He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 509

(509) Blücher Splits the Grande Armée

There was an old general who had roamed the battlefield for a long time, but never saw the light of day.

“Heh heh! Napoleon, you’ve gone mad!”

This place is Hanover, called Hannover in German.

Originally the capital of the British Hanoverian dominion, it has often been used as a base for Britain to project power onto the continent.

Recently, with the full-scale war with the French Empire beginning, it has become the front line.

However, the Grande Armée is ignoring Hanover and heading straight for Flanders.

Especially the commander-in-chief, Emperor Napoleon.

In this situation, a group of stragglers were waiting in Hanover.

It was the corps commanded by Blücher, commander of the Prussian ‘Liberation Corps.’

As Blücher’s burst of laughter faded, York, the deputy commander, hurriedly asked.

“Is this information reliable? Chief of Staff Scharnhorst?”

“It is certain, General York. It’s intelligence from the French General Staff.”

“How on earth? Do we still have an organization that can obtain such information?”

The one-armed chief of staff, Scharnhorst, smiled with a pale face.

“There are still Prussian soldiers loyal to the Kaiser [Emperor].”

This is a reaction to the Grande Armée becoming an international army.

Originally, the French Empire considered not only Flanders and Italy but also the Rhine Confederation area as virtually indirect territories.

They directly mobilized troops from the Rhine Confederation, but they also recruited soldiers.

Therefore, there are quite a few so-called Deutsch [German] natives in the Imperial Army.

However, the soldier giving intelligence to Scharnhorst must be hiding in the high ranks.

York wanted to ask more questions, but Scharnhorst seemed unwilling to tell.

Besides, there is something more urgent than finding out about Scharnhorst’s intelligence organization.

York looked back at the commander-in-chief, Blücher.

“Then, shall we capture the Emperor?”

“Rejected.”

“Your Excellency! This is a golden opportunity to reverse the entire war situation!”

York, who was usually faithful to Blücher’s orders, could not bear it this time.

“The French Imperial Army is driven by Napoleon’s charisma and Eugene, his designated successor. These two are coming together!”

It is now the 19th century, the dawn of the modern era.

The state is run by a systematic cabinet, not an absolute monarch.

The era when the staff organization stands out more than the great general.

But everyone knows that the soldiers of the Grande Armée boast [invincibility] because of Napoleon.

Nevertheless, there is a reason why the anti-French allied forces have been reluctant to kill Napoleon.

Eugene Freiherr von Bonaparte [Eugene, Baron von Bonaparte].

Whatever the internal affairs of France, outside, Eugene is regarded as Napoleon’s ‘spare.’

So, if they were to kill, they had to aim for both.

But by chance, ‘high-level’ intelligence was obtained that the two were moving together.

It is a golden opportunity to reverse the war situation, if not revenge.

However, Blücher stroked his lightning-like beard and snorted.

“So, the Emperor and King whom even the complete Prussian army could not catch…”

“But now there are only 20,000!”

“With our incomplete army, we would rather miss this opportunity.”

Blücher made a decision very simply.

“Capturing the Emperor, leave it to the British. Scharnhorst, there is something else we can do now.”

Truly a face like the incarnation of decision.

Originally, in the original history, when Gneisenau couldn’t get his act together, Blücher simply ordered:

Let’s go to Waterloo.

That decision changed history.

Even now, Blücher made another decision instead of trying to catch Napoleon.

It is a tactic that can be done with the current Prussian straggler force.

It is also a method that is only possible in a situation where there is a ‘supply base’ called the Kingdom of Hanover.

Scharnhorst asked, sensing something unusual.

“What is it, Commander-in-Chief?”

“Forget it. The country is ruined, what Commander-in-Chief? I’m just the commander of the stragglers. But even stragglers can strike the rear, right?”

“Yes? The rear? Are you aiming for the rear of the Grande Armée?”

Then Blücher glared and shouted.

“Did you really only learn about war from textbooks? Of course, it’s a trick! I’m going to lure them!”

In this era, the eyes of people are needed for the army to discover the enemy.

Conversely, you can’t know where the unseen enemy is.

Even though the steam engine is turning factories, this is the reason why the battlefield is decided by suddenly appearing armies.

So, if you can hit the rear of the Grande Armée, there is no better situation than that.

It may be better than trying to catch Napoleon.

The problem is that it is impossible with the current tattered Prussian stragglers.

But you can trick the enemies into thinking that the rear is threatened.

York clapped his hands.

“A decoy! That’s right. When the French army fought us, they also took out some corps to deal with the British!”

“It’s a very simple principle. Isn’t it Napoleon’s specialty? Hitting the back of the head!”

“So, they are most afraid of being hit in the back of the head!”

Scharnhorst also widened his eyes and nodded.

“If it’s just a decoy, it’s possible enough! Even with the current power!”

Revenge may not be possible directly.

However, it can make Napoleon clash with Britain in an unprepared state.

And if there is a chance, a rear attack may become possible.

Of course, the Prussian stragglers don’t know, but as in the original history.

Then Scharnhorst asked the most important question again.

“Um, how about supplies?”

“Pillage. It would be nice if we could get it from Hannover, but if not, we have to rob it.”

“Your Excellency, our Prussian army is an honorable army, not a group of thieves!”

But this time too, Blücher snorted and made a firm decision.

“The country is ruined, what’s the difference between a thief? Later, our Kaiser will compensate everything!”

