Chapter 403: The Position Belongs to the Dutch, but Your Life Is Your Own

Although the naval battle was over, the air still had a strong smell of blood that made people uncomfortable.

In the cabin of the Bold, by the light of the kerosene lamp, Fremont was polishing a manuscript titled "The Dutch East India Fleet fled in panic, and our California Fleet achieved a preliminary victory."

Liang Yao's right arm was injured, and it was inconvenient for him to write, so he could only write the article by himself and Fremont wrote it for him.

"Did we really win?" Fremont always felt that this article was a bit self-deceiving.

"From the result, we won, and from the process, we lost." Liang Yao said.

It was the Dutch who withdrew from the battlefield first, and this manuscript also stated the fact, but just brushed over the losses and emphasized their own achievements.

The goal of this battle was to seize control of the sea and prepare for tomorrow's landing operations.

Their goal was indeed achieved, temporarily driving the Dutch out of the Java Sea, and winning a precious landing time window for the army.

The most important thing for California at the moment is confidence. He must exaggerate an inspiring victory and recruit some modified armed civilian ships and sailors as reserve forces.

Although the Dutch ships have temporarily fled back to Batavia, the Dutch East Indies Fleet is still strong. As long as the ships are repaired and the personnel are replenished, the Dutch East Indies Fleet can still restore its combat effectiveness.

This naval battle for control of the Java Sea and the South China Sea has not ended. There is still a battle between Liang Yao and the Dutch. He must prepare early.

Liang Yao is most worried about the Dutch mainland fleet coming to support the Dutch East Indies Fleet.

If the Dutch mainland fleet and the East Indies Fleet join forces at that time, the problem will be tricky.

Liang Yao does not have much time left. He must gain a foothold in Borneo during the gap when the Dutch temporarily lose control of the sea, achieve the greatest results as quickly as possible, and force the Dutch to the negotiation table as soon as possible.

"I hope California can bear these losses." Fremont sighed.

"If California can't afford this loss, we don't deserve to take Borneo." Liang Yao said.

The next day, Hong Mingxiang's battalion and two battalions of the California Infantry Regiment were on full alert, waiting for the tide to rise and land.

Pontianak is not a coastal city, but is located in the lower reaches of the Kapuas River.

There is still a distance of 20 kilometers from the coast to Pontianak.

The Pontianak defenders have deployed artillery on both sides of the Kapuas River, sank merchant ships to block the river channel into Pontianak Port, and prevent Liang Yao's army from using the river channel to approach Pontianak City.

Liang Yao could only choose to land on the nearby beach, and then break through the blockade of the Pontianak defenders and advance to Pontianak Port and the city.

At this time in Pontianak, Ye Tenghui, the former general manager of the Lan Fang Company, ordered his 180 confidants to change into the uniforms of the Umbrella Company, carrying the umbrella flag, and with Elvis' 70 crew members, armed with guns and cannons, they rushed to the Pontianak Port with great momentum.

They planned to take the fort at the port and hold it there, delaying the Pontianak garrison and reducing the pressure on the landing troops.

Before setting off, Ye Tenghui had asked his confidants to spread the news that the Californians had entered Pontianak in the city.

For a time, the Pontianak garrison was in a panic.

The local residents either fled to the mountains to avoid the war or stayed at home.

Elvis set up three 6-pound infantry guns and launched an artillery attack on the Pontianak Port Fort.

The guards of the Pontianak Port Fort were a white infantry company of the Royal Dutch East India Army and half of the Green Camp armed by the Lan Fang Company, with a force of more than 200 people.

The sudden artillery attack caught the defenders on the fort off guard, and they ran around like headless flies.

Did the California army break into Pontianak so quickly?

"The captain was killed! The captain was killed!"

The defenders on the port fort had not reacted yet, and the bad news of the captain's death came.

The captain was killed in the explosion, and the lieutenant went back to Batavia for vacation a week ago.

Lieutenant Carito suddenly became the supreme commander of the fort, but Carito was not happy at all.

In a trance, the metal bullets fired from the enemy positions hit them head on, suppressing the Dutch defenders on the port fort.

As for the Chinese who were guarding the port fort with them, they were still holding flintlocks or even matchlocks from a century or two ago, and they could not be relied on at all.

The enemy's gunfire was very dense, which was the firepower that could only be fired by a regiment of infantry!

The Walter M1851 rifle had a fast firing rate, and 250 guns fired the firepower of a regiment, which made the defenders on the Pontianak Port Fort mistakenly believe that the enemy had a regiment of troops attacking.

We were surrounded by an enemy regiment!

As for where this regiment of enemy troops came from, the defenders on the Pontianak Port Fort had no time to think about it, nor did they want to think about this problem.

Lieutenant Carlito was very sure that he was surrounded by a regiment of the enemy.

He did not even have the courage to defend the dangerous place. He just ordered the armed forces of the Lan Fang Company to stay and block the enemy. He led a company of white soldiers to retreat back to the city in a hurry, under the pretext of asking for reinforcements.

The Chinese soldiers of the Lan Fang Company naturally did not agree. A regiment had 1,000 people!

Let them fight with a regiment of California soldiers with only firewood sticks in their hands? Isn't this a way to die?

The composition of the garrison in Pontianak was complex and the levels were also very clear.

The best ones are undoubtedly the Dutch soldiers, followed by other European soldiers, and then the indigenous soldiers, mainly Javanese.

The Chinese soldiers of Lanfang Company were at the bottom and were discriminated against and exploited.

Not to mention the Dutch, even the Javanese can bully them.

They were often bullied by white officers and soldiers, and naturally they had no intention of sacrificing themselves for the Dutch.

The fort position belongs to the Dutch, but their life is theirs.

As soon as the Dutch left, the soldiers from Lanfang Company immediately greased their soles and followed the Dutch back into the city.

In less than fifteen minutes, the fort at Pontianak Pier was empty.

Even Elvis was so surprised that he just withdrew?

Ye Tenghui also felt that there was a fraud in this. For the sake of caution and safety, Ye Tenghui sent a few cronies to spy on the fort. After confirming that the fort had been abandoned by the Pontianak defenders, Ye Tenghui and Elvis Captured the fort at Pontianak port.

"Damn it, these red-haired ghosts and traitors ran away so fast, leaving no one behind."

Ye Tenghui held a Colt revolver in his hand and cursed.

On the fort in Pontianak Port, except for 16 corpses, no one was left alive.

Elvis lowered the Dutch's red, white and blue flag and raised the Umbrella Company's umbrella flag, officially announcing that California forces had occupied the fort at Pontianak Harbor.