Chief of Staff Berthier gently put down the telescope and was speechless for a long time. After a while, he came back to his senses:
"The power of this gun is far beyond my imagination. Our exchange ratio is probably more than one to five!"
Lawrence's expression was still serious and not too excited. This ending was also within his expectation:
"One battle can't explain anything. Genoa's army is not a powerful enemy. Their morale collapsed too quickly."
Lawrence, who was always paying attention to the battlefield situation, could see that the defeat of the Genoese army was due to a complete collapse of morale. Many soldiers even joined the fleeing team without firing a shot during this battle.
And if faced with a powerful army like the Prussian Iron Army that could endure a 40% casualty rate and still continue to fight, I am afraid that even the Corsican Chasseur Regiment equipped with rifled rifles would have to pay a heavy price to win.
In addition, Lawrence also deeply understands that even with huge equipment advantages, the Corsican Chasseurs may not be able to win every battle and be invincible on the European battlefield.
Compared with the traditional line infantry, the biggest disadvantage of the chasseur troops using skirmish formations is that they are easily attacked by the enemy's cavalry and completely overwhelmed. This is why the armies of European countries in the late 19th century
A large number of line regiments are still retained.
It was not until the invention of the Maxim machine gun and the bolt-action rifle that the infantry's firepower was greatly enhanced, and cavalry troops withdrew from the war stage, that line tactics were basically completely eliminated.
Therefore, preventing the enemy's cavalry from attacking is undoubtedly a major tactical point for the Corsican Chasseurs. When necessary, a considerable proportion of line infantry must even be retained to protect the left and right wings of the Chasseurs.
Fortunately, the Republic of Genoa is very stingy in its investment in the army, and naturally will not maintain a large and expensive cavalry force. Therefore, the Corsican army can rest assured to fully deploy its formation, perfectly taking advantage of the firepower advantage of the Chasseur force.
Berthier nodded slightly in agreement. He also understood that it would take a long way to develop corresponding and reasonable tactics for this epoch-making weapon, and only actual combat was the best place to test theoretical tactics.
Looking at the scene of Genoese soldiers fleeing on the battlefield, Berthier asked for instructions:
"There seems to be no point in pursuing the enemy. Maybe we should hurry up and enter Genoa City?"
In Berthier's view, the disintegrated Genoese army no longer posed any threat. Instead of wasting time capturing prisoners of war, it would be better to enter Genoa City as soon as possible. After all, the Corsican army's time is very precious, and no one knows what will happen.
How long can Andre Davout be held in Liguria?
"No, keep pursuing."
Lawrence shook his head slowly. Although his tone was very calm, his words made Berthier shudder:
"And we will not accept any prisoners of war, and we will kill all Genoese soldiers without mercy."
"Shoot to kill?"
Berthier's pupils trembled slightly, not expecting this order at all.
He never felt that the Charles Bornaparte he knew was a bloodthirsty person, and executing prisoners who had surrendered was a dishonorable thing.
Lawrence nodded slightly and confirmed his order again.
The reason why Lawrence issued this unusual order naturally had special considerations.
The most important point is that the Corsican Army needs to bypass Genoa City and march north to Turin. Once the Corsican Army falls into a disadvantage in the battle on the Po River Plain, it will inevitably need to retreat southward through Genoa City.
And if these enemy soldiers are allowed to return to Genoa, they will soon regain their combat effectiveness after regrouping, because this battle did not kill too many Genoese soldiers, and most of the enemy soldiers fled the battlefield directly after their morale collapsed.
.
By then, if the Corsican army retreating south is evading the pursuit of the Sardinian army and is further obstructed by the Genoese army, it is very likely that it will be in danger of being annihilated.
Lawrence was fully confident that he could directly capture Turin and force the Kingdom of Sardinia to conquer, but as a qualified leader, he must also be prepared for all possibilities.
Therefore, Lawrence must try his best to cause casualties to the Genoese army here and weaken its effective strength, so that the Republic of Genoa will not pose any military threat for a certain period of time, so as to eliminate future troubles.
