by Griff Hosker
The next few months saw us playing cat and mouse with the enemy. We did not know the general’s plan at the time. I do not think anyone did. He kept those things to himself but he was planning to bleed the Austrians dry. He had no intention of attacking Mantua. It would be too expensive in terms of men but we had almost twenty thousand men trapped there and the Austrians had to attempt to relieve them. The general kept the poorer troops, the ones without the shoes and the ones with barely any training, surrounding the walls of the ancient town. The good troops, like the 17th Chasseur a Cheval were used to defeat every army the Austrians sent down to relieve Mantua.
We came to know the hills to the north of Mantua like the back of our hand. We were stationed along the front, just ten men in an isolated patrol but the moment we saw the enemy a message would be sent to the general and by the time the army was close to Mantua there would be a French army to defeat it. General Bonaparte began to station our light infantry in the hills and defiles so that when we were chased by the enemy they could be ambushed. Jean told me the term for this kind of warfare. It was a war of attrition. We lost few and they lost many. Occasionally one of our chasseurs died but we killed more than we buried. We were never called on to fight in the battles, it was not cavalry country and we were too few anyway but the colonel was happy with our role. As he told us it was what we were trained for and no one did it better than we did.
At the end of November I was summoned along with the colonel and Jean to the general’s quarters. Captain Bessières met us there and he actually smiled in a pleasant way. I think that he was an ambitious man and had hitched his horse to the general’s wagon. He could now afford to be genial with us.
“Welcome gentlemen. I am pleased to see that my old regiment is still performing as well as when I commanded it.” We all bit back our retorts and smiled at the man who had been a brief and forgettable interruption in a well run regiment. “If you would wait a moment the general is just briefing General Murat.”
That was the first time that I met the flamboyant cavalry general who was so mercurial. He never walked anywhere he always strode dramatically. He was like an actor on a stage, always striking a pose. When he came out he stood to allow us to admire his uniform which had more braid, buttons and gilt on it than a drum major’s uniform.
Captain Bessières said, “General. This is the colonel of the 17th Chasseurs and two of his men.”
He beamed a smile at us. “You are cavalrymen after my own heart! I heard what you did at Lodi and since. You took on a whole regiment with a squadron. Well done! Well done! I look forwards to our times together.” He strode away with a purposeful stride.
“Quite a leader eh? Now if you would follow me.”
The general was seated at his table with maps and papers all around him. “Thank you Bessières. You may leave us now.”
I enjoyed the look of disappointment on his face as he had to leave the meeting. When the door had closed General Bonaparte waved us over. He cleared the papers until there was just the map. “I have a little task for your men colonel. I would like Captain Bartiaux and the sergeant to lead a small mission for me. It is quite a delicate affair and there will be a high degree of danger. I would like you to be part of the planning. I am aware that I am taking some of your best men away from you.” Albert said nothing but nodded his agreement.
Bonaparte pointed. “Here is Naples. They are allies of the Austrians. But you know that, you have been trouncing their horsemen for some time.” He laughed at his own joke. “As a nation they are not important and we shall conquer them in the fullness of time but the British have a mission there and a naval presence. I want you to go to the port and use your scouting skills to discover how much influence the English actually have. I need to know how many British ships are using the port.” He smiled, “I have something in mind.”
He sat back and smiled as though he had asked us to bring him a plate of food from the kitchens. Albert looked at the map. “Could a ship not do this easier, quicker and safer sir?”
His face became a grimace. “The navy? They are incompetent and besides they would not be able to get close to the British Legation.” He pointed at me. “Besides we have someone here who can pass for an Englishman. I am not asking you to fight merely to count. It is simple enough.”
Jean coughed and drew a line with his finger on the map. “We have to go from here to here. This is not French territory.”
“No but the first part will be simplicity itself. The Pope and his armies never leave Rome. Once you are close to Naples there will be few soldiers there for they will either be guarding the palace or the fortresses of the kingdom. You can have civilian clothes for when you are close.”
I could see that his mind was made up. “How many men will we have, sir, apart from the captain and myself?”
The general rubbed his hands together, “Good that is what I like to hear, intelligent questions. No more than four others. You are to be like ghosts sneaking through their land. I know you have the courage and I believe you have the wit to do what I ask. There will be promotions in this,” he added slyly. Our faces told him that we would do as he wished. “Good. I will send a man with some money and some civilian clothes.” He pointed to the upstairs. “This belonged to a Neapolitan merchant and his family. They left rather hurriedly and I am sure there are clothes here to fit you. If not then use your natural ingenuity.” He stood and, one by one, shook us all by the hand. “In serving me you are serving France.”
Chapter 9
Albert shook his head as we walked back to our camp. “I think this is wrong. You will be shot as spies if you are caught.”
“Then we will have to make sure that we are not caught. Do not worry old friend. With Robbie’s good fortune we will end up rich men after this.”
“Rich men? How so?”
