Chapter 745: Confrontation in the Alps
Napoleon immediately noticed the lines at the bottom of the notebook, specially emphasized:
Once the army entered Italy, soldiers were to be strictly forbidden from pillaging. All matters related to requisitioning supplies and bestowing military awards required the signature of Major Odoric, the military supervisor, before implementation.
"This will definitely dampen the soldiers' morale," Napoleon muttered, frowning with a hint of resignation. Yet, these were the Crown Prince's repeated demands, and he could only comply strictly. "I hope Major Odoric is a reasonable man."
However, he had just inquired and learned that this Odoric was the Crown Prince's personal guard captain's cousin. He wouldn't be easily bribed.
Joseph clearly remembered how Emperor Napoleon had plundered Italy to the bare bones in history, leading to the Italian regions hating the French army to the bone.
Later, when Austria seized the opportunity of the French Directory's internal strife to invade Italy, they were met with open arms. They effortlessly pushed the French army back to the Turin-Genoa line.
If Masséna hadn't fought tooth and nail to hold out for over three months, the French army might have been driven out of Italy.
Of course, Joseph wasn't trying to be a pushover either.
After all, if they couldn't recuperate financially from the occupied Italian territories, wouldn't winning the war still mean losing money?
Thus, Joseph dispatched Odoric, specifically tasking him with "recovering losses" in the occupied territories.
Seeing his brother emerge, Lucien hurried forward. "Have you been in meetings all day?"
"Yes."
"So, you haven't had lunch yet?"
"The General Staff Headquarters provided some broth and bread at noon. Oh, and by the way, I've just been appointed Second Commander of the Army of Italy."
"Really? My God, that's wonderful!" Lucien exclaimed, overjoyed, rubbing his hands together excitedly. "You're now the most accomplished person in the Bonaparte family!"
He peppered his brother with questions for a while, then glanced up at the darkening sky. "You must be hungry too. Let's go have a good dinner to celebrate."
Napoleon cast a serious glance at him. "Do you think I've already attained high office and a generous salary, allowing me to comfortably enjoy life?
"No, this is merely an insignificant beginning.
"I'm heading to the General Staff Headquarters archives now. Go get some food and bring it to me. Here, take my pass."
"The archives?" Lucien asked, surprised. "It's so late; what are you going to do there?"
"To review the topographic survey data for the Alps and Savoy. The time left for me to prepare isn't ample," Napoleon said. "Additionally, go apply for signal tower usage authorization. I hear that thing can send messages anywhere in France within an hour.
"General Dumouriez won't make too many demands on the corps heading to Savoy, but I must constantly urge them on."
"Understood, yes, brother."
...
A month and a half later.
Acqui, in eastern Sardinia, just 70 kilometers from Milan, served as the headquarters for the Austrian-Sardinian forces.
At that moment, Beaulieu, the Austrian commander-in-chief, scowled at the newly delivered report and angrily rebuked a staff officer standing nearby:
"It's barely over 140 kilometers from Milan to Nice, yet nearly two months have passed, and two army corps are still dragging their feet on the road!"
He was referring to the stretch. Twenty li was approximately 140 kilometers.
The staff officer lowered his head and replied, "General, General Pittori only received Sardinia's supplies at the beginning of the month. Before that, his corps didn't even have enough cannon shells, which is why..."
"Those Sardinian bastards are all useless!" Beaulieu cursed, then asked the staff officer, "Any movement from the French side?"
"General, according to intelligence received last week, several French corps are moving towards Savoy. Additionally, an army of approximately 5,000 men is deploying defenses in the Bresse region and near the mountain passes around Toulon."
Bresse was a border area between northern Sardinia and France, while Toulon bordered Sardinia's southernmost tip.
Both locations shared a common characteristic: they were situated in sections of the Alps with relatively lower mountain passes.
Beaulieu's expression finally softened somewhat.
His army of 30,000 men had already gathered on the eastern side of the Alps, while the opposing French forces were clearly moving much slower.
This provided him with a significant advantage for crossing the Alps.
At the very least, they wouldn't have to camp on the mountainside due to enemy interception. Even in June, the Alps remained extremely cold, and staying there for several months would have a severely detrimental effect on morale.
He then summoned the corps' principal officers for an afternoon meeting, gathered around a map.
As dusk approached, Beaulieu began issuing orders to his subordinates: "The Provera Corps will begin crossing the Cadibona Pass in two days. If they encounter French resistance, they must push the front line forward as much as possible, leaving room for the subsequent corps to assemble."
"Yes, General."
"The Argentau Corps and Vukassovich Corps will then fan out from both sides of the pass. Do not get overly entangled with the French; seize Toulon as quickly as possible. After that, the British fleet will transport supplies for us and assist us in defending the port.
"The Pittori Corps will be responsible for the defense of Turin's western flank.
"The Sebotendorf Corps will serve as the reserve."
Indeed, Beaulieu ultimately chose to launch the offensive from the southern side of the Alps, which was easier to traverse.
Although this route was further from Turin, the Sardinian capital, and thus posed some logistical challenges, capturing the port of Toulon would allow the British to resolve their supply issues by sea.
Moreover, Beaulieu, with great prudence, had deployed defensive forces west of Turin to counter any potential surprise attacks from the French.
It was a foolproof plan.
Most importantly, the French would certainly be focusing their attention on the Bresse line, but he intended to cross the Alps from the southern coastal area, hundreds of miles away.
Apart from a small Toulon garrison, there shouldn't be many forces defending that area.
By the time the Provera Corps advanced into Toulon, the Coalition Forces would likely have begun their offensive against the Luxembourg-Verdun line in northern France.
With France caught in a pincer movement, it would likely be difficult for them to divert troops to reinforce Toulon.
At that point, he could march his army north to attack the Grenoble fortress, or push west towards Montpellier, either of which would inflict heavy losses on France.
Once the officers had departed the command post, Beaulieu instructed his staff officer:
"Have General Colli tell His Majesty Amedeo III that I won't wait for him much longer. It's time to make a decision."
Colli was the commander-in-chief of the Sardinian army. Indeed, Sardinia's 30,000 field troops were commanded by an Austrian general.
In Beaulieu's view, he was offering Sardinia the chance to become a victorious nation—if the King of Sardinia agreed to Colli's corps entering France.
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