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Chapter 109: Mumbai Battle: Two
Back on the Vijayanagara capital ship.
Examining the damaged section of the wall, it appeared that the elevation had been too high. Vijay swiftly ordered a recalibration of the cannon. In short order, the cannon's elevation was adjusted, and another shot was fired.
"Boom."
The cannon roared once again, this time finding its mark on a lower section of the wall. The impact was substantial, resulting in visible spiderweb-like cracks across the targeted area. However, the formidable granite stone wall proved resilient, withstanding the assault. Undeterred, the bombardments persisted, yet the accuracy of the cannon waned due to the recoil force pushing the battleship slightly backward after each shot. Recognizing this challenge, the artillery operator, a graduate of the Bhartiya Military Academy, applied his training. Calculating the average distance the ship moved backward, he recalibrated the elevation angle with precision, aiming to enhance the accuracy of subsequent shots.
It took a barrage of 10 successive shots, but finally, a breach was created in the city wall. The cannon's aim changed its elevation again, targeting the place where the earlier shots were fired from, initiating a renewed bombardment.
Facing the breached wall, the merchant ships, carrying the army behind the battleship, deftly maneuvered towards the shore. As the ships discharged their cargo, which included hefty equipment and cannons, the latter were carefully transported in separate boats due to their considerable weight. Once unloaded, the cannons were strategically positioned on opposite sides of the breached wall, employing the military tactic of crossfire.
Overseeing these operations, Ramaiya Senapati swiftly moved to secure the coastline. Surveying the well-placed cannons, he expressed approval with a nod. "Gunner teams, form up in line!" he commanded, directing the two accompanying brigades, one armed with muskets and the other with flintlocks. The confined shoreline allowed only 5000 troops to partake in this landing battle, forming a strategic killzone for the impending enemy assault.
Inside the wall:
Mustafa Ali, rattled by the cannon fire from the ship moments ago, found the situation growing increasingly dire. In a fit of urgency, he shouted at his bewildered servant, "Notify the Navy! Notify the Navy!" A resounding slap echoed as Mustafa struck his still-dazed servant, leaving noticeable red marks on the servant's face. "I said, notify the Navy!" he yelled once more, this time close to the servant's face, with spit flying onto the servant's features.
As the servant regained consciousness and hurried away to notify the Navy, even the bad breath and the spit on his face were ignored. Mustafa quickly assembled the army under his command. While he may have appeared like a stumbling mess, he was still a qualified army commander who had fought in battles when he was in a young age.
As the cannon bombardment ceased, creating a hole in the wall large enough for five men to pass through, Mustafa saw this as an opportunity and ordered a charge formation. Men in four rows, clad in heavy armour with large shields and spears, lined up in a thrusting motion, bending their knees slightly in a charging position. Mustafa, observing their readiness, heard the hurried sounds of boats docking on the other side of the wall. He commanded, "Charge!"
With his shout, the soldiers sprang into action, charging with all their might in formation, resembling a human cavalry. Their momentum reached its peak as they crossed the breached wall. Mustafa anticipated a splatter of blood on the other side, but only a few cannon shots were heard. Unconcerned about the cannons as they had little effect on the charging army, he believed only a few soldiers might be killed. However, his face soon turned pale as rhythmic gunfire echoed. "Bang, bang, bang." Bewildered by the unfamiliar sound, horror-filled him as he realized it wasn't good, accompanied by the shouts and curses of his panicking army as they perceived it as some curse or divine intervention. This could only mean that it is a new weapon in use.
"Not good," Mustafa said to himself and ran away to hide.
On the Vijayanagara side:
Seeing that the heavy infantry that had charged at them was dealt with, Ramaiya ordered the rest of the cannons to be unloaded and the wall to be widened with a round of bombardments. As the wall was successfully widened, Ramaiya ordered their own heavy infantry to push forward and provide backing for the artillerymen.
Ten squads of heavy infantry, each carrying a large shield resembling that of a tower shield commonly found in Western nations, marched slowly inside the blown-apart wall, forming formations with the tower shields to create an iron wall. With the opening secured, the army sprang into action. Engineer soldiers dug up the soil at the beach and stacked it behind the artillerymen. At lightning speed, a shallow pit was built for the placement of their own cannons to provide better protection from the Mughal cannon fire from the front and also offer a better angle of elevation for their cannons.
Looking at the pit that had been dug, Ramaiya ordered the cannons to be placed in the position. Soon, the cannons were dragged and arranged in a semi-circular manner, covering the entire distance forward. The heavy infantry, holding the shield wall, withstood the barrage of arrows being fired from the Mughal army. Being well-trained and muscular men, they were capable of holding the wall down.
The arrangements on the back were completed in just a few moments. With the help of thousands of strong men, it did not prove hard to make a temporary defensive wall.
Through a slight hole in the shield wall, a soldier saw the Mughal army bringing in 10 more cannons. The person who witnessed this sight, his eyes dilated as he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Cannons!"
"Boom."
But it was too late as the cannons were fired, and the Heavy infantry standing in front were broken open as their bodies contorted in unnatural shapes. Although the tower shields were robust, they couldn't withstand the power of a cannon. Witnessing this grim scene, Ramaiya frowned, and with a tone of rage, he swiftly ordered, "Retreat, heavy infantry squads!"
Responding to the command, the heavy infantry quickly withdrew from the formation. With the infantry retreating, the artillerymen in the trenches gained a clear view of their target, and the bombardment commenced. Twenty powerful 12 KG cannons were fired in succession,
"Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom..."
It echoed like a relentless barrage of bombs raining down on its enemies, the ground rumbling as if a small earthquake had occurred. The firing was superimposed to form shockwaves of dust swirling in the air. While the aim was not precise due to the rigid nature of the cannons, the wide coverage of the artillery made it hardly matter, as everyone in their line of sight was considered an enemy. At times, the cannonballs didn't even hit the opposing cannons but struck the buildings within the firing range, causing them to collapse.
As the battle went on, Sadly, the casualty rate of the Vijayanagara army increased, but it was manageable as the targets in front of them became fewer and fewer. With all the visible cannons in front of them cleared, Ramaiya ordered the rest of the heavy infantry to charge and safeguard the perimeter. As the infantry charged, there were some arrows coming in from various corners of the vicinity, but it couldn't hurt the heavy infantry clad in iron armour.
Behind the heavy infantry, the gunners took action, targeting the scattered archers positioned on elevated buildings. Swiftly, the perimeter was cleared as soldiers on the boats continued to disembark through the pathway opened by the heavy infantry. They subsequently occupied a kilometre of the southern tip of Mumbai after dealing with the deserters, establishing a robust foothold to assert control over the island.
A few minutes earlier, on the capital ship of the Vijayanagara Empire:
Following the bombardment of the city wall, the large cannon was aimed at the location from which the enemy cannonballs originated. Only three shots were fired when a commotion caught Vijay's attention.
To the port side of the ship, a fleet of naval vessels rapidly approached.
Observing the development, Vijay recognized this as the Mughal Navy stationed in Mumbai. However, he remained unfazed, having made the necessary preparations to deal with any events that might happen.
To Be Continued...