Chapter 812: The Final Three Hours
Among the French cavalry, a few who understood German followed their commander's lead and began shouting the same words.
Grouchy had only intended to boost morale, but his cry produced an astonishing effect.
The truth was the Austrians had been terrified of Napoleon ever since their earlier defeats.
Especially on their left flank, where nearly half the soldiers had fought at Toulon. They remembered those battles clearly—whenever the French appeared suddenly, defeat was inevitable.
The "Toulon veterans" were the first to break and flee.
Troops that Melas had brought from Switzerland saw them running and, assuming a massive French army had attacked, turned and fled as well.
In this way, more than seven thousand Austrians were routed by barely a thousand French hussars, sending the entire Austrian left wing into collapse.
Ozeri reacted instantly, immediately concentrating all his forces northward, which only worsened the Austrian disarray on that side.
Melas's central troops, seeing the French withdrawing, surged into Sant'Illiano in triumph and quickly sent back news of their "victory."
Outside Marengo village, Melas almost simultaneously received two conflicting reports: the capture of Sant'Illiano and the Austrian left under massive French attack.
Together they pointed to one conclusion—Sant'Illiano had been deliberately abandoned by the French as bait.
It was meant to divide his army and allow a northern strike.
He hastily ordered Cervoni to take all reserves and form a defensive line northeast of Marengo, while directing his central and right-wing troops to fall back and prevent encirclement.
At one o'clock, once his formations were reestablished and extensive cavalry scouting confirmed the area held only the previous six thousand French troops and roughly a thousand reinforcements, Melas erupted in fury and commanded the army to attack Sant'Illiano again.
But after all the pointless maneuvers and delays, the Austrian soldiers were exhausted. It was after three o'clock before they finally reached Ozeri's line again.
Seeing the densely packed Austrian masses approaching, both Ozeri and Marmont felt an overwhelming sense of despair.
After fighting all morning, their forces were battered. Fewer than five thousand men could still fight, and morale was collapsing.
Grouchy's cavalry remained eager, but against nearly fifty thousand Austrians they had no real hope.
It was clear that once the enemy launched a determined assault, their entire line would disintegrate.
Ozeri, weary and grim, mounted his horse and rode before his soldiers, shouting with all his remaining strength:
"In three and a half hours, darkness will fall! The night will force the Austrians to retreat!
"These last few hours will decide the fate of all northern Italy!
"I will stay right here, nearest the enemy—together we will witness the future!"
"Listen well—no one can defeat us!"
The French soldiers, eyes hollow from exhaustion, straightened up and shouted back:
"Yes, three more hours!"
"We won't be beaten!"
"Hold the line!"
Trumpets echoed from afar as the Austrian attack began.
Soon, the Argenteau Corps—over fifteen thousand men—formed ranks less than four hundred meters away and advanced under thunderous artillery fire.
True to his word, Ozeri stood firm under the bombardment, always at the very front with his men.
Inspired by his presence, the five thousand French soldiers, supported by Grouchy's cavalry, fiercely repelled Argenteau's initial assault.
But on both flanks, more than twenty thousand enemy troops were closing in.
Two and a half hours remained until nightfall…
Ozeri looked north at the enemy advancing from that direction. Though unwilling, he knew his soldiers had reached their limits—and so had he.
Just as he was about to order retreat, distant cannon fire suddenly sounded from far to the north.
He froze. That range was beyond his own defenses.
There was only one explanation—someone was attacking the Austrian flank.
Reinforcements had arrived!
Sure enough, the Austrian advance slowed. Argenteau's troops began regrouping northward, leaving only a fraction to contain Ozeri.
Minutes later, Grouchy's cavalry galloped in with the message everyone had prayed for: "It's Colonel Bonaparte! The main force has arrived!"
Cheers erupted from Ozeri's ranks, and the once wavering lines quickly reformed.
Meanwhile, Melas was sinking into anxiety.
Argenteau had just reported that over twenty thousand French troops were advancing from the northwest.
Fortunately, Argenteau had responded rapidly, repositioning his formations to avoid a flank collapse.
Melas gripped his cane tightly and turned to Cervoni.
"You will take the reserve army north at once for support."
"Yes, General."
Then to his courier, "Order the Argenteau Corps to attack the French left from Castelceriolo.
"The Colli Corps will move along the Bormida River and assault their right.
"The Royal Moravian Cavalry will assist General Cervoni's main assault. Crush them before nightfall!"
He was committing every remaining unit to the fight.
He had no idea how many reinforcements the French had in reserve, so he needed to drive them back quickly before marching for Lodi once more.
North of Marengo.
When Napoleon heard that Sant'Illiano was still held by Ozeri, he felt a brief wave of relief.
On the road, he had been berating himself.
He had misjudged Melas's movements, redeploying troops north of the Tanaro and giving the enemy their chance.
Thankfully, Ozeri had held for a day and a half, blocking Melas's advance eastward.
Without that, France's strategic situation would have deteriorated sharply—Napoleon would have been forced to storm Lodi, and by the time Wurmser's corps arrived in northern Italy, Austria would have gained an overwhelming troop advantage. Subsequent battles would grow impossible to win.
As Napoleon brooded, Joubert's courier galloped up shouting, "Commander, over twenty thousand enemy troops are preparing to attack from the front-line! The colonel requests immediate reinforcements!"
Joubert's corps held the central front, with under eight thousand men.
Napoleon was about to dispatch the Moulins Corps when two more couriers arrived one after another:
"Commander, at least ten thousand enemies are advancing from Castelceriolo!"
"Commander, the Colli Corps is flanking our right with about fifteen thousand men!"
Napoleon frowned. Forty-five thousand Austrians attacking all at once—Melas had thrown in everything he had.
(END CHAPTER)
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