Chapter 487: Seizing the Guns

A cannonball screamed through the air — a round, solid iron shot hurtling from the Qing army's formation. All the troops of Tang Tong and Ma Ke arrayed around the hillock watched with pounding hearts and trembling courage as the shot traced its falling arc.

With a thunderous boom, the cannonball slammed into the hillock, blasting up a great spray of earth. Because it struck the slope rising diagonally upward, though it bounced high forward, after dropping it rolled a few times and then stopped dead.

A collective sigh of relief swept through the entire army. Tang Tong and Ma Ke exhaled as well.

The shot had landed not far from their central command formation. By the way the two men had laid out their battle arrays, this hillock was packed with cavalry and cold-weapon troops from the two garrisons' main battalions. Company Commander by Company Commander, each unit spaced well apart — that was how battle formations were always arranged in those days.

Nearly twenty thousand troops, spread along the upper slope and forward face of the hillock, filled one small square formation after another. From north to south, it was a dense black mass of armor, weapons, and banners. On the flat ground below the hillock stood wagon-forts, arrayed in a rough arc around the hillock and defended by gunners, arquebusiers, and rocket troops.

The northern end of the hillock was held by a Mobile Corps Commander under Tang Tong, deployed with war wagons and chevaux-de-frise on relatively level ground. The mobile troops and reserve troops from the garrison's mobile and assistant battalions could hardly expect the same treatment as the main battalions; cannon-fodder and the more dangerous tasks naturally fell to them first, so they were massed on the outer perimeter.

And the northern end of the hillock, likely to face the first attack from the Qing troops on Mount Rufeng to the north, counted as a dangerous sector — yet it was defended by Tang Tong's forces. Clearly, although Tang Tong and Ma Ke called each other brother, the two could not possibly enjoy equal treatment. That was simply the way strength worked.

This cannonball landed in the open ground in front of the great cavalry formation, wounding neither man nor horse. Tang Tong and Ma Ke burst into hearty laughter. Ma Ke stroked his two wispy rat-whiskers and said contemptuously, "The Tartars' artillery — nothing more than this!"

Tang Tong flattered him: "That is also thanks to Marshal Ma's far-sighted wisdom, placing our battle formation on the hillock so that the Tartars' cannon lost all effect and power!"

The two went on flattering each other, but before long the thunder of cannon from the Qing lines grew fierce and violent.

From the high ground over on that side, another great mass of dense, thick powder smoke billowed up, and then dozens of huge solid cannonballs came screaming over. The Qing gunners had now lowered their elevation; instead of aiming at the hillock, they were aiming at the various wagon-forts deployed in front of it.

With a crashing roar, shot after great shot fell before and behind the wagon-forts. Some flew wide, bouncing up without striking man or horse. Others struck directly, or crashed into the two garrisons' war wagons, smashing those wagons to splinters — the sharp flying wooden shards sent the gunners behind them tumbling and howling.

Still other shot plunged into the arquebusier formations slightly farther back, or into the cold-weapon formations of the two garrisons' auxiliary and mobile battalions, racing and bounding across the dry, hard ground and carrying with them sprays of severed limbs and misted blood. For a time, wails and howls rose on all sides, and the troops in the forward wagon-forts fell into chaos.

Watching their wretched state, the troops of the two garrisons' main battalions arrayed on the hillock stirred in wave after wave of agitation. Many faces turned the color of earth. The Tartars' artillery was simply too ferocious.

Tang Tong stared dumbstruck, his face pale. Then something occurred to him, and he bellowed, "The Tartars have cannon — we can open fire too!"

Ma Ke had lost his earlier composure. He said, "Their guns are a full two li away. The folangji in our wagon-forts cannot reach that far. In the entire Ming army today, apart from the firearms of the Shenji Battalion, I fear even Wang Dou's artillery battalion could not reach them."

