He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 87

(87) The Battle of Lodi Begins Due to Massena’s Speeding

In truth, Massena had merely been the first to rush ahead.

“Why on earth are the enemy here?”

Lodi is located on the western side of the Adda River, a tributary of the Po River that flows through the northern heart of Italy.

Conversely, Massena was staying in Corte Palasio, on the eastern side of the Adda River, southeast of Lodi.

Why did this situation occur?

There are three reasons.

First, the Adda River is so winding and turbulent that the crossing points vary greatly.

Second, Massena’s division, as the vanguard of Napoleon’s Italian Army, charged even faster than the cavalry.

Third, Massena, who lived quite freely, began to rest comfortably after arriving and finding no enemies.

Because of this, they only found out after Bolieu’s corps began destroying the bridgeheads in the Adda River area.

That Massena’s division was isolated on the eastern side of the Adda River.

In front of the village of Palasio, Massena, who was hurriedly putting on his uniform, gritted his teeth.

“Under normal circumstances, shouldn’t those guys have already entered Mantua?”

“Or, be defending Milan.”

“Exactly! Brigadier General Serboni, why is the Lombardy corps, and the main force at that, on the Adda River, not the Po River? They might as well go all the way to the Adige River.”

Massena grumbled and shouted to his adjutant, Serboni.

The Po River, the Adda River, and the Adige River.

In order, they are the river that flows along the border between Lombardy and the Kingdom of Sardinia, the center of Lombardy, and the eastern border of Lombardy.

Brigadier General Serboni, who was inspecting the state of the division’s equipment, chuckled.

“If you go that far, isn’t that Venice?”

“Oh, Brigadier General Serboni, you’ve studied the terrain harder than I thought. That’s right. I hear there are many blonde beauties there?”

“I wouldn’t know, I haven’t been there. How are you going to respond? They seem to be at least three times our size, and a fully equipped unit at that.”

A fully equipped unit, meaning an army that has filled its ranks and has auxiliary cavalry and artillery.

The concept of a [division – a large military unit or formation] still only exists in France.

Because it is Carnot’s creation.

However, [combined arms groups – military units that combine different combat arms, such as infantry, artillery, and cavalry] with infantry, artillery, and cavalry units exist, albeit in a rudimentary form, in all European armies.

It is merely composed of a collection of individual regiments.

However, France, which actually organized a [division], a group army of 10,000, was not fully equipped.

It only had infantry and a small number of reconnaissance light cavalry.

That’s because Massena rushed forward, maximizing mobility.

On the other hand, the enemy has at least 30,000, with infantry, artillery, and cavalry all deployed by regiment.

They are just flustered and unable to launch a proper preemptive strike.

Massena looked at Bolieu’s corps moving towards the eastern side of the Lodi bridgehead and turned his head.

“Lahharpe! Where are you? You said you wanted to fight!”

Brigadier General Lahharpe, Massena’s division adjutant, rushed over.

“Yes, General! Is this the time for me to fight?”

“No, it’s time to break through, Lahharpe.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

Amedee Emmanuel de Lahharpe, a general leading an independent regiment in Massena’s division.

His original role was as a reserve for the Italian Army Corps in the absence of Serurier’s division.

That’s why he didn’t get to fight properly in the Battle of Montenotte, the opening battle.

Therefore, he rushed with Massena, the vanguard, in this march to Milan.

Courageous, motivated, and above all, Lahharpe, who is Swiss and has mercenary experience.

He is the perfect general to break through this crisis.

Especially to break through the enemy in front and inform the main force of the situation.

“We can’t just run away and escape here, can we? You have to break through to the main force. Our unit has some auxiliary light cavalry! Create the best hussar company!”

For a moment, Serboni, the adjutant, was more flustered than Lahharpe and stopped Massena.

“Division Commander, General Lahharpe is a Brigadier General.”

“Who doesn’t know that? You, Lahharpe, and Brune are the core talents of our division. Haha!”

“But to use him for a breakthrough? This is like driving him to his death!”

At that moment, Lahharpe shouted resolutely.

“I’ll go!”

“General Lahharpe!”

“It’s definitely possible. Especially with my crazy subordinates! Lasalle, Champeaux, Joubert!”

Once, Lahharpe was an aristocrat in the mercenary state of Switzerland.

He roamed the battlefields of the Netherlands, and when the French Revolution began, he sympathized with the revolutionary ideology and joined the French army.

Five years later, Lahharpe was always a brave general at the forefront of the revolutionary war.

There are officers who were with him at the forefront.

Barthelemy Joubert, Clement de Champeaux, and Antoine Lasalle.

The light cavalry officers laughed and rushed to respond to Lahharpe’s call.

In particular, Captain Lasalle, a newcomer who was only 21 years old but had been on the battlefield since he was 14, shouted cheerfully.

“Wow, this is a killer mission. Break through 30,000 troops and deliver the message to the main force!”

“Why, can’t you do it? Captain Lasalle?”

“Ha, Division Commander, why are you being like this? I guarantee it.”

Lasalle smiled cheerfully at Massena and said.

