He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 247

(247) Davout Saves Napoleon from the Swamp

Up until now, the commander-in-chief, whose specialty was surprise attacks, had yet to anticipate this sudden, unexpected attack.

“Indeed, [Fool Ivan] isn’t a complete fool. The formation is quite aggressive.”

Ten minutes before the bombardment began, Napoleon, checking the time with his pocket watch, sneered.

Of course, an army that had crossed the Alps in a surprise attack couldn’t be a collection of fools.

However, the only adversaries Napoleon praised were those he had defeated.

He particularly had a habit of belittling opponents who seemed difficult.

At that moment, Augereau, standing next to Napoleon, spoke up.

“Commander-in-chief, this is dangerous.”

“Dangerous? Augereau, is there any battlefield that isn’t dangerous? Show it to me! I’ll gladly rush to it if there is!”

“That’s not what I mean. The enemy has arrived in a situation we didn’t anticipate at all. If we continue like this, the possibility of encirclement increases!”

So, Napoleon was currently facing the Russian army in an unforeseen situation.

Because this was not the city of Alexandria, as expected.

It was the plain right in front of him: Marengo.

Of course, during a normal march, Napoleon would have deployed a large number of scouts to identify the enemy.

However, because the Russian army was moving abnormally fast, Napoleon had to advance hastily.

As a result, they encountered each other here in a less-than-prepared state.

Instantly, Napoleon roared from horseback.

“Nonsense! All wars are unpredictable! The one who exploits the enemy’s weaknesses in this situation is the true master!”

Currently, Napoleon was 29 years old.

Unlike how he would be in later years, sick, exhausted, and slow.

Like a storm, Napoleon began to ride around the formation, commanding from the front.

“First, prepare the defenses. And where is Murat?”

“Yes, you called, Your Excellency!”

“You’ll have to prepare for a charge.”

Murat, who had been rushing excitedly, stopped his horse in surprise.

“Surely, you don’t mean charge into that infantry line?”

Originally, in the original timeline, Murat would already be Napoleon’s closest aide and brother-in-law at this time.

However, thanks to Eugene’s outstanding performance, Murat’s credibility wasn’t that high.

However, Napoleon had discerned that his charging ability was superior even to Lannes.

Still, to [charge head-on] into the line infantry seemed too much, wouldn’t it?

Napoleon smiled, twisting his lips.

“Heh heh, I don’t mean to break through. It’s just to show off our might from outside their range.”

“It seems the enemy is short on cavalry.”

“An army that has just crossed the Alps. They might not even have cannons. Heh heh heh!”

It was then.

-Boom!

Napoleon and Murat turned their gaze at the sound of the explosion.

Far away, from the fully arrayed Russian army near Alexandria, cannonballs were flying.

Napoleon was astonished as he watched the incoming cannonballs.

“What, cannons? How?”

However, ignoring Napoleon’s astonishment, dozens of cannonballs flew and exploded.

-Boom! Boom! Boom!

Soldiers, startled by the explosions, scattered from their ranks before regrouping.

“What, are those incendiary shells!”

Just as Napoleon stammered in surprise, Berthier hurriedly caught up.

“No, Your Excellency. They are explosive shells.”

“Then why are they exploding so close to the impact point!”

“Look closely. It’s a curved trajectory, so they are too slow.”

Berthier explained calmly with a blank face.

“They can be easily avoided.”

Only then did Napoleon regain his composure and issue orders.

“Good. Then, let’s proceed as originally planned. Murat!”

Murat gritted his teeth and shouted to his brigade.

“Understood! We are the vanguard. Let’s go, men!”

Just as the cavalry was preparing to sortie, Napoleon hurriedly headed to the main camp where the commander-in-chief’s guard was located.

Since the bombardment had begun, the French army also had to issue instructions to the artillery.

At that moment, another shocking situation came into Napoleon’s view.

-Ta-ta-ta!

Rubbing his eyes, wondering if he was mistaken, Napoleon opened his mouth wide.

