Chasseur à Cheval (Napoleonic Horseman Book 1)

by Griff Hosker

  “That is a good idea and the colonel has just discovered that we are to receive more recruits just as soon as Mantua falls.”

  “It has been months. Will it ever fall?”

  “I think that it will now. This was the last throw of the dice. There are no more Austrians left to relieve the siege and they must be starving by now. It will end soon.”

  Jean proved to be remarkably accurate in his predictions. Two weeks after we had cleared the heights above Rivoli it surrendered and, more importantly, a peace treaty was signed. This part of the war was over.

  Chapter 12

  If I thought that the end of the siege meant a quiet time then I was wrong. Firstly we received a hundred new troopers and even before we had time to half train them we were sent north to the mountains of the Tyrol. The 17th Chasseurs were needed as scouts once again. Just as when we had left for the south we had to try to train them as we headed north towards Rivoli and the passes into the Alps. I had to use Tiny and Charles to keep on to the men about their riding. It was the road to Paris all over again. They were slouched over their saddles and waddling from side to side. This time, however, I had more experience and no-one got away with slack discipline.

  Fortunately the first part of the journey was through the plains north of Turin and Milan and the Austrians had fled back to their mountain homeland. The Italians were not sure if we were liberators or oppressors. The Ligurian Republic had shown us in a good light and we were generally welcomed by the locals, albeit warily. The troop was knocked into shape as we headed north. Pierre was as relentless as I was and he was determined that when we got into our next fight the men would be ready. The tradition of sergeant major carried on strongly with the new occupant of that office.

  We were close to Legnano when we had our first desertion. Gregor Lapin was a huge unpleasant lump of a man and he belied his name of rabbit. He was slovenly and lazy. Both those characteristics could have been accepted but he was a thief and a bully. Since the revolution we were no longer allowed to flog a man but when Jean-Noel found him stealing something had to be done.

  Pierre came to me, “Sir, there is a way around this. We will hold a trial and, if he is found guilty, and he will be, then the men he stole from will deal out the punishment.”

  “I am not sure Pierre. Isn’t there another way?”

  “This way is as old as time. I have heard the Roman legions used a similar punishment. It will show anyone else that bullying and stealing will not be tolerated and it will give hope to others that there is discipline.” He paused. “The colonel will approve, just ask him.”

  I went to the colonel and told him what had happened and what we thought we ought to do. He nodded. “It is hard when you have a thief. The men hate that more than anything. When you go to war you must trust those you fight with. If there is a thief then they cannot trust them. It is not pleasant but it must be done. Pierre is quite right.”

  I was pleased that I had asked him. After the trial Pierre came to see me. “He is a bad ‘un sir. He has been taking money from some of the young recruits as well as thieving. I hope they break something. We can do without him in the troop.”

  “I don’t want him hurt so badly that he cannot ride.”

  Pierre grinned. “Don’t worry sir; he made the mistake of stealing from Tiny. He is in charge of the punishment party.”

  I saw the thief as he made his way back to his tent. He was able to walk but his face showed the pain as he winced through the camp to his tent. I thought that we had dealt with it until the next day when Pierre found me. “Sir, it’s the thief, Lapin. He has legged it.”

  “Damn. See if you can find his trail and I will see the colonel.”

  Albert was not surprised. “He is a bad soldier. We are well shot of him but you must catch him, lieutenant. Bring him back and we can shoot him as a deserter. It will discourage the others from copying him. You have two days to catch him. Jean will look after your troop until you return. Take Pierre. He is like a bloodhound.”

  Pierre was not surprised by the colonel’s decision. “If you have one desertion, it spreads. Beside this will be a good lesson for all the young lads.” He pointed south. “He headed towards Mantua. He will be trying to hide out in the confusion. The trouble is he is dozy sir. He is so big and he is wearing a chasseur’s uniform. He will stand out like a huge ugly sore thumb!”

  We took nothing but what we needed. I left my musket; it would only get in the way. I took money from the quartermaster in case we needed accommodation. I hoped to catch him before the day was out.

