Chapter 831: Active Defense
The Duke of Brunswick skimmed the report, his expression instantly shifting to one of shock. He looked up at the officer. "Can you guarantee the accuracy of this intelligence?"
"Yes, Marshal," the latter nodded with certainty. "Multiple informants have sent the same message, and it has been confirmed by reports from peasants in the Ardennes."
"Forty to sixty thousand men?" The Duke of Brunswick’s brow furrowed. "I thought the French had abandoned Luxembourg to retreat and defend Verdun?"
He raised a hand to signal his attendant. "Bernhard, summon all senior officers for a meeting immediately."
"Yes, Your Grace!"
Forty minutes later.
In the second-floor hall of the Coalition headquarters.
Blücher stared at the French deployment on the map and declared loudly, "Clearly, the French are still trying to put up a fight in Luxembourg. I don’t believe they will launch a large-scale offensive. It’s likely just harassment before they retreat to Verdun."
The staff officer Scharnhorst stood up and spoke cautiously. "General, I believe the French deployment might pose a significant threat."
"Yes, Marshal." Scharnhorst bowed slightly before continuing. "The French target is likely our supply line.
"Their strategic intent is probably to use the fortress of Verdun to pin our forces down, while simultaneously harassing our logistics along the Rhine. Meanwhile, they will keep funneling reinforcements into Verdun.
"Once our supplies run low, we will be forced to retreat to Trier."
Colonel Graf Tauentzien, standing nearby, added, "I’m afraid the Luxembourg fortress won't be breached in just a few days. While our army besieges the fortress, these French troops will strike us from behind.
"Dividing our forces to defend is an option, but it will severely slow our advance. Moreover, if the French achieve a breakthrough somewhere, it would pose a grave threat to the rear of our main force."
The Duke of Brunswick tapped his pipe and nodded slowly. "Therefore, we must deal with the French in the Ardennes first so our subsequent battles can proceed without being hampered."
Masséna’s plan was an open scheme.
Knowing that fifty thousand French troops were positioned on their flank, it was almost impossible for the Coalition to remain indifferent. After all, their supply lines passed right beneath the Ardennes.
In a situation where they held a massive advantage, no commander would be willing to risk having their logistics cut off. When a steady, methodical approach guaranteed victory, why take risks?
Blücher slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "It’s only forty or fifty thousand Frenchmen! We can wipe them out immediately, especially since they likely don't know they've been exposed yet.
"I believe we can even launch an attack on the Luxembourg fortress at the same time."
Scharnhorst quickly countered, "Until the Duke of York’s army arrives, our numerical advantage is not sufficient to fight on both the northern and southern fronts simultaneously."
He turned to the Duke of Brunswick. "Marshal, I suggest we concentrate all our forces to annihilate the enemy in the Ardennes as quickly as possible.
"As for the Luxembourg fortress, we can leave that to General Dörnberg and his men."
Dörnberg was the commander of the Bavarian contingent in this campaign.
Storming a fortress was a thankless, grueling task that usually resulted in heavy casualties. It was the perfect job to delegate to the armies of the various states like Bavaria and Thuringia.
The Duke of Brunswick nodded in agreement. "Once the Duke of York arrives, we can even perform a pincer movement on the French in the Ardennes.
"Very well, let us discuss the specific operational deployments."
...
The Ardennes.
In the silence of the early morning, the northern side of the Meuse Valley was suddenly pierced by the sound of bugles. Several wild pigeons perched on the gun barrels were startled, fluttering into the air with a frantic flapping of wings.
In the temporary French camp, a group of soldiers who had been listlessly packing their blankets all looked up at once, excitement dancing in their eyes. "Good God, are we finally attacking? I was starting to grow mold in this gods-forsaken place!"
"Aha! A fight at last! I heard from the battalion staff that Oudinot’s corps set out the day before yesterday. By now, they’re probably using Prussian officers' swords to trim their toenails."
"The Army of Italy used a bunch of recruits to thrash Melas..."
"I heard that too. The Coalition was crying for their mothers in less than two hours. I hope I can scavenge a pair of good leather boots this time..."
"Renault, your ambition isn't even as big as a button." A non-commissioned officer slapped the soldier on the head. "Listen to me: kill a few more Prussians and win yourself an Iris Medal. Wear that out, and pretty girls will swarm you like ants to honey."
As the sergeant was speaking, he saw their company commander sliding down the slope of the valley and hastily ordered the soldiers to form up.
The Captain walked up to them, shouted a couple of commands, and then said with a stern face, "Everyone, move to the narrow section on the east side of the valley. Our task is to pile up breastworks."
The soldiers looked at each other in dismay. As the Captain signaled the sergeants to start moving, someone shouted out, "Captain Maas, aren't we going to beat the Prussians? Why are we starting to build defenses?"
The Captain replied with a grim expression, "The armies of all of Germany are concentrated here now. We are going to face over one hundred thousand enemy troops."
"But didn't Oudinot’s corps..."
"No need to envy them. There’ll be plenty of fighting for you here too. Now, move it!"
The western bank of the Sauer River.
Near a small thicket, French engineers secured the last few wooden planks onto the pontoons, and a floating bridge appeared across the water.
Oudinot ordered the skirmisher companies to cross first and establish defensive positions on the opposite bank.
This spot was a good seven or eight kilometers away from the actual ferry crossing, and the area was virtually uninhabited, but he remained extremely cautious.
At two in the afternoon, after the last few rafts carrying gun barrels were hauled ashore by a dozen soldiers working together, the entire corps stood within the borders of the Kingdom of Trier.
To be honest, their situation was highly precarious. If the Coalition discovered them and began an encirclement, the Sauer River behind them would block their retreat.
Yet at this moment, every soldier was incredibly keyed up. It was as if they were in the suburbs of Paris, and what awaited them were not Coalition cannons, but girls carrying bouquets of flowers.
Before dark, several rangers dressed in the dark gray coarse cloth common in the Rhineland returned and reported to Oudinot, "Colonel, we heard from peasants in Gerolstein that a force passed through there this morning. It looked to be nearly ten thousand strong."
Oudinot immediately opened his map, estimated the distance, and spoke to the officers beside him. "Our luck is holding. The enemy shouldn't have reached Neuerburg yet.
"Let the men rest where they are. We attack at dawn!"
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