He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 212

(212) The Balloon Unit Takes to the Skies Over Acre

Time turns back briefly, to 10 days prior.

“Alright, Secretary Gauhari, please translate carefully. Greetings, Emir Bashir? I am Brigadier General Caffarelli of the French Egyptian Expeditionary Force.”

Beirut, still a small city, not yet the major port of the Eastern Mediterranean it will become in modern history.

Rather, the capital of this area, soon to be called [Lubnan, the Arabic name for Lebanon], is the inland city of Deir al-Qamar.

In later history, it’s where the presidential palace of the Lebanese Republic is located.

Therefore, the ruler of this land, called Lubnan in Arabic, Lebanon in English, and [Liban] in French, came all the way here for one reason.

It’s because of the man before his eyes, General Caffarelli, who has a prosthetic leg.

Of course, if Caffarelli had come alone, Bashir, the lord of this place, wouldn’t have bothered to make the arduous journey.

However, the massive [warship], standing tall behind the one-legged general like a wooden fortress, is overwhelming.

If it were to unleash its bombardment, this small port would surely be reduced to ashes.

“I have made it clear that I cannot cooperate with France, General Caffarelli.”

The large man with a long beard spoke. His French is quite fluent.

Caffarelli widened his eyes and smiled.

If they can communicate, negotiations will inevitably become easier.

“Welcome. How do you know French, Emir?”

“We traded with the French before you came to Egypt. The Clary family frequented this place.”

“Oh, really? That’s good to hear. The commander-in-chief of our expeditionary force’s wife is from the Clary family. Haha!”

At that moment, the man, Bashir Shihab, spoke coldly.

“Then he should know the situation here well, shouldn’t he? Let me be frank. We are Christians, but we are also different from Catholics. Furthermore, we are caught between the [Ottoman Empire], the Governor of Sidon, and Egypt.”

Lebanon, even in modern times, is a trading nation caught between powerful countries.

It’s even more so in the late 18th century, an era when it wasn’t even an independent nation.

A land where the Maronite Christians, a branch of the Eastern Church, enjoyed autonomy under the Ottoman Empire.

Therefore, even in original history, they are a force that ultimately fails to side with Napoleon.

The position Bashir takes now is the same.

“I will not necessarily help the butcher, Jezzar. But I cannot trust France either.”

The Shihab family has been the ruling family of this area of Lebanon for nearly a hundred years.

However, the Ottoman Empire is predominantly Muslim.

Naturally, the Shihab family was a secondary power.

Therefore, they have always been suppressed by the Governor of Sidon, who controls all of Syria.

The reason they used to obey the Zaidani family and now obey Jezzar Pasha is also because of that.

However, when the French expeditionary force arrived in the Near East, Bashir took a strange stance.

He decided not to cooperate with his superior lord, Jezzar, nor to talk with France.

In other words, he decided to remain neutral and watch the situation.

In any case, the elite forces of the Ottoman Empire, his ultimate sovereign, were defeated in Egypt.

This fact clearly shows the disparity in power.

Nevertheless, it is also clear that France is operating far from its homeland.

Bashir, who has traded with French merchants for quite some time, roughly knows how far away that country is.

So, he wants to maintain strict neutrality in a situation where he doesn’t know who will win.

But then, three ships of the line lined up in front of Beirut.

Eventually, Bashir couldn’t stand still and rushed over, creating this meeting.

Caffarelli, staring at Bashir, smiled and said.

“We have not come to form an alliance, Emir.”

“Then what? If you want to buy food, I can do that much. We are merchants, after all.”

“There is something else France wants to buy.”

Caffarelli staggered on his prosthetic leg, steadied himself on the ground, and said firmly.

“Let us borrow this port for a while.”

“What did you say just now?”

“Let us borrow it for exactly 10 days. Then, when we win, we will guarantee the rule of the [Lubnan] region.”

Caffarelli’s very confident, or extremely brazen, attitude shook Bashir.

Even now, after the arrival of the French, the people are agitated.

