nycdaug Chapter 54 First Battle
Chapter 54 First Battle
After Chen Ang issued the order, the five companies of six hundred line infantrymen quickly formed ranks and marched inland under the command of their officers.
The Spanish army, having lost its scouts, was like a blind man, advancing anxiously along the continent. Their ranks were disorganized, and the soldiers looked fearful, glancing around constantly as if the enemy might suddenly emerge from the dense forest.
When the vanguard rounded a low hill and the view suddenly opened up, everyone gasped.
On the open ground ahead, a well-disciplined army with brightly colored flags was marching in their direction. Their dark uniforms, gleaming bayonets, and perfectly aligned formations were completely different from their own.
"God...they...they know what we're doing!" a soldier next to the captain exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear.
The captain's heart sank to the bottom, but he knew that turning around and running away at this moment would only lead to a rout and being hunted down to death by the enemy.
He forced himself to remain calm, drew his sword, and roared, "Form ranks! Prepare to meet the enemy! We are glorious Spanish soldiers; let these rebels see what we're made of!"
Under his reprimands and the officers' kicks, the Spanish soldiers barely managed to form two uneven lines on the hilltop, with arquebusiers in front and pikemen behind, attempting to use the terrain to their advantage to block the enemy.
"Load the ammunition! Hurry up, you bunch of swine!"
The officer cursed loudly, while the front-row arquebusiers frantically loaded the gunpowder. Many of them visibly trembled, spilling a lot of gunpowder as they poured it out.
Meanwhile, the Ming army below the hill had already spotted the Spanish troops. Seeing that the Spanish army was arrayed using the terrain, the Ming troops also formed three ranks on the spot.
"Halt! All companies, check your weapons and prepare to engage the enemy!" the officers of each company shouted.
Amidst the clanging of metal scraping against metal, the soldiers skillfully inspected the hammers and powder magazines of their flintlock muskets, their bayonets gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
In stark contrast to the panicked Spanish troops on the hilltop, the Ming army lines were completely silent, save for the fluttering of flags in the wind and the faint sound of distant waves.
Upon seeing this, the Western Army captain felt an even greater chill. The Ming army opposite him was clearly an elite force. He dared to say that even the regular army of the kingdoms far away in Europe could not compare to them.
He could only urge his men to finish loading the guns, while silently making plans in his mind that once the enemy launched an attack and the two armies clashed, he would not hesitate to order a retreat after a few shots were fired.
They were clearly no match for the enemy, and rather than fight to the death—the soldiers below were unlikely to actually fight to the last moment—it would be better to fire a few shots to justify their pay and then retreat back into the city to save their lives.
The Ming army did not rush to attack. Several experienced company commanders gathered together, whispered a few words, quickly reached a consensus, and then conveyed the instructions to their respective companies.
The Ming army's formation began to change subtly. Instead of advancing in a straight line, the six companies in the middle maintained a dense three-column formation as the backbone.
The two companies on the left and right flanks spread out slightly, with the soldiers spaced further apart, forming a loose skirmish line that extended slightly forward and to the sides, seemingly attempting to encircle both sides of the ridge.
The Ming army's plan was simple: once the central force entered firing range, it would launch a volley to suppress the enemy, while the two flanks would take the opportunity to maneuver around the hillsides and harass the enemy's flanks and rear.
When the Western Army captain saw the Ming army change formation, his heart sank even further. As an experienced officer, how could he not see the Ming army's intentions? He hurriedly ordered the formation to be adjusted in an attempt to strengthen the flanks, but the already loose troops became even more chaotic as they moved, exposing more weaknesses.
Soon, the Ming army advanced to within the effective range of the flintlock muskets, and the four company commanders simultaneously raised their swords and ordered a halt.
The drumbeats stopped abruptly with the command, and the 480 soldiers halted as if as one, their movements perfectly synchronized.
"First row—kneeling! Raise your gun—aim!"
The first rank of soldiers knelt down on one knee and raised their flintlock pistols. The second rank stood with their pistols raised over the shoulders of their comrades in front. The third rank stood slightly behind, also raising their pistols.
The Spanish soldiers on the ridge could clearly see the cold muzzles of guns below. The invisible pressure made many of them breathe heavily, and their palms, gripping the matchlock guns, were covered in sweat.
What made them even more desperate was that they discovered the firepower density between the two sides was not equal at all; their arquebuses could only be spread out, while the enemy could stand densely together.
"Fire!"
The company commanders swung their swords down fiercely.
bang bang bang-
The first volley was unleashed with deafening gunfire echoing through the valley, and white smoke instantly filled the Ming army's lines.
Although they were still far away, the dense hail of bullets still caused casualties to the Spanish troops on the ridge, with dozens of soldiers falling to the ground after being shot, causing a small commotion.
Before the smoke had cleared, the second and third ranks of soldiers opened fire, and the subsequent two salvos were almost without pause, creating a continuous and intense barrage of fire.
Although the Spanish arquebusiers initially attempted to retaliate, their arquebuses were slow to load and had inferior range and accuracy compared to flintlock muskets. After being subjected to a thunderous volley of fire from the Ming army, the arquebusiers were immediately thrown into disarray.
The soldiers were terrified. Many ignored the officers' reprimands and began to back away, and some even turned to run away.
"go ahead!"
After three volleys, the Ming army's central commander shouted, raised his bayonets, and advanced rapidly. At the same time, the left and right flanks opened fire on the western army. The western army was already in disarray due to the unauthorized retreat of the arquebusiers, and was once again shot at by the Ming army. The spearmen behind them were also thrown into chaos.
Seeing this, the Western Army captain immediately realized it was time to flee. He decisively turned his horse and rode away, shouting, "Retreat! Retreat! We are no match for the Chinese! Retreat back to the city!"
With the commander shouting like that, what reason did the remaining Western Army soldiers have to resist? They quickly dropped their muskets and spears, crying and screaming as they fled for their lives.
The advancing Ming army had never expected the Spanish to be so fragile; they collapsed almost immediately. Seeing this, the company commanders abandoned all pretense of maintaining formation and shouted, "Disperse! Chase them! Don't let them escape!"
The line infantry immediately broke formation, bayonets at the ready, and charged after the enemy, cutting them down in their wake. Being unarmored, they moved even faster than the armored Western troops.
Therefore, the Ming army quickly caught up and stabbed the Spanish from behind. The Spanish were routed, with many dead and wounded. Most of them, seeing that they could not escape, could only kneel down in despair and become prisoners. Only the captain and a few others managed to escape.