He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 117

(117) Alvinczy’s Bassano Counterattack Captures Augereau

In times of upheaval, the most tormented are those who believe in unwavering principles.

“All troops, advance!”

Within Napoleon’s Italian Army, the most steadfast believer in principles is, surprisingly, Augereau.

The oldest general is naturally Sérurier.

The most inflexible general is naturally Laharpe.

The most headstrong general is naturally Masséna.

Yet, Augereau, who sticks closest to Napoleon and moves like the main force, is the one who reveres principles.

Having served in Russia and Prussia during the old royal era, he has an abundance of military command experience.

He may be famous as a master of desertion, but that was commonplace in the old regime’s army.

Even Napoleon himself took extended leave that bordered on desertion, didn’t he?

Therefore, Augereau is both delighted and tormented by Napoleon’s victories.

Because they differ so greatly from the principles he knows.

His adjutant, Brigadier General Jean-Antoine Verdier, looked around anxiously and asked,

“Division Commander, aren’t we too far out?”

This is Bassano, the northernmost end of the Venetian Republic, with the Alps just ahead.

To Padua, where Napoleon’s main force is, it’s 43 kilometers in a straight line.

To Laharpe’s division heading west towards Vicenza, it’s 33 kilometers.

To Masséna’s division heading towards Mirano, right in front of Venice, the capital, it’s 50 kilometers.

It’s far from the main force and other support troops.

So, Verdier and the other officers of Augereau’s division can’t help but feel uneasy.

Conversely, Augereau, knowing the principles, shook his head.

“This Bassano area is far from the enemy’s main force. It’s not a good place for the enemy to attack.”

“But it’s close to the Austrian Tyrol territory.”

“Weren’t most of the northern forces drawn away?”

Augereau replied, gazing at a map of the Venetian Republic in the headquarters tent.

“The soldiers have suffered too much lately. It wouldn’t hurt to rest a little.”

When moving troops, you can’t just push them relentlessly.

Sometimes you have to let them loose, occasionally allow looting, and now and then, women are needed.

But Napoleon has been urging the corps on ever since leaving Milan.

That’s why Augereau volunteered for this distant location.

Once known as a master of desertion, Augereau understands the soldiers’ hearts well.

One might win a battle but lose the war if the soldiers collectively desert.

Here, they can rest without worrying about the enemy or their superiors’ supervision.

As proof, the soldiers were cheering right away.

“Wow! Bread! White bread!”

“Where are the women! All the beauties in this city are mine!”

“Ah, I just want to sleep! I’m tired of sleeping outdoors!”

Augereau also took a breather, chewing on the rare white wheat bread.

“Hah, I’m finally alive.”

Setting the table with his adjutants in the headquarters tent, Verdier chuckled.

“Even the Division Commander gets tired of canned goods.”

“I only eat them when I have to. I hate canned goods the most out of everything Freischütz did.”

“Oh? It sounds like you don’t like other things too?”

Suddenly, Augereau stared at Verdier.

“Antoine, would you like someone who’s going to be the husband of an old royal princess?”

Verdier originally served in the Pyrenees Army.

He rose to the rank of general fighting alongside Lannes and Augereau in Spain.

Before the revolution, it was a position that only nobles could dream of.

Therefore, he understands Augereau’s words.

The revolution is literally a dream come true for the soldiers of this era.

But an old royalist threatening the revolution has become the commander’s closest aide?

It’s understandable that General Augereau, a believer in the revolution, would dislike it.

“Is it an ideological issue?”

“It’s a problem that any revolutionary army general would find unsettling. The fact that the one who will become the commander’s adopted son—no, the [prodigy] who has achieved amazing feats—is related to the royal family.”

“I thought that was resolved during the Battle of Toulon?”

Of course, Verdier also appreciates the revolution.

But he doesn’t blindly follow it like Augereau.

He just thinks it’s better to maintain the republic than the monarchy.

But Augereau was different.

“Not at all. That’s when he’s serving as an officer. The higher he goes, the more of a problem it will be. The problem is…”

Suddenly, Augereau narrowed his brow.

“That boy seems like he’ll go really high, just like our commander is going to go high.”

Augereau joined the French army at the age of 17.

Afterwards, he fought with noble officers, killed one in a duel, and wandered around Europe as a mercenary.