“Tomorrow afternoon, the Massena Division will think of this Lasalle as a lifelong benefactor!”

Originally, Lasalle would be more active later in the original history.

But now that Napoleon’s Italian expedition has started early, Lasalle is also running in the Italian Army Corps earlier.

Massena, who still doesn’t know Lasalle’s potential other than his bravery, laughed and ordered.

“Good. Run, Lahharpe. I’ll entrust you with our Massena Hussars!”

“Your Excellency, we don’t have Hussars [light cavalry known for their flamboyant uniforms and daring tactics].”

“Shut up, Serboni! Now, everyone run! We’re breaking through the enemies!”

Lahharpe, a sincere and courageous general, saluted.

“I will definitely inform the commander of this crisis!”

Soon, all the reconnaissance cavalry in Massena’s division gathered.

The number is only 30.

On the other hand, the enemy to break through is 30,000, and they have to cross the bridge.

It was a truly desperate situation, but Massena did not stop and organized the division.

“Okay, start providing fire support!”

A breakthrough of madness began.

***

Common sense is easily broken when it collides with the unconventional.

“First, form a line! Distribute the gunpowder! Where is the artillery? Move it to the rear!”

Bolieu, a general who values orthodoxy, commanded the army.

Usually, the commander only gives orders, but now it is an urgent situation.

The enemy appeared from an unexpected direction.

The number seems to be smaller than Bolieu’s Lombardy Corps, but it is not a small number.

We must defeat them before Napoleon’s main force arrives.

At that time, Bolieu’s adjutant, Radetzky, who was conveying instructions next to him, tilted his head.

“Commander, the front is a bit strange?”

Bolieu was also surprised and looked at the front, his eyes widening.

“What, are those French guys trying to attack first?”

It’s quite a distance away.

However, the French Army Corps, or rather the Massena Division, was approaching Bolieu’s corps.

The line infantry in formation began to fire their guns.

-Bang! Click, bang! Click.

The distance is still far.

The musket has an effective range of at least 100 meters.

However, no matter how far away, there is no guarantee that you will not be hit and killed by a stray bullet.

As two bullets per minute began to pour down, Bolieu’s corps began to waver.

The regimental commanders of the Bolieu Division hurriedly issued orders.

“First, to the trenches! The gunpowder distribution is not over yet!”

“Crazy bastards. I feel like getting rid of them right away. Once our deployment is over!”

“How many cannons are there? Was it 14?”

That’s when it happened.

-Doo-doo-doo!

A completely unexpected sound.

Soon, the sound of horses’ hooves.

Cavalrymen are running from the front where bullets are pouring down and gunpowder smoke is thick.

Bolieu was surprised and hurriedly took a step back.

“Cavalry? Did they have cavalry?”

Clearly, when we first encountered them, we only saw infantry.

An unexpected blow.

The gray smoke unique to black powder.

Here, enemy cavalry rushing in recklessly.

All of this paralyzed Bolieu’s 30,000 corps, a total of 40,000 soldiers including the rear units scattered throughout the area destroying the bridge.

Suddenly, a loud German voice was heard.

“Hee-ho! We are Hu-ssa-rs!”

Originally, the man who was shouting this, Lasalle, was from the Alsace region.

Before the old 30 Years’ War, it was part of the Holy Roman Empire, or Germany.

So, Lasalle could speak German.

As everyone was shocked, Austrian Corps Commander Bolieu screamed.

“St, st, stop them!”

At that time, the pistol spat fire.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

The vision is obscured by smoke, unexpected cavalry is pouring in, and even pistols are being fired.

All of these situations confused Bolieu’s corps.

Especially Commander Bolieu himself.

Bolieu screamed and ran backwards.

“Aaaagh!”

At that very moment, 30 riders passed right in front of Bolieu.

“Okay, we broke through!”

“Don’t stop, run! Don’t look back!”

“If we don’t get caught, we win! Giddy up!”

Lasalle, Champeaux, Joubert.

These men, who would later become famous as Napoleon’s Hussars, or assault light cavalry, in the original history.

But they were still newcomers who were only fledglings.

Under Lahharpe’s guidance, they broke through Bolieu’s 30,000 corps.

Right up to the Lodi bridge.

“What, 30 people?”

Only then did Bolieu’s corps, who had realized the enemy, try to pursue them, but the opponent was cavalry.

They had already run far away.

Massena’s division is still left to pursue.

Bolieu, who was gritting his teeth, ordered the artillery.

“I was deceived. You dung beetles! Prepare the cannons right now! General Gerhard Rosselmini!”

Destroy Massena with all firepower.

If he can’t repay this humiliation, Bolieu’s military life will be over.

***

However, Bolieu was not the only one who was angry and jumping up and down.

“Crazy bastards! Bastards who should be drowned in the sea! Dung beetle-like bastards!”

Lahharpe, who had made an unprecedented cavalry breakthrough, arrived in Pavia.

It is a historic city located on the eastern side of the Po River.

However, Milan, Lodi, and Palasio are even more distant western cities.

The man jumping up and down here was none other than Napoleon.

At that time, Chief of Staff Berthier asked calmly.

