Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 111
Only Noblemtl
#111. Glory and Terror Mixed (5)
“The 3rd Platoon led by the advisor is said to be already engaged in combat with the enemy.”
A battle was taking place that seemed to shake the earth, with gunshots and battle cries heard from afar.
As they still had no information about how the battle was going, most of them were worried, though they did not show it, that their mere one-squadron cavalry force would have a hard time.
“Understood. We will keep a tight guard to prevent them from approaching the campsite.”
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Kim Seok-joong, who was commanding the remaining cavalry battalions, was spewing hatred at the enemies approaching the camp.
The reason for that hatred was not animosity, but the damn heat.
It was already so hot and humid since morning, but having to fight those guys made it even harder.
Rather than defend his camp directly, he decided to go forward and fight.
Because the visibility in the area around the camp was poor, it only hindered the shooting battle.
He sighed as he looked at the Maxims of the deployed field artillery company. It was honestly unknown how effective those pieces of scrap metal would be.
Still, he decided to believe them because the regimental commander who had selected him and put him in this position had been doting on him and repeatedly emphasizing their importance.
When I heard the soldiers’ evaluations of the Gatling gun, it wasn’t bad.
The Gatling gun requires the shooter to constantly turn the handle to fire, which consumes a lot of stamina in close combat situations.
Because the Maximo can quickly fire bullets into enemy territory with just one press of a button without any of that.
However, I still didn’t like the fact that it was too heavy, cumbersome, and required three or four soldiers to handle one Maxim gun.
I’ve always thought it would be better to save those troops and give them rifles.
When I thought to myself that the Maxim gun was like a barley sack that had been put away in the organic connection between cavalry, infantry, and artillery that French officers talked about.
“The enemies are approaching.”
“What number?”
“It’s more than two thousand!”
A cavalry squad sent out as a scout hurriedly returned.
They reported that enemies were approaching from all directions, and that there were probably more coming down.
Kim Seok-joong was delighted to finally be facing his enemies, but his subordinates did not seem to be so pleased.
The ground was already shaking and sand smoke seemed to be billowing in the distance.
The cavalry officers wondered whether the number of enemies they could see now was far greater than the ammunition for the Maxim guns.
“Everyone fights here thinking that this is their place to die. Company commanders, form a square.”
“Are you talking about the formation? What if the enemy brought artillery…?”
“That won’t happen.”
He firmly ruled out the possibility that they had brought artillery.
If there was such a thing, I would have shot it early.
But seeing as that wasn’t the case, either they didn’t have artillery, or they had one but something was wrong and they couldn’t fire, which wasn’t bad news for them.
Kim Seok-jung immediately ordered all 400 men of the cavalry company to dismount and form a square formation.
Organized in two rows, they formed a steel barrier that cavalrymen could not rush through without a fight.
The first row took the kneeling shooting position, and the second row took the standing shooting position.
In horse riding lessons, it is said that if you start sticking something sharp in the face of a horse, it will feel fear and will not follow the rider’s commands.
So, I learned that if you calmly erect a wall of bayonets when the enemy cavalry charges in an emergency, you can stop even the fiercest of enemies.
I would have liked to have mounted my horse and fought like a Harcourt adviser, but the artillery company was in danger and I couldn’t advance as I pleased.
Artillery must always move together with infantry and cavalry, as it is difficult for them to do anything on their own.
Well, that wasn’t all. Unlike the year of Gap-o when he was full of energy, now that he had become a full-fledged military officer and was in the position of leading numerous men, he had to reconsider and reconsider reckless charging.
Because I couldn’t bear to die pointlessly in an assault.
Every death and sacrifice had to be worth it, at least in the unit he commanded.
Even if my luck runs out and I die here.
“We have formed a defensive line, Commander.”
“Everyone stand by. They will attack soon.”
And in between, we placed Maxims and prepared to give a hot taste to enemies who dare break through our formation.
Meanwhile, they too were slowly getting closer to Bangjin.
Although they were playing the role of infantry instead of cavalry for the first time in a long time, the phalanx itself was well-organized as if they had practiced before.
In the center of the formation, Kim Seok-jung, mounted on horseback, the company commanders, the battalion standard-bearer, and the bugler took their places, and next to them, a group of platoon members were unloading ammunition from a cart and distributing it.