Russian Army, Prussian Infantry, even the Naples Kingdom Expeditionary Force.

In that journey, what Augereau saw was the incompetence of the monarchy and nobles.

The same situation was repeated even after returning to France.

Incompetent noble officers, a messed-up army, corrupt supply administration.

The revolution happened, and all of that was overturned.

The army was still a mess, but at least there was an opportunity to demonstrate ability.

Furthermore, they even gained a truly capable commander named Napoleon.

It’s truly the moment Augereau has been waiting for.

But the [prodigy] next to Napoleon is a royalist.

Augereau really doesn’t like that.

Suddenly, Colonel Lanpons, the assault commander who was chewing on bread, blurted out,

“What if General Eugene tries to revive the royal family, Division Commander?”

“That’s not a question to hesitate over. Of course, I’ll stop him. That’s the duty of the revolutionary army.”

“What if the commander condones it? What will you do then?”

Just as Augereau was about to frown, Verdier nodded.

“Hmm, even if it’s not a royal revival, he might use it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“In my opinion, our commander is truly no ordinary person.”

Augereau scoffed.

“Do you think I’m blind? Just conquering Lombardy alone, General Bonaparte has already achieved a feat unseen in 300 years.”

“He might become an even more amazing person after this campaign. A political soldier—that word is synonymous with a politician.”

“What?”

Verdier lowered his voice and said,

“General Bonaparte might sit in the seat that Salicetti is sitting in now. No, maybe Salicetti became a Director [one of the five heads of the French Directory, the government in power] for that purpose.”

Only then did Augereau realize that the officers around him had the same expression as Verdier.

Even the simple-minded Lanpons did.

In short, even the officers of Augereau’s division are thinking this.

Commander Napoleon is not a man who will end up as the commander of the Italian expedition.

No, he won’t just end up as a soldier.

He might even rise to the highest position in the revolutionary government.

Like Robespierre.

“General Verdier.”

Augereau said with a stern face.

“Soldiers should only worry about military affairs.”

“Yes, of course. But…”

“I appreciate your concern, but I’m just fulfilling my duty as a soldier of the Republic.”

Suddenly, Augereau’s eyes flashed, and he vowed.

“If a superior commits treason against the country, I’ll just stop him!”

That’s truly the right thing to say.

In the original history, Augereau actually participates in the coup [Coup of 18 Brumaire].

However, he vehemently opposes Napoleon becoming emperor.

No one here knows that, but everyone could see Augereau’s principled stance.

But Verdier still had a question.

“What if it’s not treason…”

At that moment.

-콰아앙!

Augereau, who had been engrossed in serious conversation, jumped up.

“What was that?”

A cannonball falling on the front line.

It’s definitely not the Venetian army.

A man with 21 years of military life, 13 years of mercenary life, and 3 years in the revolutionary army.

General Augereau, 38 years old, awakened his experience.

“Enemy! The enemy has attacked! Everyone, roll call!”

At this moment, the Austrian army appeared in Bassano.

***

In fact, General Alvinczy of the Austrian Friuli Corps didn’t know about it either.

“Well, this is an unexpected stroke of luck.”

Alvinczy is a skilled general who values principles and common sense even more than Augereau.

Stratagems and ambushes are what Alvinczy hates the most.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he can miss an unprepared enemy right in front of him.

Chief of Staff Franz von Weyrother wore a sneer.

“We were just here to secure supply lines, but we run into the enemy.”

“What are the numbers?”

“We have more than twice as many. Besides, it seems the enemy doesn’t have artillery.”

Alvinczy tilted his head.

“Oh dear, an army that doesn’t know that artillery dominates the battlefield. Fire.”

Colonel Philipp von Dannenfeldt, directly under Alvinczy, ran to the artillery.

Naturally, Alvinczy, who values principles, didn’t bring the entire army from Verona to distant Bassano.

The force is about 10 regiments, about 10,000 men, similar to Augereau’s division.

However, Alvinczy, who is also principled, was leading a fully equipped unit, unlike Augereau.

A unit including infantry, artillery, and cavalry.

The Austrian foot artillery, which Austria is proud of, fluttered their brown uniforms and pulled the cannons.

-쾅! 쾅! 쾅!

