Chapter 574 Siege (Twenty-Six)

The horsetail grenade is shaped like a goose egg or a water drop, with one pointed end and the other round. The round end is both the casting port and the ignition port.

It is called a horsetail grenade because there is an extra small pull ring on the side of the pointed end. A hemp rope is attached to the pull ring, which looks like a ponytail.

At this moment, Tamas was holding the grenade body with his left hand and the end of the "horsetail" with his right hand.

He nodded to Peter Bunnier, who skillfully lit the fuse with a flint.

Tamas then stood up from the trench and swung the horsetail grenade over his head three times, just like using a sling, with his arms swung, until the heavy iron lump was full of strength and began to make a whistling sound.

Tamas let go.

The horsetail grenade dragged the hissing fuse, blended into the night, and flew towards the position of the federal province on the high ground.

Before he asked for it, the captain of the first company had already handed him the next grenade.

The horsetail grenade from the Gevaudan Arsenal was an iterative product based on the iron shell grenade that had been improved once.

The original iron shell grenade was equipped with a net bag because it was too heavy and could not be thrown far without the help of a sling-like throwing method.

Winters had used the old grenade many times on the Tanilla Islands and felt that it was inconvenient to carry and use. Sometimes there was no space to stretch his arms on the battlefield, and he often had to throw it with both hands.

When he was in charge, he asked the ordnance department to improve the old grenade.

In accordance with the advice of Mr. Montagne, Bellion reduced the size of the grenade and compensated for the decrease in the amount of powder by making the iron shell thinner.

That's why there was a new grenade that could be thrown by hand during the Battle of the Valley Village.

The horsetail grenade was the "tail" that was cut off from the old grenade, and it was connected back.

Why?

Of course, it was to be able to throw it farther.

Just as Tamas threw the second horsetail grenade toward the breastwork on the high slope, a dull explosion that was different from neither gunfire nor artillery bombardment sounded on the position of the federal province and spread in all directions.

This explosion sounded like opening a closed door and releasing something terrible. The same explosion sounded one after another on the high ground, which shocked both sides of the war, and they didn't know what was going on.

And Tamas had no extra thoughts to evaluate the effect of the horsetail grenade. He swung the hemp rope without distraction, and didn't even have the idea of ​​"throwing the most grenades behind the breastwork in the shortest time" in his mind.

The slingshot-like throwing method made the horsetail grenade very dangerous for both the user and the user.

The window for throwing was only a moment. If it was too late, the grenade would be thrown into the sky, and if it was too early, the grenade would be thrown to your feet. If you delayed too long, you would be directly killed.

Tamas was concentrating on catching the right moment to attack, and the other soldiers in the trench were doing the same thing.

He didn't know how many horsetail grenades he had thrown, but suddenly he found that his hands were empty.

Tamas turned his head to look at the captain of the first company.

Peter Bunnier wiped his face, leaving two black ash lines on his cheekbones.

"The ammunition is used up," Peter Bunnier said.

Tamas grabbed the dagger he found from the enemy, jumped out of the trench without a word, and rushed to the high ground.

Peter Bunnier was shocked and instinctively reached out to grab the battalion commander's clothes, but he grabbed nothing. He opened his mouth and wanted to shout something, but the next second he immediately clenched his teeth and didn't make any sound. He climbed out of the trench with his hands and feet and chased after him.

Seeing this scene, the other soldiers in the trench were stunned at first, then they picked up their weapons and followed the battalion commander and the captain of the first company to rush to the position of the federal province.

There were no whistles, no drums, no shouts of killing, only footsteps and panting. Tamas led his men to the heights in the way of the federal province, "silently".

Behind the breastwork, there was a mess.

The breath of hell filled the federal province's position, and the smoke produced by the dense explosion of horsetail grenades was thicker than the alchemical smoke released by the federal province itself.

A federal province fell beside the breastwork. Although his arms and legs were still on his body, his eyes, nose and ears were all bloody, and there were several expanding red spots on his clothes.