Tang Tong clutched at this like a drowning man grasping a life-saving straw. "Yes, yes, the Shenji Battalion's guns! Let us ride swiftly to Viceroy Hong and request aid — have the Shenji Battalion haul their cannon forward."

Ma Ke said darkly, "Has General Tang forgotten? The Shenji Battalion's guns were sent long ago to support Yang Guozhu and Li Fuming!"

Tang Tong said angrily, "Yang Guozhu and Li Fuming get support, and we do not? Are the troops of our two garrisons the children of a stepmother?"

Ma Ke gave a cold snort. "I fear that in Viceroy Hong's heart, we are indeed the children of a stepmother!"

The two were still arguing when from the Qing artillery position the screaming rose again on all sides. Wave upon great wave of cannonballs, carrying a terrifying shriek, came blasting over.

This wave of shot was even more ferocious in force, for the Qing troops were using grape shot.

Several hundred projectiles flew across. Though the power of each varied, some great and some small, and their ranges fell some forward and some back, most plunged into the Ming formations. Countless solid iron balls came smashing down on heads and faces, shooting wild, ricocheting, rolling, bounding, battering — from time to time a wagon-fort or a troop formation took a hit, and everywhere flesh and blood flew and splinters danced.

In the forward Ming wagon-forts where the shot fell, men were already weeping for their fathers and wailing for their mothers. Soldiers fled in every direction, and the panic spread to those nearby in wave after wave of turmoil.

In truth, ferocious as the Qing artillery barrage was, the actual casualties it inflicted on the two garrisons' troops were not that many.

For nearly twenty thousand men, the two garrisons' formations stretched several li, and between each small formation there was open ground. It was simply that in this age, cannon were an irresistible force — especially when one merely stood as a target, taking hits without being able to strike back. Under those conditions, the terror was magnified countless times over.

In particular, the wretched state of others was contagious. Every time one formation fell into turmoil, it spread to countless people nearby — especially when the soldiers could not strictly maintain discipline and their fighting spirit was not keen.

And clearly, the Ming troops had far less experience taking artillery fire than the Qing troops; their immunity was even lower.

As they watched the Qing artillery fire wave after wave, the turmoil and chaos in their own formations steadily grew. The officers of the forward wagon-forts came desperately forward to ask for instructions: what were they to do? Were they to just keep standing there dry, waiting to be shelled? If this went on, the officers and men would not hold out much longer.

The officers of the several wagon-forts were full of grievances. The main battalions had it fine, arrayed on the hillock where the Tartar guns posed little threat to them — while they themselves bore the brunt. If their troops were wiped out, how were they supposed to get by in the Great Ming afterward? Would those two damned Regional Commanders seize the chance to swallow up their soldiers?

Some of the more hot-tempered officers were none too polite in their words toward Tang Tong and Ma Ke.

The two men were furious, but at this critical moment before battle they could hardly deal with them. They only brooded in their hearts: settle accounts with them later!

Under the immense pressure, both men were like ants on a hot pan. Together with the personal commanders beside them, they came up with idea after idea, only to overturn each one in turn, unable to produce a single practical plan.

Fortunately, the Qing artillery paused for a spell. Everyone breathed easier — but then the wails and howls of the wounded soldiers came unceasingly, grating on their nerves and troubling their hearts.

No one knew how many casualties those several waves of Qing shelling had caused. What was more terrifying was that once their guns had cooled, they would open fire again. The enemy could take their time; they themselves, as the targets of the shelling, had no such comfort.

The Regional Commander of Shanhai Pass and the Regional Commander of Miyun gave orders for their central armies to tend the wounded and carry the dead and injured to the rear of the hillock. As they watched casualty after casualty being carried up — some missing hands or feet, some torn limb from limb, some even cut in two with entrails and excrement spilling across the ground — the two men's stomachs churned.

They had to come up with a plan. Otherwise, when the Qing artillery position opened fire again, the forward wagon-forts would, nine times out of ten, collapse and flee.

