He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 196

(196) Defeated, Killed, and Survived

When is the moment with the most casualties in a war?

When both armies clash?

Or perhaps when trapped in an encirclement and crushed?

When retreating chaotically immediately after defeat?

Casualties occur in all those moments, but the real answer is different.

The moment you think the battle is over.

Especially when both armies are filled with animosity and engaged in a brutal killing spree.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

Even as the sun sets and night falls, the bombardment continues.

This is because the British Navy’s command system did not collapse with Nelson’s death.

Rather, the enraged captains are rampaging to sink enemy ships.

Moreover, unlike a land battle where a regular army might lure and encircle an excited adversary, that’s not easy in naval warfare.

Only the ability to skillfully maneuver a ship at sea determines mobility.

The shouts of Ralph Miller, Thomas Troubridge, and David Gould echoed across the sea.

“Kill them! Avenge the Admiral!”

“What are you talking about? The Admiral is dead? When!”

“Shut up and keep firing! We have to break through the front!”

Vice-Admiral Boal watched the scene with dismay.

“This is troublesome.”

Currently, Boal is barely maneuvering the collapsing [Flagship] Victory to retreat.

Even at night, the sea is as bright as day due to the repeatedly exploding ships of the line.

Thus, the sinking British ships of the line are all too clearly visible.

So, the British Caribbean Fleet is also being destroyed in the continued fighting.

“Vice-Admiral Boal! The enemy fleet’s formation is not breaking!”

Suddenly, Admiral Collingwood, the adjutant, rushed to report.

Collingwood, originally Nelson’s adjutant, also survived.

However, he was in a state of panic like Boal.

A change of tactics is needed, but he is not providing appropriate advice.

Only then did Boal sigh and shake his head.

“Really, they’re resisting indiscriminately to the very end.”

“What do we do? Do we continue to fight like this?”

“Does it even matter, Collingwood?”

Boal clicked his tongue, looking at the French rearguard ships continuing to bombard and hold out.

“The one who killed the Admiral has already slipped away. They’re leaving the battlefield.”

Strangely enough, Eugene’s diversionary fleet is actually retreating.

The [Ironclad] Marie Louise, commanded by the one-legged Caparelli, blocked their path.

Because of the Marie Louise, which threatened to bombard them if they retreated, the French rearguard fleet could not escape.

In the end, the rearguard captains, including Villeneuve, who would have fled in the original history, are being forced to fight.

Nevertheless, the British fleet was struggling due to the sheer number of cannons on the French ships of the line.

Eventually, Boal made a decision.

“Collingwood! Fire the signal flare.”

“Isn’t the enemy command ship gone! We must fight to the end!”

“Shut up!”

Boal rebuked Collingwood, who still hadn’t come to his senses.

“Our Caribbean Fleet returning safely is also an assigned task! The enemy is not only here. The British mainland is an even bigger problem!”

In fact, Boal’s words are accurate.

This is because an expeditionary force aimed at the Irish Rebellion is already being prepared in mainland France.

Even if they don’t know this situation, Alexandria, which is no different from enemy territory, is right in front of them.

Struggling here ultimately means that there is a high possibility of being isolated.

-Bang!

The signal flare was fired loudly.

“Retreat?”

Miller, Troubridge, and Gould cried out upon seeing the signal flare.

“Retreat now, when we’re winning?”

“If we fight a little more, the enemy line will break! Who on earth gave that order?”

“Wait, that’s!”

Suddenly, Gould shouted, looking towards the direction from which the signal flare was fired.

“It’s the Victory!”

The news that the Admiral had died was transmitted to the entire fleet.

However, it is clear that the command ship is still the Victory.

The most important thing in the military is the chain of command.

With heavy hearts, the British captains began to turn their ships, gritting their teeth.

Naturally, the most resentful was Vice-Admiral Alexander Boal.

“I don’t know who it is, but I will definitely repay this grudge!”

He saw Nelson die before his eyes.

He saw the boy roaring at Nelson and firing a bullet.

He doesn’t know his name or identity, but that person is the enemy of his friend Nelson.

Boal screamed, looking at the Horus disappearing into the distance.

“Let’s meet at sea, French boy captain! I will definitely kill you!”

Of course, he doesn’t know that Eugene will never come out to sea again, sadly.

***

Those who watched all these naval battles from dawn to night stood at the port.

“This means France lost, right? Right?”

Suddenly, the interpreter Gauhari asked in a trembling voice.

“Hold on, Secretary Gauhari. We don’t know yet.”

“Hey, were you the head of the nursing unit? Escape from here immediately.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

Gauhari shook his head, looking at the beautiful woman jumping next to him.

“You’re a beautiful woman! If the news of the defeat becomes known to the residents of Alexandria, you’ll be caught and defiled! Hurry, run to where the army units are!”

The lieutenant colonel rank insignia of the deputy commander of the nursing unit glitters on her chest.

Suddenly, the deputy commander took off her hat and smiled.

It is Pauline, Napoleon’s sister and Eugene’s [Aunt by blood].

Pauline Bonaparte slightly turned her head, looking at the explosions, screams, and dying soldiers unfolding before her eyes.

Amidst the chaos, she confirmed that the Horus was safe.

“Thank you for complimenting my beauty. But you don’t have to worry about that.”

“What are you talking about? This is not a joke! There are many residents around here who are hostile to France!”

“How do you think I got here in the first place? Look over there.”

