Chapter 84 Eighty-three, Sichuan campaign

The military situation of the Sichuan side of the National Defense Army, according to the initial plan, is that the commander-in-chief of the first army, Cai E, led the two echelons of Zhao Youxin and Gu Pinzhen, and left Yongding to take Luzhou as the main army in the middle; Liu Yunfeng, the commander of the first echelon, led Deng Taizhong, Yang Zhen's two detachments left Zhaotong to take Xufu as the left wing.Later, because Guizhou declared independence, Dai Kan, in the name of the right-wing commander-in-chief of the Yunnan-Guizhou National Defense Army, led the Xiong Qixun regiment of the Guizhou army, and Yin Chengxian led the Huafengge detachment to assist, and went out of Songkan to attack Qijiang and ruled Chongqing as the right wing.

The two detachments of the first echelon regiment of the left wing of the National Defense Army started in the 4th year of the Republic of China. On January 16th, 5th year, they arrived at Xinyang, which borders Yunnan and Sichuan. The ground was already defended by Yuan Jun's Sichuan Army. On the 17th, they entered Yanzipo. Yuan Jun lined up against the mountain. The momentum is like a broken bamboo, from Huangpo'er, Fenglaichang to Pengyin village are all occupied. On the 18th, Hengjiang was completely occupied. On the 19th, the first detachment stood on the right bank of the Jinsha River and used cannons to contain the enemy. The second detachment crossed the river through Luodong and attacked from behind the mountain. Yuan Jun abandoned Baicun River and retreated to Syria, and the National Defense Army entered the Baishu River. The Yuan Army defending Syria collapsed.When Yuan Shikai heard about the earthquake, he ordered Wu Xiangzhen to be the guardian envoy of southern Sichuan, and ordered him to commit crimes and make meritorious service.General Chen Huan of Sichuan dispatched troops to counterattack Syria in four ways: one ordered Wu Xiangzhen to lead his troops to attack the north of Syria from Ziliujing; one ordered Feng Yuxiang's troops to attack the east of Syria from Luzhou; Qianwei attacked the west of Syria; one from Luzhou divided his troops and the other went around Gaogong to harass the south of Syria. On January 29, Ma Xinpei, Commander of the Second Battalion of the Deng Detachment of the National Defense Army, and Yuan Jun, a major player in Ziliujing, fought at Dou Niu Yan near the Zongchang. On the 31st, Yang Zhen led a large platoon of troops to help the battle. Their morale was greatly boosted, and they risked their lives to fight. Yuan Jun retreated to Ziliujing.The National Defense Army captured two cannons, killed and wounded more than 400 enemy soldiers, captured dozens of them alive, and piled up more than an inch of shell casings in the position.The national defense army took advantage of the victory to pursue, and the battle ended in the afternoon.On the same day, Tian Zhonggu, the battalion commander of the Yang Detachment, also fought with Yuan Jun, a major player in Huzhou, in Baisha Field. Yuan Jun occupied Longtoushan and fired several cannons and dozens of machine guns. Chang Lingbang may also be seriously injured, and the rest of the officers and soldiers also suffered heavy casualties, but they still resisted with all their strength.Yang Zhen led the team to arrive from the Zongchang, and ordered the engineering battalion to attack the front and left flank.In the middle of the night, the Li camp of Deng's army also arrived, and joined forces to besiege Yuan Jun's left wing. They fought fiercely for three days and nights, killing one Yuan Jun's battalion commander, three company commanders, and hundreds of soldiers;The national defense army pursued vigorously, and Yuan Jun threw himself into the river and drowned many people. He captured more than a hundred guns and bullets, and captured more than a hundred people.Feng Jun fled to Mazuzi, Jiang'an, and was intercepted by the Liu Boxin Detachment under Liu Cunhou, the commander-in-chief of the Sichuan National Defense Army. Hundreds of people.The Han army under Zhu Deng's five divisions was divided into Pingshan, Gutongpian, and Liangshuijing, all of which were blocked by the national defense army.Part of the troops divided from Pingshan invaded Baishuxi, and were repelled by the National Defense Army. On the morning of February 4, Yuan Jun gathered the two battalions of the Sichuan Army and the Sixth Company of the Northern Army to attack the Zongchang. On the evening of the 4th, the National Defense Army attacked in the rain, and Yuan Jun ran away. More than a hundred people were killed, and the wounded were not counted. They captured two cannons, a machine gun, more than 40 ammunition, and five camel guns and mules. On the evening of the 6th, a regiment of Yuan's army and two battalions of Chen Huan's pro-army entered the city of Peeping Xu from Qianwei's Niuxichang.A small part of the national defense army held each other against danger, and most of them surrounded the enemy in formation. The national defense army was surrounded by surprise.It was seven or eight days and nights before and after the battle. The national defense army had only one echelon regiment, with five battalions in total. The three-way Yuan army counted two brigades and several battalions.Seeing that the three routes had been defeated, Yuan Jun detoured back to Luzhou, and Chen Huan's plan to discuss the fourth route failed.

