It's the same as in the case of Fort Elvisot.

The Spanish artillery was not suppressed because it was not, so they could turn their guns at the American soldiers who were advancing towards San Juan Heights with seeming fear.

The Spaniards in San Juan did not yet know that Fort Elviso had been captured.

At this time, their morale was high and they were preparing to deal a head-on blow to the invading American troops.

"These idiots, I really don't know what West Point taught them." Colonel Rubin put one foot on the box and lowered the telescope in his hand.

The Spanish general was in charge of the defense of the San Juan Heights front.

He had communicated with the United States for a period of time, and he still knew the US military relatively well.

It was also he who had led his troops in La Loofasima not long ago and gave Roosevelt a head start.

Colonel Rubin knows the terrain too well.

The 1st Division was advancing along the advancing Royal Road, parallel to the Aguadores River.

To get to San Juan, these Yankees had to cross the San Juan River.

Rubin's eyes narrowed.

He suddenly pointed to an empty river beach a mile away.

It is the junction of the San Juan and Aguadores rivers, which are not deep, but the current is rapid.

On the other side of the San Juan River, there is a jungle.

When the first division emerged from the jungle, it was confronted with the churning river.

"Right there!"

Rubin pointed to the river beach and subconsciously licked his teeth with his tongue.

"All the firepower is on this riverbank, and I'm going to make this hell on earth! Let the blood of the Americans be drained here! ”

The soldiers of the 1st Division did not yet know what they were going to face at this time.

They were marching majestically along the Royal Mile.

Despite the narrow road, the gang had no fear.

They are the glorious 1st Division of the US Army! It is the successor of the abundant martial virtue of the United States!

Spaniard? What kind of thing are Spaniards?

They blew up the Maine, and they should pay the price in blood!

The same sentiment existed in their commander, Brigadier General Kent.

After this lord asked for war and got Sheft's permission, he suddenly had a stomach upset, which was quite serious, and he couldn't ride a horse at this time, and was being carried by several people at the back of the team.

But that didn't hurt his confidence at all.

The superiority in forces is obvious.

At this moment, Washington, Grant, Sherman are possessed by the soul, and he will inherit the great tradition of the US Army!

His 1st Division would soon capture San Juan Heights and then Santiago.

And he, Kent, will go down in history.

It didn't take long for the vanguard of the 1st Division to reach the river beach.

"Sir, shall we cross the river now?" A soldier looked at the rushing river and asked the second lieutenant beside him.

"Or else?" The second lieutenant gave him a blank look and pointed behind him, "You don't look at how many people are behind us, besides, the water is not deep!" ”

He turned around and gave the order to the soldiers behind him:

"Everyone! Speed ready to cross the river! ”

The vanguard was deployed on the banks of the river as ordered.

They tried to open several routes across the San Juan River at the same time, after all, the two columns that preceded them were too aggrieved.

But the first to go into the water soon found out that there weren't many places to go.

Although it is true that the water is not deep, it is waist-high near the riverbed, and the center of the river is up to the chest.

However, due to the turbulent current, the underwater situation is complex and unpredictable, and from time to time there will be an undercurrent that hits the legs of the people crossing the river.

So, in the end, the only place that was safe to pass through was the ferry crossing directly across the Royal Mile road.

The soldiers who were the first to cross the river pulled several ropes and tied them to the stones on the other side of the river.

The soldiers in the back grabbed the rope and waded through the river.

"Don't be in a hurry! Come one by one! The second lieutenant crossed his hands on his waist and gave the order.

More and more troops came out of the jungle in the back, and began to spread along the banks of the river on the river beach, stretching their necks and waiting to cross the river.

Everything seems to be in order.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

But at this moment, several sudden explosions suddenly broke the peace.

A few shells suddenly exploded in the crowd on the river beach.

Then the gunshots rang out.

Bullets were fired at the soldiers of the 1st Division, who were exposed on the tidal flats, and they did not even know which direction the bullets were coming from.

"There are enemies! Hidden! As soon as the second lieutenant shouted, he was knocked to the ground by the explosion next to him.

The soldiers looked around in a panic.

Take cover? Where is this bare river beach hidden?

They had to lie on their stomachs or half-knees, guns raised, looking for the source of the attack, while returning fire aimlessly.

However, they did not find out where the attack came from.

The location of the river beach is so low that it is basically difficult to see the situation clearly.

"Damn, where the hell are those bastards?"

The commanders on the front line cursed, but for a time there was no better way.

So, I don't know which smart person suddenly came up with an idea.

Since the view below is too poor to find the enemy's position, then a hot air balloon for observation can solve all the problems.

So, a hot air balloon rose from the river beach.

In this era, the use of hot air balloons in military reconnaissance is not a particularly unusual thing, and the US military happened to bring one this time.

But the problem is that the hot air balloon can see the opposite side, but the hot air balloon can also be seen on the other side!

The Spanish soldiers on the opposite hill soon spotted the thing in the air not far away.

"Sir, these damn Yankees have raised a hot air balloon! Let's knock it down! The soldier next to Rubin stared at the hot air balloon and said viciously.

Who knew that Rubin stopped him.

"What are you going to do with that hot air balloon?" He snorted, a sneer rising at the corner of his mouth, "It's up to it to locate accurately." ”

Rubin was right.

In fact, at the beginning, the Spanish artillerymen did not have a high hit rate.

Although they knew how to shoot at the river beach, they still lacked a sufficiently accurate reference.

And the appearance of this hot air balloon perfectly solves this problem.

The Spaniards hit again with shells and bullets.

Only this time, it's more accurate and the projection density is greater!

The beach was completely chaotic.

Because the troops that arrived on the river beach were already very numerous.

