**Chapter 89**
**Mexico-France War (4)**
“Prepare for battle! Prepare for battle!”
-Ding ding ding ding ding!
With the loud ringing of the bell, French naval officers began urging the soldiers, who had been slacking off during weeks of sailing, to prepare for battle.
“Full speed ahead until you reach that ship!”
“Yes! Increase speed!”
While the French fleet, under Admiral Armand’s orders, was advancing at full speed towards the Mexican Empire’s new warship, the Mexican Empire fleet was also getting closer.
As it came into view, the lookout quickly counted the ships and reported swiftly.
“Two 74-gun ships of the line, three 104-gun ships of the line, five 32-gun frigates, four 44-gun frigates, four 44-gun armored frigates, four of those new ships, and 12 other medium and small warships.”
The new ships were those strange ships with two large cannons.
“Armored frigates?”
Admiral Armand, slightly surprised by the larger than expected size of the Mexican Empire fleet, asked when he heard the words ‘armored frigates’.
“Yes, it seems they have iron plating.”
“They must have money to burn. They’re building these things instead of sending us the money they owe. It’s definitely a viable option for those bastards.”
England and France couldn’t have not thought about adding iron plating to warships. The idea itself was considered even a hundred years ago. The reason they didn’t do it was simply because there was no need.
Even ships of the line were very expensive to produce, and most countries found it difficult even to build a few. What about ironclad ships? Only a truly wealthy country could even attempt it. But wealthy countries already had strong existing naval power, and introducing ironclad ships was a disadvantageous decision that only incurred additional costs and devalued existing ships.
‘Recently, the need has arisen due to explosive shells, but those bastards are still clumsy. There are weaknesses.’
Admiral Armand calmly assessed the situation and gave orders to his second-in-command.
“Turn the battleships and line them up, prepare to fire! Put the 100-gun ships on the left and the 90-gun ships of the line on the right! Station the 118-gun steam ships ‘Souverain’, ‘Trocadéro’, and ‘Friedland’ in the middle! All ships maintain strict spacing and form a line!”
“Yes!”
As the Mexican Empire fleet came within range, the French fleet, as expected, formed a line and attempted a line formation tactic.
It was because the basic tactic was to form a line, as the name ‘ships of the line’ suggested, and attack with the many cannons positioned on the sides of the ships.
Boom!
“The shell fired by the enemy’s new ship hit the side of the 100-gun ship of the line, ‘Hercule’!”
“Damage?”
“It bounced off, but it seems like it was about to penetrate.”
“…It’s large caliber, so it definitely has strong destructive power.”
The enemy’s new ships were firing and retreating as they got closer, but surprisingly, the turrets were rotating and continuously aiming at the French fleet.
“The turrets rotate? …I understand why they only have two cannons. They’re large caliber.”
“That’s right. Let’s call that ship a ‘rotating turret ship’.”
In Mexico, the ship the Crown Prince named ‘monitor’ was called a ‘rotating turret ship’ in France.
***
Admiral Salvador Martinez, the commander-in-chief of the Mexican Empire fleet, also countered with the same line formation tactic.
He lined up five ships of the line and four armored frigates against the enemy’s 10 ships of the line.
“Widen the spacing to match the width of the enemy’s line! Position the monitors in the rear!”
“Yes!”
The monitors were heavily armored, but they had a fatal flaw, their low freeboard, so they couldn’t engage in direct combat with the enemy’s ships of the line.
A low freeboard means they’re vulnerable to waves. That’s why they’re only used in coastal areas. If they were hit by a broadside from the enemy’s ships of the line, the ship could capsize.
Therefore, a line to engage the enemy’s ships of the line was essential. The strategy was for the ships of the line and armored frigates to form a line and hold their ground while the monitors fired their large-caliber cannons from the rear, between the gaps in the line.
“Frigates and medium and small ships, patrol the edges of the line on both sides to prevent the enemy from flanking!”
“Yes!”
The Mexican Empire fleet, which was on the receiving end, was waiting, having already turned its ships.
It was the moment when the enemy ships began to turn at the edge of their range.
“Fire!”
“Fire!”
Boom boom boom boom boom!
The Mexican Empire fleet, which had turned its ships and waited while the enemy approached, opened fire first.
