The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 221

Chapter 221: The Ferocious Crown Prince's Guard Corps

The French military field command post, surrounded by a sea of red-uniformed Swiss Guards.

Joseph silently noted Berthier's series of orders. Perhaps, in the not-so-distant future, he would find himself issuing similar commands.

After seeing the messenger officer stride off quickly, Joseph picked up his earlier battlefield notes and double-checked the positions of the artillery units. He then raised his binoculars for a closer look.

Through the binoculars, he spotted the two ten-meter-wide ramparts on a small hill approximately one kilometer away. Behind them were five 8-pound cannons, resting quietly. Evidently, the artillery crews had not yet received their orders.

Following the "grand battery tactic" introduced by Napoleon, all the heavy artillery brought by the Guard Corps was concentrated at this artillery position.

At this time, European armies typically integrated artillery into infantry regiments, positioning the cannons near the infantry's lines. In battle, there was often only one cannon for every few hundred meters. While this arrangement allowed a broader range of damage to the enemy, the artillery primarily served as auxiliary firepower for the infantry.

In contrast, Napoleon's "grand battery tactic" concentrated all the cannons under the direct command of the corps commander, unleashing maximum firepower on a single target to achieve a swift breakthrough.

It was better to cripple one finger than to injure ten. Once the enemy position under concentrated fire collapsed, it would become the breach through which the French forces could tear through their lines. This approach was far more effective than slowly wearing down the enemy front.

About half a minute later, Joseph finally saw the artillery company commander receive the order. The officer gestured for the standard-bearer beside him to raise the "ready to fire" flag.

The target positions had long been identified. The commanders of each cannon barked orders to their crews, and soon all preparations were complete. The soldiers stood solemnly by the cannons, awaiting the command to fire.

The artillery company commander turned and said something, prompting the standard-bearer to signal "fire at will." The cannons immediately roared to life, spewing flames. Their barrels recoiled violently, and thick smoke engulfed the artillery positions.

A few seconds later, the rumbling sound of the cannon fire finally reached Joseph's ears from the distance.

Adjusting his binoculars, he observed the enemy positions. On the northern flank of the Albanian mercenary line, where the terrain dipped, a patch of soldiers collapsed like wheat trampled by wild oxen. Even at this distance, faint traces of blood were visible on the ground.

This was a sight from two or three kilometers away. A "small patch" of troops in formation often meant casualties numbering twenty to thirty men.

The mercenaries had been standing too closely while organizing their lines, and the Guard Corps' artillery had been lucky to hit the mark on their first shot, inflicting substantial casualties.

Berthier, standing nearby, clearly noticed this result as well. He murmured under his breath, "Good shot."

Less than a minute later, the five cannons roared again.

Contrary to the dramatic image of thousands of cannons firing simultaneously often depicted in films, the 4,000-strong Guard Corps only had six cannons in total, one of which was a reserve 4-pounder.

Given the logistical constraints of this era, this represented the maximum proportion of artillery a unit could carry while maintaining sufficient firepower. In reality, the key determinant of artillery effectiveness was the ammunition supply.

As long as the cannons could sustain continuous fire, the destructive potential of five 8-pound cannons was already terrifying. If additional cannons depleted the ammunition supply too quickly, they would be little more than lumps of iron. Prioritizing extra shells over more cannons was a wiser allocation of resources.

The 8-pound iron projectiles screeched into the Albanian army, carving long, bloody furrows through their ranks.

The mercenaries trying to organize themselves nearby immediately fell into chaos—regardless of how loudly their officers shouted, many soldiers scattered in panic, while others froze in terror. The entire left flank of the Albanian army was now noticeably thinner.

Joseph suddenly noticed the music that had been playing in the background—the bagpipes, organs, and violins—growing fainter. Such was the nature of battlefields in this era. From the start of combat, music resonated across the field, lending an almost grand yet crude atmosphere akin to a massive concert.

Soon, the sound of drums became clearer. The advancing infantry columns halted in place and spread out to the flanks.

Each company deployed two officers who stretched a 20- to 30-meter-long rope taut. The soldiers then aligned themselves behind the rope, forming a straight and orderly line.

Minutes later, in front of the Albanian mercenary positions, a three-line infantry formation appeared, stretching 700 to 800 meters across. From Joseph's vantage point, it looked like a giant had carved a white scar across the pale yellow plain.

