He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 193

193. Eugene Takes Blasting Rounds to Rosetta

In 1797, as the 19th century neared, information still had to be gathered in person.

But there was one exception.

Eugene watched as the silver letters floated vividly.

A signal warning of danger.

[Enemy ship appearing off Alexandria.]

Simultaneously, Eugene said,

“Let’s set out now.”

The sea was dark in the pre-dawn hours.

The French fleet floated before the ruins, or rather, the mere traces of ruins, of a once-great site.

From above, on the Horus, Captain Armand Chayla hesitated as he asked Eugene,

“Are you sure it will work, even if we go now?”

“Of course, Captain Chayla. We are gathering all the information and departing as well.”

“If the British fleet were still far off, it wouldn’t matter. But if they appear right after we arrive, that would be the worst-case scenario.”

This place was Mersa Matruh, west of Alexandria.

The original French expedition to Egypt was composed as follows:

33 ships of the line, 22 frigates, and over 400 transport ships.

Of these, the 400 transport ships were all the way east in Damietta.

However, the ships that faced the British Mediterranean Fleet were 32 ships of the line and 10 frigates.

Nelson didn’t find the situation strange at all.

He assumed the transport ships had been evacuated, ships of the line were expensive and hard to gather even 20 of, and frigates often scattered in storms.

But the remaining 1 ship of the line and 12 frigates had all taken refuge in Mersa Matruh.

It was a port that had flourished in the Hellenistic era, but now only traces remained.

However, it was a suitable sea for a large fleet to hide and anchor temporarily.

The one actually in command of this fleet was Armand Chayla.

Originally, in the original history, he was almost the only one to destroy an enemy ship at the Battle of the Nile.

Eugene specifically chose and brought this man.

To make him the commander of the western diversionary fleet.

Eugene smiled at Chayla’s concern and replied,

“It doesn’t matter. How about it, Robert? The currents?”

Suddenly, a man with bandages wrapped around his head, Robert Surcouf, stepped forward and grinned.

“They’re perfect! At this time, the currents in the southern Mediterranean flow from west to east. We’ll be able to reach the waters off Alexandria before morning!”

Behind him stood another man, also wrapped in bandages.

It was General Rochejacquelein, the leader of the Surêté [French security police] who had gone to call the Toulon fleet.

Rochejacquelein looked at Eugene with a sorry face and bowed his head.

“I’m sorry, my lord. If only we had brought the Toulon fleet properly…”

Eugene shook his head sternly.

“Get a grip, Rochejacquelein.”

“I will gladly accept punishment according to military law.”

“Stop talking nonsense!”

Grasping Rochejacquelein’s shoulder, Eugene’s eyes flashed.

“If you insist on that, then the annihilation of the Toulon fleet is my responsibility. Would you feel better if I were punished according to military law?”

The battle that would be recorded in history as the Battle of Malta.

The French Second Mediterranean Fleet, the Toulon Fleet, was annihilated.

Ships that would have become valuable assets, including 17 ships of the line, had disappeared.

But Rochejacquelein and Surcouf, who had gone to call for reinforcements, survived.

They could have gone to Brindisi, but Rochejacquelein chose Egypt by sea.

Their ship had been damaged, making it lighter, and as a result, they were able to arrive a little earlier than the British fleet.

They arrived at none other than the Egyptian port, Rashid.

Thanks to that, Eugene was able to carry out this other diversionary operation.

Suddenly, Hippolyte sighed.

“Well, just because we lost all our stakes in a gamble doesn’t mean we can die.”

Instantly, Eugene burst into insane laughter.

“Puhahaha! Yes, this entire expedition is a gamble. Moving to Egypt, conquering it, and even the naval battle with the British fleet. Nelson has already won the first round! Damn it!”

“Wow, why are you so confidently declaring defeat, our Patron?”

“Shut up, Hippolyte. But the gamble isn’t over yet!”

Eugene shouted passionately to Chayla, Surcouf, and Rochejacquelein.

“Now, it’s our joker’s turn to go out. Tell the entire fleet! We’re going to hunt down those arrogant British seals!”

Instantly, Chayla took the lead and saluted.

“Oui. Capitaine Bonaparte!”

