Chapter 308 War of the Third Coalition
June 14th, 1804.
Somewhere along the west bank of the River Rhine. It was 8 o'clock in the evening, and Napoleon sat beside the bonfire. He warmed himself up by the crackling flames. The night was cool, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of nearby trees. Around him, the low murmur of his soldiers having a sense of camaraderie filled the air.
One of the generals approached Napoleon.
"Your Majesty, this is the latest newspaper from Paris,"
Napoleon glanced up, meeting his gaze with one of his trusted generals, Joachim Murat.
"Give me that," Napoleon extended his hand, and Murat placed the newspaper into his Emperor's grasp. With the paper now in his possession, Napoleon began to read the latest reports. The headlines were filled with reports of the ongoing war, which is not much because the war hasn't even started.
By that, the news meant that the war had already started and the nations involved in the war had mobilized their forces but there had been no actual fighting yet. The next headline is about the people of France supporting the war effort with unwavering patriotism. The newspapers were filled with stories of ordinary citizens contributing to the cause, from donating to enlisting in the army.
It was heartening for Napoleon to see the indomitable spirit of his countrymen and women, all rallying behind the banner of France.
He folded the newspaper and handed it back to Murat.
"I need an update about the movement of the Austrian Army into Bavaria," Napoleon ordered.
"According to the latest information we received from the Bavarians. The Austrian Army has entered Bavaria and is pushing deeper."
Napoleon's lips curled into a smile upon hearing that news. So even in this world, the Austrians remained uncooperative and disconnected from their allies.
Napoleon rose to his feet and walked towards his tent. Murat trailed behind him.? Napoleon's tents were illuminated by candles and served as the center of command. Maps were spread out across tables, and Generals were busy analyzing the latest intelligence reports and discussing strategic options.
As Napoleon entered, the generals stood at attention, ready to receive their orders. He moved to the large map of the region, where markers represented the positions of both French and Austrian forces. His finger traced the path of the Austrian advance.
"The Austrians are seemingly eager to fight us," Napoleon began. "That we are going to give them."
"What's the plan, Your Majesty?" Ney asked.
Napoleon grabbed a small wooden pointer from the table, and with it, he outlined his strategy on the map.
"We will feign a partial withdrawal, luring the Austrians deeper into Bavaria," Napoleon paused as he grabbed another marker and marked key positions on the map. He continued. "As they advance, we will do a flanking maneuver from the North, specifically the Danube River, cutting them off their retreat."
Napoleon pointed to specific points on the map. "General Murat, you will lead our cavalry and perform the feign. The rest of you will execute the plan."
"Yes Your Majesty!"
***
June 16th, 1804.
At the city of Ulm.
General Karl Freiherr Mack von Leiberich was riding at the head of his column. His Austrian troops marched in disciplined formation as they advanced deeper into Bavaria. General Mack was confident, perhaps overly so. He had, after all, spotted the French cavalry near Ulm and he was pursuing them.
Not only that, General Mack's troops, half of it, are equipped with the newest weapon technology, the bolt-action rifle, machine gun, and howitzers. He had seen its performance during the experiment and testing, and the result was remarkable.
Now, he is eager to test it on the battlefield. But the French aren't allowing him as instead of facing them head-on, they were retreating.
***
Somewhere around the Ulm, Napoleon was in his command tent, listening to the tapping of the keys of the telegraph operator working inside it. The messages that they are decoding are coming from the French forward observers and scouts who were closely monitoring the movements of the Austrian army. As the reports came in, it became clear that General Mack was taking the bait.
"Give orders to Marshal Ney, Davout, and Lannes. They are to perform the flanking maneuver as planned," Napoleon instructed his staff. The telegraph operator immediately transmitted the orders to the designated marshals, who were prepared to execute the critical phase of the operation.
While the telegraph operators were doing that, Napoleon chuckled inwardly. The Austrians were still using outdated tactics, marching in great columns. Despite having the latest weaponry that they reversed engineer from France, their doctrine is outdated.
Napoleon knew that this outdated approach by the Austrians would work to his advantage, especially when he had in store with them.
"Send orders to the artillery," Napoleon began. "Open fire on the enemy columns when ready."
The orders were promptly relayed, and the French artillery units prepared for action. They have loaded 155mm high explosive shells into their cannons.
"Fire!" The artillery commander commanded, and the cannons roared to life.
***
Back at the Austrian lines.
General Mack flickered his gaze to the horizon. "What's that?"
Despite his old age, he could still hear pretty well.
"A thunder?" one of his aides-de-camp mused.
"On a clear day? I don't think so," said the other aide-de-camp as he squinted toward the horizon.
General Mack looked up to see the sky, they were clear indeed. So what made that sound? When his gaze landed on the artillery the horses were towing, his eyes widened in realization.
"EVERYONE TAKE COVER!"
The soldiers under his command were surprised at first. But then, a massive explosion erupted in the middle of the column, sending shockwaves through the ranks.
General Mack, still mounted on his horse, was blown away from his seat by the force of the explosion. He landed several feet away, dazed and disoriented.
Simultaneous explosions erupted throughout the Austrian column as the French artillery shells found their marks. The ground trembled under the relentless barrage, and chaos reigned among the Austrian troops. Horses whinnied in terror and men were thrown to the ground as the explosions continued unabated.
There were shouts and cries from the Austrian soldiers as they desperately sought cover from the devastating artillery fire. Men stumbled over fallen comrades, and the once-imposing formation of the Austrian column disintegrated into chaos and panic.
General Mack, despite his disorientation, managed to regain his senses and scramble to his feet. He knew that he had to take decisive action to prevent further carnage among his troops. Through the thick smoke and dust, he bellowed orders to his officers, instructing them to order an immediate retreat.
Austrian soldiers, their morale shattered by the relentless bombardment, began to withdraw in disarray. Horses were abandoned, and artillery pieces were left behind as the men fled for cover. General Mack's once-confident advance had turned into a disastrous rout.
But their retreat route was blocked by a French Army scattered across the plains. Bolt-action rifles of the French were fired, creating a wall of lead that took tens of lives per volley.
Since it was a repeating bolt-action rifle, in a matter of seconds, the French infantry unleashed a continuous hail of deadly accurate fire upon the retreating Austrian soldiers.
Some Austrian soldiers tried to counterattack using their own bolt-action rifles but under great stress and pressure, they couldn't perform well compared to the French who had combat experience with bolt-action rifles.
Minutes turned to hours, and the casualties on the Austrian side continued to mount. The relentless fire from the French infantry, armed with their repeating bolt-action rifles, machine guns, and artillery, was too much for General Mack.
"Sir! The French Cavalry! It's returning back to us!" One of his aides-de-camps shouted.
General Mack looked to his left and saw the French Cavalry they had been chasing for the past two days were indeed turning back.
"So that's what you are planning huh?" General Mark realized that he was trapped by the French Army.
"What should we do sir?"
General Mack sighed deeply, he knew that he would be held accountable for this.
"We are in a bad position, continuing the fight is futile, and our allies are too far to help us." General Mack admitted with a heavy heart. "Order our men to lay down their arms and surrender. We have no other choice."
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