novelhk Chapter 70 The Isolated and Helpless Castle
Chapter 70 The Isolated and Helpless Castle
After Governor Spilman issued his order, a small number of soldiers, sailors, company employees, and even some daring Dutch civilians who remained loyal to their duties were hastily organized to attempt a final resistance, relying on the simple fortifications in front of the governor's palace, such as the doors, windows, corridors, or gates.
They had no time to spare, pushing the luxurious furniture into the corridors and halls to serve as cover for their fire. Soldiers ran about in a hurry, and the building, which symbolized the company's authority in the Far East, was in complete chaos.
Gunfire rang out sporadically inside and outside the governor's mansion, interspersed with occasional muffled cannon shots, but both the density of firepower and the fighting spirit suffered a huge blow.
Soon, the Ming army and Chinese righteous people attacked from multiple directions, accompanied by sixteen 12-pound infantry cannons and more than a dozen cannons of various sizes captured from the defenders.
Chen Ang also went to the front line. He squinted at the majestic building, pondered for a moment, and then issued the order to attack.
"Don't waste time trying to persuade them to surrender. Bring out the artillery to blast open the gate and the front wall, then the infantry will charge in and end the battle as quickly as possible!"
The gunners quickly pushed the cannons into their designated firing positions and skillfully adjusted the firing angles, launching an attack on the Governor's Mansion from multiple directions.
Rumble-
The deafening roar of cannons erupted almost simultaneously, drowning out all other noises on the battlefield. Dozens of solid cannonballs pierced through the smoke and crashed into the white walls of the governor's mansion with a deathly whistle.
Solid bullets mercilessly kissed the stone walls, the ornate columns, and the heavy oak-clad iron gates; at the moment of impact, the entire building seemed to tremble in agony.
Gravel, bricks, and wood chips exploded like porcelain being smashed by a giant hammer, shooting in all directions.
The massive lintel above the main gate, bearing the emblem of the East India Company, was hit directly by a 12-pound bullet, blasting the emblem and half of the lintel into dust.
Gravel rained down, smashing several Dutch sailors below who were trying to reinforce the gate with sandbags, leaving them bleeding from the head and rolling on the ground screaming in agony.
The arched windows with stained glass on both sides of the wall were also shattered. Solid bullets easily penetrated the glass and wooden window frames, entered the building, and rampaged through the magnificent halls and corridors, killing and destroying people and objects inside.
"Load! Quickly!"
The gunners, without bothering to wipe their faces blackened by gunpowder smoke, used wet mops to extinguish the remaining flames in the breech, cleaned the slag, and then immediately loaded new gunpowder and solid shot.
Less than a minute later, a second round of shelling came, this time with more shells concentrated on the already crumbling main gate area and the ground floor walls.
The iron-clad oak door, struck by a captured 24-pound artillery shell, emitted a teeth-grinding, twisting cracking sound. The entire door caved in and broke apart, revealing the chaotic scene of the hall behind it.
The cracks in the wall spread and widened like a spider web, large chunks of plaster and bricks peeled off and collapsed, and a section of railing was swept by a shell, falling down the corridor along with two musketeers hiding behind it.
"Move the artillery forward, change to grapeshot, and fire at the breach and window!"
"Infantry advance to cover artillery!"
Chen Ang gave the order again, and the gunners immediately worked together with the surrounding soldiers to push the cannons closer to the building.
Meanwhile, the line infantry and skirmishers marched forward in unison, their steps echoing the officers' shouts. They stepped over rubble and fallen corpses, and could see figures moving about inside the governor's mansion ahead.
Behind the broken windows and holes in the walls of the governor's mansion, sporadic gunfire rang out again, attempting to halt the Ming army's advance. Bullets whistled through the air, striking the bronze barrels of the cannons and scattering sparks. Occasionally, someone would be hit and fall to the ground with a thud, but would soon be dragged to safety.
"All companies halt! Open fire and return fire! Suppress the enemy!"
Line infantry and skirmishers quickly raised their rifles and fired several volleys at the gaps and windows where gunfire was still flashing. The lead bullets were sprayed densely, sending bricks and stones flying everywhere, instantly suppressing the already thin firepower of the defenders.
Taking advantage of this moment, the cannons were quickly pushed to within a hundred paces of the governor's mansion, and the gunners swiftly fixed their positions, with the muzzles almost directly pointing at the huge holes and collapsed gaps.