“I do not know but this young man has a habit of falling in a pile of horse muck and coming up smelling of roses!”
“You are probably right. Who will you take?”
Jean looked at me, “We don’t want to take your best men and I think Robbie knows his section better than any. Who do you think?”
Three of them were obvious, “Charles, Francois and Tiny are obvious ones. As for the fourth,” I shrugged.
Albert stroked his moustache, “Then if I can suggest Michael. He comes from near Nice and he can speak Italian. He also looks a little more like an Italian than you do.” He looked at me. “You, my friend, stand out like a sore thumb. You can never pass for an Italian.”
“You were not listening colonel. I only need to pass for an Englishman and my colouring will do that perfectly!”
The four men were delighted to be chosen. “The general has promised promotion if it is a successful operation.” I could see the obvious pleasure when they heard that.
“I would do it anyway colonel.” Tiny was impetuous but he had found his home in the regiment and would do anything to please the colonel and me.
The clothes and money arrived after dark. We did not need to be told that we had to leave the camp as though we were going on patrol. It would be a secret mission after all. The colonel ensured that we all had two pistols. I already had a pair but the young troopers did not. He also gave us two spare horses to carry the clothes and supplies. We had no idea how long the journey would take.
Albert came along at dawn the next day to see us off. “Do not take risks, Jean. Our little general is ambitious. I am not sure what benefit this information will have for France. Bring the boys back safely. This war is almost over and we want to enjoy the fruits of peace eh?”
“Do not worry about me. Worry about yourself. I have heard that this General Murat craves glory more than Bonaparte! Watch yourself. I think you will be charging more than you like, old friend.”
Our uniforms were enough to secure us passage south of the lines of trenches which surrounded Mantua. They were filled with the raw recruits. They had numbers but that was all. There would be no assault f
or that would risk the threadbare confidence of the infantry. It was an attempt to starve the enemy into submission. It was now well into early winter. General Bonaparte had managed to gather every morsel of food for our men who were besieging. The cold and the hunger would do what lead and iron could not. He would starve the enemy into submission and, if they were foolish enough to attack then they would bleed in the cold northern Italian winter.
I rode next to Michael. The two of us would have a crucial role to play. We would be the ones who would have to speak with the enemy. “Is there any difference in the accents in Italy?”
He nodded, “Yes sergeant. Where we are going, in Naples, they speak quite uncouthly. I interrogated one of the Neapolitan prisoners and he was hard to understand. However the more I speak with them the easier it will become. And you, will there be a difference in British accents?”
I nodded. “My mother spoke with a Scottish accent and I have learned that when I interrogated an English prisoner I noticed he used some different words to the ones I knew.” I shrugged. “I will have to play the wandering Scotsman.”
We headed for the east coast and Ferrara. The mountains were too much of a risk as there were still bandits and brigands. It was bad enough avoiding the military but we could not afford to be fighting off the men of the mountains. “Sir, how long will it take us to get there?”
Jean had studied the maps along with me and we had estimated a time but that did not take into account unforeseen events. “It will be the better part of a week.”
Tiny looked at the threatening December skies. “I thought the weather was warmer further south.”
Michael shook his head. “Not at this time of year and be grateful we are not in the mountains for there they get snow. At least this way we will not freeze.”
When we reached the outskirts of Ferrara we changed into our civilian clothes. We had left our musketoons at the camp with the colonel for there was no way we could explain those away. Our swords and pistols were understandable for travellers in such dangerous times. We split into three groups and approached the town from three different directions. “Remember your story. You two,” he pointed at Charles and Tiny, “are heading to Naples to seek employment with the king. If anyone asks why you are Frenchmen doing this then say you fought for the king’s army in the Vendee.” The last royalist uprising had been cruelly put down and there would be many royalist sympathisers fleeing. “Michael and Francois, you are travelling to Naples for the same reason but you are from Piedmont. The sergeant and I will be travelling to seek passage on a Royal Navy ship and escape back to England. You have the money for the inn. Use it wisely and keep a low profile. Haggle, if you were soldiers fleeing, it is what you would do.”
I thought that our stories were a little thin. I felt even more nervous when we came to a gate where there were two armed men. They looked at us suspiciously as we approached the gate. Michael had taught us a little basic Italian and we used it with the guards.
“We are looking for an inn in the town.”
The largest one laughed and said something which I didn’t quite catch but from his actions led me to believe he was saying they would be expensive. We both nodded our agreement and shrugged. He seemed satisfied and waved us through. I hoped that it would be as easy to get out of the town. We were now in the Papal States. I know that we had been told that their soldiers were all based in Rome but that was not very reassuring. There were a number of inns in the town and we headed to the nearest one. They had rooms although I suspect they raised their prices when they saw the quality of our horses. I wondered where the other four were. Charles and Tiny answered that when they arrived half an hour after us. We pretended not to know each other. I took the opportunity of checking on the horses. Tiny followed me and we were able to talk in the stables.