As a result, the Prussian corps, which was robbing the British royal territory, an allied country, was dispatched.

***

This information was also obtained by the Grande Armée headquarters, which was marching towards the Rhine from Dresden.

“We are constantly receiving the same reports from scouts searching the front. The Prussian army is approaching our outskirts!”

This is because of Hanover’s exquisite location.

Hanover is located in the west-central part of the Deutsch [German] region.

Therefore, military power can be projected to the Rhine, Flanders, and even Dresden, the territory of the original Electorate of Saxony.

Of course, conversely, it means that it can be attacked from either side, but currently, it is working unfavorably for the French army.

If Napoleon had not been chased by political considerations, he would have attacked Hanover after completing the conquest of Prussia.

But now that the Emperor has run to Flanders, the Grande Armée is also being chased by the marching timetable.

In addition, the Grande Armée is in the absence of a deputy commander to replace Napoleon.

Knowing this, the most senior marshal, Masséna, frowned and asked Berthier, whom the Emperor had entrusted with command.

“How many are there?”

“It seems to be about six divisions.”

“Too many to ignore, too few to deal with.”

Then Bernadotte, who was almost certain to be appointed marshal soon, said sarcastically.

“Why don’t you wait for His Majesty the Emperor’s instructions?”

Everyone stared, but Bernadotte’s expression was calm.

In fact, it’s not wrong.

It’s because of Napoleon’s infamous habit problem.

It’s a habit of making a mess if you fail by disobeying his orders.

Of course, it doesn’t matter if you win, but who can guarantee victory?

Another problem was added here.

The man in charge, Berthier, is a staff type, not a commander type.

Berthier slightly distorted his expressionless face and asked back.

“Don’t you know that’s impossible now?”

“So, are you saying we should ignore the approaching enemy and go? That’s not our Grande Armée’s operating principle.”

“The most important opponent is definitely the British!”

Berthier doesn’t have any brilliant ideas either.

Anyway, if we really ignore Prussia this time and get hit in the back, who will take responsibility?

Then Augereau opened his mouth.

“How about dispersing and maneuvering?”

Imperial Marshal, Senior General, General Staff.

The highest-ranking officials of the French Imperial Army gathered at the Grande Armée headquarters all look at Augereau.

He had not said much at the strategy meeting, so he attracted more attention.

Augereau said slowly.

“Anyway, what’s important to us now is to catch up with the Imperial Guard quickly.”

“That’s right. I don’t even know where the final destination is.”

“Then, shouldn’t even one corps arrive first? The worst situation for us is not being hit in the back, but His Majesty the Emperor facing the enemy with only the Imperial Guard.”

When Augereau mentioned the most dangerous situation, Masséna grinned.

“Is it too much to entrust Prussia to Marshal Moreau?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Masséna? Do you trust Moreau?”

“I’m terrified of entrusting the rear. Let’s do this.”

Certainly, the Grande Armée is mainly from the Italian Corps.

But Moreau, the leader of the Rhine Corps, is quite a headache.

He has a reputation, so he can’t be easily dismissed, and he does his job well when given a mission.

But if Napoleon is overthrown, who will the opposition gather around?

Moreau is the most likely.

“Send this matter to Marshal Moreau, Chief of the General Staff Berthier. And Augereau and I will defeat the Prussian army in a short period of time and rejoin the main army.”

Masséna finally made a decision.

First of all, as the most senior marshal and grand duke, Masséna has some authority.

Also, Berthier had no better plan in his hands.

However, the problem is that there is no guarantee that it will be done as planned.

Berthier, who had been contemplating for a while, nodded heavily.

“Okay. I approve it with the authority of the Chief of the General Staff.”

Saint-Cyr, who was watching the situation, quietly approached Bernadotte.

“Are you going to leave it alone, Your Highness Grand Duke Bernadotte?”

“If I don’t leave it alone? Masséna and Augereau are both grand dukes, and they are from the Italian Corps. Let them take care of it themselves.”

“What if there is a problem?”

Then Bernadotte grinned.

“In that case, we should discuss the next emperor, right?”

Of course, if there is no problem, it is enough to follow the trend.

***

Dortmund, a city more famous today in original history for its football team.

-Tang! Tang! Tang!

But now the city in the Rhine region, Dortmund, was filled with gunfire.

“It seems to have been defeated!”

Seeing the enemy fleeing, Masséna’s chief of staff, Serboni, said.

But Masséna is not satisfied at all.

Because he couldn’t completely defeat them.

“I missed the main force!”

“No, they’re just stragglers.”

“So? What if those stragglers attack us in an emergency? Damn it!”

Watching the enemy troops retreating in order, Masséna struck the ground with a riding whip.

In fact, it can’t be helped.

It was clearly a winning battle, but he missed it because he was short of one thing.

Gunpowder.

Advancing regardless of the supply unit caused this problem.

“He’s really not an ordinary old man. Augereau, this won’t work.”

“What are you going to do?”

“If the Prussian army really hits us in the back when the war breaks out here, we could be ruined. It’s big enough.”

Masséna glared at Blücher’s Prussian [Liberation Corps] fleeing and shouted.

“I have to catch Blücher. Definitely!”

Augereau, who was late in Leipzig before, stared at Masséna and finally nodded.

“I’ll take care of the main army’s support. I understand.”

As a result, Masséna deviated from the road to Waterloo.

Just like Grouchy did in the original history.