In the next few days, except for visiting the military office regularly (there was nothing to be managed), I asked Cosette to accompany me to hunt on the nearby mountains, and actually practiced how to ride a horse and play guns. I just began to feel that the soldiers at the garrison began to have some affection for me, and people kept saluting me, which made me have to return the gift again and again. Every night, my arms were always sore.

On the seventh day after coming to the Toulon Front, a messenger from the Public Security Commission brought two letters to the Legion from Paris, one to me and the other to Carto.

There were two pieces of paper in my envelope, one was written by representative Barras, who enthusiastically praised my passion for work, simple lifestyle and great revolutionary spirit. The letter also said that the Public Security Committee unanimously agreed to let me serve as the plenipotent representative of the National Convention's Front Army in Toulon, and the other was my appointment letter. Looking at all this, I was completely confused. A few days ago, my simple report that could not be simple could bring me such great power and honor, which was fucking incredible. Later, I realized that my refusal to eat a luxurious meal that day was soon passed to Paris and was valued by Robespierre. At his suggestion, the Public Security Committee held a meeting overnight and promoted the official appointment of me the next day.

The letters sent to Karto were full of accusations against him, saying that he turned his hatred of the enemy into a pursuit of his material desires, without any revolutionary enterprising spirit; saying that he had been slow to hold his troops and did not give a fatal blow to the rebels of Toulon, and asked him whether he was the defender of the Republic or the patron saint of the feudal princes. Finally, he asked Karto to launch an immediate siege of Toulon and recover lost territory in the shortest time. Of course, the letter also provided that I had been appointed as the plenipotent representative of the National Council's Front Army in Toulon.

After reading their respective letters, my expression was excitement and worry. I was excited because I was "reformed" and my anxiety because I must be the one who is about to start the battle. Carto's expression was even more frightened. After lunch the next day, a military meeting at the regiment level or above was held to discuss and deploy a combat plan to attack Toulon.

When I walked into the hall of the headquarters (just a church), a huge military map on the left wall of the gate could be hung (covered by a curtain), and the three-dimensional simulated sand table was still not seen. There were more than 20 generals and school officials sitting around, carefully discussing something.

After the officers found me, they applauded me warmly as if they saw a new world. Then Carto and all the generals present expressed their highest respect and congratulations to me to the plenipotentiary representative of the National Convention. However, in my opinion, the painter's expression was too rich, just like his copying paintings, not real at all. His adjutant, Major Almeyrus, was much more natural. As for the others, they were mostly flatterers, one of them even described me as a scattered, saying that I was the ship lamp in Port Toulon, the flag of the front, and the symbol of the Republic...

It seems that the skill of flattery is not lacking in any country and nation in ancient times, China and abroad. In this kind of flattery circle, I try my best to maintain a modest appearance and a calm state of mind. As a Chinese, I know an ancient proverb: It is a blessing to lose my horse. More than ten minutes later, all the officers' attention finally turned from me to the issue of the military conference.

"People, please see," Major Almeyrus pulled the opening cloth and pointed to the huge military map of Toulon and said: "Information shows that the British, Spanish, and Naples colluded with Toulon insurgents had a total of 14,000 troops, mainly deployed in Cape Kerr, Oliul Pass, Fort Bom, Farang Mountains, Lavalet and Cape Bren, forming a semicircular defense belt with Toulon as the core. In the harbors of large and small anchorages, the enemy navy, with a large number of battleships, was threatened from the sea.

At present, the two main divisions of the Toulon Front, one of the 6,000-man divisions of Lapuap, were stationed in Farang Mountain to Cape Bren. The division base is in Solier, and the front post is near Fareta; the front headquarters division has a total of 12,000 people. In addition to 4,000 people resisting invasions from maritime enemies near Marseille, there are less than 8,000 people and more than 2,000 Marseille voluntary battalions, a total of 11,000 combat troops. The legion base is in Boss, and the vanguard has patrolled near the Oliul Pass.

…

According to the requirements of the National Salvation Committee, the general attack direction for regaining Toulon was mainly our division. General Lapuap's division will cooperate with us to launch an attack from the east. Since the Mediterranean fleet of the Republic has been destroyed, we cannot attack the enemy at sea. Therefore, the main attack area for future battles is to use Toulon as the core semicircular defense belt. For this purpose, the Legion General Staff formulated a detailed combat plan.

…”

I sat in the lower right corner of Carto, listening to the ignorant combat deployment, thinking that this was the man's staff, who completely ignored the advantages of the enemy at sea, and blindly demanded to occupy each of the strong defensive turrets near Toulon one by one. According to the popular combat procedures now, to conquer a solid turret, at least three civil engineering projects (not simple turrets) must be established in front of it, equipped with large-diameter fires that are more than three times the enemy's turrets.