Tang Tong furrowed his brow in thought, then said to Ma Ke, "Marshal Ma, the only plan now is to pull the wagon-forts back — have them withdraw to the rear of the hillock!"

Ma Ke shook his head. "Without the wagon-forts in front, what if the Tartars assault our lines? And you know the character of these louts — if you order them to withdraw, what if they seize the chance to run?"

Tang Tong reflected and saw he was right. Without the wagon-forts, relying on the main battalions alone, they would be hard-pressed to withstand an attack by the Tartars' iron cavalry. And he knew the officers within his own garrison: right now they might still hold on, but if he gave the order to fall back, once that breath of spirit drained away, they might well scatter.

Tang Tong said in frustration, "This won't do, that won't do — then what are we to do?"

Ma Ke stroked his two wispy rat-whiskers, gazing toward the Qing lines with a deep look. "There is only one plan left: seize the guns!"

Tang Tong started. "Seize the guns?"

Ma Ke said, "Exactly. Seize the guns!"

He went on: "Look at the Tartar formation across from us. Most of them are second-Tartars from the Han Banners. They are mostly infantry — arquebusiers, at that. The real Tartar cavalry are not many; it looks like no more than four thousand. And how many cavalry do our two garrisons have combined? I reckon eight or nine thousand, nearly ten thousand — several times their number!"

"As long as our cavalry charges fast, rushes straight to their gun position, can the second-Tartars' cannon and arquebuses stop us? And once we seize the guns, that will be a rare and great merit!"

For a moment Tang Tong was intensely tempted. Yes — seizing the guns would indeed be a rare merit. Several dozen great Hongyi cannon — oh, and several dozen smaller Hongyi pieces as well. Who knew, after this battle he might rise several ranks in one leap!

He clenched his teeth. "The timid starve, the bold eat their fill. Let's do it!"

But then a shrewd look came into his eyes. "So who goes to seize the guns?"

Ma Ke looked at Tang Tong, his eyes showing the deepest admiration. "General Tang's troops are supremely valiant; time and again they take heads and win merit. This marshal has always held them in the highest esteem. This heavy task of seizing the guns must of course be entrusted to General Tang. If General Tang does not step forward, what hope is there for the common people?"

A look of shame came into Tang Tong's eyes. "For Marshal Ma to praise me so — I am unworthy of such honor!"

He said, "When it comes to marching and fighting, it is Marshal Ma who truly counts as seasoned in strategy and statecraft, a steady hand in affairs! How could this humble general dare steal from Marshal Ma the merit of seizing the guns? Marshal Ma must not decline this duty — take up this heavy task, and win new merit for our Great Ming!"

The two men wrangled back and forth at length, until at last they could only agree: they would go together.

They urgently summoned the officers of the two garrisons' various wagon-forts to discuss the matter. Since the cavalry of the two garrisons' main battalions would likewise be sortieing, everyone gave their assent.

Moreover, after analysis, seizing the guns was far better than just standing there taking hits — and the odds of success were far greater too.

With the Qing guns about to open fire again at any moment, no one had time for more wrangling. It was decided to pull out all the cavalry from every battalion, totaling over nine thousand riders. They would be divided into several waves and several formations, advancing in two directions: one to assault the gun position, the other to guard against any possible flank attack by the Qing cavalry.

As agreed, Tang Tong's force, led by an Assistant Regional Commander of the main battalion, would take all the cavalry from the garrison's various battalions — four thousand in total — and screen against the enemy cavalry over on the Qing side.

Ma Ke's force, led by a Vice Regional Commander of the main battalion, would take over five thousand cavalry from the garrison's various battalions and assault the Qing gun position.

Tang Tong was displeased. Seizing the guns looked like an almost certain success, and Ma Ke, relying on his greater numbers of troops and officers, had brooked no argument and snatched away the lion's share of the credit. With his troops attacking the Qing gun position, when he captured it, how many cannon would he actually share with Tang Tong?

