Chapter 863 Entering the strategic counterattack stage (additional updates for the leader of the black-handed chief Xianyuwei)
The cannon closest to the entrance on the south side of the fortress suddenly disappeared.
The French infantry rushing up was inspired and quickly spread into a strait rank - the infantry of the direct legion had undergone a large number of strait combat training.
As the French army launched the first volley, the enemy troops near the entrance of the fortress retreated to the east.
Their firepower then turned to the fortress gate to prevent the Austrian army from coming out to reinforce.
But soon, the cannons and flintlocks on the fortress began to shoot wildly here, and immediately more than a dozen French soldiers were stained with blood and fell to the ground and died.
The French battalion commander loudly encouraged the soldiers: "Everyone hold on, Major Vassel's reinforcements will come soon, and this will become a breakthrough for us to attack the fortress!"
Geral hurriedly led his team to a heavy artillery position at the oblique corner. Before he could enter the dead corner of the cannon, he began to raise his gun to shoot.
In less than 20 minutes, the two French infantry battalions had more than 260 casualties, but they always stubbornly stood at the entrance on the south side of the fortress, making it impossible for the Austrian defense line here to close.
At this moment, the sound of horse hooves came from afar.
Geral turned his head and saw the flag of the Royal Dragoon Battalion swinging in the sun, and behind it seemed there were cavalry artillery troops.
The Dragoon dismounted in front of the fortress, quickly sorted out the formation, and then launched a strong attack on the fortress.
At the same time, the cavalry artillery also set up artillery and concentrated on bombarding the enemy troops at the gap.
More than 800 dragoons were almost unblocked and occupied the outer embankment on the south side of the fortress, which is the outermost city wall.
The defenders in the fortress were stunned by the sudden attack. In addition, they lost unified command, and the reserve troops in the fortress barracks never came out to reinforce.
When Major Wasser's infantry regiment arrived, the situation was irreversible, and a large number of Austrian soldiers began to abandon the fortress and flee...
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Sirte was inspecting the fortress he had just occupied, and he heard a shocking cheer sound around, "Look, the Austrians are retreating!"
"Haha, Cologne is ours!"
"Victory belongs to France!"
"Long live France! Long live His Majesty the King!"
"Long live France!"
Sirte hurriedly ran to a tower in the fortress. Without using a telescope, he could see a large number of Austrian soldiers leaving the last fortress in the east like ants and moving towards the floating bridge on the river in the distance.
He just smiled calmly: "Count Clayfat is a wise commander."
After Prussia withdrew from the war, Cologne was destined to be unable to get too many reinforcements. You should know that the Mantua Fortress in Italy is also surrounded by Napoleon, which is closer to Vienna, and Austria will inevitably place its main forces there.
The last fortress lost the support of other fortresses and would soon be cut off from the outside supply - the river surface that a single fortress could cover was limited, and the French could block the supply ships from docking with reasonable gun positions.
So Cologne can no longer hold on.
Before dusk came, the two thousand Austrian soldiers who were cut off surrendered under the attack of the Dawu Legion.
Clayfat on the other side ordered the burning of the pontoon bridge.
Three days later.
Sirte was looking through the list of the trophy he had just sent when he saw a messenger coming quickly, holding his hat and saluting, saying, "Lieutenant Colonel, General Bertier, let you go to the combat conference room immediately."
"Okay, I'll be here right away."
More than 20 minutes later, Sirte arrived at the temporary front command on the east side of Cologne Cathedral.
The conference room was full of people, and almost all officers above major were there. Bertier signaled him to take his seat. After confirming that everyone was here, he whispered: "His Majesty the King has sent a commendation order to encourage the victory we just won!"
The people immediately stood up and saluted to Paris, "May God bless my king."
Bertier then picked up a letter of appointment from the copper plate held by the servant next to him and whispered: "His Royal Highness personally issued it, promoted Colonel Massena to the rank of brigadier general..."
Amid the congratulations of everyone, a routine rank ceremony was completed quickly.
Bertier then picked up the second letter of appointment: "His Royal Highness personally issued the letter to Lieutenant Colonel St. Ellaer to the rank of colonel..."
Another award ceremony.
Bertier continues.
"…Promoted Lieutenant Colonel Jur to the rank of colonel…
"... Promoted Major Sulte to the rank of colonel...
"... Promoted Major Dawu to the rank of lieutenant colonel..."
The newest⊥Little⊥ Say⊥ at the ⊥6⊥9⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥⊥�
It can be said that after this war, the grand occasion of the gathering of stars that appeared in France during the war era had already begun to appear.
Bertier asked the servant to withdraw the wine used to celebrate in the conference room, raised his hand to signal the cheerful officers to be quiet, and then whispered:
"Now we will start to talk about the main business.
"The General Staff decided to merge the Southern Netherlands Front and the Rhine Front into the Northern Front.
"The whole army rested in Cologne for half a month.
"In mid-November, General Massena commanded the Royal First and Second Infantry Divisions, as well as the three Royal Cavalry Battalions, the Royal First and Second Cavalry Artillery Battalions, and headed to Artsace. "There was there to join the Morrow army, cross the Rhine from Basel, and march into Freiburg..."
The troops handed over to Massena had only more than 30,000 people, and Joseph did not intend to achieve much victory.
But after Massena crossed the river in Basel in the southern section of the Rhine River, he could directly threaten Bavaria by conquering Freiburg.
There is basically no danger to defend west of Bavaria, and nearly one-third of Bavaria's army was lost in the Battle of Luxembourg.
Massena's 30,000 troops can make Bavaria feel like a ray of light.
At the same time, Massena can also obtain nearby supplies from Baden - Baden is now a member of the Mediterranean Security Organization, and providing logistics supplies to the French army is a matter of duty - he can fight in the Bavaria area for a long time.
In this way, the Grand Duke of Bavaria, Teodor, had to ask for help from Austria.
And this is like putting Austria on fire and roasting.
If Austria does not agree to reinforcements, Bavaria will have to negotiate peace with France, and the anti-French alliance will lose its important German state. At the same time, Austria's prestige as the "leader of the boss" of Shinra will inevitably suffer a heavy blow.
If Austria agrees to reinforcements, it will only be possible to mobilize troops from Italy.
Napoleon has been fighting in Mantua now. If Velmze's troops are reduced, Mantua Fortress may collapse.
(This chapter ends)