by Griff Hosker
“No it is my fault. I should have explored the whole town and not just the main road. It is shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted but stick Charles and a couple of lads at Barco. It will take someone a couple of hours to get to the nearest garrison. Hopefully we can hold them up for a while. Wake the troopers before dawn and have them stand to at the northern outpost.”
After Pierre had gone I could not sleep and I took out the map. There was a fort at Bolzano about thirty or so miles up the valley. The road followed the river which actually touched the road at Tiny’s post. By the time the garrison reacted it would be dawn so we had to do something to slow down any advance from the north. We had to build a barricade. We could not hope to stop an enemy but we could slow them down. I didn’t want to alarm the colonel with false news. I would send a rider when I knew what we were facing.
I did not get much sleep and, leaving Pierre to wake the rest of the troop and bring them to join me, I headed for the northern post. It was Tiny who was on duty. He had set up the outpost and knew it better than any. “I think, sergeant, that we may have company today. We need to slow them down. Any ideas?”
He pointed to the lumber mill along the river. It used a water wheel from a leat to power it. “There is plenty of timber there. We could build a barricade. It would not take long to build.”
“Good get the boys started on that. What about the bridge?”
There was a wooden bridge across the river and it would enable the enemy to outflank us. “It is a bit rickety. It wouldn’t take much to destroy it.”
“You mean if too many men were on it then it might collapse?”
“Yeah. I walked across it and it shook. More than a handful and they will get wet.”
“Good. You get your boys started on the barricade.”
When Pierre reached me with the men I had my plan formulated. “I want some of the timber from the lumber mill. Build a barricade here to cover the bridge. Put four troopers there. Pick the best six shots and place them in the rocks over there.” I pointed to the rock strew slope above the road. “Make sure the ones you pick are quick. They will have to run back here as quickly as they can. Send another four men to Charles. He will have to hold the Barco road. What was the road like?”
He shook his head. “A track really sir; men and horses could only approach in twos or threes.”
“So he could be the cork in the bottle?”
“Exactly.”
“Good tell him what he has to do. I want a rider ready to ride to the colonel in case they do come. It may be that they don’t bother in which case…”
“In which case, the men will have worked out for nothing.” He grinned. “An idle trooper gets into trouble. This is for the best sir.”
He was right, of course, the men moaned but they worked with a will and soon we had two barriers built. The one to the north was six feet high and the one near the bridge four feet. We wanted any attacker to be tempted to force the smaller barricade. We had a firing step on the larger barricade for that would be the position we would put all of our firepower. We ate at our posts. I contemplated sending a rider up the road to scout out the area but we had too few men as it was. We would have to wait, patiently.
The Austrians signalled their arrival with drums. They were marching down the road and we heard them a mile away. One of the men on the hillside saw the white uniforms and sent us a message. “Right sergeant, send the rider to the colonel and warn Charles that he is about to get company.”
I hoped that the Austrians would see the barricade and charge it. That would enable my men on the hillside to attack their flank. Our weapons were not the best but by splitting the men behind the barricade in two we could keep up a constant volley. We all had our pistols on the firing step so that when they closed to within ten yards we could blast them and hopefully send them packing. I was counting on the fact that they would not expect stiff opposition from horsemen.
They saw us from some way down the road and the battalion of infantry prepared to charge. The hillside and the river narrowed their options and they began to march resolutely down in a ten wide column. Pierre and I were with the main force while Tiny had taken charge of the bridge. He had the right attitude for such a task. I would order my ten men to fire and, while we reloaded then Pierre would fire his ten. With the men on the hillside adding to the onslaught we had a chance of denting their morale. With luck they would have to send for cannon. The fact that none had appeared so far was a good sign.
“Remember men; wait until they are fifty yards away. They should be starting their charge about then.” I peered over the top and saw a keen officer urging his men forward. I lifted my gun over the top and aimed at him. “Ready!” We had placed white stones at the fifty yard mark and as soon as I saw that they had reached it I shouted, “Fire!” Almost as soon as we had fired I said, “Reload!” Pierre’s men then fired. I could hear the popping of muskets on the hillside but I could not see the effect for the smoke.
As I stood and aimed I saw that the Austrians had fallen back and left bloodied white uniformed corpses littering the road. My men from the hillside raced in. I counted them and saw that they had all survived. “Thought we ought to come back sir. They sent some jaegers after us!”
“Well done. Join the sergeant on the bridge.”
Then I heard the crack of muskets to the east. Charles was under attack. I peered over the top and a flurry of musket balls cracked into the barricade. “Keep your head down sir. There are gaps in the barricade.”
“Thank you Sergeant Major! It is like having my mother with me again.” The men laughed and Pierre shrugged.
The Austrians must have realised that they could out range us and they peppered the barricade with musket balls. It was a waste of ammunition but I knew why they were doing it, they were trying to out flank us. I knew that Charles could not hold them for long at Barco but that route did not bring them close to us. The two troopers who guarded the horses in the square would ensure that we had a means of escape. It was the river where we were most in danger.
