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Chapter 17
Battles between great powers begin with guns and end with talks – 4
The French soldiersin foreign uniforms were sick and tired of the Russian assault, that was not giving them time to rest. Andoche Junot took off his military cap and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief.
The current time was 6:10 a.m. It had only been a little over an hour since the battle began, and the Krunol Hill was already at risk due to the Russian offensive, flooding in like a river bursting. When the comrades swept up by bullets and shells collapsed, others climbed up the hill stepping on their bodies.
“Long live the Emperor!”
“Long live the Russian Empire!”
They rushed through the French line of defense, which was about to break. Staff officers’ telescopes saw dense images of Russian infantry battalions advancing beyond trenches and stone walls. If the Krunol Hill was occupied, all the north side of the Neman River would fall into the hands of the Russian forces and the French headquarters would be exposed to direct threats. This was a crisis in which strategies and tactics that had been almost perfect so far could be entangled.
“Unlike yesterday, the Slavs are coming at us very determined! My commander, we won’t last long at this rate!”
“Hey! You can’t stop the enemy infantry from rushing even though you have cannons on the hill!?”
Shouting like that did not change anything.
“Your Majesty the Emperor… No, Marshall Davout, why don’t we request reinforcements?”
“Oh, you’re not going to act anymore?”
“Sorry, I’m sorry. My Commander.”
“…No. It’s almost meaningless now anyway.”
There was no possibility that the conversation here would be heard by the enemy, and the moment of the showdown was just around the corner… Junot decided not to go out tightly. The military officers in Hrodna belonged to Louis Nicolas Davout. However, it was Napoleon Bonaparte who was actually sitting at the headquarters of Hrodna and commanding the army.
Napoleon’s surprise plan before the battle was not just about changing the soldiers’ uniforms. Even the flag of the French Emperor, which symbolized Napoleon himself on the battlefield, was used to mislead the enemy. It was a strategic that was not like Napoleon’s usual strong obsession with authority and honor.
‘If Hrodna’s headquarters had had the Emperor’s flag in the first place, Bagration and Barclay would never have come out this way. They would have been suspicious and cautious, refraining from attacking excessively and would have tried to guess my intentions.’
However, they believed in Louis Nicolas Davout’s stubbornness and did not consider subtle traps or tactics. That was why they did not leave despite their failure yesterday and gambled once more today. Napoleon’s psychological warfare caused them to cross a line that they could not return from.
‘But… It’s a problem now…’
Junot began to worry. Apparently, it seemed difficult for the Krunol Hill to last long. Supporting troops were in desperate need. He had been praised and scored by Napoleon, but what if he asked for reinforcements and get Napoleon’s contemptuous eyes again? Junot, who had been criticized and blamed by Napoleon in the past, had a trauma about asking for help. However, seeing the Russian troops occupying the front-line bases one by one, Junot bit his lips and eventually tried to ask Napoleon for reinforcements.
But there was no need to worry about this. This was because a messenger requesting the dispatch of troops to support on the hill arrived from the headquarters in the center of Hrodna. The eyes of Junot, reading a letter from Napoleon, changed quickly.
“…Got it. Tell the Emperor I will follow his orders right away.”
“Yes, my Commandant!”
The messenger stepped down and Junot showed the letter to the curious officers. The expressions of the officers reading it were also colorful.
“Isn’t this going to change the game completely? His Majesty’s strategy has reached heaven!”
“I can’t wait to see the faces of the Russians here. If the value of the occupied hill turns into nothing… Hahaha!”
He wondered if he had arranged this idea in advance or if he came up with it on the spot.
Andoche Junot nodded firmly. Napoleon was indeed Napoleon.
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The strongholds of Krunol Hill began to fall into the hands of the Russian army one by one. The excitement felt by the Russian soldiers who were able to raise their flag on the hill that they had not captured yesterday was great.
“To battles, to victories we are always led by the Tsar himself! And the eagle of victory was soaring over the fields of Poltava! Look at the greatness of the Russian Empire! Show off the Slavs’ spirit!”
The Russian soldiers’ spirit rose to the top of the sky as they made a fanatical charge while singing marching songs. The French, dressed in Prussian and Austrian uniforms, could not resist their momentum and continued to be pushed away. The Russian Empire’s flags rose one by one on the strongholds and artillery of the hill. If this continued, it would be possible to capture the Krunol Hill before 7:30 a.m.
“They’re dismantling the artillery one by one and putting the cannons back! I think we can finally cross this damn hill!”
Dismantling the artillery meant that they were going to abandon the place. The Russian morale soared once again as they witnessed the scene.
“As long as the General stands strong, the title of the Bagration Corps, the First Imperial Corps, will never be shaken!”
“I never thought he would raise the strength and courage of the Russians to this extent! The General’s skills are the best in Russia, and even in Europe!”
The officers were thrilled, but Bagration was not happy at all. He would rather scold them.
“Do you think we won the battle after taking a hill, you fools who can’t do anything! There is nothing more shameful than declaring victory when the enemy retreats in an orderly manner!”
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In fact, they were abandoning their artillery and weapons and did not run away in disorder, nor did they show signs of defeat, of the collapse of the battle lines or of the command system. They were retreating, but in an orderly manner. He used to step back little by little, but now he gave them a strong taste of the Russian infantry and cavalry who charged recklessly on the front line. Bagration thought he was a very capable field commander, although he did not know who the other commander was.
‘It’s a general who knows that it’s more important to preserve the strength of the corps than to carry out orders in a straightforward manner. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, but there are so many talented generals under Napoleon.’
Of course, Bagration was also strong. No matter how orderly the retreat was, not all squads and units could retreat without error. As long as the commander was a person, and as long as the members of the corps were people, there were bound to be squads falling behind or missing. Bagration led the cavalry and infantry battalions, defeating the fallen enemy one after another.
And finally, the Russian flag was raised on the headquarters at the top of Krunol Hill.
It was the moment when the owner of the hill changed.