He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 472

(472) The Battle on the Russian Plain Begins

Rain falls upon the battlefield where a combined force of 700,000 troops from both sides has gathered.

-Drip, drip!

Rain is one of the formidable enemies that threaten the army.

Humidity slows the soldiers’ movements, rusts their weapons, and especially soaks the gunpowder.

Moreover, prolonged exposure can easily lead to colds or other illnesses.

However, if Napoleon had arrived here in the original timeline, he would have suffered from the harsh cold.

As summer was not yet over, Napoleon smiled upon the Russian plains in August.

“Indeed, this will be a battle where the victor takes all, and the loser loses all.”

This place is a plain near Kaluga, 200 kilometers southwest of Moscow.

An endless stretch of flat plains, with a few hills peeking through, making it a unique location.

Usually, the name of the battlefield is determined by the name of the nearby village.

“What is the name of that village over there?”

To Napoleon’s question, Clausewitz, a staff officer assigned to the General Staff, reported.

“According to the monks at the nearby monastery, it is called Borodino.”

True to its devout nature, there is an Orthodox church in this area.

No matter the battlefield, the ‘higher-ups’ can easily sleep under a roof.

Napoleon, who values the same environment as his soldiers, also slept in the monastery yesterday.

Feeling refreshed after a good night’s sleep, Napoleon stroked his chin.

Originally, in the original timeline, he would be suffering from prostate enlargement and urinary disorders by now, but currently, he is cheerfully listening to the report from Chief of Staff Berthier.

“There are ramparts behind the Koloch River, surrounded by fortifications.”

“They must have wanted to build a fortress? It’s too low to do more than slightly slow down a cavalry charge.”

“However, it can sufficiently hinder the advance of line infantry.”

Berthier stated, summarizing the reports from scouts, skirmishers, and sentries.

“Moreover, the enemy’s cavalry numbers at least 80,000. If our army has any advantage, it is that the enemy is divided into battalions and lacks light cavalry.”

400,000.

This is the total number of troops the Russian Empire has gathered at Borodino.

Above all, conscripted serfs are lurking around Moscow as reserves.

On the other hand, Napoleon has brought 200,000 from the Grande Armée, 100,000 from the Polish Legion, and only 20,000 Cossack light cavalry.

At first glance, being overwhelmed in terms of troop numbers makes one anticipate defeat.

Also, unknown to the French, the Russians have brought as many as 1,000 cannons.

Although Napoleon also brought breech-loading cannons and explosive shells newly improved at the Poli armory, their number is less than 100.

The remaining 500 cannons are still Gribeauval’s muzzle-loading cannons.

Nevertheless, the reason Napoleon is at ease is simple.

It is raining.

The Russian army expected to have an advantage over the French in terms of firepower because it was their own territory.

However, if the atmosphere is full of moisture, it creates obstacles in utilizing this firepower.

Napoleon smiled contentedly and told Chief of Staff Berthier.

“We are also short on light cavalry. Pull the Cossacks back.”

“Yes? They are a valuable troop type, though.”

“Well, ask Murat.” Napoleon gestured towards Murat, who was below the low hill. “What do you think? Are the Cossacks you recruited yesterday better, or are your hussars better?”

Murat, who was reviewing the Hussar light cavalry, raised his head sharply.

“Of course, my men are more valiant, Your Majesty! It’s a pity I couldn’t take the vanguard!”

“Don’t worry. Even Eugene can’t cover that entire vast front!”

“Haha! Then, will I also have a chance at the vanguard!”

Originally, in the original timeline, the so-called [Murat’s Charge] was mostly against the Russian army.

However, currently, this is only the third time Russia and France have engaged in combat.

Even then, one time was virtually the Romanian army led by Kutuzov, so it can be said to be the second time after Marengo.

Therefore, Murat’s charge, as people know it, is actually most famous for the small-scale Austerlitz.

Napoleon looked at the front and shook his head.

“No, but you will charge when it is most important, Murat.”

The rampart, a wall stretching about 5 kilometers across the Borodino plain and hills, is visible.

It is a temporary defensive wall called [Shevardino Redoubt], named after a nearby village.

In particular, the central protrusion was built by the Russian Imperial Army, especially the impatient Bagration, as soon as they arrived in Borodino, and it surprisingly had the effect of hindering cavalry charges.

Thus, in the original timeline, a fierce battle unfolds around the center of the redoubt, the so-called [Bagration Flèche].

However, unlike the original timeline, Napoleon is in relatively good health and is at the front.

Originally, due to health issues, he stayed in the rear and could not command the front at all, so the judgment of the situation itself has changed.

On the other hand, it is strange to even mention cavalry.

Guard Commander Lannes pointed out that point.

“Your Majesty, cavalry is unlikely to be the main force in this battle, especially if you are not going to use the Cossacks. At first glance, the number of enemy cannons is no joke.”

“Lannes, you are not speaking like a man of Gascony. Were you a man who retreated before cannons?”

“What, how can you say that!”

Instantly, Lannes shouted in anger.

“This body is a grenadier! Even if you are the Emperor, please refrain from such insults! I will never retreat, even in the face of enemy fire!”