"Load grapeshot!"
Amidst the shouts of the gunners, the grapeshot was quickly loaded, and then they swiftly adjusted the firing angle and lit the fuse.
Dozens of even more muffled cannon shots rang out, and thousands upon thousands of lead bullets and iron pellets formed a death fan that swept straight toward the Governor's Mansion, crackling and popping against the stone building.
For a moment, the crackling sounds of shattering and the muffled thuds of bodies being struck blended together, even drowning out the brief screams.
This round of shelling was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, unleashing even more desperate cries and chaotic running.
Some even broke down and escaped through doors and windows, shouting words of surrender, but the Ming soldiers, unable to understand Dutch, instinctively raised their guns and shot them dead.
Seeing the garrison inside the governor's mansion collapse, Chen Ang immediately drew his sword and shouted, "Sound the horns! Infantry, attack! Sweep away the remaining enemy and seize the governor's mansion!"
"kill--!"
The Ming soldiers roared furiously and charged toward the dilapidated building from multiple directions with their bayonets pointed.
Following closely behind were Chinese righteous men wielding various weapons, their eyes bloodshot, the flames of revenge burning in their hearts.
The garrison inside the governor's mansion had almost lost their will to fight. Facing the attacking Ming army, they did not put up any decent firepower resistance and the Ming army easily broke through the broken doors and windows and poured into the governor's mansion.
Inside the governor's mansion, it was a scene of hell. The magnificent decorations were torn apart by cannon fire, the expensive carpets were soaked in blood and filth, and fragments of crystal chandeliers were mixed with severed limbs.
The air was thick with the pungent smell of gunpowder, blood, and dust.
The remaining resistance was quickly overwhelmed by the Ming army's offensive. Some terrified Dutch soldiers dropped their muskets, raised their hands, knelt in a corner, and shouted their surrender in broken Chinese or tearful Dutch.
In the chaos, no one could guarantee their survival. Some were stabbed by the bayonets of the Ming soldiers who rushed in, while others were hacked down by the righteous people who surged up from behind. Only a few lucky ones were stopped by the officers and became prisoners.
More defenders and those hiding fled deeper into the building and upstairs. The Ming army did not pursue them directly, but instead cautiously cleared them out house by house.
The sounds of flintlock muskets firing at close range, the muffled thud of bayonets piercing bodies, the dying screams, the loud crash of furniture being overturned, the shouts of searchers and the cries of prisoners... all sorts of sounds intertwined and echoed in the corridors, staircases, and various rooms.
Governor Spilman did not wait in his study; instead, he stood blankly on the spacious second-floor terrace, dressed in his full governor's uniform and holding an ornately decorated sword.
He watched as the soldiers and "rebels" surged into his residence like a tide, watching his proud colonial order crumble utterly on this land. A bitter expression twisted his pale face.
Things had developed to this point completely unexpectedly. He knew he would bear full responsibility. If he hadn't been so arrogant as to think that the Chinese couldn't possibly be after Batavia, he wouldn't have given them this opportunity.
The sounds of fighting, crying, and shattering coming from below the terrace grew closer and clearer.
Spielman could even see several Ming soldiers in the downstairs corridor using bayonets to corner a company employee who was trying to resist, before bringing him down with a swift stroke.
He glanced one last time at the city in the distance, where smoke still rose and shouts of battle lingered. Without uttering a single thought, the governor slowly turned away, his back to the world where order had collapsed.
He released his grip, and the ornately decorated sword fell onto the stone floor of the terrace. He then drew a well-preserved flintlock pistol with an ivory handle.
This was originally a weapon he used for self-defense or to maintain his last shred of dignity.
The governor pressed the cold muzzle of the gun firmly against his right temple and pulled the trigger.
The gunshots were not loud; they were even drowned out by the shouts of battle from downstairs.
The governor's body jolted violently, then lost all support and fell heavily backward. His once shrewd blue-gray eyes were now empty and despairing, still wide open, reflecting the leaden gray, smoke-filled sky above Batavia.
Almost half a minute after the gunshot, a squad of Ming soldiers kicked open the carved wooden door leading to the terrace and rushed in warily. They immediately saw the body lying in a pool of blood, the fallen sword, and the short gun rolling not far away.
One soldier stepped forward and carefully poked at the body with the tip of his bayonet to confirm that it was completely dead, while another soldier picked up the pistol and sword.