The Central Road Command set off from Kunming on January 14, 5, and Dong Hongxun, the third team leader of the front, arrived in Bijie on January 26. Liu Cunhou, the second division commander of the Sichuan Army, sent two officers under his command to contact Dong to discuss the response measures. As soon as the national defense army entered the territory of Shu, they pretended to confront Liu Jun. Liu Jun feigned defeat, and the national defense army chased after them and arrived at Luzhou. On the 30th, the National Defense Army set off from Chishui River and met Liu Jun at Xueshan Pass. They arrived in Yongning on the 31st and Naxi on February 4th as previously agreed. It was detained by Liu, the governor of Bijie County, and transferred to Sichuan General Chen Huan. Chen sent troops stationed in northern Sichuan to Luzhou for defense. On February 5th, the Liu Division and the National Defense Army joined forces to attack Lu. Liu Jun attacked the front of Lantianba from the main road, and the National Defense Army detoured to Shuanghechang, Niubeishi, Nanshou Mountain and other places to attack the side of Lantianba. The battle lasted until the 6th. At 7 o'clock in the morning, Yuan's army was defeated. On the 7th, Dong's detachment sent Qihuohui to the west of Lantian Rock, Moon Rock, etc., and handed over to Chen Limen, the head of the Liu Army, to garrison. Dalongshan, Luohanchang and other places are used to hold the back of Lucheng. On the morning of the 8th, after crossing the river for two miles, he met Yuan Jun.The national defense army attacked head-on, charged forward and captured Dalongshan.Yuan Jun retreated to the highland on the right side of the mountain.Dong Hongquan, deputy commander of the Second Battalion, led his troops to detour to attack, and Yuan Jun was defeated and retreated into the Arhat field. Attacked Luohanchang on the 9th. At 5:00 p.m., Yuan's army retreated without support and occupied the small city.Unexpectedly, the guard Lu Yuan's submerged division crossed the river and came to attack Moon Rock. The defenders were caught off guard and retreated at the same rate. Chen Limen, the commander of the Liu Army, committed suicide in great anger.When Zhao Zhongqiti, the head of the regiment, arrived at Naxi, he led his guard company and machine guns to help Lantianba when he heard the report. On the morning of the 10th, together with the Second Battalion of Liu Jun's Engineers, they entered Moon Rock, but Liu Jun suddenly retreated, and the National Defense Army also retreated back to Naxi.Liu Jun retreated to Jiang'an.Dong's detachment heard that Moon Rock and Lantianba had fallen, so they also returned to the army for recovery. At dawn on the 12th, they began to attack Lantianba, Moon Rock and other places. The enemy all crossed the river to resist. They held a stalemate for a day. On the evening of the 13th, He Detachment arrived at Naxi. On the 14th, the two detachments jointly attacked Shuanghechang. Dong Hongquan, the deputy commander of the battalion, swung his troops forward in Fuchuang. Yuan Jun was defeated. On the 20th and 21st, they attacked Yuan Jun's right wing from Shuanghechang. On the 22nd, they attacked the cotton ridge sideways, and on the 23rd and 24th, they switched from attacking to defending, hoping to recover from fatigue.Luo Peijin, chief of the general staff of the National Defense Army, Zhao Youxin, and Gu Pinzhen, the commanders of the ladder, went to the front line to supervise the battle every day; Cai E also went to Naxi from Yongning to command the front enemy on the 23rd. Share joys and sorrows. On the 28th, the National Defense Army arrived with the Jin and Ma Battalions and resumed its attack. The main attack was Zhu De, Jin Handing and a certain three detachments attacking Yuan Jun's flanks; Wang Bingjun and Lu Guofan's two detachments attacked the enemy's front as an assist.The battle line stretches from the Dajiang River on the left to the Yongning River on the right, stretching for more than 20 miles.Yuan Jun set up defenses based on danger, and there were as many skirmishers as the third line.The National Defense Army fought hand-to-hand in the trenches several times, but the left-wing army fell to the Syrian government on March 2.The left wing was defeated, and the middle road was reorganized due to recuperation of troops, and the whole team left Nacheng in the middle of the night on the 6th; the commander-in-chief moved to Dazhou Station; Strengthen the position to defend Xiben Road; Jin Detachment moved to Baijietan Drumming Field, under the command of Luo Peijin; He Detachment Liu Junshu Detachment moved to the ancient Song Dynasty, guarding Xuzhou and Jiang'an, and provided assistance to Syria; Zhu Detachment reorganized and waited for the rear army .