Of course, Lannes in the original timeline always went to the front and died in the Battle of Aspern-Essling.

However, the Battle of Aspern-Essling itself did not happen because Eugene and Napoleon dismantled the Austrian Empire.

However, his bravery remained, surprising, impressing, and worrying the people around the Emperor.

Fortunately, instead of getting angry, the Emperor laughed.

“Good attitude. This war will require enduring blood.”

Even the usually fearless Lannes lowered his voice, slightly uneasy at those words.

“Surely, you don’t really mean to charge in front of the cannons, do you?”

“Puhaha! If necessary, we will have to. But your job is to deliver the final blow when the enemy and allies are entangled. After all, victory or defeat will depend on the Guard and the reserves.”

“Does Your Majesty have Austerlitz in mind now?”

Austerlitz, the battlefield where Napoleon’s tactics were at their peak.

La manoeuvre sur les derrières [the maneuver on the rear].

That is, strategic rear breakthrough maneuver.

Perhaps, Napoleon’s tactics are called [Magic].

It was first introduced at the Battle of Castiglione, and the tactic that made Napoleon the strongest in Europe for over 10 years was also brilliantly displayed at Austerlitz.

However, Napoleon shook his head.

The 700,000 troops and over 200,000 horses filling this battlefield, along with 1,600 cannons, are equally filling Napoleon’s mind.

Troop strength, mobility, firepower.

A battlefield that is truly a concentration of power.

There is no space to deploy a rear maneuver.

Instead, Napoleon has a different battlefield in mind.

“Are the Russian Ivans [a common, sometimes derogatory, term for Russians] really that stupid? I am thinking of Marengo.”

“Yes? But wasn’t that an extremely dangerous battle?”

“Yes. If Desaix and Eugene hadn’t come, I would have died.”

Suddenly, Napoleon smiled strangely.

“Conversely, the one who has the ability to deploy reserves this time will win. Both the enemy commander and I know that fact. Who did you say the enemy commander was?”

Suddenly, Rochejaquelein, a dark-skinned handsome man standing behind Napoleon, stated.

“It is Kutuzov. A month ago, the Tsar [Pretender] took him from the rightful Tsar.”

Unlike the secret police in charge of domestic security and intelligence, the Surêté [French Security Agency] has been in charge of foreign intelligence since its inception.

As the Russian expedition began, the Surêté also focused all its efforts on Russian affairs.

Therefore, they are missing other foreign intelligence matters, but instead, they are obtaining Russian information even on the battlefield.

Napoleon raised his eyebrows and twisted his lips.

“Was it Adrianople? He was a friend who lost to Eugene there.”

Suddenly, Napoleon’s gaze turned to his chief aide.

“Louis, when the rain stops, order Eugene to advance.”

The Duke of Parma, Louis Charles Caffarelli, bowed his head.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Send messengers to Augereau on the left wing and Masséna on the right wing to prepare. Well, Augereau might be a bit dangerous. Is the main force of the enemy on our left wing?”

“That is correct, Your Majesty.”

The Russian Empire had a large force on the right wing, which is the left wing from the French perspective.

At first glance, it seems difficult to penetrate.

On the other hand, most of them are line infantry, so the speed of the charge will be slow.

However, if there are cannons in the rear, there is a possibility that they will push with firepower as time goes on.

Calculating that point and looking at the angles with one eye, Napoleon turned to the Lord Chamberlain.

“Duroc, bombardment must take place after the initial engagement. Tell Marmont firmly. Oh, did Bernadotte take charge of the rear reserves?”

Suddenly, as soon as the order was finished, the sound of rain in Borodino began to subside.

-Trickle!

The moment when both armies would begin to engage was approaching.

***

At the vanguard, the front of the 4th Corps, the entire enemy is not visible.

“It seems that a cannon battle might be more difficult than I thought.”

However, Eugene can narrow his eyes and gauge the entire battlefield.

Because the grace of the [Silver Letter] is still floating in his vision.

Danger, safety, neutral.

Every time a warning pops up, he guesses the extent to which the enemy has prepared.

Then, Jomini approached Eugene and tilted his head.

“Yes? The enemy is not a fool, so they must have done [Corning – a method of drying and preserving gunpowder]. Your Majesty.”

“Even so, Corning is only effective when the gunpowder itself is of high quality. Moreover, we are the ones who have done long-distance transportation, so we cannot guarantee the quality of the gunpowder.”

“A day or so doesn’t matter, does it? I don’t think it will last more than 2 days.”

Suddenly, Davout, who was standing on horseback behind Eugene, opened his mouth.

“It will take time to clash, but once we clash, the victory or defeat will be decided in one day.”

Eugene looked back at Davout’s shiny bald head, wet with rain, and his eyes sparkled.

Originally, Davout was one of the Imperial Marshals at this time in the original timeline.

He also gained Napoleon’s trust in place of Desaix and gained fame at Austerlitz, Jena, and Eckmühl.

In particular, Jena was actually a battle led by Davout.

Above all, he is absolutely loyal to Napoleon, and in the original timeline, he even defended Hamburg after Napoleon abdicated.