Although they did not recognize Spilman, they could tell from his exquisite clothing that he was no ordinary person. The Ming army quickly brought over a surrendered Dutchman and asked him to identify him.
Upon seeing Spilman's lifeless body, the prisoner turned deathly pale and cried out in despair, "No... Your Excellency..."
Hearing the prisoners' desperate cries, the surrounding Ming soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment. The squad leader in charge had a sudden inspiration and immediately ordered someone to report the news.
The news spread like wildfire throughout the Governor's Mansion and was quickly reported to Chen Ang.
"Oh? The Dutch governor committed suicide?" Chen Ang, who was listening intently at the makeshift command post in the square outside the governor's mansion, raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, but his face showed little surprise. Instead, he snorted coldly and said:
"At least he has some sense of shame, and didn't beg for mercy like those cowards, which preserves his dignity as governor."
After saying this, he ordered the governor's body to be collected and properly buried after the battle. He also ordered the annihilation of the remaining enemy forces to be expedited, all documents, valuables, letters, maps, account books, etc. to be inventoried, and all prisoners to be gathered together and held in custody.
Inside the Governor's Palace, as Spilman shot himself, the remaining Dutch resistance was finally completely wiped out. Groups of prisoners were driven into the courtyard for guarding, including members of parliament or colonial officials, most of whom looked ashen-faced and dejected.
Every room in the governor's mansion was opened, chests and cabinets were pried open, documents were collected, and valuable items were registered and sealed.
The Ming army was disciplined and had no interest in the wealth in the governor's office. They were instead focused on collecting official documents and large sums of money as ordered.
Some of the Chinese righteous people who followed them in were more driven by resentment to vandalize and destroy, or to scavenge small items from the bodies and prisoners of the Dutch. However, their vandalism was quickly stopped by the Ming army.
When the double-V flag, symbolizing the Dutch East India Company, was completely torn down from the flagpole atop the main building of the Governor's Mansion and thrown into the pile of rubble in the courtyard to be burned, the Governor's Mansion was finally declared to have fallen into the hands of the Ming army.
This scene was witnessed by the remaining Dutch troops inside Batavia Castle. Judge and councilor Dirk Van Lier, who had retreated there with the remnants, put down his binoculars, his face pale and his body trembling slightly.
With the fall of the governor's palace, the last Dutch stronghold in Batavia was this Batavian fortress.
Located in the northeast corner of the city near the coast, this castle was the first Dutch stronghold there. It has thick walls, is a bastion-style castle, and is equipped with a considerable number of cannons.
Before the fall of the governor's palace, some Dutch troops, officials, soldiers' families, and military supplies had already evacuated into the castle.
If they choose to hold out, relying on the food reserves in the castle, they should be able to hold out for three or four months without any problem. This time should be enough for the fleet commander, Van der Kapellen, to lead the fleet back from the Spice Islands to defend the islands.
but……
"Three or four months..." Van Lier muttered to himself with a bitter smile, his voice so low that only he could hear it, "provided that we can hold the outer walls of the castle and the bastions under the continuous bombardment of the Chinese artillery..."
After the Ming army occupied Batavia, they also captured various cannons from the Dutch. Combined with the cannons that the Ming army brought with them, the firepower of their heavy weapons had reached a terrifying level.
While the design of bastions can effectively defend against traditional artillery and infantry assaults, this is contingent on the defender having equivalent firepower to suppress and counterattack.
The city's defensive artillery, mainly consisting of three-pound and six-pound cannons, was clearly inferior in range, quantity, and the morale of its gunners compared to the fierce Ming artillery outside the city, which had just experienced a victorious baptism.
Even more devastatingly, the castle was crammed with terrified civilians, demoralized remnants of the army, and officials and their families who, upon learning of the fall of the governor's mansion, were filled with despair for the future.
The incessant crying of children, the suppressed sobs of women, the painful groans of the wounded, and the barely concealed fear and wavering in the eyes of the soldiers—all of this was like an invisible rope tightening around Van Lier's throat, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.
Hold out for three or four months?
In such a predicament, beset by internal and external troubles, isolated and helpless, and knowing that the enemy possesses powerful weapons capable of breaching the city, that might just be wishful thinking.
What will likely result is a desperate siege and heavy bombardment, after which the castle will be breached, followed by a brutal massacre for all the survivors—as evidenced by the bloodshot eyes of the Chinese righteous outside the city.