Canton National Historical Battlefield

[Coinich]

This is my first story posting, so please be kind. The text won't look as good as I would have liked, but I'm not used to using vB Coding yet, so ......

On with the story:

[Coinich]

The Royal Egyptian Department of Antiquities and History welcomes you to the:

CANTON NATIONAL HISTORIC BATTLEFIELD

Visitors Note: The information given in this guidebook has been graciously provided by the Director of the Royal Egyptian Department of Antiquities and History, and approved for publication on the 31st day of December, 2050AD, by Tutmose Rasfer, Grand Vizier of the people, the Support of Egypt, Guardian of the Waters of the Nile, Most Loyal and Noble Companion of, and Servant to, the Divine god, the Right Worshipful and Most Honorable Pharaoh Akhenaten, 496th to carry the name, President of the vast and glorious realms of the Egyptians, Ruler of the Subjugated Races, Great Lion of Egypt, Commander of the Invincible Armies of Egypt, Grand Admiral of the Fleet that rules the vast oceans of the world, Support of the Realm, the Just, the Great, the All-Seeing, the All-Merciful, the one-and-only supplier of the Gold of Valor and Gold of Praise. May he live forever!

What You’ll Find Here:

The large grassland fields to the north of the Visitor’s Center was the principle field where, in 610AD (AD = After Death (explained below)), the last vestiges of Chinese autonomy faced-off against Pharaoh’s armies, in what is commonly accepted as the last major battle in the 600 year long “War against China”, later renamed the Chinese Integration and Enlightenment Campaign. You can walk through the battlefield and stop at the various Information Kiosks spread throughout the area, (Note: If you have your WordPad, please synchronize it at any Kiosk station for a walking tour map of the battlefield area), you will note there is information and interactive terminals at each one, for your learning pleasure.

The Visitor’s Center contains several large-scale interactive stations as well as a myriad of interactive computer stations and displays. There are also several small restaurants and restroom facilities in key locations throughout the battlefield memorial area.

What is the Cost: Admission is FREE to all guests.

Operating Hours: 0800 till 1700, 7 days a week
- All times given are EST (Egyptian Standard Time)

How to Get Here:

From Thebes (and all points north): Take the E-7 highway south into the province of South Africa. Take exit 490A to E-74 East, toward the Canton region. Take exit 39B toward “Old Canton” and follow the signs for the Canton National Historical Battlefield.

(Continued)

[Coinich]

Historical background:

The War against China, later known as the Chinese Integration and Enlightenment (CI&E) Campaign:

Visitor’s Note: For those not familiar with the Egyptian dating system, the term BC indicates: Before Cheops. The Term AD indicates: After Death. This stems from a period when a pretender, named Cheops, attempted to overtake the throne of Egypt. He was relentlessly pursued by the true Pharaoh and defeated. This period of unrest took place over one-year and was a defining time for Egypt. Pharaoh Akhenaten the 394th, upon his ascension to the great throne of Egypt, decreed the new dating system be implemented, and it has survived through to today.

The greatness, which is now called Egypt, traces its origins to the peninsula of land known as the “Horn of Africa” in approximately 4000BC, when Pharaoh Akhenaten the 1st gathered the peoples together to form the tribe of Egypt. (Note: Egyptian leaders have always taken the name Akhenaten upon their ascent to office. This tradition is steeped in history and may never fully be explained, but the process continues through even today). Initial expansion proceeded westward and southward, through the Great Rift Valley and into the forests of the Congo. It was in 3750BC that our ancestors, may they live forever, realized they were trapped between an ocean and a great expanse of desert. Their first encounter with the barbarous tribes of the desert wasteland resulted in a fierce battle, won by the fine Egyptian warrior units, and set the stage for the might of the armies of the future. The Nile river, lifeblood of our peoples, was first discovered in 3500BC. Expansion continued with the discovery of Lake Victoria. A network of cities and roads kept the burgeoning empire growing. In 2550BC the Atlantic Ocean was found. In 2330BC a valiant unit of Egyptian warriors happened upon a Sarmatian village. The uncivilized Sarmatians sent three sub-tribes of warriors against our single warrior unit. The battle lasted for days, with our warriors proving themselves, then-and-there, to be elite. By 2000BC, exploration continued deeper into the Okovanggo plains, the elite 1st Warrior Division is once again tested in battle through encounters with barbarous and uncivilized peoples which leads them to ultimate victory.

