nycdaug Chapter 62 The Expedition
Chapter 62 The Expedition
Lu Qianfan pondered for a moment and said, "Your Highness, could we disguise ourselves as a merchant ship that has encountered a shipwreck, and suddenly attack and seize the ship when patrol boats are conducting routine checks or approaching to offer assistance?"
"Oh? Tell me more," Zhu Jiheng said, intrigued.
Lu Qianfan said uncertainly, "When our army captured Manila and Cebu, we also seized several Western-style merchant ships. We can try to disguise them as ships from Guangzhou to Batavia, fly Dutch flags, and have them pretend to be shipwrecked off the coast of Batavia to lure patrol boats close for inspection or even tow them."
"As soon as the Dutch patrol boats approach, they will first shoot and kill the people on the deck with muskets, and then board the ship to seize it, so that it cannot get away and cannot fire signal rockets or fire cannons to warn others."
Zhu Jiheng and Chen Ang exchanged a glance and both agreed that it was worth a try.
With Lü Qianfan making a good start, Chen Ang had no choice but to step in and offer his own opinions.
He suggested, "Your Highness, you could also prepare several ships, load them with a small amount of flammable materials and smoke-generating materials, and set them ablaze in more distant waters to create the illusion that the ships have caught fire and drifted away or been abandoned after being attacked by pirates."
"Once the Dutch patrol boats spot it, they will likely go to investigate, which will distract them and even divert some of the ships."
"This plan is feasible," Zhu Jiheng nodded and said, "Indeed, by taking a two-pronged approach, we can paralyze their training fleet before our navy arrives in Batavia. Even if we can't eliminate all the patrol boats, we can prevent them from transmitting information in a timely and accurate manner."
After saying that, he then planned the merchant ships to be used as bait. There were already Western-style merchant ships available, and the sailors on board were Dutch speakers from the Spanish prisoners of war he had captured earlier, along with disguised colonial infantry.
The former was to convince the Dutch that they were merchant ships belonging to a company. It was quite reasonable that natives were generally used as slaves in Southeast Asia, and that there were many natives on board as sailors.
In addition, they could also serve a surveillance role. When Dutch patrol boats approached, they could also use their flintlock muskets to fire a volley of bullets to clear the people on the deck.
After the decision was made, Zhu Jiheng solemnly addressed the two men:
"Now that we have a general understanding of Batavia, it's time to put a surprise attack on the city on the agenda."
The two men already knew about the preparations to go to war with the Netherlands when they were still in Jinghai. As former soldiers of the system, they naturally did not object and instead faithfully carried out orders.
"Please give your instructions, Your Highness!" The two men stood up straight, their faces serious, and said in unison.
Zhu Jiheng pondered for a moment and said, "According to the intelligence we have so far, there are at least two thousand troops stationed in Batavia, but their army is not good at hand-to-hand combat and is only good at firearms. Although our army is also good at firearms, it is no less skilled in hand-to-hand combat than others."
"Therefore, in terms of the quality of the army, our army is far superior to the Dutch."
"I intend to mobilize the entire nation's strength to attack Batavia, that is, to deploy all current troops for this war, and launch a long-distance expedition across the sea. If we can successfully capture Batavia, then the South Seas will be entirely under the control of our Great Ming. If we fail..."
He didn't continue, but both of them understood what he meant, and their expressions became serious, feeling a heavy responsibility on their shoulders.
Zhu Jiheng planned to send out all his troops, namely sixteen squadrons of line infantry, five squadrons of colonial infantry, six squadrons of skirmishers, and four squadrons of 12-pounder infantry guns, totaling 3060 soldiers and 16 cannons.
Since it was a long sea expedition, the warhorses could not endure the long sea voyage, so the cavalry were left behind, and only the infantry and artillery were sent out.
Such a large-scale expedition would undoubtedly require a large number of ships. Even if every warship of the Nanyang Fleet were fully loaded, at least twenty or thirty troop transport ships would still be needed to accompany it.
Such a scale would certainly not escape the notice of the Dutch, and it would be a waste of resources to send an expedition to the remnants of the Spanish forces on Mindanao.
If Zhu Jiheng were the governor of the Netherlands, he certainly wouldn't believe it.
Therefore, they could only operate in batches, disguising their troop transport ships as merchant ships and operating separately from the Nanyang Fleet.
He looked intently at Chen Ang and Lü Qianfan, and continued:
"After the army boarded the ships, the main force of the navy did not rush straight to Batavia, but instead, in accordance with previous rumors, sailed in a grand manner toward Mindanao, making it appear as if they were going to conquer Zamboanga."
After sailing for several days, and once far from the possible surveillance range of the Dutch, they would quietly turn at night and head at full speed towards Batavia!
"The decoys, disguised as shipwrecks, will first go to the waters off Batavia. Before the main fleet arrives, they must eliminate or control the Dutch patrol boats one by one at key locations off Batavia. Meanwhile, the boats loaded with flammable materials will create chaos in the designated area to attract and distract the Dutch patrol boats."
"If the decoy successfully controls the Dutch patrol boats, then signal with the main naval force to rush into Batavia port at full speed. Each gunboat will bombard the forts, providing cover for the troop transport ships to enter the port and board them." Zhu Jiheng tapped his finger heavily on the location of Batavia on the map, and continued:
"The Dutch believe that our main force is focused south, and their defensive focus must be on the eastern mainland and the Spice Islands. Although their ports are heavily guarded, their troops are scattered and their vigilance may be relaxed due to rumors. Our army will strike at the heart of their coastal defenses with lightning speed!"
After speaking, he paused, then solemnly said to the two men, "This battle will be entirely in your hands. Chen Ang will lead the land forces, and Lü Qianfan will lead the navy. Cooperate with each other and work together!"
Upon hearing this, both men replied in unison, "Your humble servants obey! We will certainly not fail Your Highness's trust!"
Zhu Jiheng nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "This battle is crucial for our Great Ming Dynasty to establish its dominance in the South Seas! Victory will overthrow the Dutch foundation and bring all the trade routes in the South Seas under our control; defeat will mean the loss of all our previous achievements and a severe blow to our strength. I hope that you two generals and all the soldiers will unite as one and fight bravely to be the first to act!"
"For the Ming Dynasty! For Your Highness! We would gladly die a thousand deaths!" The two bowed solemnly once more, their voices filled with determination and resolve.
……
When Zhu Jiheng issued his order, most of the Chinese merchant ships anchored in Luzon Port received a mobilization order, requiring them to be requisitioned to accompany the army on its expedition.
Meanwhile, the infantry stationed at the Luzon Imperial Army immediately headed to the Cavite fortress, where they gathered and boarded ships in an orderly manner. After boarding, they sailed away from Luzon Bay and headed to Jinghai to receive unified command.
All of this was done without fanfare or a rally; it was simply a secret march at night.
After the soldiers boarded the ship in an orderly fashion, they could only crowd into the enclosed cabins, where people were packed together. The air was filled with a strong smell of sweat, body odor, the smell of the sea, and the lingering smell of paint and asphalt.
The cabin was dark and damp, with only a few flickering oil lamps providing dim light. The soldiers sat close together on their makeshift bunks or directly on the deck, flintlock rifles resting on their shoulders or tucked between their legs, their faces etched with solemnity and fortitude.
Before they set off, they already knew the purpose and significance of this expedition—to completely eliminate the threat from the Dutch. Everyone gritted their teeth and silently endured the hardship.