The artillery suppresses most of its firepower, and then launches an attack with cavalry as the leader and infantry as the main force. Not to mention the shortage of artillery in the legion (especially large-caliber artillery). Even if all the surrounding positions and Toulon are occupied, how much time will take, I think the battle will definitely not end in 1793. The same casualties will be extremely heavy, not to mention that there is a threat from enemy fleets on the sea. In short, I will not have any fantasy to capture Toulon Fortress in this way.

According to my idea (of course, it is the historical Napoleon combat plan), after all the passes of Oliul, they should face the Bomburg on the left wing; the two multi-faceted forts of Ruge and Brand; the right wing implements a strategic siege on the Malbosque fort and launches a feint attack, and the main force equipped with at least 150 large-caliber artillery or mortars that can fire more than 24 pounds of large-caliber artillery or mortars quickly move south, conquering and consolidating Ke in a very short time before the enemy has noticed it.

The two enemy positions in the cape: the Egerit Fort and the Balajiye Fort. With these two batteries, various large-caliber artillery and mortar cannons attack the enemy warships and transport ships staying in the anchorages of the port area day and night, annihilated or forced them to leave the port of Toulon, completely cut off the connection between sea and land, and eventually formed a complete isolation from Toulon, causing its defenders to surrender without fighting. Because they lost the support of the sea fleet, the isolated land defenders could not last for 3 days.

When I thought of this, I couldn't help but feel a little excited. If I put forward the plan in my heart, with the current trust of the National Guild and the fear of my identity, I believe that this plagiarized plan would not be difficult to pass. But when I think about it, I feel that it is not feasible. First, there is not so much artillery support (God knows where Napoleon transformed so many large-caliber artillery, but I don't have this ability); second, although this strategic deployment has been proven to be a successful case by practice, I am an absolute layman for specific tactical command, without any combat experience, and a simple negligence may ruin the entire division and my life... After repeated consideration, I finally gave up this idea, thinking that the light of Toulon's victory should be left to Napoleon.

"Deputy Commissioner, do you have any good suggestions for this plan?" A voice interrupted my thoughts. When I looked up, I realized that the major adjutant's explanation had been over for a while, but Carto saw that I was absent-minded and thought I was dissatisfied, so I quickly asked.

There are good suggestions, but I won’t say them. Seeing everyone else waiting for me to speak anxiously, I said slowly: “Dear officers and citizens, I am just a military representative of the National Guild, not a battlefield commander, nor do I know how to lead troops to war. I am just responsible for reporting your plans to the Public Security Committee. As for other matters, you should be able to handle them better than me.”

Since I don’t want to stand out, just play the ball. My shirking speech will definitely make the generals and schoolmen present look down on me, but they will not show their faces, but they will definitely curse in their hearts: cowards, cowards, villains in the revolutionary army and other disgusting words. I don’t care about these, but if anyone dares to scold me behind my back, I will definitely not finish it with him. Even if he doesn’t let him go to the guillotine, he will drive him to the Langdao garrison.

Seeing that the commissioners did not object to this combat plan, the leaders of the front immediately passed the plan and planned to launch a first sweep of the enemy defending the Oliul Pass the morning of the next day, because there were not many troops there, extremely poor combat power and no turrets were stationed, and basically all were vanguards of the Naples.

But when the minutes of the combat meeting were sorted out and I was about to submit it to the Public Security Committee for deliberation, I, as the representative of the commissioner, refused to sign it. The reason I thought was very simple, and I didn't want to take the blame for my foolish plan, but the reason I said was that the representative of the commissioner did not participate in the formulation of the military plan, and I would report to the final resolution of the Public Security Committee this meeting separately.

The meeting lasted for a whole afternoon and it didn't end until the night. At the suggestion of General Carto, everyone attended the meeting for a candlelight dinner. Of course, everyone ate the standard rations distributed by the soldiers that day. I believe someone would scold me behind my back.

When I left the headquarters and returned to my room, I suddenly remembered something, and the orderly officer called the division's artillery commander, Major Martian.

"Yes, the commissioner representative, the Army Department does send an artillery captain named Napoleon Bonaparte." The major replied arrogantly. He must have expressed his dissatisfaction with my behavior at the meeting. However, I did not pay attention.

"Then when will he report to the Front Army Base Camp?" I continued to ask.

"It should be the day after tomorrow, and arrived with the Italian Front's supply team," said the major.

"Okay, thank you Major, you can leave." I finally saw the major's unhappy expression and said.

After Major Martian left, I walked around the room alone, excitedly thinking that I could finally see my idol, "Haha, Ula!" In the strange eyes of the orderly soldier, I ran to take a shower sing a Marseille song loudly.
Chapter completed!