The failure of the interception by the maritime fleet immediately put the entire east coast of the United States into a state of war. The National Guard at major ports quickly organized and armed their coastlines with various cannons. Even the ancient muzzleloaders were removed from museums.
I pulled it out. Although I knew that this thing was of no use now, it was still a psychological comfort.
In this way, while the American people were waiting in panic, the first unlucky target soon appeared.
Charleston, South Carolina, Fort Sumter, where the first shot of the American Civil War was fired thirty years ago, Commander Major Edson is looking at the piece of steel slowly emerging on the sea in the distance with horrified eyes
The beast's mind is almost blank.
"Quickly, sound the alarm! The Spaniards are coming!" Then he woke up and immediately screamed at the top of his lungs with his face whitened. The battle alarm for the entire fortress sounded instantly, followed by the alarm of the US military base in Charleston Harbor.
, the three ancient coastal defense armored ships also started to light fires and set anchor to prepare to go to sea to meet the enemy. However, such an old-fashioned steam engine battleship would probably not be able to complete its task in less than half an hour from lighting fires to starting.
The Spanish fleet at sea will not wait for them. On the Carlos V, Admiral Camara looked proudly at the entrance of Charleston Bay in the distance. Today will be a day that can be recorded in history. He will be the first to attack.
The Spanish general in the United States may also be the first foreign general in history to attack the United States. In any case, his name will always be remembered in history.
Fort Sumter in the distance can be clearly seen. Although it is said that this fort withstood thousands of artillery shells decades ago without being destroyed, the power of the infantry artillery of the American Confederate Army at that time was not as powerful as the equipment.
There is no comparison with the 280mm or even 320mm naval guns that are full of bitter and sour taste.
Under the leadership of the Carlos V, six battleships, the Pelayo, Colon, Queen Teresa, Vizcaya, and Columbus, formed a formation on the sea. All main gun turrets rotated slowly, and there were black holes.
The muzzle of the gun gradually pointed towards Fort Sumter, and the other small warships accompanying it immediately dispersed to protect it.
In the distant fortress, Major Edson also woke up from his fear. Looking at the enemy warships that were about to attack, he gave the order to prepare to fire in a somewhat panic.
"Fire!" Following Admiral Kamara's order, the high-raised muzzles spurted flames at the same time. Large-caliber artillery shells roared across the sea, and on Fort Sumter in the distance, more than a dozen
A huge fire ball exploded instantly, marking the beginning of the first attack on the United States since the founding of the United States.
"Fire!" Amidst the huge explosion, Major Edson also roared the same way.
The American counterattack artillery shells flew out immediately. Unfortunately, only a few of their artillery shells could cross the sea and reach the Spanish warships. This is not surprising. Although this fortress guards the exit of Charleston Harbor, the United States, after all, has three
There has been no war in ten years. It has always been in a state of violence. It was even using the old coastal defense guns from the Civil War era. Recently, it was replaced with new ones because of the threat of the Spanish fleet. This work has just been completed.
Just expand.
Compared with the dense artillery shells flying constantly from the sea, Fort Sumter's counterattack can be described as weak. As for the power of their black gun shells compared with the Spanish picric acid shells, it is even more pitiful. You know
The Americans still use maroon guns even for their naval guns, so it is not surprising that the shells are loaded with black guns.
This is a completely unequal battle. The six giant ships at sea are constantly ravaging this small castle with large-caliber high-explosive bombs. The huge power of picric acid is like a grinning demon tearing apart cruelly.
Its body, the castle was shattered into pieces in the explosion of fire. Countless gravels were sprayed into the sky in the smoke.
Major Edson in the castle had collapsed at this time. This commander, who had not experienced any war after graduating from the military academy, could only huddle behind the stone wall with his head in his hands, responding to his body with terrified screams.
There was a sky-shattering explosion, and bitter yellow poisonous smoke filled the entire castle. This poisonous gas-like thing further intensified the panic of the Americans. The poor soldiers even gave up resistance. Each one of them was the same as their commander.
Screaming amid the explosions, after thirty years of fighting in Nanshan, Americans finally tasted the bitter fruit of peace.
Fortunately, at this critical moment, the three coastal defense armored ships finally came out staggeringly. Although this kind of warship, which can only reach a speed of about ten knots at the fastest, does not have the capability of naval combat, it is still barely competent as a floating fort. Their
The appearance immediately attracted the Spanish artillery fire. The 320mm main gun on the Pelayo opened fire first. The results of the recent assault training were immediately reflected. One shell hit in the first round of shelling. The huge
A ball of fire rose on one of the coastal defense ships, which was about 3,000 tons.
