He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 508

(508) The Imperial Guard Marches Across the Continent

In the early 19th century, the French Imperial Army was renowned for its exceptional marching speed.

– Creak!

However, in July 1810, those trudging through the northern German region in the summer heat, alongside carriages, were Russians.

Though better maintained compared to roads further East, these roads still turned muddy with rain.

When a carriage got stuck, soldiers had to push it.

Originally, this was the job of the Grande Armée soldiers, but now it was the responsibility of the former Russian Imperial Army.

Suddenly, a carriage lurched violently, running over a soldier’s leg.

“Aaaagh! My leg!”

The scream was in Russian, but even the French could understand what it meant.

However, no one seemed to care for the Russian soldier.

Not even his fellow Russians.

The one who took care of the wounded soldier abandoned on the road was, unexpectedly, a French Imperial Army Sergeant Major.

The veteran, Senior Sergeant Chauvin, examined the wounded soldier and turned to look at the chief medical officer of the passing medical unit.

“What is it? Are you not taking care of the wounded?”

“He’s Russian. The Russian auxiliary unit will take care of him.”

“But, aren’t we on the same side now? Lieutenant General Larrey, sir!”

Just as Chauvin was about to raise his voice, Larrey, recognizing the veteran who had participated in the Russian expedition, replied indifferently.

“Our medical unit is busy enough taking care of our own, Senior Sergeant Chauvin.”

Chauvin shuddered, remembering Larrey’s rank. Larrey was a general, after all.

Moreover, medical officers held a specialized position that even marshals couldn’t easily interfere with.

Then, another medical personnel crossing the marching column, the head of the nursing unit, Pauline, saw the scene.

“What’s going on here?”

“Your Highness, please take a look. Russian soldiers are falling behind and being left unattended.”

“Falling behind? Where?”

Pauline, examining the wounded soldier from horseback, frowned.

“This is difficult for the nursing unit to handle alone. These neglected Russian soldiers could become a source of unrest, even rioters. I’ll request assistance from the Rhine Confederation forces.”

Chauvin’s eyes welled up, grateful as if it were his own affair.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Larrey, who had been watching the scene from afar on the carriage, scoffed as Pauline approached on horseback.

“Listen, Duchess. Put away your useless sympathy.”

“Call me the General of the Nursing Unit, Doctor. Taking care of the wounded is our duty.”

“Weren’t you participating in this campaign to get closer to the King of Spain? Why are you suddenly so enthusiastic about tending to wounded soldiers?”

Pauline glared at Larrey.

“The dead can’t be helped, but I can’t just leave the wounded to die like animals!”

In fact, Pauline had joined the expedition for a truly self-serving purpose.

First, there was King Eugene of Spain, who was constantly pursuing her affections.

Her husband, Louis Charles Caffarelli, who constantly desired her, had also joined as the Emperor’s chief aide-de-camp.

However, Pauline had barely shared a bed with Louis Charles, let alone visited Eugene’s tent.

She was far too busy with the constantly occurring wounded and sick.

She might have lived a much more enjoyable life, dating many men in Paris.

Suddenly, Larrey said indifferently.

“Then, focus on the French soldiers.”

“What did you say?”

“It can’t be helped. We can’t save everyone. There’s a limit to medical supplies. Even more so for medics, medical officers, and nurses! Our head of the nursing unit didn’t even take care of the camp followers [women and children who followed the army], did she?”

Pauline blushed and retorted.

“That’s! Because the soldiers are more urgent!”

No matter what, you can’t compare the women who follow the army with soldiers, can you?

“I’ll say the same thing. French soldiers are more urgent than Russian soldiers.”

However, Larrey argued that it was the same principle.

Even if all lives are precious to a doctor, a military doctor ultimately has to choose.

Who to save, who to amputate, and who to let die.

Leaning his tired body against the ambulance he was riding in, Larrey said.

“Of course, if possible, our ambulance will take anyone. If there’s room.”

Pauline sighed.

This war truly needs to end quickly.

***

However, those in high places wouldn’t necessarily want the war to continue for long either.

