He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 122

(122) Launching a Surprise Attack on the Rivoli Heights

It is a military axiom that occupying high ground first is advantageous.

“There are always exceptions.”

October 7, 1795, at the edge of the Rivoli Heights.

Eugene, watching the morning dew, rubbed his eyes and muttered.

He wasn’t fully awake yet.

He had just turned 14 in September on the battlefield.

His young body still seemed to need sleep.

But on the battlefield, especially when facing combat, you can’t afford to waste time sleeping.

Thinking that Napoleon didn’t develop the habit of taking naps for no reason, Eugene rested his chin on his hand.

-Drip, drip, drip.

The dew falls.

This place, Rivoli, is near Lake Garda.

Even in autumn, it’s very humid.

Fortunately, it’s not raining, so there’s no obstacle to the cavalry’s advance.

Just then, Ippolito brought Eugene new boots and asked.

“Exceptions? What exceptions are there? Isn’t directly attacking from above the best?”

“If the retreat is blocked, the supply lines are cut off, and the enemy pushes in with naval forces, there’s no chance.”

“Oh, isn’t our army similar to the enemy? If we combine Marshal Napoleon’s guards with the Massena, Augereau, and Laharpe divisions, plus our and Lannes’ cavalry…”

Eugene shook his head as he adjusted his boots.

“It’s different. That’s only when everyone is gathered. Our army isn’t moving together as a whole. Rather, it’s moving almost by brigade.”

Dispersed assembly movement.

It’s the marching method Napoleon adopted for the Italian campaign.

The name sounds grand, but simply put, it’s a method of marching separately by division and then assembling at the destination.

In the grand scheme, it’s not much different from the Austrian army’s march.

But one thing is different.

The speed of the march, the arrival schedule, and the strategic objective.

The speed is twice that of the Austrian army, the arrival schedule is precisely timed, and they mobilize and assemble for a single objective.

The Rivoli Heights and the advance through the gorge are textbook examples.

For example, Eugene and Lannes’ cavalry dispersed and came to Rivoli first.

Ippolito whistled as he gathered Eugene’s weapons.

“Really? Why are we marching like that? It’s perfect for being defeated piecemeal, isn’t it?”

“The enemy is concentrated in the north, and the roads are narrow. If the entire army moves together, the march itself will be delayed. We have no choice but to mobilize separately.”

“Oh, then there’s a chance that when we gather on the heights, the entire army might not be able to assemble?”

This is the biggest problem with dispersed assembly movement.

Even a slight setback can lead to piecemeal defeat.

This is also the secret to how Napoleon defeated the Austrian army, which advanced without being aware of this.

On the other hand, it means Napoleon could suffer the same fate this time.

Just then.

“Hey, Commander Freischütz! Come over here!”

A general in Jäger [light infantry] uniform approached the Chasseur à Cheval [light cavalry] regiment and shouted.

It was Brigadier General Lannes of the 13th Chasseur à Cheval Regiment.

Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Eugene stood up.

“What is it? It doesn’t seem like we’ll be marching hard today. Are the remnants of the Mantua army counterattacking or something?”

“Those guys passed through the Rivoli Heights and scattered into the gorge a long time ago. They’re not even an army anymore.”

“Then can’t we rest around here until the enemies come?”

But Lannes replied with a bitter smile.

“I don’t think we can. A messenger came from the main force.”

A typical Northern Frenchman with blond hair and blue eyes approached from the Chasseur à Cheval regiment’s camp.

His calm demeanor was rather impressive.

The soldier who had come as a messenger saluted Eugene, who was much younger, very respectfully.

“Greetings. I am Colonel Honoré Vial. Just before departing from Milan, I was ordered to be assigned to the Italian Army under General Kellermann of the Alpine Army.”

“You didn’t just come from the Alps, did you?”

“After joining, I served in the Commander’s Guard. I thought I should explain since you might be seeing me for the first time.”

Of course, Eugene knew Honoré Vial.

He wasn’t a very famous soldier.

But Napoleon valued Vial quite highly, employing him as the Governor of Venice and then as an administrator.

