Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 191 Want to escape? (Please vote for the monthly ticket and recommendation ticket to support, thank you)
Intramuros, Manila
The heavy rain in early September lasted from morning till night for the whole day. The rain washed away the strong smell of blood in the city, the lingering smoke of war, and made the city's atmosphere fresh.

The white colonists entrenched in the royal city received another express delivery from the Eastern Army at dusk. It was more than 700 human heads, which were delivered to the main gate of the royal city on three carts pushed by more than a dozen natives.

The white militia guarding the city did not open fire. They opened the city gate under strict vigilance, dragged the three carts in, and quickly closed the gate.

A strong atmosphere of sadness permeated every white person trapped in the fortress. The cries of women and children shook the sky, and extreme fear occupied everyone's heart, leaving a deep shadow.

St. Augustine's Cathedral
This is a Catholic church built in 1607. It is listed as one of the four major churches in the royal city, along with the Manila Cathedral, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, and the Cathedral of Santo Domingo.

Within an area of ​​about one square kilometer in Manila's Royal City, there are a dozen Catholic churches of various sizes, ranging from Baroque to Classical architectural styles.

In addition to the four major churches, there is the oldest Lourdes Church, as well as the vast San Francisco Church, San Ignacio Church, San Nicholas Church, Jesuit Convent, Santa Clara Convent, Third Solemn Dogmatic Church, Santa Catalina Monastery, etc., which can be said to be a large number of churches.

St. Augustine's Cathedral is a typical Baroque style. The church's high dome and spires, exquisite sculptures, murals, and door and window arches are filled with rich European culture from the early Renaissance.

The Royal City of Manila has a complete colonial bureaucratic system, which includes not only the Spanish Governor's Office, but also the Supreme Court and the Election Commission.

It is also the colonial educational center, with a complete education system from primary school to university, including Santa Isabela Elementary School, Santa Rosa Vocational College, Ateneo de Manila University and University of Santo Tomas, San Juan College, etc.

Of course, these schools are not large.

There are hospitals and other facilities in Intramuros. Basically, a white person can receive meticulous care from birth to death in Intramuros. It is a microcosm of a closed society.

In the Cathedral of St. Augustine
Governor Major General Pedro de Manuel Carvajal and other prominent officials of the colonial governorate in the royal city attended the requiem mass held in the church, and the entire church was filled with a sad atmosphere.

The families of the fallen soldiers, dressed in black, filled the entire St. Augustine Cathedral, and the women and children could not suppress their cries.

Catholic priests in the church held requiem masses for more than 700 martyrs in the name of God's servants. The low music of the church organ echoed, bringing the last bit of spiritual comfort to these devout believers.

Sitting in the second row of the church was Governor General Major General Perode Manuel Carvajal, with his close friend Sergio Sanchez next to him. Sergio Sanchez had visited Mindanao as the Governor General's special envoy and was also a member of the Colonial Election Committee of the Governor General of Luzon and one of the senior colonial governors.

"Dear Sanchez, we have lost the strong barrier of Fort Santiago. The Oriental ironclad ships can come up the Pasig River. Manila Royal City cannot withstand the bombardment of 500-pound heavy artillery. We don't have much time left."

"Respected Governor, what do you mean?"

"I want you to take the noble woman and child, board the two sailboats at the naval dock, and go deep inland along the Pasig River. Find a deserted place to hide and look for an opportunity to escape from the Luzon Islands."

"Oh my God! Are you going to abandon the royal city?"

"No, dear Sanchez, for the vast majority of white people in the royal city, this is our home, this is our roots. We will have nothing if we leave here. Everyone will fight to the last moment and defend this overseas territory belonging to the royal family with their lives."

"This... Governor, I am not a coward."

"I know, dear Sanchez. I need you to report everything that happened here back to Europe and draw the attention of the kingdom's upper echelons. We still have a chance to fight back."

"I understand. You want me to escape this hell with my women and children and try to find a ship to the Straits Settlements or Batavia. Use my own experience to denounce the brutality of the Orientals, wait for reinforcements from Europe, and take back everything that once belonged to us."

"Yes, that's what I mean." Governor Major General Pero de Manuel Carvajal looked solemn, with a deep sadness lingering between his brows, but also a flash of unyielding light.

He turned around, looked at the densely packed crowd sitting in the church, and sighed softly.

He sat up straight and whispered to Sergio Sanchez;
“Man, the heavy rain today has stopped the Easterners from attacking, but it won’t last long.

Tonight is the last chance to escape from here.

I will give you 100 brave soldiers, and you must protect more than 800 women and children, including Lady Cecilia and Miss Aurora, and get them out of this damn place.

I will give you an important letter to the Spanish Crown, which will explain everything clearly.

I suspect that the fate of the Luzon Islands is due to the shadows of European powers such as Britain and France, and perhaps also the vicious intentions of the United States. The internal situation is very far-reaching.

