Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 363 Annan Incident
At the end of May, the second batch of 1700 African reinforcements arrived in Annan. Popo immediately issued an order to send troops. According to the prior plan, Major General Lesbie and himself each led an army to launch an attack on the areas controlled by the Hue court and the Nanyang Corps.

On May 5, a series of battles broke out between the French colonial army and the Nanyang Army around Hanoi. By June 27, the war had reached a stalemate. Bo Huapai sent a telegram to report the battle process to the French mainland:
“On the 27th, I led all the troops I could mobilize: including 2000 marines, 600 Algerian soldiers, 1700 Annamite natives, 800 African colonial soldiers, a total of more than 5000 soldiers, carrying heavy artillery pieces and Gatling machine guns, to attack the enemy.

On the left wing, Colonel Levión launched an attack on the front fortifications which were heavily defended by 4,000 Chinese, and after seven days of fighting, returned at night.

In the middle, Captain Corona occupied the riverside fortifications near Hanoi City and advanced to the northern suburbs of Hanoi City. He fought fiercely with the Chinese army for several days but was unable to break through the defense line set up by the Chinese army.

Returned on the evening of June 12th.

On the right wing, Colonel Bishuo, supported by all the gunboats, advanced along the Red River, bombarding the enemy's artillery positions with regular troops and seizing the fortified pagodas and temples. At the breach in the levee, the colonel had half of his soldiers board the gunboats, and some of the gunboats were anchored next to the pagodas and temples.

On the 11th, the Chinese army sent 5,000 troops out of the city to fight for the pagoda temple. Colonel Bishuo ordered the gunboats to approach and bombard, killing and wounding more than 1,000 Chinese soldiers. On the second day, because the Chinese army continued to increase its troops and its strength exceeded the French army by ten times, Colonel Bishuo had no choice but to lead the gunboat formation to meet the Marines and evacuate the pagoda temple.

In a report sent to mainland France, Bo Hua believed that

Although the French army suffered more than 400 Marines, more than 500 African black soldiers, and more than 1000 Annamite indigenous soldiers in the battle to attack Hanoi, it also caused at least 7000 casualties to the Chinese army.

Therefore, considering that the Chinese army is well-equipped and large in number, in order to eliminate the Chinese army in northern Annam, France must dispatch two more divisions, at least 20,000 regular troops to reinforce the Governor-General's Office of Cochinchina.

Bo Hua's report on the Battle of Hanoi failed to convince the local side.

Within the French government, many officials believed that this battle was not a victory but a disastrous defeat.

On June 6, the French government received a real telegram from the Far East Fleet.

The telegram read: "After the column led by Bo Hua crossed Shangqingfang,

The left wing of this column, guarded by George's company, advanced as far as Phuai, still without encountering the enemy, where serious resistance was expected, as our reconnaissance had reported a large force stationed in the village.

In Phuai, there was no trace of Chinese or Annamites. Commander Bohua was so elated that he thought he could easily reach Hanoi, but he forgot to call for a serious reconnaissance. When the main force of the army arrived near Wang Village, it was fiercely strafed by the bunkers cleverly hidden behind bamboo fences, which made the commander confused and at a loss.

The troops were deployed in scattered lines, but to no avail. The Chinese army's fortifications stretched for several kilometers and consisted of three lines of defense: trenches, traps and bunkers. More than 200 Chinese troops behind the fortifications fired fiercely at our soldiers, and many of our soldiers were killed or wounded. There, Lieutenant Colonel Ogen and Major Caron were shot dead, while more than 400 Marines and more than African black soldiers were killed by artillery shells and Gatling machine guns.

The Chinese army was equipped with dozens of artillery pieces, and the French army could not resist, so the commander ordered a retreat. When the troops retreated to Shangqingfang, there were less than 600 people. Not long after, the Chinese army chased us with fierce strafing and intensive artillery fire. At this time, the central column withdrew from the front line and joined us. The two troops alternately covered the retreat. At 5 pm, we successfully escaped the pursuit of the Chinese army. "

The military intelligence that came in one after another verified the true situation of the Battle of Hanoi. In the early stage of the Battle of Hanoi, the French offensive was frustrated, with a total of nearly 2,000 casualties. The Adventure Corps defending the city took advantage of the French army's low morale after a long battle and launched a counterattack. Less than five hours later, due to changes in the Hue court, they temporarily gave up the pursuit of the French army led by Bo Hua and instead drew out a part of the elite troops to reinforce Hue, the seat of the Annan court, by ship.

Two weeks ago, the commander of the French China Fleet, Major General Lisby, led 1000 marines and nearly 1000 reinforced African colonial soldiers to land in Da Nang and rushed all the way to attack the Hue court.

On June 6, after more than ten days of fierce fighting, the French army occupied the Thuan An Fort, a fortress outside Hue City. Tens of thousands of Annamite defenders were unable to withstand the French attack and fled in a panic to the Hue Royal City to defend themselves.

That afternoon, Emperor Tu Duc hastily issued an edict to assist the king, ordering Huang Zuoyan and other senior generals in the Beiban area to rush to reinforce. At the same time, Emperor Tu Duc, regardless of the conflicts between the two sides in the previous period, pleaded for support from the Nanyang Corps, which had defeated the French attacks several times.

The Hue court was the center of Annan. If the city of Hue fell and the French held Emperor Tu Duc hostage and ordered the entire Annan to give up resistance, the Nanyang army would be in a very critical situation. Therefore, as soon as he received the letter for help from the Hue court, Mei Dongxing reluctantly gave up the victory that was within his grasp and dispatched troops as quickly as possible to provide reinforcements.

On June 6, Li Wencai led more than 18 soldiers of the Nanyang Army to the outskirts of Hue Royal City and exchanged fire with the French army.

On June 6, follow-up reinforcements from the Nanyang Army and local reinforcements from Annan arrived one after another. The French commander, Lisbie, was unwilling to withdraw. While leading his troops and fleet to confront the Royalist Army, he urgently ordered troops to be sent for support.

At the end of June, the war in Annam had shown no progress. The French colonial army suffered a significant increase in casualties in the continuous fighting with the Nanyang Corps and various Annan government forces, and the day of victory was nowhere in sight.

On July 7, in order to break the Annan deadlock, the French government chose to compromise with the Han side, exchanging the sovereignty of the French Polynesian Islands and recognition of the Han Congo colony for the promise of the Nanyang Corps to gradually withdraw from the Beiban area.

According to the agreement between the two parties, the Nanyang Army and its Chinese armed forces were to withdraw from the Annam region before 1884. As for the property, land, and mineral resources owned by the Han Dynasty in Annam, including the Hongji Coal Mine, the French government purchased them at market prices.

(End of this chapter)