Total War: Restoration of the Ming Dynasty in Luzon

Chapter 66 Port War

"No...impossible!"

Governor Spilman stared blankly out the window at the hellish scene, his face almost bloodless, his voice dry and hoarse as he murmured, "They should be in Mindanao...they should be fighting the Spaniards in Zamboanga..."

Just a few days ago, news came from the east that the Ming army fleet had arrived in the waters around Mindanao. How could the enemy, who should have been thousands of miles away, be here? At the company headquarters!

In an instant, he recalled the deduction made by fleet commander Van der Capellen: the Ming army, under the guise of attacking the Spanish, was actually preparing to attack Batavia. How utterly absurd this deduction seemed, yet it had ironically come true!

"I..." A mix of shock, regret, and rage suddenly overwhelmed his composure as governor. He slammed his fist against the window frame, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared in the glass.

"How could I be so stupid!" he roared.

The servant was so frightened by his ferocious expression that he took a step back.

"Your Excellency, we..." The servant's voice trembled.

Spilman whirled around, his eyes bloodshot like a trapped beast, and roared, "What are you all standing there for? Immediately order all the garrison to take their battle positions! Launch a full-scale counterattack! Order the garrison on the eastern wall to detach troops to support the port!"

He practically roared the order, then stumbled toward his room, ready to grab his sword and flintlock pistol and personally oversee the battle. The spilled breakfast stained his magnificent morning robe, but he paid no heed.

At this moment, the governor felt a pang of regret that gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake. He had not only misjudged the enemy's target, but had also personally shifted the focus of defense in the wrong direction.

Now, facing the Ming army's long-planned all-out attack, how long can the port defenses hold out? He could even foresee the shockwaves that would follow, and his career was already over.

On the sea, the Ming army's artillery bombardment continued.

To increase the accuracy of their artillery fire, Ming warships even risked being hit by coastal artillery as they advanced. Two fifth-class ships and a captured Dutch two-masted fast ship turned their cannons and opened fire on the armed merchant ships that were hastily assembling in the harbor and attempting to raise their sails to engage them.

The Ming army's arrogant actions enraged the remaining Dutch gunners, who, disregarding the cannonballs that could fall from above at any moment, cursed as they adjusted their cannons to fire at the enemy warships.

Two solid shot bullets grazed the hull of the fifth-class ship "Anhai" and landed in the sea, creating huge splashes that soaked the sailors on deck.

Another shell hit the foredeck of the fifth-class ship "Fubo", smashing part of the figurehead and railings, sending wood chips flying and causing several casualties.

However, the two ships remained unmoved and continued to advance, leading several two-masted fast boats, with their bow cannons quickly opening fire in return.

Inside the harbor, two Dutch merchant ships and several two-masted fast ships anchored in the harbor had already raised their sails, attempting to turn and head out of the harbor to meet the enemy. However, they were soon attacked by the advancing Ming warships. The Ming army replaced their cannonballs with chain bullets, which were specially designed to destroy masts. These bullets, consisting of two iron balls or half a bullet connected by an iron chain, could generate a terrible cutting force after being spun out.

Dozens of chain shot spun out of the cannons amidst the thunderous roar, tracing eerie arcs in the air and emitting a chilling whistling sound before crashing heavily into the Dutch merchant ship.

A series of teeth-grinding snapping sounds rang out as chain bullets struck the massive hull of the Dutch merchant ship "Seagull." One chain bullet precisely wrapped around the upper part of the ship's mainmast, snapping the thick mast in two under the immense inertia. Several chain bullets swept across the foremast's spars and some of the rigging, tearing large sections of the sails.

With a deafening crash of breaking wood and the shrieking of countless ropes snapping, the heavy mast, spars, and massive, tattered sail, carrying immense force, slammed down onto the deck!

"Oh no! The mainmast is about to topple!"

The sailors below witnessed this horrifying scene. Terrified, they screamed and scattered in all directions, trying to avoid the falling mainmast, but the mast fell even faster.

Before they could escape completely, the broken mast crashed heavily into the center of the deck, deforming an unsecured six-pounder and shattering the gun carriage.

Several sailors who couldn't dodge in time were crushed underneath, falling silent before they could even scream. The canvas and rigging descended like a giant net, entangled and dragged several more men down, and splintered wooden spikes and flying rope ends flew everywhere like projectiles, causing even more casualties.

The collapse of the mainmast not only caused direct casualties, but also completely destroyed the merchant ship's power core and part of its superstructure.

The ship tilted and rocked violently due to the loss of important support and the sudden change in the force on the sails. The deck was a mess, and the fire started to spread from the point where the toppled mast rubbed against the deck.