Trooper Simenon pointed. “Sir. They are on the other side of the river. I could see that they had sent four companies to cross the bubbling mountain river by the bridge. I hoped that Tiny’s nerve would hold. I heard the muskets of my men as they targeted the officers and sergeants. The bridge was only wide enough for four or five men and with nine muskets firing at them it should slow them down.
I nodded to Pierre. “You take charge here; I am going to see the bridge.”
I crouched and ran the hundred or so yards to the bridge. Tiny was grinning. “They keep trying it in ones and twos sir. So long as they do that we can easily take them out.”
Even as I watched an officer and six men tried to sprint across the thirty yard bridge. They must have thought that we had run out of ammunition or something. Tiny did not fire until they were half way across then he yelled, “Fire!” I added my musket to the volley. Every man was hit. Four of them staggered back but three remained where they were.
“It looks like they have a senior officer there now, sir.” I peered over the top and saw the officer on the white horse lean down and speak to an officer.
“Well sergeant. I think they have had enough of you and intend to brush you aside. It looks like a column attack.” We, the French, liked the column attack. Ten men wide and up to a thousand ranks it was like a human battering ram. Even if the ones at the front were killed the others, coming on behind, kept on pushing. The Austrians were trying the same. “Remember men, when you have fired your musket give them both your pistols and then reload. I want a barricade of bodies across that bridge.”
They roared a, “Yes sir!” I had told them exactly what we intended before the Austrians arrived and it had given them an insight into the action. Men fought better knowing the plans.
We heard the drummer beginning to strike up the beat and then their bugles sounded. With a shout they raced across the bridge. Once they reached the mi
ddle Tiny shouted, “Fire!” They all unloaded their muskets and began firing their pistols. I reloaded my musket and saw an officer, bleeding but holding his sword aloft stagger towards me. I shot him in the head. Suddenly we heard a creaking and a groaning. Then there was a crack like thunder and the ancient bridge collapsed beneath the weight of the living and the dead. The white coated Austrians were swept down stream.
We had no time for self congratulation. “Sergeant, take your men to the horses, Charles may need some help.”
“Yes sir and don’t be too long yourself eh?”
“I won’t. I’ll be listening for the trumpet.” Our bugler was with the horses, as soon as the enemy were sighted he would sound recall and we would get to the horses as quickly as we could.
Back at the barricade they were still peppering the timber. Pierre smiled in an evil way, “I take it they went for a swim sir? We heard the bridge go.”
“Yes although they can still reinforce the castle on the far side of the river if they want to.” Just then we heard the bugle. “Right boys, back to the horses and don’t hang around!”
Cavalrymen look strange when they try to run in boots and spurs but we had not time for wither laughing or watching. If they had sent two companies to outflank us we would be seriously outnumbered. As we reached the horses I saw that the Barco defenders had suffered wounds and losses.
“Sir there is a company and half there.” He pointed to the east.
“Well done sergeant. Get your men to the colonel now and report that we are on our way.”
Pierre pointed up the track. “They are just charging sir, no order.”
I looked at my men. There were still twenty five of us. “Column of eights. Let’s see just how brave they are. Draw sabres!” There was a metallic hiss as twenty five swords were drawn.
“Sound the charge!”
As the bugler sounded charge I spurred Killer on. The Austrians were only thirty yards away and their look of exultation was replaced by one of horror. I do not think any had reloaded and there was no order. One or two attempted to present bayonets to us but the rest ran. As I kicked one musket and bayonet away I slashed down at the musketeer. The next man had his back to me and I split the back of his head open. It was a rout. They might have outnumbered us but they had not stood and we were invincible. We chased them all the way to Barco. I shouted, “Sound the recall.”
As we halted I looked to see how many men we had lost. I could only see one riderless horse although there were a couple with bayonet wounds to the legs.
“Sir, that barricade will not hold them for long.”
“Quite right sergeant. Back to Trento.”
The lane was littered with the dead and the dying. Pierre halted and picked up Trooper Roux’s body and draped it over his horse. We would bury our own.
As we re-entered the main square I could see that they had half demolished the timber of the barricade. We had plenty of time and we did not need to thrash our horses. They had served us well. We rode at a steady trot back to the brigade. As we neared the town I saw, to my great relief, the Tricolour flying from the fort. The colonel had succeeded and the Austrian column racing down the western side of the river would get a real shock when their own cannons stuck them.
Chapter 13
The next couple of weeks saw us gradually close with the heart of the Tyrol. It was hard going but we rolled northwards like a huge machine. The Austrians could not hold us anywhere. The Austrian defence was like a sieve and we flowed through it undeterred. In April the Austrians were forced to sue for peace. We had won. It would now be down to the politicians to make the best peace they could with the smallest loss of territory. We had bought the land with the blood of our soldiers. Those untrained and ill disciplined recruits had now become trained soldiers who could hold their own against anyone.