Boom boom boom boom boom!
Boom boom boom boom boom!
They didn’t fire all the cannons on the side of the ship of the line at once. It’s because there was a risk of the ship capsizing. Hundreds of cannons fired in succession.
Boom!
A French naval soldier who had been waiting to fire immediately after completing the turn was blown up. It was because a shell landed on his gun port.
The French fleet suffered minor damage and some deaths from the hail of shells, but they countered without any hesitation.
Boom boom boom boom boom!
Boom boom boom boom boom!
Boom boom boom boom boom!
The barrage from the 10 ships of the line, including three 118-gun ships of the line, was intense.
Thump thump thump!
“Oh! It bounced off!”
One soldier admired the shell bouncing off the iron plating, but the armored frigates weren’t completely immune to damage.
Boom!
Whack!
“Aaargh! It hit the mast!”
The armored frigates were basically steam ships, but they also had sails and masts. It’s unclear whether they were aiming for it or just unlucky, but a shell hit the middle of the mast, which wasn’t armored.
Crack… Boom!
“The mast is falling! Damage!”
The soldiers on the swaying ship hurriedly looked up and rolled away.
The officer who shouted to take cover checked for casualties.
“Anyone injured?”
“No!”
Unlike the armored frigates, which suffered almost no damage, the ships of the line, especially the 74-gun ships of the line built in Spain, not the 104-gun ships built in Mexico, were suffering heavy casualties.
“Damn it! The size difference is too big! How do we fight them!”
The soldier shouted, hurriedly adding wood to the damaged hull.
“Shut up and keep hammering!”
The officer, who had just graduated from the naval academy this year and been commissioned, shouted that, but the soldier wasn’t wrong.
It was true that it was difficult for a 74-gun ship, especially an old one, to fight a 100-gun ship of the line.
Battles between ships of the line usually involved gradually accumulating damage and chipping away at the enemy ship before finishing it off with boarding, but with such a huge size difference, they could be half-destroyed by shelling alone.
Boom!
“Ack!”
A shell hit right next to the soldier who had just been complaining and hammering. It was right next to the spot where he had been hit before. Fortunately, it didn’t penetrate, but the impact was transmitted directly to the soldier.
“Damn it! Medic!”
The officer immediately called for a medic.
“It seems like his arm is broken. It’s not life-threatening.”
While they were exchanging an enormous amount of shells, chipping away at each other’s flesh, it happened.
Boom!
Whir-
Boom!
The monitor’s large-caliber cannon was continuously targeting the French 90-gun ship of the line.
Unlike the cannons of the ships of the line and frigates of both countries, which ranged from 12 pounds (5.4 kg) to 42 pounds (19 kg) in weight and 3 inches (76 mm) to 7 inches (178 mm) in caliber, the Mexican Empire monitor’s cannon had a caliber of 350 mm (13.8 inches).
In the battle where they were gradually chipping away at each other, the monitor was inflicting significant damage every time it fired.
The four monitors targeted the ships of the line at the edges, not the center of the line, because it was much faster to target the 90-gun and 100-gun ships than to disable the monstrous 118-gun ships of the line.
Boom boom boom boom boom!
Boom boom boom boom boom!
At some point, both lines of warships gave up on rolling broadsides and started independent fire.
The screams of those who were unlucky enough to be hit by shells were drowned out by the sound of the bombardment.
“Move faster! Faster!”
Huff- huff-
There was no answer to the officers’ urging. All the soldiers were moving non-stop, trying to fire even one more shot.
The outcome of the shelling battle depended on how quickly and accurately they moved and reloaded. It’s because the cannons of this era, like firearms, had a significantly different rate of fire depending on proficiency.
In fact, the British fleet, with its long experience, fired one shot per minute, while the French fired one shot every two minutes, and the Spanish fired one shot every three minutes.
It wasn’t just Mexico that was urging the soldiers.
“How can the fleet of our French Kingdom fire at the same speed as those Mexican bastards! Move faster!”
The French officers were humiliated by the situation, not knowing how much the Mexican Empire sailors had been trained in firing, but urging them didn’t make them go any faster.
The soldiers were already moving with their lives on the line.
The smoke from the gunpowder filled the vast sea, as if it was a fierce bombardment.
***
Admiral Armand felt a sense of crisis.