A man who is brave on the battlefield and faithful to his duties.

In short, an honest man.

Quietly looking at Vial, Eugene nodded.

“Seeing you sent here, it seems there’s been a change in the war situation?”

“That’s right. The Commander ordered me to deliver the message without fail.”

“What is it?”

Vial, the honest man who had found Eugene by traversing the war-torn eastern part of northern Italy, announced.

“Alvinczy has dispatched an advance guard. The objective is to encircle the Rivoli area. They are currently entering the Trambasore Heights.”

Just as Eugene’s eyes widened, Lannes nodded.

“Bessières is currently conducting emergency reconnaissance. It seems the enemy is preparing for an encirclement.”

“An encirclement? Really?”

“That’s the layout. If it stays like this…”

Lannes narrowed his brows and stared at the gorge beyond the heights.

“We could be trapped on the heights, isolated and annihilated. Maybe even the main force.”

Soon after, Vial also spoke.

“Preventing that situation is the mission of the generals. By any means, even if it means crushing the enemy.”

The very situation Eugene had explained to Ippolito was becoming a reality.

With a very difficult mission.

***

Bessières had also become a master of reconnaissance by now.

“Currently, enemy cavalry has been spotted in the Monte Baldo mountains north of Rivoli.”

“What kind of troops?”

“Hussars. It seems only about 1,000 are coming as an advance party. However, a fully formed unit is coming behind them.”

This was the result of stirring up the Rivoli area with only about 30 cavalrymen.

It couldn’t be helped in order to avoid being detected by the enemy.

If they had been discovered, Bessières’ life could not have been guaranteed.

Nevertheless, Bessières calmly reported with an indifferent face.

Eugene, looking at the map on the portable table in front of the supply wagon set up on one side of the camp, pressed him.

“What is the size of the fully formed unit?”

“About three regiments. They are also bringing artillery with them.”

“It would be troublesome if they joined up.”

The advance party was the Schütz Hussars, and the follow-up unit was the Liftai Regiment.

Eugene didn’t know the names of the commanders, but he could roughly guess the situation.

It seemed Alvinczy was trying to carry out an encirclement.

Originally, Alvinczy attempts to encircle Rivoli in the original history as well.

Of course, now Napoleon’s army has stronger preparations, and Alvinczy is also being forced to come to Rivoli.

However, since the terrain is the same, the strategy seems to be the same as well.

Just as Eugene was staring intently at the map, Lannes spoke.

“How about waiting on the heights?”

When Eugene raised his eyebrows, Lannes explained enthusiastically.

“Our mission is originally to seize the heights first. Isn’t that right? We can wait for the main force to arrive and then attack.”

“That would be enough if that’s all it took. But what if the enemy seizes all the roads?”

“What?”

Eugene pointed to the terrain around the Rivoli Heights with his baton.

“The Rivoli Heights may seem rich in water at first glance, with the Adige River to the east and Lake Garda to the west. But both sides are surrounded by highlands and gorges. We could be completely surrounded without water.”

For example, in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, it’s like Mount Qi [a strategically important mountain].

There seems to be no worry of running out of water because there is plenty of flow nearby.

But if the surrounding passages are blocked, there is nowhere to get water.

Of course, in the age of gunpowder weapons, the enemy will not be able to easily surround them.

However, there is no doubt that many sacrifices will be made in the process of breaking through this encirclement.

Lannes asked as if he was dumbfounded.

“Knowing that, you chose it as the battlefield?”

“The enemy wouldn’t have been lured in if it wasn’t this kind of battlefield.”

“Hey, Boy Standard Bearer. Then what are you doing? We have to go crush the enemy before they’re ready!”

Eugene chuckled as he looked at Lannes, who was quickly changing his tactics.

It’s easy to think that he’s fickle, but Lannes’ change in judgment is a bit different.

It’s closer to a quick reaction based on intuition.

It is natural that it is difficult for cavalry to move in rough terrain.

Therefore, it is also the right decision for the commander to move cautiously.

However, when the situation changes, his willingness to break through boldly is the result of excellent intuition.