Simultaneously, two infantry companies in a skirmish formation appeared on the northern flank, fixating on the gap the artillery had punched into the enemy's line. They began to advance slowly.

Albanian commander Semiz, observing through his binoculars, broke out in a cold sweat. The sight of soldiers in crisp white uniforms, tight trousers, and tricorn hats filled him with dread. He muttered to himself, "The French... How is this possible? This cannot be..."

According to his intelligence, the French army had still been in Tunis three days ago. This information had been repeatedly verified by both Albanian spies and remnants of the Tunisian Guard. There was no room for error.

But where had these Frenchmen come from? Could they have possibly marched from Tunis to Annaba in just three days?

From his perspective, such a feat was unthinkable. Yet for the Guard Corps, accustomed to grueling training and weighted marches, this was far from their limit.

The distant thunder of another artillery volley jolted Semiz to his senses. The French infantry had fully deployed, while his own troops were still in disarray. Panic surged within him.

The Guard Corps' military discipline far exceeded that of the Albanians, and they had been prepared for an assault from the start. Naturally, their assembly speed was much faster than that of the still-marching mercenaries. In the musket era, the side that completed its formation first gained a decisive advantage.

At this moment, Semiz's scouts finally returned. A seasoned battlefield commander, Semiz had at least managed to send out cavalry reconnaissance when he first encountered the enemy.

The lead scout shouted to him from a distance, "Pasha, the enemy numbers approximately 4,000, with a reserve of several hundred!"

Semiz felt a small measure of relief. While the enemy's ambush had given them an advantage, he still held an overwhelming numerical superiority.

If he could stabilize his lines and force the battle into a direct confrontation, victory would remain within his grasp.

His mind raced. He glanced at the disarray on his left flank and shouted at his aide, "Send Nishani to lead the cavalry to attack the enemy's right flank! At least hold them off for half an hour!"

The French right flank corresponded to the Albanian left.

The aide hesitated. "Pasha, all the cavalry?"

Semiz gritted his teeth and nodded. "Yes! All the cavalry!"

He understood all too well that he could no longer afford to conserve his horsemen.

Although the cavalry was just as disorganized, failing to complete their formation, for mere harassment, each cavalry battalion could attack as they pleased. Before exhausting their 1,600 riders, they could likely delay the enemy for quite some time.

Semiz believed that this delay would allow him to leverage his numerical advantage and engage the French in a positional battle. Even if victory wasn't secured, General Kehler’s army would arrive tomorrow, and with their overwhelming numbers, they could swiftly overwhelm the French forces.

...

As another volley from the Guard Corps artillery shattered the Albanian left flank, bugle calls resounded from within the enemy formation. Dozens of messengers dashed back and forth, rallying the cavalry.

Meanwhile, 300 meters behind the gap in the Albanian lines, a reserve unit began assembling, preparing to fill the breach with a well-ordered formation.

Just as the drummers of the Guard Corps struck a steady rhythm and the military band resumed their performance to signal a frontal assault, a torrent of cavalry armed with bows surged out from the Albanian left flank like a rising tide.

Hearing a prompt from a nearby staff officer, Joseph quickly turned his binoculars to observe and frowned deeply. How had the Albanians reacted so quickly? Cavalry formations were notoriously harder to organize than infantry; how had they launched an attack so rapidly?

His sharp gaze quickly discerned the truth, and he remarked to Berthier beside him, “Are they charging to their deaths?”

A cavalry attack without proper formation was no better than wild horses galloping aimlessly across the plains. In their chaotic charge, they could not maintain cohesion, often splintering into scattered groups or stretched-out, vulnerable lines. Against an organized cavalry unit, this was nothing short of a suicidal effort.

“Your Highness, I believe they’re merely trying to buy time,” Berthier replied. “We have fewer cavalry than they do, and it will take us some time to completely neutralize them. Before that, they may divert part of their cavalry to attack our infantry lines.”

In the musket era, the strength of an infantry line lay in its frontal firepower, but its thin ranks left the flanks highly vulnerable.

Typically, both sides used cavalry to protect their infantry’s flanks.

Joseph nodded and waited for Berthier’s countermeasures.

After a moment’s thought, Berthier issued orders to a messenger: “Deploy our cavalry to support the right flank immediately. Withdraw the skirmishers to assist the infantry on the right, and transition to hollow square formations for defense. Transfer the reserve artillery to the right flank as well.”