Officers and senior instructors walked among the soldiers with swords on their shoulders, preventing any possible departure from the ranks.
“Gentlemen! The standard at the center of the camp must never fall into their hands! We are the proud cavalry of the Korean Empire, and we have a duty to give them death today!”
The battle was starting to get closer. The enemies that had been visible here and there in the distance were now swarming in as if filling the horizon.
The formation itself was a mess, but it was clear that they were trying to push through with numbers, as the cavalry was in the front rank and the infantry was in the back rank.
“Platoon leaders and senior sergeants, firmly form your ranks and close the gap between the squares one foot closer!”
“Squad, take five steps to the right!”
The ranks that had seemed slightly loose tightened up with the shouts of “Bokmyungbokchang.”
Kim Seok-joong straightened his back even more, sighing in relief at the fact that they had no artillery.
At least, if you were a military officer of a country, it was your duty to die resolutely, like a warrior and a scholar, even if you died.
“Enemies are approaching!”
“Don’t act rashly and wait for orders.”
They began to press in from all directions, but no one left their ranks.
Now, the enemies slowly began to pick up speed, and at some point, the enemies who had been approaching at a fast pace began to sprint.
The flags were fluttering in the wind, the sunlight reflected off the blades of the cold weapons among them, and the riders holding them were approaching, each making their own sound.
And the words that came out of their mouths in a dizzying manner were enough to make one lose one’s mind.
As the soldiers were getting tense, a loud voice came into their ears.
“Prepare to fire!”
It was an officer’s shout that could bring back the confused mind.
The enemy cavalry approaching from the right began to charge hastily first.
Kim Seok-joong nodded, and continued firing at the enemy cavalry that had entered the intersection with him.
Rapid fire continued, on a different level from single-shot rifles.
“Keep shooting! Don’t let them get close!”
As the shooters pulled the bolt, hot, smoking cartridges fell to the ground with a refreshing sound.
With that, the grenade slid into the chamber and was turned again towards the target.
However, as the firing continued, they paused for a moment, as if they were not really planning to charge, and moved around the perimeter of the formation as if they were waiting for an opportunity.
They probably wanted to lure us, but they didn’t bother to intercept us.
If you want to properly kill someone, it’s not too late to do so after you’ve definitely inflicted a fatal wound.
By the way, Kim Seok-joong was once again impressed by the new rifle and bullets.
Unlike the old-fashioned single-shot rifles used in the past, there was no acrid smoke after firing, allowing for faster and more accurate shooting.
Thanks to that, Kim Seok-joong was very satisfied.
In the past, you would have had to wait a moment after firing a salvo before firing again, but this time there was no need for that.
All you had to do was shoot as many bullets as you could.
“Artillery, standby.”
“But they’re within range, so can’t we fire?”
“Not yet.”
The Maxims hidden between the walls were still waiting.
Kim Seok-joong decided to keep those scrap metal hunks hidden for the time being until they could really be put to use.
Hoping that the enemies would be a little more aggressive and push with numbers more thoughtlessly.
“It’s time for my patience to reach its limit···.”
Kim Seok-joong said while looking at his pocket watch.
It had been over ten minutes since they had been hit by a barrage of one-sided fire from the garrison.
Now the time was coming for their lids to open.
When untrained people start getting hit from a distance, it usually falls into two categories.
Either run away or rush in frenziedly. And those people were usually the latter.
After a while of firing, a group of enemies appeared running from the left.
This time, infantry was also mixed in with cavalry.
It seemed likely that they were planning to launch an offensive against the left wing, which seemed relatively weak.
At first glance, the ranks of the left might have seemed a little thin.
However, Kim Seok-joong allocated 6 Maxims there, twice as many as in other ranks.
As the enemy cavalry and infantry charged toward the left wing, Kim Seok-jung faced the enemy with a satisfied smile, while the other company commanders and platoon leaders faced the enemy with tense expressions.
“500 steps!”
“2nd Platoon, open fire!”
“Shoot!”
Finally, the order to fire was given to the 2nd Platoon as well.
Kim Seok-joong looked at the thugs rushing at him from all directions and thought that he was finally starting to feel better.
“Give me ammo, quick!”
The battalion commander pulled the wooden box loaded on the cart to the floor, kicked the lock with his boot, and shouted.
