Chapter 335 Taoyuan County Grand Victory

On October 27, after withdrawing the main force of the entire 10th Division to launch a four-day fierce attack on Suqian, the remnants of the 5th Division of the Liangjiang Army defending the direction of Suqian and new aid came. The second mixed brigade of the Liangjiang Army, which experienced the fierce fire of the Feng army for the first time, could not support it.

In the evening, the 10th Division broke through Linjiazhuang, an important stronghold of the Anhui army's outer defense line. You should know that the Suqian defense line is not the Xuzhou defense line. After many peripheral strongholds were captured by the Feng army, there were other peripheral strongholds to rely on. After Linjiazhuang was captured, the Anhui army was forced to retreat to Suqian City.

At the same time, the Wan army in Taoyuan County and Qingjiangpu also learned that the main force of the Feng army gathered in Suqian and began to try to launch a counterattack, and even wanted to counterattack Muyang.

But it is obvious that once these non-main Anhui troops leave the solid fortifications, they can't be compared with the Feng army in the field.

If the counterattack is launched by the fourth division of Duan Qirui's direct army or the second mixed brigade, or the first division of the Liangjiang army, which is in good condition in the Liangjiang army, they are all likely to repel the left-behind Feng army and threaten Muyang, but it is not the main force in the Anhui army that launched the counterattack.

It is not even the Liangjiang Army that Duan Qirui has recently focused on, but the Zhejiang Army. Although these two forces together have nearly 7,000 or 8,000 troops, they are still powerless in the face of more than 2,000 left-behind Feng army.

In the direction of Taoyuan County, the first mixed brigade of Zhejiang launched a counterattack on an infantry battalion left behind by the Feng army. In the offensive war, the first mixed brigade in Zhejiang, which still used the intensive charge during the Russo-Japanese War, was severely damaged. In less than two hours, it suffered more than 1,000 casualties under the dense machine gun fire of the Feng army.

After suffering major casualties in the attack, the whole Zhejiang's first mixed brigade was stunned, and then the Feng army seized the opportunity to launch a small-scale counterattack, and then the Zhejiang's first mixed brigade completely collapsed...

Even Major Qin Zhongkun, the commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 38th Regiment of the 19th Brigade of the Feng Army, who commanded the operation, did not expect that he could completely defeat the whole mixed brigade on the opposite side!

You know, although the infantry battalion under him has more troops than other warlords, it is less than 1,000 people, and the first mixed brigade in Zhejiang opposite has more than 4,000 people, which is more than four to one.

The reason why Zhejiang's first mixed brigade suffered such a fiasco is still related to their lack of experience in fighting with the Feng army. In addition, when they fought in the direction of Taoyuan County before, they all relied on solid fortifications to defend and took the initiative to launch an attack. After playing field battle with the Feng army, their combat effectiveness was low, and officers and The quality of soldiers and even the low level of weapons is fully reflected.

More importantly, at the beginning, they invested in a regiment to launch a fierce attack on the Feng army's position, and they used an old and dense charge. Under the interception of the heavy machine gun of the Feng army's second infantry battalion, they were killed and injured before they could react.

Almost stunned the whole first mixed brigade in Zhejiang, and then faced the next counterattack of the Feng army, the first reaction of those Anhui officers and soldiers was to turn around and run away.

And more people fled, which naturally led to a large-scale collapse. Next, in the counterattack and pursuit of the Feng army, there was basically no decent resistance. When the second battalion led by Major Qin Zhongkun to try to attack Taoyuan County in the afternoon, the city More than 1,000 remnants of Zhejiang's First Mixed Brigade simply raised the white flag and surrendered.

A district infantry battalion defeated an entire mixed brigade of the enemy in a frontal battle, killing and injuring more than 1,000 enemy troops and capturing more than 1,000! Such outstanding military achievements have never appeared since the establishment of the Feng army.

Although the Feng army has won more with fewer, and there are often successful precedents of breaking through the enemy's defense line, it is the first time that there is such a large gap in strength.

