The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 35 Suffering and Reorganization

Liu Changfa said, "Sir, no problem, but I will have to arrange to measure the corresponding firing parameters in front of the position overnight."

"Can the shooting parameters be accurately measured at night?" Teng Yuzhao continued to ask with some disbelief.

Artillery range finding requires the use of optical instruments, so how can one see at night?

I compiled the list of weapons and supplies that little Christian gave us. There are a batch of flashlights there, which can help us overcome some difficulties.

The flashlight at that time was still very simple and was invented by American Conrad Hubert a few years ago.

Teng Yuzao nodded and looked at everyone, "Disband, everyone start to reorganize the troops immediately."

The rich aroma of meat had already wafted from the dozen or so large pots in the camp, and had been filling the camp for a long time, but the whistle for dinner was nowhere to be heard, and not even an officer came out to explain why dinner would be served later. This made the soldiers of the vanguard army, who were surrounded by the rich aroma of meat, feel extremely tormented.

Although the general troops of the Qing army had meat to eat before every major battle, ordinary soldiers could not eat meat at all in normal times. There was even almost no oil in their meals. It was good enough to be able to have three meals a day.

But the Vanguard Army was a little different. Its commander, Teng Yuzhao, was very disgusted with withholding soldiers' wages. The sentries and platoon leaders under him, like him, were students of the Beiyang Military Academy. Even though some of them had returned to their original units, most of them were instructors in the army because they were ostracized by the old-style officers.

Since most of them had no military power, not even the rank of sentry leader, and at most were platoon leader, they did not even have the chance to be infected with the bad habit of officers at all levels in the Qing army of withholding military pay. Therefore, the pay of the vanguard army was not only paid on time but also in full. Therefore, their food was also the best among all the Wuwei Army units. Even Yuan Shikai's Wuwei Right Army could not compare with them.

Since the military pay was not withheld, the soldiers of the Vanguard Army were able to eat meat once a week. Although it was only a small piece per person, this made the other soldiers of the Wuwei Army extremely envious.

This was also the reason why Ronglu handed Teng Yuzao over to Yulu. It was almost impossible for Teng Yuzao's unique and independent approach in the army not to be rejected by the generals in the army.

But today was different. Many of the vanguard soldiers had seen that their leader Li Yulin had arranged for people to buy many pigs and sheep from the surrounding villages and towns, about a hundred in number. Four or five fat pigs were slaughtered at a time today, which was almost enough for each of them to have a pound of meat. How could they not be full of expectations? Everyone was secretly swallowing their saliva.

The soldiers were so excited to be able to eat so much meat after winning the battle today.

Finally, the officers came out. Just when the soldiers were about to cheer for joy, they were poured a bucket of cold water on their heads. They were told that there would be plenty of meat and white flour buns to eat, but they would have to wait until the troops were reorganized.

This made many soldiers curse in their hearts, but when they heard that their new president had just announced generous compensation conditions for the vanguard army, all their unhappiness was forgotten, and the whole barracks cheered excitedly. This excitement affected the reorganization of the troops. It was only when Teng Yuzao appeared in front of his tent in time, jumped onto a tree stump, and gave another exciting speech that he calmed down the excited vanguard soldiers.

I don't know who took the lead, but soon the officers and soldiers in the barracks shouted in unison, "Thank you for your grace! We are willing to die for you!"

Only after repeated scolding from Liu Yuzhi, Li Xianze, Liu Changfa and others did the large group of soldiers, whose faces were flushed with excitement, calm down and begin to reorganize quickly.

Since the number of people to be incorporated was small, the first to be reorganized were the Guard Battalion and the Cavalry Battalion.

Since the Guard Battalion and the Cavalry Battalion had other tasks to do, which was to follow Li Yulin, the general manager of the camp office, to transport military uniforms and other supplies, Liu Yuzhi and Li Xianze let them pick people first.

There was nothing to complain about Liu Bingyi's guard battalion. Liu Yuzhi only assigned him half a platoon of soldiers and the corresponding platoon leaders needed by the guard battalion, and then added some longmen to make up the number of people to form an army.

Selecting personnel for the cavalry battalion is a little more troublesome. First, all soldiers who can ride horses must be registered, and then those who have served in cavalry or have better riding skills and are younger are selected. Then, a dozen or so cavalry students who stayed behind are placed in the positions of squad leaders. Then everyone receives their own warhorse and cavalry equipment, and the army is temporarily formed.

However, the cavalry battalion is of no use now. Unlike infantry, cavalry still needs a lot of time to master and become familiar with war horses, organize corresponding combat formations, and receive corresponding horsemanship and tactical training.

Although the Guard Battalion and the Cavalry Battalion were reorganized first, they did not eat immediately. Instead, the kitchen staff of the Vanguard Battalion gave each person a lunch box filled with more than half a pound of greasy pork belly that was stewed and fragrant, and a piece of salted radish was stuffed into each person's lunch box. The soldiers were also given a few snow-white steamed buns to put into their backpacks, and then they hurried away.

As the army will be expanded soon, it will be impossible for the vanguard army to be supplied with food by the camp mess as it is now. Teng Yuzao has already requested that after the army is expanded in the future, each sentry must have its own cooking squad. Although the food may not be much different, the situation where the whole army eats according to the same standard as today will soon come to an end.

After the reorganization of the Guard Battalion and the Cavalry Battalion was completed, the subsequent reorganization speed accelerated.

Liu Changfa was not only a student of the artillery department of the Beiyang Military Academy, but also served as a platoon leader in the vanguard army for more than a year. He was very familiar with the situation of the troops. Although the artillery regiment was different from the infantry unit and needed more literate and educated people, only such artillerymen could master artillery shooting techniques as quickly as possible.

However, Liu Changfa was able to quickly select the corresponding personnel needed by the artillery regiment, so that the reorganization speed of the artillery regiment was not slow.

Even so, Liu Changfa still felt a lot of pressure. You know, an artillery battalion in the Wuwei Army only had eight artillery pieces. Although the number of people in his artillery regiment was far less than the establishment of an artillery battalion in the Wuwei Army, he had sixteen cannons, which was enough for an artillery regiment.

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(End of this chapter)