Here, at the end of the 18th century, the strongest naval power in the sea, the European ships of the line, are lined up in front of the port.

If he doesn’t even grant this request, where will the gunports of the ships of the line be directed?

“…Only for 10 days.”

In the end, Emir Bashir accepted Eugene’s compromise proposed by Caffarelli.

-Swish!

As a result, a fleet that Sydney didn’t expect arrived from the north.

A small fleet of exactly 3 ships of the line, waiting for the opportune moment in Beirut.

***

But what is the biggest difference between the navy and the army?

“It’s so hard to get the timing right! Damn it, they’re only coming now!”

In front of the still clear sea of Acre, there is someone glaring at the bustling frigate.

One-legged General, Caffarelli.

In fact, Caffarelli had set out even earlier than this.

However, it only arrived when the battle was in full swing.

From the perspective of an army general, Caffarelli, this timing is the same as an operational mistake.

At that moment, the captain of the ship of the line, who was panting, stood up.

“Hey! Do you think it’s that easy to get the date right at sea? This is different from where the army grunts play!”

Then Caffarelli snorted and tapped his wooden leg on the ship’s side.

“Captain Casabianca! You have to say it right. Isn’t it because you’ve been lying down all this time and your sense of actual combat has deteriorated! Isn’t that right?”

Casabianca, originally a Corsican officer who was the captain of L’Orient.

Originally, when the Orient explodes, he dies with his son in original history.

However, during this Battle of the Nile, the Orient exploded a little later and a little less violently than in original history.

Thanks to that, Casabianca did not die, but was thrown into the sea, where his son Giocante found and rescued him.

Still, the injury was serious and he had been lying down.

However, he participated in this Eugene Expeditionary Force.

The name of the ship is the [Franklin].

A ship of the line named after the famous Benjamin Franklin, who was the American ambassador to France.

So, from Casabianca’s point of view, Caffarelli’s words sound like this.

Even with a great ship of the line called the Franklin, he is an incompetent man who cannot even get the time right.

Casabianca, a Corsican man with a strong sense of honor, blushed and shouted.

“My sense of actual combat has deteriorated? That’s insulting! Apologize right now!”

“Ha! Apologize my ass! Then, show me with your ability!”

“What?”

Caffarelli smiled, revealing his teeth.

“Did you forget? My job was to persuade the Bey of Beirut. You are the one who will actually move the fleet! Now, 3 ships of the line! How are you going to use them to hit those guys from behind? Tell me! No, show me!”

In the distance, Acre can be seen to the south.

In front of Acre, a fleet of frigates that appears to be as many as 30 ships is lined up.

In Caffarelli’s view, it didn’t seem to be far behind Eugene’s fleet.

Even if it is a diversionary operation, it is already broad daylight to be exposed to the enemy.

It is difficult to call it a surprise attack.

But Casabianca sneered.

“Huh, I’m sorry, but it’s already over.”

This time, Caffarelli was embarrassed.

The opponent also has a fleet of 10 4th-rate frigates.

Above all, when viewed from a distance, they were constantly checking with coastal artillery.

Why is Casabianca so confident?

“Are you still having a fever?”

“That’s not it! Hey, one-legged general! Don’t you know why the British fleet is confidently stepping forward now? Ships that are only 4th or 5th rate in British terms?”

“Does that make such a difference? Well, anyway, why?”

In fact, in terms of size, it is difficult to say that there is a big difference between a 3rd-rate ship of the line and a 4th-rate frigate.

However, there is a reason why the strongest British Navy of this era specifically divides the classes.

A huge gap occurs in terms of firepower.

Nevertheless, the reason why Sydney confidently stepped forward is simple.

The defense of the coastal artillery.

But this is where the problem arises.

Casabianca laughed.

“Haven’t you ever operated an artillery unit? Coastal artillery is made up of cannons that are at least 30 pounds [referring to the weight of the cannonball]. Are you going to change the direction now?”