In English, it would be translated as:

Yes, Captain Bonaparte.

At the same time, the entire fleet began to move quickly.

The first-rate ship of the line Horus, 12 frigates, and the ship of the line from the Toulon Fleet, Hercules, which was damaged but still operational.

Suddenly, Hippolyte, who was watching the front from the Horus, turned around.

“Hey, Eugene. Does that [monster] even work?”

Eugene turned to look at the [monster] behind him and snorted.

“Of course. I only brought it for this moment.”

A large-caliber blasting round cannon, commonly called [Beauharnais-pot – named after the Beauharnais family, known for their artillery innovations].

-Kuururung.

The cannon groaned with the sound of metal, swayed by the waves.

The direction was Rosetta, the target was above the fleet heading towards Abu Qir Bay.

***

However, the [Battle of the Nile] began sooner than Eugene had predicted.

“Veer!”

In fact, it is strange that the battle that took place here in later generations was named the Battle of the Nile.

Because Alexandria is located west of the Nile River.

Above all, the actual battleground was not even in front of Alexandria.

Abu Qir, a [bay] deeply indented west of Alexandria, was the stage for the battle.

A detachment of the British fleet surged into the crescent-shaped bay.

At the same time, Nelson, aboard the flagship Victory, ordered from the front.

“Tell Miller! Send Zealous and Goliath to the rear as well!”

“Admiral, we’re already breaking through, how can we tell them that now?”

“Wave the flags or go yourself, do whatever it takes!”

Irresponsibly throwing the order to Rear Admiral Bowle regarding Rear Commander Miller, Nelson roared.

“We will face their front head-on!”

Centered around the Victory, 15 ships of the line advanced straight ahead.

-Shwiik!

The sails unfurled fiercely, and the British fleet surged in, catching the morning [sea breeze].

“We are entering the range of the French fleet!”

Flagship Captain Edward Berry shouted.

Nelson narrowed his one eye.

The current situation was as follows.

The French fleet had deployed its line with Abu Qir Bay behind it, and Nelson’s main force was in front.

Behind them, a detachment led by Samuel Hood was pouring in on Nelson’s starboard side.

Here, Miller’s rearguard fleet was also turning to the port side.

In other words, the side that had entered the French fleet’s cannon range was Nelson’s main force.

Moreover, they were pushing straight in with the sides where the cannons were lined up facing forward.

Suddenly, Rear Admiral Bowle rushed over and shouted.

“Order the bombardment!”

“Wait a little longer!”

“Admiral!”

Nelson waved his still-intact right hand.

“There’s one thing I need to confirm!”

Bowle and Flagship Captain Berry stared anxiously at Nelson.

Even if the French fleet was unskilled, it was only in comparison to the British army.

Furthermore, there was no way they wouldn’t aim their cannons as a ship approached head-on.

The movement of the gun barrels was visible even from this ship.

Shouldn’t they stop the ship and start firing?

Just then.

“The cannons are moving from the harbor!”

Suddenly, along with the shout of a sailor on the lookout, the sound of cannons was heard.

-Kwang!

Hearing the sound of cannonballs falling into the water right next to the Victory, Nelson exclaimed.

“The French have prepared quite well. To be able to fire coastal guns. But the range is short!”

“This is no time to be impressed. They are aiming their gun barrels at us now. The Victory is about to be blown away!”

“Now, prepare to fire!”

Having confirmed the situation of the coastal guns, Nelson twisted his lips and smiled.

“Either way, we’re faster.”

The moment the order was given, British sailors rushed to the cannons all at once.

In an instant, cannonballs were loaded, and the muzzles were brought out of the ship’s side.

In a moment, the ship quickly turned, facing its side towards the French fleet.

-Shwiik, cheolkeong. Kirik!

The moment the other side, the French fleet, was about to fire its cannons, Berry ordered.

“Flint ignition!”

Instantly, the soldiers simultaneously lit the cannon’s touchholes with flint.

-Chiik!

There was a difference between the cannons of the French fleet and the cannons of the British fleet.

Like the army, France used a fuse ignition system for its cannons.

This allowed for accurate timing and stable firing, even for those who were not skilled.

