He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 103

(103) Let the Fortress Go and Take the Battlefield

Brescia, a place where emperors and city leagues once contended in the Middle Ages.

“It’s an indispensable strategic point when advancing from Tyrol. Since ancient times, the Holy Roman Emperor has always secured this place first when heading to Northern Italy.”

The road to advancing east from Milan.

Eugene gave a brief report to Napoleon, who was inspecting the march on the hill.

Of course, it’s not a road to recapture Brescia.

However, it was necessary to analyze why the opponent had preemptively occupied Brescia.

Napoleon, who was looking at the map on horseback, nodded.

“Würmser has taken it by surprise again this time.”

“It’s faster than expected. Or maybe I was too slow.”

“Are you trying to say that you were too focused on securing Lombardy, Augereau?”

Napoleon retorted, twisting his lips towards Augereau, who was inspecting the march together.

“That’s a wrong idea. From the beginning, I was willing to give up the fortress.”

Augereau frowned.

Capturing Brescia is originally the mission of Augereau’s division.

Therefore, Augereau felt a considerable sense of responsibility regarding this march.

If they had preemptively occupied Brescia, wouldn’t they have been able to fight the enemy in a much more advantageous situation?

Fortress warfare is common sense tactics at the end of the 18th century.

Augereau has not yet escaped from that common sense.

Common sense man Augereau protested to Napoleon.

“Excuse me? What do you mean? Brescia is not easy to occupy. If the enemy pressures from Brescia in the north and Mantua in the south, the entire Lombardy is in danger.”

“You have a good sense of the situation, Augereau. But can’t you think of this? Then can the Austrian army just stay holed up in the fortress?”

“Yes?”

The moment Augereau’s eyes widened, Napoleon’s eyes flashed.

“Fortress warfare is not what they want. The Austrian army wants the same thing as us: the head of the enemy leader.”

“That’s!”

“That’s me. That will allow us to decide the battlefield.”

Saying that the Holy Roman Empire is targeting him.

Even if Napoleon is the conqueror of Lombardy, it is truly arrogant.

However, Augereau had no choice but to agree with that statement.

Clearly, even he would want to kill Napoleon first.

Conversely, how daring is this?

Suddenly, when Augereau came to his senses, Napoleon was already riding off the hill.

“Is the march going as ordered, Masséna!”

Far away, Masséna, who was marching at the head, waved his general’s hat.

“Yes, Commander! I don’t know if this is effective, but we are marching in [Mixed Formation]!”

“It’s definitely effective, so keep marching in the same formation for the next week! But don’t forget the outposts and cavalry reconnaissance!”

“Of course! Hahaha!”

Whistling, Masséna cheerfully ran back to the front.

The [Mixed Formation] that Napoleon ordered now is, so to speak, a mixture of vertical and horizontal formations.

Based on the column (vertical), mix in the line (horizontal), and scatter skirmishers (reconnaissance) around.

Form a battalion of about 240 to 300 men in three vertical lines.

Then, centering on three battalions, one battalion is formed in a horizontal line, and two battalions are formed in columns.

Next, about a hundred men are selected from each battalion as scouts and scattered in all directions.

It’s neither all columns nor all lines, but a strange composition.

It’s a battalion formed considering the slow firing rate of the musket and the marching speed of the soldiers.

These battalions gather again to form a division.

Later, in the original history, cavalry and artillery are added to the division to operate as an independent unit.

Now it’s a kind of experimental operation.

Augereau clicked his tongue, staring intently at the unfamiliar formation.

“It really looks strange like this.”

Eugene, the chief adjutant who had not yet followed Napoleon, smiled.

“If they switch to a column in the front, the marching speed will increase. You can think of it as a process of getting used to it now.”

“Really? Not because they drastically reduced supplies?”

“Of course, there’s that too.”

Suddenly, Augereau asked Eugene about a problem he was still worried about.

“That canned food, is it really okay? We are only trusting that and didn’t bring any food, Brigadier General Eugene.”

Currently, Napoleon’s corps is marching quickly despite the initial formation.

The biggest reason that is possible is simple.

It’s because they drastically reduced food supplies.

Instead of wheat or meat, only [canned food] is loaded and the supply wagons are following.

If there is a problem with the canned food, all the troops will starve that day.

Nevertheless, Eugene replied with a very calm smile.

“You can trust it, Major General Augereau. The problem is the battlefield.”

“The Commander said that earlier too. What does that mean?”

“It’s nothing much. Do you know where Laharpe’s division went?”

Surprised, looking at the rear, Laharpe is nowhere to be seen.

Where did he go?

The answer came from Eugene.

“He headed to Mantua Fortress, taking a lot of foot artillery with him.”

