Descending On France 1780
Chapter 178 - 171 Austrians, this is the art of war

Chapter 178: 171 Austrians, this is the art of war

Napoleon commanded his troops, charging fiercely down the central path.

While maneuvering on horseback, he thought: The current cavalry guns are still too cumbersome.

There should be a four-wheeled cannon that could fire immediately upon stopping, and then be quickly moved after firing.

Napoleon pondered this.

It would be best if the cannon could also be aimed backward, so there’d be no need to turn around after firing, just flee directly!

Lost in his thoughts, Napoleon started envisioning this new type of gun carriage, and had it not been for the loud reminder from the Sergeant nearby, he would have been oblivious to the fact that he was nearing the frontline.

"Captain!" the Sergeant shouted, "We are approaching the front line battlefield!"

Napoleon snapped back to reality, then looked around in bewilderment: "What the hell, why are there so many female soldiers?"

The female soldiers were scattered throughout the bushes, using trees and stones as cover, shooting at the Austrian army on the frontline.

A lady noticed Napoleon and shouted at him, "We are harassing the enemy! Following the General’s orders!"

Napoleon surveyed the terrain around him and exclaimed, "You’ve taken a very good flanking position! We’re getting ready to set up a cannon here!"

"Then we’ll make room for your cannon!"

"No, no need," Napoleon waved his hand, "Put the cannon right at the forefront, only then can we shoot accurately! Come on, bring the grapeshot!!"

The artillerymen skillfully unloaded the cannon from behind the horse and pushed it to the very front of the bushes.

"No, no, even further, let’s push it beside that millstone!" Napoleon commanded.

So, the artillerymen moved the cannon out of the bushes.

Many Austrian soldiers noticed the cannon suddenly pushing towards their flank and their eyes widened.

Finally, when the cannon reached next to the millstone, Napoleon pulled away the artilleryman pushing the cannon and personally adjusted the cannon’s wheels to aim at the enemy’s line.

Then he grabbed a torch and lit the cannon.

With a ’duang’, the targeted row was mowed down by half.

Immediately, that row of soldiers collapsed, and the troops began to turn and run.

Napoleon was delightfully pleased: "Good! Continue reloading!"

At that moment, another cannon from his artillery unit fired, once again shattering an enemy row.

Finally, the Austrians couldn’t sit idle anymore, and an officer commanded the troops to change formation, preparing to fire their muskets at Napoleon’s nearby artillery unit.

But just then, a large number of female soldiers emerged from the bushes.

A lady with a Sergeant’s insignia shouted: "Form a line, ladies! Cover the artillery!"

The female soldiers formed a line next to Napoleon’s artillery unit and began firing volleys.

Seeing this, Napoleon immediately shouted to the artillerymen: "Look! Even the ladies are bravely facing the enemy’s bullets, and you all are shrinking back!"

Stimulated by his words, the soldiers loaded the ammunition at top speed.

Napoleon once again aimed personally, and with a single shot, he dispersed the most threatening enemy forces.

The young Captain was extremely excited: "Austrians, this is the art of war!"

**

Anning watched the whole scene through a telescope.

What the hell, how did he turn into this?

Just because I praised him for putting bayonets on cannons, he started doing this?

In the Napoleon Chronicles, it is indeed mentioned that Napoleon liked to utilize light cavalry guns to inflict significant damage on the enemy.

But in Napoleon’s Life, it isn’t written that he inflicted significant damage on the enemy at a distance of fifty meters, is it?

What has made you turn into this, Bonaparte? Is it because you haven’t met your destined Josephine?

Anning’s desire to criticize is fully loaded.

At this moment, the battlefield in the front presents a strange state. The enemy is lining up and charging downwards from Diego’s high grounds. Halfway down, there’s a group of Napoleon’s cavalry guns, and beside the cavalry gun team, there are women soldiers who stopped using the skirmish formation and lined up to fire at the enemy’s side.

If the enemy dispatches a few battalions to attack Napoleon right now, the forces engaged in the front won’t be able to rescue them.

Not to mention, the enemy might have cavalry—no, the Austrian army definitely has cavalry.

The Austrian cavalry is still hiding on the high ground. Since the high ground where Diego is located is higher than Anning Commander, one cannot see where the enemy’s cavalry troop is.

If the enemy’s cavalry slips down from the side, Napoleon would become a prisoner of Austria!

Anning is extremely worried.

Is there no choice but to send Christina and her team out?

But in this narrow terrain full of obstacles, it’s not suitable for cavalry to deploy! Anning initially thought of waiting for Lasalle to open up the situation, then send Christina and her team to the left flank.

That way, a large number of cavalry could sweep across the entire battlefield like a whirlwind, which is an exhilarating thought.

While Anning is hesitating, he suddenly sees Austrian cavalry appearing from the east side of the high ground.

They rush towards Laharpe’s troops along the main road.

**

Ten minutes earlier

Marshal Boliue found his left flank collapsing.

He muttered under his breath, "Damn, despite our fortifications on this side of the road, how could the enemy break through so easily?"

Condore: "Should we send the reserve troops..."

"No!" Marshal Boliue sharply denied, "It’s not time to use the reserve troops yet! The battle has just started for such a brief time, using the reserve would send a very dangerous signal!"

After a brief consideration, Marshal Boliue ordered, "Command the cavalry to strike eastwards, sweep along the main road and pressure the enemy’s infantry into forming a square formation!"

When formed into a square, the troops move very slowly, basically losing the ability to attack.

In fact, moving a formation itself is a very difficult task, as when the square moves as a whole, only one side of the soldiers can walk normally, while soldiers on the other three sides either move sideways like crabs or walk backward.

After the first messenger left, Marshal Boliue then ordered, "Send officers to rally the scattered troops on the left flank, reorganize their lines when the enemy is forced into a square formation!"

Immediately another person ran off.

Marshal Boliue encouraged the officers at the command post, "No worries! It’s just the collapse of the left flank, doesn’t the enemy have a line collapse at the front too? This makes us even..."

Suddenly someone shouted, "Look there!"

Marshal Boliue immediately looked towards the front of the battlefield, and saw Napoleon occupying a position on the flank, opening fire in a horizontal line towards him.

"What?" Marshal Boliue was shocked, "How could artillery reach this position? This is not in line with the principles of military deployment!"

Condore immediately asked, "Should we call back part of the cavalry?"

"No! There are many enemies on the left flank. Without enough cavalry, it’s impossible to force them into a square formation! Besides, the enemy’s artillery is so close to our infantry! Let the infantry charge and they can take it down! Who would like to personally lead an infantry charge?"

A military officer with a neatly trimmed mustache stepped forward, "I will, I am the son of Duke Steiermark, please entrust this honor to me, Your Excellency Marshal!"

The Marshal examined the officer carefully, nodded, and made a gesture, "Give him a military flag! Child, take this flag and go win the victory!"