He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 211

(211) Eugene’s Diversionary Maneuver with the Battleship Fleet Unfolds at Acre

In an era where knights have become obsolete, there are still those who consider it an honor to be one.

“Acre, to think I would see this place with my own eyes. I am deeply moved.”

Giovanni Battista Tommasi muttered from the deck of the Horus.

Once, Acre was the last fortress of the Crusaders.

However, the Egyptian army, led by the Mamluk Sultan, conquered Acre, and the Knights Hospitaller, who defended it, had to flee with the remaining Crusader forces.

It has already been 500 years since then, but it is only natural that Tommasi, the second-in-command of the Knights Hospitaller, is filled with emotion.

Suddenly, Junot, who had been idly watching, asked from beside him.

“Master Tommasi, how do you think we should attack that imposing fortress?”

“A fortress is just another word for an isolated place. Aren’t General Desaix and Tubar Sheikh approaching by land?”

“But we don’t have siege cannons. No, we don’t have any artillery at all. It’s all on our fleet.”

The [Napoleon’s Legion], which originally valued mobility, mainly uses small 8-pound cannons.

The cannons moved by the horse artillery are of that size.

However, to capture a fortress, you need at least a large 32-pound cannon.

In the original history, Napoleon faced this problem when he attacked Acre.

Napoleon tried to solve the problem by directly transporting cannons from Damietta.

But he failed because of the British fleet led by Sydney Smith.

Even now, there is no artillery in Desaix’s assault force marching on land.

Suddenly, Tommasi smiled, pointing to the Boarneh-style cannons on the Horus.

“So, the battle will be decided here, at sea. The enemy has already launched their fleet. Perhaps, they are receiving support from Beirut?”

The number is about 30 ships.

The size appears to be frigates.

Our side also has about 30 ships, including battleships, frigates, and transports, but we have the advantage of having battleships.

Nevertheless, just the fact that the opponent is the [England Royal Navy] makes it impossible not to be nervous.

Junot clicked his tongue and frowned.

“Beirut is in the Lebanon region, right? Shouldn’t we have negotiated with the ruler of Lebanon in advance?”

“No. Commander Eugene Bonaparte’s judgment is correct. The Beys [Ottoman governors] of this Syria, the chieftains, are skilled in tactics and have no integrity. They betray us at the drop of a hat.”

“Are you saying we have to suppress them with force?”

Tommasi, a man who has fought Muslim pirates for a long time, nodded solemnly.

“That’s right, General Junot.”

Usually, Eugene values local collaborators.

He did so in every battle, from Vendée to Italy to Egypt.

However, in the Syrian expedition, he is hardly mobilizing any local collaborators except for the Bedouins.

In fact, even Napoleon in the original history actively used local collaborators for the Syrian expedition.

Maroonite Christians, Syrian Jews, and even Bashir Shihab, the ruler of Beirut.

But Eugene did not seek cooperation from anyone.

He only used supplies and the navy from mainland Egypt, and the Bedouin cavalry to get here.

Of course, instead, he is not attacking the inland at all, but only attacking the coast.

Why?

To show overwhelming power.

Furthermore, it was also to let people know that France had seized naval supremacy.

But if we lose to the British fleet, what good is all that?

Junot looked anxiously at the fleet in front of him and asked.

“Another fleet won’t suddenly come from the Ottoman capital, will it?”

“There is an island called [Cyprus] nearby.”

“Cyprus? Oh, isn’t that an island related to the Knights?”

Tommasi smiled as Junot revealed his shallow knowledge.

“It’s not Cyprus, but Rhodes, which is further away. Originally, our Knights’ nickname was the Knights of Rhodes. We were driven out of Rhodes by the Ottoman Empire and fled to Malta. Anyway, the reason why Cyprus is a problem is simple. It is currently the naval headquarters of the Ottoman Empire.”

That was already in 1522 AD, so 270 years ago.

The Ottoman Empire, which had no navy at all back then, now has a considerable navy.

