Staff Jiang Yiliu's proposal to use the Eighth Regiment to replace the Seventh Regiment with heavy casualties was immediately rejected by Feng Guozhu, "Hit Ta Nao Mountain and Tingsi Town." Two regiments are enough! Take the town of Tingsi. The 7th and 9th regiments were withdrawn for rest. It should be credited with merit, and awards should be awarded, but it will not be able to win the position. Until it's all gone! ”

Jiang Yiliu felt that Feng Guozhu was a little arrogant, but he couldn't veto Feng Guozhu's decision, Feng was the commander-in-chief of the former enemy, and his order could only be vetoed by Long Qian. Do you skip the level of the headquarters for this matter? How will you work with the division commander in the future?

Shi Jipeng, who led the special operations team to the front line, found Feng Guozhu and said that they had figured out the terrain in this area, and put forward a proposal to lead the special operations team to swim behind enemy lines at night and destroy the artillery of the people's army. Immediately got the approval of Feng Guozhu, "Very good, the commander values your soldiers very much, this is your first appearance, don't fall into the name of the commander!" ”

"Don't worry, I'll take the cannon for you!" Shi Jipeng had repeatedly surveyed the terrain and decided to bypass a place called Li Jiaozhai twenty miles to the east. The special operations brigade has long been gearing up and is eager to fight.

The battle continued.

The battle for the eastern heights of Tingsi Town on 20 July was the most brutal battle since the 1st Division's Northern Expedition. It rained at about 5 o'clock in the afternoon, and the two armies fought in the rain, and some positions changed hands repeatedly, and blood flowed into the low-lying waterholes, causing them to change color.

By nightfall, the three brigades and two regiments repelled the counterattack of the new force of the People's Army, except for the main position of Ta Nao Mountain and a small high ground behind it, the rest of the high ground was all mastered. Feng Guozhu finally issued an order to suspend the attack, and after taking a few guards to the Seventh Regiment accompanied by Brigade Commander Guo to inspect the field, he decided to replace the Seventh Regiment with the Eighth Regiment and destroy Ta Nao Mountain in one fell swoop tomorrow.

But the regiment commander Ma Jing'an resolutely refused, "You can't do this, Lao Tzu's soldiers died a lot, but let the Eighth Regiment pick up the cheap?" No way! ”

Guo Haichang thought to himself, you are the one who dares to call yourself Lao Tzu in front of the division commander. Ma Jing'an is none other than a veteran of Mengshanzhai Ma Mian. Long Qian had taught this person a lesson with his own hands. This person was seriously injured in the leg in the battle against Li Chunjin, and it was Huang Yu, who he attempted to rape, who operated on him personally, and he was lame on his leg. When the fifth town went south, Ma Mian was already the battalion commander, and Long Qian personally promoted him to the regiment commander during the great expansion of the army in Guangdong, and gave him a new name: Old Ma, you are too anxious, I will give you a name, Jing'an, think about it quietly, and you won't make mistakes.

Feng Guozhu slapped the head of the horse heavily, "Okay, this is the strength that our Mengshan army should have!" Lao Ma, don't feel sorry for the casualties, after this battle, Lao Tzu will give you a replenishment of troops, make up for it! However, I still want to give you a little troops, and transfer the eighth regiment and one battalion to you. ”

"Nope! Lao Tzu will take the guards tomorrow, and he will definitely take down Ta Nao Mountain for you! The eighth regiment came up, whose credit is it? The horse continued to collide.

But Feng Guozhang was not angry, "Hehe, but Lao Tzu doesn't allow you to go in person." You have to give Lao Tzu a life! Do you understand? There are not many old brothers killed by our Mengshanzhai. ”

"To live, of course. Brother Lu Shange has already occupied the capital, and I still have to visit the palace where the emperor lives. The horse grinned.

The battle on the 20th made Lin Shuqing no longer hold on. The opponent's firepower was fierce and ferocious, so that the third regiment that undertook the counterattack mission suffered heavy casualties, and none of the high ground occupied by the opponent was recaptured, except for the most rearmost high ground close to Ta Nao Mountain, which was still under the control of the people's army, and the rest of the commanding heights were lost.

Before, he was full of confidence to defeat or even destroy the Mengshan army, which was simply a joke. No wonder they can defeat Beiyang and capture the Jingshi...... After the unrealistic illusions are eliminated, Lin Shuqing must seriously face the current battle situation.

Whoever attacks suffers. Once again, this has been proven. The 3rd Regiment suffered a large number of casualties during the counterattack. On the contrary, the total casualties of the four regiments, which had been fighting for half a day, were smaller than those of the third regiment.

Most of the officers of the 2nd Brigade of the People's Army advised to retreat, "Our army has limited shells, the artillery is inferior to others, and there are even fewer machine guns." They have a light machine gun that can be operated by a single person and charge with the team, and they also have a small light cannon, which is very annoying. Plus, it seems that they never run out of grenades. Tingsi couldn't hold it. We're just a little soldier. I can't fight with them anymore. ”

Lin Shuqing did not have a radio station, and the battle situation on the front line could not be reported to the command of Wuchang Huangxing, and everything needed to be decided by himself.

The ratio of forces is definitely inferior, and the current enemy is the first division of the Mengshan Army. The large establishment of three brigades and nine regiments. It is said that other troops have also come up. And his troops on the front line of Puqi and Xianning are also a division, but there are only four infantry regiments.

Where to retreat? Retreat to Wuchang? Lin Shuqing felt panicked.

However, Lin Shuqing did not expect that the opponent's small army with special training would cross the battle line at night. I touched my rear.