Egypt’s first encounter with the Chinese took place in 1600BC. Their sciences and military were primitive, compared to Egypt. Both Egypt’s and China’s expansion continued. Soon Chinese cities were sprouting up in the vicinity of the Egyptian cities. Pharaoh Akhenaten the 238th considered attacking, but in the end decided against war, and instead ordered several groups of settlers southward, out to the northern edge of the Great Southern Desert, to build towns whereby the culture of Egypt would effectively check the northward expansion of the Chinese. This period of expansion, which was also duplicated to the north, beyond the Great Sahara Dessert, was the greatest period of expansion in the history of Egypt and resulted in the settlement of 14 major cities within a 1,000 year period.

In 1375BC, the elite 1st Warrior Division attempted a quiet breach of Chinese territory, in an attempt to continue exploring; however, their attempt is rebuffed and the troops are forced to leave after a direct threat from Chinese Emperor Mao. In 1000BC, the 1st Warrior Division stumbled upon an encampment of Ainu, they are swiftly defeated and the spoils taken for Pharaoh’s treasury. Pharoah Akhenaten the 259th awarded the first ever Gold of Valor to the commander for his superior leadership in battle.

690AD brought contact with the Zulu’s to the north. Shaka, the Zulu ruler, demanded a tariff be paid by Pharaoh Akhenaten the 321st, for the continued safety of the Egyptian peoples – Pharaoh scoffed at Shaka’s exorbitant demands, because Egypt had just produced its first War Chariot division. In 550BC, the first great wonder of the world is completed in the city of Memphis, as the great Colossus project – commissioned by Pharaoh Ahkenaten the 259th, so many centuries ago. Exploration continued northward and southward for many centuries after. The Zulu military begins probing the borders of Egypt. In 290BC, the city of Byblos was founded, on the southeastern shore of Lake Victoria. This city was founded originally to “check” the expansion of the Chinese. 210BC finds the completion of the Great Pyramid in Thebes. Pharaoh Ahkenaten the 321st commands the further expansion of Egypt’s borders. Forty thousand people are commissioned to found four new cities in the frontier areas. This results in the founding of El Amarna, which is strategically placed in the great desert to stop the southward expansion of the Zulus, Hieronconpolis, Abydos and Asyut.

The founding of Avaris, in 50AD, results in the completely successful blocking of the northward expansion of the Chinese. The Chinese had built the cities of Hangchow, Chengdu and Tientsin near our borders. In 70AD, Lisht was founded in the desert plains between Giza and Abydos, thereby effectively checking the expansion of the Zulus.

(Continued)

[Coinich]

The CI&E Campaign:

Scholars agree that Pharaoh Akhenaten the 384th was a true visionary. Two things are known about the attitudes in Egypt circa 80AD. It is known that Pharaoh was very concerned about being sandwiched between China and Zululand, and it has also been historically proven that a Royal Proclamation was made regarding the Chinese. Pharaoh had seen that the Chinese were an underdeveloped people, living under the rule of the despot Mao. The Chinese culture was substandard at best, and it was clear they were uneducated as a race. His plan was two-fold. First, he would embrace the Chinese as citizens of Egypt, and second, this would eliminate any potential threat to the south.

In his proclamation, Pharaoh’s words were truly enlightened, and his compassionate heart was opened. He proclaimed the Chinese to now be subjects of the Empire of Egypt. He proclaimed the Chinese as able to earn the right to receive the benefits of Egyptian citizenship. When he received the proclamation, Emperor Mao was enraged, and swore that he would never succumb to Egypts “threats”. Nevertheless, Pharaoh installed Mao, in absentia, as the Governor of the southern Egyptian province of China, with all the rights and privileges of an Egyptian citizen. Unfortunately Governor Mao’s heart was hardened, he refused Pharaoh’s kind offer of citizenship and governorship, and he even went so far as to publicly rebuke Pharaoh. Finally, in a fit of rage, Mao declared war against the peoples of Egypt and still claimed himself as “Emperor” of the Chinese.

