Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 237



Only Noblemtl

#237. Between Steel and Flame (7)

“A signal flare is rising from the west!”

“That place… is called Heukgyo.”

Among the numerous hooves and the squeaks of horses, a slightly awkward Russian could be heard.

Among the cavalry battalions stationed in the Namusuri area of ​​Posiets in the Primorsky Krai and then crossing the Yalu River with Major General Mischenko and moving south via Pyongyang, there were several Korean officers serving.

Most of them were taught directly by Captain Biryukov, who had been assigned to teach at the Russian language school after the coup in the year of Eulmi.

Some of them were even taught by Biryukov himself at the Chuguevsky and Nizhny Novgorod military schools and cavalry schools, and they were assigned to Russian cavalry squadrons, each making use of their special skills.

And Lieutenant Oh Wan-seok was one of them.

While they were receiving military training in Nizhny Novgorod, as the clouds of war gathered, they were all assigned to Russian units throughout Manchuria as front-line officers who could support operations in Korea at the request of the Imperial Russian Army.

“If we charge in there, we might be able to write a chapter of battle that will be remembered in history…”

Lieutenant Oh Wan-seok, breathing heavily, spoke to the Russian cavalry commander, who was mumbling to himself, about the information he had collected from nearby residents who had not yet fled.

“This afternoon, reinforcements the size of an enemy regiment arrived, and it looks like they’re conducting a night attack.”

The Japanese army was advancing through Hwangju toward Heukgyo, and hundreds, if not thousands, of soldiers were waiting for them there, blocking their path.

“If our troops are holding out in that town, wouldn’t this be our chance?”

Even though a blizzard was approaching, it seemed like a fierce battle was underway since the sounds of fighting could be heard so clearly.

If the cavalry were to charge from behind the enemy at this point, it would inflict quite a painful wound, but the Russian cavalry commander shook his head.

“But our mission is reconnaissance, not annihilation of the enemy.”

“If our army defending Heukgyo collapses, it will have a negative impact on your army in the long run. Commander Kuropatkin sent us here not only to secure enemy intelligence to send to headquarters, but ultimately to support our army defending Pyeongan Province, right?”

“Are you planning to attack the enemy with only 300 cavalrymen?”

The cavalry commanders of the Possier regiment were generally passive, unlike their more belligerent subordinates.

It seems that they thought that cavalry was no longer the main character on the battlefield, but had been relegated to a secondary role supporting the infantry.

In addition, the reconnaissance mission scattered half of the battalion’s troops in all directions, which was also a problem.

It got to the point where we had to fight with only about half of our total power.

Another battalion was operating nearby, but they couldn’t be called in right away, because there was no way to know where they were or what they were doing.

“Now is the time, with the blizzard coming and the pitch-black darkness. We are about 3 versts (about 3.2 km) east of Heukgyo Station. We have been reconnaissance without fighting until now, but isn’t it time for us to show something?”

“The era of cavalry ended with the Patriotic War (Napoleonic Wars). And what can we do with these untrained Cossacks?”

After all, it was a well-known fact that in recent times, Russian cavalry was used more like infantry, mainly using rifles and bayonets, rather than powerful cavalry charges or horse-drawn combat.

Moreover, Lieutenant Oh Wan-seok also knew well that the reputation of the Cossacks was not what it used to be.

These men, who had once terrified their enemies by swinging their lances and shashkas ferociously and forcing them into constant close combat, had long since been reorganized into a de facto mounted infantry, fascinated by the devastating firepower of their rifles.

Of course, the belligerence was still there, perhaps as an indelible scar.

Because the method of combat itself had changed, commanders were reluctant to engage in horseback combat.

“Rather, the horses can easily get tired because of the accumulated snow. If you charge hastily, you might get annihilated by the enemy’s rifle fire.”

“But the enemy doesn’t know exactly where we are. If we cut through their rear now, we can deliver a fatal blow!”

“The Korean military is also not aware of our presence. If they are not careful, we could be swept away by a mistaken engagement.”

The battalion commander was a very delicate and cautious commander compared to the more brash Russians I had met so far.

Rather, these people should have been in the infantry units of Eastern Siberia, or in Port Arthur.

Lieutenant Oh Wan-seok, who was looking in the direction where the gunshots were coming from, let out a deep sigh and turned his horse.

That was the moment.

“but,”

The battalion commander stopped his horse as it was about to turn around.

Just as it is said that you have to listen to Korean until the end, it is also said that you have to listen to Norwegian from the very beginning.

Lieutenant Oh Wan-seok recalled the literature of Noseo-ah that he had once read. And he suddenly remembered the time when he would flip through the first pages of books to check the later contents that he always did not understand.

Maybe now is the time.

“When did the Cossacks, who always considered death and glory as their friends, fight according to the circumstances? Isn’t that so, brave Cossack brothers of Possiev! Answer, Cossacks! Our brave friends are dying in defense of their country and homeland at a distance of only three versts! Should we, the Cossacks, turn away from them?!”

The cautious battalion commander said something he had never thought of saying.

Lieutenant Oh Wan-seok doubted his ears, but when he heard the soldiers cheering, he immediately felt that this was reality.