As the shelling continued, the French army began to move all at once.

Not forward, but backward.

The entire Augereau division began to retreat in an orderly manner.

“Retreat!”

At the same time, the front line of Augereau’s division opened fire.

There was no time to use the new Ferguson rifles, so familiar musket shooters stepped forward.

Even amidst the ongoing shelling, they calmly shoot forward.

-탕! 철컥, 슥, 쉬익, 키릭. 탕!

Alvinczy, watching the scene, nodded.

“Not bad.”

“Huh? Not bad? They seem completely terrified by our artillery’s surprise attack.”

“No. Look closely at the front. Major General Dannenfeldt.”

Alvinczy said, watching the movement of Augereau’s division with cold eyes.

“They are maintaining order even while retreating. The gap between the units that are holding out until the end and the units that are moving first is also narrow.”

The retreat is not fast.

Instead, there is order.

They move backward, maintaining the formation as much as possible.

It’s a skill that shows the commander’s capabilities.

But Alvinczy shook his head expressionlessly.

“Of course, it’s useless against our artillery’s shelling anyway.”

Shelling was fired again.

-쾅!

Eventually, the front line of the battalion blocking the front collapsed.

Seeing the soldiers dying in front of them, the soldiers in the rear began to be terrified.

Soon after, Alvinczy’s personal regiment headed forward.

The commander is General Friedrich Xavier von Hohenzollern-Hechingen, a descendant of the imperial noble family.

Like other generals, he is a veteran who has been active in the War of the Bavarian Succession, the Turkish War, and the Rhine Front.

-척, 척, 척!

Xavier calmly ordered the regimental soldiers.

“All regiments, in three ranks. Conduct crossfire!”

Crossfire.

It is a tactic of minimizing the firing interval by alternating the leading firing row and the rear firing row.

It can be said to be a European-style rapid-fire method with a long tradition.

-탕! 휘익, 탕! 휘익, 탕!

Eventually, the French Augereau division began to collapse.

“They’re collapsing!”

“Pursue, but tell them not to rush and maintain formation.”

“Advance! But advance while continuing to fire!”

At Alvinczy’s command, Xavier shouted.

If it were Napoleon, he would not have missed this opportunity, whether by mobilizing the cavalry or advancing in columns.

But Alvinczy valued the formation of his troops more than pursuit.

This saved Augereau.

-두두두!

At that moment, the cavalry rushed in from the side rear of Augereau’s division.

Alvinczy’s hussars had not yet been dispatched.

Xavier hurriedly issued a stop order.

“Cavalry! Stop advancing for now!”

At the same time, the cavalry opened fire with pistols.

-탕! 탕! 탕!

French Horse Grenadier Brigade.

Soon, Eugene’s brigade came to the rescue.

As the pistol fire unfolded, the Alvinczy army seemed to have stopped altogether, ceasing their advance.

The Augereau division did not miss the opportunity.

All at once, they began to run away, taking only the wounded and weapons, leaving all the food behind.

“They’re retreating!”

As Xavier shouted, Chief of Staff Weyrother shouted.

“We won!”

But Alvinczy scratched his head and shook his head.

“It’s not there.”

“Yes?”

“Radetzky said the French army has a gun that loads from the rear. I thought they copied the Wintbüchse [a type of Austrian repeating rifle], but it’s not.”

A breech-loading rifle.

Soon, the Ferguson rifle.

Alvinczy was curious if he would see that gun in this battle.

“Isn’t it in that unit? That’s a shame. First, collect the enemy’s food and station a garrison in this area.”

He felt something a little strange, but Alvinczy, a principled man, did not pursue a risky pursuit.

Without even thinking that it could be a cause of failure.

Immediately, he was convinced that securing the supply line was the victory of the future.

In any case, it was the moment when the Austrian army won its first victory in the Italian campaign.

***

The entire army reassembled at Padua, the headquarters of Napoleon’s corps.

“I lost valuable troops to the enemy due to my mistake. I am willing to accept even dismissal!”

Augereau knelt before Napoleon.

He was too ashamed to bear it.

He was too careless and couldn’t even fight the Austrian army properly.

Moreover, he was rescued by Eugene de Beauharnais, who had openly stated that he was in danger.

He doesn’t know how he knew, but it doesn’t matter.

