Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 442: The Black Flag Army's Reversal
Just as the Chu State annexed the northwest of Sumatra in one fell swoop and began to concentrate on development, it digested the results of its previous colonial expansion and further consolidated its national strength.

The French colonists, who had been silent for a long time, became restless at this time.

As early as 1873, France launched an invasion war against the six provinces of Tonkin and entered Hanoi in one fell swoop, but was repelled by the Black Flag Army that came to the rescue from Thang Bao (now Lao Cai), ruining its great colonial prospects.

This is 8 years.

In July 1881, the French Parliament, led by French Prime Minister Jules Ferry, approved a military budget of 7 million francs for Vietnam, mainly for the war of colonial expansion.

The success of Chu's continuous colonial adventures in Southeast Asia undoubtedly greatly stimulated France's colonial ambitions and prompted it to act quickly.

However, history took a miraculous turn here and has become different from its original historical trajectory.

The Black Flag Army, originally stationed in Shengbao (now Laojie), was promoted to Deputy Admiral of Sanxuan by the King of Yue after the war in 1874, and remained stationed in Shengbao.

Shengbao (i.e. Laojie) is a mountainous area, commonly known as eight mountains, one water, and one piece of land. The land available for cultivation is very small and barren, mostly mountainous, and the grain yield is low.

Originally, the Black Flag Army was stationed here. They were bandits. After failing to rebel in Guangxi, they were chased by officers and soldiers and fled into Vietnam.

The Kingdom of Vietnam had poor governance over the remote mountainous areas, and could neither drive the Black Flag Army away nor eliminate them, so it had no choice but to allow the Black Flag Army to garrison there.

Later, when the French invaded, the Black Flag Army came to the rescue from hundreds of miles away at night, defeated the French invading army in one fell swoop, and saved the Vietnamese royal court from danger.

Because of this great achievement, he was transformed into an official soldier and was appointed as the deputy admiral of Sanxuan.

Actually

This crappy Deputy Admiral of Sanxuan is just a deceiving Bi Ma Wen, who has no military pay and no food. He hides in the mountain valley of Shengbao and has no land to develop.

History took a miraculous turn here, and the change occurred in a Guangxi businessman named Huang Qifan, a well-traveled Nanyang cloth merchant who was well aware of the rise of the Chu State.

Seeing the Black Flag Army making a brilliant appearance, he felt like making a name for himself, so he volunteered to join the Black Flag Army and put forward an important suggestion.

That is to break out of Shengbao and occupy important coastal ports such as Haiphong in one fell swoop. Relying on the rich coal resources of Quang Ninh Province in the north, with fields, land and resources, it is natural to recruit soldiers and expand power.

Just like that, the Black Flag Army mobilized without the king's order and directly occupied Haiphong and several provinces along the coast of Quang Ninh, which greatly shocked the Vietnamese royal court.

He was so angry that he almost vomited blood, but he could do nothing about the growing Black Flag Army.

To know

Wuzhou, Guangxi is only a few hundred kilometers away from Guangning and Haiphong further south. It can be reached in one day by water and five or six days by land. For the mountain people of Guangxi, it is not a problem at all.

The Black Flag Army had money with the coal fields, and also had the large plains and paddy fields in Haifang and Guangling. After a few years of development, they actually achieved prosperity.

Over the years, hundreds of thousands of people from Guangxi have immigrated to hundreds of towns and villages from Guangling to Haiphong, calling on their friends and settling down there.

The abundant population resources and the sale of coal fields quickly filled the pockets of the Black Flag Army. The number of troops also jumped from the original two to three thousand to about 1.5, becoming a powerful force in northern Vietnam.

The current Black Flag Army has five times more people than in history, and is equipped with American rifles, all of which are discarded goods from the Chu State warehouse.

Even so, it has reached a very high level.

The infantry formations and orders were completely in compliance with the system of the Chu army. Many officers of the Black Flag Army were trained at the Manila Army Academy and received a comprehensive military education.

His command ability has improved by leaps and bounds.

The Black Flag Army was originally a local rebel force originating in Guangxi. Whether they were unruly or unwilling to obey the king, the soldiers of the Black Flag Army looked down on the Vietnamese royal court from the bottom of their hearts and did not take the orders of the King of Vietnam seriously.

The only thing they respected was the Northern Shenzhou court, which was the legitimate court. The leader of the Black Flag Army, Liu Yongfu, was a bit like Song Jiang in Water Margin, thinking about being recruited by the court and finding a life for his poor brothers.

Another country that was respected was the State of Chu. The rising State of Chu shone in Southeast Asia. Liu Yongfu of the Black Flag Army could not have been unaware of this and was deeply impressed by the courage of the King of Chu.

