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Chapter 10
Battle of Hrodna – 4
The main unit of the Bagration Corps was steadily moving beyond the fortress and toward the Krunol Hill. The Krunol Hill was a perfect place to deploy artillery with its high altitude, one of the few in the Hrodna grassland, which was a flat area. Naturally, the expeditionary allied forces had been firing at the Bagration Corps from there with cannons. Russian soldiers were still falling under their fire.
“Looking at the uniforms and emblems of the soldiers guarding the highlands, they must be from Prussia and Austria.”
Then, can’t we make them surrender? The two countries are our potential allies.”
“…It’s difficult. Napoleon is not defeated yet, and the French are almost occupying these two countries. But I’ll send a messenger.”
When France had attacked Russia, Alexander I had sent people to Prussia and Austria, asking to betray Napoleon and side with him. Prussia and Austria had not immediately responded. In any case, nominally, they were enemies of Russia. Bagration stopped advancing for a while. It was to indicate that they would not attack while the messenger was delivering the proposal. The Austrian and Prussian armies at the Krunol Hill did not fire. Before long, the messenger returned with an answer.
‘For our homeland in mortgage!
Bagration said sadly.
“Get ready for battle! Show enough respect to these patriots and do your best to fight.”
Until then, Bagration believed that he could easily defeat the Austrian and Prussian armies and capture the Krunol Hill. However, as time went by, the gap between reality and expectation grew. Because the Prussians and the Austrians were fighting so well! They fired a series of steady shots at the approaching Russian army, and as they got closer, pulled out their bayonets without hesitation and entered close combat. The guns of the artillery were also amazing. The bombardment aimed at the dense infantry was sophisticated enough to remind them of the French artillery, Europe’s top artillery. I’m sure they’re fighting for their countries, but what’s the point of fighting so hard for France, which has mistreated these countries?
“That won’t do. I have to go myself.”
“My General! It’s dangerous to step forward now! The enemy’s artillery and infantry have not been subdued yet!”
“Please just give us orders! We’ll figure it out!”
Bagration shook his head despite his loyal officers’ plea.
“There’s something suspicious. I have to check this out with my own eyes.”
Pyotr Bagration, who had fought numerous battles and had won victories as a field commander, trusted his instinct. A sense of incompatibility, feeling that he was being played by something, made him move.
“Going to this ugly battlefield? Commanding is not all about bravery! Your Highness, you must take care of your body!”
Brigadier Vacheslav, who had an impressive red beard and was commanding the infantry in the front, hurriedly blocked Bagration. With the annexation of the Georgian kingdom by Russia, the Bagration royal family of Georgia had been incorporated into the Russian nobility, but the members of the family were not called with royal titles. It was because they had been royalty in the past, but were not anymore. However, Brigadier Vacheslav was from Georgia, and he called Bagration “Your Highness’ despite the glare of the Russians.
“I came here because there is something to find out! Don’t bother me with your annoying nagging! Hmm…”
Bagration calmly observed the enemies’ position on the hill, who were not losing their courage despite the shells coming without break. A general in the position of Bagration should be good at propaganda. When the commander of the corps took risks to stand in the line, the soldiers, who had been embarrassed by the unexpected strong resistance from the enemy, burned their fighting spirit again. After seeing it, Bagration hid his satisfied smile and asked Brigadier Vacheslav.
“You see that hill over there?”
Brigadier Vacheslav’s gaze also shifted along the direction pointed by Bagration’s finger.
“Yes, I see it. Isn’t it the steepest place on the Krunol Hill?”
“Push the troops in there. It doesn’t matter if you step back right away if you find it difficult. Let’s see the enemy’s reaction.”
Bagration issued a mysterious order and moved immediately. He was followed by the cavalry. When Brigadier Vacheslav sent the infantry to the steepest hill at Bagration’s command, Bagration was giving another order to another officer. It was General Borozdin, responsible for the 65 cavalry battalions of the Bagration Corps.
“Lead half of the cavalry to the rear of the Krunol Hill right now! If there are enemy cavalry stationed there, defeat them, if not, attack from behind! Send me a messenger when you know whether there is a cavalry or not!”
“I’ll follow your orders, my General!”
Bagration went back to the headquarters, waiting for the messenger to return. In fact, he had only stayed in the dangerous area where the range of artillery shells could reach him for about 20 minutes, but it was enough to give the Russian soldiers the recognition that their commander was fighting together with them at the risk of his life. The Bagration Corps once again prepared to attack the Krunol Hill. The soldiers’ eyes burned with indomitable will.
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As countless soldiers were engaged in simultaneous fights on such a wide battlefield, it was difficult to grasp all the situation no matter how high a watchtower was or how precise the magnification of a telescope was. General Barclay de Tolly watched the battles taking place everywhere and tried to put reinforcements where they were pushed back and reserve forces where they were ahead to take the lead in the battlefield. But his opponent, Louis Nicolas Davout, was always one step ahead of him.
When he tried to advance the troops toward a stronghold, there were already ambush units waiting to intercept the Russian soldiers. One of the painful mistakes was that the Cossack cavalry regiment was hastily deployed, but was defeated by the Curassiers, and their surrounding artillery was occupied. Davout’s tenacious defensive tactics between trenches, bastions and stone walls was repeatedly pushing back the Russian advance.
‘There is no need to be impatient. The overall battlefield situation is still overwhelmingly favorable to our troops.
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With the development of gunpowder weapons, only few battles had been won with a power difference that was more than double. In particular, it was unimaginable that the elite troops of the Empire could lose to foreigners. He soothed himself thinking that way, but he still could not understand the enemy’s mysterious superiority in this battlefield centered on Hrodna.
‘Maladzyechna Regiment defeated, ambushed by the enemy.’
‘Warsaw Regiment, at war with the Chasseurs. Asking for reinforcement.’
‘The 16th and 17th artillery battalions were attacked by cavalry and are exhausted.
The enemy forces were making great use of the topography and the defensive positions, neutralizing their offensive every time. Was Louis Nicolas Davout such a great commander? He swallowed dry saliva.