He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 255

(255) Moreau Becomes the Anvil to Wash Away Disgrace

Hohenlinden, originally a term referring to the valley and campsite in front of Munich.

“Not exactly the best place to deploy a large army.”

The combined forces of Austria and Bavaria, totaling 90,000, were gathered here.

50,000 from the Austrian Second Army, primarily infantry, and 40,000 Bavarian troops.

The cavalry force amounted to 10,000 out of the total 90,000.

The problem was artillery; the Austrians had difficulty bringing their cannons over the Alps, leaving them with only the Bavarian artillery.

Only twenty heavy cannons.

As Karl surveyed the forest, Archduke Maximilian Joseph offered encouragement.

“Which is why it favors the defense.”

“A sound strategy. We must exploit the enemy’s weaknesses with our strengths. I failed, though.”

“Do not worry, Your Highness. This time, we will turn this place into a graveyard for the enemy.”

Just then, a man with an eyepatch appeared beside Karl, who was inspecting the vanguard.

-Step, step, step.

A man with a scar over one eye, Veiroder, reported.

“Your Highness, we must divide and conquer the French army on both flanks.”

He was the former chief of staff to Alvinczy, once the hope of the Austrian Empire.

He had been removed from the front lines to serve as a military engineer, taking responsibility for the failures in the Italian campaign.

However, faced with the empire’s dire crisis, he had come all the way to Bavaria.

Karl scrutinized the scar beneath the eyepatch and asked Veiroder.

“What do you mean, Major General Franz von Veiroder?”

“Currently, our army is only focused on Bonaparte. I believe this is a problem.”

“What are you saying? Bonaparte crossed the Alps, so isn’t that obvious?”

Veiroder, whom the Emperor would later call the best staff officer in the Austrian army, shook his head.

“No. We must pay attention to Moreau. Moreau’s 60,000 troops are currently occupying Württemberg. What if Moreau advances from there?”

Of course, that title would be shattered after Austerlitz in the original timeline.

However, Veiroder’s analysis was sharp.

Currently, Karl is fixated on the movements of Napoleon’s army after his defeat.

But there is another army advancing towards Austria.

Moreau’s corps, guarding the Rhine.

Karl frowned.

It made sense, but the problem was that it was just theory.

“I understand what you’re saying. But we don’t have the resources to divide our forces right now. Bonaparte’s army alone is 70,000 strong.”

“Including the Greek auxiliaries, it’s 100,000.”

“Are you suggesting we deal with both armies simultaneously, knowing that?”

Just as Veiroder hesitated and was about to object, Karl waved his hand dismissively.

“Veiroder, I know you suffered at Bonaparte’s hands in the First Italian Campaign. But Bonaparte is not a god. Besides, we have the Third Army, don’t we?”

When it came to planning operations at the desk, Veiroder was the best in the Austrian Military Committee.

Even the veteran 라이베리히 [Leiberich] and 슈미트 [Schmidt], the master of terrain analysis, could not match him.

That’s why Alvinczy valued him so highly.

However, Karl, who rated 뷔름제르 [Würmser] higher than Alvinczy, saw it differently.

Being the best as a theorist didn’t mean being the best as a tactician.

After all, didn’t Alvinczy eventually die?

But Veiroder’s words had merit, so Karl turned to his deputy chief of staff, Schmidt, and instructed.

“Send a messenger to Kray’s Third Army, Schmidt. Tell them to check Moreau.”

“Understood.”

“Then, we should deploy troops in that forest. What was the name of the forest, Your Highness?”

The Bavarian Archduke, Maximilian Joseph IV, looked at the forest for a moment before announcing.

“It’s the Großhacher Forest, Your Highness.”

At that moment, a gunshot echoed through the deep forest.

-Bang!

The horse cried out, and the guard cavalry quickly went on alert.

The two archdukes were present.

Who fired the shot?

Suddenly, General Johann von Hiller, who had been out on the vanguard, came galloping back with his horse.

“French scouts! Please take cover, Your Highness!”

“Have they already advanced this far, General Hiller? Napoleon should still be far away.”

“No! The bloodied banner I saw, it was definitely!”

Hiller, who had fought alongside Karl when he became a hero on the Rhine, shouted.

“The banner of Moreau, which I saw at the Battle of Emmendingen!”

That was the battle where Karl defeated Moreau.

***

Of course, Revolutionary France did not have well-established [military flags], the symbols of the army.

“Do you think they know we’re here, Commander?”

As they marched through the hills of Hohenlinden, Saint-Cyr asked.