But lacking the strength, how could Tang Tong contend with Ma Ke? He could only swallow his anger. Still, in front of Ma Ke, he instructed his sortieing officers to coordinate closely and guard the flank of the Shanhai troops well — to prevent any possible Qing cavalry attack, so that the main army could smoothly seize the guns and rout the enemy.

Dense ranks of cavalry formed up in front of the hill-and-wagon camp, with Ma Ke’s troops in front and Tang Tong’s troops behind.

Cavalry had always been the elite of every Great Ming battalion. They possessed outstanding combat power, were fully equipped with armor, and were essentially professional soldiers, battle-hardened and by no means lacking in battlefield fighting skills.

In this battle especially, the cavalry of both garrison armies’ main battalions took the lead, and the remaining cavalry battalions had no complaints either. With their side’s odds of victory so high, every man was rubbing his fists and wiping his palms, impatient to earn merit.

They formed an immense sea of men. Ming armies favored red, and these cavalrymen all wore bright red long-body surcoats, along with arm-guards. Add to that the dense forest of banners and the forest of long spears, sabers, and staffs, and a formidable momentum instantly spread outward.

The Qing troops opposite had originally been about to open fire, but when they saw the great mass of Ming cavalry emerge, they could not help being taken aback, and the prepared cannon fire was not discharged. Clearly they were getting ready to deal with these charging cavalry that were about to come. …

Ma Ke and Tang Tong each gave detailed instructions to the officers of their respective main battalions going into battle.

One was an Assistant Regional Commander, the other a Vice Regional Commander — both were the personal commanders of the two men. They beat their chests and guaranteed that the two grand commanders need only wait for good news, for they would certainly gain merit and return victorious.

Brimming with heroic spirit, they spurred their horses to their own side’s great cavalry formation.

Ma Ke’s main-battalion Vice Regional Commander, Ma Zhiyong, could also be counted a kinsman of Ma Ke. He was tall, burly, and imposing, his face covered with scars from blades and arrows — clearly a seasoned general of the army.

He galloped wildly before the formation and roared at the top of his lungs: “Lads, follow me and kill the slaves!”

Countless cavalrymen raised their weapons and roared: “Kill the slaves!”

“Follow me and seize the cannon!” Again countless howling voices: “Seize the cannon!”

With a great bellow, Ma Zhiyong was the first to spur his horse forward. Behind him were some of his retainers, holding the great banner high.

Then came the dense ranks of cavalry. They advanced at a walk at first, and when they closed to within one li, they spurred their horses into a wild gallop. Iron hooves pounded the ground, making it shake violently. Several thousand mountain-and-sea warhorses merged into a surging torrent, rolling forward!

Over two hundred paces behind them came Tang Tong’s cavalry, acting as support to guard against possible attacks by Qing cavalry.

Ten thousand horses raced, and cannonballs screamed. The Qing army fired ceaselessly; from two li away, those forty red-barbarian heavy cannons had been bombarding without pause.

Dense solid iron balls streaked past like lightning, pounding incessantly into the charging Ming cavalry formation with cracking, popping sounds. One after another, Ming men and horses were smashed into mist of blood.

The shrieks of men and the mournful cries of horses rose continuously, but the Ming army pressed on. Especially once they entered one li, the cavalry’s charge speed increased.

At a full sprint, cavalry take little time to charge across one li — they can cover ten meters a second, so a distance of one li requires less than a minute!

By this time, besides the forty red-barbarian heavy cannons on the hill, the Qing cannon array also had several dozen red-barbarian great cannons deployed in front of the hill open fire. They fired balls of three to five catties.

Cannons roared. Under the interwoven bombardment of the Qing army’s great cannons, the charging Ming cavalry suffered heavy casualties.

