Descending On France 1780
Chapter 275 - 268 Eagle Flag and Rome Legions

Chapter 275: 268 Eagle Flag and Rome Legions

Old Zhongma was shocked as he watched Clay Bell’s left wing—the right wing of the Austrian Army—just rolling forward.

Originally, he firmly believed that an army, unable to even march in formation, launching an attack was suicidal.

But reality seemed to think otherwise.

It appeared that what decided the advancement speed was the French Army’s 1000-meter sprint capability.

Initially, the French Army could stick to the retreating Austrian Army, but as they ran, some began to falter, causing the French lines to thin out.

Originally, the French formation looked like a solid cake, but gradually it turned into a sponge cake.

According to Old Zhongma’s military common sense, such a sponge-cake-like formation was very fragile, prone to turning and running at the slightest rustle.

But Clay Bell’s brigade did not; each point of the dispersed formation kept pushing forward, though many were truly out of strength.

The Austrian Army facing the Black Devil also wavered, a clear wavering, many slowing their pace, thus, the marching columns also became "bent," with officers’ positions bulging out, and the rest sank in.

—At this time, should an attack be launched?

While Old Zhongma hesitated, an aide-de-camp shouted, "Look at the right wing!"

The French Army’s right wing—the Austrian Army’s left wing—was Moro’s brigade, which was also advancing.

Many in the Austrian left wing were still unaware that their flank had collapsed, so they continued to plod forward.

Both sides approached each other as if in a normal clash.

Old Zhongma: "Madness! How could he also attack?"

Saying so, Old Zhongma turned to look at his own brigade, and in the soldiers’ eyes, he saw desire.

Yes, all the soldiers had been activated by Clay Bell’s attack, all yearning to attack.

Even the most conservative knew it was time to attack.

Old Zhongma muttered, "Madness, to let people who can’t even march properly attack. The world has gone mad, and so have I. Bugler, sound the charge, musicians, beat the drums for an attack!"

**

At this time, the Austrian Army still had a way to resist, after all, only a third of the 20,000 people had broken, no, since a considerable force was left at the camp for support, actually less than a third had collapsed.

If they could organize the troops at the camp to use baggage carts as barriers for defense, there was still a fight to be had.

After all, defensive works inherently stabilize troop morale, and even a royal army, behind cart barricades, would toughen up considerably.

Who wouldn’t know to hide behind carts and shoot?

However, at this time, a major event catalyzed the Austrian Army’s rout.

Colonel Ferdinand, watching the collapsing left wing, his chubby cheeks twitching said, "What the devil... this..."

Suddenly, he stared intently at the French military flag on the opposite slope: "That military flag... come, take a look at that military flag, is that Frost’s headquarters flag?"

Colonel Bacon, caught by Ferdinand picked up the binoculars to observe the French military flag: "Uh... no, it’s just a regular French military flag, the crest and shield are the same as yesterday, no new decorations."

"No no no, look carefully! That is definitely Frost’s military flag!"

"No no no," Colonel Bacon denied, "Besides, we have not received any intelligence that Frost has a special military flag, only that his troops have different unit flags..."

He paused, performing the duty of a Chief of Staff: "General, we need to send someone immediately to the rear, have the camp troops..."

Ferdinand roared, "Nonsense! I’ve seen the eagle emblem on the military flag!"

Colonel Bacon couldn’t hold back, "General, our army has the eagle emblem because our nation is the Holy Roman..."

Ferdinand interrupted the Colonel again, crazily saying, "Frost is Caesar! I saw his eagle emblem! No mistake, he came to the front! That’s why our right wing collapsed! Do you understand? Frost has come to the front! Soon his cavalry will be here!"

Colonel Bacon looked at the now delirious General, as if looking at a madman.

He muttered softly, "It’s over."

This was overheard by the crazed Ferdinand: "Yes, everything is over! Haha, run for it, Bacon!"

He turned his horse around and began running without looking back.

The Flag Holder immediately followed.

Colonel Bacon: "Wait a minute! We cannot go! Flag Bearer! If you leave, it’s truly over!"

The Flag Bearer looked back, then continued to gallop madly.

Colonel Bacon’s expression could be summarized by a famous line from a future Chinese comedy: "Tired, let it be destroyed, hurry up."

He also started running.

Seeing this, the officers at the General’s headquarters began running one after another in undue haste.

Actually, at this time the Austrian army had not completely collapsed; the center and left wing were still attacking. But as soon as the General’s Military Flag retreated, everything fell apart.

The Frost forces hadn’t reached the front line, yet they had already caused the collapse of the Austrian line!

**

A small detachment from the 5th Cavalry Corps, one of the few cavalry units within the French Army at this time, was searching for Austrian troops on the road from Babi Village to Kroetz.

They were ordered to attack the coalition forces nearby, so they were on a mission to search for coalition troops.

They were led by a blacksmith.

Many officers and a considerable number of soldiers from the 5th Cavalry Corps had deserted, leaving this small squad consisting of individuals deeply influenced by Enlightenment ideas and loyal to France.

Despite the fact that their leader, the blacksmith, was from Germany.

While aimlessly wandering around hoping to find a supply convoy to strike, the cavalrymen suddenly saw a large number of disorganized Austrian soldiers near Babi Village.

Thus, the cavalrymen joyously charged and captured several hundred people.

Their blacksmith leader was very puzzled, as the information they had received before departure was that the Austrians at Babi Village had a huge advantage.

So he approached the highest-ranking captive, a Captain, and asked in German, "How were you defeated?"

The Captain looked up: "You speak German?"

In Europe at that time, speaking French wasn’t surprising as most nobles could.

But speaking German or English was indeed astonishing, especially when a French officer could speak German.

Blacksmith: "I was born in Salzburg, where people speak both German and French. But later, I became a foreman in a metal workshop in Salak, so the soldiers all call me the blacksmith. That’s not important, how did you collapse?"

The Captain, still shaken, replied: "It was terrifying, I’ll tell you, we were actually attacking with a great advantage, and then your French General Frost suddenly appeared!"

The blacksmith frowned: "Suddenly appeared? By himself?"

"Yes, by himself, and carrying an Eagle Flag, just like those of the Roman legions!"

Blacksmith: "Eagle Flag? Roman legions?"

"Yes, Roman legions!"

A nearby Senior Sergeant turned his head to join in: "Yes, I saw it with my own eyes, red armor, holding a red shield, square! Very Roman!"

The blacksmith, puzzled, asked: "So was General Frost alone, or did he come with a Roman legion? Give me a clear answer!"

Captain: "He came alone, carrying the military flag, then charged at us!"

Senior Sergeant: "Then the Roman legion appeared!"

Blacksmith: ???