He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 210

(210) Napoleon’s Rival Waits in the Holy Land

Every hero has a childhood.

They experience humble beginnings, periods of helplessness, and pasts where they struggled from the bottom.

Napoleon, now hailed as Europe’s greatest hero, was no different.

For instance, when he first arrived in Paris from Corsica and entered military school.

But a man who was once Napoleon’s rival is now in the Near East.

“I was ranked higher than [Buonaparte], believe it or not!”

Antoine Le Picard de Phélippeaux exclaimed.

A nobleman and former cadet from the military school who competed with the young Napoleon.

He was a top student at the French Royal Military School and worked hard to graduate early.

In the end, Napoleon’s final graduation rank was 42nd, while Phélippeaux’s was 41st.

It might seem like they were at the bottom, but this was because they both chose to graduate early.

If you were to convert it to the original grade level, it would be closer to second and third place.

With his noble family background, Phélippeaux started as a lieutenant from the beginning of his military service and was quickly promoted.

If he had continued to serve in the military, Phélippeaux would probably have become a general without any problems.

However, the revolution that began in 1789 changed everything.

Phélippeaux, who was loyal to the royal family, tried to suppress the revolutionary rebellion but failed and eventually fled to England.

Again, when the Revolutionary Wars broke out, Phélippeaux joined the British army and fought.

He had been fighting like that for about nine years.

But why is Phélippeaux standing on the ramparts of [Acre] here in the Near East?

Suddenly, a cheerful-looking man next to Phélippeaux, Sidney, chimed in.

“Of course, you would be. Just looking at the portrait, Bonaparte doesn’t seem like he’d be good at studying. Hmm, he doesn’t look like he’d be good at fighting either?”

“Exactly! If I had an [épée – a type of sword] duel with him, I would have lost every time!”

“This guy was aspiring to be in the cavalry? Hahaha! The reputation of the French cavalry would have fallen to the ground!”

At that moment, Phélippeaux grabbed Sidney’s shoulder and laughed heartily.

“Indeed, you know something, Admiral. Rescuing you was the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. Hahaha!”

Phélippeaux was the man who helped Sidney escape.

Since then, Phélippeaux has served as Sidney’s aide-de-camp all the way to Constantinople.

Furthermore, he came all the way to Acre, the central city of the Ottoman Empire’s Syrian region.

Originally, in the original history, Phélippeaux confronts Napoleon here.

But now the enemy coming is Napoleon’s adopted son.

He’s not a satisfactory opponent, but he’s definitely a rival who reminds Phélippeaux of his old grudges.

Gazing at the sea with sparks flying from his eyes, Phélippeaux gritted his teeth.

“Damn [Buonaparte]! Sending his adopted son instead of coming himself. And a guy who didn’t even go to military school is a commander!”

It sounds like a believer in academic elitism, but it’s actually a reasonable statement by 18th-century standards.

It’s a way of evaluating the other person based on their level of education, not their background or wealth.

Also, in an era when formal education was only given to the upper class, military cadets were the elite of the country.

Appointing those who have received advanced education as officers was a kind of innovation in the era of the old royal family.

But Eugene, when you know it, has never received formal education, let alone military school.

From Phélippeaux’s point of view, it’s absurd.

“The revolution ruined everything! All of France’s highly developed systems!”

Phélippeaux sincerely believes so.

In fact, it’s not entirely wrong.

In any case, after the revolution, there are many generals who stood out in the revolutionary army who are worse than Phélippeaux.

The conscription system, Carnot’s military reforms, and the passion of the French citizen soldiers created victory.

Suddenly, Sidney nodded his head as if he understood.

“That’s right. Of course, it’s dangerous for the king to have absolute power. But that’s what the nobles should do by creating a parliament to check it.”

“Exactly. Our nobles should check the king, why should the people check him? Or the bourgeoisie who only play with money!”

“So, isn’t that why Lord Phélippeaux came all the way here to try to stop the French Revolutionary Army? Heh heh.”

Then Phélippeaux shouted, grinding his teeth.

“Revolution? No, it’s a great rebellion. The rebels ruined France, and now they’re trying to occupy even this place? All those wrong things! I’ll fix it right here in Acre!”

Sidney nodded and turned to the side.

“We will help with that. ‘Mister’ Phélippeaux. Isn’t that right? Cezar Pasha?”

However, the 60-year-old Cezar, the [governor] of Acre, snorted.

Mysteriously, Cezar’s face looks like a European, not an Arab.

Cezar, stroking his Islamic-style beard, asked Sidney.

“Well, we have to defeat the [invincible] Frankish army to have a future. But how are we going to win?”