However, the British chose a more primitive but faster method.

They lit the fire directly with flint.

-Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!

With a difference of several tens of seconds, the cannonballs from Nelson’s main force struck the French fleet first.

“Hit!”

“Their cannonballs missed!”

“Keep firing! Let one shot go per minute!”

Naval rapid-fire bombardment.

At the end of the 18th century, it was the British fleet’s greatest strength.

While the best French naval artillery fired one shot every two minutes, and the Spanish fired one shot every four minutes, the British could fire one shot per minute.

This was the reason why the British had an absolute advantage, at least in naval bombardment battles.

“We must break through the center of the French fleet and cut off the connection with the rear!”

At the same time as the bombardment, Nelson’s main force began to advance at full speed again.

Forming an 11-character line.

***

In an era when blasting rounds were not yet common, the reason why ships burned was simple.

The powder magazine was hit by a cannonball.

The shocked gunpowder was prone to exploding, causing flames.

Especially the black powder that had been prepared in advance for use in cannons.

That was the situation the French flagship, L’Orient (The Orient), was in now.

-Kwang!

On the deck where the powder magazine had exploded and chaos reigned, officers ran and shouted.

“Bring water!”

“Put out the fire, quickly!”

“Cannonballs are pouring in! Oh my god!”

Suddenly, Flagship Captain Casabianca ran over and shouted.

“Admiral! Their ships are turning inside Abu Qir Bay!”

Brueys wiped the cold sweat and looked back at the ship’s rear.

It was difficult to even come to his senses with just Nelson’s main force pushing in from the front.

But before he knew it, part of the British fleet was pushing in from the rear.

If this situation was left unchecked, the French fleet would be surrounded by the British fleet from the front and back in Abu Qir Bay.

It would be hard to find a siege battle like this in modern times, when bombardment battles were taking place, let alone in the Middle Ages when they fought with galleys.

The problem was that the bay where the British detachment was turning was close to the coast, meaning the water was shallow.

“I can’t believe it, how are they turning in that depth?”

“This is no time to be just admiring!”

“I understand. What are Villeneuve, Ganteaume, and Decrès in the rear doing? Send a signal to launch a counterattack!”

But Adjutant Martin ran over and screamed.

“The rear is also under attack!”

Only then did Brueys see the rear of the fleet.

When considering the main force deployed to the front, it was the point corresponding to the right wing.

However, there were rear fleets that had not yet caught up with the line.

These were the ships led by Ganteaume, Decrès, and Villeneuve.

But hesitating and failing to approach at full speed, they were now under attack by the British detachment.

Only then did Brueys remember.

Eugene’s judgment that he had assessed Villeneuve as a coward.

In an instant, Casabianca shouted and fell.

“If we continue like this, we’re all doomed. Admiral! Ugh!”

Instantly, the sound of gunshots rang out loudly.

-Tang! Tang! Tang!

When the officers were surprised and raised their heads, the [Vanguard] of Nelson’s main force was already pushing in.

British shooters standing at the bow of the Vanguard fired Brown Bess rifles [standard British army musket] all at once.

A literal gunfight was unfolding at sea.

“Oh my god, is it within musket range!”

“Shoot back!”

“W-where’s the new gun! Ugh!”

Just then, a bullet was fired at Brueys, who was standing blankly.

-Tang!

Casabianca was surprised and grabbed Brueys.

“Admiral!”

Bleeding from his head, Brueys shook his head.

“I’m still, okay.”

“You’re injured. You must go for treatment immediately!”

“You know I can’t, don’t you?”

Casabianca gritted his teeth and tried to forcibly move the admiral.

“At least, the admiral must live! Uh!”

Casabianca, who was hurriedly trying to take him to the cabin, stopped.

Because something was visible beyond the British fleet, in the smoky sea.

Casabianca, who was from Corsica, familiar with the sea, and had good eyesight, pointed to the west and shouted.

“There, a fleet is coming! Friend, no.”

Suddenly, Casabianca blinked and tilted his head.

“Is it the British fleet?”

Clearly, a series of ships that looked like French ships of the line were pushing in from the west.

-Flutter!

Strangely enough, while fluttering the British flag.