Yet the Ming army still charged forward shouting battle cries. Ma Zhiyong, holding his cavalry lance high, remained at the very front the entire time.

Cannonballs large and small whistled past him from time to time.

Iron hooves churned, dust and smoke soared skyward. In the blink of an eye, great swathes of Ming cavalry were about to charge to the front of the Qing formation.

One could see that their formation, too, was stirring with waves of commotion.

Just as they were about to enter a hundred paces, the cannons thundered with a tremendous roar, as if everything were being drowned out by the deafening cannon fire.

Great gouts of fierce gunpowder smoke and flame erupted. In front of the Han-banner musket formation, all the red-barbarian great cannons in front of the shield-carts fired canister shot. Dense clusters of pellets sprayed forward, blanketing an area over a hundred meters ahead and a thousand or two thousand meters left and right.

Countless men and horses screamed. Who knew how many charging Ming cavalrymen had jets of blood shoot from their bodies and from the horses beneath them. Many men, struck by too many pellets, were blasted apart into pieces.

Ma Zhiyong, who had led the charge, along with some of the retainers beside and behind him, were wiped out on the spot by that canister shot.

The multitudes of Ming cavalry following beside and behind him also toppled in great swathes. Amid the neighing of warhorses, many cavalrymen were drenched in blood from head to foot. Some were at a loss; others, stunned by the enormous roar of the cannons until their eyes stared blankly, spurred their horses and stood there dazed.

Right after the cannon fire came the sound of volley fire. From the dense shield-carts, one fowling piece after another was thrust out. The fowling pieces firing in the front rank reached as many as two thousand guns.

In front of the shield-carts, after all the red-barbarian great cannons had fired canister, those gunners scrambled to hide within the battle formation, and the musket formations of the various Han banners immediately opened fire.

Again thick white smoke billowed up. Two thousand fowling pieces fired in unison, and ahead, multitudes of dazed Ming cavalry fell. By now they had completely lost their charging momentum and had become huge targets for the Han-banner musketeers.

After three ranks of fire, who knew how many Ming men and horses had fallen. The cavalry behind them no longer had the courage to advance! …

They had thought that the Qing armored cavalry of old was a nightmare; now they discovered that the Qing cannon and fowling pieces were an even greater nightmare!

Great numbers of Ming cavalrymen screamed wildly, wheeled their horses, and fled, wanting only to get farther away from those Tatar cannons and fowling pieces.

Seeing the cavalry of Ma Ke’s troops fleeing ahead, the cavalry of Tang Tong’s division behind them also fled back in panic.

In an instant, the Ming army’s grand and furious cannon-seizing operation was declared a failure!

……

And in the rear, watching countless cavalrymen come screaming back, their expressions seemingly on the verge of collapse, Ma Ke and Tang Tong on the hill were dumbstruck. Wha… what was going on?

Ma Ke had actually seen it clearly; the battle ahead had basically played out before his eyes. The Tatars’ cannons and fowling pieces were beyond anything he had expected — unimaginably formidable.

This cannon-seizing operation — their side had failed, utterly failed. And the main force in this cannon-seizing had been the cavalry from his own garrison. Under the enemy’s attack, how great were his unit’s losses! These were all cavalry from his garrison, and the greater part were cavalry from his own main battalion.

Without these cavalry, what was he? Was he still a Garrison Regional Commander?

In particular, his personal commander, his kinsman Ma Zhiyong, seemed to have been killed on the spot. How was he supposed to explain this to his clan?

The skin on Ma Ke’s face twitched violently. Gone was the composure and calm he had always displayed in the past. The hand stroking his two wispy mustache quivered uncontrollably.

Suddenly he let out an anguished cry, beat his chest, and wailed, tears streaming down like rain: “There is no justice in heaven! The Tatars’ muskets and cannons are more formidable than our Great Ming’s. Truly heaven has no eyes! Alas and alack!” (To be continued. 『This text is provided by the update

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