In addition, there is another important factor, which is the hatred of the Corsicans towards the Genoese.
What these Corsican soldiers dream of is to one day be able to visit Genoa itself and personally let the former superior colonists taste the bitter fruits they have sown. This obsession with revenge has been suppressed in their hearts for thirty years.
With these thirty years of hatred between the country and the family, and thirty years of blood and tears, if this revenge army from Corsica enters Genoa City without any restrictions, anyone can imagine that the chaos will be huge for a while.
The city of Genoa will become a hell on earth overnight.
Naturally, Lawrence would not allow his soldiers to burn, kill, loot, and vent their anger on the civilians in Genoa City. This was not because Lawrence was kind, but because the scorched-earth Genoa City could not give enough to Corsica.
Interests.
But even with Prime Minister Bonaparte's prestige in the military, if he completely prohibited Corsican soldiers from taking revenge on Genoa, the sergeants would certainly obey this order, but the soldiers in the army would inevitably feel resentful and resentful because of this.
Unfair.
In this way, in order to improve the morale of the army, to maintain his prestige and control in the army, and to protect the civilians of Genoa from being slaughtered, someone must pay their lives.
...
Laurence Bonaparte's order was quickly conveyed to all departments of the Corsican army.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! The soldiers accepted the order expressionlessly and began to perform their duties. In the hearts of many people, they had been waiting for this moment for too long, and even felt uncomfortable
Few Corsicans did not think that this day would come when they would take revenge on the Genoese with their own hands.
No one wants their hands to be stained with blood, but if it is the blood of a mortal enemy, that is a different matter.
The sounds of wailing and begging for mercy echoed through the suburbs of Genoa City. When these Genoese soldiers were bragging in the tavern about how they would break the bones of the Corsican people, they definitely did not expect this moment.
If you could look down at this land from an eagle's perspective, you would be able to see countless red footprints extending from the pool of blood in the center of the battlefield. They are the blood stains left by injured soldiers fleeing on this land.
Lawrence watched this one-sided massacre with cold eyes. He had never been a saint who could not bear to kill. On the road to supreme power, morality and kindness were only tools, and only profit was the only criterion.
And he also believed that if the roles of the two sides were reversed today, the Genoese would not show even a trace of kindness.
More than two hours later, this unsuspicious chase came to an end.
If someone stood in the middle of the pool of blood and looked up at the sky, even the blazing sun hanging high in the midday sky seemed to be covered with a blood-colored gauze.
There was no such thing as an orderly retreat for the completely defeated Republican Guard, especially when the Genoese soldiers discovered that the Corsican people did not accept prisoners of war at all. The Genoese people, surrounded by fear, had lost all organizational ability, and everyone only focused on
risk his own life.
Although there is no exact data, according to the estimates of the Genoese soldiers who narrowly escaped, three-quarters of the entire Republican Guard soldiers had died tragically at the hands of the Corsicans, not counting those soldiers who managed to escape but were seriously injured.
.
In other words, the most elite standing army force of the Republic of Genoa has been completely destroyed today, leaving only an empty shell-like establishment.
After simply cleaning the battlefield, the Corsican army also discovered an unexpected gain:
"Are you...General Tyro Belrain?"
Lawrence looked at the dying general in front of him with some surprise, covered in blood. He was captured by the pursuing Corsican soldiers when he was trying to retreat on the edge of the battlefield.
Although they received the order to kill without mercy, after the soldiers discovered that they had captured the top commander of the Genoese army, they immediately escorted him to Lawrence.
The extremely weak General Belrain vomited blood and staggered to his knees. When he raised his head and saw Lawrence's face clearly, indescribable complex emotions appeared on his pale face:
"It's really you... Laurence Bonaparte, the young officer at Sheephorn that day..."
Three years ago, when General Thiro Belland was inspecting the Bay of Sheep in northern Corsica, he was unexpectedly captured by a Corsican force that had sneaked behind enemy lines.