A matchlock leaned weakly against his knees, and a terrifying shrapnel was embedded in the butt.

When the federal province saw Tamas, he thought he was a friendly army. He raised his head with difficulty, and his throat kept making a "gurgling" bubble sound, as if asking Tamas for help.

Looking at the federal province's equally pale and tender face, Tamas vaguely saw Gosha's face.

But Gosha was dead.

Tamas gritted his teeth and thrust his dagger into the chest of the federalist.

Did he end the other's pain? Or did he take his life?

Tamas didn't know, and he didn't care about it anymore.

Before the federalist reinforcements arrived, Tamas led his men to quickly clear the high ground that was pouring lead rain on the small fortifications controlled by his side, and collected the guns and ammunition that could still be used.

Before Tamas and his men turned their guns and fired at the federalists who were attacking their fortifications, the federalists on the river beach had already discovered something unusual and withdrew from the battle.

A small group of federalists quickly regrouped and ran towards Tamas's position.

Tamas immediately abandoned his original plan, and after throwing a few horsetail grenades at the federalists, he led the soldiers to retreat from the high ground from the way they came, and then quickly moved south along the trenches.

Back and forth, one truth and one falsehood, Tamas, a small group of people, actually made the people of the United Provinces spin around, without any obstruction, and easily broke into the small surrounded fortification.

The first and second batch of soldiers who landed on the island, those who are still alive, are all in this Tuweizi.

Reunited on the battlefield, sad and happy at the same time.

A wounded soldier whose right arm was beaten to the point of exposing the stubble, but he didn't scream in pain because he was afraid of upsetting his comrades, cried after seeing Tamas.

Tamas also held back tears.

At this moment, Peter Burnier came over.

"Battal Commander," Peter Bunier's eyes were a little dodgeful at first, but gradually became firm, "You can't be here anymore. While it's quiet now, you can go out from the south and I'll send someone to escort you."

Tamasili ignored the company commander and ordered the others, "Hurry up and count the ammunition, wounded, and who still has horsetail grenades..."

"That's enough!" Peter Bunier stood in front of the old company commander, raising his neck and speaking hard for a rare moment, "Don't worry about this! Just have me here!"

Tamas said nothing, just stared.

Peter Burnier shivered instinctively, but did not move his feet.

A shrill whistle sounded in my ears.

Below the high ground, the people from the United Provinces have regrouped and organized a commando team again. This time their offensive will be launched from both the left and right directions simultaneously.

Above the high ground, two more military flags were raised behind the parapet. It should be that the people from the United Provinces from other directions were dropped and made up for the position here.

Now, even if I want to leave, it's too late.

Tamas patted the shoulder of the company commander and walked towards the wall.

Peter Bunier wiped his tears and followed step by step.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Dong dong dong dong!"

The rhythmic sound of military drums sounded on the battlefield, and Tamas finally heard the voices of the people from the United Provinces - not the kind of screams and moans, but human voices.

“We’re Ned Smith’s black troops, hi hoo hoo hoo;

“We will eradicate tyranny, hi ya hoo hoo;

"Spear forward! Forward forward forward!

"The red rooster stood on the monastery..."

A vague chorus came from the Federalist positions.

"They also sing this song now?" Tamas frowned.

"Huh?" Peter Burnier was panicked, "You ask me?"

The Union Army's military song soon ended, and the Union Provincialists launched another attack.

Tamas tightened his grip on the dagger in his hand.

Just then, gunfire rang out.

Not from the front, but from the back.

A series of firelights lit up on the river behind, and the lead bullets passed through the water fence and flew towards the Union Provincialists on the river beach, mercilessly harvesting the lives of the Union Provincialists walking away.

Then another string, and another string...

"It's a ship!" A soldier shouted, "A ship is coming!"

It was as if a thousand pounds of weight were suddenly lifted from Tamas's shoulders.

He first felt dizzy, and blood rushed to his head, making him a little unsteady.

"Lannis is here," Tamas muttered to himself. He looked around at his warriors and announced with relief, "Captain Lannis is here! Our mission is accomplished!"