Things will not be that simple. This is a big conspiracy against the Spanish royal family, and it is likely to affect the royal family's vast overseas colonies, not just the Luzon Islands, but also Central and South America and Cuba.

I will have Fabian and Morata-Simon assist you, the sailboat has been arranged and will depart after nightfall."

After hearing this, Sergio Sanchez felt inexplicably sad, his eyes reddened, tears welled up in his eyes, and he choked back his words.

"I swear to Almighty God!

We will definitely escort the ladies, young ladies and more women and children away from here, let them escape this hellish nightmare, and make public all the atrocities that have occurred here.

If I break my oath, my soul will suffer in purgatory and never see the light of day."

"I trust you, dear Sanchez, gather at the Manila Cathedral at 8 o'clock in the evening. Those who are scheduled to leave will meet there."

"Yes, Your Excellency the Governor, everything will be as you wish." The two men quietly discussed the details of the escape. All those who held religious ceremonies in St. Augustine's Cathedral were ruthlessly abandoned and would become pawns who resisted to the end.

Night falls as expected
The drizzling rain washed the cobblestone road smooth and shiny. Outside the Manila Cathedral, there were heavy shadows. Many women and children, carrying packages, entered the church under the guidance of soldiers.

The Manila Cathedral is located in the Intramuros area, on the south bank of the Pasig River near the entrance of the Manila Bay River. Not far away is a fortress side gate that leads directly to the Royal Navy Dock.

It is located across from Plaza Roma and Rizal Park, and very close to San Agustin Church and the destroyed Fort Santiago.

Standing at the entrance of Manila Church, you can clearly see the towering watchtower of Fort Santiago.

Of course, they can no longer be seen now, as they have all been destroyed by the artillery fire of the heavy ironclad ships.

In the afternoon, after occupying the Fort Santiago, four heavy armored ships of the Chu Navy docked at the Manila wharf for replenishment and rest.

At this time, the mouth of the Bara River where it flows into the bay was empty, with no sign of any ships.

This does not mean that the two remaining Spanish sailing ships can sneak away. In the distant anchorage, many warships of the Chu sailing fleet are anchored.

As long as the alarm bells sounded during the day and the warning bonfires were lit at night, the Chu sailing warships anchored in the bay would immediately gather.

The deadly hunt for Spanish Man-of-War that attempted to flee left little hope of escape.

The only way to survive

Just as the Governor said, they would take two sailing warships up the Pasig River, go deep into the inland hinterland, and then abandon the ships and escape by land.

The logic here is that the Oriental army has not yet had time to occupy the towns in the inland hinterland, which are still under the control of white colonists.

There was not much white settler force in these towns.

However, more than 300 years of colonial rule have made many indigenous chiefs and noble leaders completely surrender, and they are resources that can be utilized.

There, fleeing white people could obtain carriages and other means of transportation and quickly travel to other ports, from where they could escape by ship.

The Luzon Islands are a place with many bays and islands. Many remote ports face the South China Sea and can go out to sea directly without going through Manila Bay.

By then, no matter how powerful the Eastern army is, it will be impossible for them to control the vast ocean, and the probability of escaping will be very high.

The idea is good, but it is not so easy to implement.

The Royal City of Manila has been surrounded by the Eastern Army. Whether it is the upper or lower reaches of the Pasig River, or the south and north banks of the Pasig River, they are all controlled by the Eastern Army garrisons, making it impossible to escape.

This kind of petty trick, carried out right under their noses, has already attracted the attention of the Eastern Army.

Report the news quickly

Major General Qian Jiang, the commander-in-chief of the attack, was awakened from his dormitory and hurried to the headquarters of the First Expeditionary Division. After hearing the report, he laughed angrily.

What are these foreigners thinking?

So many people boarded the ship right under my nose and tried to escape. They really ignored my army!
He asked; "Has the rain stopped?"

"Reporting to the General, the rain stopped an incense stick ago. The dark clouds in the night sky have dispersed, and the moon can be seen. It is unlikely to rain again."

"Well, assemble the Jia and Yin Regiments and deploy them along the river. Mobilize no fewer than 60 artillery pieces and advance silently to the riverside positions. Prepare to surprise them."

"As you command, General."

"Order 300 archers to be dispatched. Prepare kerosene and rockets and have them stand by along the river. This time, I will set fire to the Spanish galleons and teach them a lesson."

"As you command, General."

"Immediately report to the Marshal's Office and request an ironclad warship assault along the river to completely extinguish these foreigners' intentions."

"As you command, General."

The officers in the command center took orders and left, and most of them dispersed in the blink of an eye.

Major General Qian Jiang took up his belt and fastened it around himself, then said to the divisional guards, "Let's go to the riverside positions and see how big a wave these foreigners can stir up."

"Yes, General." The generals responded in unison.

(End of this chapter)