Chapter 811: The Hardest Battle of the Italian Campaign
However, when Major Bernard's two infantry battalions formed a line in front of the Austrians, they immediately came under extremely heavy fire.
Though Argenteau's forces were disorganized due to carelessness, they numbered over 15,000.
That was more than five times the French troops, and they were on the defensive with the chance to adjust formations.
Major Bernard bravely moved to the front line, raised his sword high, and loudly encouraged his soldiers.
His two battalions repelled the enemy with several volleys, forcing them to retreat, but their small numbers meant the Austrian infantry soon flanked them from both sides, nearly encircling them.
French soldiers started taking fire from the flanks, with enemy fire density several times higher than theirs.
Within ten minutes, Bernard's forces suffered over a thousand casualties.
The French initial momentum quickly collapsed, replaced by fear as death struck comrades around them.
When Bernard was shot in the left arm, the front line of the French began to crumble.
Ozeri, a fervent advocate of offense, kept only a reserve of under 300 men, leaving no support capacity.
Driven back by the tens of thousands of Austrians, Ozeri retreated in disorder from Marengo village.
Meanwhile, on the right wing, Captain Bonnet's skirmishers suddenly encountered the Argenteau Corps.
Less than a thousand French skirmishers briefly engaged over 7,000 Austrians before immediately withdrawing.
Ozeri fled two kilometers east of the village, meeting Marmont's corps reinforcements, barely stabilizing the situation.
But escape was impossible—the Austrians pursued relentlessly.
Marmont hastily used the southern woods to set a defensive line. Fortunately, Austrian artillery had not yet arrived, allowing him to repel Argenteau's initial assault.
Beside the trees, smelling of gunpowder, Marmont frowned and asked Ozeri, "You mean we faced Melas's main force?"
Ozeri nodded wearily. "Likely so; the enemy numbers over 30,000."
Marmont's face fell.
Combined, he and Ozeri commanded fewer than 6,000 troops, insufficient for frontal combat.
He asked, "Have you reported to Colonel Bonaparte?"
"Yes, I sent cavalry to contact him shortly after ten o'clock."
Marmont looked behind him. "Our main force won't arrive until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. We should fall back to Sant'Illiano and try to hold there until then."
Ozeri was gradually recovering from panic and shook his head in thought. "Melas seems to intend moving toward Parma, then attacking Lodi.
"If we only defend Sant'Illiano, they can circumvent us, moving east from the northern Castelceriolo."
Marmont urged, "What should we do?"
Ozeri clenched his teeth. "Extend a defensive line from Sant'Illiano to Castelceriolo. Hold Melas for a day!"
Castelceriolo lay five kilometers northwest of Sant'Illiano.
With only 6,000 troops, holding such a broad front would be nearly impossible.
Marmont sighed at Ozeri. "You're always so reckless... but it looks like we have no other choice now."
Melas, upon hearing Argenteau decisively defeated the French and was advancing east, was deeply suspicious.
Napoleon had crushed the Austrians so thoroughly.
The French seemed everywhere—just when the Austrians felt victorious, a French force would emerge unexpectedly from the most painful directions and shred them.
Argenteau's easy victory made Melas suspect a French trap.
He hurriedly ordered Argenteau not to overextend but to wait for all forces to assemble before advancing steadily on Sant'Illiano.
This gave Ozeri's men a rare chance to regroup.
At 3 PM, the Austrians launched a fierce attack on Sant'Illiano.
Far calmer than before, Ozeri set up three defensive lines, resisting in layers.
Marmont's artillery used a nearby height to pour fire onto the Austrians.
Still, the disparity in troop strength was too great, and the Austrians knew they had to reach Lodi quickly or risk being caught by the French main force, so they committed fully.
In under three hours, Ozeri's first two lines collapsed, and Argenteau's vanguard skirmishers reached French artillery positions.
Fortunately, it was a cloudy day; night came earlier than usual. Just as the French were faltering, darkness fell completely.
Melas reluctantly ordered a withdrawal to wait for dawn.
Ozeri stayed up almost all night repairing defenses.
Next morning, the Austrians resumed the assault.
Exhausted from the previous day's fierce fighting, French morale was extremely low. After less than an hour of resistance, signs of collapse appeared.
On a hill north of Sant'Illiano village, Ozeri sighed heavily watching his frontline slowly retreat. "All because I recklessly attacked yesterday and wasted too many troops…"
Patting Marmont on the back with red-rimmed eyes, he said, "Auguste, withdraw your men to Pavia. I'll cover your retreat."
Marmont began to speak but then heard strange gunfire northwest. Frowning, he asked, "What's happening over there?"
Soon, cavalry came galloping, shouting and pointing northwest, "Colonel, cavalry! Our cavalry corps are here as reinforcements!"
Ozeri's heart raced as he raised his binoculars and saw confusion in the Austrian left flank.
He quickly decided, instructing Marmont, "Abandon Sant'Illiano village and concentrate forces to flank the enemy's left with the cavalry!"
South of Castelceriolo, Major Grouchy led a charge into Austrian infantry—having been promoted to major after capturing Milan, he commanded the Montpellier Hussar Battalion.
He learned from cavalry dispatched by Ozeri that Melas's corps was moving east and rushed to assist.
His battalion, combined with part of the Moulins cavalry, numbered over 1,200. Riding without rest, they arrived just before Ozeri's position collapsed.
The unexpected cavalry onslaught caused panic among the Austrians; Napoleon's shadow loomed again over them.
Many shouted, "Another French ambush!"
"Watch out, French troops hidden nearby!"
Grouchy had attended military school at Strasbourg, near Baden, and spoke some German.
Upon hearing Austrian war cries, he cunningly shouted back in German, "General Bonaparte's 50,000 ambushers have surrounded you!"
(END CHAPTER)
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