  We quickly picked up his trail. As Pierre had said a big ugly chasseur was easy to find. People along the route all told us of the giant in the green uniform who recklessly galloped through their towns. He was heading for Mantua. We both had better horses and I knew that we would be catching him. Once we reached Mantua we reported to the Gendarmerie. I did not want to be arrested for desertion myself.

  “We are looking for a trooper who has deserted.”

  “A big ugly fellow wearing your uniform?”

  “Yes. Have you seen him?”

  “He rode in an hour ago. I was busy with some wagons or else I would have spoken with him.”

  “Where would he go to hide in this town?” I could see the damage our artillery had done and it looked as though half the city had been destroyed.

  “The eastern quarter has the most unsavoury bars and that is where the local villains hang out. When we have time we will clear out that nest of vermin but it is early days. I would leave your horses here. There is a stable and we will watch them for you. Do you need any help?”

  Pierre grinned, “Not us!”

  He inclined his head, “Watch out for yourselves. It is filled with criminals and deserters. We should burn the place to the ground.”

  I was not so sure I agreed with Pierre. Perhaps we could do with the Gendarmerie. After we had stabled our horses we loaded our pistols and stuck them in our belts. We headed for the eastern half of the city and we could see that it was the least damaged portion but the one which felt more dangerous the burnt out parts. There were eyes all over us. It was Pierre who recognised the saddle. It was for sale on a market stall selling a variety of disparate items. “I recognise the saddle sir. He will be somewhere near here.” We knew that he had taken his weapons and we had to be prepared for violence.

  We did not enter the nearest tavern but the second one we found. The first was largely empty and Lapin would hide in a crowd. The second was packed. When we entered the smoky room fell silent. An Italian deliberately spat on the floor in front of us. He looked belligerently at us. Pierre smiled and then in one movement picked the man up by the shirt and head butted him. I heard the nose break and he collapsed in a heap in front of us. Pierre leaned down to wipe the spit from the floor with the man’s woollen hat. “I can’t abide a dirty floor.” He smiled and we walked to the bar. Everyone moved away.

  There was a surly looking man at the bar. Pierre walked up to him and asked, “We are looking for a trooper. He is dressed like us. Have you seen him?”

  They feigned ignorance spread their hands and smiled at him. Pierre tried again; he pointed to his coat and said, “Soldiers like us.” He pointed to me. This time the barman shook his head. Pierre looked at me and spread his arms. “Not in here sir. Shall we have a drink?”

  “We might as well.”

  Pierre said, “Two glasses of wine.”

  As soon as the man served us we knew they spoke French but we smiled at them. What they did not know was that I spoke a little Italian. The barman turned to the woman next to him. “When they have gone, bring the big man downstairs. We will get more money from him than he paid.”

  I winked at Pierre. “I am just annoyed that he took the paymaster’s chest. With that kind of money he could hide anywhere.”

  “Yeah he was always a sly one. There must be a thousand gold pieces. I bet he is staying at an expensive hotel. He could afford it.”

 
I saw the reaction on the faces of the two behind the bar. They were already spending the money. We slowly finished our wine and then paid. I could see they were desperate to get rid of us and then they would search Lapin for the chest he didn’t have. We said goodbye to the barman and then I said to Pierre, “Let’s see if he headed for Venice. It’s where I would go to get a ship.”

  Once outside we walked purposefully away. As soon as we reached the corner and turned we stopped. “You take the back door and I will take the front.”

  Pierre grinned and rubbed his hands. “Right you are sir.”

  I walked slowly back to give Pierre time to reach the back of the inn. They had neglected to put a watch on the door and I stood outside. Lapin was being beaten up. “Where is the chest of money you fat pig. We know you have it.”

  I could hear the trooper crying through broken teeth, “They were lying. I only have the money from my saddle and my horse. Honestly!”