“What? The enemies are charging first?”

And towards the French line infantry’s columns, equipped with new muskets.

At that moment, a cannonball exploded right in front of Napoleon.

-Boom!

The smoke covered the spot where Napoleon had been.

***

In fact, there was another problem.

“Isn’t there a risk of the cannonballs hitting our own troops!”

The commander of the Austrian Third Army, Paul Kray, shouted as if screaming.

Perhaps the cannon fire was too loud, or he suspected that the old Suvorov couldn’t hear him because he was old.

Of course, Suvorov, who was healthy and had good hearing despite being 70 years old, simply replied.

“It doesn’t matter, General Kray.”

“Pardon?”

“Our soldiers do not fear death. After all, they will starve to death even if they return home.”

Suvorov suddenly grinned.

“That is the real reason why our corps is so fearsome.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than 50 [Unicorns – a type of Russian howitzer] spewed fire.

-Boom! Boom! Boom!

Cannonballs rained down on the place where the French line infantry and the Russian line infantry were clashing, the plain of Marengo.

The French Italian Corps, which had never retreated in battle until now, was also taken aback.

Most of the commanders were also bewildered and unable to issue clear instructions.

Even as the Russian army was rushing headlong towards them.

Divisional commanders Marmont, Sérurier, and Reynier each shouted.

“We, we, we are in danger!”

“Infantry, form ranks! They are just running!”

“Fire! Hurry!”

In the midst of this, Masséna kicked a colonel who was trying to flee and ordered.

“Eeeek, those cannons are slow! Fire first and then retreat, you idiots!”

Only then did the Masséna Division, which had been at the forefront, come to its senses.

Under the command of Brigadier General Serboni, the soldiers formed ranks while avoiding the impact points of the cannonballs.

In addition, because it was percussion firing, the French soldiers managed to reload faster than the flintlock, even in their confusion.

-Click, bang!

The soldiers of the Masséna Division, firing Boarneh-style muskets, stopped for a moment.

The enemy did not stop.

Not even in the face of cannonballs, bullets, and the enemy.

“What, they’re not stopping?”

“Keep firing! Are the Ivans immortal? They die if they get shot!”

“No, but. Isn’t that the same for us? Commander Masséna!”

It was just as Serboni was protesting to Masséna.

“O-oh, th-th-they’re approaching!”

The commander of the Milan garrison, Sérurier, shouted in unprecedented panic.

-Bang! Click, bang! Click, bang!

At that moment, Augereau’s division on the left wing rushed out and fired their guns.

However, even as they were hit by bullets, the Russian infantry continued to advance.

Even as their comrades next to them died, they kicked them aside, and the fair-haired, blue-eyed Russians approached.

They seemed like demons rising from hell.

At that moment, the cavalry commander Bessières, who had lost his way, found Murat.

“Brigadier General Murat, we, we must charge.”

“Where to?”

“Pardon?”

Murat frowned and pointed forward with his baton.

“Putting aside those cannonballs, those crazy Ivans are just running at us?”

At that moment, the crazy Ivans, that is, the Russian infantry, finally reached the French army.

-Thwack!

The vanguard, the Masséna Division, which had been bravely firing until then, became the first sacrifice.

It was a bayonet charge.

Masséna realized this and hurriedly ordered.

“Bayonet charge! Melee, fight back!”

Just as the bayonets were about to clash, the cannon fire began again.

-Boom!

Even the usually unflappable Masséna was dumbfounded and looked up at the sky, shouting.

“Madmen, they’re just firing cannons even though our allies are there?”

However, the cannonballs had already filled the sky.

Extremely slow but cannonballs in the sky, and equally steadfast but Russian infantry on the ground were approaching.

Murat, watching the scene from the hill, shouted.

“This is madness! I’m getting out of this battlefield!”

It had been three years since the French army came to Italy.

It was truly the first moment that the entire French Napoleonic Corps fell into ‘panic’.

***

So what was Napoleon doing?

