"What to do? How do I know what to do?" Zhang Zhu stared at blood-red eyes, wishing to swallow these Portuguese ships in one bite. "The only way now is to speed up, catch up with the Portuguese ships, and wipe them out completely. It's not in vain for the sacrifice made by the Cangshan Ship for us."
At the entrance of the waterway, the soldiers of the Ming army on the Cangshan ship had already stepped off the deck and hid in the cabin. They used all the shelters they could cover to avoid the solid bullets fired on the Portuguese ship.
Seeing the Portuguese ship getting closer, the soldiers and sailors fired flintlocks. This was the only weapon they could fight against.
Although it was hit back and forth by the Portuguese naval guns, all the Portuguese naval guns fired were exploded rounds. The Cangshan ship had not sunk yet, and the entrance to the waterway was still blocked.
Guangzhou Ship chased after, and Fu Ship gradually caught up. The main force of the Portuguese fleet blocked outside the waterway was more anxious than Zhang Zhu. Once they were overtaken by the main force of the Ming fleet, they would have no reason to survive.
Time is the most precious to both the Ming army and the Portuguese army.
With a distance of five hundred steps from the Cangshan ship, the Fu ship caught up with the Portuguese ship. Now the distance between the two sides is too close, and the artillery has lost its effect. The Ming army used flintlocks, rockets, and gunpowder arrows. The soldiers also used the muskets prepared on their ships, and the two sides were almost fighting on land.
The distance between the ships is getting closer and closer. There will be no hand-to-hand combat between the two civilized fleets. Close combat is compared to the will, musket, and number of the two sides.
More importantly, the Cantonese ship of the Ming army also swept over from the side and rear, and was about to join the battle group.
The Cangshan ship blocked, the Fu ship fought close, and the Guangzhou ship reinforced.
The ships of the Ming Army gave full play to their respective advantages, and the Portuguese ships in the waterway could not get out of the waterway for a while. Even if they could break through the obstruction of the Cangshan ship and come to the open sea, they would just make the dumpling meat bigger .
The Portuguese ship and the Fu ship were entangled, and the speed of the ship slowed down. This gave Guangzhou Shipbuilding time to pursue it. After half an hour, Guangzhou Shipbuilding also joined the encirclement and annihilation of the Portuguese ships.
Compared with the number of artillery, the number of soldiers of the Ming army is more obvious, and the Portuguese soldiers suffered the most tragic casualties since the naval battle.
The entrance to the waterway was still the Cangshan boat of the Ming army, and there was no way out.
At the last moment before entering the waterway, more than twenty Portuguese ships lost their escape route and the courage to continue fighting. In desperation, they played the white flag.
The Portuguese ships in the waterway saw that their main fleet could no longer return to their home port, so they had to surrender to the Ming army and had to abandon the Ming army’s Cangshan ship and retreat to their home port.
The Portuguese-Portuguese battle that took place in the northeastern waters of Temasek caused the main force of the Portuguese South Seas Navy to be completely lost. From then on, they never dared to appear in the outer waters of the waterway. They could only shrink the port in the waterway and rely on shore artillery. protection.
However, the South China Sea Fleet of the Ming Army captured the Portuguese capital ships, navy soldiers, and sailors without much damage, and took the initiative of the war in its own hands in one fell swoop.
Zheng Zhilong achieved his first goal, using a small fleet to attract the main force of the Portuguese fleet to the open sea, and then concentrate on annihilating it. Now the remaining Portuguese naval ships no longer dare to go to sea and can only shrink in the port.
However, the South China Sea Fleet was anchored in the open sea for a long time, and the soldiers could not fully rest. Zheng Zhilong drove the fleet to the old port to anchor, and was ready to fight the Portuguese for a long time.
The old port was in the southeastern part of Sumutuchi Island (now Sumatra Island). It was once a supply base and one of the important trading bases for Zheng He's voyages. There are ready-made docks available.
After the Portuguese occupied the Malacca waterway, they once occupied the old port. Zheng Zhilong's South China Sea Fleet came to Melaka. The Portuguese gathered all the ships. This temporarily became the airport, which happened to be the temporary home port of the South China Sea Fleet.
By the time the fleet arrived at the old port, it was already evening. Zheng Zhilong arranged for the ship to dock and contacted the transport ships behind. The next war should be mainly land warfare, and the Marine Corps was the main force on the battlefield.
The old port is not Zheng Zhilong's main target. The Portuguese mainly stayed at Mancga on the north side of the Malacca Waterway, where Zheng Zhilong had been watching.
Manchuka was once one of the friendliest countries in Ming Dynasty. When Zheng He sailed to the West, he established a permanent trading and military base in Malacca City. After he left, soldiers were stationed there. After Zheng He died in the Kingdom of Guri, Daming's fleet gradually abolished, but soldiers have been stationed in Malacca City.
It wasn't until the sixth year of Ming Zhengde (AD 1511) that the Portuguese captured Manchuria, and Da Ming officially lost the base of Malacca City.
The soldiers rested in the old port all night. After dawn, Zheng Zhilong personally led 20 Cantonese ships, 30 Fu ships, 40 Cangshan ships, and several transport ships, all the way to the north, on Shitang Island (now Natu South of the Navarre Islands), turning to the west, approaching the sea off Temasek.