When Moreau fought on the Rhine before, there were three generals who served under him.

Desaix, Saint-Cyr, and Souham.

The man who came as his adjutant in this war was Saint-Cyr.

Moreau shrugged and replied.

“Saint-Cyr, French flags all look the same. There’s no way they’d know.”

“I wish they did, though. I haven’t forgotten the disgrace of Bavaria and Emmendingen.”

“This isn’t our battlefield this time.”

Moreau twisted his lips and gestured.

“Still, I’d like to catch Karl. Grouchy!”

Then, a man with a steadfast impression, marching at the front, turned and saluted.

“Yes, Commander.”

“Your specialty is originally a cavalry regiment, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. But I will carry out any orders you give me.”

Of course, he only looked steadfast; in reality, he was rather frail.

Thus, he was a soldier suited for riding.

Moreau told Grouchy, a general who had been successful mainly in pursuit cavalry battles rather than shock cavalry.

“Good. The enemy’s strengths are as follows. This is enemy territory, and their forces are nearly twice our size. Kray’s Austrian Third Army might stab us in the back at any moment. Though we did arrive quickly.”

Currently, Moreau had brought about 40,000 troops.

He had been marching at full speed after receiving orders from Commander-in-Chief Napoleon.

Karl had missed the point that the speed of the French army’s march was not unique to Napoleon.

That’s why Moreau had abandoned cannons, supplies, and baggage and rushed here.

In particular, food was all resolved with [canned goods] recently supplied by the Boarneh Trading Company.

Moreau frowned at the thought of the tasteless canned food and then looked at Grouchy.

The 33-year-old general from the old nobility looked frightened.

Thinking he had scared him too much, Moreau chuckled.

“There’s no need to be afraid. Conversely, the enemy is slow, has insufficient firepower, and is scattered in the forest.”

“They won’t be able to fire cannons recklessly.”

“Yes, Karl is not so reckless.”

He seemed to be afraid of the artillery.

A common fear among cavalry officers.

In any case, whether it was pursuit, charge, or flanking, cavalry was easily vulnerable to the prepared artillery barrage.

However, it was difficult in the forest engagement, unless it was a plain like [Ampfing] nearby.

Besides, Moreau had separate troops to entrust to Grouchy.

“This time, you will have to take charge of the 3rd Line Infantry Division instead of the cavalry. Stop the enemy’s offensive.”

Grouchy saluted.

“Understood. Then, who will take charge of the cavalry?”

“Jean-Joseph Ange d’Hautpoul.”

“An excellent choice. I will gladly dismount and take charge of the infantry.”

Before he could finish speaking, Grouchy began to run without complaint.

There was a reason for this.

D’Hautpoul, there were countless cavalry officers in the French army, but no one could match D’Hautpoul as a shock cavalryman.

Even Murat had to concede to the man’s size and power.

In fact, D’Hautpoul was the one who commanded the actual cavalry charge under Murat at the famous Battle of Eylau in the original timeline.

So Grouchy had no complaints even though he could not command his specialty, the cavalry.

Far away, gunshots rang out from the front where Grouchy had taken his troops.

-Bang! Click, clack, hiss. Bang!

Saint-Cyr raised his telescope and reported, looking ahead.

“The engagement has begun, Your Excellency.”

“Can you see it? Grouchy will hold. The problem is the ground.”

“Huh? Oh, come to think of it. The ground is very muddy.”

Only then did Saint-Cyr look at the ground and grimace.

Saint-Cyr was not moving the cavalry himself, but all the officers rode horses.

If the ground was not firm, the cavalry march would be greatly hindered.

That was why Moreau had Grouchy take charge of the infantry instead of the cavalry.

However, it was not only the cavalry that was hindered by the muddy ground.

The infantry had the same difficulty.

Carefully nodding, Moreau muttered.

“It had to rain yesterday. It won’t be easy if the enemy is familiar with this terrain.”

However, the battle had already begun.

Furthermore, Moreau had a reason to restore his honor.

He had been defeated in the Swiss expedition, failed in Ireland before that, and his opponent was the general who had once defeated Moreau.

“All troops, advance in skirmish formation! This time, I will defeat Karl and wash away the disgrace!”

“Waaaaah!”

“Let’s avenge the disgrace of Emmendingen!”

The soldiers of the Rhine Corps under Moreau also had the same desire for revenge.

The memory of being defeated and fleeing in the Emmendingen Gorge was vivid.

Desaix was eventually captured while holding off Karl in the rear.

Moreau grabbed the reins and ordered the entire army.