“Michael and Francois are in the inn next door. We tried to get in there but it is full. There is some sort of diplomatic group and they are heading for Rome.”
“At least we got in through the gates.”
“True. Sergeant I was really scared.”
“I think we all are Tiny. This isn’t something we do every day. You wouldn’t be afraid if you were in a battle but this is different. You are doing well. Just keep the story in your head.”
He nodded and then added brightly, “This is the first inn I have ever stayed in! I am excited.”
I laughed. “You will cope.”
We paid for a breakfast in the inn and left early. The other two were there as well saddling their horses. As there were stable boys nearby, we just nodded to each other as though we were all travellers. We left and headed towards the southern gate. Michael was there ostensibly checking his horse’s hoof. He said, as we passed, “The party heading for Rome is leaving this morning and they are using the southern gate.”
Jean stroked his horse’s mane. “Good. We will leave with them and use them as cover. Stay close but not together.” Michael gave him a puzzled look and then he worked it out. We halted at a stall near to the gate to buy some sausage. I heard the hooves clattering along the cobblestones behind us as the diplomats rode towards the city gates. We mounted and, after they had passed us we trotted behind. It would look, to those at the gate as though we were the tardy ones in their party. The guards bowed as the diplomats rode through. As we passed them we nodded and they gave a half bow as though uncertain if we deserved the honour. Once we had left sight of the town we headed as quickly as we could for the road to Ravenna.
“We were lucky there but I think that we will avoid Ravenna and sleep a little rough.” I gave him a curious look. He explained, “Ravenna was the capital of the Roman Empire for a while and there is a history of intrigue and espionage. I think that we will not court disaster so early in our journey.”
It was a hardship to sleep rough and we shivered through a frosty night under our blankets which seemed to be thinner than we had remembered. As we ate a cold breakfast Jean said, “Hopefully we will not have to suffer like that again. We will stay in stables at the very least.”
San Marino was not one of the Papal States. Jean explained that to me as we rode south. “It is an independent country but it is just one city. It has been here for hundreds of years on top of its hill. We will be safe there. It is not ruled by a king but a council of regents.”
We rode together. Out story would not matter here. This country was one of the few not involved in the conflict raging in the rest of the continent. Once through the gates we headed for an inn. All of us were desperate for a warm room, hot food and some decent wine. The inn had all of that and more. We were totally relaxed as we finished off our third bottle of wine. I thought that Pierre would have been more than satisfied with its quality. The happy look on his inebriated face seemed to confirm this.
Suddenly the door of the inn burst open and ten armed men stood there with muskets aimed at us. “You are all under arrest as spies of the French Government.”
We had no arms with us and we had to submit. They grabbed us and bound our hands behind us. We would end our days on the gibbet in San Marino. We were escorted to the town prison. The people we passed in the street viewed us curiously and then went about their business. We were not from the city and our fate did not matter to them. There were few prisoners; we found out later that there had been an amnesty for Christmas and those with lesser offences had been sent home. We had straw for a bed and there was a tub to be used as a toilet. Francois smiled. “Well at least it is dry and warm. And we ate first. It isn’t all bad!”
For some reason that made us all laugh, even the dour Jean. “I did not expect this. San Marino is a small city and does not bother over much with outsiders.”
Tiny asked, “I’ve never heard of the place sir.”
“It has been a separate country since Roman times. It has a good position in the land and has high walls. It means that it is difficult for an invader to capture the city. There were many such city states. Mantua where the regiment is at present, was
one, as was Ferrara. They were all gobbled up one by one.”
We were silent for a while. “Then what do they want with us? I would have thought they would have wished us to be gone and they would be left alone once more. I mean if the general wanted this town he could easily capture it. It isn’t as though it has the Austrian army behind it.”
“I know Robbie and that has me worried. This is deliberate. What is behind it? I know it is pointless but check the walls and windows in case we can escape.”
It was a fruitless task but one which we had to perform. There was one door in and it was a solid one. It was guarded by two men. The window was so small that I doubted I could have got my leg through it. The bars would have prevented even that. The floors and walls appeared solid too. The prison was in the main castle and was ancient. I suppose that if it had survived this long then it would have been well built.
We all slept uneasily that night. It was not the discomfort, we were used to that, it was the uncertainty of our position. We were many miles from friends and we had been disarmed. We could end up rotting our lives away in San Marino prison. The alternative appeared to be the noose. It was the smell from the tub which awoke me. Its acidic and pungent smell almost made me gag.
The others were awake. “Michael, ask the other prisoners how long we have to put up with that smell.”
The three prisoners we shared our cell with were all chained to the walls by the means of a long chain attached to a large ring. We were free to wander. He came back. “He says that one of us will be asked to take it out to empty it when they bring our food and water.”
Jean brightened at that. “Then that might be our chance to escape. Be ready to rush them when they tell one of us to remove it from this cell. The rest take the guards and flee. We’ll take our chances outside.”