Seven large ships emerged in the dark night one after another, sailing around the "blocking posts". The musketeers on the ships fired deadly lead bullets at the Confederate people on the river beach.

The people of the United Provinces obviously did not expect this incident, and they fled in all directions. The attack they finally organized collapsed again.

In Tuweizi, the soldiers of Tiefeng County regiment saw this scene and let out loud cheers and shouts.

Some soldiers jumped directly onto the wall, yelled and beat their chests towards the high ground where the United Provinces people were, but they were immediately pulled down by the battalion commander himself.

"I'm going to find an axe," Peter Burnier said as he wiped his tears. "I'm going to open the 'horse stop' and bring in the people from the fifth battalion."

"No need," Tamas smiled and shook his head. "The fleet coming to support us means that Lannis has arrived ashore."

As soon as he finished speaking, an earth-shaking loud noise came from Margit Island.

…

[Temporary command post of Lodewijk Division]

"What's going on?" Lieutenant Colonel William Lodwyk asked.

…

[Artillery emplacement of Montecuccoli]

"What?" Raymond Montecuccoli was horrified, "Domoncos Monastery is lost?"

…

[East side of Margit Island]

Captain Leyden, who had just landed, suddenly found that the situation on the island had become very bad.

The killings in Domencos Monastery were loud, and fierce fighting broke out in the direction of the Bishop's Castle. His troops were isolated and helpless, and he knew nothing about what was happening to the south.

Withdraw? Is it a war?

After thinking twice, Captain Leyden gritted his teeth:

"Contact Lieutenant Colonel Lodewijk - let's go to Bishop's Castle!"

…

[Small fortification at the southern end of Margit Island]

Among the people cheering, celebrating, hugging each other and crying, Peter Burnier was the first to notice something strange in the direction of the pontoon.

"Battal Commander, the floating bridge," Peter Bunier rubbed his eyes vigorously to make sure he saw it correctly. He pointed to the river and said to the old company commander in confusion, "It seems to be on fire..."

Tamas sprinted to the wall.

I saw that the front end of the pontoon bridge extending to the center of the river had been engulfed in fire.

The unfinished floating bridge now looks like a large torch across the Ten Arrows River.

The firelight illuminated the surface of the river and revealed the shape of a monster.

That's a ship.

A warship.

It is not a warship converted from a barge like the one in the hands of the Tiefeng County Regiment, but a real warship.

Tamas had never seen such a big ship. In front of it, the seven warships in Tiefeng County were like seven children.

"Get back! Get back quickly!" Tamas ran out of the wall and shouted anxiously, "Send the signal quickly! Let the fleet withdraw!"

Without warning from friendly forces on the shore, the New Army sailors on the river had already discovered the enemy warships.

The formation of seven barges immediately dispersed, and the oars of each ship were beating the water desperately, trying to change direction.

However, the enemy's warships had more, longer, and more advantageous oars, like two wings, flapping up and down, quickly closing the distance with the new army's warships.

Then it moved across the hull and opened the gun doors.

…

[a few days later]

[Somewhere on Hurd Heath]

[By the Jinliu River]

"I'm sorry, Colonel Gaspar, I can't see you until the end." Winters leaned over and apologized to Gaspar. He introduced the dark-faced Hurd man behind him, "This is Kuoshi from the Red River Department." Hutch, he will ensure your safe return to Jiangbei Province."

"You don't have to be so polite, Captain Montagne, you have already helped us a lot," Gaspar returned the favor politely, with a complicated smile on his face, "Maybe this time we say goodbye, we will never see each other again. There is no chance to meet. But as long as I am alive, I will always owe you a favor."

Winters said no more polite words and just nodded.

"Maybe you don't mind telling me?" Gaspar was a little curious, "What exactly made you change your original plan?"

"I just received the urgent letter," Winters twitched the corner of his mouth, and his eyes followed the rolling Ember River, extending towards the direction of the King's Castle, "The situation has changed."

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