As for the King of Yue, what the hell is that?

When the French colonial army marched north to invade the six provinces of Tonkin, the first thing they had to face was the Black Flag Army and the Qing Dynasty's troops stationed in northern Vietnam, and a confrontation between the two was inevitable.

The massive northward advance of the French colonial army greatly alarmed the Vietnamese royal court, which repeatedly requested the Qing government to send troops to support it as soon as possible.

In view of the changing situation, the Chinese court ordered the authorities of Yunnan and Guangxi provinces to supervise the border defense forces to advance quickly, but emphasized that "provocations should not be started by oneself" and maintained a certain degree of restraint.

But the Black Flag Army was different. The French were already at their doorstep, so why would they hold back? They just went for it.

This requires us to praise the soldiers of the Black Flag Army. From top to bottom, they were all iron-willed and passionate men. They did not refuse to fight, were not afraid of fighting, and did not regard the French as a formidable enemy.

This has been repeatedly proven by history: none of the Black Flag Army members are cowards.

The Black Flag Army was now strong and powerful. When France launched a large-scale invasion to the south, it urgently expanded its army from the original 1.5 to 2.5 soldiers, and stationed them at various important passes.

In March 1882, the French government ordered the naval commander of Cochinchina, Livier, to lead the invading French army and invade northern Vietnam for the second time.
In April, the French army occupied the Hanoi fortress and directly engaged in a firefight with the Black Flag Army stationed there. The two sides fought fiercely for several days. After killing more than 4 enemies, the Black Flag Army held its position.

Having encountered this tough obstacle, the French army had no choice but to retreat and regroup to fight again.

On May 5, Liu Yongfu led the Black Flag Army in a decisive battle with the French at Zhiqiao in Huay Duc Province. French Commander Riviere, Deputy Commander Lu Mei, along with over 19 officers and hundreds of soldiers were killed. The French army was severely defeated and forced to retreat to Hanoi.

News came
There was jubilation at the Black Flag Army's coastal defense garrison. Military advisor Huang Qifan quietly activated the secret arsenal in the mountains and delivered 5000 new rifles, 32 Napoleon 12-pound field guns, and a large amount of gunpowder to the front line.

He kicked the iron plate and almost broke his leg.

The defeated French army was ashamed and angry, and immediately announced that it would avenge General Riviere. It allocated another 350 million francs to the French army in Tokyo and made every effort to incite a larger-scale war of aggression against Vietnam.

In addition to reinforcing the army, the Saigon Governor-General's Office also established the North Vietnamese Fleet, actively deployed troops and made comprehensive arrangements, and the war was about to break out.

The Black Flag Army showed no sign of weakness and publicly declared, "If the French army comes with a thousand we will kill a thousand; if they come with ten thousand we will kill ten thousand until the last soldier. We will never be defeated without a fight."

These tough remarks provoked the French army into a rage, feeling that it was a naked provocation.

Haiphong, Vietnam
In the Black Flag Army camp
Liu Yongfu and his generals are holding a military meeting to discuss the current severe situation of the French army's large-scale invasion to the south. The Black Flag Army is under great pressure, but also has the confidence to defeat the enemy.

The only concern was the shortage of military rations and funds.

Compared with the French government funding, the Black Flag Army had to rely on itself for everything. Although the expenses required were simple, necessary expenses were still inevitable. You can't let the soldiers fight on an empty stomach.

France has allocated more than 600 million francs and continuously sent troops to the battlefield. The total strength has reached more than 8700 people, more than half of whom are Vietnamese vassal troops.

This is a common tactic used by white colonists, using money and equipment to arm the local natives as cannon fodder. The British and French are veterans in this and are very familiar with this trick.

According to information obtained through secret channels

France has recruited thousands of new soldiers in Saigon and surrounding areas and is urgently training them. It also plans to deploy them in the war of invasion to the north, which will inevitably lead to a further expansion of the scale of the war.

The pressure was put on the Black Flag Army. In the room, the atmosphere of discussion was very solemn, and all the Black Flag Army generals had heavy expressions on their faces.

At this moment

Military Advisor General Huang Qifan came forward and said:
"My fellow Black Flag Army members, we have well-trained soldiers and sufficient food supplies. We are not afraid of a large-scale French invasion. Haiphong and Bac Ninh are the Black Flag Army's core territories, and we must defend them at all costs.

Now that we are facing a powerful enemy, my Huang family is willing to sacrifice everything we have and contribute 40 silver dollars to the army to help us. We must repel the French army and preserve the foundation of our Black Flag Army.