Only then did Gauhari see the [Cavalry] lurking behind Alexandria.

-Neigh!

As the horse at the head yawned tiredly, the rider whistled.

“Hee-ho! It’s a shame my horse isn’t Pegasus! To only watch the ships fighting from afar!”

Then, Joubert retorted to Lasalle, who was making idle noises.

“Lasalle, it’s not too late now. I see a fishing boat over there? Go and fight on the boat.”

“Oh, my dear friend Joubert. Sadly, my horse gets seasick easily. I’ll be fine, though.”

“Really? I have a very clear memory of you vomiting on the way here?”

Of course, considering that the navy is fighting desperately, it’s too leisurely of a conversation.

The problem is that they are now not just junior officers, but brigadier generals of the cavalry division.

Champot clicked his tongue and stopped them.

“Both of you, stop joking around. How is the battle going? It seems like both flagships have problems?”

Then, the division commander of the cavalry, Junot, opened his mouth.

“It’s a narrow defeat.”

Champot tilted his head.

“What do you mean, General Junot?”

“I don’t know much about the navy, but I can count. They brought 21 ships of the line, and 13 are still left.”

“Oh, that’s right. On the other hand, we······.”

Junot nodded with a somber face, looking through the smoke.

“It’s hard to see because of the smoke, but we have fewer than the British. It means two-thirds are gone.”

That means at least 20 ships have sunk.

Everyone knows that hundreds of thousands of francs go into one ship of the line.

Furthermore, it takes at least 3 years to build a proper ship.

Strictly speaking, 60 years of time and millions of francs have been lost.

Champot, who had his mouth wide open, tilted his head.

“Then why is it a narrow defeat? Not a major defeat?”

“I saw the enemy flagship being hit directly.”

“Yes?”

Suddenly, Junot shouted in an excited tone.

“The enemy commander is dead! Our commander killer has killed even the fleet admiral this time!”

So, the reason Junot had been quiet until now was not because he was shocked.

It’s because he witnessed the admiral, Nelson, dying.

Moreover, when you think about it, half of the British Caribbean Fleet was sunk in the Mediterranean.

Instantly, the most quick-witted man, Lasalle, burst into cheers.

“We lost, but we won! Hee-ho!”

As if in response, the British ship [Alexander], which had been drifting on the sea, exploded.

-Kwaaaang!

As if celebrating France’s [narrow defeat].

***

The fleet that fought for a day and night in front of Alexandria survived.

-Waaaa!

The British fleet disappeared, and only sunken ships and the French fleet remained on the sea.

So, those who are shouting now are all French.

Eugene, who was completely exhausted and lying on the ship’s side, glanced up and clicked his tongue.

“Anyone who hears it would think we won?”

“Didn’t we win? We defeated the British fleet!”

“What are you talking about, Rochejacquelin. Look at that.”

Eugene barely raised his arm and pointed to the sea, sighing.

“There are only 13 ships of the line left.”

13 ships.

Of course, 13 ships of the line is a tremendous force in itself.

However, many of the ships of the line that Eugene had saved in Toulon with all sorts of hardships sank into the sea.

Somehow, it feels like what he did in Toulon was a waste of effort.

However, Robert Surcouf shouted, laughing gleefully as if he was excited.

“So, we only lost one or two more ships than the enemies! Haha!”

“Don’t be happy. The Admiral is dead. Admiral Brueys.”

“Most of the sailors survived. Look over there!”

Instantly, Surcouf forcibly dragged Eugene and made him look at the sea.

“Everyone is quickly coming down to the sea and being rescued well!”

On the sea, sailors holding onto buoys or in boats saw Eugene.

The sailors who saw Eugene cheered and waved their hands in unison.

It’s truly a sight as if they had won a victory.

Looking at them, Eugene’s gaze turned to the center of the sea.

Even though it had already burned down, the wreckage of the [Orient] was still floating on the sea.

Eugene, staring at the Orient, said solemnly.

“Admiral Brueys’ wife is a friend of my mother. Hippolyte, when we return home, collect the relics so that they can be sent to her.”

Suddenly, Hippolyte, who had been rolling his eyes next to him, saluted.

“Understood, General ‘Bonaparte’.”

At this moment, everyone on the sea would have the same thought as Hippolyte.

In fact, there is no one in the military who doesn’t know that Eugene is a prodigy.

However, until now, he was just a promising person who was only smart and had not achieved independent achievements.

Today, everything has changed.

Eugene achieved the feat of completely defeating the British fleet, although it was nominally a defeat.

Even if the splendor of the achievement is behind, he has achieved an achievement similar to Napoleon’s victory at Rivoli.

Of course, no one knew that Eugene had the most important problem today.

Looking at the burning ships illuminating the twilight, Eugene muttered.

“Killed Nelson, sacrificed Brueys, and survived.”

Clearly, history has changed.

Although he couldn’t save him, he succeeded in killing him.

Now, there is one future that has become clear only to Eugene.

Trafalgar will disappear from history.

It was then.

“Wow! The sun of the Nile is rising again over there!”

Far away, the sun was rising, and the sailors of the Horus cheered.

“Yes, Brueys.”

Eugene’s eyes flashed, looking at the broken Orient and the sun rising behind it.

“I will definitely get Egypt and offer it to your spirit.”

The Battle of the Nile in Egypt is over.

With Eugene’s defeat, Nelson’s death, and the survival of the French Mediterranean Fleet.