“It’s a very simple method. The enemy’s main force is not the army, but the navy.”

“So? Didn’t you run away? Thanks to you, our Grand Vizier is now summoned to the capital.”

Cezar sneered and pointed to the fleet lined up south of the Acre fortress.

“Is there any way to break that [ship of the line – a type of warship] or whatever it is? With your fleet?”

Ship of the line, soon the line battleship.

At the end of the 18th century, line battleships had the same meaning as [aircraft carriers] in the 21st century of the original history.

Just having it symbolizes the power of the country.

Furthermore, once deployed, the sea area in that area is as good as taken away without the same line battleship fleet.

Size, number of cannons, defense.

The accepted theory is that it is difficult to win without the same line battleship.

Phélippeaux, who had been shouting confidently, also frowned.

But Sidney replied leisurely.

“I have a way.”

“Huh? Didn’t you run away because there was no way?”

“Puhahat! That’s when I didn’t know the enemy’s line battleship fleet was intact!”

Sidney explained, counting his fingers.

“If you classify the enemy’s line battleships by class, there are no 1st class, and most are 2nd class. Also, we have quite a few 4th class ships, although they are frigates.”

In this era, England classifies wooden battleships into 6 classes.

So-called line battleships with 72 cannons are usually considered 2nd class.

If it’s about the sunken French ship, the Orient, it can be called 1st class.

Here, a two-story line battleship with about 60 cannons is considered 3rd class.

Below that, a frigate with about 50 cannons is a 4th class battleship.

Sidney currently has a total of 30 frigates docked in Acre.

10 of them are 4th class frigates.

In Damietta, he was embarrassed, and it was difficult to fight the line battleship head-on, so he retreated.

However, things are different here in Acre.

Sidney’s gaze turned to the [Gribeauval-style – a type of artillery] cannons installed throughout the Acre fortress.

“If this is combined with the coastal artillery of Acre, we can have a showdown!”

“Indeed, confidence worthy of the slayer of the Russian fleet.”

“That’s right! I’m the man who destroyed the Russian fleet with 20 ships in the frozen sea, haha! Of course, the current Russian Tsar is about to form an alliance with our King.”

Suddenly, Sidney smiled with satisfaction and asserted.

“Now, with the help of the true hero, Mr. Phélippeaux, and Pasha Cezar, I will make this place the tomb of France!”

4th class line battleships, 5,000 elite garrison soldiers, and 30 frigates gathered in Acre.

The British and Ottoman allied forces were born to face Eugene’s Syrian expeditionary force.

***

Of course, this coalition has never been authorized by the British Cabinet or the Ottoman Sultan.

“Currently, the Sidon Governorate, which governs the Syrian region, is Cezar Pasha. But this person does not rule this place alone.”

In front of Jaffa Port, an unexpected Near East lecture was held on the Horus.

The lecturer is Egypt expert Professor Constantine Volney.

But Volney, when you know it, has not only traveled to Egypt, but also to the United States and Syria.

That’s why Eugene requested a special lecture from Volney for the battlefield briefing.

Suddenly, Chief Division Commander Marceau tilted his head.

“Then are there other forces?”

Volney nodded and pointed to the map.

“Originally, this area was ruled by the [Zaidani – a powerful local family] family.”

“Zaidani? I think I’ve heard of it somewhere.”

“You probably heard it in the autobiography of the monarch Jair al-Umar Zaidani, which I wrote. It was a bestseller at one time. Heh heh.”

Volney shrugged, boasting about his book.

Jair al-Umar, soon the lord who virtually ruled the Syrian region throughout the 18th century.

Of course, the Ottoman Empire needed to eliminate him.

However, the Ottoman Empire, weakened by fighting Russia and Austria, could not easily defeat Jair.

In the end, mercenaries were recruited from various places, and European mercenaries and Mamluks became prominent in this process.

This is also why the Mamluks virtually controlled Egypt and why Cezar rose to prominence.

“Jair was a strong ruler that the Ottoman Empire did not want. Moreover, the Shihab family, which ruled the Lebanon area, also feared them. In the end, the Zaidani family fell.”

“So Cezar Pasha became the ruler after that?”

“That’s right, Division Commander Marceau. Originally, Cezar is close to an ‘Illyrian’. The Turks call the area [Bosnia].”

Again, pointing to the map of the Syrian region, Volney said.

“Now, Cezar has overall control over the entire Syrian region except for Lebanon. The Ottoman Empire’s central government virtually recognizes Cezar’s autonomy.”

Then Commander Eugene suddenly asked.

“In other words, if we get rid of him, the Sidon Governorate, soon all of Syria, will be in our hands.”