  I smiled, that was a lie in itself as he had stolen from his comrades just before he deserted. He had to have hidden that money somewhere. I took one of my pistols out and made sure it was primed. I stepped through the door. One of the men on my right lurched towards me with a blade in his hand. I struck him with the barrel of my pistol and he collapsed to the ground. They all looked around. I pointed my pistol at the barman.

  “Now when we were just in you said that this man was not here and yet he has miraculously appeared. How is that?”

  The barman looked to my left and said, in Italian, “Giuseppe, kill him!”

  I turned and fired in one move and then drew out my second pistol. This time, when I spoke, I spoke in Italian. “Now you are really starting to annoy me.” I walked towards him and placed my gun in the centre of his forehead.

  The barman just said, “You have one gun and you are alone. There are many men behind you. Give up now!”

  I smiled as I saw Pierre appear with a shotgun in his hand. It was the one with a short barrel used by the locals when finishing a feud. “And that is a shame because I only have one man behind you but he has got a shotgun.”

  The sound of the two hammers being cocked seemed unnaturally loud. Pierre shouted, in French, “Drop your weapons! Now!”

  I didn’t turn but I heard an assortment of objects being dropped to the ground. “Now, you lousy, little, lying Italian. I should kill you for not telling the truth and threatening me.” I smiled, “But I won’t.” I saw the tension leave his face. “I’ll just give you a headache.”I smashed the barrel of the other pistol on his skull and split his head open. I then put the barrel to the head of the woman who I assumed was his wife. “Now I want the money this man paid you because we have to buy back his equipment. If you think I wouldn’t shoot a woman, believe me, I would.”

  I saw resignation on her face and she grabbed a handful of coins and thrust them into my hand. I pointed the pistol at Lapin. “You, get on your feet. You are coming with me. Can you watch them until we get out sergeant?”

  “It will be my pleasure sir.”

  Lapin looked as though he might argue so I pressed the barrel into his huge nose. “I personally do not mind shooting you here. Understand that!” He stood and we backed out of the door. As we reached the door I heard, “Well you get things done. I will say that.”

  I glanced over my shoulder and saw the Gendarmerie officer and four men we had met from the gate. “There is one dead Italian in there.”

  “He probably deserved it. We will escort you to the gate. Where is that resourceful sergeant of yours?”

  Just then Pierre appeared with the trooper’s horse. “It looks like they planned to steal the horse from the trooper as well sir. Shall we call and get the saddle?”

  We headed out of Mantua with a very sore and sullen Lapin. We had taken the precaution of binding his hands and leading his horse. Having gone to so much trouble to capture him I didn’t want to risk losing him. We were exhausted by the time we reached the camp and it was well after dark. Albert came to greet us, “I knew you would get your man, I just didn’t think it would be this quickly.” He shouted for his orderly. “Have this man chained and guarded. We will try him tomorrow.”

  The trial was a foregone conclusion. He had not got a leg to stand on. I think the two beatings had taken any spark of resistance he had left in him. When the colonel announced the punishment, death by firing squad, his shoulders slumped in resignation. The firing squad was chosen by ballot but most of the squadron would have been a member without a second thought. Lapin had not been a popular man. The effect was that Lapin was the only man who ever deserted from the 17th Chasseurs and that was a claim which not too many regiments could make. We left for the Tyrol with a regiment determined and of one mind.

  The closer we came to the mountains the worse the roads became. We also saw more signs of the enemy. They were destroying anything we could use as they left each town. Bonaparte’s armies famously travelled light and relied on local supplies. That had gone awry at Montenotte and the general had scoured the lands to the south to ensure that his army ate well. The scorched earth would not hurt us.

  The land itself, and the terrain through which we had to travel, was another matter. The roads twisted and turned around blind outcrops of rock. Trees suddenly obscured the roads to the side and the rivers were only passable by their heavily guarded bridges. General Bonaparte quickly assessed the situation. He brigaded light infantry with the cavalry so that when we found the defended bridges and rocky outcrops the sprightly light infantry would scramble, duck and dive to winkle out the enemy. They did not have it all their own way for the Jaegers we encountered were masters of the mountains. The solution the general found to that problem was to give us a four pounder horse gun which would blast the defenders with grapeshot. It was slow work and it cost us many men but we managed to reach the land of old Austria.

