He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 518

(518) Gneisenau Incites a Riot

So, where exactly is Napoleon’s main force?

“Soldiers of the Deutsch! Now is the moment to take up arms for the [German Nation]!”

Löwen, a small town 20 kilometers east of Waterloo.

If they were to march at full speed, the infantry could cover the distance in a day, arriving in the afternoon if they departed at dawn.

However, the line infantry, artillery, and supply units that Berthier was supposed to lead were halted here.

This was due to nothing less than a [Riot/Mutiny].

Chief of Staff Berthier, bewildered by the commotion, rushed out of his tent and shouted.

“What is going on? Why has the march suddenly stopped!”

“It’s the soldiers of Deutsch origin, Your Excellency!”

“Clausewitz, surely not you too?”

Clausewitz, now a key staff member of the French General Staff, stammered and waved his hand.

“No! It’s, it seems the instigator is General Gneisenau!”

Gneisenau, a man who, in the original history, should have been making a name for himself in Prussia.

However, around the time of the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, Eugene used a strategy during negotiations at Sanssouci Palace.

As a result, Clausewitz and Gneisenau were forcibly transferred to the French army.

Clausewitz, still young and a fan of Napoleon and Eugene, was easily swayed.

However, Gneisenau had always been aloof, and today he finally incited a riot within the army.

“Fight against the Gallic bastards!”

“Germanic people, rise for the nation! Follow the speeches of Professor Fichte!”

“Long live the Deutsch Empire! Hail Kaiser!”

The famous , Fichte’s speeches, took place in 1807.

In short, the concept of a [German] identity, as opposed to the French, already existed in that era.

But had the French army treated the German soldiers, who spoke a different language, well?

Of course not.

Gneisenau ignited the accumulated grievances, along with officers from Prussia, Bavaria, and other German regions.

Gneisenau, at the head, was passionately roaring for the first time in a while.

“Kill! The invaders of the Grande Armée!”

Even those who didn’t understand Deutsch joined in.

“Ura!”

These were the Russian troops in charge of the transport unit.

They were former peasants who had been suffering in a foreign land, transporting heavy cannons, gunpowder, and food.

But now that the formidable Grande Armée was in chaos, the Russian soldiers also had fire in their eyes.

“Russian people, stand against the imperialists!”

“Ooh! I don’t know what’s going on, but let’s fight!”

“Damn French bastards! They treat us like slaves!”

As the Russian soldiers revolted, their commander Yermolov tried to join in but fell over.

“Long live the Tsar! Ugh, why are you hitting me! Aaaagh!”

Mutiny is an old historical tradition in the army.

So is assaulting officers.

Russian generals and officers who treated soldiers with beatings and corporal punishment were naturally objects of hatred for the soldiers.

The situation was different from France, where soldiers were treated more leniently because they were citizens.

While Russian generals and officers, including Yermolov, were being trampled to death, Bernadotte escaped and ran over.

“Hoo, the chaos is maximized. They are fighting among themselves!”

“We must suppress it! Order them to fire immediately!”

“Dealing with a mutiny with gunfire? That’s insane!”

While Bernadotte, Soult, and Saint-Cyr were shouting, Davout said, sweating on his bald head.

“Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, please make a decision!”

Ultimately, the highest authority is Chief of Staff Berthier.

The military prioritizes the chain of command, and moving without orders only maximizes confusion.

Therefore, only Berthier’s order can address the riot.

Since this is a rebellion of different ethnic groups, there is a clear front line where the French are not participating in the riot and are resisting.

Nevertheless, Berthier shook his head with a pale face.

“This is not my job.”

“Your Excellency!”

“My job is to create strategic plans, execute supply plans, and report march plans. It is never my job to kill my own troops!”

The best chief of staff, who had never been flustered in his life, screamed.

“I, I absolutely cannot do it!”

The generals gathered in front of the General Staff’s barracks were dumbfounded.

However, Berthier’s words were not wrong.

If a situation arises where we kill our own troops here, who will take the political responsibility?

No other general dared to step forward and take responsibility.

-Waaaaa!

Amidst the roar of the mob, Bernadotte muttered with a strange look.

“This main force, it’s now impossible for it to go to Waterloo.”

Even if the Emperor is defeated at Waterloo.

***

Massená, who seemed to rely on intuition but calculated marching speed like a ghost, was also flustered.

“When on earth is the main force coming!”

He had clearly sent a messenger to the main force and confirmed it.

There was also a calculation that Berthier would show up on the battlefield around 3 p.m. today.

Even if he couldn’t participate in the actual battle due to the forced march, it didn’t matter.

All they had to do was disrupt the enemy ranks and reorganize the lines to fight again tomorrow.

But Berthier’s main army was not coming at all.

“We’re running out of gunpowder, Commander!”

“If the enemy approaches in this state… Oh, they’re advancing?”

“There’s gunfire, but they’re still advancing!”

Unfortunately, Massená’s corps had not yet arrived either.

Rather, the march itself was much slower than Berthier’s headquarters.

This was because all the main commanders had come to Waterloo with Massená first.

There was another problem.

“Those Anglo-Saxon bastards and Hindu bastards are both crazy. They’re almost like those Ivan [Russian] bastards.”

Massená shook his head while reloading his musket on horseback.

It is human instinct to stop when gunfire erupts.

However, the British army was literally advancing with indomitable will.

In fact, the Mysore Wars in India were much more brutal close-quarters combat than in Europe.