As long as Lannes is there, Eugene can also use bold tactics.

Perhaps Napoleon demanded a surprise attack because he trusted Lannes.

“That’s why I need you, Lannes. But it would be better to reduce the sacrifices.”

“What do you mean?”

“The enemy still doesn’t know our speed accurately. Sending only 1,000 cavalry and three regiments. Well, otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to come this quickly.”

In short, Alvinczy doesn’t know that Lannes and Eugene arrived first.

The units in Alvinczy’s sight are only Napoleon’s main force and the Massena, Augereau, and Laharpe divisions that are advancing separately.

Then a more effective surprise attack is possible.

Eugene turned his gaze.

“Lasalle, there’s something you need to do.”

Lasalle, who was standing guard next to Eugene, whistled and smiled.

“Is it another breakthrough? I’m confident in everything except breaking through with 30 men.”

“300 men. That’s the limit of the troops I can give you. But you’ve already done it before, so it should be easy.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

Instead of answering, Eugene stared at the middle-aged man standing on one side of the temporary headquarters desk.

“Brigadier General Chasseloup, it’s a recreation of Arcole. Can you do it?”

Chief Engineer Chasseloup had also accompanied the advance on Rivoli.

In the Battle of Arcole, Chasseloup made a more outstanding contribution than anyone else.

It was the capture of cannons.

Chasseloup’s eyes widened, and he let out a hollow laugh.

“This is really going to take more than two lives. I’ll do it.”

Eugene nodded and looked back at his subordinates.

“Then, the entire brigade.”

As the Chasseur à Cheval regiment and the commanders of the Chasseur à Cheval regiment stared, Eugene issued the order.

“Advance at full speed to the Rivoli Heights. Only carry portable supplies. Lannes, I’m counting on the Chasseur à Cheval regiment as well.”

“Huh? Wait, Eugene. Then how will we keep fighting?”

“You’ve already seen it at Arcole, haven’t you?”

Eugene replied succinctly to Ippolito’s question.

“We’ll fight by seizing the enemy’s gunpowder and ammunition!”

This is Eugene’s solution to fighting with limited supplies.

***

The opening of Rivoli began with gunfire.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Schütz Hussars, who were just entering the Rivoli Gorge from the Monte Baldo mountains, stopped in surprise.

“Crazy bastards! A sudden attack from the highlands!”

“It’s even more amazing that the horses are holding up. I’ll prepare for a counterattack!”

“Of course. Do those French guys think we’re a joke? We didn’t expect them to come first, but it doesn’t matter!”

Major General Schütz, the commander of the Hussars, ordered his deputy commander, Messaros.

“Prepare to charge! Avenge Marshal Wurmser’s misfortune! Let’s annihilate the enemy with the Liftai Regiment, which will arrive behind us!”

From the highlands, the Rivoli Heights, you can see 3,000 cavalrymen coming down.

The number is much larger than the Hussars.

However, in fact, cavalry warfare, let alone infantry warfare, is never advantageous to descend from high ground.

In the first place, horses are beasts that run on flat ground, not beasts that roam the mountains.

Rather, it is a tactic that is likely to injure horses or cause cavalry to fall.

The 1,000 Hussars resolutely prepared for the opening volley.

1,000 pistols aimed at the cavalry rushing in from outside the range.

Rather, the fact that the opponent fired first is a mistake in this case.

-Click!

Schütz, holding a pistol at the front, shouted.

“Let’s go, show them that we are Hussars! Fire!”

At that moment, a roar tore through the air.

-Boom!

It was definitely not a gunshot.

Schütz blinked and looked back.

Suddenly, Deputy Commander Messaros raised his head and shouted.

“Wh, what is that!”

At that cry, Schütz also raised his head.

Shells were flying.

Clearly, from behind, where the allies were supposed to be waiting.

Schütz’s eyes widened.

“Could it be, the French?”

Lasalle’s Chasseur à Cheval regiment, sent by Eugene, had captured the cannons.

It was the moment when one corner of Alvinczy’s hastily dispatched encirclement and annihilation operation was shattered.