After the profound events of 80AD, Egyptian commanders looked for any sign of Chinese troops advancing northward toward sovereign Egyptian territory. Pharaoh patiently tried to negotiate with the rebel leader Mao, but to no avail. Pharaoh ordered his commanders to begin troop relocation efforts in preparation for any attacks. After twenty long years, when it was finally clear that the rebel Mao was planning no such attack, Pharaoh’s nearly infinite patience had been thoroughly exhausted. Calling his council together, Pharaoh declared that the Chinese were too racially ethnocentric and uneducated to properly understand the awesome, benevolent, and heartfelt gift that Egypt had given them, that of the opportunity to become Egyptian citizens, and even to become a province of Egypt. Pharaoh ordered the armies of Egypt to advance against the Chinese rebels, and to forcibly integrate them into Egyptian culture, and thereby enlighten them in the ways of Egypt. In a proclamation dated 100AD, Pharaoh Akhenaten the 384th declared that “Egypt bestrides the world as a Colossus of strength and a beacon of enlightenment to all races”, and with that the troops were mobilized.

In 110AD, the 2nd War Chariots division smashed into the Chinese town of Hangchow in a surprise attack. The town was utterly destroyed to the point there are no remnants. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th War Chariot divisions began their southward travels. Troop movement begins to be hampered by skirmishing Chinese troops. The Chinese provide a fierce resistance and the war continues to escalate. In 230AD, the 4th and 5th War Chariot Divisions smash the town of Chengdu and completely obliterate it. The rebel Mao had his psychological campaign in full-swing, molding the uneducated minds of his people to provide resistance to the glorious troops of the enlightened Egyptians.

Egyptian troops are not ready to continue on the offensive until 340AD, when the Chinese city of Tientsin is destroyed by the 3rd and 4th War Chariot divisions. The offensive continues, and by 420AD the Chinese city of Tatung falls to the combined efforts of the 6th and 7th War Chariot divisions and the 1st Swordsman Division. Xinjian, on the eastern shores, falls to our 2nd Swordsman Division.

500AD – Tsingtao falls to the valiant soldiers of the 3rd Swordsman Division. By 520AD, the Egyptian military buildup against the Chinese is increasing with alarming speed, culminating with the destruction and razing of Shanghai in 530AD. In a bold move, the Chinese spitefully found another city named Tsingtao, to the north, our troops are ordered in for the attack.

In a desperate attempt to throw Egyptian momentum off-balance, the Chinese infidels land one of their new swordsman units off of our newly founded city of Pithom, which was built in a very strategic location, upon the ruins of old Hangchow. In 540AD, Pithom falls to the Chinese after a pitched battle. In 560AD Tsingtao is again destroyed by Pharaoh’s armies. Pithom is also liberated by the 1st Swordsman Division. Pharaoh presents the commander with the Gold of Valor.

Shanghai, Nanking and Beijing all fell between 580AD and 600AD. So destructive were all the battles that the cities were rendered unlivable and reduced to rubble. The rebel Mao continued to defy Pharaoh and was rumored to be holed-up in the last vestige of Chinese culture – Canton, in the southernmost portion of the continent. Mao had obviously predicted the eventual fall of Shanghai, Nanking and Beijing because he had ordered all but a token resistance of troops out of the city and southward to Canton. It was clear a major battle would take place over the fate of the city of Canton.

[Coinich]

The Battle of Canton:

In 610AD the last of the Chinese rebels were barricaded behind the fortifications of the walled city of Canton, led by the latest rebel leader who had named himself Mao as well. (Historical note: The Chinese rebels named each of their successive leaders Mao, in an effort to persuade the Chinese people their leader was immortal). Pharaoh had ordered General Intef Memnon, Great Lion of Egypt, to muster all remaining Egyptian forces and head south to command the final assault against the wretched rebel forces.