Those rotating turret ships were a variable. There were armored frigates too, but they were just holding their ground, not inflicting major damage on the French fleet.
Just because they had iron plating didn’t make them invincible. The armored frigates were small, so they swayed violently every time they were shelled, couldn’t fire properly, and were being attacked on their unarmored masts or gun ports. They could be attacked.
“Those rotating turret ships are the problem.”
The average size of the ships of the line was much larger on our side, so if it weren’t for those rotating turret ships, France could win. But there was no way to attack those rotating turret ships, which were far away.
Boom!
Whir-
“Admiral! The 90-gun ship of the line on the right, ‘Inflexible’, has been half-destroyed.”
The news brought by the messenger confirmed Admiral Armand’s ominous prediction. As a seasoned admiral, he was aware of the current situation.
‘If this continues, we’ll lose. The fleet of our French Kingdom losing to those Mexican bastards.’
Admiral Armand, whose head was momentarily on fire with worry, made a decision.
“We’re going into boarding action now!”
His second-in-command was surprised and asked involuntarily.
“Isn’t it a bit early?”
The second-in-command was also an experienced officer. Judging by the level of damage to both lines, it was too early to attempt boarding action.
“Right now, th…”
Whir-
Boom!
A shell fired by the enemy’s 104-gun ship of the line, unfortunately, landed near the quarterdeck where the admiral and his second-in-command were standing. Admiral Armand wasn’t injured, but he gave up explaining and shouted to his second-in-command.
“No time to explain, execute it immediately!”
“Yes!”
We have a bigger size advantage. We should have an advantage in the shelling battle as well, but those four rotating turret ships, annoyingly firing from behind the line, are causing the French to suffer greater damage in the shelling battle. But what about boarding action?
Those bastards’ armored frigates, not to mention, and their ships of the line, are smaller than ours. Naturally, they’ll have far fewer crew members. Boarding action is about the number of troops, so ships of the line carry many soldiers. France was clearly in a favorable position. If they were completely close, the monitors wouldn’t be able to fire recklessly. That was the calculation.
“Turn! Close in on the enemy fleet! Boarding action!”
He sent signals through the signalman and also relayed orders through the messenger.
Soon, the French fleet turned and began to close in on the Mexican fleet. Nine ships of the line, excluding one that was half-destroyed and unable to move, began to close in on the Mexican fleet.
“Open fire!”
The French officer, watching the situation from the deck, gave the order.
Bang bang bang bang bang!
A firefight broke out as they got closer, and casualties began to occur on both sides.
“Ugh!”
The Mexican Empire Navy’s AR-38 Eduardo rifle was superior to the French Percussion Carbine rifle, which the French navy had recently introduced, in terms of rate of fire and range.
“Those bastards, their rate of fire is insane!”
“There’s nothing we can do! We can’t not fire at this distance! Keep firing!”
The French soldiers were horrified by the performance of the Mexican Empire Navy’s small arms, but it wasn’t all in Mexico’s favor.
Screams were also echoing from Mexico.
“No! Fernando! Damn it! Their elevation is much higher!”
The fact that the French warships were bigger meant that their deck positions were also higher, and in a firefight, the side firing from above had a much greater advantage.
The 104-gun ships of the line in Mexico didn’t have a big difference in deck height compared to the enemy ships, but the situation was serious for the 74-gun ships of the line and the armored frigates.
The battle, where Mexico had better weapons and France had higher ground, with advantages for each side, ended soon.
Clang-
The warships had completely collided.
The French officers shouted.
“Now! Board the enemy ships! They’re outnumbered.”
“Waaaah!!!”
The larger size of the ships was also an advantage in boarding action. They didn’t need to use grappling hooks or ladders to climb up. The French soldiers just had to jump onto the enemy’s deck.
“Ha! We’ve already won this!”
The soldiers jumped onto the deck first, and the French officer followed, sensing victory. The enemy soldiers were outnumbered!
Then, the Mexican officer on the deck shouted.
“Now! Draw your revolvers!”
“Yes!”
All the soldiers of the Mexican Empire drew their pistols from their waists.
“What? Pistols?”
While the French soldiers were loading their muskets or fixing bayonets and charging, the Mexican soldiers aimed their pre-loaded pistols.