Chapter 1355 The role of the cavalry battalion
Among the generals who entered the high-level ranks of the Haihan military in the early stages of time travel, Harugong was one of the few who stood out. This is mainly because the arms under his command are too special, and the speed and scale of the formation of the army are subject to many restrictions. In addition, the special environment and development route of Haihan is based on the navy, and the Haihan Army faces few battle situations. There is room for the cavalry to perform, so he has relatively few opportunities to lead his troops on the battlefield to participate in combat. Naturally, his military exploits are far inferior to other generals who have been leading troops on the front line for a long time.
Of course Harugong also wanted to train thousands of cavalry troops, and then show off their skills on the mainland, but Hainan Island did not have good pasture conditions, and the cost of domesticating a large number of war horses was extremely high, and on the sea In the area controlled by the Han Dynasty, the combat missions that the cavalry could perform were extremely limited. A considerable number of the cavalry trained by Harugong were eventually dismantled and assigned to various army units to serve as riders delivering military orders, or as traveling escorts for dignitaries and senior officials. The number of soldiers who actually remained in the cavalry battalion has always been They are only maintained at more than 200 riders.
With such a scale of cavalry, even if every soldier is armed to the teeth, it is only a small group of elite soldiers, and its role in a relatively large battlefield environment will be very limited. Therefore, Harugong cherishes every opportunity to dispatch cavalry, hoping to gain more military exploits and apply for more resources from the Ministry of National Defense to develop the cavalry force.
In the south, there were very few opportunities for organized cavalry to enter the mainland. It was only after arriving in Dengzhou that the cavalry began to be dispatched frequently. The terrain along the northern coast of Dengzhou is flat, making it easier for cavalry to move around. It's just that now that it's autumn and winter, it's difficult to obtain food and grass supplies for horses in nature. Transport ships must follow along the coastline, which also places certain restrictions on the scope of the cavalry's activities.
The plan that Harugong told everyone at the meeting was for the cavalry to come out and make a feint attack to frighten the Ming army in Dengzhou. However, his real intention was to take this opportunity to implement this as an unplanned actual combat operation. If he really encountered the Ming army, he would not hesitate to resort to force and teach the Ming army a lesson. All in all, Harugong didn't plan to just go and be done with a bluff, but wanted to take this opportunity to practice the actual combat capabilities of his cavalry.
After leaving Jijia Town, Harugong no longer planned to march along the coastline, because such a march route was too easy for the Ming army to guess based on supply issues, so he sent someone to the seaside to notify the supply fleet and agreed to meet next After reaching the location, he led his troops diagonally into the inland area in the southwest direction. He and the supply fleet each carry radios and exchange messages twice a day to keep in touch. There is no need to worry about losing contact completely when they go deep inland.
The cavalry battalion only carried a small amount of fine food, which could last for one to two days for the war horses. Although doing so would be risky, Harugong believed that he could find supplements locally before the food and grass were exhausted. More importantly, this would make it impossible for the Ming army to predict the movements of the Haihan cavalry, and would have a greater effect of deterring and containing them.
To the southwest from Jijia Town is a large field, and forty miles away is another town, Xindian Town. In the past, these places were all connected farmland. However, after the Denglai Rebellion, a large number of local people fled, and the fields in these places were also abandoned, leaving not many people. Although the Haihan Cavalry passed by here in broad daylight, it did not attract any attention at all. The cavalry scattered on the periphery did not find any traces of Ming army activities.
In fact, as Harugong expected, when the Ming generals predicted the march route of Haihan cavalry, they took into account the supply problems that Haihan cavalry would face if they drove straight into the Ming-controlled area, and also realized that Haihan might take The maritime supply tactics were adopted, so the reconnaissance cavalry was deployed in the coastal area west of Jijia Town, waiting for the Haihan cavalry to enter the surveillance area.
But in this confrontation between calculation and counter-calculation, Harugong still took the initiative. His march to the inland precisely avoided the main reconnaissance direction of the Ming army, and he led the team into the Ming Dynasty quietly. The military has not deployed surveillance areas. What can a large group of cavalry do in an undefended countryside? Harugong soon commanded his cavalry to give the answer.
