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Chapter 1222: Swiss Slaughterhouse

Perhaps it was due to his prayers the night before, or perhaps the conscription office had simply increased its staff, but by noon the next day, Gaizka had completed his registration.

The conscription officer issued him a service certificate and an address, instructing him to report there for assembly.

Upon arrival, Gaizka found five or six hundred people gathered, managed by only one Lieutenant and two Corporals.

Uniforms and weapons had yet to be distributed, and even training consisted of only the simplest drills like lining up and turning.

Lieutenant Casso informed them that instructors transferred from the front lines wouldn't arrive for another ten days or so. Only then could formal training begin.

This greatly disappointed the young men, eager to join the front and confront the Anglo-Prussian-Austrian invaders.

However, that afternoon, several carriages pulled up in front of the makeshift camp. More than a dozen individuals, dressed in old military uniforms, disembarked.

The moment Gaizka saw them, he froze.

Half of them were in wheelchairs, or missing an arm.

The man leading them, a middle-aged individual wearing a bronze Iris Medal on his chest and with barely 20 centimeters of his left arm remaining, saluted Lieutenant Casso, who had come to greet them. "Lieutenant, sir," he began, "we heard the recruit camp is short on instructors. We've all seen combat and can help you train them.

"Oh, don't worry, five of us graduated from the Paris Police Academy. Mr. Strong and the others also attended military technical schools, so basic training subjects will certainly be no problem."

Lieutenant Casso stared at their disabilities, speechless for a long moment.

The veteran with the bronze Iris Medal added, "Look, we may not be what we once were, but it's better than letting these young lads sit around idle, isn't it?"

"No, you are heroes of France!" Lieutenant Casso snapped to attention, declaring loudly, "You have already made immense sacrifices; you shouldn't have to endure this burden again—"

"Pah, listen to you. I'm practically molding away just staying home all the time."

Strong, from his wheelchair, continued, "I have experience fighting the Prussians, which I can share with these young men."

"I'm a decorated artilleryman, once hit a British Major directly from a kilometer away..."

"Just let us try, Lieutenant, sir. France cannot wait much longer..."

Lieutenant Casso took a deep breath, then turned to the recruits and announced loudly, "Attention! Welcome your new instructors!"

And so, with the help of numerous retired veterans, 80% of the recruit camps near Paris rapidly commenced training.

...

East of Nancy, at the construction site of the Nancy-Strasbourg Railway Line.

Chief Engineer Le Prince gazed at the bustling construction site and couldn't help but ask his assistant, "Linguet, we have 600 workers, right?"

"Yes, 612, sir."

Le Prince gestured towards the railway line. "But here... I haven't counted carefully, but there are definitely more than 600 people."

Linguet nodded. "Many people have come from the nearby towns. While they aren't skilled at laying tracks, they can help with tasks like carrying gravel. Monsieur Crouzet decided to keep them."

Crouzet was the site manager.

Le Prince frowned. "But where do we have the budget to pay all of them wages?"

Linguet replied, "Everyone knows this railway is for transporting supplies to the front. So far, no one has mentioned wages to me."

Le Prince paused for a few seconds, then sighed. "At least give everyone two pounds of bread daily. I'll apply for the funds from higher-ups."

...

Several ironworks in Luxembourg loaded processed gun components onto carts, which were then steadily transported to the new workshops of the Royal Armory.

Workers toiled in continuous 24-hour shifts, assembling them into percussion cap muskets.

Indeed, the production process for rifles was too complex, and their output simply couldn't keep pace with the conscription rate. Therefore, they had to continue producing the older Auguste Pattern Percussion Rifles.

With the support of numerous ironworks, the monthly output here reached an impressive 7,800 units.

Combined with the armories in Charleville and Paris, a total of 15,000 percussion cap muskets could be supplied to the front lines each month.

Adding in existing weapon stockpiles, the General Staff estimated that by February of next year, there would be enough to arm 170,000 new recruits.

...

The General Staff's Logistics Department, surprisingly, was the most relaxed branch.

In just over a month, they had requisitioned 26,000 mules and horses.

After the decree proclaiming "the sacred inviolability of citizen property" was issued, more people than ever were willing to provide livestock to the army.

Some even delivered their livestock to the Logistics Department themselves, without even asking for an advance payment, relying solely on a requisition document.

This allowed the General Staff to raise its target for requisitioned mules and horses to 45,000, and remarkably, the Logistics Department responded that even this figure seemed too conservative.

...

November 17th, 1798.

Zurich, the capital of Switzerland.

A messenger handed a battle report to Sérurier, stating, "General, Cossack Cavalry traces were found yesterday midday at St. Gallen Pass, estimated to be over a thousand strong."

"The Russian army has indeed arrived," Sérurier affirmed with a nod. "Has General Masséna been informed?"

"Yes, General."

"Very well, I understand."

Seeing his unhurried demeanor, an aide nearby quickly prompted, "General, shouldn't we launch a surprise attack before the Russians establish their defenses?"

Sérurier smiled, waving a hand dismissively. "We are waiting for all of them to enter Switzerland. If we act prematurely, those behind will simply retreat.

"Rest assured, the Russians' objective is to help Blücher break out, so they won't hold their ground indefinitely."

"But if Suvorov's army fully enters Switzerland, our forces won't be sufficient..."

Sérurier stated, "That is why General Masséna will be moving to Volhynia."

"Volhynia?" The aide's eyes widened instantly. "But that will allow the Prussians to escape."

Volhynia was west of Zurich. If Masséna's Legion moved there, it would open the road from Altdorf to Lausanne.

Nearly 70,000 Prussian troops would be able to advance along the northern side of Lake Zug, from Aarau to Lausanne. Lausanne, in turn, offered a direct route into France's eastern Burgundy region.

Sérurier nodded. "General Masséna has already considered these factors.

"How far is Altdorf from Lausanne?"

"Over 210 kilometers, General."

"Exactly. Blücher will only discover General Masséna's departure in at least two or three days. Even at their fastest marching speed, it would take them around eight days to reach Lausanne.

"This means we have a week to deal with the Russians."

Volhynia was in northwestern Switzerland, only 120 kilometers from Lausanne. The French army would need less than four days to march from there to Lausanne.

Sérurier continued, "Furthermore, General Masséna believes the Prussians will likely not dare to advance on Lausanne."

The aide paused, then immediately understood.

Blücher would find it difficult to ascertain whether the French had truly withdrawn or were attempting to lure him out for an ambush somewhere.

After all, Switzerland was rife with mountains and rivers, making ambush points plentiful.

Therefore, rather than risking an advance on Lausanne, it would be far safer for him to await the arrival of reinforcements.