“Never retreat! D’Hautpoul, charge when Karl comes out!”

Now that it had come to this, he would capture Karl with a small force.

That was the real reason Moreau had rushed here with a forced march.

***

In fact, Hohenlinden was not a familiar place for the Austrian army either.

“It’s a quagmire, Your Highness!”

General Bellegarde, who was guarding Karl instead of Hiller, shouted in surprise.

Only then did Karl look at the ground and frown.

He knew it had rained yesterday.

But he had not expected the ground to still be muddy and not dry at all.

Karl asked the other archduke, the owner of this place, the Bavarian Archduke.

“This is not good. Is this forest usually this muddy?”

“W-well, I’m not sure. Commander Brede, what do you think?”

“This area is prone to rain. But I didn’t expect it to be this muddy.”

Maximilian had only become the Bavarian Archduke earlier this year.

Brede was a little better, but most of his military career had been built as a mercenary abroad.

Not to mention the Austrian main army.

Only then did Karl realize the problem and clicked his tongue.

“This is a disaster. Then, we can’t take advantage of being on our home ground at all!”

They had come all the way to Bavaria because it was advantageous for defense.

However, the battlefields where he had fought Moreau before were western Munich and Württemberg.

This was a gorge area southeast of the battlefields at the time.

In theory, the terrain was advantageous, but it was by no means a place well known to Austria.

At that moment, Karl was seized with anxiety.

The reason Karl had scolded 바이로데르 [Veiroder] earlier was because he was a theorist who indulged in armchair theories.

But was he any different?

At that moment, gunshots began to be heard from several places.

-Bang! Click, clack, bang! Click, clack, bang!

This time, General Rosenberg, the cavalry general guarding the rear, came running.

“Commander! Engagements have begun throughout Hohenlinden, north of Hartofen, central Kronaka, and south of Ebersberg!”

“What? Moreau should have fewer soldiers! Is he perhaps maneuvering his troops in a dispersed manner?”

“This is an opportunity!”

In an instant, the theorist 바이로데르 [Veiroder] shouted boldly from the side.

“Break through the enemy lines at once and encircle them from the rear. That is the only way to win!”

If it were Napoleon, he would have followed 바이로데르’s [Veiroder’s] words.

But Karl stroked his chin and pondered.

If this was the enemy’s trap, there was a risk of being defeated piecemeal.

In fact, this was what happened in the place where 바이로데르 [Veiroder] planned the operation in the original timeline.

That was Austerlitz.

Even if he didn’t know that far, Karl shook his head, recalling that there was a problem with 바이로데르’s [Veiroder’s] plan.

“Prepare the cannons first.”

“Yes? Your Highness! We are currently engaged!”

“Chief of Staff Schmidt. We must fire them for checking purposes as well. If we stay like this, we will be fighting the enemy and then Bonaparte will grab us by the scruff of the neck!”

Karl turned to Maximilian and shouted.

“Bavarian Archduke, please prepare the cannons!”

Twenty 12-pound heavy cannons.

In addition, there were 20 more 6-pound cannons that were not known to the outside world.

Archduke Maximilian took a deep breath and nodded.

“Understood. Prepare for bombardment!”

The Bavarian commander, Brede, hastily directed the artillery.

Considering that he would later strike Karl with cannons at the Battle of Aspern-Essling in the original timeline, it was quite ironic.

Now, Brede’s cannons were being prepared for Karl.

At that moment.

-Boom!

At the sudden explosion, 바이로데르 [Veiroder] widened his eyes.

“Could it be!”

He was criticized for being a bookworm and indulging in armchair theories, but 바이로데르 [Veiroder] felt wronged.

He had experienced numerous engagements under Alvinczy.

In particular, even if he didn’t know that this unique explosion sound was a [Congreve rocket] bomb, he knew whose bomb it was.

At that moment, cavalry poured out from between the forests, shouting.

“We’re here, French Orient Corps, Hussars!”

“Why not just say Mamluks, Lasalle?”

“Hehehe, if that happens, poor Champot, who is still in the Orient, will be pitiful, won’t he, Joubert?”

Brigadier General Lasalle, the vanguard of the cavalry corps, chuckled and threw a flying grenade.

“We’re here, Austrian stragglers!”

At the same time, the horse grenadiers turned and ran as if drawing a circle.

-Doo-doo-doo!

With the explosion of grenades, the horse grenadiers came.

To Hohenlinden.

While Moreau’s anvil held, Eugene’s [step-brother and cavalry commander] hammer had finally arrived.