However, Napoleon used Davout as Minister of War during the Hundred Days, so he could not employ him at Waterloo.

If Davout had been at Waterloo, victory might have been Napoleon’s.

Eugene, looking at the bald general who was virtually a marshal, even though he had not yet risen to the rank of marshal due to lack of achievements, asked.

“How can you be so sure, Lieutenant General Davout?”

“You can tell by looking at the enemy’s formation. On the surface, it looks like they are considering defense, but in reality, they are preparing for a counterattack.”

“Is that so? I don’t really know.”

In fact, Eugene was asking because he really didn’t know about half of it.

The talk about defense and counterattack is a guess.

This is a chronic problem with the Russian Imperial Army, where the generals, most of whom are aristocrats, have factions within the military.

Therefore, even if defense is the strategic goal, there are many aristocratic officers who attempt counterattacks on their own.

However, this is the first time Eugene has seen such a large-scale army clash.

So, it was difficult to know whether it would end in a single day or not.

The original Battle of Borodino also took place over approximately 3 days.

Davout replied firmly.

“Your Majesty, look not at the front, but at the Koloch River in the rear. As the rain stops, don’t you see the dust getting worse?”

Eugene turned his gaze and his eyes widened.

It’s true.

It seems that a large-scale counterattack is being prepared, not just at the level of an individual officer.

Thinking it was a pity that the balloon corps had not come, Eugene narrowed his brows.

Kutuzov is clearly thinking of this battle as defense-oriented.

“Isn’t Kutuzov in control?”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

“If Kutuzov had completely enforced command, this battle would unconditionally go to attrition warfare. That’s the only way Russia can win.”

Eugene recalled faint memories of his past life and information from his current life and told Davout.

“However, if they focus on counterattacks, it’s one of three things. It’s either Bennigsen’s trick, Bagration is leading it, or…”

Bennigsen is good at strategic battles.

On the other hand, Bagration has strengths in dynamic mobile attacks.

However, Kutuzov is neither of those, and in terms of grand strategy, a direct clash is never good for the Russian army.

While Eugene was pondering without speaking, Junot, the commander of the 4th Corps who was accompanying him, asked.

“Is there some Russian general we haven’t grasped?”

“Not a great general, Junot.”

“Is there anyone other than Kutuzov, Bennigsen, or Bagration who can take the lead?”

Of course, there are not only 3 marshals in Russia.

There is also Buxhoeveden, who defends Saint Petersburg, Barclay, who should have been the Minister of War, and Andrei Gorchakov, Suvorov’s nephew and commander of the infantry.

However, in terms of reputation or authority, not ability, there is no one who can follow the three marshals.

However, there is only one person who can make the authority of the military nothing.

Eugene gazed at the front and said.

“There is only one person: the Tsar Pretender.”

In an instant, everyone was surprised, and Junot shouted like a representative.

“What crazy talk is that? This is a decisive battlefield. Is there a crazy emperor who would come here in person besides our Emperor?”

“We came to save a crazy emperor who was going to conquer India in the first place.”

“Oh, then, wait a minute. What changes?”

The moment Junot tilted his head, Eugene nodded.

“It changes. It seems that it’s time for the [Grenadier Cavalry] to show off for the first time in a while.”

To exploit the weaknesses of the Emperor’s direct command.

***

So, if the Emperor comes to the battlefield in person, what weaknesses would there be?

“Hurry up with the cannon deployment! We must prepare immediately when the rain stops! Move before the infamous French horse artillery comes!”

Colonel Karl Wilhelm von Toll.

A man of German descent who was born in Russia and devoted himself to the military.

Although his rank is low, he was originally Suvorov’s staff officer, and currently, as Kutuzov’s staff officer, he is a key figure in charge of the tactical deployment of the army.

But more than ever, Toll is urging the soldiers.

Why?

Of course, this war is an important battlefield, so it is not necessarily strange.

However, if the Tsar had not come to the battlefield in person, he would not be in such a hurry.

In any case, since it is right after the rain, everything from moving the cannons is a challenge.

But while Toll was urging the artillery deployment, the adjutant looking at the front shouted.

“Colonel! I see the enemy in front!”

“What, is it an infantry advance?”

“No! It’s cavalry!”

Toll snorted as he looked at the approaching cavalry.

“Ha! The French are truly arrogant! It is common sense on the battlefield that a cavalry advance in front of line infantry is impossible! Muskets, load!”

Above all, the so-called Bagration Flèche is there as a barrier.

-Click, click, click!

Behind the redoubt, the infantry hurriedly loaded their muskets.

The guns are aimed at the approaching cavalry, and their hands are placed on the hammers.

Just before firing, the sound of hooves is loud.

-Thud, thud!

Just as about 1,000 cavalrymen were approaching, Toll raised his hand.

“They’re coming, fire! Huh?”

Very far away, something flew in from outside the musket range.

-Swoosh, bang!

Winged grenades, the so-called [Beauharnais-style] flying grenades.

Since it was the first time they had appeared on the battlefield in a while, no one had prepared for them.