That night, Huang Xing finally arrived at the headquarters of Lin Shuqing's First Division, which was located south of Xianning. Due to the unfavorable battle situation, Lin Shuqing was very relieved about Huang Xing's arrival, but Huang Xing was depressed by the battle situation on the afternoon of the 20th. Tingsi Town is a must-defend place, listening to Lin Shuqing's words, it seems that he can't hold it, this is only half a day, if the opponent is so strong, how can this battle be fought?

The senior officers of the 1st Division were called for discussion, and most of the brigade commanders said that they should retreat to save their strength. If you fight hard, the first division will be finished.

Huang Xing listened to the words of a few officers and did not say anything, he left everyone in the house and went out alone to think for a long time. In the end, the decision was made not to allow the retreat. Since the casualties of the 2nd Brigade were too large, then the 2nd Brigade was replaced to rest and the 3rd Brigade was pulled up to fight. Instead of retreating to Wuchang City to fight, it is better to fight here! After all, the terrain is in our favor. Huang Xing did not elaborate on the situation in Wuchang, he knew that if the first division was defeated and returned to Wuchang, Wuchang's already unstable military morale and people's morale would be even more shaken, and there seemed to be no other way to go except to bring the troops back to Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

"The terrain is not unique to me." After meeting again and listening to Huang Xing's decision, a regiment commander pointed out, "In today's bloody battle, except for Ta Nao Mountain and a high ground behind it that we control, the rest of the high ground is occupied by the enemy, the enemy has a lot of machine guns, and the artillery is also superior to our army, and they also have a small cannon that can be fired at close range, which has brought great casualties to our army." Tingsi Town is afraid that it will not be able to hold it. ”

"If you can't keep it, you have to keep it!" Huang Xing slapped the table and shouted, "Everyone is a staunch revolutionary comrade, now that the revolution has reached the most critical juncture, if we don't defeat the enemy here, where will we retreat?" To the north of Wuchang, there is already an enemy army moving south! ”

Or the regiment commander, "Generalissimo, I propose to bring the 1st Division back to Jiangsu." The Republic of China has built the capital of Jiangning, and everyone is a child of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and they are eager to return to their hearts. ”

Huang Xing was very annoyed in his heart, and he really wanted to arrest this regiment commander who shook the morale of the army, or at least remove it. But looking at the demeanor of the officers of the First Division, it was seen that this person had some hope in the First Division, and endured it, "Retreat to Jiangning?" Easier said than done! Besides, won't the enemy go down the river to attack Jiangning? Master Lin, what do you say? ”

"If our army can successfully withdraw to Jiangning, it is also the best policy. We can buy time and train our troops. If you want to fight, you must adjust tonight, the four regiments guarding Ta Nao Mountain have suffered heavy casualties and need to be replaced to rest. ”

"Then swap it out. Which of you is on? ”

"In this case, our regiment is willing to take on the task of guarding Ta Nao Mountain." It was the regimental commander who had just advocated the retreat.

"Very well, let's hurry up. I have reported to the Central Committee your exploits in the hard battles on the front line. Defeat Long Qian, you are all the founding fathers! I also hope that you will carry forward the revolutionary spirit, boost morale, thwart the fierce front, and let the enemy retreat in the face of difficulties. By now, Huang Xing had no choice but to adjust his goal to let the Mengshan army retreat.

Although Huang Xing had been planning and leading the organization of an armed uprising against the Manchu Qing for more than ten years, he had no experience in commanding large corps operations or organizing and training regular troops. The Ninth Town was originally a relatively advanced regular army, but after the Wuchang Uprising and the expulsion of the former senior officers, the commanders of the divisions and brigades were all junior officers, Lin Shuqing was originally only a battalion commander, and many of the original company and platoon commanders became regiment commanders and battalion commanders overnight, and they had a serious lack of experience in leading troops and commanding, and they just relied on their blood and bravery. Moreover, most of them had the idea of overthrowing the Manchu Qing Dynasty and establishing the Republic of China, or the ideal. Now that the capital has been occupied by the Mengshan army, the Manchu Qing have issued an edict of abdication, and it is a little bit of a sense of losing the goal to continue fighting. As for the hatred of Mengshanjun, not everyone is the same as Lin Shuqing. In this way, the Ninth Town, now the First Division of the Republic of China, is not only weaker than the original in terms of strength (a large number of officers and soldiers fled during the uprising), but also weakened in combat effectiveness. Lin Shuqing hurriedly went south, but before he could carefully organize the logistics, after the battle began, a large number of wounded were not properly treated, and the baggage, grain and grass were not carefully planned, in fact, it was a "one-time" army, if it was victorious, it would be better to say, as now when it encounters serious setbacks, the officers and men began to waver.

And the opponent is different. Compared with Lin Shuqing, Feng Guozhu has a lot of experience in commanding the army, he came all the way from the company commander, battalion commander, and regiment commander, and Lin Shuqing has no experience at all. The Mengshan Army has established a perfect logistics system to ensure the supply of troops, and there is no need to worry about Feng Guozhu, the former commander-in-chief of the enemy, and each has a full-time job to deal with. Moreover, the strict military discipline of the Mengshan Army than the People's Army also ensured that the troops would not be chaotic after suffering heavy casualties. The most important point is that the soldiers of the Mengshan Army know that they have the chance to win! A large number of propaganda materials on the war situation in the north issued by the General Political Department were distributed to the front-line troops, arousing the ambition of the officers and men of the Southern Army to make meritorious contributions, and at least the officers had the idea of competing with the Shandong and Northern Front armies. Compared with the two, the winner can be known regardless of the defeat. What's more, the Southern Army is superior to the civilian army in terms of strength and equipment. (To be continued......)