Chapter 324: France's Inexpensive Troops
Yes, the Guards Corps also placed extreme importance on counter-reconnaissance.
Fully one-third of the Guards Corps' Hussars were deployed for reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance missions.
Joseph knew that the Guards Corps' cavalry wasn't currently superior in combat quality. Cavalry was a notoriously difficult branch to train, and the Paris Police Academy students, after only a year and a half of instruction, could hardly be considered elite cavalrymen.
Thus, the Guards Corps' battle strategy didn't heavily depend on its cavalry. Instead, it capitalized on their youth, tireless energy, and fervent spirit by deploying them primarily as scouts.
This intense cavalry counter-reconnaissance made it exceedingly difficult for Blücher's Hussars to approach the Guards Corps closely enough to determine their precise troop numbers.
In actuality, the Guards Corps facing Blücher numbered 13,000 men, far surpassing his initial estimates.
Joseph had kept the Moulins Legion in Luxembourg City to ensure stability—and, of course, leaving them there also served to avoid overly alarming the Prussians, ensuring there would be more "fun" to be had later.
After Berthier confirmed the enemy's situation with the Hussars, a relaxed expression crossed his face. "It seems the tough battle we anticipated won't materialize," he remarked. "There are only about five thousand enemy troops nearby, supported by thirty cannons."
Joseph scanned the enemy infantry lines through his telescope, recalling the military theory lectures from the Paris Police Academy. "It appears we're facing the Netherlands' National Guard," he observed cautiously. "We must take them seriously."
Joseph shook his head. "Please believe me," he said. "These 'hastily assembled' troops are no easier to deal with than the Prussian army."
He was intimately familiar with the historical fervor of the Southern Netherlands rebels, a zeal that had even surpassed that of the French Revolution. Relying on this republican ardor, these insurgents had caused considerable trouble for Europe's established powers.
"Yes, Your Highness," Berthier responded with a slight bow. "I will proceed with caution."
He turned and quickly conferred with several other staff officers, then, referencing their pre-established tactical plans, issued a series of commands to the orderly.
Soon, the Guards Corps' infantry lines appeared opposite the Netherlands army. Numbering more than seven thousand soldiers, they were clearly taking the opposing force very seriously.
The Southern Netherlands forces had long since spotted the French army; at this range, the opposing troops were visible to the naked eye.
General Peter Rodriguez van Wit, the commander, rode before the infantry lines, his voice booming as he rallied their morale. "Citizens," he declared, "this will be the final battle before the establishment of the glorious Southern Netherlands Republic!
"Of course, it will also be an incredibly arduous fight.
"As long as you stand firm here against the brutal French, General Blücher will be able to completely annihilate the Austrian army!
"By then, no one will be able to prevent our Republic from being founded!
"The free people of the Netherlands will forever remember your sacrifice!
"Long live the Republic!"
The soldiers immediately echoed his cry, shouting enthusiastically, "Long live the Republic!"
"Drive out the greedy Austrian King!"
"Long live freedom and human rights!"
These young faces glowed with a fervent, fearless resolve. If told that sacrificing their lives would ensure the establishment of the Southern Netherlands Republic, they would march to their deaths without a moment's hesitation.
To them, bullets and cannons were mere thorns on the path to freedom and human rights. Even if they pierced their hands and feet, the resulting crimson could only make the Republic more vibrant and beautiful.
This was why they could sustain heavy casualties on the battlefield; even a quarter of their numbers lost would fail to break their formation. Among the major European powers, this figure typically didn't exceed ten percent.
Of course, the French Guards Corps was likely capable of similar resilience, but no army had yet managed to inflict such a casualty rate upon them.
As General Wit intently watched the steadily approaching French infantry lines and the skirmishers poised to emerge, loudly urging his soldiers to maintain composure, he suddenly heard an anxious cry from a nearby staff officer. "General, cavalry! It's French cavalry!"
General Wit swiftly raised his telescope, peering in the direction indicated. Sure enough, beneath a cloud of dust, a large contingent of riders was surging forth from behind the French army's formation.
He frowned. "A large cavalry detachment isn't well-suited for charging infantry lines in a confined area," he mused.
The staff officer next to him immediately interjected, "Then they must be heading for the cannons on the hillside!"
Unlike the dramatic scenes often depicted in television where cavalry furiously charges into infantry formations, wreaking havoc, in actual combat, cavalry would never dare to launch a frontal assault on infantry. Densely packed bayonets could effectively repel warhorses, and cavalrymen would be subjected to a torrent of gunfire during their approach and retreat. Moreover, cavalry was incredibly expensive, making even a charge that killed one or two infantrymen a colossal loss.
Thus, cavalry tactics always revolved around utilizing their mobility to probe, seeking vulnerabilities in infantry formations, or exploiting slow movements during re-formations to launch flanking attacks.
However, when confronting artillery, cavalry had far fewer reservations. Typically, they would simply charge head-on and cut down the gun crews.
Artillery of this era was cumbersome and slow, with notoriously poor accuracy. Cavalry merely needed to adjust their charge angle slightly, and the artillery crews would be virtually helpless to retaliate.
Thus, cavalry was undeniably the greatest nemesis of artillery. Artillery units were typically protected by infantry or positioned at the rear of their own formations to fire.
At this moment, Blücher had positioned all his cannons on the hillsides flanking the infantry lines. While this offered excellent firing positions, it also left them exposed without infantry cover, making them highly vulnerable to cavalry charges.
General Wit spun to face the orderly, his voice ringing out. "Quick, order the cavalry to cover the cannons! And send for Major Hill's assistance; have his cavalry return to aid in the defense."
"Yes, General!"
Soon, the Southern Netherlands army's meager cavalry contingent rode out, all heading towards the western hillside. The French cavalry had launched their attack from the west, and if the Netherlanders could reach that position first, they could establish a commanding stance against them.
Concurrently, Prussian cavalry commander Hill also led six cavalry squadrons to cover their right flank artillery.
When both cavalry detachments reached the artillery positions, they finally let out a collective sigh of relief. Now, they simply waited to witness how their cannons would obliterate the French infantry lines!
However, to their astonishment, the French cavalry, which had kicked up clouds of dust, did not charge toward either of the Prussian artillery positions. Instead, they rode straight to the front of the line infantry formation.
General Wit lowered his telescope, turning to his staff officer with a somewhat amused expression. "Are French cavalry so inexpensive," he quipped, "that they intend to hurl them directly at our infantry lines?"
"No, no! General, it's not!" the staff officer, still peering through his telescope, suddenly cried out. "Those aren't cavalry; they're horse artillery!"
General Wit frowned, raising his telescope for another close look. Sure enough, more than a dozen cannons were being pulled behind the warhorses, their muzzles swiveling to aim directly at the Netherlands infantry lines.
"What are they doing?"
General Wit was utterly baffled. Was French artillery truly so inexpensive? Positioned so close to the Netherlands' lines, they could fire at most a dozen rounds before his own cavalry would reach them, leaving them no chance to escape.
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