“General, who are you cursing?”

“Bolieu, Massena, and you! Berthier!”

“Why are you cursing me?”

With a face reddened with anger, Napoleon pointed at Berthier.

“You should have abandoned the supplies and made a full-force march! It’s too late, we can’t catch the enemy!”

Berthier still replied calmly.

“Didn’t Massena catch the enemy?”

“That guy is a dung beetle! Why did he cross the Adda River without permission! Our army is scattered!”

“Thanks to that, didn’t we find out where Bolieu is?”

At that moment, a man with rich black hair, Murat, shouted.

“If it were me, I would have killed them all, Commander!”

The cavalry commander who had been forcibly dispatched to the Mediterranean fleet that conquered Corsica.

It was only three days ago that he had just returned and hurriedly joined the Italian Army Corps.

Eugene glanced at Murat, who was shouting vigorously.

At that moment, the giant Murat shrank and his voice lowered.

“Ah, no. I mean, they would have broken through.”

“Captain Murat, be quiet.”

“Ah, yes. Colonel Eugene.”

Napoleon snorted and glared at Eugene.

“You’ve tamed a wild horse. So, you couldn’t tame a smuggler? Eugene?”

“No matter how you say it, I’m just a colonel.”

“Then give me a plan! A way to overcome this crisis!”

When things are going well, there is no one as generous as Napoleon.

But when problems arise, there is no one as ruthless as Napoleon.

Everyone shrank back when the chief of staff and chief adjutant Eugene were reprimanded.

Only Eugene, who knew Napoleon’s personality, and Berthier, who was always calm, were calm.

At that time, Eugene said lightly.

“Right now, we have 70 cannons, including the enemy’s spoils of war.”

“Even so, 10 of the enemy’s cannons are ordinary cannons. Slow. And?”

“I am confident that our firepower is far superior. In that case.”

Eugene drew chalk on the map.

“How about attracting attention with a decoy and encircling the enemy? After all, Massena’s division is in front of the enemy.”

At first glance, Napoleon’s Italian Army Corps is in crisis.

Because the army is divided, it is in a situation where it can be defeated individually.

However, this is an illusion that Napoleon is thinking because he overestimates the enemy too much.

Not just anyone can carry out individual defeats.

Especially if Bolieu, who only knows the orthodoxy of 18th-century military operations, and Massena, the master of irregularities, are attached.

At that time, Lahharpe, who was panting, raised an objection.

“Will it work? As far as I’ve confirmed, the enemy has destroyed almost all the bridges.”

“Yes! Thanks to that, the dung beetle-like smuggler is trapped.”

“The only bridge left is the one that the enemy’s rearguard has to cross. The Lodi Bridge.”

As soon as Napoleon cursed, Augereau nodded.

Although Massena is Augereau’s fellow general, he doesn’t have enough friendship to put the entire army in danger.

In this situation, the safety of the entire corps is important.

However, Napoleon bit his lip, looked at the map, and slammed the table.

“I’m going to save the dung beetle.”

“Yes? Commander. That’s.”

“If we lose the dung beetle here, we lose! Besides, if the soldiers ask for reinforcements and we abandon them, what will happen to the morale of the army?”

At that time, Napoleon’s bloodshot eyes turned to Eugene.

“Do as you please with the Grenadier Regiment. However, the only troops I can give you are 300!”

Attract the enemy’s attention and buy time.

That way, Napoleon’s main force will run and defeat the enemy.

70 artillery pieces, a barrage of fire more than 7 times the opponent’s.

However, the enemy has at least 30,000, but we only have 300.

Eugene nodded without panicking.

“It doesn’t matter. Instead, please attach Murat and one other person to me this time.”

“Lannes is not allowed. I need to use the Pyrenees Cavalry.”

“No. Give me the fake Hussars.”

At that time, Eugene’s eyes lit up.

“Lasalle, Champeaux, Joubert. What do you think, General Lahharpe? How about entrusting them to me for a while?”

Lahharpe, the man who broke through 30,000 with 30 riders, nodded in exhaustion.

“I think I’ve done my job today. Okay.”

However, this time Ippolito, Tournay, and Junot were embarrassed.

It is called the Grenadier Regiment, but it is a rookie unit that has just fought its first battle.

But, lure 30,000 enemies?

Ippolito took the lead.

“What are you going to do? Is there any space for us to attack from the side in this situation?”

“Just cross the river.”

“Are you suggesting we swim across the river on horseback?”

Eugene shook his head.

“No, I’m going to take a pontoon bridge [a temporary bridge built on floating supports]. Where is Colonel Chasseloup? Call him.”

Literally a flanking attack.

Make the entire enemy army panic, break the line, and buy time.

Just like Lasalle did.

Soon, Eugene’s Grenadier Brigade finished preparing to depart.

Eugene jumped on his horse with Junot, Ippolito, and Lasalle.

“Now, let’s go! The goal is the northern point of Lodi, to a place the enemy didn’t expect!”

May 13, 1795, Battle of Lodi.

The flanking high-speed march of Eugene’s Cavalry Grenadier Brigade began.