Then, as if he was used to it, he took out the ammunition box inside, cut the paper packaging and the string that held it together with his dagger, and distributed them to the soldiers of each platoon.
If it was urgent, they would sometimes give us the whole cannon, but since there was the problem of having to divide it up again in the battle line, they would divide it up in advance like this whenever possible.
Of course, all the ammunition we had just consumed was consumed, and the Hyanggwan and other disciples rushed in to supply the missing ammunition, struggling to do so.
“Commander! The enemy has advanced to within 300 paces!”
There are more enemies than we have bullets, that was the first thing I heard when I landed in Tianjin.
There were that many enemies.
He looked at the artillery officer waiting for his orders.
It seemed like they should fire now, and Kim Seok-joong agreed to some extent.
If we continue to come closer like this, the enemies will quickly come close to the formation and be able to swing their swords.
He made a gesture, and the line that had been covering Maxim with him moved to either side.
Maxim suddenly popped his head out from between the ranks, but the stupid Boxer ran forward with even more momentum, not knowing what it meant.
“Bomb!”
“Release!”
The artillery company commander waved the signal flag he was holding in his hand.
As the red firing signal flag fluttered, the gunners who were watching it immediately aimed their Maxims at the enemies.
No, I didn’t even aim.
At this point, everything will be swept away just by pressing the button.
There was a moment of silence, and then a storm swept in like a divine punishment.
Tudadadada!
Instead of a storm with thunder, lightning and heavy rain, it was made of copper and gunpowder, and it was enough to crush the flesh and spirit of the enemies who charged while staggering with a mixture of pain and joy.
Amidst the noise of roasting beans, the enemy’s cries were still loud, but beneath the war machines created by humans, the fanatics were unable to finish singing their songs of hatred and anger, and scattered blood, pieces of flesh, and pieces of bone on the dry ground.
And the songs of hatred and anger they should have sung were buried in the symphony that heralded the arrival of the darling of modern warfare.
In front of Maxim, who poured out bullets at a constant rate without stopping, both cavalry and infantry were crushed to pieces.
As if a wall made of flesh and blood were collapsing.
“Ohh···.”
The officers all bowed in awe at Maxim’s might.
I thought it was a bulky piece of scrap metal, but it wasn’t.
With this, it seemed like we could take on any army.
“Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!”
The soldiers were already cheering.
He took off his military cap and waved it at the melting enemies, sending them his own greetings.
Of course, most of those who receive it will either become guests who cannot return or are having an interview with the grim reaper.
In any case, they acted as if they had seized the opportunity to win, seeing their enemies melting before Maxim’s saturation.
Kim Seok-joong briefly pulled himself together from the saturation of Maxim’s fire and shouted at the soldiers.
“The battle is not over yet, so why are you shouting ‘Hurrah!’? That can be shouted after a complete victory! Company commanders, control your soldiers and maintain your battle lines! The battle is not over yet!”
Those damn bastards.
They were jumping over their fallen comrades and acting like moths flying towards a flame.
Before I could admire his mental strength, I was disgusted.
I couldn’t shake that feeling whenever I saw enemies rushing towards certain death without cherishing their lives.
“Aim, shoot!”
The chants continued to hover in the air.
There were those who managed to make it through the barrage of bullets and miraculously reached the defensive line, but they were met with a steel wall of bayonets in front of them, and they ended up ending their lives there.
As the one-sided battle grew tiresome, the enemies, unable to withstand the damage, began to retreat.
Since there were four assaults, it would have been difficult to sustain any more accumulated damage.
“The enemies are retreating!”
“You came as you pleased, but it is not the time to retreat. 1st Platoon, come with me to intercept the enemies!”
The sound of the drummer’s beating and the trumpeter’s rallying signal resounded in confusion, and the 1st platoon prepared, mounting the horses gathered in the center of the formation.
The square formation changed back into a straight line, and with bayonets raised, they prepared for another attack.
As soon as the prepared cavalry squadrons were ready to advance, part of the line was split open, as if the barracks doors were opening.
“Let us annihilate the fleeing enemies!”
Kim Seok-joong put away his cumbersome pistol and instead drew his sword in his right arm and desperately chased after the fleeing enemies.
This was probably the second most glorious day of his life.