Augereau, who was dumbfounded, pressed Eugene.

“Then, what about our artillery?”

“All are horse artillery.”

“Isn’t there a shortage of artillery? No, apart from that, doesn’t that mean our army is only 3 divisions and 2 brigade cavalry!”

The horse artillery has only 60 cannons that they brought when they first departed from Nice.

The 40 cannons acquired in the meantime were all heavy cannons of the foot artillery.

The cannons that Laharpe took were those heavy cannons.

The problem is that the horse artillery’s cannons are light cannons with weak firepower instead of being fast.

Moreover, if Laharpe is missing, the strength of Napoleon’s corps will be much reduced.

In short, it becomes about 35,000 men, consisting of 3 divisions and 2 cavalry brigades.

However, still with a calm face, Eugene replied.

“The enemy will think the same way, Division Commander Augereau.”

The moment Augereau, who was dumbfounded, frowned, Eugene grabbed the reins of his horse.

“Division Commander, you are forgetting one thing.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s speed.”

The next moment, Eugene shouted as he quickly rode off.

“The Imperial Army is not us! They are never fast. Also, the Imperial Army still doesn’t know that!”

Augereau, who was left behind, did not realize what Eugene’s words meant until then.

***

On an August summer night, Lombardy under the Alps is quite cool.

“Lake Garda, this is the key.”

Soldiers are scattered everywhere, sleeping.

Originally, camping should be done in barracks, that is, by setting up tents.

However, Napoleon has not supplied tents to the troops since the Italian expedition, his first large-scale battle.

The reason is very simple.

If you carry a tent, the number of supply wagons increases, and the marching speed slows down again.

It’s a method that would make operations impossible in cold places, but this is the land of Southern Italy.

Nevertheless, Napoleon is also worried because it is his first time, so he is on patrol.

The commander’s guards under Dalmagnac, holding torches, surrounded Napoleon in black uniforms.

Next to Napoleon, Duroc followed with a map, like a mobile desk.

Pointing to one side of the map, Napoleon emphasized again.

“Because of that lake, the Austrian army is bound to have limited mobility. We have to use that.”

Lake Garda, a large lake located at the southern end of the Alps.

This lake is surrounded by mountains and separates the Lombardy and Veneto regions.

The lake itself is legally the territory of the thousand-year-old Republic of Venice.

However, in a situation where the Empire and the Republic are in conflict, such legal territorial divisions are meaningless.

Eugene suddenly pointed to the map and reported.

“Currently, among the anti-French alliances, Austria is the only country that can pay attention to the Italian front.”

“So we only need to pay attention to Austria.”

“That’s right. For example, Russia is not even an ally, but is focused on conquering Poland. Prussia is also more concerned about that than the Flanders front.”

It’s about the so-called Partition of Poland.

As of 1795, Poland, which was a great power in the east, is facing the Tripartite Partition.

In fact, it is often thought that Poland had already disappeared in the 1770s after the Seven Years’ War.

However, the Partition of Poland is an event that took place over 20 years, and the final phase is right now.

Even while fighting France, Austria and Prussia are dividing Poland with Russia.

Captain Suukovsky, a Polish commander’s bodyguard cavalry, gritted his teeth while following as an escort.

Originally from the Pyrenees Cavalry, he was assigned to Napoleon’s escort when Napoleon created the bodyguard unit.

As a nobleman who defected to France after engaging in the independence movement, a resentful look is visible.

Napoleon, who glanced at the figure, patted Suukovsky on the shoulder.

“Are you resentful, Captain?”

“Yes, I’m sorry. Commander.”

“Hang in there. Eventually, when our France wins, your country will be able to revive again.”

Even if he is a bodyguard cavalry, he is only a captain.

However, he even remembered Suukovsky’s circumstances.

This is also the result of Napoleon’s famous [memory] [referring to his ability to remember details about his soldiers].

Of course, the one being encouraged feels special.

As the impressed captain nodded, Napoleon turned his attention back to Eugene.

“Then, the Republic of Venice will be responsible for Austria’s supply.”

Eugene nodded, staring at the map held by Duroc.

“You can ignore it. Because there is a way to smash the supply depot.”

“Do you have any idea where it is?”

“Verona, the most important city in the mainland of the Republic of Venice. It is highly likely that they will be in charge of supply here. The army is weak, but agriculture is very productive in Venice.”

Napoleon stopped walking.

“Verona is across Lake Garda, on the opposite side of Brescia.”

The adjutants, division commanders, and chief of staff watched Napoleon.

Napoleon’s Italian Corps has not yet heard a clear operational policy.

It is close to a hasty departure because the enemy occupied Brescia.

