On February 27, 1881, the main force of the Nanyang Army arrived in Bac Ninh Province, and the vanguard marched to Thang Thanh Fong, less than 20 kilometers away from Hanoi City.
"Your Excellency, Commander, our soldiers discovered Chinese army scouts outside the city. They should have been recruited by the Annan government to support the reinforcements of Hanoi Province."
In the military camp outside the city, Marine Corps commander Major Garadek reported the latest military intelligence to Li Weiye.
"How many troops do they have?"
"There are about two hundred people in the vanguard, most of them are equipped with matchlocks, and only about forty people are equipped with old-fashioned Dresser rifles."
But Garadek added, "My subordinates speculate that this unit should be the main force in the Chinese army. In the Annan region, the ordinary Annan army and Chinese armed forces do not have such a high proportion of breech-loading rifle equipment."
"Yesterday, Your Excellency the Governor sent a telegram that Quang Ninh and Lang Son provinces dispatched more than 3,000 armed personnel to support the defenders of Hanoi. Provinces such as Ha Tay and Hung Yen in northern Annam, close to Hanoi, also dispatched varying numbers of troops under the order of the Central Government of Annam.
The army rushed to Hanoi. The security force we stayed outside the city had already exchanged fire with seven Annan local armed forces. However, these seven Annan local armed forces were no match for the Republic's soldiers. I only sent 60 soldiers and wiped them out.
Four hundred of them were killed, and the Annamites who were lucky enough to survive did not dare to continue fighting against the Republic's army and had already evacuated Hanoi Province."
Since marching into northern Annan, Li Weiye has only led less than 500 white soldiers and more than 1,000 Annan indigenous soldiers, but he has treated the Annan army, which numbered 40,000 to 50,000, as nothing more than grass and trees.
On the way to Hanoi, whenever Annan's army encountered obstruction, there was no case of failure. He would win every battle and conquer any city. He had mediocre military qualities, relied on step-by-step procedures to get through his qualifications, and other French naval officers looked down upon the Cochinchina Naval Squadron.
Due to the dual factors of the commander's position, Li Weiye was able to assume the position of the highest military commander of France in northern Annan. Because in the early battles with the Annan local army, the French army easily won the victory, which made the military quality already
Li Weiye, who was not very tall, gradually developed a feeling of pride and underestimation of the enemy, and soon abandoned the cautious approach he had taken when he first entered the northern region.
He believed that the intelligence about the bravery and prowess of the Chinese army was inconsistent with the facts. The Nanyang Army was stationed in Quang Ninh and Lang Son provinces for ten years, and there was no case of fighting with the white French army during this period. According to Li Weiye's speculation, if the overall combat effectiveness of the Nanyang Army was really
As powerful as the French intelligence officers boasted, how could they endure and give in under the pressure of the Republic's army? This is not in line with common sense at all.
Indulging in his confidence in the victory of the Annan army, Li Weiye was not worried that the reinforcements of the Chinese army would hinder the military operation into northern Annan.
"Gentlemen, I am very disappointed with the intelligence work of the Republic in the Annan region. The Republican government allocates a large amount of funds every year to invest in intelligence investigation in Cochin China, but look at the intelligence agents recruited by the Governor-General of Cochin China.
Those Annan natives and Chinese refugees who could be recruited for a few francs knew nothing. They just reported to the Governor of Cochin China based on the rumors they heard on the way that the Chinese army had advanced rifles and artillery.
Their fighting power and will are very tenacious and they are a powerful armed force. The colonial government should not easily provoke them...
But what about in reality?
According to what we actually observed during the march, those Annan troops and Chinese refugee armed forces were similar in appearance to the garrison in Quang Ninh and Lang Son. They only owned a few or dozens of old matchlock guns and rusty iron cannons.
, they are just a ragtag group of local hooligans, not an army at all!"
"Yes, Commander, I think the Chinese army actually only has dozens of smooth cannons that are stuck at the level of casting technology in the eighteenth century, and seven or eight hundred old-fashioned Dresser rifles secretly purchased from overseas. They
The artillery and rifles are all purchased from overseas. There is a shortage of artillery shells and rifle bullets, and it is impossible to support the ammunition consumption of a modern war. As proud soldiers of the French Republic, we do not need to worry too much about a backward refugee army.
threaten."
However, Lagardek stayed in Annan longer than Li Weiye, and his three-year service experience in Annan made him even more contemptuous of the combat effectiveness of the armies of Eastern countries than Li Weiye.
"Your Excellency, Commander, give me an order. I am willing to lead 300 brave French young men to advance towards Bac Ninh Province and eliminate the Chinese troops supporting Hanoi City!"
"Major, wait patiently for a while. After we occupy Hanoi City, we will have a chance to fight with the Chinese army."
Li Weiye did not agree to the other party's aggressive suggestion, explaining, "Although the Chinese army is not as powerful as exaggerated outside, but the South American Han Kingdom can occupy the La Plata area, then the second-rate Chinese army they control in northern Annan will not be as powerful as the Annan government."
Compared with the army, the combat effectiveness should be stronger.
The total number of Chinese troops supporting Hanoi Province is more than 3,000. We only brought 300 Marines to fight with them. After the victory, we will probably lose dozens of brave French boys. For us,
The price paid has exceeded the reward of defeating the Chinese army. It is not worth the risk for us.”…………
After appeasing Major Kolagadek, who was equally ambitious and wanted to establish meritorious service in Annan, Li Weiye was about to go back to his room to rest and recharge his batteries to wait for the final reply from Hanoi City tomorrow. At this time, his soldiers reported an important news to him.
information.
"Report to your Excellency, Commander, Father Edmund would like to see you."
“Please come in, priest.”…
"Mr. Colonel, the barbaric Annamites are arresting believers who are loyal to the Lord in Hanoi. I hope you will save those poor believers for the sake of God's grace!"
"Haven't the citizens of the French Republic already evacuated to churches outside the city? Are there still people in Hanoi who have not received the evacuation notice?"
"No, the citizens of the Republic have all evacuated to the church, but those Annan believers who were baptized are still in the city. They were persecuted by the Annan army!"
"Sorry, Father, they are not citizens of the Republic, and our military has no obligation to provide them with protection."
"Those people are also the people of the Lord. They have made great contributions to the cause of the French Republic in Annan. At the moment when their lives are threatened, the army of the Republic should not stand aside and watch the tragedy happen."
The priest said urgently, "Protecting them means protecting France's interests in Annan. Some believers who have escaped have told me that the Governor of Hanoi is determined to reject your ultimatum. The Annan army in the city is searching and arresting intelligence personnel working for the Republic. You
You should not be deceived by the cunningness of the Annamese people and waste a precious day outside Hanoi!"
"Are you sure that what you just said comes from a reliable source?"
"Yes, I personally held a baptism ceremony for the believer who reported the news, and he has also been secretly providing intelligence to the Governor-General of Cochin China."
"Father Edmund, I believe what you say. In an hour, the Republic Army will launch an attack on Hanoi City on time. Before that, please contact the believers stranded in the city and ask them to cooperate when the Republic Army attacks the city.
Our offense."
"God willing, I will definitely convey the colonel's words to them."