“Yes, sir!”

The hollow square formation was another advanced tactic Joseph had introduced to the Guard Corps. While it had existed since the early 18th century, it had primarily been used as an emergency measure for infantry surrounded by cavalry, intended for last-ditch resistance.

Joseph, however, knew how Napoleon had utilized it effectively against Mamluk cavalry.

Infantry could proactively form interlocking squares, providing mutual support across a wide area. This tactic slowed cavalry charges, inflicted heavy casualties, and converted the square from a defensive formation into an offensive one.

Within a minute, the orders reached the right flank of the infantry line. Two skirmisher companies and eight infantry companies began to reposition. Meanwhile, officers on the right reported that they were preparing for an enemy cavalry assault.

As the chaotic vanguard of the Albanian cavalry reached the French right flank, 500 cavalry from the Guard Corps and the Moulin Corps had already completed their formation. In five ranks, they charged directly into the scattered Albanian horsemen.

The poorly organized Albanian cavalry—only about a hundred riders in this initial wave—collapsed almost immediately upon contact. Most were struck down by sabers, while the rest were picked off by skirmishers providing flank support.

The French cavalry didn’t linger, swiftly wheeling into an arc to regroup and prepare for another charge.

Meanwhile, two skirmisher companies formed a T-shaped line to guard the infantry’s flank.

Moments later, more Albanian cavalry thundered toward the French position. The French skirmishers unleashed a hail of musket fire, instantly felling 20 to 30 riders in the front ranks. These skirmishers included many marksmen Joseph had been training as sharpshooters. Their accuracy was formidable, and had the enemy’s charge been more organized, the toll would have been even greater.

The Albanians were visibly shaken. To their astonishment, the infantry before them showed no fear. Instead, they stood firm, calmly aiming and firing. The sheer determination of the French troops unnerved the charging riders, prompting many to pull their reins and veer off toward the flanks.

Nearby, the French cavalry, now reorganized, roared into action, striking the Albanian riders from an oblique angle.

The disorganized Albanian cavalry stood no chance against the disciplined French formation, especially when hit from the side. The result was utter carnage, with the Albanians scattering in panic and falling prey to the sabers of the French horsemen.

In less than ten minutes, the Albanian cavalry had already lost nearly 400 men. The battlefield was now littered with corpses, and riderless horses stood idly, inadvertently forming a barrier that shielded the French infantry.

Lefebvre, a captain leading a French skirmisher company, surveyed the carnage. Seeing his nearly unscathed men amid a sea of enemy dead, he licked his dry lips and remarked to a messenger beside him, “I think we can hold off the enemy cavalry without needing hollow squares.”

The messenger hesitated, then relayed Lefebvre’s words in flag signals.

Alarmed, Lefebvre shouted, “That was just an observation! I didn’t mean for you to—”

But Berthier, watching through his binoculars from afar, noticed the signals and smiled. “An adventurous fellow. Very well, let’s follow his suggestion.”

He turned to his staff. “Leave four companies to defend the right flank. Dispatch two more from the reserves. The remaining infantry will continue the frontal assault in line formation.”

Joseph observed as the Guard Corps moved like a slow but deliberate giant. The "brain’s" commands took a full minute to reach its "limbs," and just as its "right hand" spread open for defense, it clenched back into a fist.

The reserve’s 4-pounder cannon was also deployed to the right flank. Following the manual, the gun commander ordered the crew to load grapeshot into the cannon.

...

A few minutes later, rhythmic drumming resounded across the battlefield. The French drummers took the lead, advancing with precise steps, drawing the entire infantry line forward toward the Albanian positions.

The battle on the right flank raged on. Time and again, the Albanian cavalry charged the 500-600 French infantry, only to be met with repeated volleys from muskets and the devastating blasts of the 4-pounder cannon.

This was, in essence, a contest of willpower.

If the Albanian riders could muster the courage to endure two or three volleys and break into the infantry ranks, they could unleash a massacre. Even with French cavalry arriving to assist, the proximity of French infantry would diminish the effectiveness of the cavalry's formations.

Such an outcome could very well result in the Albanian cavalry breaking through the French right flank.

However, it was the French infantry that proved indomitable. Even as the enemy riders closed within thirty meters, the soldiers stood firm, shouting battle cries as they aimed and fired. This unyielding resolve shattered the morale of the charging Albanians, sending them into retreat.

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