“Politically, that’s right. Commander ‘Bonaparte’.”

“But why is he in Acre, not Damascus?”

That point was a mystery that even Eugene, a ‘reincarnator’, did not know.

In fact, the core city of the Ottoman Empire, Sidon Governorate, commonly called [Syria], is Damascus.

Also, the most prosperous city is [Aleppo], as it is in modern history.

But in the original history and now, Cezar, the ruler of this region, is in Acre.

What’s the reason?

Near East expert Volney replied clearly.

“Well, this place, Acre, is the economic center of Syria. It is the core port for exporting cotton. Originally.”

That means it’s not now.

Why?

Because the target of exporting cotton is actually France, Italy, and Egypt.

Only then did Eugene realize why Acre had become the core of the war in both the original history and now.

If this place is breached, the Ottoman forces that rule Syria will be shaken to their roots.

Also, the rule of Cezar, the actual ruler, soon the man called ‘slaughterer’ in Turkish, will collapse.

With a newly nervous face, Ipolite asked.

“Then, is a strong defense force waiting for us?”

“What nonsense are you talking about? Didn’t you see it in Damietta? That’s the best elite that the current Ottoman Empire can send. You can gather more troops, whether it’s 30,000 or 50,000.”

“All you have to worry about is the supply of gunpowder, right? Heh heh.”

Eugene shook his head.

“No, the defense force is not the problem. The real obstacles are the walls, the terrain, and the British army. There’s also a French commander.”

Fortunately, unlike the original history, the British line battleship fleet is not in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Perhaps what is guarding Acre is mainly a frigate-based escort fleet.

However, there is a high possibility that 4,000 British shells and Gribeauval-style cannons have entered Acre as they are.

Then Sebastiani, who was originally a military attaché stationed in Constantinople, clapped his hands.

“Ah, I’ve heard of it.”

“What is it, Colonel Sebastiani?”

“Didn’t you say a French commander? Colonel Phélippeaux is currently staying in the Near East. I have obtained intelligence in Constantinople that he is staying there.”

Junot widened his eyes.

“Is that General Bonaparte’s rival?”

Eugene shrugged and replied.

“That’s right. My father’s competitor in military school.”

“Is that the enemy our young commander is worried about?”

“No. That’s Deje’s job to worry about. What I’m worried about is something else. Sidney Smith.”

Deje is already marching hard by land.

It’s about 100 kilometers from Jaffa to Acre.

It’s already close to March, and the weather is starting to get warmer, but he’ll be marching while receiving supplies from the fleet.

So Eugene only needs to worry about the naval battle.

Suddenly, Marceau thought hard and asked Eugene.

“Okay, then how are you going to sort out this complicated situation, Eugene?”

“There’s a very simple way.”

“What is it?”

The power structure is complicated.

The enemy’s defense posture is also complicated.

It is also complicated to implement our strategy.

Napoleon tried to solve all of this at once in the original history.

“Blow up Acre. Completely.”

Immediately, by occupying Acre.

***

Even at night, there are line battleships, frigates, and transport ships that have been running through the sea.

-Swaaa!

Looking at the flickering lights of Acre in the distance, Pauline shrugged her shoulders as if she was cold.

“Heung, it’s a fortress that looks more difficult to occupy than Corsica.”

“Corsica is rather easy. Even city-states like Genoa once conquered it.”

“Is that so? Then how are you going to conquer that difficult fortress? Usually, people who occupied Corsica acquired local collaborators.”

Eugene glanced at Pauline, took off his military jacket, and put it on her.

Pauline looked at Eugene with a surprised face and blushed slightly.

However, Eugene’s expression was far from romantic.

It’s an extremely nervous face.

“No, I need to show [strength] here entirely. Sloppy tactics won’t work.”

Eugene has won every time.

Nevertheless, this battle seems to be a big burden.

Pauline, who was staring at him silently, chuckled and grabbed Eugene’s hand.

“Can’t you show that power tonight too?”

“No.”

“Heung, good. See you after the battle.”

Eugene stared intently at Pauline, who unexpectedly retreated and entered the cabin from behind.

Before the war, even if the chances of winning are high, the tension is always high.

Soldiers are said to relieve tension by embracing women at times like this.

Suddenly, next to Eugene, Ipolite laughed mockingly.

“Wow, aren’t you going to fall for her? Is our princess crying?”

Eugene snorted and looked back at Acre.

“Focus on victory now, Ipolite. That was originally an invincible fortress.”

Midnight, March 3, 1798.

Eugene’s fleet arrived in Acre.

To the place where Napoleon’s ‘rival’ Phélippeaux is waiting.