But even so, it was inevitable to be afraid of soldiers rushing in without flinching at gunfire.

However, the French army had fought these soldiers once before.

It was the Russian army.

Massená, recalling what they had done back then, was startled.

-Thud, thud, thud!

Gradually, the enemy’s advance is turning into a jog.

The Russian army’s response that just came to mind seems tempting.

Of course, it’s to flee.

Eventually, Massená shook his head.

“It seems impossible to attack with the Caracole tactic [a cavalry maneuver] any longer.”

“Shall we join the Guard?”

“Is the King of Spain still not here? Serboni?”

Chief of Staff Serboni raised his telescope and looked at the rear of the enemy.

“It seems he’s maneuvering on the outskirts, looking for an opportunity.”

It was Eugene, who had been bravely charging until just now.

However, when Massená appeared, he immediately broke away and seemed to be circling the outskirts again.

Well, Eugene would be in the same situation with no gunpowder, so there would be no other way.

Nevertheless, Massená smirked and grabbed the reins.

“The more time passes, the fewer opportunities there will be. As expected, the King of Spain is not bold enough. Retreat!”

-Doo-doo-doo!

No matter how brave the line infantry is, they cannot catch up with the cavalry on the road.

The 3,000 cavalry of Massená’s cavalry corps simultaneously turned around and retreated across the meadows of Waterloo.

The Gurkha mercenaries who were still alive were crushed by the momentum and scattered, or were completely annihilated by Massená’s cavalry.

Soon after, Massená’s cavalry encountered a new army.

It was the main force of Napoleon’s Guard infantry, marching in columns, and Massená whistled.

“Your Majesty! Here comes the lucky man, Massená!”

“Massená, I’m glad. Thanks to you, cavalry utilization has become possible!”

“What good is it if there’s not enough gunpowder? I’d rather go to nearby Brussels and plunder gunpowder!”

Massená shrugged, but Napoleon shook his head at Massená.

“No, Massená. You’ve bought us time to this point, so it’s already done.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Even if the main force doesn’t come, or rather, I have a plan in case the main force can’t come.”

He’s too confident, even though he’s been on the losing side so far.

Whether Massená was the only one who thought so, Duroc and Louis Charles, who were accompanying him, were also dumbfounded.

However, even if Napoleon bluffs, there’s no reason to lie about tactics.

“If you have such a plan, why don’t I know about it? I’m also one of Your Majesty’s marshals?”

Napoleon burst into laughter at Massená, who was feigning intimidation.

“Puhahaha! Even Oudinot doesn’t know this. Only Eugene and Moreau know!”

“Why Moreau all of a sudden? Since when have you trusted Moreau more than me? Lannes would be sad!”

“Lannes, he’ll say that in hell or heaven.”

Looking at Napoleon, who suddenly became depressed again, Massená widened his eyes.

“Lannes, is he dead?”

Because he realized that he wasn’t joking.

Lannes, a 20-year comrade who had been with him since the Italian campaign, was dead.

Wasn’t he a friend who had survived even the much more difficult and arduous Russian campaign?

Napoleon looked at Massená and said bitterly.

“Don’t you die. Now, it’s time for the messenger to arrive.”

What on earth is Napoleon planning and waiting for?

Massená turned his gaze away in confusion.

A cavalryman was running towards them.

-Doo-doo-doo!

It was a very familiar face, a messenger.

***

Suddenly, a pigeon soars into the sky.

-Pee-ik!

A letter is attached to the pigeon’s feet.

Homing pigeons, which refers to communication using pigeons.

It is a one-way delivery method using the homing instinct of pigeons.

Originally, it is said to have been used until World War I in the original history.

However, since it is one-way and sent to a designated nest, it has the disadvantage of being used only once.

Also, it can only be used if the nest and pigeon are prepared in advance.

For example, a homing pigeon belonging to the Banque de Milan post office in Beauharnais.

A 41-year-old middle-aged man, looking at the pigeon, grumbled.

“The homing pigeon is too late!”

A 42-year-old man next to him, a year older but with a much more dignified appearance, asked.

“Are you sure? The location of Waterloo?”

“This is Eugene’s handwriting. Your Excellency. I’m sure.”

“Hmm, Eugene.”

Suddenly, the dignified man, or rather, the man wearing a [Turban, a traditional headdress], laughed heartily.

“I’ll have to spank his butt when I see him. He promised 5 years, but how many years has it been now?”

The 41-year-old man on the opposite side is not wearing a turban, but instead a red hat called a [Fez, a felt hat in the shape of a truncated cone].

It is a hat popular in the Ottoman Empire, but it is not as famous in Europe as the turban.

So, wearing a fez means he came from the Ottoman Empire.

The Fez man said to the Turban man in a disgruntled voice.

“Butt or whatever, we’re going to be late. I don’t know if there will be any butt left to kick. It might be blown away by a cannonball.”

“We’re not late.”

“How can you be so sure?”

The Turban man simply answered the Fez man’s question.

“I sent the fastest cavalry I know as a messenger.”

“Who is it?”

“Huh? Don’t you know? Did that friend not accomplish anything while I was away? He was really outstanding in Flanders and the Rhine.”

For a moment, the Turban man, who had been widening his eyes, said clearly.

“Grouchy.”

Napoleon’s cavalry, who ultimately failed to arrive at Waterloo in the original history.

Grouchy was the one who ran as a messenger.