Chapter 362 Ransom 800,000
Joseph and Berthier looked at each other again.
Although neither of them understood what was going on, they spoke almost at the same time: "Your Highness, I suggest launching an attack immediately!"
"I think we should cooperate with Major Lacoste in a strong attack."
Berthier then bowed slightly: "Yes, Your Highness!"
Soon, the skirmishers of the Guards Corps began to surround the village of Ogchenna. At the same time, the artillery roared, tearing apart the thin infantry lines of the Hanoverian defenders with shells.
Berthier looked at Joseph with some worry and whispered: "Your Highness, could it be that the enemy's reinforcements have already joined the rear team before the cavalry artillery could penetrate?"
He frowned hard again: "Or were they defeated by enemy reinforcements?"
Joseph thought and shook his head: "At least it's not the latter, otherwise it would be difficult for them to launch such a violent bombardment. You just said that there are dozens of cannons shooting at the enemy."
Berthier was relieved after hearing this: "You are right, at least they did not suffer very heavy losses.
"This way, even if they don't have time to block the Hanoverian reinforcements, they are currently forming a pincer attack on Ogchenna Village with us, which is still a good situation."
Just as they were discussing worriedly, a guard came over with a burly soldier covered in black smoke.
Berthier immediately recognized the man: "Are you the messenger Matthew from the cavalry artillery battalion?"
"Yes, General. Matthew Dibble." The messenger raised his hat and saluted, "The battalion commander heard the sound of artillery fire from your side and asked me to come over and report to you. The cavalry artillery battalion and the dragoons cooperated to defeat Hanover. Support the reinforcements from the rear team, and then the battalion commander learned from the prisoners that the enemy was fortified in the village of Ogchenna, so he decided to come and attack the enemy here. "
Berthier was stunned for a second, and then he smiled happily: "Major Lacoste is really...ah, so heroic! He made outstanding contributions to the Legion's victory!"
He looked at Joseph again and whispered: "He used to be a very stable officer."
Joseph immediately thought of a certain artillery company commander, curled his lips and said, "Maybe it was an idea given to him by an adventurous subordinate."
The Hanoverian troops in the village of Ogchenna obviously did not expect to be attacked behind them, and they soon fell into chaos.
The commander, Lieutenant Colonel Schmidt, yelled at the top of his lungs and mobilized soldiers to intercept the enemy on the north side. However, he had arranged all the people on the roof before, and it took him half an hour to send orders and add the whole team. Three companies reached the north of the village.
And when he was doing this, the Hanoverian soldiers in the village were a little confused. They all came down from the roof for a while, but when they heard greater noise coming from the south, they hurried back to the roof...
The cavalry artillerymen on the north side rushed into the village first with almost no obstruction.
Battalion Commander Lacoste had his cannon dragged to a position less than a hundred paces in front of several farmhouses where enemy soldiers were hidden, and the houses were blown down.
The surrounding Hanoverian soldiers who saw this scene were immediately frightened and left the farmhouse in a hurry, fearing that they would be buried in the ruins like their compatriots.
On the south side of the village, Davout pointed to the burning farmhouse ahead and shouted to the herald: "The fire there has destroyed the enemy's defense line. Let everyone rush towards me with me!"
The drummers and flag bearers carried out the company commander's orders without hesitation. Under the rapid beating of drums, hundreds of Guardsmen passed quickly from both sides of the burning farmhouse. Although all their eyebrows and beards were licked off by the flames, and some people's clothes were even set on fire, there were indeed no Hanoverian soldiers nearby. .
Davout directed the soldiers to extinguish the fire on each other, simply formed a team, and immediately launched a volley at the enemy infantry line beside them. Immediately, the gap became wider and wider, and more soldiers of the Guards Legion poured into the village from there, shouting.
Less than an hour later, soldiers of the Guards Corps who launched simultaneous attacks from the north and south met in the village.
Later, Lieutenant Colonel Schmidt, who had burnt hair and a large piece of his uniform torn, was escorted in front of Joseph by a company commander and others.
After learning Joseph's identity, the Hanoverian officer politely saluted him and said, "I didn't expect that the commander of this army would be the young French Crown Prince. Your commanding skills left a very unforgettable impression on me." "
Joseph nodded to him: "Then, please tell me, how long will it take for His Excellency Karl II to complete the defense arrangement?"
"I'm sorry, Your Highness. Out of loyalty to His Majesty, I cannot say a word to you."
Joseph waved his hand, looked at Berthier, and asked in a low voice: "What's this family background like?"
The latter thought for a while, then asked the staff officer on the side, and then replied: "Your Highness, Viscount Schmidt comes from a large family in Feilden. His grandfather has been the lieutenant general of Hanover since the time of George II."
Joseph nodded and smiled. It seemed that his family should be quite wealthy.
So, he motioned to the guard on the side: "Please change Viscount Schmidt into neat clothes first, and then invite him to my tent for a cup of tea. Even enemies should give decent people the respect they deserve. "
Lieutenant Colonel Schmidt was about to express his gratitude, but he heard the French Dauphin continue: "Let the ransom be set at 800,000 livres. This should show your distinguished status."
Schmidt almost spit out a mouthful of old blood. This was the first time he heard that someone had been captured and he "priced" it on the spot.
800,000 livres, that’s more than 300,000 florins!
He is broke and can’t afford so much money!
"Your Highness, you cannot..."
He was about to "bargain" when he heard the French crown prince whisper to the general standing aside: "Ah? Is it much? No, no, I heard that it is very easy for senior military officers to get loans from British banks."
All his words were stuck in his throat until a French officer asked him to move to the military tent...
…
Karl II asked his staff almost every half hour: "How long will it take for the army to be assembled?"
This time the staff officer did not report the positions of the troops as before, but said in a low voice with a dark face: "Marshal, I just received the news that the village of Ogchenna has been breached..."
Karl II suddenly felt dizzy. In less than 4 hours, Schmidt, who was very good at defensive battles, was defeated? !
In other words, there was only less than 3 miles of smooth road left between the French army and itself.
He looked at the map aside. At this time, the farthest infantry regiment on his side was still 1.5 miles away. When the French launch an attack, they may not be able to complete the assembly.
The most terrible thing is that there has been no news from the rear team's cannon.
If there were no cannons, even if he fought head-on with the French army, he would only be beaten in the end.
He hesitated for a while, then summoned an officer not far away and said loudly: "Sir Dill, you now have full authority to command the army in combat."
(End of chapter)