The distance between Xindian Town, Jijia Town and Dengzhou City is almost forty miles, but because it is relatively close to the inland, the official road from Dengzhou to Fushan County does not pass through this place. Therefore, regarding various changes that have occurred in the outside world, the news received here is somewhat delayed. The defensive warning range deployed by Liao Qianshi in Dengzhou City did not include Xindian Town.
When the Haihan cavalry appeared outside Xindian Town, the people here inevitably fell into chaos. Most people had no idea whether the people outside the town were Ming troops, Haihan people or bandits. But for them, There doesn't seem to be much difference between the three. As the saying goes, bandits are like a comb, soldiers are like a grate, and officials are like a haircut. As long as there are troops crossing the border, nothing good will happen.
Many people immediately fled home, closed their doors, and hid their valuables in secret places. Then the family sat at home like sifting chaff, waiting for the unknown outcome. If there are young girls at home, they have to use mud, mud and stove ashes to destroy their image, so as not to be taken advantage of by the rebel army.
Harugong divided some troops to guard the east and west exits of the town, and then led his team into the town. He had already explained in daily training what goals should be controlled first after entering a town, and had practiced it in Guxian Town before.
Due to the current defense situation in Dengzhou, almost all the troops are stationed in various cities and guard posts. Therefore, Xindian Town, like other towns in Dengzhou, does not have troops stationed, and even the inspection department is gone. When the Haihan cavalry entered the town, just like in Guxian Town, they did not encounter any resistance.
The cavalry first controlled the two main traffic thoroughfares in the town, and then looked at the facades of the buildings along the street and blocked the doors of several wealthy houses in the town. This was not to rob these wealthy squires, but to prevent them from doing wrong things due to impulse. Sending people to block the doorway meant that Haihan had noticed their presence and should stop trying to use secret means to expel Haihan's cavalry.
Next, the cavalry quickly found the only mule and horse shop in the town, and then made a request to the owner of the mule and horse shop - to requisition all the fodder in his shop to feed the nearly 300 horses of the cavalry battalion. .
The mules and horses in this small town can only carry more than twenty livestock, but there is quite a lot of winter fodder prepared, which is enough to barely provide a meal for the cavalry camp's horses. It's just that after the fodder was forcibly confiscated by Haihan soldiers, the boss's face became very ugly. To purchase so much fodder when winter is about to begin is not only a matter of money, but also requires a lot of energy and time. It may not be possible to do it properly. If these animals don't have enough fodder, the coming winter will be very difficult.
But the boss also recognized these people as Haihan soldiers. Since the government and the army had nothing to do with them, how could he, a common man, dare to disobey the Haihan soldiers' demands. As long as the other party does not kill people, set fires, or plunder property, then they are already Amitabha.
Harugong has led troops for many years, so he is naturally not the kind of person who is overflowing with sympathy. He will not consider the profits and losses of these ordinary people. However, he still pointed out a way to the mule and horse bank owner. If it becomes unsustainable in winter, all the mules and horses can be driven to the Fushan Copper Mine in the east to spend the winter. The mine there has a large number of mules and horses used to pull carts, and the reserves There is also sufficient fodder, enough to ensure that the mules and horses in his store can survive the winter normally.
Of course, the directions were not for nothing. Harugong also asked about other families in the town who raised a large number of livestock and had fodder. The boss felt relieved when he saw that the Haihan soldiers did not rob property and only wanted food and grass. He lowered his voice and said, "Master Jun, about ten miles to the west of Xindian Town, there is a military horse farm. Over there Not only are there fodder, but there are also horses!" After hearing this, Harugong asked noncommittally: "I haven't heard of any military horse racing farm there before? Is this news reliable?"
The boss responded: "Master Jun, this horse farm was built just at the beginning of the year. It only raises one or two hundred horses. It's normal that you haven't received the news."
Harugong still had some doubts about the authenticity of the news: "Since you are a citizen of the Ming Dynasty, why did you tell me this news?"
