Chapter 66: The Retreat Begins
Early the next day, just as the sun began to rise slowly above the horizon, a loud boom broke the rare tranquility.
"Boom! Boom!"
The Turkish positions fired again, using cannons borrowed from Nelson, specifically designed to counter Napoleon's French forces. These cannons were all newly manufactured by the British, significantly better than those Delamare had used before. Additionally, all the artillerymen operating these cannons were British. Although this was a strategy devised by Nelson, fearing the Turks might seize his cannons, it inadvertently increased the combat effectiveness of the Turkish artillery.
The Turkish cannons roared loudly, continuously bombarding the French positions. It didn't take long for the French defenses to be pocked with craters.
Worse still for the French, the Turkish infantry had also moved out. Taking advantage of the French being pinned down by the barrage, they left their positions and slowly advanced towards the French lines.
Inside the French positions, the troops had anticipated a tough battle today. However, the ferocity of the Turkish attack exceeded their expectations. All French soldiers, braving the intense bombardment, kept firing at the advancing Turkish troops, trying to hold them back.
But the Turks did not retreat. The soldiers, armed with muskets and led by junior officers, launched wave after wave of attacks on the French positions, continuing their advance even as some fell to gunfire, with others stepping over their bodies to press the attack.
The battle was fiercely contested. This time, the Turks were truly desperate, advancing under the fire from their own artillery.
The main defense was held by Marmont's troops, which had been the primary target of the Turkish assault. At this moment, Marmont was sweating profusely, having committed all his reserves and still failing to hold back the Turkish onslaught.
"The French can't hold on! This is a good opportunity, everyone, charge with me!" Meanwhile, a Turkish colonel at the frontline, seeing Marmont's plight, was overjoyed, believing this was the best chance to seize the position. He immediately turned to his soldiers behind him and urged loudly.
"Charge! Defeat the French!"
"Kill them!"
Inspired by their colonel, the Turkish soldiers surged forward like they were injected with adrenaline, shouting as they rushed towards the enemy's positions.
"Stop them, quickly stop them. Don't let them get through." Seeing the Turkish soldiers coming like a tide, Marmont shouted in panic. He also waved his command saber continuously, directing his troops to shoot in an attempt to suppress the Turkish advance.
Despite the ferocity of the French musket fire, the Turkish soldiers, as if fueled by sheer determination, relentlessly scaled the French defenses.
"Die, Frenchmen!" shouted one Turkish soldier, his face twisted in ferocity as he swung his bayonet towards the nearest French soldier, who was caught off guard and swiftly knocked to the ground.
As the first Turk breached the defenses, countless others followed, quickly filling a small trench that was now crammed with both French and Turkish soldiers. In the cramped confines of the trench, firing was nearly impossible without the risk of hitting one's own men, so the French were forced to resort to hand-to-hand combat, leading to a brutal melee.
Under the flashes of blades, numerous soldiers fell forever to the ground, their blood soaking the dirt of the trench.
"Divert an infantry regiment to reinforce Marmont; we must hold until evening. Also, let the artillery begin their work! Order the artillery to fire all their shells, even if it cannot repel the Turks, it should at least slow their advance," Napoleon commanded sternly, the Turkish army's relentless assault exacting a heavy toll on Marmont. Furthermore, the British artillery was severely restricting the French artillery, preventing them from being effective.
"Are we really to fire all our shells, General? That's all we have left," the artillery commander hesitated after hearing Napoleon's order.
"Do I need to repeat such a simple order? Begin the bombardment immediately," Napoleon ordered coldly.
"Yes, I understand," the artillery commander nodded heavily and then turned to leave.
"Wait!"
Just as the artillery commander was about to step out of the headquarters, Napoleon called out to him again. "General Napoleon, is there anything else?" the commander hurried back to Napoleon's side to ask.
"This may well be the last time these cannons fire. After... after the shells are spent, destroy the cannons," Napoleon paused momentarily before making this difficult decision. The gravity of the moment was not lost on anyone in the room.
"Destroy the cannons!" Upon hearing this, the artillery commander's eyes widened in shock, struggling to believe that Napoleon would issue such an order. However, after a moment's thought, he understood Napoleon's reasoning. With the supply lines destroyed and no way to bring in more materials, cannons without ammunition were no better than scrap metal. Moreover, given the unfavorable situation, it was necessary to destroy these artillery pieces to prevent them from falling into enemy hands.
"Fire at will! Suppress the Turkish advance. Even if we use up all our ammunition, as long as we can drive the Turks back, it's worth it," commanded an artillery officer, riding back and forth in front of the cannons within the artillery position.
Hearing the commander's order, the French artillerymen no longer concealed themselves. They quickly manned their cannons and began firing at the Turks who had stormed their positions.
"Boom! Boom!"
The previously silent French artillery now unleashed their ferocity. With each shell fired, plumes of black smoke rose from the positions.
The unfortunate Turks, having just seized the position, were immediately subjected to a fierce bombardment by the French artillery. Taking advantage of this, the French forces, under the cover of their own artillery fire, began to retake their positions. However, the Turks, unwilling to abandon their assault over mere artillery fire, continued their relentless attacks under Delamare's command.
On the battlefield, the French soldiers stood firm like ancient trees deeply rooted in their positions, determined not to let the Turkish maneuvers succeed. Despite the intense fighting and the threat of being overwhelmed, they held their ground, embodying the resilience and tenacity expected of Napoleon's troops.
The intense battle continued until the sun set, leaving both the French and Turkish armies utterly exhausted. Marmont's troops, who had been at the forefront of the confrontation, suffered the heaviest losses, with nearly two-thirds of their unit depleted.
With the poor visibility at night, neither the artillery nor the muskets could be effectively used. Coupled with the fierce counterattacks from the French, the Turks, however reluctantly, ultimately chose to retreat.
As the Turks withdrew, the battlefield was left strewn with bodies, including those of both Turkish and French soldiers. Napoleon, observing the bodies of his fallen soldiers, appeared lost in thought, mourning the young lives lost.
"General Napoleon, we can barely hold this position any longer. Today was merely luck. If the Turks attack again tomorrow, we are finished," Marmont said with a grave expression, indicating the dire state of his troops after the day's battle.
"You are right," Napoleon replied, looking up at the sky. "We are trapped here, and while we can dodge fate temporarily, we can't escape it forever. With the shortage of supplies, our fighting capacity will only weaken, eventually leading to our demise under Delamare's assault. It's time for us to leave."
"Marmont, instruct Meunier to commence the retreat tonight. Take what supplies we can carry, and destroy everything else," Napoleon ordered.
"Rest assured, General, I will leave this place spotless. Not a trace for the Turks," Meunier assured, pounding his chest in a promise.
"Although that's the plan, don't forget to leave a little gift for the Turks," Napoleon said.