From a modern perspective, this extremely unconventional warship looks like a can on the sea. The side of the ship is so low that it is almost touching the sea surface. Two heavy turrets equipped with large-caliber guns at the front and rear stand abruptly in the seawater. This picric acid missile
The shell hit right in the middle of the two turrets. Because the external armor was extremely thick, this kind of warship still used a lot of wooden materials to reduce the structural weight. The explosion of picric acid immediately caused a raging fire.
In the distant port of Charleston, countless American people looked at this scene sadly. They thought that their homeland was protected by fortresses and warships, so the number of people who fled was not very large. However, right before their eyes, their hopes were shattered, and the ruins were destroyed.
The wreckage of Fort Sumter and the burning battleships on the sea formed a very visually impactful picture, allowing them to clearly see the cruelty of war.
However, this tenacious battleship did not sink immediately. Instead, it was still fighting tenaciously to defend its homeland with its compatriots. In the raging fire, its four 280mm naval guns trembled and kept firing into the distance.
The enemy sprayed flames, while the other two bravely rushed towards the Kamala fleet. Of course, their figures were quickly enveloped in fire and thick smoke.
Admiral Kamara looked speechlessly at the three coastal defense ships struggling in the dense shells. Only now did he realize that such warships have no significance in naval battles. They are like a pile of floating iron coffins. They are not as good as small torpedoes.
Speedboats are valuable. At least they can threaten you. Unfortunately, almost most countries in the world are still equipped with such things.
The battle at the entrance of Charleston Bay lasted less than an hour. All three coastal defense ships sank to the bottom of the sea in front of the Americans on the shore. In fact, it was not easy for them to persist for so long. Even Sumter
The fortress was also blown into a pile of ruins, and then the Spanish fleet slowly sailed into the bay under the guidance of three old unprotected cruisers.
However, this is entirely due to Kamala's overestimation. The Americans did not lay mines in the largest port in the south. Perhaps the fortress and fleet made them so confident that they ignored this issue. Of course, it may also be those wealthy businessmen.
We don't like our port to be surrounded by such dangerous things.
However, when passing through the entrance of the bay, the Spaniards were unexpectedly attacked. The National Guard militiamen actually set up more than a dozen army cannons on the right bank. They used these poor little things to bravely fire at the invaders. In the end, they still
A shell hit the slowly sailing Pelayo, but when the Spaniards turned their guns on them, the warriors immediately dispersed.
At this point, the American resistance was completely eliminated, and the port ahead opened up to the Spanish like a girl waiting to be ravaged.
"Open fire as a warning and tell the Americans to give them one hour to evacuate their city. In one hour we will destroy Charleston." Admiral Kamala said calmly.
This was a special instruction from Prime Minister Canovas. After all, it is very easy to arouse the hatred of Americans after shelling civilian targets and causing too many casualties. What he needs is to use shelling to end the war, not to expand it.
As the signal soldiers used semaphores to send out this bad news for the Americans, those Americans on the shore who still had a sense of luck were completely blown away. After the warning shells fell on the pier, the whole city felt like the end of the world.
, all the people are desperately escaping from their homes, one by one supporting the old and the young, crying and taking various means of transportation, or simply walking on foot carrying their most valuable property, looking back reluctantly as they walk, so that they can take care of themselves.
The best memories will always be engraved in their minds. Anyway, they will never see them again. Including the American sailors at the port, they also had to leave their merchant ships. Although Kamala did not have time to capture them, she was not prepared to do so.
Save it for the Americans.
An hour passed quickly.
"Okay, gentlemen, let's poke a big hole in the map of the United States!" Admiral Kamala said reservedly.
Amid the laughter of the surrounding officers, all the cannons of the entire fleet roared at the same time, and the beautiful city of Charleston was instantly turned into a sea of flames amidst the explosion of cannon shells.
Far away in Washington, U.S. President McKinley looked at the telegram in his hand and couldn't help but let out a long sigh. He knew that even if he won this war, he could not expect to be re-elected. And this had just begun. He couldn't imagine it.
What would happen if New York was attacked like this?
At the same time, radio waves also crossed the Atlantic in an instant. In the headquarters of Yang's Consortium in Gothenburg, sister Caiyi looked at the telegram in her hand and said to the female secretary beside her: "Forward this telegram to Fuzhou immediately. Your Majesty.