Those who crossed the river did not know whether to continue to move forward or cover the rest of their comrades to cross the river; Those who have not crossed the river do not know whether to continue to cross the river in the rain of bullets or retreat into the jungle.

The worst thing is that the order of Brigadier General Kent never arrived.

The reason is simple.

The herald was killed.

As soon as the unlucky guy arrived at the front line with the order, he was blown apart by a shell that fell beside him.

As a result, many soldiers in the vanguard of the 1st Division had to stand on the riverbank or on the riverbed waist-deep, waiting for orders.

They couldn't retreat now because the road behind them was too narrow and crowded.

These people became living targets for the Spaniards.

The latter are firing at them with impunity.

The crowded and chaotic river beach became, as Rubin puts it, a slaughterhouse.

There is no place to hide here.

One by one, the soldiers of the 1st Division were knocked to the ground by the fragments of bullets and shells, or they were blown up like ducks being chased.

The scene was tragic.

The river was stained red with blood, and the roads were muddy with blood.

At the same time, the U.S. military had little effect on the Spaniards' counterattack.

They could not do any harm to the Spanish soldiers who were hiding in the fortifications.

Brigadier General Kent, who was still dreaming, had just walked back from the side of the road with his pants on his pants when he got the news, and he finally realized what was going on in front of him.

The commodore general, who was in a hurry, didn't care that his trouser belt was not fastened, let alone his "chrysanthemum hugging sickness", turned over and got on his horse, and forced himself to go to the river beach to command.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way! The military situation is urgent! Blocking the shooting! The adjutant who followed behind the brigadier general shouted.

But the road was narrow, and it was not so easy for the soldiers to make way for him.

The brigadier general's horse almost hit someone, and with a jolt, his diarrhea became even worse.

Forced to be helpless, he could only dismount and run towards the front line with his butt between his legs.

The tragic situation of the 1st Division was not only known to their brigadier generals, but Sheft also got the news.

According to the usual practice, Mr. Commander-in-Chief still scolded for a while first, and then thought of Chen Jianqiu.

He really can't break the redundant team in his hands.

This man and the team he leads always come up with a way to solve the problem.

"Hurry up and inform Chen's troops! Let him rush to the rescue! Sheft gave the order.

It didn't take long for Chen Jianqiu to come to the aid before Elkanene's side could finish with more than 2,000 soldiers, as he wished.

"Chen, Fort Elviso is playing really beautifully, I've already received the news."

This was the first thing Xie Fut said when he saw Chen Jianqiu.

"Chen, hurry up and find a way to save the First Division, that idiot from Kent is about to bury them all on the beach of the San Juan River! My soldiers are dying! Bleeding! “

This was the second sentence that Xie Fut said when he met Chen Jianqiu.

Chen Jianqiu felt funny for no reason.

When these army officers in the United States scolded Fang Xuan in the military academy, they could say more than one another, and in the end, they still had to let him make up the pot everywhere with a support brigade, which really pulled their hips.

Chen Jianqiu didn't say anything, just said that he would do his best, and then took the order.

However, after leaving Sheft's command post, he did not take anyone to the river beach.

How many people died in the first division, he didn't bother to care.

His goal is San Juan Heights!

As for Sheft's question, it was easy to answer.

As long as the San Juan Heights were conquered, the siege of the 1st Division on the current river beach would naturally be lifted.

Chen Jianqiu's troops went straight to the upper reaches of the San Juan River.

There, Roosevelt was anxiously awaiting orders from his superiors with the 1st Volunteer Cavalry Brigade.

And near him, there were also the 1st and 10th Cavalry Regiments.

Roosevelt's soldiers were resting in place, while he himself dismounted and walked up and down the river.

His injured hand was covered with a thick bandage, which made him look a little funny.

At this time, the sound of uniform footsteps suddenly sounded not far away.

A team was trotting in his direction.

And at the front of the line, Roosevelt saw a familiar face.

Chen Jianqiu.

Chen Jianqiu's arrival surprised and delighted Roosevelt.

I don't know why, every time he sees this Chinese, his heart becomes much more steady.

"Chen! It's so nice to see you here, I don't even know what to say. ”

Roosevelt stepped up to him, wanting to shake Chen Jianqiu's hand.

But he found that he subconsciously stretched out his right hand, so he had to smile bitterly and retract it.

"Yo? Hung the lottery? Chen Jianqiu glanced at Roosevelt's tightly wrapped hands and arms, and couldn't help but tease.

Roosevelt could only continue to smile wryly.

He suddenly remembered something and asked eagerly:

"Chen, are you from Alposzo?"

Alpozo is the location of Sheft's command post, Chen Jianqiu nodded,

"Does Sheft have any orders?" Roosevelt then asked.

"He asked us to save the 1st Division, who had been beaten half to death by the Spaniards on the river beach."

"Then we'll go back down the river to help?" Roosevelt frowned, "But it's useless for us to go!" The fire of San Juan Heights will crush us! ”

"Yes, but take San Juan Heights and the problem will be solved." Chen Jian Qiuyun said lightly.

Roosevelt almost choked on his own saliva.

Isn't this nonsense?

Whether it is the 1st Division, or its own side, the current goal is to capture the San Juan Heights.

If it can be captured so easily, then what is Sheft worried about?

"The San Juan Heights are very well defended and the fortifications are very strong, and the Spaniards have been operating here for too long."

"Not bad." Chen Jianqiu continued to answer briefly.

But he pointed to another high ground on the other side of the river.

"However, we can take the rest of the place first, and we have to eat the meal one bite at a time."

This height, strictly speaking, is the forward position on the flank of San Juan Heights, and the terrain is quite high in terms of the periphery.

The name of this highland is Hushan.