Behind us are tens of thousands of our fellow Guangxi people, and we must not allow them to be enslaved by the foreigners.

I am willing to fight to the death, even if I die a thousand times, I will have no regrets! "

His passionate declaration truly moved the Black Flag Army leader Liu Yongfu and a group of generals. They all stood up and cheered, and the crowd was excited. Liu Yongfu excitedly walked over and shook Huang Qifan's hands with both hands, saying:
"I wish to swear an oath of blood with Brother Huang, becoming brothers of the opposite sex. Although we may not live together, we shall be buried together in death. From now on, we will share wealth and glory. If I break this oath, heaven and earth will not tolerate it."

"That's what I sincerely wish for, but I dare not ask for it." Huang Qifan said with a hearty laugh.

This action of his completely won the unanimous support of the Black Flag Army soldiers, and his prestige rose to an unprecedented high.

With these 40 silver dollars, the 2.5 soldiers of the Black Flag Army can grit their teeth and fight the war for at least half a year.

No one has said how to pay back the money in the future?
Needless to say, as long as the Black Flag Army exists, they will not deny this debt. This is life-saving money.

No one knew that this money actually came from a secret channel of the Chu State Ministry of Internal Affairs. It was provided in the form of Huang Qifan's family wealth in order to continue the war.

It is not appropriate for the State of Chu to step forward, but it is still possible to provide secret support.

The State of Chu has been unhappy with the French's imitation of its own style for a long time. Planting a nail here to make the French fall flat on their face is a situation that everyone wants to see.

The French army's invasion of the north was divided into two routes. The eastern route was mainly aimed at the Black Flag Army, and the western route was mainly aimed at the royal court of Hanoi, Vietnam and the Qing Dynasty garrison. There were more than 40 battalions in total, with a total strength of more than 2 people.

The main target of the French Eastern Army's attack was Shanxi. In addition to the Black Flag Army, there were also seven battalions of regular Guangxi Army and Yunnan Army, totaling about 4400 people, who were the northern court's troops stationed in Vietnam.

Given the special vassal relationship between China and Vietnam, the serious threat posed by France's invasion of Vietnam to the northern court was aimed at Zhennan Pass, posing a substantial threat to southern China.

The pro-war ministers within the court, represented by Zuo Zongtang, Zeng Jize and Zhang Zhidong, urged the court to adopt a resolute policy of resisting the French.

However, Li Hongzhang, who held the power over diplomacy and military affairs of the Qing government, was hesitant and insisted on advocating peace, which led to disputes and disagreements between the two factions in the court.

In the military, the imperial court sent troops out of the country to aid Vietnam, while at the same time repeatedly ordering the Qing army not to take the initiative to attack the French army.

In diplomacy, the court protested against France's invasion of Vietnam while attempting to reach a compromise through negotiations and British mediation.

This contradictory move greatly facilitated France's invasion deployment.

The king and his ministers of Chu watched this and could only shake their heads, but they had no practical way to stop it.

If this thing doesn't stand firm on its own, no matter how much others encourage it, it will never stand up.

Fortunately, there is the Black Flag Army in northern Vietnam, a resolute anti-French force. If the government troops are added, the total strength is around 5, which is not a disadvantage in terms of manpower.

The French frequently deployed troops, but only managed to gather nearly 2 people, mostly French foreign legions and indigenous vassal troops, and their combat effectiveness was just so-so.

The French could not transfer troops from Europe, which was thousands of miles away, as the cost was too high. The cost of transporting each soldier across the ocean was more than 600 francs, including transportation, armament, food, lodging, medical care and other expenses. For 1 people, that would be 600 million francs, and there was no way to save this money.

If they really do this, France's finances will go bankrupt.

Three months later
In August, 8 French troops regrouped and marched towards Xishan. A fierce battle broke out between the two sides in Shanxi, and the bloody battle lasted for several days.

The Black Flag Army suffered nearly 1700 casualties in the battle, and also inflicted heavy damage on the French army, killing and wounding more than enemy soldiers. After several days of bloody fighting, they were forced to withdraw from their positions.

Relying on their advantages in weapons and artillery, the French army finally opened a gap after going through hardships.

Not long ahead
However, they found that the Black Flag Army once again occupied the Tucheng Pass, which made the French army invading from the north feel overwhelmed and had a sense of déjà vu.

French Commander Courbet was right to feel this way. That was the most feared tactic used by the attacking British and French armies in the Anglo-French War. They suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of Singapore, with losses reaching tens of thousands.

Now we see this scene again on the battlefield in Shanxi.

