He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 399

(399) The Three Great Rivers Assault Europe

The roar of the lion from the north has yet to reach the Pyrenees in the south.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

Of course, the cannon fire is too loud to hear anything else.

“Damn it! Those Los Moros! They’re as persistent as Moors!”

Los Moros, in Spanish, refers to the Moors, specifically Muslims from Africa [a historical term for the Muslim inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa].

Spain was built on land once ruled by Muslims.

Therefore, in Europe, Spain is sometimes disparagingly called a country of Muslims.

Of course, this is a rather unfair nickname for the Spanish, who claim to be descendants of knights who fought holy wars against infidels.

However, Commander Masséna, originally a smuggler with a rough mouth, doesn’t care.

Especially when the originally planned operation has gone completely wrong.

Looking at the enemies putting up a fierce defense in the south, Chief of Staff Major General Serboni said,

“At this rate, breaking through the lines is impossible.”

“I know!”

“The civil uprising we planned in Barcelona is also bound to be disrupted, Marshal.”

At that moment, Marshal Masséna, commander of the 2nd Corps, the Spanish Corps, gnashed his teeth and shouted.

“Who doesn’t know that, Serboni? I didn’t expect to be blocked here either!”

This place is Zaragoza, a major city that appears after entering south of the Pyrenees Mountains.

Once the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon, it is an unavoidable strategic point for approaching Madrid from the French side.

Battles were fought here during the War of the Spanish Succession [a European conflict of the early 18th century].

However, Masséna did not expect a battle to break out here, and even if it did, he thought he could easily break through.

First of all, the Masséna Corps, with veterans from the Italian campaign at its core, is elite.

On the other hand, Spain has not properly trained its army since the mid-18th century, except perhaps its navy.

During the recent Revolutionary Wars, they were pushed south of the Pyrenees by France, which hadn’t even sent its main force.

Of course, there was the tragic death of the commander, Dugommier, but overall, France had a unilateral advantage.

In the original history, Spain was defeated by the French Empire in regular warfare from the beginning.

Now, there’s even a coup d’état happening internally.

How is Masséna, a top-tier general of the French Empire, struggling so much?

“At this rate, we’ll have to return to the Pyrenees Mountains.”

“Who is the opposing commander?”

“Pedro Caro Sureda de Romana. The Marquis of Romana.”

In the original history, the Marquis of Romana served in the French Imperial Army.

However, when Spain was invaded by France, he was a man who escaped from Denmark with the help of the British.

Although not yet widely known, he is the best general Spain has.

Masséna admired the front line in the purest sense.

“He has considerable capabilities in defensive warfare. Zaragoza isn’t even a formidable fortress.”

In fact, during the Battle of Zaragoza a hundred years ago, in 1710, the attacking side won.

That’s how difficult Zaragoza is to defend.

Nevertheless, the defending side is successfully stopping the expeditionary force with fierce shelling and gunfire from behind makeshift barriers.

At that moment, the deputy commander of the corps, Major General Louis Gabriel Suchet, narrowed his brows.

“There’s information that the British have joined in.”

“What? What do you mean, Division Commander Suchet?”

“As you know, I have a close relationship with General Joubert, don’t I? In a letter he sent from Russia, he mentioned that the British were essentially behind this coup in Spain.”

Joubert is currently stationed in St. Petersburg as a military attaché after stopping the coup in Russia.

Although the British Ambassador Whitworth fled at the time, he couldn’t destroy all the classified documents.

Thanks to that, the French Embassy in Russia obtained all of Britain’s secrets.

The Pitt Cabinet’s plot unfolding in Spain fell into the hands of Danton and Joubert.

However, Masséna retorted bluntly.

“Isn’t that a publicly announced fact in the Assembly? We can’t assume that the British army is participating just from that. Strictly speaking, a coup can be carried out with just spies.”

But Suchet still explained with a serious attitude.

“According to that letter, there were classified documents from the British Embassy that were seized in Russia.”

“What is it?”

“There’s a young general who killed Tipu Sultan in India, and he’s being deployed.”

In the original history, Suchet was almost the only victorious general on the French side in the Peninsular War.

However, the true victor of the Peninsular War is obviously someone else.

That is, the only hope of the British Army.

