Chapter 695: The Bastion
Kolodziejski exchanged glances with the other committee members, swallowing hard, still extremely hesitant:
"Mr. Schumann, even if the sailors and workers are willing to defend Gdańsk, we don't have enough weapons."
Schumann offered a faint smile. "Actually, you know, I also dabble in some less-than-above-board dealings. Don't go reporting me now.
"My ship, the Fat Firs, is currently docked in the harbor. It's loaded with weapons bound for the Middle East. If necessary, my Persian buyers can wait a little longer."
Kolodziejski's eyes widened. "That's... quite a coincidence! Ah, could you tell me how much 'cargo' it carries?"
"Three thousand five hundred flintlock muskets, and enough ammunition for four months."
This was, of course, no ordinary merchant ship bound for Persia. Joseph had long prepared it for Gdańsk, keeping it discreetly anchored outside the harbor.
"Good heavens! Thank you for showing mercy on Gdańsk!" The look of terror finally faded from Kolodziejski's face.
As a Pole and an investor in the port, he certainly didn't want it to fall into foreign hands.
Romilev, too, gazed at Schumann with surprise and excitement.
He had intended to defend the port to the death with his 400 patrol officers, never expecting the French to bring so many "surprises."
Then another thought struck him. "Mr. Schumann, we also need some cannons. If you happen to have any..."
"I don't have any cannons, I'm afraid."
Seeing the disappointment on their faces, Schumann quickly added, "But have you forgotten? There are many armed merchant ships here. We can dismantle the cannons from their decks and use them."
Romilev frowned. "The ship owners probably won't be willing to lend them to us..."
Schumann turned to Kolodziejski. "Please, in the name of the committee, forcibly requisition all merchant ships in the harbor."
"How can we do that?!" Kolodziejski exclaimed.
"Tell them that any ship contributing to the port's defense will receive a tax exemption for one to three years. I believe they'll be quite pleased with that."
An hour later, the patrol began arresting Prussians throughout the city.
At the same time, numerous pamphlets detailing how Prussia had betrayed Poland, conspiring with Russia to stab it in the back, circulated throughout Gdańsk.
At the end of the pamphlets, the Gdańsk Administrative Committee called on everyone to register at Warehouse No. 1 to jointly defend the port.
It also promised that anyone wounded or disabled during the battle would receive compensation equivalent to that of regular Polish soldiers.
The pamphlets, naturally, had also been printed in advance and were stacked in the hold of the Fat Firs.
Almost instantly, all of Gdańsk ignited with fury.
Sailors and dockworkers alike cursed the Prussians' shameless actions loudly, gathering before Warehouse No. 1.
Many of them had long wished to return to Warsaw and join the fight against Russia, but Prussia had used excuses to blockade the roads to Malbork and Tuchola, forcing them to wait until their next voyage to land in Courland and then travel south to get home.
Now, however, they could fight for their homeland right here in Gdańsk!
Four days later.
Hoen, leading his Prussian army, exhausted from continuous marching, arrived at Gdańsk.
The panicked welcome from the Poles he had anticipated never materialized. In fact, not even the Prussians within the port showed themselves.
He knew there should be six or seven hundred Prussians working or operating merchant ships there.
Soon, several cavalrymen returned with a report: Gdańsk was virtually deserted, and most of the contents from the buildings had been removed.
Hoen gripped his riding crop furiously.
He had rushed here at the fastest possible speed, but the cowardly Poles had still slipped away!
He let out a breath. Though the unexpected riches were gone, at least he had captured this important port. His Majesty the King would still bestow awards and rewards.
He turned to the officer beside him and commanded:
"Have the soldiers secure the port. Pay attention to searching the warehouses; there might be things they didn't have time to move."
In a luxurious villa, Hoen was discussing the upcoming offensive strategy for Kuyavia with his officers when he suddenly heard the rumble of cannon fire from the northeast.
He strode to the window, a frown on his face, and saw black gunpowder smoke rising from the middle of the harbor. He immediately turned to his orderly.
"Send someone to see what's happening."
Before the orderly could leave the temporary command post, a courier rushed in, found Hoen's attendant, and panted:
"Report! There's a bastion on the eastern side of the Steuplate Peninsula. We've come under heavy cannon fire from the Poles there and lost over forty men!"
The Prussian army had underestimated the Poles, approaching "Baron Lacoste's estate" carelessly with almost no reconnaissance. As a result, nearly half a company was instantly wiped out by cannon fire.
Indeed, the sailors from the Fat Firs were exceptionally skilled at operating cannons, having studied artillery for over a year at the Paris Police Academy.
These more than a hundred experienced artillerists had become the core fighting force within the bastion.
Hoen's face darkened instantly. He had never received any intelligence indicating the construction of a bastion in Gdańsk.
When he arrived before the Steuplate Peninsula, he finally saw the beautifully constructed "estate" through his telescope, along with the cannon muzzles protruding from its inner walls.
Schumann had requisitioned over eighty cannons from the merchant ships docked in Gdańsk harbor.
While these cannons were somewhat difficult to operate on land, their sheer numbers were an advantage. By pre-aiming at a small area and firing whichever cannon faced an enemy, their effectiveness was surprisingly high.
Hoen immediately ordered two skirmisher battalions to assault the elaborately decorated fortress.
According to intelligence, there were only 400 Polish patrol officers in the port.
These men, somewhere between police and soldiers, wouldn't possess strong combat capabilities. Even with the bastion as a stronghold, it would be difficult for them to withstand an attack from over a thousand regular soldiers.
However, as the Prussian soldiers, enduring the cannon barrage, finally managed to get close to the bastion, hundreds of dark gun muzzles emerged from its outer walls.
Though there was hardly any volley fire, and aiming was minimal, the space in front of the bastion was extremely narrow. The Prussians clustered there were still severely decimated by the scattered gunfire.
Unlike open-field battles, where infantry lines were necessary to maximize firepower, fortress defense required no specific formations.
As long as they could wield a flintlock musket, they simply needed to stand in a fixed position and fire at will.
This was also why Schumann dared to let the dockworkers participate in the defense after only brief training.
Hoen watched his soldiers retreat, then angrily ordered his staff to bring up cannons for bombardment, only to remember that the artillery battalion had all been assigned to Hoppner...
It wasn't until half a month later that about a dozen cannons were finally transported to Gdańsk.
Meanwhile, news of the Prussian invasion of western Poland and Gdańsk had reached Warsaw.
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