General Courbet led his troops in a bloody battle for another two days. After suffering more than a thousand casualties, he took the initiative to withdraw and withdrew from the battle with the Black Flag Army.

This war cannot be fought. If it goes on like this, when will it end?

The earthen city tactics are to defend layer by layer, with every inch of territory costing every inch of blood, and to fight with the invading French army for consumption and lives. No matter how many soldiers and weapons there are, they will not be enough, and all will be consumed in these layers of earthen city defense lines.

French General Courbet knew the enemy's strength, and after losing more than 3,000 people, he decisively stopped the large-scale attack because he could not fight any further.

After hesitating in Shanxi for more than two months, the invading French army turned its guns and used its main force to attack more than 40 battalions of the imperial army defending the western route, mainly the northern Yunnan Army, Guangxi Army and Guangdong Army stationed in the Red River Delta.

Compared with the Black Flag Army, the fighting spirit of these imperial troops was much worse. They were defeated after only two days.

On October 10, Taiyuan fell, and on November 7, Xinghua fell, allowing the French invading army to advance north in a large-scale manner.

This is a typical case of the East being dark and the West being bright.

After the French army failed in its attack on the Black Flag Army in the east, it decisively turned its guns on the imperial army in the west, breaking through it in one fell swoop and continuously gaining and occupying large tracts of land.

When the Qing court in the north learned of the military setback on the front lines, it was shocked and furiously dismissed a large number of frontier officials and officials to cover up the defeat. It also completely reorganized the Grand Council.

Prince Gong Yi and others were dismissed and replaced by Prince Li Shiduo. Beile (later Prince Qing) Yixin presided over the Zongli Yamen. The actual power was in the hands of Prince Chun Yihuan (the biological father of Emperor Guangxu), and he planned to authorize Li Hongzhang to hold peace talks with French representatives.

At this moment

The Black Flag Army suddenly rushed over 140 kilometers at night, moved horizontally to Xinghua, attacked the French troops stationed there, and defeated them in one fell swoop.

The French troops stationed in Xinghua totaled more than 4800 people. They were caught off guard and launched a large-scale siege by the Black Flag Army. The two sides fought bloody battles for a day and a night. The French army was defeated and fled all over the mountains and plains.

On that day, the Black Flag Army killed more than 1370 enemies, including French Deputy Commander Major General Le Four and 51 officers, and captured more than 1800 enemies. Dozens of others were missing, and the rest fled.

After this great defeat, the horrified French army withdrew from Taiyuan overnight, retreating more than 200 kilometers to the south, having lost its ability to attack.

The French army, totaling more than 1.6 people, suffered repeated heavy losses from the Black Flag Army, with losses exceeding 6300. The total number of remaining troops was less than , and they were exhausted and powerless to attack.

If you continue to fight, you will not get any good results.

In early December 1882, the French army that had invaded the north officially withdrew, ending the Franco-Vietnamese War. The main force of the French army withdrew to the vicinity of the royal city of Hue, retreating hundreds of kilometers in a big stride.

This war made the French lose face. The French Rouféry cabinet, which advocated colonial expansion, was criticized and almost became autistic and ridiculed by the Parisian citizens.

Li Hongzhang, a court minister who was preparing to go south for negotiations, stopped in Shanghai. Upon hearing the news of the Black Flag Army's victory, he immediately made suggestions to the court.

"Immediately incorporate the Black Flag Army and appoint Liu Yongfu as the commander-in-chief of coastal defense and the rank of General Zhennan. He can be the pillar of southern Yunnan."

There was no doubt about this matter. After reporting it to the court, he immediately received the imperial decree of reward. Following the proposal of Li Hongzhang, the Governor-General of Zhili, the imperial decree was issued to appoint Liu Yongfu, the leader of the Black Flag Army, as the general, and to give him the title of General Zhennan, and to award him the double-eyed peacock feather.

Although the imperial court may not be good at other things, it is not behind others in winning the hearts of the people, which is commendable.

Having received rewards from the court and repelled the French army's northern invasion, the Black Flag Army's foundation was preserved. The entire Black Flag Army cheered and was in high spirits.

More than 1800 French officers and soldiers were captured and finally released through negotiations. The Black Flag Army received a million silver dollars as a ransom.

Add to that the large amount of military equipment captured, and they became rich overnight.

After defeating the French army, the Black Flag Army became more confident and felt that the foreign army was just so-so and nothing to be scared of.

One shot will make a hole and someone will die.

The myth about the invincibility of the foreign army has been completely shattered. If we really want to fight to the death, our fellow Guangxi people have never been afraid of anyone, even if the French come.

No problem, just do it anyway.

(End of this chapter)