America 1881: Legend of the West

Same thing with Elviso Castle.

Since the Spanish artillery was not suppressed, they could aim their guns at the American soldiers who were advancing towards the San Juan Heights as if they were afraid.

The Spaniards in San Juan did not yet know that Fort Elviso had been captured.

At this time, their morale was high and they were preparing to attack the invading U.S. troops head-on.

"These idiots really don't know what West Point taught them." Colonel Rubin put one foot on the box and put down the telescope in his hand.

This outstanding Spanish general was now responsible for commanding the frontal defense of San Juan Heights.

He had communicated in the United States for a period of time and had a relatively good understanding of the U.S. military.

It was also he who led the troops to give Roosevelt and others a heads-up at Las Guacima not long ago.

Colonel Rubin knew the terrain very well.

The 1st Division was advancing along the Royal Avenue, which ran parallel to the Aguadores River.

If these Americans want to reach San Juan, they must cross the San Juan River.

Rubin narrowed his eyes.

He suddenly pointed to an empty river beach a mile away.

There is the junction of the San Juan River and the Aguadores River. The river is not deep, but the current is fast.

On the other side of the San Juan River is a jungle.

After the first division emerged from the jungle, they faced the surging river.

"It's there!"

Rubin pointed to the river beach and subconsciously licked his teeth with his tongue.

"All the firepower is concentrated on this river beach. I want to turn this place into a hell on earth! Let the American blood flow dry here!"

The soldiers of the 1st Division had no idea at this point what they were about to face.

They were marching majestically along the Royal Road.

Although the road is narrow, these people are not afraid at all.

They are the glorious 1st Division of the United States Army! He is the inheritor of America’s rich martial arts!
Spanish? Who are Spaniards?
They bombed the Maine, and they should pay for it with blood!
The same sentiment also existed in their commander, Brigadier General Kent.

After this man's request for a fight was approved by Schefter, he suddenly had a stomachache, which was quite serious. At this time, he was unable to ride a horse and was being carried by several people at the back of the team.

But this does not affect his confidence at all.

The advantage in military strength is obvious.

At this moment, the souls of Washington, Grant, and Sherman are possessed, and he will inherit the great tradition of the U.S. Army!

His first division would soon capture the San Juan Heights and then Santiago.

And he, Kent, will go down in history.

Not long after, the leading troops of the First Division arrived on the river beach.

"Sir, shall we cross the river now?" A soldier looked at the rushing river and asked the second lieutenant beside him.

"What else?" The second lieutenant rolled his eyes at him and pointed behind him, "You don't even look at how many people are behind us. Besides, the water is not deep!"

He turned around and gave the order to the soldiers behind him:
"Everyone! Get ready to cross the river quickly!"

The vanguard troops deployed on the river bank as ordered.

They tried to open several routes across the San Juan River at the same time. After all, the previous two columns were too frustrated.

But those who were the first to enter the water soon discovered that there were not many places to cross.

Although the water is indeed not deep, it is only waist-high near the river bed and chest-deep in the center of the river.

However, due to the rapid flow of water, the underwater situation is complex and unpredictable, and from time to time there will be undercurrents impacting the legs of people crossing the river.

Therefore, in the end, the only place that could be safely passed was the ferry facing the Royal Avenue.

The soldiers who were the first to cross the river pulled some ropes and tied them to the rocks on the other side of the river.

The soldiers behind grabbed the rope and waded across the river.

"Don't be anxious! Come one by one!" The second lieutenant put his hands on his hips and gave the order.

More and more troops came out of the jungle behind them and began to spread out on the river beach along the river bank, stretching their necks to wait to cross the river.

Everything seemed to be in order.

"boom!"

"boom!"

But at this moment, several sudden explosions suddenly broke the calm.

Several shells suddenly exploded among the crowd on the river beach.

Then, gunshots also rang out.

Bullets were fired at the soldiers of the First Division who were exposed on the tidal flats, and they did not even know which direction the bullets came from.

"There are enemies! Take cover!" The second lieutenant just yelled and was knocked to the ground by the explosion around him.

The soldiers looked around in panic.

hidden? Where to hide on this bare river beach?

They had no choice but to lie down or half-kneeling, looking for the source of the attack with their guns raised, while fighting back aimlessly.

However, they did not discover where the attack came from.

The location of the river beach is so low that it is basically difficult to see clearly.

"Damn it, where are those bastards?"

The commanders on the front line cursed, but for a while there was no better way.

Then, I don’t know which wise man suddenly thought of an idea.

Since the view below is too poor to find the enemy's position, then raising a hot air balloon for observation can solve all problems.

So, a hot air balloon rose from the river beach.

In this era, the use of hot-air balloons for military reconnaissance is not a particularly unusual thing, and the US military happened to bring one this time.

But the problem is that the hot air balloon can see the other side, but the hot air balloon can also be seen on the other side!

The Spanish soldiers on the opposite mountain soon discovered this thing in the sky not far away.

"Sir, these damn Yankees raised the hot air balloon! Let's bring it down!" The soldiers next to Rubin stared at the hot air balloon and said viciously.

Unexpectedly, Rubin stopped him.

"What are you doing with that hot air balloon?" He snorted, a sneer appearing on the corner of his mouth, "It depends on accurate positioning."

Rubin is right.

In fact, at the beginning, the Spanish artillery's hit rate was not high.

Although they knew how to shoot towards the river beach, they still lacked an accurate enough reference.

The emergence of this hot air balloon perfectly solves this problem.

Spanish shells and bullets came again.

Only this time, it's more accurate and the projection density is greater!
The riverbank was in complete chaos because there were already a lot of troops arriving at the riverbank.

