Chapter 784 Siege of Genoa
Argentau initially thought the French were just feinting. After all, judging from the current situation, it is the most reasonable tactical choice for them to retreat to the west and defend the Katipona Pass.
It wasn't until Walter was breached that he finally reacted.
Demobin is serious.
So he hurriedly transferred back the troops sent out for diversionary attacks, but it was obviously a little late.
Dimobin's forward Mulan Army almost followed the Argentau Army to the Turkino Pass, and then launched a fierce attack.
The Turchino Pass is on the west side of the Port of Genoa and belongs to the extreme end of the Alps.
Although it is several kilometers wide, it is the only terrain outside Genoa that can be used for defense.
Argentao looked at the French cannons that were roaring on the high ground to the north and loudly asked the staff officer on the side: "So how long will it take for our reinforcements to arrive?"
"General, according to the news sent at noon yesterday, the Tavinian Army has set off from Milan."
Argentao frowned suddenly. Even a quick march from Milan to Genoa would take a week.
He did not expect that the French would be so desperate and press forward with almost all their troops.
With only 7,000 soldiers in his hands, it would be difficult for him to hold on for so long under the offensive of more than 20,000 French troops.
Argentao was thinking about how to delay the arrival of reinforcements. A captain hurried over and reported in a very embarrassed manner: "General, General, two hours ago, a group of Genoese thugs set fire to our house on Canneve Avenue. Warehouse..."
The so-called "thugs" were actually dozens of young nobles from Genoa.
They received a secret order from Governor Abbiaso to carry out sabotage in the rear of the Austrian army. The warehouse requisitioned by Austria was the family property of one of them, named Agladi.
Agradi led his companions into the warehouse through a hidden door, and then summoned the servants here - they were conscripted as porters by the Austrian army - and effortlessly set fire to more than a dozen places in the warehouse at the same time.
The two ships of supplies delivered by British transport ships the day before yesterday were instantly reduced to ashes.
"Kannivi Avenue?" Argentao was stunned for a moment, and his expression suddenly changed. The legion's rations and some artillery shells were stored there.
Genoa is a place that does not produce food at all, but thanks to the huge profits brought by maritime trade, they can spend money to buy food from North Africa or Sicily at any time.
But the city of Genoa only had a population of 60,000 to 70,000, and the sudden increase of more than 7,000 troops led to an immediate food shortage.
Originally there was food and grass shipped by the British, which was enough for Argentao to consume for more than half a month, but at this time the warehouse was burned down and he had to run out of food immediately. The next batch of transport ships will not arrive until half a month later.
On the battlefield, a dozen infantry columns of the Mullan Army suddenly rushed up quickly and spread out on the left flank of the Austrian army, and then the percussion cap guns burst out with dense fire. Under the fierce fire, the Austrian defense line suddenly began to waver.
Argentao hurriedly ordered a reserve battalion to go up and barely stabilized the situation, but then he saw the French infantry line appearing on the north side of the pass, and at the same time more than a dozen cannons began to move forward.
Argentao watched the French army's overwhelming offensive and couldn't help but secretly complain.
According to this trend, our defense line can only last three or four days at most - if the food is not exhausted before then.
food?
Something suddenly occurred to him.
The French completely ignored their western passage and used all their forces to attack Genoa. Then the Cervoni Army would soon be able to control the Catipona Pass, which was the French army's logistics supply channel.
So it makes no sense to compete head-on with the French here. The French army should be allowed to enter Genoa in exchange for time for Milan's reinforcements to join them.
When the French ran out of rations in Milan without wasting a single shell, they would have to surrender.
It should be said that Argentao's plan is correct.
In the historical Battle of Marengo, Massena, who was placed as a bait in Genoa by Napoleon, endured a severe lack of food for more than 50 days and finally had to lead his hungry soldiers out of the city to surrender.
Now that Massena has been transferred to the Rhine battlefield by Joseph, veteran Dimobin will attract firepower here on his behalf.
But Dumopin was lucky because he would receive supplies from the French Navy from the Mediterranean.
History will not repeat itself for him.
In the early morning of the next day, when Dimobin ordered the soldiers to launch a new round of attack, they were surprised to find that it was quiet near the Catipona Pass. The Argentau Army had retreated eastward last night.
Two days later, Joubert led two infantry regiments. Under the welcome of the Genoese, they entered the city of Genoa without enemy defense.
Dumopin did not waste any time. After a short rest, he ordered Joubert and Augereau to build a defense line outside Genoa.
He himself came to the Governor's Palace of Genoa and publicly read out His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's promise to "always support Genoa's neutral status and never interfere in Genoa's internal affairs", and urged the Habsburg family to repay as soon as possible the decades-old debt owed to the Bank of Genoa. debt.
Please...you...collect 6...9...books...!
Yes, Genoa's gradual decline in the 18th century had a lot to do with the fact that the Habsburg family borrowed a large amount of money from them but refused to repay it.
Of course, most of these were borrowed by the former Spanish Habsburg royal family, but who can calculate these old accounts so clearly?
As for the loan that France owes to Genoa, the Crown Prince said that the French attach great importance to credibility and guarantee the repayment of principal and interest.
Well, when the war in Italy ends, these debts will be transferred to Austria in the form of war reparations. The French will never default on their debts!
A week later, the Sardinian legions led by Cori arrived at Novi Ligure.
Immediately afterwards, Cervoni's army approached the Turkino Pass from the west.
At this point, nearly 50,000 Osa coalition forces completed the encirclement of the Dimobin Army, and after a few days of rest, launched a fierce attack on Genoa.
……
Northwestern Italy.
Novara.
In the officer's tent in the French camp, Napoleon quickly drew three arrows on the map with a pencil, and then looked at the officers in front of him with burning eyes: "Now we have three options.
"Attack Turin southward. This will force Sardinia to withdraw from the anti-French alliance.
"Go to the southeast, which is the farthest way, to Genoa, and attack the back of Melas' army. If General Dimobin cooperates well, he can form a pincer attack on the enemy."
He pointed to the arrow on the far right: "Go east, attack Milan, and occupy the Austrian base camp in Italy."
Marmont said without much hesitation: "Commander, we should give priority to the safety of General Demobin.
"According to the intelligence sent yesterday, he is facing an enemy siege that is nearly twice his size."
(End of chapter)