“The name is, probably Arthur Wellesley? I think he was the British ambassador’s brother.”

At the word ‘young,’ Masséna shrugged.

“Well, I succeeded in my 30s, and our Emperor also participated in the Eastern Front as a vanguard in his 20s, and my father, the Viceroy, made a name for himself by participating in the war in his teens. But what’s so great about fighting in India?”

“In any case, the opponent also mobilized at least 200,000, and the British army also mobilized 100,000. The conquest of the Kingdom of Mysore is not a war to be ignored. Especially if that commander is there.”

“Isn’t it just the Marquis of Romana’s skill? Besides, even if that’s the case, he doesn’t seem to be great other than blocking us.”

Just then.

-Swoosh!

Masséna turned his gaze at the sound of something being fired.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

Instantly, something fired from the air and the ground made a loud noise.

The cavalry panicked, the soldiers stepped back in surprise, and above all, the fire damage was significant.

Masséna exclaimed in shock.

“What is that!”

“I, I saw it in the letter! The British are preparing some kind of strange weapon!”

“You should have reported that sooner! What is it!”

Suchet recalled a corner of Joubert’s letter that he didn’t even believe and shouted.

“Mysore, Mysore Rockets! Weapons invented by the Indians!”

Gunpowder weapons made by the people of the Kingdom of Mysore in India.

However, the Indians did not use them properly, and they were brought to England, where Count Congreve turned them into practical weapons.

Rockets.

The first modern rocket weapon made its debut in Zaragoza, Spain.

-Whoosh!

Masséna, a man who was originally loved by the goddess of fortune, faced his first misfortune.

***

The Helvetic Republic, called Schweiz in German, Suisse in French, and Switzerland in English, has the famous Alps.

-Click, tap!

In Bern, with the Alps visible to the south, a general is scraping his nails with a nail file.

“Your Excellency, aren’t you being too idle?”

“Why, is there a problem, Saint-Cyr?”

“Isn’t the mission of the Helvetic Army to handle Austria? Isn’t it strange to just stay in Bern like this?”

Marshal Augereau, commander of the 3rd Corps, glanced at Saint-Cyr with a dissatisfied expression.

“Originally, you know who the commander of the core unit of this corps was, right? It was your former superior, Moreau. But I have to command the unit that Moreau commanded. So, what’s the first thing I should do?”

Originally, the 3rd Corps, commonly known as the Helvetic Corps, was a reorganization of the army dispatched under the pretext of protecting the Helvetic Republic, a satellite republic of the French Empire.

In fact, there is a somewhat difficult problem hidden here between France and its friendly satellite states.

Because originally, a satellite republic is a country that has abolished the monarchy or aristocracy and converted to a republic based on the spirit of the French Revolution.

But France itself has become an empire, albeit a civil empire, hasn’t it?

In fact, there is no big problem in the Italian Peninsula, which has become a territory of the French Empire.

The Lombardy Republic, the Veneto Republic, the Tuscany Republic, and the Genoa Republic are all effectively being integrated into the French Empire.

There’s even talk that a kingdom will be declared soon.

The fact that the Italian Peninsula had been under the rule of Austria or Spain before played a role.

However, the Netherlands and Switzerland have long traditions of independence.

Furthermore, there are urban citizen forces that strictly adhere to republicanism.

Thus, the garrison dispatched under the pretext of protecting the satellite republic has effectively become an army controlling the country.

Fortunately, unlike Italy, where rebellions still occur occasionally, the Netherlands and Switzerland are quite quiet.

This is because the generals stationed in the Netherlands and Switzerland were quite personable and did not act like conquerors.

However, especially Marshal Moreau, the commander stationed in Switzerland, had his credibility further eroded by Paris due to his conciliatory attitude.

In this situation, Augereau came like a parachute [unexpectedly and suddenly].

It is natural for both the Swiss and the garrison to dislike Augereau.

Saint-Cyr, who was originally the garrison commander, frowned.

“Then, whether you train them, promise rewards, or otherwise.”

“Moreau would have taken care of the training. Rewards are the job of the Imperial High Command. Arbitrarily overstepping authority can be a challenge to the government.”

“Isn’t that what His Majesty the Emperor did too?”