When the messenger sent by Qin Zhongkun reported to his superiors that he had defeated the first mixed brigade in Zhejiang, killed and wounded more than a thousand enemy troops, captured more than 1,000 and captured Taoyuan County, Wu Peifu, the commander of the 19th Brigade, could hardly believe his eyes.

"Are you sure? Is this the truth? Wu Peifu directly asked the messenger.

The messenger of the second battalion looked happy and immediately said, "It's true. At nine o'clock in the morning, our army was counterattacked by the enemy outside Taoyuan County. Under the interception of our army's machine gun fire, the rushing Anhui army went down the road piece by piece like wheat that was cut. Our army's position was covered with the bodies of the Anhui army! "

Wu Peifu still couldn't believe that this matter was true, but he still quickly found Ren Cunggao with the war report!

Ren Cunggao, like him, was extremely surprised after reading the war report, but after showing an unbelievable look, his face showed obvious joy.

"This Qin Zhongkun really lived up to the personal teaching of the president. Such a tactical level is second to none among the hundreds of battalion commanders of our army!" Ren Cngao naturally doesn't know that the victory in Taoyuan County is not that the Feng army is too strong or how awesome Qin Zhongkun is. To be honest, this infantry battalion, this Qin Zhongkun is just ordinary in the Feng army. Similar infantry battalions and majors have more influences in the three main divisions, and many of them have exceeded them.

On the one hand, Zhejiang's first mixed brigade is too bad, and on the other hand, it is estimated that it can only be attributed to luck.

However, 'good luck' is also an indispensable and important ability of an excellent general. I have never seen that unlucky man become a famous general of a generation.

Although there is also the situation of not reporting good news or bad news in the Feng army, the situation is not serious, because the command department not only analyzes the battle reports of the officers on the front line, but also relies on the intelligence department. Basically, the intelligence department will report the results of every large-scale battle to the command department separately. In addition, even if there is a situation of good news but not bad news, there are certain praise results, but Qin Zhongkun absolutely dares not lie that he captured thousands of people after taking Taoyuan County.

Because neither of these can be faked. If people find out that you have not taken Taoyuan County, then a charge of lying about military information is enough to let Qin Zhongkun go to the military court, and the people of the Ministry of Education will not see so many prisoners, this lie will not be realized.

Therefore, Ren Cunggao believes that although there may be some moisture in this war report, for example, it is very likely that the first mixed brigade of Zhejiang has not been completely defeated, and the number of enemy troops killed and wounded will be less, but there should be no problem to take Taoyuan County and capture thousands of enemies. Based on these two points, then Zhejiang's first mixed brigade Even if the brigade has not been completely defeated, it should have lost more than half.

There is no doubt that this is a big victory, a big victory that can cause discussion within the whole Feng army. Although the scale of his battle is not large, such a record is difficult for an entire infantry division to achieve, let alone an infantry battalion.

Look at the side of Xuzhou, where most of the elite troops of the Feng army are gathered, but the enemy will not kill more than 5,000 in this month, and an infantry battalion in your district has killed and injured more than 1,000 enemy troops and captured thousands of people. How can you, Qin Zhongkun, the commanders of the Feng army's large division brigade, be embarrassed!

So on the same day, Ren Cunggao reported his victory to the former enemy headquarters in Xuzhou in the name of the 10th Division, and attached Qin Zhongkun's war report. At the same time, he also polished a report and handed it up.

It is not only Qin Zhongkun who can take credit from this big victory, but also senior generals such as Wu Peifu, Ren Cunggao and Su Kangyun.

Of course, it is impossible for Ren Cung-gao to promote him, but at least it can relieve the pressure placed on him by his superiors.

The battle in the direction of Taoyuan County was quickly reported to the Second Army and the former enemy headquarters in Xuzhou, and then quickly reported to the commander-in-chief by telegram. The next morning, Zhao Dongyun learned the news when he listened to the military briefing.

"I remember that Qin Zhongkun just graduated from the training class this year. He didn't expect to make such a good result in less than half a year after he left the army, okay!" After reading the war report, Zhao Dongyun was also in a good mood. Usually, he paid little attention to middle- and low-level officers, but today he is very interested in this Qin Zhongkun.

