Brescia–Verona Corridor, Lombardy.
January 1836.
A thin layer of frost still clung to the ground, breaking under boots as the forward elements of the French army moved into position along a low ridge overlooking the plain. Visibility was good. No fog. No obstruction. The land stretched out in front of them in open fields broken only by narrow roads, scattered farm structures, and a few lines of trees marking property boundaries.
Perfect ground for observation.
A captain lay prone near the crest, a field glass pressed to his eye. Beside him, a signal operator worked with a compact field radio set mounted on a reinforced frame, its antenna extended upward and secured with tension lines. The unit hummed faintly, steady and consistent.
"Contact," the captain said.
The operator did not look up.
"Confirmed?" he asked.
The captain adjusted the glass slightly.
"Column movement. Multiple formations. Infantry and artillery. Distance approximately four kilometers."