Historical documents attest that it was a breezy, warm, morning in January 610AD when one of the most monumental battles in history was to take place. A gentle rain had just fallen the night before. Picture the tens of thousands of soldiers and horses. The thousands of campfires and tents splayed throughout the grassy plains, as far as the eye can see. The pungent odor of sweat, smoke, and livestock. The grasslands where the armies were assembling were trod into mud. Inside the city of Canton, a similar situation existed. Troops were packed into the buttresses of the cities wall and the 80,000 inhabitants of the city were hosting the multitude of humanity and soldiers in their very houses and shops.

The Chinese order of battle was:
- In Canton City:
3rd Spearbearer Regiment (Elite)
4th Spearbearer Regiment (Elite)
7th Spearbearer Regiment (Elite)
12th Spearbearer Regiment
3rd Swordwarrior Regiment
- Fielded Units:
4th Swordwarrior Regiment (Veteran)
6th Swordwarrior Regiment

The Egyptian order of battle was:
- On the plains northwest of Canton:
2nd Royal War Chariot Division (Elite)
3rd Royal War Chariot Division (Elite)
7th Royal War Chariot Division (Veteran)
2nd Royal Archer Division (Veteran)
4th Royal Archer Division (Veteran)
1st Valorous Royal Swordsman Division (Elite)
6th Royal Swordsman Division (Veteran)
11th Royal Swordsman Division (Veteran)
1st Armored Knights Division (Veteran)
2nd Armored Knights Division (Veteran)

As the attack was prepared, the Egyptian War Chariot divisions formed the main attack force, the Archer Divisions were arrayed on either side for mop-up, and the Knights were on either flank, ready to close the pincer. The Swordsmen units were held in reserve to plug any gaps, or provide increased attack pressure where needed.

The Chinese Swordwarrior regiments dug-in behind anything they could. They hunkered-down and prepared for the onslaught. The units within the city began fortifying themselves along the city walls.

General Memnon boasted to his generals that “"I will charge into them like the swoop of a falcon, slaying, slaughtering, and casting to the ground!". The attack began that morning with the Egyptian Chariots gathering to full speed toward the city of Canton. Their wheels sporting the glinting, long, blade-tipped axles which spun like a shimmering scythe, harvesting all who got in their way in a writhing entanglement of flesh and screams. The archers fell-in behind the chariots to perform cleanup during the immense disarray caused by the charging chariots. Before the knights could even begin showing their effectiveness in battle, it was over. The 4th and 6th Chinese Swordwarrior Regiments were decimated and effectively crushed. Prisoners began to be taken. The casualty tally, after the first attack, showed 938 Chinese dead, 103 captured while only 30 Egyptian soldiers were killed. The first attack was a complete success. General Memnon sent a messenger to the rebel leader Mao’s camp, demanding his surrender, lest the city of Canton fall in much the same way as the two Swordwarrior regiments had. It is rumored that Mao laughed upon hearing this, and he promptly dropped the dead body of the messenger over the parapets of the city wall in reply to Memnon’s demands.

The rest of the day was spent, by both sides, placing forces for the next day’s impending battle, and then resting through the night.

Both sides awoke the next morning to a heavy rain. Undaunted, and inspired by the victories of the previous day, General Memnon desired to press-home the attack on the city of Canton. His troops well rested, his army pre-positioned for battle, he began issuing orders for the day. His principle concern was the quagmire of mud, which would undoubtedly cause maneuverability problems for the chariot units. Despite this, he felt the momentum gained from the previous days victories was enough to overcome this setback. He ordered the Egyptian army to move on Canton.

By mid-morning the attack was in progress, the first problems began, as expected, with the chariots. The chariot divisions began to lose formation cohesion and then started to lag behind the main forces. The horses were being strained at an extremely fast rate, which meant they would not be able to keep up the speed, or maneuverability which was their main defense. Regardless, Memnon ordered them to continue their attack, and the Swordsmen divisions were ordered in, behind the chariots, for support. As the Egyptian army approached Canton, the Chinese prepared for their eventual arrival at the city walls.

