Chapter 775: As If It Were All Planned
The two Austrian generals believed they had been cautious enough.
Behind them was an allied force of nearly 60,000 Austrians and Sardinians—more than enough to sweep through southeastern France. Yet, as per Marshal Beaulieu's orders, they meticulously carried out reconnaissance, formed their battle lines, and ensured everything was in place.
Nothing seemed unusual.
Now, all that remained was to launch the attack.
The small French defensive force, hastily assembled, would be crushed within a day or two at most.
Northwest of Cagnes-sur-Mer, 3 km from the town
On a hilltop, Marquis Péche listened to the distant rumbling of cannon fire, his face filled with concern. He turned to Victor.
—"Major Victor, the enemy attack seems very intense. Should we send reinforcements?"
Victor, though also a bit anxious, shook his head.
—"No. The commander ordered us to wait here, and we must not move without orders."
He was in command of two battalions—over 3,000 soldiers—yet he could do nothing but watch as two battalions from the Lyon Corps fought to hold Cagnes against 5,000 Austrians under Provera.
A few minutes passed, and Marquis Péche, as the leader of the Lyon Corps, couldn't hold back his frustration.
—"Major Victor, at this rate, Cagnes may fall."
Victor remained silent, his eyes fixed on the direction of the battle.
Lieutenant Colonel Napoleon had assured him—Lamadière would hold Cagnes.
Northwest of Vence, 5 km from the city
Joubert also watched the smoke rising from Vence, frowning. He turned to Junot.
—"Lieutenant Colonel Buonaparte's deployment is truly strange."
Junot, however, looked completely relaxed.
—"There's no need to worry. He is the second most brilliant officer I've ever met. He has an uncanny ability to sense enemy movements and always chooses the most effective response."
There was no need to ask—everyone knew who the first military genius was: the Crown Prince, architect of the French New Army.
Joubert exhaled slowly.
—"The Austrian Seibotendorf Corps has over 10,000 soldiers, while the defenders of Vence—the Corsican Corps and Baron Delfaire's Toulouse troops—barely number 6,500.
"I just hope they can hold out."
Indeed, Joubert's orders were to wait in place, no matter what happened at Vence.
Outside Vence
Baron Delfaire listened intently as his officers reported the battle's progress.
—"The Marchand Battalion has lost nearly half a company… Captain Gilles' cavalry held off a flank assault but suffered 21 casualties…
"Captain Kellana's infantry company has taken heavy losses and is requesting reinforcements…"
Delfaire adjusted the defensive formation but did not send a single extra soldier to the front line.
Lieutenant Colonel Buonaparte had ordered him to hold for five days. He had to manage his troops wisely.
The 2,000 men currently holding the line could likely last until 3:00 p.m. After that, he would reassess their morale before deciding on any replacements.
Fortunately, Napoleon had left him an artillery battery with six cannons.
These artillerymen, trained by the lieutenant colonel in Corsica, were exceptionally skilled. Their shells landed precisely in the densest clusters of enemy troops.
Thanks to their accurate fire, Vence had barely managed to hold its ground.
However, the sheer number of Austrian troops was overwhelming. By midday alone, Delfaire's forces had already suffered nearly 200 casualties.
This was, without a doubt, the toughest battle he had ever fought.
Finally, as Baron Delfaire silently prayed for the day to end, the sun dipped below the horizon.
The Toulouse Corps' camp was filled with the groans of the wounded.
But they had held Vence—even at the cost of 370 casualties.
In fact, the Austrians had suffered even greater losses.
Though often looked down upon, the Toulouse Corps was still superior in combat to the Austrian army.
Moreover, they had the advantage of defensive positions. They had fortified key locations and built several breastworks, allowing them to inflict a favorable exchange rate.
The Next Morning
As dawn broke, the brutal battle resumed.
Despite a full day of relentless assaults, Seibotendorf's troops had advanced only about 100 meters.
Austrian Command Post
Beaulieu frowned as he reviewed the reports. He was surprised by the French army's tenacity.
The French could have withdrawn their forces into Toulon's fortress to defend it—but instead, they had stubbornly chosen to hold two isolated towns.
He looked down at the map.
Vence and Cagnes blocked his path west from Nice, preventing his army from advancing toward Toulon.
Rubbing his cane thoughtfully, he muttered:
—"Are the French preparing something at Toulon?"
A staff officer chimed in:
—"Marshal, perhaps we should bypass Vence and advance west through the northern valley, heading straight for Toulon?"
Beaulieu nodded slightly.
—"Inform Seibotendorf: if he cannot take Vence within three days, he is to bypass it and surround Toulon."
He turned his gaze back to the map.
—"As for Cagnes, we must take it to secure our supply lines.
"Send Carreto's grenadier battalion to reinforce Provera. They have one week to complete the task."
—"Yes, Marshal!"
Three Days Later
Seibotendorf peered through his telescope at the two still-intact defensive breastworks outside Nice. He also saw the French cannons spitting fire from the southern highlands.
Resigned, he prepared to execute Beaulieu's orders.
Turning to his courier, he said:
—"Assemble the troops. At dawn, we will bypass Vence through the northern valley near Saint-Jeannet and march for Toulon."
Vence
Baron Delfaire was in the middle of drafting a plea for reinforcements to General Dimoigne, commander of the Army of Italy. Napoleon had given him an incredibly difficult task, leaving him no choice but to appeal beyond the chain of command.
Just then, the sound of Austrian cannon fire began to fade…
Outside Cagnes
Provera and the newly arrived grenadier commander, Carreto, studied a battlefield model.
Beaulieu had given them only three more days, yet the French defenders showed no sign of breaking.
Carreto suddenly noticed something unusual.
—"Look at the French defensive line—it's slowly retreating in an eastward diagonal.
"If we quietly move around their western flank and attack from there, their defenses will struggle to respond.
"They have already lost cover on their northwest side."
Provera's eyes lit up.
—"You've spotted the key to ending this battle!
"Tonight, we will attempt to move northwest."
In the Woods
Joubert yawned. After days of tension and waiting, he had grown accustomed to the boredom.
But today, something felt… off.
The distant cannon fire was noticeably weaker than before.
Immediately alert, he waved to his cavalry commander.
—"Go see what's happening."
Over an hour later, two cavalry scouts rushed back, breathing heavily.
—"Colonel, the Austrians have left Vence. They're heading straight for us."
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