(Happy Valentine’s Day to my brothers and sisters, and be careful not to kill anyone)
The biggest advantage of cavalry is that it is much more mobile than infantry, has flexible tactics, outflanks, and can attack infantry formations in a hash formation. However, the infantry is well prepared and there are many bows and crossbows in the formation for defense. Even the most elite cavalry cannot
Tearing apart such a solid formation would cost a heavy price.
Yuanzhou general Cao Teng led 2,000 soldiers of the guard camp. They used infantry bows and large shields in Tiankuo shallow valley ten miles away from the remaining city of Xinyu.
Between Xiaozhu Mountain in the north of Xinyu City and a remaining mountain range at the eastern foot of Mengshan Mountain, the shallow valley slopes all the way to the Yuan River in the south. The terrain is not complicated. The ridges and peaks on both sides are about thirty to fifty feet long.
Come on, the post road located on the north bank of Yuan River also passes through the south of this shallow valley.
This kind of terrain is beneficial to both infantry and cavalry. When the enemy soldiers formed a formation in the shallow valley like a turtle shell, Zhao Bao and Chen Daozi made several tentative attacks, but they could not cause the formation to scatter. Naturally, they could not force their formation into a tight formation.
During the attack, they could only stay on the outside to harass, and they were told to stop outside Xinyu City and not be able to move easily, which also happened to block the way for the main force of the Chinese army to enter Xinyu City.
Zhang Xiongshan came with more than 2,000 infantry and cavalry to further strengthen the front force of Yuanzhou's troops in the west of Xinyu City. He also tried hard to completely drive out the Huaidong cavalry and began to fight for the low ridge on the north side of the shallow valley.
Zhang Xiongshan also realized that Yuanzhou's cavalry was far from being able to compete with Huaidong's elite cavalry in the wild. But without Huaidong's elite cavalry, the infantry could only form a thick array to guard against flank attacks.
The speed of travel in the open area slowed down.
The only way is to use the surrounding steep valleys, rock cliffs, and stream banks that are too steep for horses to pass quickly to deploy troops to drive the Huaidong cavalry northward and protect the flanks of the north bank post road from attack.
The terrain at the western foot of Xiaozhu Mountain ranges from high to low, but it is not complex or precipitous. Its streams are also shallow, and its terrain of hills, mountains, and forest valleys is conducive to the roundabout entry and exit of small groups of cavalry, and it is also more conducive to the cavalry's mobility advantage. Zhang
Xiongshan almost used all his more than 4,000 soldiers and horses from the guard camp to seize several ridges on the north side of the shallow valley, and then drove the more than 600 Huaidong cavalry who had been entangled since last night to the northwest foot of Xiaozhu Mountain and drove them
The main force of the Chinese army entered Xinyu and was protected on the inside.
Seeing that the Huaidong cavalry was trying to shrink back to the north, Zhang Xiongshan just thought that the Huaidong cavalry had given up the entanglement outside Xinyu City, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
The main force of the Chinese army led by Chen Zishou had just reached the north bank of the Yuan River at the western foot of Xiaozhu Mountain. More than 20,000 soldiers and horses were marching rapidly along the road in four columns. The formation was nearly ten miles long.
If Zhang Xiongshan had not led the troops to protect the flanks, such a marching team would have been penetrated by the Huaidong cavalry.
The main force of troops continued to march to Xinyu Can City, and Chen Zishou mobilized another two thousand troops and horses to expand north. Although Xinyu Can City was his destination this time, it was not enough to just enter Xinyu City. Huaidong was in Henan
Zhang's troops and horses can come up from Qingjiang County along the Yuan River, or from the north via Yangle, and from the south through the valley between Moshan and Mengshan Mountains. In addition, although Huaidong's troops and horses in Ganzhou are far away, they can also
It goes north from the main road between Ganjiang River and the eastern foot of Wugong Mountain, approaching the north bank of Yuanhe River.