Our hard worked regiment had taken many losses and we were sent back to Verona to re-supply and to receive recruits. With the losses amongst the sergeants and officers it meant that I was promoted to full lieutenant and Pierre became a sous-lieutenant. Tiny became Sergeant Major while Michael was made First Sergeant. The boys who had joined three years earlier were now men. I still could not get used to the new years dictated by the Directory nor the new months and so for me it was still April in 1797 when we reached our new barracks at Verona. It had been taken from the Venetians by the Austrians and we took advantage of their departure. We would sleep well.
And then Jean and I were suddenly summoned to Bonaparte’s headquarters again. We were needed for yet another special mission. We knew this from Bessières’ subtle tap of the nose when he asked us to have a secret meeting in Mantua with the busy little general. As we headed south I asked the major what he thought was in the offing. Jean was always calm and thoughtful. I think that was one of the reasons mother must have liked him. The count had been a loud and ebullient man. Jean was nothing like him.
“Albert is not here and that means it is unlikely to be military.”
I was not expecting that answer. “Then why us? We are soldiers.”
“I think he believes we can get things done. I heard from Bessières that he was impressed with our Naples escapade. You can speak a couple of languages as can I. You showed how resourceful you were when you recaptured the deserter.”
That took my breath away. “That! How did he find out about it?”
“The Gendarmerie officers have recounted the tale since we left for the Tyrol. You looked so young and yet you cowed the criminals of Mantua. It impressed the general I think.” He shrugged, “I am guessing though. Perhaps he sees you as a resourceful young man who gets things done.”
“Oh.” We rode in silence for a while. “And you sir, do you think I am resourceful?”
“I know that you are. He turned to look at me. “You are not looking for compliments are you Robbie? I did not think you needed them. The men also admire you but they would not like to hear you asking to be told that. It is not our way is it?”
“No and I am not, it is just I don’t know if I always do the right thing.”
“You have had enough promotions to know that you have. I do not think our lives will be in danger. I just think the general wants us to go somewhere his Guides cannot. Bessières is a fine officer but he is best suited to lists and looking good. We may not look good, Robbie, but we get the job done. No matter how dirty it is.”
Bessières took us to a small backroom in the Palazzo Te, a superb palace which had previously been occupied by kings and princes. Bonaparte had chosen a plain room for his meeting. This time Bessières stayed with us. “Make sure the guard is at the door. I do not want other ears to hear this.”
Bessières went to the door and spoke a few words to the Guide there. “We will not be disturbed, general.”
Once again there was a map in the middle of the table. Napoleon waved us to two wooden seats. They looked uncomfortable and I hoped this would not be a long meeting. “Here is the Venetian Republic. They have been very clever over the years at playing one enemy against another. They no longer fight wars but they do come out victorious, gaining land they have not fought for. I intend to gain as much of the Republic as I can for France.” He shrugged. “I would prefer not to lose any more men as I have important plans for next year.” He waved his hand as though a fly had entered the room. “That is not important now. Since you visited Naples I have been in contact with the Regent of San Marino. I wrote to him and he visited me here not long ago. He has agreed to be my emissary.”
I could not see where this was going. Why did he need us? The questions must have shown on my face. “Be patient, young Scotsman, your role will be made clear soon enough. If I am to take Venice without a fight then I need some leverage. I need a threat to enable me to grab it. That threat, of course, is Austria. I wish you to escort the Regent to Vienna and negotiate with the Austrians.”
Jean and I looked at each other in amazement. Jean found his voice first. “Why us?”
B
onaparte shook his head impatiently, “You are soldiers of France and you should not ask ‘why me’ but say ’thank you general for choosing me’.”
“I am sorry general I phrased it badly perhaps. Why choose us rather than some other soldiers who might be better suited?”
He appeared a little mollified by that and smiled, “You know the Regent and he likes you. You can speak a little Italian and you have shown me that you can handle yourselves in difficult situations. I trust the Regent implicitly and I need to trust the men who accompany him.” He banged the table in a businesslike way. “Now you will be travelling as citizens of San Marino. Bessières has your papers. You will need to act as bodyguards as well for the Regent. There will be some who try to stop these negotiations taking place. You will probably want your own weapons. You will be given civilian clothes and horses which are less military.”
“Anything I have missed out?”
“I think, general, that a couple more men might be useful.”
He looked puzzled. “More men? Why?”
“If we are to be his bodyguards too, then that will require more than two men. We do need to sleep sir.”
He smiled, “I don’t but you are right, you will need some relief. Have you someone in mind?”
“Two of the men who went with us to Naples sir; one speaks Italian and the other is handy with his fists. Both are skills we will need.”
“Very well, Bessières, make the arrangements. As with the other trip you will be provided with funds.” He leaned forwards. “This may not be like a battle gentlemen but it could win more for France than any battle you have fought.” He stood, which indicated that the meeting was over. “You will do all in your power to ensure that this mission is a success. Be ruthless, I am counting on you.”