“It seems we are behind schedule. The speed is insufficient.”

There was a man who wanted to reach the cold North as soon as possible to see his new territory and fiancée.

The Grand Duke of Finland, Bernadotte, boarded the carriage and listened to the adjutant’s report.

In the Grand Duke’s hand was the usual, tasteless canned food.

Logistics had been entrusted to the Russian army, but now even the Grande Armée was reaching its limit.

Suddenly, Bernadotte’s corps adjutant, Gouvion Saint-Cyr, reported.

“If we continue at this pace, the British will reach Lille first.”

“If they reach Lille, Amiens will soon be within sight.”

“And Paris as well.”

Saint-Cyr said with a sullen face.

“It seems inevitable that the British will enter Paris.”

Bernadotte and Saint-Cyr were both originally from the Rhine Corps under Moreau.

On the other hand, the mainstream of Napoleon’s military was bound to be the Italian Corps.

Most of the generals of the Flanders Corps, including Hoche, who would have kept this situation in check, were in Egypt or the New World.

Thus, despite having gained all sorts of merits and glories, the Rhine Corps officers were somewhat pleased when Napoleon was held back.

Bernadotte pointed at the map and asked.

“His Majesty the Emperor hates the British entering Paris, doesn’t he, Saint-Cyr?”

“Yes, it would be a major political disaster.”

“Why do I secretly relish the thought of His Majesty the Emperor getting a taste of his own medicine? Hehe. If it’s a war, we won’t lose to the ‘sailors’ [a derogatory term for the British] anyway.”

In fact, it’s because they think they can win.

If they thought they might lose, even the Rhine Corps generals, who were non-mainstream French Imperial Army officers, would have no reason to feel this way.

However, the sergeant major, Davout, who was diligently supervising the march, overheard the conversation and said.

“Ney is not such an incompetent general. If he was completely defeated, it means the enemy commander possesses unimaginable skills.”

Rather than being embarrassed that his gossip had been overheard, Bernadotte tilted his head with a dumbfounded expression.

“Davout, are you defending even a defeated general?”

“I’m just stating an objective fact, Your Highness.”

“That’s why you can’t get promoted. You have to bring down your competitors and get rid of the incompetent ones. And if there’s someone good?”

Bernadotte rubbed his hands together and smiled.

“Then you follow them. Hehehe!”

Of course, Davout, who had never lived that way, frowned and left.

But the reality was that Bernadotte, who had lived shrewdly, was a grand duke, and Davout was still a sergeant major.

Bernadotte, a man who had succeeded in life, chuckled and muttered.

“Anyway, I’m looking forward to seeing what solution His Majesty the Emperor will come up with.”

Just then.

“Something terrible has happened!”

Bernadotte asked, seeing General Grouchy rushing to deliver the news in person.

“Why, did the British finally enter Paris?”

“It’s not that, His Majesty is advancing alone!”

“What nonsense are you talking about? Grouchy, speak properly!”

Grouchy gasped for breath and shouted the urgent news that had to be spread to all the marshals and sergeant majors.

“It’s true. His Majesty has decided to advance alone, leading only the Imperial Guard!”

This time, even Bernadotte was shocked.

***

The Emperor’s solo charge, following the personal command, was naturally a reckless operation.

“Your Majesty, no! This is too dangerous!”

However, despite Chief of Staff Berthier’s opposition, the Emperor was firm.

“Berthier, this is, well, a kind of joker [a wild card].”

“Yes?”

“Who is the enemy commander? Wellington something? Anyway, that guy will just go to Paris if we’re late.”

A joker is a card that can turn into anything.

So Napoleon said this.

The position the Duke of Wellington’s army was taking was like a joker.

“It’s good if they go to Paris and it’s a political victory for the British, and it’s good if we stop them because we lured them in. They’re playing a card that can turn into anything!”

Wellington had nothing to lose either way.

He had to fight Napoleon anyway, and occupying Paris was a bonus.

On the other hand, Napoleon would suffer a severe political blow.