Ganzhou is far away from Xinyu, nearly 600 miles away, but Yuzhang is close, only more than 300 miles away. Chen Zishou must first be prepared for Huaidong's troops in Yuzhang. In addition to occupying the city of Xinyu, he must also
Build fortifications at the western foot of Xiaozhu Mountain in the remaining mountains of Moshan to block the Huaidong Army's approach to Xinyu from the north.
Two thousand more soldiers and horses were mobilized to join Zhang Xiongshan, leaving more than 6,000 troops in the north.
Although there is no opportunity to engage in field battles with Huaidong's elite combat forces, as long as we set up camp and build forts, dig trenches and block the main force of Huaidong's infantry and cavalry to the north before the main force of Huaidong's infantry and cavalry arrives, there will be no problem.
Chen Zishou sat on a tall horse and watched two thousand soldiers and horses heading north along the red soil hills. The farther north was covered by rolling mountains and full of gray soldiers, which made Chen Zishou feel somewhat worried.
"Although the Huaidong soldiers who entered Xinyu yesterday were only six to seven hundred people, they have only slightly retreated to the north until now, and there are no signs of retreating far. Are Huaidong reinforcements on their way to Xinyu?" Chen Zishou asked around him.
Lieutenant General Deng Fu.
Although Deng Fu was dissatisfied with Huang Binghao and Chen Zishou's decision to march into Xinyu without authorization, and restrained the main force of Huaidong troops from crossing the river to join the battle for the Yan captives, the fate of the Yuanzhou army could not be changed by one of his lieutenants. He could only silently obey Huang Binghao, Chen Zishou and others.
Human decision.
At this time, he heard that Chen Zishou was worried and worried about his own life and future. Deng Fu could only give his best advice and said: "Zhang Xiongshan should continue to the north and drive this Huaidong cavalry out of Xiatanggou. Huaidong is in Henan Province."
If Zhang's main cavalry force comes from the north, we don't want it to approach Xinyu, so we should use the terrain of Xiatanggou and Xiaozhu Mountain to build defenses in the north!"
Huaidong's troops in Yuzhang are mainly Zhang Jiheng's unit of the Changshan Army's first town division and Lin Fu's guard battalion.
Zhang Jiheng is a Huaidong general who has followed Lin Fu since he rose to power in Chongzhou. He is good at conquering and fighting. In the Huaidong Army, he has eliminated all other generals at the command level and is the first-level military commander. Zhang Jiheng, Chen Zhi, Zhang Gou, Tang Fuguan, Liu Zhenzhi, etc.
Everyone has the same name, and his tribe is also the most capable elite under the Changshan Army. In comparison, the newly established Yu Wencheng tribe in Jiangzhou is not as elite; but seeing that Lin Fu is in Yuzhang, his name is only Zhang Jiheng
By leading his troops to garrison in Yuzhang, we can know Lin Fu's trust in Zhang Jiheng and his troops.
In addition, Lin Fu's guard camp was also the first brigade of the Huaidong Cavalry Battalion. Although Huaidong was in Luzhou, Xuzhou, with Sun Zhuang and Li Liang as generals, added another cavalry battalion and divided it into the second and third cavalry battalions.
brigade, but the cavalry battalion led by Zhou Pu was the forbidden cavalry, Lin Fu's guard battalion, and was always the most elite cavalry in Huaidong.
Although Huaidong's total troops in Yuzhang are only over 16,000, as long as Lin Fu mobilizes 10,000 elite cavalry from Yuzhang to march westward, Chen Zishou would not dare to easily follow him in Xinyu City even if he has 30,000 troops available.
In field battles, especially at this time, the morale of Yuanzhou's army was unstable. Facing the elite Huaidong Army, it was difficult to have the morale to fight.
Of course, it is not possible for 30,000 troops to defend Xinyu City alone. The terrain around Xinyu is wider than that of Xiayuan. From between Mengshan and Moshan, there is a passage that can be inserted directly behind Xinyu, cutting off Xinyu and Xiayu.
