Young bloods - Scarrow Simon (библиотека электронных книг txt) 📗

'In order to unsettle the enemy we will continue small-scale attacks right along the line of their defences for the next week.' He swept a hand in an arc around the port. 'Our artillery will support these attacks by bombarding their main redoubts and forts.The aim is to keep the enemy guessing about our intentions so that they spread their forces across their lines of defence. We will launch simultaneous assaults along the whole front on the night of the attack. That has been set for the early hours of the eighteenth of December. General Lapoye will be co-ordinating operations to the east of Toulon. The main weight of the attack will be thrown here, against Fort Mulgrave. The night before, we will assemble twelve infantry battalions in the village of La Seyne. There will be four columns involved. The first will be commanded by Colonel Victor, the second by Colonel Delaborde and the third by Colonel Brule. The fourth is the reserve under my command, and will remain in La Seyne until it is needed.'

'If it is needed,' General Dugommier intervened quietly.

'Yes, sir. If it is needed.' Napoleon felt his face flush slightly and quickly turned back to the map. 'The batteries of Men-Without-Fear, the Jacobins and the Happy Hunters will provide covering fire, and hopefully divert attention away from the approaching infantry columns. As soon as the fort is taken, Colonel Victor will advance and take Fort L'Equillette, Colonel Delaborde will take Fort Balaguier and Colonel Delaborde will mop up any remaining enemy forces in Fort Mulgrave. As soon as the forts are secured we will move the siege guns forward to Fort L'Eguillette and sweep the inner harbour. Cut off from the sea, it is only a matter of time before Toulon falls.' He turned away from the map. 'Any questions?'

'Yes,' Colonel Victor nodded. 'A night attack? With three columns going forward close to each other? Sounds like a recipe for confusion to me.'

'The routes will be marked the night of the attack,' Napoleon replied. 'My subordinate, Lieutenant Junot, will be leading a small party to lay down pegs and twine to show the way.'

'Still sounds risky,' Colonel Victor mused.

'I assure you it will work,' Napoleon replied impatiently. 'The surprise will be complete. Now, any more questions?'

'No,' General Dugommier said firmly. 'There will be no questions.The plan is sound and we will stick to it in every detail. All officers will receive precise orders from my staff. Gentlemen, you are dismissed.'

Chapter 79

The rain began at dusk and continued into the night as the men emerged from their tents and formed up in their companies and battalions before marching off towards the fishing village of La Seyne. A cold wind had blown up from the sea, driving the rain into their faces, and long before they had reached the village every man was soaked to the skin and shivering. Being small and thin, Napoleon felt the discomfort even more than the men he trudged alongside. He had left headquarters to make his final report on the preparations just after it had begun to rain.The track had quickly turned into a quagmire that sucked at his boots, and where the ground was more stony it made the surface slippery so that he had to concentrate on every step he took.

Napoleon had not considered such awful weather when he had drawn up his plans for Dugommier, and now, as he pulled his greatcoat tightly about his shoulders, he tried to consider the possible impact this freezing rain would have on the attack. As long as this mud did not slow them down too much the attack should succeed. Besides, the rain would help to conceal their approach and the sound of their progress would be muffled by the hiss and patter amid the blustering moan of the wind.

When he reached La Seyne Napoleon made his way to the merchant's house that had been chosen for the headquarters for the night's operation. Victor, Delaborde and Brule were already waiting as Napoleon entered, spattered in mud and dripping water across the threshold. He closed the door behind him and hurried across to the glow of the fire that crackled in the grate.

'You could have picked a better night for it, Buona Parte,' Victor smiled. 'If this rain continues then, to be honest, we'd better leave the job to the navy.'

'What navy?' Brule grumbled. 'Useless bastards gave up their ships without a fight when Toulon went over to the British.'

Victor shook his head sadly. 'Colonel Brule, I was joking.'

'Joking?' Brule glanced at him guardedly. He was a die-hard Jacobin, as willing to kill for his cause as die for it, which partly explained his elevation to his present rank. 'Soldiering's a serious business, Colonel. There's no place in it for jokes.'

'Really?'Victor responded with a wry look.'In which case you must surely be the exception to the rule.'

As Brule frowned Victor turned back to the new arrival. 'Everything settled at headquarters?'

'As settled as it can be,' Napoleon replied, trying to stop his teeth chattering. 'The general and his staff will be on their way down to join us.Then we just have to wait for Lapoye to give the signal. He'll fire a red rocket tonight, just after his men make contact with the enemy. We acknowledge it with a green rocket.'

'What if we don't see it?' said Colonel Delaborde. 'In this weather, we might not, especially if there's a mist later on.'

'A fair point,' Napoleon nodded. 'In that case, if there's no signal by midnight, we might wait an hour before the columns march out of the village and make for the fort.'

'If that's what the general decides,' Delaborde replied. 'It may be your plan, Buona Parte, but it's still his army.'

Napoleon looked round and fixed the older man with a blank stare. 'Of course. Whatever the general decides.'

Colonel Victor clapped his hands. 'Come now, gentlemen! No long faces. No disagreements. Let's have a drink and a hand of cards while we wait.'

'Cards?' Brule frowned.

'Yes. Whist? Or should the prospect of following the fortunes of fifty-two cards be too daunting for you, we could play vingt-et-un. '

'Ah!' Brule's dull expression lightened up. 'Vingt-et-un. Now that's a game I enjoy.'

Colonel Victor smiled. 'How could I possibly say I am surprised, my dear Colonel? Come then, let's play. Buona Parte, join us.'

Napoleon shook his head. 'Not tonight. There's too much at stake. I can't help thinking about it.'

'It's all in hand. The plan's good and, besides, there's nothing you can do about it now. The cards will take your mind off it. I find it helps calm the nerves.'

Napoleon nodded. 'Very well, I'll play.'

The men sat round a small table and as Victor shuffled and dealt the first hand Napoleon reflected that Victor was right. When an operation began then the men involved must cease thinking about all that had gone before; all that mattered was performing their specific tasks in a clear-minded way. So he concentrated on the play of cards by the other officers and noted that each had a distinct style that said much about his character. Delaborde was cautious, Brule impulsive and obvious, and Victor affected a nonchalance that belied an extremely calculating mind. After the first half-hour Victor suggested that they might play for money, just small stakes, to help them focus their concentration. For the next hour he proceeded to fleece the other colonels of the contents of their purses and would have completed the job had not General Dugommier intervened.

The colonels lowered their cards and stood up. The general nodded a greeting and then gestured through the door. 'Filthy night. Every track has turned into bog. It'll be tough going.'

Dugommier made his way over to the fire, as Napoleon had done, and warmed his hands. 'What hour is it?'

Victor reached for his fob watch. 'Twenty minutes to midnight, sir.'