Chapter 301: Sweet Port Turbulence — Battle of Chrysanthemum Islets (Part 1)
Why starboard and not port? The question was meaningless. Le Lin had served in the Navy for months now, and he understood the fundamental military principle of obeying orders without delay.
"Aim directly at the hulls," Xi Yazhou said, a note of regret in his voice. "Pity we don't have explosive shells; otherwise, one hit would suffice to sink a ship."
"We could use hot shot," Le Lin suggested.
The so-called "incendiary shot" was nothing so exotic as napalm, white phosphorus, or thermite—merely a solid iron ball heated until it glowed cherry-red. This ammunition could prove quite effective, but gunners had to handle it with extreme caution. Consequently, neither Army nor Navy artillerymen particularly relished using it.
"Alright, use hot shot."
The ship's twelve-pounder cannons were one of four standard artillery pieces recently manufactured by the Industrial Department based on Lin Shenhe's proposal. They were copies of the American M1857 twelve-pounder Napoleon. Although smoothbore, with a standard 1.13 kg powder charge, they could accurately project a standard twelve-pound shot to 1,480 meters at five-degree elevation—and a staggering 1,911 meters at ten degrees. Despite being smoothbore, their accuracy was quite respectable for the era. Both sides in the American Civil War had employed them extensively.
Their only drawback was weight—nearly half a ton. But mounted on a ship's deck to bombard maritime targets, this presented no issue. To facilitate naval gunnery, the four cannons were mounted on battery carriages fixed to simple turntables, utilizing recoil friction for resetting.
The nearest enemy ship to starboard was less than one nautical mile distant. With the M1857's range, the enemy sat well within effective distance, yet Xi Yazhou withheld the order to fire.
His plan was to ensure a devastating first strike. The Great Whale had to hold out for at least twenty minutes before Squadron A could arrive. Thus, the opening salvo had to score hits and inflict massive casualties; otherwise, a grueling struggle would ensue.
Even if the M1857 surpassed old-fashioned smoothbores in power and accuracy, ensuring precision required closing the range to within 400 meters.
Ten minutes elapsed. Everyone waited. The gun captains monitored the iron balls in the heating furnace. Behind the sandbag barricades, marines peered out through firing ports. The pirate ships drew ever nearer.
Xi Yazhou donned an M80 steel helmet but declined the stab-proof vest; wearing that on deck would invite lethal heatstroke. He observed the enemy's movements closely through his telescope. As he had anticipated, the three ships on the right were advancing faster, while the four on the left lagged behind.
At last, the nearest ship closed to within 400 meters.
"Deck and gun crews, attention!" he called out.
Footsteps shuffled briefly across the ship, then silence returned.
"Commence firing! Target: three o'clock."
The command was immediately relayed. The straw mats covering the gun positions were swiftly thrown aside, and the sandbags obstructing the field of fire were heaved into the sea, revealing four dark cast-iron cannon barrels.
"Range: two cables!" the rangefinder operator called out.
Le Lin hastily corrected: "Target three o'clock! Range 360 meters!"
"Target 360 meters, load one hot shot!"
Gunners rapidly placed a wet clay wad over the powder charge already in the bore. Then, wielding iron tongs, a gunner carefully plucked a red-hot iron ball from the furnace. Two gunners employed an iron carrier to hoist the searing ball and load it into the muzzle.
"Fire!" Le Lin shouted.
The four cannons fired in sequence with practiced rhythm. The deck was instantly shrouded in pale smoke.
"Damn it!" Xi Yazhou cursed. The smoke from black powder was truly infuriating. When would they finally obtain smokeless powder?
Only after the breeze cleared the smoke could Xi Yazhou observe the effect: the lead single-masted ship had been struck above the waterline and was emitting black smoke. Men on its deck frantically drew water to douse the flames.
Though effective, it wasn't an "instant kill." Xi Yazhou was somewhat disappointed.
At that moment, white smoke rose from the three ships approaching head-on, followed by the boom of cannons. But their hastily aimed shots fell into the sea well short of the Great Whale. Xi Yazhou recognized that the enemy's artillery was feeble; without closing to fifty meters, they were practically useless.