At Saint-Cyr’s provocative words, Augereau raised an eyebrow and turned to his staff.

“Verdier, Chief of Staff, this guy is looking down on me too much. Should I send him to Moreau’s Bohemian Corps right away?”

Jean Verdier, the chief of staff who had now been promoted to brigadier general, smiled bitterly and told Augereau.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Your Excellency. There’s a high possibility of insubordination within the already agitated 3rd Corps.”

“Then, should I just let this arrogant talk go?”

“Explain it to him. Shall I do it if you’re too bothered?”

Augereau shook his head arrogantly.

“No, the right person has arrived. Welcome, Laharpe. My comrade.”

A sincere-looking man who was entering the headquarters building smiled and greeted Augereau.

“It’s been a while, Marshal Augereau.”

“I’m embarrassed. In terms of merit, you should have become a marshal instead of Junot. You’re ahead of Marceau too!”

“I think my current position is also undeserved.”

Laharpe, one of the contributors to the Italian Corps, looked back at Saint-Cyr.

“It’s been a while, Major General Saint-Cyr. The Helvetic Corps has been well managed. Excellent.”

Only then did Saint-Cyr click his tongue and agree.

“Indeed, you were trying to control the unit through General Laharpe.”

Laharpe is originally from Switzerland and is also a man who has achieved top-tier merit in Napoleon’s army.

Of course, neither Eugene nor Napoleon particularly highly valued Laharpe.

However, it is clear that he is a soldier who can be trusted to watch their backs, just like Sérurier.

Also, Laharpe was a figure respected by the soldiers who had been under Moreau’s command before.

Because he is a soldier who has not received any special status under the imperial system, but has kept his place and silently fulfilled his duties.

He is the perfect choice to control the Helvetic Corps, which has many republican supporters.

Marshal Augereau looked at the map and opened his mouth.

“In war, it’s not just fast soldiers like Emperor Napoleon or Viceroy Eugene who win. Besides, the person we’re dealing with is not Archduke Charles.”

“He’s a king now. But the Hungarian army will eventually become our enemy.”

“Not right now, Saint-Cyr. Field Marshal Laudon of the Austrian Kingdom and Commander-in-Chief Leiberich are our adversaries.”

Suddenly, Augereau’s eyes flashed as he held up the marshal’s baton with gold leaf patterns.

“They all hate adventure. In that case, we have to fight with pressure. Anyway, now that Laharpe is here, shall we try to advance?”

The corps’s guards lined up in front of Augereau as he left the headquarters.

-Clack, clack, clack!

Now, it was time for the Helvetic Corps to begin its movement towards Austria.

***

Of course, if Austria were one, the war would have already begun.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

As soon as Moreau took office, he witnessed the scene of battle in progress.

The location is Kraków in the Duchy of Galicia, formerly Austrian territory.

The attacker is also the Kingdom of Hungary, formerly the Austrian Empire.

However, they only resemble the Austrian Imperial Army in uniform, and the organization is completely different.

Bernadotte ran to Moreau, who was inspecting the enemy army that reminded him of the French Imperial Army.

“Your Excellency, you’ve arrived at a difficult time.”

“The Duchy of Galicia has already been more than half occupied?”

“What can we do? Isn’t that a duchy that Viceroy Eugene created for his father’s lover’s brother? It’s only natural that it’s in this state.”

Bernadotte, the commander-in-chief of the Duchy of Bohemia, said with gritted teeth.

“Besides, the Hungarian bastards are not ordinary. They use weapons that have not even been introduced into our Imperial Army.”

Moreau narrowed his brows as he watched the scene of the artillery battle.

“Breech-loading cannons.”

“I heard that the Imperial Guard hasn’t formally introduced them yet, is that correct?”

“That’s right. However, that doesn’t seem to be a bursting shell. Well, that’s a weapon that can only be used by the navy because of its high failure rate.”

Moreau, who once fought against the Austrian Empire at Hohenlinden [a significant battle in the Napoleonic Wars], narrowed his eyes.

“King Charles, has the time come to settle the score this time?”

In the distance, a loud noise rang out from the army commanded by Charles, the archenemy of Hohenlinden.

-Swoosh, bang!

The sound of the breech-loading cannon, introduced on land 50 years earlier than in the original history, being fired.