  We had to use all three arms as well as calling upon a brigade of infantry when we reached Trento. The mountains reared up on one side of the valley in unscalable peaks. The river twisted its way along the valley and nestled on the opposite bank from the town was a small hill topped by a fort. Its guns covered the town, the bridge and, more importantly, the road north. We had to eliminate the fort’s threat. Colonel Aristide was the senior colonel. Colonel Dayan of the light infantry had only been a colonel since Lodi and was only twenty two. The lieutenant with the horse artillery was a mere eighteen year old. We placed pickets in the town close to the bridge and Albert held a meeting with the officers of the three units.

  “I think that we need infantry for this job. Jean, send a rider back to the general and request a battalion of line infantry.”

  Colonel Dayan bridled a little. “My men can take the fort!”

  Albert smiled graciously, “Of that I have no doubt but they would lose many men would they not and your light infantry are too valuable to throw away without good reason.”

  The light infantry captain, Captain Senonche was a bright man. “And is the colonel saying that the line infantry are?”

  “No Captain Senonche, I am just saying that if they die then less training would have been wasted and we have many more of them.” He held up his hands, “I am not saying we sit and do nothing. We will attempt to take the fort but not by assault. Not yet anyway.”

  I was sent to the northern approach road to the town. My job seemed the least glamorous of any of the troop. I was to stop anyone entering the town. It was not a siege but we needed to prevent the Austrians reinforcing the garrison. Jean explained it to me. “General Bonaparte is a clever man and he has columns and brigades like ours throughout the Tyrol. We are probing for weaknesses so that we can bring them to battle. We have found a strength which is why the colonel has decided to send for line troops. Your job is important.”

  I understood but it seemed a little mundane after the exciting missions we had been on lately. Even hunting a deserter had enlivened my life. Pierre was quite happy to be a watcher. “This will suit me for a while si
r. It will give the horses a chance to recover and some of the other troops can be at the sharp end for a change.”

  The rest of the troops were joining with the light infantry and the horse artillery. They would be probing for weaknesses in the Austrian defence. As we headed north we heard the pop of muskets and the crack of the cannon. So far the Austrians had not replied but it was obvious to us all that the bridge could be a killing zone. We had left before dawn to avoid being a target for them. The castle had round walls and could fire either north or south of the town if they chose.

  We rode north towards San Michel Alla’adige. This was a small town eight miles up the road. Pierre was delighted as he was sure that there would be an inn. An inn meant he would have his two staples, food and wine. I placed Tiny and four troopers at the northern end of the town while we occupied the small square. The villagers were wary of us. It was what I had expected. We were polite and paid for what we needed. I began to teach Pierre some Italian as it broke down many fences and barriers. After one such lesson I said, “Rotate the guards at the northern end of the town every three hours. I want to give as many of the new recruits the experience of sentry duty.”

  I examined the town. It was like many of the towns we had passed; it was a string of houses along the main road with a square in the middle. There was a complete lack of military presence and I put that down to the fort at Trento controlling the valley. We could not find accommodation and so we camped at the southern end of the town where the houses stopped. It made our presence less obvious. I knew that the locals would like to enjoy their square at night time.

  Pierre managed to slope off to the inn for a drink each time he relieved the guards at the northern outpost. I did not mind as I knew he would not abuse the privilege. Just before eleven he galloped in and entered my tent. “I think someone slipped out of the town sir.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I was in the tavern having a drink. Just as I was finishing it a young lad, about eighteen years old left. He mounted a horse and headed north. I didn’t think anything of it as I was going that way. Half way down the street I noticed that I couldn’t see him. I thought he must live just outside the town. When I reached the lads they said they had heard a horse to the east. I went back down the road and found the place I lost him. There is a track there. It heads towards a tiny hamlet called Barco and then it rejoins the main road further north. There was no sign of his horse and I think he has gone for help. Sorry sir.”