In the next volley, a hot shot punched through a sail and arced into the sea. The enemy sail ignited, swiftly transforming into a torch. Another shot swept across the quarterdeck, flattening the entire aft sail arrangement and tearing the dozen men clustered there into charred, broken pieces.
"Excellent! Superb hit!" Xi Yazhou's excitement was palpable. "Continue firing hot shot!"
But they had exhausted the supply. Le Lin ordered a switch to solid shot.
The distance closed to 200 meters. At this range, the twelve-pounders were nearly unerring. The lead starboard ship was completely paralyzed—raging fire consuming its stern, its deck strewn with mangled corpses.
Smoke from the cannon fire shrouded the deck. As a gust of wind swept it clear, Le Lin nearly screamed—one of the port-side single-masted ships had closed to within fifty meters. Bare-chested pirates, murderous with double-headed spears, sabers, and bamboo pikes, glared with bloodshot eyes, poised to leap aboard.
At the marine platoon leader's command, the marines opened fire. With a disciplined volley, the pirates massed on deck fell like wheat before a scythe.
Simultaneously, the four cannons discharged a beautiful broadside. Four hits out of four. The twelve-pound iron balls tore a massive hole in the waterline of a twin-masted ship. It began to founder.
A cheer rose from the deck. "One sunk, one ablaze," Le Lin reported.
"Good. Continue firing. Switch to canister!"
The twelve-pounder canister shot began to sweep the pirate decks. Each discharge sprayed sixty-eight iron balls, scouring the enemy decks like a hailstorm. The last ship on the starboard side fell silent after a single broadside; no moving figures remained on deck.
The threat from starboard was largely neutralized, but the three Gu family ships had reached the Great Whale. They pounced, twelve bow-mounted cannons firing simultaneously.
The Great Whale was hit. A shot struck the foremast, bringing the sail down in a chaotic heap. Howls of triumph erupted from the enemy ships.
The duel continued for ten minutes. The Great Whale sustained its first fatalities: an iron ball penetrated a sandbag wall, instantly killing three marines and a gunner.
"Take cover!" Xi Yazhou shouted. Suddenly his head jolted—a stone projectile had glanced off his helmet.
The pirate ships attacked with every available weapon. Bird-guns crackled; stone balls, iron shot, lead slugs, arrows, javelins, and torches rained down. Xi Yazhou was nearly struck several times; for a split second, his calves trembled. But believing in his "protagonist's halo," he stood firm upon the sterncastle, issuing orders calmly.
"Where is Squadron A?" He appeared composed but was panicking within.
Casualties increased. The dead and wounded were conveyed to the lower deck. Sailors scattered sand over the blood-slicked deck.
"Fire!"
"Double canister!"
"Fire on the mizzenmast, damage control team!"
The shouts of sailors, accompanied by the roar of guns and enemy screams, gave Le Lin a thrill both terrifying and exhilarating. Waving a pistol in one hand and a naval saber in the other, he shouted incessantly in Cantonese.
The Great Whale, blazing with gunfire and wreathed in smoke, moved slowly like a fire-breathing dragon across the sea.
Suddenly, Xi Yazhou noticed the enemy ships turning. Squadron A must have arrived! Through a gap in the smoke, two trawlers approached at full speed, naval ensigns flying.
"Finally!" he muttered.
The arrival of the two trawlers ended the battle instantly. Gu Dachun, though shocked by the Great Whale's firepower, had placed his faith in superior numbers. But these two mastless, oarless fast ships told him whom he faced.
The Australians who had defeated Liu Xiang and Zhu Cailao! No wonder their firepower was so terrifying!
"Quick, signal the retreat!" Gu Dachun's face was ashen.
The direction of escape required no instruction. For years, whenever a raid went awry, they fled into the Chrysanthemum Islets. Once past Cat's Leap Pass, they were safe.
Gu's three ships turned first. The remaining vessels followed suit.
On the sea, two drifting hulks and one blazing vessel remained behind. The wails and curses of abandoned pirates drifted on the wind.
(End of Chapter)