The battle against Yuan by the National Defense Army can fully prove that victory is not just based on military strength, financial resources and weapons. As long as justice is in our hands and the division is strong, we will win the final victory.Cai E's army has no food, no food, no clothes, and Cai is the only one who goes around calling for loans and borrowing from local people at high interest rates. Day by day, this kind of war cannot be fought from a modern point of view, but Cai and other heroes who defended the country played very well. When Yuan Jun entered Sichuan in a large scale, the two armies confronted each other, with a battle line as long as 200 li. across the river.Yuan Jun and Xiong Xiangsheng's brigade first returned to Luzhou. On February 21, Yuan broke the rules and made Xiong a second-class baron to encourage him.From late February to early March, the Huguo Army and Yuan Guo fought fiercely for 29 and a half days. Yuan Jun Zhang Jingyao's 9,000 soldiers were beaten by the Huguo Army to only 5,000 soldiers. Yuan Jun was so frightened that he hid in the trenches. Don't dare to attack.Because the national defense army has very limited salaries and equipment, they dare not spend too much. Therefore, they can only "take multiple suspects to divide the enemy's situation. When there is a gap, we will attack it separately" (Cai's telegram to Tang) .

After the National Defense Army withdrew from Luzhou, the shortage of ammunition became even worse. There were only 200 shells left in the army. Cai urgently called Tang Jiyao, please send 3,000 shells as soon as possible, and each gun fired 300 more bullets to meet the urgent needs of the front line.But Yunnan was unable to help.Soon after, Wang Ruxian's Brigade, the Eighth Division of Yuan Jun's supplementary force arrived, and the situation became even more critical. Cai sent Tang a telegram saying: "The enemy can rest more, but we will stay around the clock. The enemy's energy sources increase, and I will have no time to look after."

On March 7, Liu Cunhou of the Sichuan Army did not retreat at first, and the whole line of the National Defense Army was affected. Cai still gritted his teeth and insisted on holding on to the position. Tears exit Naxi. Yuan Jun and Feng Yuxiang's brigade first attacked Naxi.Feng Yuxiang wanted to withdraw his troops to Shaanxi, but he hadn't acted yet. It happened that Xiong Xiangsheng's brigade captured Luzhou, so his brigade moved from Neijiang to the front line. enter. On March 7, Yuan made Feng Yuxiang a third-class baron again, and praised Feng in the policy order: "loyalty, courage and hard work are extremely commendable." On the same day, Zhang Jingyao was awarded three honors and the title of army general. Wu Xintian and Wu Xintian were all promoted to lieutenant general of the army, and Liu Xiang, head of Xiong Xiangsheng's department, also received five honors and major general of the army.

This period can be regarded as the bleakest period for the National Defense Army. At the same time that Yuan Jun captured Naxi, the right wing army of the National Defense Army withdrew from Qijiang, Guangxi's Long Jinguang Army captured Poai, and Hunan's Yuan Army and Zhou Wenbing's division on March 13 Japan captured Mayang. Yuan received all the good news at this time, and what excited him the most was that Yang Qiyuan, the commander of the Sichuan Army, called from Ningyuan saying: On February 13, he led his troops to smuggle across the Jinsha River. .Yuan issued an order and praised him: "Successful victory, penetrating deep into the border of Yunnan, occupying key points, and unparalleled bravery." He was awarded five honors.