What matters is that Augereau failed to fulfill his responsibility.

But Napoleon stared at Augereau and raised him up.

The next moment, Napoleon slapped Augereau hard on the cheek.

-철썩!

Just as everyone was surprised and looking, Napoleon glared at Augereau and said.

“Stop talking arrogant nonsense, Augereau.”

Augereau opened his eyes wide and tried to say something, but Napoleon’s words did not stop.

“I have never forgotten your great performance in Montenotte and Lodi.”

“Now, now, General.”

“But think about the past. Before you met me, have you ever won such a victory? Have you ever defeated the Austrian army? No, have you ever properly crawled out of Nice!”

It’s definitely insulting, but it’s all true.

“You became an invincible general after meeting me. Otherwise, suffering some losses while engaging the enemy is commonplace in war!”

Only then did Augereau realize one thing as if struck by a hammer.

He had forgotten because he had only won complete victories in Italy.

War is originally about exchanging wins and losses, not always winning.

It was common sense before meeting Napoleon.

Rather, Augereau himself had forgotten that common sense.

Eugene, noticing Augereau blushing with shame, suddenly opened his mouth.

“Besides, the commander predicted the danger and sent me. Right?”

“Huh? Ah, that’s right. Would my ‘son’ Eugene move without my orders?”

“So, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Eugene winked and comforted Augereau.

“Division Commander Augereau [lured] the enemy in a cool way.”

Of course, the reason Eugene was able to rescue Augereau was twofold.

One is that he knows Alvinczy’s absolute emphasis on supply, which he showed in the original history.

Even to the point of taking care of the supply route in the Alps.

Of course, the other is the notification of the Silver Letter.

The moment he was notified of Augereau’s danger, Eugene immediately mobilized the Horse Grenadier Brigade without Napoleon’s permission.

Thanks to that, Augereau and the weapons returned safely.

However, Eugene judged that this situation was even more advantageous.

Napoleon didn’t seem to know this, and he tilted his head.

“What do you mean?”

Eugene pointed to the central map in the Padua Italian Army Corps headquarters tent.

-척!

The location Eugene’s hand pointed to was none other than Mantua.

The best fortress in northern Italy, where the Austrian garrison is located.

It was also a place that Napoleon’s corps had consciously avoided paying attention to.

“Canto is finally crawling out of Mantua.”

Field Marshal Canto, the commander of the Mantua garrison, would not have wanted to come out until the end.

But he was eventually forced to come out leading the army.

In fact, Radetzky, who ran as a messenger, forcibly dragged him out.

Of course, Eugene only grasped the situation through the Milan Bank post office staff and the Marseille postal unit.

He couldn’t know the internal situation.

However, what’s important is not that anyway.

The very fact that the Mantua army is moving.

“Out of the 20,000 troops in Mantua, 10,000 have begun to advance. Probably all the healthy numbers.”

Napoleon asked with an interesting face.

“Have the soldiers decreased that much?”

“It’s the time of year when epidemics break out, Division Commander.”

“What?”

Eugene smiled lightly and said,

“Our unit had no time for epidemics to break out because we kept running without staying in one place. We also created a sanitation unit.”

Originally, Napoleon’s corps suffered great troop losses due to epidemics during the Italian expedition.

That’s why Eugene made an effort to create a sanitation unit.

But this time, the sanitation unit led by Larrey didn’t have much to do.

Because Napoleon moved faster than in the original history, so there was no time to get sick.

Napoleon raised his eyebrows, chuckled, and looked around the headquarters.

“Okay, gentlemen. Everyone, listen to this operation.”

4 adjutants, 3 division commanders, 1 chief of staff.

The core members of the French Italian Expeditionary Force are watching Napoleon.

Because everyone intuitively knew that this battle would determine the final fate of the expedition.

Napoleon twisted the corners of his mouth and smiled.

“Before the two armies join, we will crush them individually. So, we will incinerate the Austrian army in Italy. The operation name is…”

Napoleon’s baton pointed to the map of northern Italy.

“Hunting the Double-Headed Eagle.”

The double-headed eagle, the symbol of the Habsburg dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire.

In other words, Napoleon declared this.

He will win this war and capture the double-headed eagle, that is, the Holy Roman Empire.