Those who had crossed the river did not know whether to continue moving forward or to cover the remaining comrades in crossing the river; those who had not crossed the river did not know whether to continue crossing the river under the hail of bullets or retreat into the jungle.

The most terrible thing is that Brigadier General Kent's order never arrived.

The reason is actually very simple.

The messenger was killed in the explosion.

This unfortunate guy had just arrived at the front line with orders when he was hit by a shell that fell nearby.

As a result, many soldiers in the vanguard of the 1st Division had to stand on the river bank or in the waist-deep riverbed waiting for orders.

They couldn't retreat even if they wanted to, because the road behind them was too narrow and crowded with people.

These people became sitting ducks for the Spaniards.

The latter were firing at them recklessly.

The crowded and chaotic river beach became, as Rubin said, a slaughterhouse.

There is no place to hide here.

The soldiers of the First Division were knocked to the ground one by one by bullets and shell fragments, or were blown away like ducks being chased.

The scene was extremely tragic.

The river was dyed red with blood, and the road was muddy because of the blood.

At the same time, the US military's counterattack against the Spanish had little effect.

They were unable to inflict any harm on the Spanish soldiers holed up in the fortifications.

Brigadier General Kent, who was still dreaming, had just walked back from the roadside with his trousers held up when he received the news. He finally realized the tragic situation ahead.

The brigadier general was so angry that he didn't care that his belt was not fastened yet, let alone his "anxiety". He jumped on his horse and forced himself to go to the river beach to command.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way! The military situation is urgent! Anyone who tries to stop me will be shot!" shouted the adjutant following behind the brigadier general.

But the road was narrow, and it was not easy for the soldiers to give way to him.

The brigadier general's horse almost hit someone, and the bumpy ride made his diarrhea even worse.

He had no choice but to dismount and run towards the front line with his buttocks tucked between his legs.

The tragic plight of the 1st Division was not only known to their brigadier general, but Sheft also got the news.

As usual, the commander-in-chief started cursing for a while, and then thought of Chen Jianqiu.

He really couldn't break up the extra team.

This man and the team he leads always find ways to solve problems.

"Go and notify Chen's troops quickly! Ask him to come to support as soon as possible!" Sheft gave the order.

Not long after, as he wished, Chen Jianqiu brought more than 2,000 soldiers and came to support before Elkanie's side finished.

"Chen, Fort El Viso played really well. I have received the message."

This was the first sentence Sheft said when he saw Chen Jianqiu.

"Chen, find a way to save the First Division. That idiot Kent is going to bury them all on the beach of the San Juan River! My soldiers are dying! They are bleeding!"

This was the second sentence Sheft said when he saw Chen Jianqiu.

Chen Jianqiu felt funny for no reason.

When these American Army officers were in high spirits in the military academy, each one was more eloquent than the other, but in the end, he still had to patch things up in a support brigade, which was really a letdown.

Chen Jianqiu didn't say anything, but just said that he would do his best and left.

However, after leaving Sheft's command post, he did not take his men to the river beach.

He didn't care how many people in the First Division died.

His target is San Juan Heights!
As for when Sheft asks, it will be easy to answer.

As long as San Juan Heights is captured, the siege of the First Division on the river beach will naturally be lifted.

Chen Jianqiu's troops headed straight for the upper reaches of the San Juan River.

There, Roosevelt was anxiously waiting for orders from his superiors with the 1st Volunteer Cavalry Brigade.

Near him were the 1st and 10th Cavalry Regiments.

Roosevelt's soldiers were resting on the spot, while he himself dismounted and walked back and forth along the river.

His injured hand was wrapped in thick bandages, which made him look a little funny.

At this moment, the sound of uniform footsteps suddenly came from not far away.

A team was trotting towards him.

At the front of the team, Roosevelt saw a familiar face.

Chen Jianqiu.

Chen Jianqiu's arrival made Roosevelt both surprised and delighted.

For some reason, every time he saw this Chinese person, he would feel more at ease.

"Chen! It's so great to see you here. I don't even know what to say."

Roosevelt walked forward and wanted to shake Chen Jianqiu's hand.

But he found that he subconsciously stretched out his right hand, so he could only smile bitterly and retract it.

"Oh? Are you injured?" Chen Jianqiu glanced at Roosevelt's tightly wrapped arms and couldn't help but teasing.

Roosevelt could only continue to smile bitterly.

He suddenly remembered something and asked anxiously:
"Chen, are you from El Pozo?"

El Pozo is where Sheft's command post is located. Chen Jianqiu nodded.

"So what are Shafter's orders?" Roosevelt asked.

"He asked us to rescue the First Division, which was half-killed by the Spanish on the riverbank."

"Then let's go back along the river to provide support?" Roosevelt frowned. "But it's useless for us to go! The firepower of San Juan Heights will severely suppress us!"

"That's right, but the problem will be solved if we capture San Juan Heights." Chen Jianqiu said calmly.

Roosevelt nearly choked on his own saliva.

Is not this nonsensical?

Whether it is the First Division or our own side, the current goal is to capture San Juan Heights.

If it were so easy to capture, then what was Shefter worrying about?
"The defenses of San Juan Heights are very strong and the fortifications are very solid. The Spanish have been operating here for too long."

"That's right." Chen Jianqiu continued to answer briefly.

But he pointed to another high ground on the other side of the river.

"However, we can take over other places first. We have to eat one bite at a time."

Strictly speaking, this high ground is considered to be the forward position on the flank of San Juan Highlands, and its terrain is also quite high compared to the surrounding areas.

The name of this highland is Hushan.