Only then did Caffarelli realize the situation and clap his still intact arms.

“Indeed! Coastal artillery cannot be fired at a fleet coming from the north!”

This is why Eugene used a diversionary fleet from Beirut.

***

Again, another difference between the navy and the army.

“Damn it! Maneuver! Avoid their cannons and feed them our carronades! Where did all the long guns go!”

If it sinks, it’s over.

Especially in the 18th century, when cannons became the main weapon, the fleet that is penetrated by cannons first will eventually lose.

No matter how well they form a line and move quickly, the side with more cannons has the advantage.

Even Nelson fought a battle of ships of the line, so he was able to offset the difference in firepower.

The ships Sydney possesses are only frigates.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

The three ships of the line that rushed in from the north in an instant fired their cannons.

The Franklin did not have incendiary shells, but it had at least 72 large-caliber cannons.

Above all, the carronades, which are the main force of the British fleet, actually have long barrels, but their range is shorter than expected.

As a result, they had no choice but to be completely defeated in the northern direction, where there was no assistance from coastal artillery.

Suddenly, Lieutenant Wesley Wright ran up and shouted.

“If this continues, we’re all going to die!”

“Who doesn’t know? So, tell [Dick, likely a crew member] to run away!”

“Aaaagh! Our ship is sinking!”

At that time, a cannon rang out from the opposite side.

-Bang!

Sydney, who was staggering and grabbed the ship’s side, shouted.

“What is it this time?”

“Front! The main French fleet is pushing in!”

“What is Phelippeaux doing! Tell him to bombard them! Signal, no, flag signal!”

At least in the southern direction, the Eugene fleet can only have a naval battle if the coastal artillery blocks them.

Even amidst the bombardment from both sides, the frigate fleet maneuvered, dodging the bombardment.

That was when Captain John Bligh on the flagship Theseus found a gap to send a flag signal.

-Swish, swish, swish!

Then, Captain Bligh threw down the flag and shouted.

“Wait, Admiral. Look at that!”

“Why? I’m busy commanding!”

“They’re entering now?”

Sydney, who was turning his gaze, was also dumbfounded and quickly picked up his telescope.

“Are those guys crazy? Or do they want to die so badly?”

Two ships from Eugene’s main fleet of ships of the line were heading towards Acre.

However, the walls of Acre are lined with coastal artillery aimed at the Eugene fleet.

Even if he did not receive the signal, Phelippeaux would have seen the ships of the line unless he was blind.

In an instant, Sydney snorted.

“It doesn’t matter which side it is. If Phelippeaux isn’t a moron, he can blow those ships away!”

“Coastal artillery is aiming at the ships of the line!”

“Good!”

Sydney laughed heartily after hearing Bligh’s report.

“It’s a chance to turn the tables! Hahaha!”

Soon after, an explosion occurred.

-Bang!

Sydney blinked.

Clearly, this time it is the French ship of the line’s turn to be penetrated by concentrated fire.

But why is the wall flying away?

“No, why is the coastal artillery flying away? In the air?”

“Land! It’s from the land!”

“What are you talking about? Intelligence came in that their army doesn’t have artillery?”

At that time, Lieutenant Wright, who was busily commanding the frigate’s operation, blankly looked at the sky and said.

“What is that in the sky?”

Only then did Sydney, who had been frantically looking at the sea, raise his head.

A strange sphere flying in the sky can be seen.

In an instant, Sydney widened his eyes.

Although he is a naval officer, Sydney knows about the epitome of the latest science and technology or the [waste of money] of wealthy people.

“Damn it, Fucking Jesus! To use balloons like that here! Fire! Right now!”

“I-It’s impossible. It’s too far from here. You have to shoot from land!”

“What is that idiot Phelippeaux doing? He said he was Bonaparte’s rival!”

At that moment, the [grenades] of the Conte balloon unit fell on the walls of Acre.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

It was the moment when the French Revolutionary Army’s ‘waste of money’, the balloon unit, took to the skies over Acre.