The boss said with a look of resentment on his face: "The military master didn't know something. When this horse farm was first established, the military master from Dengzhou City came to the private sector to recruit stallions. But they didn't care whether they were suitable breeders for military horses. , all the horses were taken away when they saw them, and seven or eight horses were taken from the villain's shop, without any mention of returning them or buying them, and they have disappeared since then."
Harugong understood now. It was obvious that this was another incident of soldiers bullying the people. The Dengzhou military probably wanted to reorganize the cavalry force, and setting up a horse farm was also necessary. However, the people working below probably requisitioned horses from the private sector for free in order to absorb the military expenses. At that time, as long as enough money can be collected to meet the errands, the large cost of setting up the racecourse will be divided among the people below. Like the situation at the mule and horse shop in Xindian Town, it is clear that they are trying to take advantage.
Haru Gong said: "Then you didn't go to them to ask for it?"
"I went!" the boss said bitterly: "I went there three times, and beat and scolded the villain every time. The last time I was beaten like a dog by the sergeant at the racecourse. He lay on the bed for more than half a day after I came back. Take care of your wounds!" After saying that, he turned around and lifted up the hem of his clothes, letting Harugong see the dense whip marks on his back. It looked like he was really seriously injured at that time.
Harugong pondered for a moment and said: "If that's the case, then you should pack up as soon as possible and move to Fushan County."
The boss asked puzzledly: "Why...?"
"Something happened at the racecourse. We must trace the source later. When we find you, do you and your family still want to live a good life?" Harugong's face was still expressionless, but his tone was gentler than before. Many: "After you go to Fushan County and tell our people the whole story, you will no longer have to worry about retaliation from the Dengzhou Ming Army."
The boss then understood Harugong's intention of asking him to move, but he did not agree at the moment. It was indeed difficult for him to make up his mind to leave his hometown and move his family. When Harugong saw this, he did not try to dissuade him, and immediately turned around and left. He didn't have much time to care about the fate of these little people. He was lucky if he listened to the advice, but he was doomed if he didn't.
As for the military horse racing farm that the boss mentioned, of course Harugong wanted to take a look. If there really was such a place, Harugong wouldn't mind taking all the local horses as his own.
The cavalry battalion stopped in Xindian Town to rest for about three hours before going on the road again. However, Harugong had changed his original route to the north, and instead turned west to head towards the horse farm.
For the cavalry, the journey of more than ten miles was coming in the blink of an eye. When they were still a few miles away from the target area, Harugong had already noticed that there was indeed a large grassland under the foothills ahead. However, it was late autumn and most of the ground was covered with grass. The grass has begun to wither. According to the information Haihan has, these places were farmland in the past, and were basically abandoned during the Denglai Rebellion. Last year, Dengzhou General Guo Xingning led his troops to harass the Fushan Copper Mine and was driven back to Dengzhou City by the Haihan Army. Both armies passed by here.
Harugong signaled the troops to stop, then found a hillock and rode up, using binoculars to observe the situation ahead. Just as the owner of the mule and horse shop said, there was indeed a horse farm in front of him, and the wooden stables were lined up at the foot of the mountain for a mile long. Behind the stable are several warehouses, presumably where winter fodder is stored. Dozens of horses could be seen walking slowly in several outdoor horse pens. Harugong had never heard of a private horse farm of this size in Dengzhou. It looked like it was indeed a military horse farm.
"There are loopholes in the intelligence work of the Security Department!" Harugong couldn't help but tutted: "There is such a good place hidden in Dengzhou, but there is no news. It seems that I need to have a good talk with Hao Wanqing when I go back."
If he hadn't suddenly changed his action plan and came to Xindian Town, of course he wouldn't have been able to learn about this racecourse. If it hadn't been for such a chance encounter, Haihan would not have discovered the existence of this racecourse until the right time. But now that Harugong has found out the details, he will naturally not let it continue to develop.
The next thing is to judge the opponent's military strength and come up with a feasible battle plan as soon as possible. Harugong continued to observe on the hillock for a while, then rode his horse back to the team and began to explain the battle plan to his officers.
(End of chapter)