Yuan's contact.
If we defend Xinyu instead of Mongolia, at the end of the day, the 30,000 Yuanzhou Army may trap the elite Huaidong cavalry in Xinyu City.
Chen Zishou is also very familiar with the terrain around Xinyu. For Shoumeng and Mo, only Xiaozhu Mountain at the southwest foot of Mo Mountain is the most suitable.
They are all twenty or thirty feet tall. As long as we guard the shallow stream upstream, we can only stop the Huaidong soldiers and horses from approaching from the north.
Chen Zishou summoned the messengers and wanted to order Zhang Xiongshan to lead his troops to continue northward to the south bank of Xiatanggou. He thought about it but gave up and said to his deputy: "Come with me!" Surrounded by hundreds of soldiers, he headed north.
He galloped away, intending to meet up with Zhang Xiongshan who was supervising the battle on the ridge of the western foothills of Xiaozhu Mountain at this time, and personally deploy the defense to the north.
Chen Zishou's retinue of cavalry only had more than 200 people, plus the light soldiers running with him, more than 600 people dispersed and headed north, instantly filling the canyon east of Chitugang.
Just at this moment, several riders came from the north with their hooves raised. They dismounted as if rolling and said: "In addition to yesterday's enemy, there are signs of enemy soldiers approaching below Xiaozhu Mountain..."
"How many troops are coming from the enemy?" Chen Zishou asked. Huaidong had a few troops in Yangle, thinking that perhaps the troops stationed in Yangle came to help first after getting the news.
"The number is unknown. They are all cavalry. They are all covered in smoke and dust at the northern foot of Xiaozhu Mountain." The visitor reported.
Only then did Zhang Zishou feel a chill rise in his heart.
Huaidong's garrison in Yangle is only six to seven hundred people. They are soldiers recruited from the resistance forces. They are used as local garrison troops. They are not strong in combat and do not have a large-scale cavalry establishment. If they come to the enemy's capital,
It is cavalry, which can only be the second Huaidong elite group coming from Yuzhang to reinforce Xinyu.
Came so fast!
Chen Zishou had previously expected that Huaidong's elite cavalry in Yuzhang would come to Xinyu after being convinced, at least not earlier than before dark tomorrow. The six to seven hundred cavalry who appeared in Xinyu yesterday, Chen Zishou thought.
The troops Huaidong sent to Yuanzhou to negotiate for surrender did not expect that Huaidong would dispatch a second cavalry force into Xinyu so quickly...
What's going on? Is this a coincidence, or did Donghaihu in Yuzhang have long expected that they would choose this time to march into Xinyu? Or were the surrender factions in Yuanzhou's army reporting to Huaidong? Or were they secretly heading down to Yuancheng?
When gathering troops, did Huaidong's spy have a clue and warn Yuzhang in advance?
Chen Zishou had many thoughts running through his mind in an instant.
After the nest is overturned, the eggs are not finished.
Although Deng Fu disagreed with Huang Binghao and Chen Zishou sending troops to Xinyu, the situation was such that we could only survive this period first.
"All my scouts on the north side of Xiatang Valley are gone. The lookout post deployed by the guard battalion on the ridge of the southern section of Xiaozhu Mountain can detect the enemy. I am afraid that it will be too late to enter the south bank of Xiatang Valley to defend the enemy at this time." Deng
Fu said anxiously, "The number of enemies coming is unknown, but if the news of our army's march to Xinyu is leaked in advance, the vanguard Huaidong transferred from Yuzhang must be the elite of its cavalry camp. We only rely on a few thousand soldiers from the guard camp in the small
We have hastily set up formations in the hills and valleys to the west of Zhushan Mountain, fearing that they may not be able to block the impact coming from across the lower pond ditch..."
What Deng Fu said is true. The lookout post on the ridge can see the traces of the incoming enemy with the naked eye. The incoming enemy must have approached Xiatanggou, and Huaidong has another six to seven hundred riding in the south of Xiatanggou to protect its crossing.