They just don’t have a battleship fleet.

Junot turned his head in surprise.

“Good heavens, then shouldn’t we be careful of a sneak attack, or a rear attack? Hey, Surcouf!”

“There’s nothing to worry about. They deliberately pulled three battleships back for guard, you know.”

“Ah, is that so? Whew.”

Come to think of it, only 7 battleships are visible.

“You underestimate the commander too much. He’s a general who has defeated the British fleet. What I’m worried about is something else.”

Tommasi smiled and lightly chided Junot.

But from Junot’s point of view, it couldn’t be helped.

Not as much as Marceau, but Junot also encountered Eugene in Toulon when he was still a child.

Now 17 years old, he often forgets that he is practically an adult.

Of course, even if he is an adult, he is still young as a commander.

Junot clicked his tongue and asked again.

“Well, I’ve seen the commander since he was a boy officer. But what are you worried about?”

“Becoming intoxicated with victory.”

“Intoxicated?”

Tommasi looked back at Eugene in the center of the flagship, holding a telescope, and said.

“If you experience repeated victories at a young age, it’s easy to become arrogant. The commander has never experienced failure, has he?”

Junot blinked.

Come to think of it, Eugene has never lost once since he met Junot.

Just like Napoleon did.

Could he fall into the trap of arrogance?

Suddenly, Junot’s thoughts went elsewhere.

What about Napoleon?

At that moment, Tommasi shook his head.

“Well, at least not today.”

In an instant, an impact sound rang out right next to the flagship.

-Thud!

This time, Tommasi was also surprised and turned his head.

It was the sound of a cannonball hitting the sea surface.

Junot shouted urgently.

“What, where is the shelling coming from?”

At that time, Admiral Shaila, the captain of the Hercules, which was nearby, was heard shouting.

“Coastal artillery! All ships, retreat out of range!”

Coastal artillery was being fired from the walls of Acre.

***

Coastal artillery, large-caliber cannons that intercept naval fleets.

“Good heavens, Sydney was relying on that to come out with the frigate fleet!”

Senior Division Commander Marceau exclaimed.

Eugene, who was standing in the middle of the flagship, also frowned.

It’s not that he didn’t expect there to be large-caliber cannons.

However, he thought they would be mainly deployed towards the land, but Acre installed the cannons in the opposite direction.

It is in a situation where all the cannons are pouring only on the enemy coming from the coast.

Surcouf, the captain of the Horus, ran up and reported.

“It’s become troublesome, Patron!”

“Is it difficult to get close?”

“It’s difficult! If we get close, everything but a first-class battleship will be smashed to pieces!”

Suddenly, Rochejaquelein quietly informed Eugene from behind.

“That seems to be European-style artillery, my lord.”

In the former battle of Martinique in the Atlantic, Rochejaquelein relied on coastal artillery to fight.

Therefore, he knows more than anyone about the deployment and power of coastal artillery.

If it were an old-fashioned Turkish cannon, it would be difficult to exert that much power.

Eugene nodded.

“It seems to be Phélippeaux [French engineer serving the British].”

“The shelling skills are accurate. If we get close, the damage will be too great.”

“But if we can’t get close, we won’t be able to attack the walls.”

Just as Eugene was about to respond, Rochejaquelein’s sharp eyes turned to the sea right in front of Acre.

“Sydney’s fleet is also maneuvering within the range of the coastal artillery.”

In short, Sydney has devised this strategy.

First, delay the advance of the opposing battleship fleet with frigates.

In the meantime, turn all the cannons in Acre to the coast to form a coastal defense battery.

The one operating the cannons is Phélippeaux, a man who has mastered all of France’s latest artillery techniques.

If the French fleet foolishly enters, it will become a sacrifice to the coastal artillery.

Conversely, even if they look for gaps from a distance, they can buy enough time.

If enough time is given, troops and reinforcements will pour in from the vast territory of the Ottoman Empire.