Another Dutch merchant ship, the Lowland, which was attempting to turn, was slightly luckier. Its mainmast was not directly hit, but its foremast and some of its sails were also struck by chain shot. The sails were torn in several large gashes, greatly reducing its speed and making it extremely difficult to maneuver.

The two armed merchant ships that were originally the most likely to organize a counterattack were now severely damaged and crippled, and were instantly rendered harmless.

The Ming navy would not let such a good opportunity pass them by.

Seeing the enemy ship's carnage, the captain of the "Anhai" had a cold glint in his eyes and immediately shouted, "Switch back to solid shot! Fire at the enemy ship's waterline and send them to feed the fish!"

The "Fubo" and several other approaching two-masted fast ships made the same choice, switching to solid shot to create greater destruction. The shells whistled and accurately struck the two Dutch merchant ships that had lost their maneuverability and were struggling and spinning in place.

Boom boom boom—

Solid shot slammed into the sides of the ship, tearing out gaping holes in the thick oak planks. Wood chips flew like rain. After several salvos, several huge breaches appeared on one side of the "Seagull" ship, and seawater began to rush in.

"The cabin is taking on water!"

"It can't be plugged! There are too many breaches!"

"Abandon ship! Abandon ship now!"

The surviving crew members on the Seagull were plunged into utter panic. Seawater rushed in, the ship tilted more and more, and with the fire still burning on the deck, sinking was inevitable.

The sailors dropped their weapons and rushed to the side of the ship, jumping into the icy water without a care in the world, desperately swimming towards the nearby dock or other vessels.

The Lowland was in slightly better condition, but it was still hit by several solid bullets, damaging its hull. Although it was not as severely flooded as the Seagull, it lost power and became difficult to control. Under the continuous bombardment of the Ming army, it was barely clinging to life.

Seeing his friend's ship sinking, and the two-masted fast ship behind him also swaying and coming to a standstill, with no hope of resistance, the captain finally gave the painful order: "Lower the flag...surrender."

Seeing their allies suffer such heavy losses, the two-masted fast ships following behind the two Dutch merchant ships had no courage to continue advancing and fight.

"My God... this is a massacre!" The captain of a speedboat was pale as he watched the Seagull sink rapidly, the whirlpool filled with struggling drowning people, while the Lowland, though still afloat, was completely incapacitated, and a white flag seemed to be rising.

"Captain, shall we continue?" The first mate's voice was filled with barely concealed fear.

go ahead?

The captain looked at his small boat with only a dozen or so three-pound cannons and a thin hull, and then at the Ming army's fifth-class ships in the distance with their densely packed cannon windows and menacing aura, as well as the Ming army's two-masted fast ships that had also turned their cannons toward them. The last bit of hope in his heart vanished.

"No...turn around! Retreat to the inner harbor! Rely on the shore defenses...no, the shore batteries are almost finished too..." The captain's command trembled with despair. "Get as close to the dock or shallow waters as possible. If all else fails...lower the sails and surrender!"

The instinct for survival overwhelmed the soldiers' honor, and the several two-masted fast ships almost simultaneously began to turn their rudders sharply, trying to turn around and escape back to the relatively safe depths of the port, or simply squeeze into the gaps between the docks where civilian merchant ships were moored, hoping to gain some cover.

However, their panicked turns and slowing down made them excellent targets for the Ming artillerymen.

The Ming army could not let them escape, so they quickly loaded their cannons and fired. At the same time, on the Ming fleet, Lü and Chen saw the Dutch fleet being defeated. The latter immediately thought that the opportunity to send out warships to forcefully break into the port and land had arrived.

"Signal the warships and launch a landing operation in the harbor!" Chen Ang decisively ordered.

With the signal raised, the troop transport ships, which had been waiting for a long time, sprang into action. They billowed their sails and charged straight toward the port of Batavia like arrows released from a bow.

These ships varied in size, including Chinese merchant ships that had been temporarily requisitioned and Western-style sailing ships that had been captured and converted. The decks of each ship were filled with fully armed soldiers. Line infantrymen checked the hammers and bayonet clips of flintlock muskets, skirmishers tidied the ammunition pouches at their waists, and cannons were pushed to the temporarily reinforced firing positions at the bow. The gunners held matchlock ropes and stared intently at the approaching dock.

The Dutch gunners also noticed the advancing Ming warships. Their expressions changed drastically, and they hurriedly turned their cannons to try to stop them.

The sound of cannons continued in the distance, and cannonballs would occasionally glide over the heads of Ming soldiers or land around the troop transport ships, stirring up towering columns of water. Occasionally, a ship would be hit, with wood chips flying everywhere and screams rising, but the momentum of the fleet's charge did not slow down in the slightest.