This Qin Zhongkun is a relatively regular middle-level officer in the Feng army. First, he applied for the Fengtian Military Academy, worked in the third division after graduating from the accelerated class, and then was admitted to the further training class. He was a 1907 trainee who just graduated this year. After graduation, he entered the tenth division and most of them just graduated. He also served as the battalion commander with the rank of major.

To be honest, when the person was in the study class, his grades were only average, and his graduation results were only more than 30, which was far less well known by Zhao Dongyun than the top few outstanding students. Now it is unexpected that he can be amazing.

In the need to stimulate morale ahead, Zhao Dongyun decided to carry out large-scale publicity for this victory!

"At this side, pay attention to the rewards of meritorious personnel. I think this Qin Zhongkun can be promoted to one level!" Although Zhao Dongyun called people from the office to personally order the promotion of Qin Zhongkun, he did not say much. After all, Fengjun is a regular army with its own promotion system, especially the appointment and promotion of middle and lower-level officers, which basically has a complete set of processes and routines, even those who are military bosses. The proud sons of the emperor still have to follow the promotion process stipulated by the department. It is impossible to say that you are still a captain today, tomorrow you will be a major, and then you will become a colonel the day after tomorrow.

This kind of thing can only appear in other warlord troops in modern China, and it is impossible to appear in the Feng army.

This Qin Zhongkun was promoted to a military rank with such a battle alone, which can be said to be the biggest award, which can make him fight for several years less than others. More importantly, after having such a military achievement, with Zhao Dongyun's personal attention, then the follow-up office will certainly give priority to his position. And promotion is equivalent to stepping on a broad road.

As for other meritorious personnel, several grassroots officers can also be promoted or even awarded medals, but senior officers are unlikely to be promoted by this. At most, they will add an extra point in Zhao Dongyun's heart. Later, when Zhao Dongyun considers the promotion and appointment of senior generals, he will let them have more Many opportunities.

The development of the war in Taoyuan County was unexpected by everyone. At this time, Ren Cunggao still planned to completely conquer Suqian, and he also fought against Suqian's defenders. The capture of Suqian was just around the corner. At this time, the news of the capture of Taoyuan County greatly affected the morale of both sides.

The high morale of the Feng army naturally increased its attack on Suqian, and the Anhui army, which learned the news, dared not give up the fortifications and play a field battle with the Feng army. Even the Anhui army, which had just planned to launch a counterattack on Qingjiangpu, fled back to Qingjiangpu overnight, and then honestly continued to hide behind the fortifications.

Although strategically, the battle of Taoyuan County did not affect the development of the Suqian war too much and is more difficult to affect the development of the whole northern Jiangsu war, this small battle can be regarded as a turning point in the Suqian campaign, or even the turning point of the whole northern Jiangsu war.

On October 29, the 10th Division with high morale conquered Suqian, and the remnants of the fifth division of the Liangjiang Army and the second mixed brigade of the Liangjiang Army fled to the southwest.

In the Battle of Suqian, the Anhui army left more than 700 bodies and nearly 1,000 seriously injured people who could not be taken away, while the main force of the 10th Division killed more than 300 people and seriously injured more than 400.

In terms of the results, it is not even as good as the results achieved by an infantry battalion in the Kun District of Qin, and its own casualties are even more than comparable. The 10th Division attacked Suqian with more than 700 casualties, but less than 100 people were killed and injured in the second battalion of Qin Zhongkun.

It can also be seen why a battalion-scale battle shocked Zhao Dongyun, and even let Zhao Dongyun personally open his mouth to promote the rank of Qin Zhongkun.

After taking Suqian, it means that the southern part of Xuzhou has opened its doors to the 10th Division. Subsequently, the 10th Division can cut off the connection between Xuzhou and the southern region, and then tens of thousands of Anhui troops in Xuzhou will be surrounded.

Once the main force of the Anhui army in Xuzhou is annihilated, there will be no power in the whole northern Jiangsu region to stop the Feng army from going south!