Then the French expeditionary force of only 30,000 will melt away.

Whether it’s manpower, supplies, or gunpowder.

Eugene calculated that far and looked back at another aide.

“Did Abbas Dahir Zaidani say he would join? Gauhari?”

“Yes? Ah, such a story has come. But it will be on the army side. Shall I send a messenger to General Desaix?”

“No, he’ll come. I just hope that Dahir al-Umar’s grandson will be the next ruler of Acre. Furthermore.”

Suddenly, Eugene smiled.

“We have to show the power of France.”

Abbas Dahir, the successor of the Zaidani family who once ruled Acre.

In the original history, he participates in the siege at Napoleon’s call.

One of Napoleon’s strategies that surprisingly valued local collaborators.

However, Eugene was approaching Acre in a completely different way.

Eugene pointed to Acre and said calmly.

“That place is the core city of French Levant trade. We export textiles, and they export cotton, raw silk, and coffee. It’s also good to set up a Marseille bank branch. We must acquire it.”

“Hey, this is not the time to be talking about such leisurely things. There’s a strong enemy in front of us.”

“Sydney Smith? Well, he’s a great admiral. If he had a battleship fleet, I mean, Ippolito.”

Eugene lightly retorted to Brigadier General Ippolito, his adjutant.

“No matter how good Sydney is, if he doesn’t have a battleship, the tactics he can use are limited. Especially, there is an operation that he can never use.”

“What is it?”

“A diversion.”

In an instant, Eugene’s gaze turned far to the north.

“It’s almost time for them to come.”

Before long, the sight of ripples rising from beyond the horizon, in the northern direction of the Mediterranean, could be seen faintly.

-Shoo!

It was just like a huge ship was approaching.

***

The fleet located to the east of Eugene’s fleet, in front of Acre, is currently maneuvering nimbly.

“There seems to be a quite veteran admiral in the enemy fleet.”

There is nothing more difficult than standing still on the sea.

Because the waves, tides, and currents are constantly rushing in, you have to move more actively to stay in one place.

Sydney’s fleet was easily doing this difficult task.

Nevertheless, Sydney has an unhappy face.

His adjutant, John Wesley Wright, asked.

“Why do you say that, Admiral?”

“Otherwise, they would have already pushed in and been hit. They haven’t taken much damage, have they? They’re showing quite nimble maneuvering. That boy general, the sharpshooter, is in the army, so it won’t be him.”

“Either way, isn’t all we have to do is buy time from our point of view?”

Colonel Wright said with a snort.

“[Kapudan Pasha, the Grand Admiral of the Ottoman Navy], Husein, is supposed to come from Cyprus, isn’t he.”

As Eugene expected, Sydney was planning to use delaying tactics from the beginning.

In the original history of the Battle of Acre, this tactic is not used.

Because Sydney had naval supremacy.

But now the waters off Acre have become a front line where only France has battleships.

So, as Wright said, it is true that the situation is becoming more favorable just by buying time.

That’s because the Ottoman Empire fleet also has 5th-grade frigates.

Nevertheless, Sydney frowned and asked again.

“There’s something I learned here, do you know what it is?”

“What is it?”

“I don’t trust the damn French or the Ottomans. They stab you in the back, don’t take responsibility, and are late for appointments. Kapudan Pasha will be late for sure.”

Suddenly, Sydney clicked his tongue.

“Besides, Nelson is dead, right? There must be a reason. Even though he’s a damn bastard, he’s not a bastard in battle.”

With very sensitive intuition, Sydney is feeling it.

That Nelson didn’t just die because he was unlucky.

Aside from Eugene’s skills as an enemy commander, there is also a [secret].

Just then.

“Admiral, you have to come this way!”

“What is it? I’m busy.”

“Look at the rear!”

Lieutenant John Bligh ran up and shouted to Sydney.

“Three battleships are approaching from the north, in the direction of Beirut!”

Only then did Sydney turn his gaze to the horizon in the north and throw down his telescope.