The now-slowly-moving Egyptian army approached the city walls of Canton. As they got just inside weapons range, the Chinese responded with an untraditional, and very bold, attack against the Egyptian army. The Spearbearers in the city walls hurled their spears at the Egyptians. Many men and horses in the 7th Royal War Chariots Division were killed, and the entire unit was routed as they abandoned their chariots to the sucking mud. It was then that the gates to the city were opened and the 3rd, 4th and 7th Elite Chinese Spearbearer Regiments poured out of the gates like waters from a flash flood. The Spearbearers viscously assaulted the dismounted charioteers and their horses. The 4th Royal Archer Division was forced to fall back and began taking casualties. The archers were eventually rendered ineffective and were ordered into retreat, to regroup.

Mao’s counterassault had caught General Memnon by complete surprise. He must have watched in horror as the 2nd and 3rd Elite Royal War Chariot Divisions were also forced to abandon their vehicles to the mud, and retreat on foot… only to have the rebel Chinese Spearbearers cut them down as they ran. The 2nd Royal Archer Division was able to route the 4th Chinese Spearbearer Regiment.

The 1st and 2nd Armored Knights lurched forward and attacked the 3rd and 7th Chinese Spearbearers. They clashed in midfield and horse and man fell to the ground in the most muddy, and bloody, fighting yet. The resulting battle left the 3rd and 7th Chinese Spearbearers obliterated, the 1st Armored Knights destroyed, and the 2nd Armored Knights routed and out-of-action. Memnon ordered the 1st, 6th, and 11th Swordsmen Divisions into action against the walls of the city. He was determined to reclaim the day, despite Mao’s guerilla-like attack earlier in the day. Memnon knew it was now or never against Mao. He knew he had to attack before Mao had a chance to steel himself for the attack.

Led by General Memnon himself, Great Lion of Egypt, the Swordsmen lay ladders against the city walls and began to climb like termites headed into their mounds. The 1st Valorous Royal Swordsman Division once again proved themselves in battle by defeating the 3rd Chinese Swordwarrior Regiment inside the battlements of the city. The 6th and 11th Royal Swordsmen Divisions clashed against the 12th Chinese Spearbearer regiment, barricaded behind the buttresses of their city walls, with devastating results for both sides. The Chinese knew they were fighting for their very cultural identity and the ferocity of the battles were tremendous. The 11th Royal Swordsman Division was destroyed when burning pitch ignited a storage room filled with hay bails. The resulting fire killed nearly every man in the 11th Swordsman Division. (Historical Note: To date there has never been another unit numbered 11 in the Egyptian Army, in honor of the 11th Royal Swordsman Division’s death-by-fire in battle.)

[Coinich]

Epilogue:

Canton burned for days as the 1st Valorous Royal Swordsman Division, and the last vestiges of the Egyptian Army, mopped-up the last pockets of resistance in the city. General Memnon was appointed as Temporary Governor and Lord High Justice of the Canton Region. Pharaoh awarded the Gold of Valor to General Memnon for his actions in defeating the Chinese.

As a result of the Battle of Canton, the 600 year long Chinese Integration and Enlightenment Campaign was finally over. The Chinese were effectively subjugated as a culture and began to live happy lives as citizenship-eligible Egyptians. Canton has continued to thrive and is now a major shipping port for trade with the Persians in Australia.

On behalf of the Royal Egyptian Department of Antiquities and History, we hope you have enjoyed your visit, and THANK YOU for visiting the Canton National Historical Battlefield. If you have any questions, please contact a Park Ranger who will be more than happy to assist you.

(P.S. - I tried to upload pictures, but couldn't quite get it right - perhaps next time).

[sgrig]

Great story!

[sgrig]

Great story!

I tried to vote but for some reason, it didn't let me, saying that my session is invalid . But if I did vote I would give you the top rating.

[Coinich]

Thanks for the vote(s) of confidence.

[pikesfan]

The story was interesting, but I can just see the poor visitors to the National Canton Historic Site being given a pamphlet the size of a small phone book

[Coinich]

LOL! Pikesfan - if Pharaoh, or the Grand Vizier desires it to be a telephone book that is passed out at the park, who are we to question them!!!

[Kingof the Apes]

Great story! Lucky your swordsmen held out.

[Coinich]

I'm glad to read the good comments on this. I was looking for a different method to get information across, I thought the historical point of view would be good. :

Coinich