Later, the Corsican troops used themselves as prisoners to successfully escape from the siege of the Genoese Army, which was ten times their own strength.
Although they were enemies of each other, General Bellerin at the time was extremely impressed by the commander of that unit, the young Major Laurence Bonaparte of the Corsican Defense Forces.
It could be said that it was not a coincidence of fate. General Bellerin himself could never have imagined that today, three years later, he would once again fall into the hands of Laurence Bonaparte as a prisoner.
The only difference is that three years ago, even though he was a prisoner, General Belrain could talk and laugh with the young major officer in a condescending manner; but today, three years later, he is also a prisoner, but General Belrain is
He could only kneel on his knees and wait anxiously for Prime Minister Bonaparte's words.
Time is really the most amazing thing in the world. Three years, just three years, this period of time has not even left any trace on the face of the young man in front of him. He has already stood where he cannot touch and can only look up.
above height.
The dying General Beleran thought so and grinned uncontrollably:
"Has the Corsican's revenge finally come? Will the city of Genoa turn into a sea of fire today?"
Lawrence lowered his head and glanced at the gunshot wounds on the opponent's body. Although there was no direct hit to the vital point, General Belrain also had no fewer than five gunshot wounds. He probably also suffered severe fractures when he fell from the horse. Such injuries are not suitable for a person who
For the frail old man, there is no hope.
However, for Lawrence, the dying old general still had his role.
"If I could borrow something from the general, the anger of the Corsican people might not have to spread to the people in the city." Lawrence said suddenly.
General Belrain raised his head with difficulty. He knew that Laurence Bonaparte would not amuse himself with an old man with one foot half in the grave, so he smiled bitterly:
"I am a dying man. Take what you want, Monsignor Bonaparte."
When he said the word Monsignor Bonaparte, General Berriand's tone was very strange. Three years ago, he could openly and openly call the young man in front of him a brat.
Lawrence lowered his head and looked at General Belrain. Although the two had only met once in Sheephorn Bay three years ago, General Belrain did do him a big favor at that time - he forged a letter with Ciro...
Russell exchanged letters, so that he could successfully get rid of Ciro Russell, a serious enemy, with the help of Pauly.
However, now that the two are on opposite sides, Lawrence has only one way to deal with General Belrain - squeeze out the last bit of value from him and then throw it away like a rag.
Lawrence looked away from General Belrain and ordered the guards on the left and right:
"Immediately display the head of General Tiro Belrain to the public, and inform the entire army that the former commander of the Corsican Army of the Republic of Genoa, Tiro Belrain, has been executed; all ministries immediately reorganized and marched towards Genoa City."
When the dying General Belrain heard this order, he didn't say anything, and the smile on his lips became even crueler.
He knew very well what image he, the former commander of the Corsican Legion of the Republic of Genoa, had in the hearts of the Corsican soldiers.
I am afraid that everyone within the entire Corsican Defense Force, from Governor Pasquale Paoli to the newly recruited private soldiers, was looking forward to the day when they would be personally sent to the guillotine.
Especially the Corsican soldiers of the former Northern Army, as the front line of direct confrontation with the Genoese, the soldiers there were eagerly looking forward to it day and night, one day they could push all the Genoese Army stationed in the north into the sea and drown them.
.
Because only after that day did it mean that the Genoese were completely expelled from the land of Corsica, and that Corsica gained complete independence and liberation.
Although Corsica is no longer afraid of the threat of Genoa, in the hearts of the soldiers, the name Tilo Belrain is still the number one enemy of the entire Kingdom of Corsica.
At this moment, General Belrain could also guess that the reason why Laurence Bonaparte wanted to send himself to the guillotine when he was dying was just to use his own head to appease the hatred in the hearts of the Corsican soldiers.
Thinking of this, General Belrain's face actually became a little more pleased.
If the anger of the Corsican soldiers can be appeased, then at least the people of Genoa City will not have to suffer another disaster, and their death will be considered a well-deserved death.
