Chapter 709 706 [Attack the Heart and Then Attack the City]

In Europe in the seventeenth century, the concept of nationality was not strong to begin with, let alone a patchwork republic like the Netherlands.

It would be okay if it was the Dutch Navy, after all, the salary is much higher.

The Dutch Army has poor treatment, a group of low-level graduates who graduated from motherhood, and most of them are singles. How much loyalty can they have to the Netherlands?

Moreover, they were not soldiers of the Dutch government, only soldiers of the Dutch East India Company. To put it bluntly, a group of low-level wage earners from the East India Company would definitely be excited if there was a better way out.

Sanders and other senior staff clearly feel that military morale is slipping.

Even on the second night, a few more soldiers slipped out of the city and surrendered to the Datong army, using their clothes and match ropes as ropes.

Sanders gave a very rude order: "From now on, during night shifts, soldiers are not allowed to wear coats and all ropes are collected!"

This order made the soldiers even more dissatisfied, but it was indeed very effective.

Several city gates are all guarded by second lieutenant (corps commander)-level officers, who personally lead troops. At the same time, the second lieutenants and officers are given improved treatment. Other soldiers, in the absence of ropes, would not be able to get out even if they wanted to surrender. If they jumped from a height of several meters, they would be injured and die.

Writer Neuhof wrote the manuscript: "There is a strange atmosphere in the castle, and there is an air of distrust everywhere. The monthly salary of an ensign in the navy is 10 guilders, and the monthly salary of a naval soldier is 8 guilders. The salary in the army is only six times that in the navy. One percent. For a soldier who gets 1.3 guilders (about 0.3 taels of silver) per month, it is impossible for them to devote their loyalty..."

The Dutch soldiers are really a bunch of miserable people, including the navy.

The monthly salary of an ensign (commander) in the Dutch Navy, converted into silver taels, is about 2.7 taels.

The monthly salary of a second lieutenant (corps commander) in the Dutch Army is approximately 0.44 taels of silver.

The coolie workers at the Nanjing dock earn more than 60 cents a day (the more you move, the more you earn), which is at least 1.8 taels of silver a month, and sometimes they can even earn more than 2 taels.

Of course, the Dutch soldiers were provided with food and accommodation, while the Nanjing coolies had to provide for their own food and accommodation.

But one thing is certain, the income of Dutch army soldiers is far less than that of dock coolies in Nanjing.

This is a very outrageous fact, but if you think about it carefully, it doesn’t seem outrageous. With Europe's productivity at this time, how high can the bottom wage be? What's more, the Netherlands is still run by businessmen, so it would be strange not to squeeze them to death.

Those who are willing to serve in the Dutch Overseas Army are all rubbish among rubbish. All they want is food and shelter. However, you have to buy your own clothes, your own shoes, and even more so if you want to drink. If they don't fish and work in the city, and there are no natives for them to plunder and exploit, then everyone will dress like a beggar.

"During these two nights, no enemy troops surrendered?" Kuang Hong asked.

Hong Xu shook his head: "No, I guess the enemy generals have made changes and the enemy troops in the city cannot come out."

Kuang Hong said: "The strategy of attacking the heart has worked. Let's start the attack again."

As a result, the native cannon fodder began to attack the city again. With the sparse guns and ammunition, they rushed ten or twenty meters outside the castle, and then immediately broke up and came back to receive the food reward.

The Malay natives became more and more proficient in their business, and automatically learned the skill of moving forward at a waist, so that they could effectively avoid bullets. They didn't want to climb into the city, and they rushed on familiar roads. When they rushed to a certain distance, they habitually turned around and ran away.

Gradually, when the Malay natives charged, Kuang Hong incorporated some Johor soldiers into the attack.

The fighting power of the Johor soldiers was not much better than that of the natives. After rushing close, the gunfire became intensive and then collapsed.

Taking turns attacking every day, both the offensive and defensive sides are used to it.

The Dutch defenders didn't even bother to fire from a distance. They waited until the Malay natives and Johor soldiers rushed within 15 meters before taking aim. This bullet was like a signal to retreat. The natives and Johor soldiers ran away immediately when they heard the gunfire.

Don't think it's too childish, this is a worse era.

When the Netherlands attacked Malacca, the European mercenaries who were the main force in the siege also behaved like this during the battle. At that time, there were more than 200 Portuguese defenders and more than a thousand mercenaries attacking. The battle lasted for almost a year. Only a few mercenaries died in the battle, but more than half of them fell down due to illness.

"What the hell kind of war are you fighting? If you attack the city like this, you won't be able to win it for a year." Hong Xu couldn't help complaining.

Kuang Hong said: "In addition to the Siamese soldiers, soldiers from other countries will also be mixed in and take turns attacking tomorrow."

The addition of soldiers from other countries significantly increased the intensity of the siege.

Soon, soldiers rushed to the city, scaring the Dutch defenders into firing and then hurriedly reloading their ammunition.

The gunpowder in the castle was ground, dried and baked every day, barely enough to sustain the war effort.

After nearly ten days of continuous attack, more than 300 Malay natives and Johor soldiers died outside the castle.

Kuang Hong said: "Let the Datong soldiers and Siamese soldiers all take off their armor and put on the rags of the natives. The real attack on the city will begin tomorrow. Anyway, the defenders are all armed with muskets. It makes no difference whether they wear armor or not."

morning.