Although they are repeating high-speed marches, what does the commander want?

Only Eugene in this place guesses the inner thoughts.

Because there is what Napoleon did in the original history.

At that moment, Napoleon asked Eugene.

“The first dispatch will be coming to Brescia, right? Then, the second will be to Verona.”

“Fortunately, the enemy is slow, much slower than us.”

“Does that mean there is no need to send Masséna as an advance party? Lannes, report. What is the enemy situation?”

The newly reorganized Pyrenees Cavalry Brigade.

It has 3,000 troops, but the organization is brigade-level.

Therefore, the commander Lannes is now a [Brigadier General]-level general.

Even though he became a general, Lannes went on reconnaissance himself,
even to Brescia, which is the forefront.

Lannes, who had not wiped off the dust with a very nonchalant look, said.

“The troops stationed in Brescia are at the level of two divisions.”

“20,000? Surely not the entire army?”

“It seems to be an advance party. The problem is what comes next. There have been reports that troops are constantly marching along the Trento Garda Lake route. Isn’t that right, Captain Lasalle?”

Lasalle, a self-proclaimed Hussar [a type of light cavalry] who went with Lannes, laughed and nodded.

“Yes. I saw it with my own eyes. Heavy cannons, cavalry, and even supply wagons. It seems that at least 30,000 or more will be reinforced.”

Because it was a situation where they should not be caught by the enemy, only about 30 men conducted mobile reconnaissance.

Because it was such a dangerous mission, a bold cavalry was needed.

That’s why Lasalle, a horse grenadier [elite heavy cavalry] under Eugene, went too.

Even to the Arco Valley, which connects Brescia to Trento, Austrian territory to the north.

Lasalle is light-hearted, but his instantaneous judgment is very accurate.

So the report that just came out will be accurate.

At least a total of 50,000 troops are coming.

At that moment, Augereau carefully suggested his opinion.

“Then, shouldn’t we stop the enemy in front of Brescia?”

It sounds like an accurate judgment at first glance.

The enemy has more numbers than the French army and has already occupied strategic points.

Therefore, it is difficult to break through head-on.

In this case, it is standard to wait for the enemy to come out and form a formation.

However, Napoleon shook his head and looked at Eugene again.

“Eugene.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“Is there a route to leak information to the enemies?”

Augereau, Marmont, and even Duroc, who was following with the map, widened their eyes.

It was a question they had not anticipated at all.

However, Eugene calmly replied.

“There is.”

“Which side is it?”

“It’s Duke Serbelloni. He is working with us, but he is still communicating with the Imperial nobles. He can leak some information, even to Brescia.”

In short, it’s a double play.

Napoleon twisted his lips.

Because he found the right person.

“Good. Leak information to Milan that we are going to Mantua.”

Napoleon affirmed to the bewildered subordinates.

“Then, the enemies will definitely come out of Brescia, even when they are not fully prepared.”

Still, Augereau did not understand what Napoleon meant.

Of course, so did Masséna, Lannes, and all the adjutants including Marmont.

***

Of course, Junot didn’t understand either.

“Are the enemies that stupid, Brigadier General Eugene?”

When the question was asked, Eugene was inspecting the encampment of the Horse Grenadier Brigade.

Anyway, even if people camp, it is difficult if the horses are cold.

It was necessary to crack down on the night watch to keep the bonfire from going out.

That’s why Brigade Commander Eugene was patrolling with Junot, Murat, and Hippolyte.

Eugene turned to Junot and smiled.

“Junot, you can think about tactics too. Amazing?”

“What’s wrong with you? I’m a colonel now. I think about that much. Isn’t it common sense that the enemy will know that we are luring them?”

“So the enemies will move according to common sense.”

The moment Junot tilted his head, Eugene turned to Murat.

“Now, Murat. Can you do arithmetic?”

“Suddenly asking me? If I was good at studying, would I be a soldier?”

“It’s very simple. From Milan to Mantua, and from Brescia to Mantua, which one is closer?”

In fact, Murat doesn’t even know how to read a map well.

However, Eugene’s question was something that could be known just by looking at the map.

With great confidence, Murat answered and widened his eyes.

“Of course, it’s half the distance from Brescia. Huh? No, but are we now?”

This is not Milan.

Of course, it’s not even close.

The French Italian Corps is currently on a [forced march] [marching at a faster pace and for longer durations than usual], and as evidence, they are even camping.

However, Eugene smiled again and winked.

“The enemies don’t know that? That’s the key to this operation: common sense about speed.”

The speed of a typical infantryman at the end of the 18th century.

Advancing beyond that speed is the key to this operation.

In short, [surprise attack] is possible.”