However, if it was a matter of the army, not politics, there was another serious issue.

“Your Majesty! Then how do you plan to handle supplies!”

The Emperor, Napoleon, who hadn’t considered supplies at all, blinked.

“Supplies? That’s your job to figure out.”

“Even God has limits! Your Majesty, you weren’t like this before!”

“What are you talking about? It’s been over 10 years since I entrusted everything to you.”

This time, even Berthier, who was usually expressionless, shouted in unprecedented anger.

“Even before you ascended the throne! You personally directed all supply plans, courier dispatches, and even marching plans, Your Majesty!”

In actual history, Napoleon planned every march on a daily basis.

However, this micromanagement was unsuitable for large-scale expeditions, contributing to the failure of the Russian expedition.

On the other hand, the General Staff was now much more systematized, or bureaucratized, and had been entrusted with everything.

Thanks to this, Napoleon, who had become much more irresponsible, laughed heartily.

“That’s why there’s a General Staff. I’m getting old, Goose [a term of endearment].”

Just as Berthier was about to have another fit, Napoleon waved his hand.

“This is the last time.”

“Yes?”

“Next time, either you or I will be sitting in Paris, just listening to reports.”

Suddenly, Napoleon looked towards Eugene and grinned.

“Now those young men over there have to suffer. Don’t you think?”

Eugene, Jomini, Clausewitz.

Here, relatively young generals such as Davout, Suchet, and Marmont could be seen.

Only then did Berthier realize that 20 years had already passed.

The time that had passed since the revolution began.

“Understood.”

“Then, shall we hear the final report on how to solve it?”

“First, we will distribute 10 days’ worth of portable [canned food] in backpacks. Next, all sleep will be [bivouac – sleeping outdoors with minimal shelter]. Also, ammunition and gunpowder will be limited to portable amounts.”

Just as Napoleon was about to frown, Berthier cut him off firmly.

“The rest will be supplied when the main force and the Russian supply unit arrive, Your Majesty.”

In the end, it meant sleeping outdoors, eating Boarnea-style canned food, and even only taking as much ammunition as they could carry.

But Berthier couldn’t come up with any better solution.

At that moment, Napoleon laughed loudly again.

“Puhahaha! Our Goose is angry. Don’t worry. Our loyal comrades of the Rhine Confederation will help us during the march. Isn’t that right, King of Bavaria?”

“Y-yes, Your Majesty.”

“You better do well. I hope the King’s eldest daughter marries well. And of course, his son too.”

King Maximilian of Bavaria trembled and bowed his head.

“Of course, Your Majesty!”

In any case, the price of betrayal is terrible.

Bavaria had no way to survive except to become a virtual vassal state of France.

Even if Napoleon made the oppressive demand to offer Amalia as his lover, there was no way to avoid it.

Fortunately, instead of making such an absurd demand, Napoleon ordered an absurd advance.

“Then, advance. Lannes, advance as soon as you are ready!”

At that moment, Eugene approached Napoleon on horseback.

– Clatter, clatter, clatter.

Napoleon frowned, looking up at Eugene, who was already tall.

“What is it, Eugene?”

“I will accompany you.”

“Huh, you have to bring the main force from behind.”

However, Eugene spoke firmly.

“Marshal Masséna and Grand Duke Ozhuro will take care of that. Also, I have entrusted all the measures I have prepared to Marshal Moreau.”

“So?”

“But, no one but me can be responsible for Your Majesty’s safety.”

It was already well known that Eugene was the most skilled at avoiding danger in the French Imperial Army, the Grande Armée.

Of course, everyone thought it was a kind of superstition.

But it’s better to be with a lucky person if possible.

Napoleon finally grabbed Eugene’s shoulders and shook them.

“So I have a son who is so loyal to me! Puhahaha! Okay, let’s go! Eugene!”

The Imperial Guard, and the Spanish King’s Guard of the 4th Corps, set out.

– Thud, thud, thud!

A total of 20,000 cavalry and infantry.

Indeed, the guards of the monarchs began to run first.

To the battlefield of destiny, Waterloo.