Purgatory of the Werewolf - The Wolf of Dorian Gray (Book 2)

Chapter 16 - The Battle of Canton Part 2

Dorian looked back at the outcropping of rocks. He must have misjudged the position of the Chinese artillery. "Three degrees to port, make your distance seventy-five meters." The gunners reloaded and tilted the cannons to new positions. They struck their slow matches and the guns fired again with the hope of every Englishman aboard behind them.

The rocks ashore erupted in dirt as several of the cannon balls struck home. The men cheered as the Chinese artillery fell silent.

"Well done, lad. Can you make the distance on the iron chain on the west bank?"

Dorian turned to appraise the distance between their ship and the much smaller target partially submerged in the water below. He held his fingers up and measured the digits to the chain. He then turned and compared it to a measurement of the rocks they had just fired upon. He knew that distance, so if he could just compare it to the finger measurements, he should be able to estimate the precise distance and direction to the chain. The French and English troops had fallen back to the edge of the water as they fought together against the Chinese cavalry and infantry. They were holding their ground valiantly despite being outnumbered three to one. That mattered little if reinforcements were not able to land soon.

After some quick mental calculations, Dorian called out the distance and said a silent prayer that his math had been correct. The cannons fired, but only three of the balls clipped the chain, none scoring a direct hit and most missing high or low. The Gunners began to reload and make corrections furiously just as the French line broke. The Chinese cavalry began to pour into the gap but suddenly the French began to rally. The seamen from one of the ships had beached their vessel on land and were now flanking the Chinese cavalry. They attacked the mounted soldiers with rifles and swords, or by throwing nets and rope at the feet of the horses and hauling the animals to the ground. They died in scores but their lives gave the French line the time it needed to reform.

The H.M.S. Victory's guns sounded again. This time the chain cracked as two balls struck it, then the iron links shattered as four more fell into the submerged section. Several ships surged forward as the broken chain fell to the bottom of the river. The French and English troops had joined their lines into a wedge and were now pushing forward into the gap that the French seamen had sacrificed themselves to make. In moments, three more platoons of Royal Marines were ashore and the Chinese soldiers broke, retreating to the safety of the city walls and the gatehouse out of range of the fleet's guns. They now owned the riverbank.

Admiral Sir Michael Seymour surveyed his battle deployment aboard the deck of his flagship, the H.M.S. Calcutta. He was a tall man in his late fifties with a sharp hooknose and experienced eyes which sat below dark eyebrows. They provided a sharp contrast to his grey hair and sideburns. He had earned his reputation as a shrewd commander through many successful engagements in the Crimean War and Baltic campaigns before being promoted to the rank of Admiral. He had calmly overseen the successful destruction of the Qing fleet. The outgunned but beautiful vessels had struck a majestic figure on the water--before they were set ablaze and sunken to the bottom of the harbor.

His ships then made short work of the forts guarding the entrance to the Shiziyang channel. Surprisingly, the river forts along the Zhujiang River had been harder to crack and had required several days of shelling before their occupants were forced to abandon the ruined walls and retreat to the large city of Canton. The initial incursion on the riverbank had nearly ended in disaster. He had already written a letter of thanks to Captain Elgin commending him for his quick thinking and excellent marksmanship. Without it, his forces would have suffered a major setback and the loss of many French and English troops.

The Chinese resistance was proving much more costly than anticipated. His scouts reported an endless supply of defenders to protect the walls and continuous movement of cavalry along the tree line. As a result, the Admiral had ordered the fleet seamen to join the other ground troops, bolstering the ranks of the remaining marines. The new recruits lacked discipline and had little training, but most could fire a rifle well enough and would serve as guards for the artillery as it was painstakingly maneuvered into position. Once in place, the large-scale bombardment of the city would begin on two fronts. His ships on the river continued to pound the river-facing wall, and the field batteries would focus on the southern gate and surrounding defenses.

Dorian, Sub-lieutenant Purcell, and six other seamen were assigned to protect the four-man gun teams that fired the rear seventy-five pounders under the command of Lord Crawley. This unexpected conscription left them all longing for the familiar sway of the deck and wondering if they would survive the night.