As the fleet rushed into the port, it was quickly met with a fierce attack from the Dutch garrison. The Dutch fired a barrage of lead bullets from broken windows in the dock warehouses, from gaps in the cargo piles, and even from the decks of the moored merchant ships.

The bullets, like swarming venomous bees, whistled sharply as they struck the hull, sails, and deck of the troop transport ship, scattering countless wood chips and scraps of cloth.

"Head down! Stay hidden!"

"Don't stop! Keep going!"

The officers on each ship shouted at the top of their lungs to maintain order. The soldiers either knelt on one knee or pressed themselves against the ship's side to minimize their exposed area. However, the ships had difficulty maneuvering in the relatively narrow harbor channels and were large targets, so casualties inevitably began to increase.

"Damn it, aim at that second-floor window of the warehouse to the left and blow it up!" A gunner on a warship saw one of his men get hit in the head by a stray bullet, his brains splattered. He was so enraged that he stood up and roared in the direction the bullet had come from, disregarding the danger.

As soon as he finished speaking, he was immediately pulled down to a squatting position by the gunner next to him. The other gunners, braving the flying bullets, hurriedly adjusted the muzzle and lit the fuse at the warehouse.

boom!

A flash of light, and the shell roared out, slamming into another warehouse more than ten meters away. Bricks and stones shattered, smoke and dust filled the air, and the shell killed the Dutch soldiers hiding inside.

But more firing positions were still firing, especially several swivel guns and small cannons mounted on the piers or behind the broken gun emplacements, which posed a great threat to the nearby troop transport ships.

boom!

A three-pound solid shot struck the stern of an troop transport ship, piercing the hull and tumbling inside, causing chaos and starting a small fire.

"Put out the fire! Put out the fire now! Everyone else, prepare to land!" The infantry officer on the ship was frantic, his eyes bloodshot.

Just then, the two fifth-class ships that had stormed into the harbor with the warships finally opened fire, providing artillery cover. The salvo from their broadsides slammed dozens of shells onto the dock, temporarily suppressing the Dutch firepower.

Under the cover of friendly forces, the leading warships, though badly damaged, still managed to reach within 30 meters of the stone pier.

"Prepare for landing! Fear not, the Ming army will be victorious!!"

The ship's officers let out a final roar, the sailors strained their last bit to adjust their course and try to dock sideways, while the soldiers grabbed the heavy gangplanks, ready to pull the ship across the pier the moment it struck.

boom!

Finally, the first warship crashed into the edge of the dock with tremendous force. The violent impact caused the ship to groan in pain, and the soldiers on the deck could barely stand.

But before this brief tremor had ended, the well-prepared soldiers unleashed a deafening roar!

"kill!"

Several heavy planks were pushed out at the same time and landed heavily on the slippery stone steps of the dock!

"Follow me!" A burly line infantry company commander was the first to leap onto the gangplank. Behind him, the line infantrymen, their eyes already bloodshot, followed closely behind, rushing towards the dock on the slippery gangplank!

What awaited them was a hysterical and frenzied counterattack by the dock guards. Scattered lead bullets and arrows whistled in. The company commander at the forefront suddenly jolted, a burst of blood erupted from his chest, and he staggered a few steps before falling into the sea beside him.

The soldiers behind them, disregarding their grief, roared and raised their guns to return fire at the Dutch positions flashing with gunfire in the distance. The barrage swept across, pressing down on the Dutch troops so much that they could barely lift their heads.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, more soldiers surged onto the dock from the gangplank. The skirmishers did not join the charge, but instead found cover on the spot after landing and fired accurately at the Dutch troops within range.

"Charge! Take the position!"

A platoon leader took over command from the fallen company commander. He led the soldiers forward to the makeshift fortifications made of collapsed wagons and sacks on the street ahead, where several Dutch musketeers were frantically loading their weapons.

"kill!!"

The Ming soldiers roared and charged forward, brandishing their gleaming bayonets. The Dutch soldiers, realizing they didn't have time to reload, hurriedly dropped their arquebuses and tried to draw their swords to fight back.

The platoon leader at the front delivered a standard thrust, his sharp bayonet piercing through the thin linen uniform of the Dutch soldier at the front, sinking deep into his abdomen. The Dutch soldier's eyes widened, blood spilled from his mouth, and his sword clattered to the ground.

Without any mercy, the sergeant kicked the corpse aside, pulled out his blood-dripping bayonet, and pounced on his next target.

The soldiers behind him were like tigers among sheep; in a single encounter, Dutch soldiers were either stabbed through the chest or had their throats slit open, falling screaming into pools of blood.