Temasek Island guards the eastern exit of the Malacca Waterway. It is an island in the northern part of the waterway. It is across the Johor Waterway from Manchukya. Fishermen originally settled on Temasek Island. However, after the Portuguese came, they massacred the fishermen on the island. A few survivors crossed the sea and fled to Manchuga.
The current Temasek Island is purely a military port for the Portuguese, and forts have been built on the island.
Zheng Zhilong sent ten Cantonese ships to destroy the shore artillery on the island with naval guns and clear obstacles for the Marines to land on the island.
The range and caliber of shore artillery must surpass that of naval artillery. Using naval artillery to deal with shore artillery is definitely not effective. Zheng Zhilong gritted his teeth. For the Malacca waterway, he really couldn't care about these sacrifices.
Ten Cantonese ships slowly sailed towards Temasek Island. Zheng Zhilong was also disturbed by the flagship "South China Sea". It was an unfair war with naval guns to shore guns, but wars have always been this way. How can there be absolutely fair wars
All previous wars of the South China Sea Fleet were based on the superiority in numbers and firepower, and the absolute superiority. However, this time, the form has changed, and the South China Sea Fleet has become the absolutely inferior party.
Zheng Zhilong had calculated in his mind that if the loss is to be counted, it should not be too great. In case the loss is too large, he will immediately order to stop the attack and think of another strategy.
Zheng Zhilong, who commanded the flagship behind him, fell short of his vision this time. Guangzhou Ship had already entered the range of the shore artillery, but the shore artillery was silent and no Portuguese soldiers could be seen nearby.
"Is he going to close for a fight?" Zheng Zhilong asked himself again and again. Guangzhou Shipyard's speed is relatively slow. If he is brought close for a fight, it will be difficult to withdraw once the situation is unfavorable.
Zheng Zhilong still didn't give up, but the Portuguese was too weird, and there was no movement at all, "Is it an empty city? Which one did the Portuguese sing?" He was about to order the Guangzhou Ship to withdraw.
"Boom... Long..."
"Boom... Long..."
"Boom... Long..."
…
The gun was fired from a wide ship. Although it had not yet entered the range of the naval gun, the naval gun began to test the water, and then adjusted the range and direction according to the drop point of the bomb.
"These idiots, are you trying to remind the Portuguese?" Zheng Zhilong cursed in a low voice. Now that Guangzhou Shipyard has started shooting, he is going to look at the situation on the battlefield first. Maybe Guangzhou Shipyard takes advantage of the number of artillery to win the shore artillery. Maybe this is what Zheng Zhilong looks forward to most.
The naval gun has begun to fire, and now it is impossible to take it back.
The blooming bombs all fell into the water. A few blooming bombs fell on the shallow water near the embankment, stirring up a huge water column, flying into the air with mud, and smashing the water.
The shore artillery still did not move. It seemed that the sound of the artillery could not wake up the sleeping Portuguese soldiers.
"Commander, why can't I see the Portuguese soldiers?" The observers have been watching carefully. Not only the shore artillery did not respond, there were no soldiers near the shore artillery. If the shore artillery fired artillery shells, there must be a bomb transporter, a loader, and a lighter. The number of signalers, calibrators, messengers, and commanding officers will certainly not be small, but he hasn't seen anything.
"You mean, the Portuguese gave up Temasek?" Zheng Zhilong also found it strange. For such an important island, did the Portuguese leave without firing a shot
"Commander, they might have really escaped."
"Wait first to see what happens after the artillery fire is extended." Zheng Zhilong has decided that if the Portuguese adopts the strategy of getting closer, he will increase the number of ships attacked. The Guangzhou ship in front has already entered the range of the naval gun. It is the best time to play the naval gun.
The Canton Ship continued to extend its artillery fire, and the bombardment was already close to the shore artillery on land, but the shore artillery was still solitary looking down at the ship, as calm as ever, like a graceful and reserved lady.
"There should be no Portuguese on the island, and the transport ship is ready to let the soldiers of the Marine Corps land on the island." Zheng Zhilong basically confirmed the fact that to this point, the Portuguese had not fired back artillery fire. Could it be that the Ming army blew up the shore? Fight back after the gun
If there were Portuguese soldiers on the island, it would not be good for them to bring the Ming army close to this level before firing.
The shore gun has a long range. If the gun is fired earlier, the naval gun has not yet entered the range at this time, and the ship is the target of the shore gun. The gun is fired at such a close place. It has entered the range of the naval gun, and now it is mutual firing. The loss may be greater, but the naval guns are constantly being replenished, while the shore guns are fixed on the ground, and one shot will be lost if one blows up, and it cannot be replenished in a short time.
There must be no Portuguese soldiers on the shore.
Under Zheng Zhilong's command, several transport ships began to dock, and the soldiers of the Marine Corps began to grab the beach under the cover of naval guns.
Until the soldiers of the Marine Corps boarded the land and occupied the shore artillery, no artillery was put on the shore.
It turned out that the Portuguese believed that Temasek was an isolated island and it was difficult to hold on to it. Now Portugal has lost the dominance of the sea. Once the Ming army landed in Temasek, the soldiers on the island would lose their way of retreat, so the soldiers on the island were evacuated in advance.
Zheng Zhilong boarded Temasek safely without a single soldier. Now he has entered the Malacca Waterway and officially choked the eastern exit of the waterway.
This is just the beginning. To fully control the waterways, we must also seize the strongholds on both sides of the waterways and expel the Portuguese.