The soldiers held the reins tightly with one hand, raised their weapons high into the sky with the other hand, and shouted different things.

Some called upon the names of the Orthodox saints, others dared to utter the holy name of the Tsar, each showing his own faith and trust.

“During the Patriotic War, even Napoleon and his Grand Army could not break the lances and shashkas of our Cossacks, and even the mighty Ottoman Turks and their wicked sultans were crushed under our icy blades! Just as our strong ancestors did, today we too will march through the battlefield, mercilessly cutting down our enemies with lances and shashkas in our hands!”

He continued speaking, lightly pulling out his hanging sashka.

It was a moonless night, but somehow his sword seemed to shine brighter than the midday sunlight.

“Today, instead of gunpowder, we will trample the enemy mercilessly with steel and horse hooves! Everyone, put on your guns, take up your lances and shashkas! Oh, Saint George! Protect these brave Cossack brothers!”

“Let us go! Let us save our brave friends, and let it be clearly known in these distant eastern lands that the fame of the Cossacks is not yet over!”

Lieutenant Oh Wan-seok, whose heart was pounding, also took out the cavalry sword that was on the side of his horse’s saddle.

And the Posiyet Cossack cavalry squadron, slowly forming ranks and riding their horses, began to advance toward the battlefield filled with gunfire and screams.

Even if only tragedy awaited them in the end, Lieutenant Oh Wan-seok thought that these brave Russians would not care about such things.

Even the demons of Hell would laugh at them, as they fought with lances and shashkas.

***

“How is the battle going?”

“The current situation is so chaotic that it is difficult to make an accurate judgment, but the 4th Guards Regiment has advanced toward the village on the right wing of Heukgyo Station.”

Although the sound of gunfire was still heard, it seemed that the offensive was making some progress.

Although Lieutenant General Asada had a dubious expression, he was able to feel some relief after hearing the additional report from Chief of Staff Colonel Shigemi.

“The enemy seemed to have prepared for our night attack, but due to the complete lack of visibility and the heavy snowfall, we were able to limit the damage to some extent. One company was caught in the enemy’s artillery fire and was annihilated, but the rest of the units entered the village as planned.”

“Is that so? What will the enemy do?”

“The resistance is very fierce. It is clear that they are elite, but as time goes by, the enemy’s firepower and manpower are becoming increasingly inferior. At the intersection where the enemy battalion-level forces are defending, the enemy’s defeat is becoming more and more apparent.”

The remaining enemies will be blocked by the 4th Guards Regiment troops who have been returned as tribute.

The enemy, whose defeat seemed certain, began to fall behind noticeably as their artillery firepower was not being used properly, and now it was time to decide the outcome.

When the enemy’s reserves were not operational, the Guards Division had the best players at its disposal who could turn the situation around.

Although it was certain that the enemy’s artillery would gladly rain down smoke shells on the follow-up units, it would be possible to destroy the enemy’s main force and open the way to Pyongyang even at the cost of such losses.

Compared to such tactical advantages, the lives of the brave soldiers of the Guards Division were cheap.

“Good. Deploy the 3rd Guards Regiment, which was put into reserve, towards the right wing of Heukyo Bridge. Colonel Ohara.”

“Yes, to the left of the division commander.”

“Assemble your men. Gather the loyal sons who will die for His Majesty the Emperor and the Empire of Japan. Let us once again raise the flag of the Empire of Japan in Pyongyang, which we took from the Chinese.”

“Of course, Division Commander. The enemy’s resistance will end by the time the sun rises.”

“Very good. There will be a place for you and the brave soldiers of the 4th Guards Regiment on one side of the Yasukuni Shrine. Please die for His Majesty the Emperor!”

Although the enemy’s resistance was fierce, Lieutenant General Asada judged that he had gained the upper hand and began to gradually deploy the remaining 3rd Regiment troops.

The fresh reserve troops of the 3rd Regiment, commanded by Colonel Ohara, began to march from Gindeung toward Heukgyo Station, and the division staff were already acting as if they had achieved victory.

They were going to definitely cut off the airway of the enemies held by the 4th Regiment.

“Tsk tsk… If you had just surrendered, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Seeing it being torn apart without a trace in the field, I think it may be no different from the time of the invasion of Joseon.”

“Besides, they don’t have Yi Sun-sin or a pastor. They only used cunning tricks to temporarily delay our advance, but in the end, even that was nothing compared to their overwhelming power.”

Watching them desperately reject their fate and die meaninglessly, trying to stand up to them, who had defeated China and were claiming to be the undisputed strongest in Asia, Vice Admiral Asada felt a bit bitter aftertaste.

It’s not even a country worth dying for like a fool.

“Even in a match where the end was certain, they would die for their weak emperor and country.”

“If they had been given 10 years… or even 5 years, they would have been really good opponents.”

The Chief of Staff also stood next to Lieutenant General Asada and watched the enemy’s resistance slowly fading out like a candle in the wind, and spoke words that were half praise, half sarcasm.

And as the last battalion of the 3rd Guards Regiment was leaving Gindeung.

In the distance, something the Guards Division had forgotten was approaching.