On the outside, they wanted to enter the south bank of Xiatanggou, but it was no longer possible to use Xiatanggou to defend themselves against the enemy.
Although they were north of Yuan River and at the western foot of Xiaozhu Mountain, they had 7,000 troops and horses, but they were all scattered among the ridges and hills at the western foot of Xiaozhu Mountain, extending over twenty miles in depth.
Each dispersed group consisted of about six to seven hundred or more than a thousand people. This dispersed deployment was to expel the six to seven hundred Huaidong cavalry that entered Xinyu yesterday and prevent them from making a roundabout pass.
Protect the flanks of the main Chinese army advancing along the north bank of the Yuan River from interference.
Before this, this kind of deployment was very effective. After all, they faced only six to seven hundred Huaidong cavalry. They used the terrain of hills, forests, valleys, and rivers to advance or retreat, attack, defend, entangle, or fight, but when facing more
Huaidong cavalry came in large numbers, and this dispersed deployment was fatal.
It is very likely that if a group of troops cannot wait for other troops to come close to help, a large group of Huaidong cavalry will surround them and defeat them, giving the other side a chance to divide and annihilate them.
Usually in this situation, the troops scattered at the western foot of Xiaozhu Mountain should withdraw immediately.
After all, there is still a buffer of twenty to thirty miles. If you retreat and gather at the same time, you can retreat to the north bank of the Yuan River. Nearly 7,000 infantry can also be gathered together. Huaidong is dominated by cavalry, but it is difficult to gather and form a formation with a large number of soldiers.
If the infantry defends the formation, it is still difficult to defeat them suddenly.
But at this time, the seven thousand men and horses scattered at the western foot of Xiaozhu Mountain not only could not retreat and gather, they also had to prevent the Huaidong cavalry from approaching the north bank of the Yuan River - because on the post road on the north bank of the Yuan River, the main force of Yuanzhou's army was nearly 20,000.
, is unfolding in a marching array with a long line of snakes.
The front of the marching array was still thirteen or four miles away from Xinyu, and the rear was thirteen or four miles away. The array dispersed very quickly.
While Chen Zishou was predicting the number of Huaidong cavalry coming from the north, he looked back at the Chinese army on the north bank of the Yuan River, feeling anxious.
Chen Zishou was also a veteran who had been fighting for many years. Although cold sweat broke out on his forehead and he was panicking, his mind was still thinking. He knew that it would be too late for the main force of the Chinese army to completely evacuate into Xinyu City before the Huaidong cavalry killed them.
It was too late to discover the Huaidong cavalry. If they forcefully enter the city at this time, it will only cause chaos and slow down the speed. It will not be faster. Retreating will not work. Ask the Huaidong cavalry to wait twenty or thirty miles behind and rush to the city.
You can catch them before dark. At this time, flee to the west. Before dark, there is no dangerous terrain to break the rear, and the morale of the entire army is already weak. If you escape, it is likely to cause a collapse of the entire army.
While Chen Zishou sent people to order Zhang Xiongshan to delay the Huaidong cavalry attack as much as possible at the western foot of Xiaozhu Mountain, he divided the main force of the advancing Chinese army into three sections. The front section immediately accelerated to avoid entering Xinyu City, and the middle section
, immediately left the main road on the north bank of the Yuan River and marched north, filling in the southwest foot of Xiaozhu Mountain and forming a defensive formation on the spot to meet the impact of the Huaidong cavalry that was likely to follow.
Chen Zishou did not go to join Zhang Xiongshan, but went directly to the west to join the rear troops and horses, and found dangerous terrain at the southwest foot of Chitugang to deploy defensive formations. Even if Zhang Xiongshan was defeated at the west foot of Xiaozhu Mountain, waiting for the rest of the army
All the soldiers and horses arrived. In addition to the soldiers and horses who had fled to Xinyu City for defense in the early stage, Chen Zishou was able to gather 16,000 to 7,000 infantry at Chitu Gang.