Descending On France 1780
Chapter 102 - 096 Rebel Army Main Force Strikes

Chapter 102: 096 Rebel Army Main Force Strikes

Anning’s crushing of the Black-clothed Army was just a part of the rebels in the Conte Region.

Now, the rebels from the entire region, scared by the "prestige" of the National Guard, have run to the core city of the Conte diocese.

As a result, Conte City has gathered a large group of rebels.

These rebels are all led by Colonel Gallup Donald.

After Colonel Donald summarized the information from various places, he made a bold speculation.

"The enemy is likely to be just a small unit, although fully equipped with artillery and cavalry, their total military strength is not very substantial," the Colonel asserted to the mastermind of the rebellion in Conte Region, Archbishop Hart of Conte diocese, "Although we do not have artillery or cavalry, we have six thousand infantrymen. With the advantage of manpower, we are capable of winning."

Although Anning had routed three thousand rebels in the Apple Orchard battle, he actually killed only a few hundred rebels, and with the wounded, having a thousand casualties would be considered good.

The remaining over two thousand people all dispersed, and although Anning had sent Christina’s cavalry to chase down the fleeing soldiers, Christina’s cavalry was only two hundred strong, so they really couldn’t kill many.

A majority of the dispersed Black-clothed Army then regrouped in Conte, under Colonel Donald’s command.

Adding the various rebel factions originally scattered around, Donald now has assembled six thousand rebels.

Moreover, unlike the rebels during the battle in the Apple Orchard who had been looting for a while, their military discipline was slack, and their will to fight was low.

Now, the regrouped rebels, being watched by priests, still maintained relatively decent discipline.

After all, the main body of the rebels consisted mostly of conservative peasants who were quite devout and didn’t dare to go too far in front of a priest.

Archbishop Hart sternly asked, "Are you sure? Recently, rumors about the enemy have been flying everywhere, saying their commander is an infamous Noble Killer from Paris, the troops he led are the meritorious troops from the Storming of the Bastille, and their cavalry are the French King’s Guard Cavalry Group. It’s better not to underestimate the enemy."

Colonel Donald snorted, "I have asked around, the so-called French King’s Guard Cavalry Group is actually just the Queen’s bodyguards, a bunch of girls, what use could they possibly serve? Once we win, we can give the captured noble ladies to the soldiers as a reward."

Archbishop Hart frowned, "What are you saying, how can you do that?"

"Well, we’ll give the noble ladies to the soldiers in a place where the priests can’t see," Donald shrugged.

"You will go to hell," Hart scolded.

"I am a warrior fighting for the Lord, technically, we should be going to Heaven," Donald remarked, "My soldiers believe in this, that’s why they rose up against those Patriots."

Archbishop Hart pursed his lips and did not reply.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," Donald turned his head toward the door.

The door opened, and Donald’s adjutant entered and saluted, "Colonel, there are several civilians from Gao Tang to the north of the city, they say the army flying the tricolor flag arrived there this morning, but a few officers looked around the town then turned back."

Donald: "Bring them in, I want to ask them personally."

Moments later, a man and a woman, two villagers, were brought into the room.

As soon as the villagers entered, upon seeing the Cardinal, their faces showed fear, and they devoutly made the sign of the cross and lowered their heads.

Hart: "No need to be so formal, Colonel Donald has some questions for you."

Colonel stepped forward: "Look at me, are you sure you saw an army carrying the tricolor flag?"

"Yes, for sure! The flag was tricolor, and their hats had round triple circle badges, and the officer was accompanied by three beautiful ladies."

Hart: "That must be them!"

The Colonel raised one hand to signal the Bishop to keep silent and then asked, "Could you see how many people there were?"

The male villager looked at the sky: "I was working outside the city when they arrived, and I dropped to the ground immediately, letting the wheat shield me. I saw their column wasn’t very long, and there were a few carriages within."

Colonel: "That’s the artillery’s baggage train. How many people do you estimate there were?"

The male villager hesitated, then spoke awkwardly: "I’m not sure, from the length of their column, I think there were at least a thousand or two. But I was far away, and I couldn’t estimate well, please don’t blame me if I’m wrong..."

At this time, his wife stepped forward: "Colonel, Bishop! It’s terrifying, the leader of the Blue Devils came directly to find my child, to eat my child!"

The Colonel hesitated upon hearing this: "To eat your child? Uh..."

The woman villager said emotionally, "Definitely! What else could their plan be? My son is only four years old, who questions a four-year-old child? They must want to eat my son! These godless demons!"

The Colonel frowned, suppressed his urge to retort, and asked the woman villager, "So, you directly saw this leader of the Self-Defense Army?"

"Yes, he’s not tall, doesn’t look like a noble and cultured gentleman at all. He’s clearly war-weary, yet he was still accompanied by four women!"

The male villager nudged his wife’s shoulder: "Don’t talk nonsense, old George told me that those are female knights sent by His Majesty, each one like the Maid of Orleans!"

"What female knights, I saw mistresses! Dear Colonel, their leader is like this, they definitely cannot fight well, please deal with them quickly! Don’t let these demons bully us!"

The Colonel coughed: "Alright, I understand. You can go now."

Woman villager: "Colonel, please deal with them quickly!"

Male villager forcefully tugged at his wife’s sleeve: "Alright, let’s go, didn’t you hear the Colonel telling us to leave?"

"Why are you pulling me! I’m talking to the Colonel here! Really, you are useless, it was I who ran out and pulled our son back when those blue-clothed demons wanted to eat him! You just knew how to hide in the ground!"

"I was scared, okay!"

The two villagers bickered as they left the room.

The Colonel sighed: "It seems the Self-Defense Army from Paris really did come within less than twenty miles of Conte."

Hart: "So what do you plan to do?"

Donald was silent for a few seconds, looking resolute: "I will lead the troops to strike. The enemy has artillery, they will definitely move slowly, our troops can solve the accommodation issue on the spot, and striking with light equipment will definitely be faster than the enemy."

After finishing, he raised his voice: "Someone come here!"

Immediately a Lieutenant opened the door: "Colonel!"

"Rally the troops, prepare to strike."

The Lieutenant was a bit surprised: "Strike? With the enemy’s large army approaching, shouldn’t we defend the city?"

"Idiot! What large army approaching? The enemy is at most two thousand people, we are going out today, let’s show them!"