This was Yuan's most proud period after Hong Xian proclaimed himself emperor, and it can also be said to be the period of Yuan Huiguang's reflection. The news of Yuan Jun's success was frequent, and Emperor Yuan's mood was lifted. In order to encourage the morale of the front, Yuan's government purchased a large amount of corned beef, bacon, canned food, Shaoxing wine, colorful satin, tribute silk, gold and silver utensils, clocks, clothes and hats, and swords , antiques, calligraphy and paintings, stele stickers, photos, porcelain, etc. were transported to the front line to comfort the soldiers respectively, and the first to fifth class Honorary Star Medals were given to the generals who made meritorious service. , 500 yuan, 250 yuan.At the same time, 6% domestic government bonds in the first year of Hong Xian were issued to cover war expenses.

After the National Defense Army withdrew from Naxi, Yuan Jun did not have the courage to pursue it, so the National Defense Army only went through ten days of rectification, and then began to counterattack on March 17.Within a few days, the National Defense Army recaptured counties such as Jiang'an, Nanchuan, Naxi, Pengshui, and Qijiang.Zhang Jingyao fled back to Luzhou with his head in his arms. Zhang was Yuan's best friend when he proclaimed himself emperor. He worked hard for Yuan, and it was his seventh division who ravaged the people the most.Cai E once wrote a letter condemning Zhang Jingyao, saying: "Before the imperial system was established, the people were slaughtered first. How can we call ourselves a country? Meizi alone is a crime that cannot be killed. Besides, if you abuse my compatriots, people will not eat your flesh."

Cai E also sent a telegram publicly, describing Yuan Jun's various atrocities: Telegram 1: (above omitted) Thousands of rebel troops occupied Youluoping, after days of heavy beatings by our army, they gradually collapsed, and the rest of them could not hide.In the middle of the night on the 7th, most of the people in Youluoping suddenly crossed the river one after another. Baozheng, the head of the regiment, was also among them. According to his dictation: After the northern army occupied Youluoping, they plundered wantonly at 12 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and loaded twenty-seven ships with their belongings. Each boat can hold a hundred people, and it goes to Qijiang via Sanxi.And the rebellious army raped wantonly, and dozens of women died when they threw themselves into the water.Zhayou Luoping is a natural barrier in Sichuan, surrounded by walls and a plain in the middle, with a circumference of 80 to 90 kilometers.It was not ravaged by Zhang Xianzhong's rebellion before.Since the month before last, most of the wealthy households in Qijiang have migrated in, and their property is estimated to be in the millions.The rebels are like thieves, who plunder and rape at will. Please declare their crimes to the whole country.Checking the places where our army went this time, all the people among them who were ravaged by the rebellious army all cried out before the army. False decrees, wanton and wanton plundering, the evidence is conclusive, and the current value of the military is urgent, and it cannot be revealed one by one.The opposite is the case, where is the human nature?All the citizens of our country should be furious, rise up quickly and punish this beast. (abbreviated below)

Telegram 2: (above omitted) The rebel army was in Sichuan, raping and looting, committing all sorts of crimes. As far as what they witnessed, after the rebel army was defeated, civilian quilts and women's clothes and hakamas were scattered all over the ground.His abandoned corpse, rings, bracelets full of splendor.Neither male nor female, strange and indescribable.Whenever it is urgent to return to attack or retreat, it is almost a rule to set fire to houses.In the past ten days, nearly a thousand houses have been burned in Niubeishi, Shuanghechang and Naxi Fuguo.Sometimes false indications are found, such as saying that the Yunnan army set fire, harmed the people, and begged for special funds for relief.Extreme violence, aided by greed and deceit, the people have witnessed it personally, and it is biting to the bone.Therefore, wherever the rebellious army arrived, they all migrated.Its outposts were defeated and were often attacked by the people, sending the army away.People who speak Beiyin dare not go straight to the villages and towns unless they are over ten.Wherever our troops arrived, the people welcomed them with dances, and the fleeing women and children returned home one after another, and the trade in the shops flourished.Even within the line of fire, people often bring food to feed.All belong to wild old village women, satirizing scriptures all night long, wishing the victory of the Yunnan army.Therefore, the captives confessed: "The timing, location, and harmony of people are all taken by the Yunnan Army, and the Northern Army has no reason to win."The sky hates fierce virtue, people's hearts are lost, and all reason is lost.According to the news of the special telegram, begging for wide distribution. (abbreviated below)