First, there was a bombardment by the Datong Army. This was a signal that the city was about to be attacked. Soldiers on both sides were already used to it.

After the bombardment ended, Hendrick stood in the bastion, watching the rag-tag natives attacking. He has warned the soldiers not to worry about the natives and to specifically target A's enemies.

"The enemy has increased its strength today, and there are obviously more enemy troops wearing armor," Hendrick said to his deputy. "Tell the soldiers that we have too few people and not much gunpowder. Don't waste bullets on the natives. You must aim. Enemy soldiers wearing armor. Those natives are useless and will run away when they hear the sound of gunshots. Also, call the civilian personnel. The enemy has increased its troops today. In order to avoid accidents, let them also help defend the city. "

Lao Sanjin was wearing aboriginal ragged clothes. The rancid smell made him want to vomit. He didn't know how many days he had been sweating without washing.

He carried the bamboo ladder forward. There were many bamboo forests nearby. Even the houses in the city were mainly made of bamboo.

As close as 20 meters to the castle, the Dutch defenders had not yet fired.

Lao Sanjin became more and more excited and continued rushing while carrying the bamboo ladder. Finally, gunfire rang out, and soldiers from Johor, Tai Ni, Ding Jialu and other countries were shot.

"Something's wrong! Why didn't the natives flee when they heard the gunfire?"

At such a close distance, there is no need to use a telescope.

Hendrick stuck his head out, observed carefully with his naked eyes, and suddenly shouted: "Those natives are disguised, and their weapons are different. Tell the soldiers quickly to aim at the enemies wearing ragged clothes!"

His herald hurried out, running along the road shouting: "Aim at the enemy in rags, aim at the enemy in rags!"

Due to the loss of the outer city walls and those who quietly left the city to surrender, there were only 142 Dutch defenders left at this time.

They were stationed in various places, and when they received the order, they had already fired the first shot. Now they were hurriedly reloading, while the Tatung Army and Siamese soldiers had already rushed over to build ladders.

It was too late. The feint attacks for many days had already formed the thinking inertia of the defenders. After firing one shot, many people did not even think about firing a second shot, but put down their muskets and began to rest. Anyway, the siege team would be frightened and flee.

"asshole!"

Kuang Hong cursed at the Prince of Johor: "I told you that today is a general attack, and I asked you to attack the city with all your might. Why did you escape back again?"

Iprasin blushed and said, "The enemy's muskets are too powerful."

Kuang Hong said: "Gather your soldiers and attack the city quickly. After taking Malacca, I will take you to Nanjing to meet the emperor. What an honor it is. If you dare to escape back, you will not be allowed to go to Nanjing in this life!" "

"I'll go immediately!"

Iprasin gritted his teeth, drew out his machete and charged again: "Warriors of Johor, God bless us with victory. Charge!"

The Dutch Army is rubbish, the Johor soldiers are rubbish, and the Malay Peninsula has a magical matching mechanism.

Iprasin led his troops and rushed to the mountainside. Prince Narai of Siam was already leading his troops to attack the city.

The Dutch defenders were hurriedly loading ammunition, firing sporadically, and Siamese soldiers kept falling from the ladders. The vanguard of more than a hundred people who climbed the city soon showed signs of retreat. Prince Narai took two friends and rushed to climb the city in person: "Siamese warriors, follow me to kill the enemy!"

The prince bravely took the lead, and the Siamese soldiers, who were already on the verge of collapse, suddenly burst out with great fighting will.

"kill!"

Lao Sanjin had successfully climbed into the city and was shot in his right arm. At this moment, he could only hold the knife with his left hand.

Two Dutch soldiers were chopped down one after another, and the rest of the enemy troops fled quickly.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Hendrick hurriedly ordered: "Abandon the outer enemy towers and bastions, and retreat inside to defend!"

The central castle has a complete defense system, which can be retreated and defended layer by layer.

However, the Datong Army and Siamese soldiers who attacked the city did not allow the Dutch soldiers to retreat calmly. They chased each other one after another, and some even pulled up bamboo ladders and carried them while chasing and preparing to continue attacking inside.

The civilian staff of the East India Company who helped defend the city, including Neuhof, were not willing to fight at all, and Saya could run faster than the soldiers.

“God bless, God bless!”

The armies of other small countries collapsed when they heard the sound of gunfire. But seeing the friendly troops successfully ascending the city, they also became brave, rushing up the city wall one after another, and began to fight with enthusiasm.

One enemy tower after another, one bastion after another, like dominoes falling, were captured one after another.

Some of the Dutch defenders, who had little fighting will, even didn't bother to escape and knelt down to beg for surrender.

The small countries in the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra hated the Dutch like crazy. They didn't care about surrender. At this time, they rushed up with the friendly troops and killed the Dutch on sight, including those kneeling on the ground.

Hendrick and the civilian staff, as well as the more than 40 surviving Dutch soldiers, all retreated to the last bastion.

After several consecutive attacks and at the cost of more than 20 casualties, the bastion was unable to be captured.

Yin Rude, the Datong officer in charge of the siege, said: "Don't attack forcefully. Surround us. These dogs will starve to death and die of thirst!"

He would really starve to death and die of thirst. As long as all the passages were blocked, the last bastion would be without water and food.

Newhoff told Sanders: "Mr. Congressman, I think it's time to surrender. We are just employees of the company. We only have the responsibility to work for the company and have no obligation to die for the company."

It's a company, not a country!