“Berthier! Where are you! Marmont! Duroc!”

He was wandering alone on the plain of Marengo.

In an era approaching the 19th century, gunpowder weapons were still fired with black powder.

Gunfire and artillery fire always came with smoke.

In particular, curved trajectory cannonballs, called explosive shells, obscured the view with smoke more than their destructive power at the moment of impact.

Napoleon was unharmed by the shelling, but the impact had knocked him out of the French army’s ranks.

In the meantime, the Russian army had invaded, and the French army was fighting back in individual divisions and regiments.

That was why the commander-in-chief was wandering alone on the plain of Marengo.

Coughing in the smoke, Napoleon gritted his teeth.

“Cough, cough, cough! Damn it, a commander who attacks so recklessly. What is he thinking?”

Of course, Napoleon was flustered and unable to respond properly.

However, the French army still had 60,000 troops, and there were reserves that had not been hit by cannonballs.

Only the three divisions that had advanced as the vanguard, Masséna, Augereau, and Napoleon’s main force, had been hit.

However, if they fired cannonballs in the midst of the engagement, the Russian army would suffer even greater damage.

“At this rate, the Russian army will be unable to recover!”

It was just as Napoleon was about to see the engagement through the smoke.

“Here, there’s a short Corsican!”

Someone shouted at Napoleon.

Perhaps the commander-in-chief’s unique military hat caught their eye.

However, at those words, Napoleon drew his sword and retorted in anger.

“Who are you calling short! I am 170 centimeters tall!”

“Ura!” [Russian battle cry]

“Eek!”

Instantly, Napoleon’s cavalry sword cut down the Russian soldiers who were charging with bayonets.

-Shuk!

Taking advantage of the moment when the soldiers flinched and stepped back, Napoleon quickly ran away.

“Haa, haa, what is this? Where did my guards go!”

Napoleon had dreamed of being a cavalryman.

Although his grades were not good enough to become a cavalryman, he had a great interest in swordsmanship, one of the qualities of a cavalryman, and had trained in it.

Among the relics of Napoleon in later history, there are famous swords that he often collected.

However, Napoleon never dreamed that he would survive alone like this.

Just as he was running in a miserable mood, a cavalry appeared through the smoke.

-Clatter, clatter, clatter!

Napoleon froze, holding his breath.

If they were enemies, Napoleon’s life would end here.

It was then.

“Commander-in-chief!”

A man with a somewhat shiny head shouted at Napoleon.

“Oh, Baldy! Who are you?”

Napoleon asked, breathing a sigh of relief.

He couldn’t remember his name, but he remembered seeing the bald man somewhere.

General Davout, realizing that his military hat had been removed, saluted.

“Major General Louis Nicolas Davout, belonging to the commander’s guard. I have come to rescue you!”

“Where did our army scatter to?”

“They are retreating to the rear to avoid the shelling. Please ride this horse, Your Excellency!”

Looking at Davout, who was hastily handing over a spare horse, Napoleon nodded.

“Good. Retreat to the rear of Marengo. Reorganize the ranks and fight again!”

In fact, this was the way Napoleon or the generals of this era often fought in the original history.

Until now, the truly organized battles owed much to Eugene’s Horse Grenadier Brigade.

Unpredictable battles, battles in chaos, and unexpected situations.

But conversely, Napoleon had experienced chaotic battlefields since Toulon.

He quickly regained his motivation and began to return to the front line.

-Doo-doo-doo!

Davout, the bald man, led the reserve cavalry behind Napoleon and shouted.

“Men! The commander-in-chief is a symbol of the revolution. Fight to the death!”

The commander’s guard cavalry all drew their cavalry swords and shouted.

“For the revolution! Viva Napoleon!”

Napoleon smiled and looked back.

In the distance, the Russian army could be seen rushing madly.

Those who did not fear death, shelling, or bullets.

Suvorov would be beyond them.

Napoleon’s eyes flashed.

“I will definitely repay this debt! Right now, today!”

The Battle of Marengo was not over yet.