Chapter 873: 781: Overlooking Lombardy

Chapter 873: Chapter 781: Overlooking Lombardy

Napoleon gazed at the distant snow-capped peaks, unhesitatingly nudged his horse forward up the slope, and turned to the quartermaster:

“Don’t worry about supplies. Have you forgotten the benevolent Saint Bernard Monastery up in the mountains?”

He was referring to the monastery built by the monk Saint Bernard de Mure [Note 1] in the 11th century, situated halfway up the Alps. Over the centuries, it had undergone numerous expansions and now was sizable enough to provide sustenance for thousands of soldiers.

The quartermaster paused for a moment, then hurriedly caught up and said:

“Commander, I must remind you that the Crown Prince strictly forbids us from ‘privately requisitioning supplies’ in Italian towns.”

This so-called “requisition of supplies” was essentially a civilized way of describing looting by soldiers.

Napoleon flashed a sly smile:

“Yes, no requisitioning in Italy, but the Crown Prince didn’t prohibit us from accepting the monastery’s generosity.”

“Furthermore, Major Oddric isn’t here, so certain matters can be handled more flexibly, can’t they?”

Oddric was Joseph’s appointed logistics supervisor currently engaged in combat near Diego with Demoblin.

The quartermaster persisted, trying to dissuade him: “Even if the monks assist us, the supplies would still be insufficient. The monastery’s provisions might sustain the army for a week at most. But when we arrive at Bade Fortress, which will likely require prolonged siege operations, we would be better off waiting for the supplies from Bres to arrive…”

“You need not worry about the fortress.” Napoleon sounded confident. “As for that matter, the Crown Prince has already ‘solved’ it for me.”

“Setting off two days earlier will grant us greater strategic advantage.”

Historically, after crossing the Great Saint Bernard Pass, the French Army spent half a month unsuccessfully assaulting Bade Fortress. A local shepherd eventually informed soldiers of a side path near the fortress, allowing them to sneak through under the cover of darkness.

However, due to the intense prior battles, the garrison was on high alert, and only the infantry managed to pass. When attempting to transport cannons, the Austrians discovered the move and began shelling the path to block it. Ultimately, the French Army had to abandon the larger artillery pieces, with only six cannons reaching Italy.

This time, however, Joseph had informed Napoleon of the secret path near Bade Fortress in advance. The French Army could discreetly take the route from the start, likely allowing the cannons to pass through the fortress.

As for the exact location of the path, Napoleon naturally planned to inquire from the locals.

Two days later.

Amid the pounding of military drums, the French artillerymen chanted synchronized slogans, driving their donkeys and mules to haul massive tree trunks halfway up the mountainside.

This idea came from the artillery commander, Marmon.

By hollowing out the trunks and inserting the cannon barrels before securing them, they could drag the cannons across the snowfields.

Without Marmon’s invention, all the 12-pound cannons would have been left at the base of the mountain—hauling these nearly two-ton heavy artillery pieces up steep snowy slopes would’ve been practically impossible.

As twilight approached, Murat’s cavalry camp was the first to reach the Saint Bernard Monastery.

The monks needed no prompting and eagerly retrieved food and wine from their cellars to “welcome the king’s troops warmly.”

The abbey’s abbot personally presented Napoleon with a “grand gift” of 200,000 francs, truly fulfilling the duties of a gracious host.

The next morning, Napoleon bid farewell to the abbot, and, unable to refuse his hospitality, ordered the soldiers to take eight carts filled with grain and dried meat from the monastery, continuing their journey.

As dozens of Saint Bernard dogs barked enthusiastically behind them, Napoleon turned to Marmon and said:

“You see, if Mr. Hannibal had also served Jesus back in the day, maybe his soldiers wouldn’t have starved and frozen while crossing the Alps. Oh, perhaps they’d even have had bonuses to collect.” [Note 2]

Marmon, perplexed, replied, “You’re suggesting… bonuses?”

“Exactly, 10 francs for each soldier, with officers receiving payments based on their rank,” Napoleon confirmed.

He drew 150,000 francs from the abbot’s gift and distributed it as bonuses to the soldiers. Once they stepped into Italy, they’d essentially become an isolated force in perilous circumstances, so boosting morale was critical.

Three days later, Napoleon looked back at Bade Fortress, wearing a triumphant smile.

He took a deep breath and murmured:

“Praise the Crown Prince! You’ve gifted me vast battlefields, and I shall repay you with glorious victories.”

The previous night, he had ordered soldiers to lay a mixture of straw and manure on the western side path of the fortress to muffle their steps. After a treacherous three-hour journey, the entire army, cannons, and vehicles successfully bypassed the formidable fortress.

Now before Napoleon lay the vast, boundless Lombardy Plain.

…

Meanwhile, as Napoleon prepared to enter the Great Saint Bernard Pass, outside Diego Town west of Genoa, Roberto Wanoni looked back at the French Army stretching endlessly into the horizon. Nervously gripping his reins, he whispered to Demoblin:

“Esteemed General, forgive my impertinence, but I wish to confirm once more: after reaching Volterra, you will sign the agreement with our country.”

He was an envoy sent by Genoa’s Governor, Michelangelo Aviasco.

Two days earlier, an Austrian Army force had forcefully invaded Genoa and seized control of all local defenses.

Aviasco, failing to negotiate with their commander, General Argentao, decided under the counsel of several deputies to send an envoy to establish contact with the French Army advancing into the Italian Peninsula.

To his surprise, the French readily agreed to help Genoa drive out the Austrians, repeatedly emphasizing their commitment to withdraw from Genoa immediately after the battle.

Demoblin smiled and nodded: “If only the Governor had granted you authorization, we could sign the agreement right now.”

“In fact, the Crown Prince has repeatedly stressed that Genoa’s neutral port status must be respected. France has no intention whatsoever of disrupting this balance.”

The Genoese envoy beamed with joy, his expression filled with respectful, fawning gratitude: “Praise the benevolent and great Crown Prince! He is truly God’s representative of order on earth, bringing fairness and justice to Italy! I swear, every Genoese citizen will forever remember His Highness’s selfless aid!”

[Note 1] Saint Bernard de Mure: The Bishop of Ao Si Ta and administrator of the Alpine region. To aid stranded travelers, he established a monastery and hospice at the highest point of the Alpine pass. His monks, assisted by specially trained rescue dogs, saved numerous people caught in the region’s severe weather and provided food and clothing.

[Note 2] Hannibal Baka: An Ancient Carthaginian military leader who, in 218 BCE, led an army over the Alps to attack the Roman Empire. Due to the primitive logistics at the time, tens of thousands of his soldiers froze or starved to death during the crossing. Nonetheless, he managed to reach Italy, delivering an unexpected blow to the Roman Army.