#843 - War Prince

The soldiers were excitedly discussing the menu for tonight's dinner when they suddenly heard short bugle calls ringing around them.

This was the signal for an enemy attack.

Immediately, the company commander, along with the flag bearer and drummer, hurried past the front of the position, loudly ordering, "Everyone, grab your guns immediately, put on your bulletproof inserts, and form up!

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"Get your spirits up, this should be the Prussians' last attack for today!"

The sergeant major hurriedly urged everyone to prepare for battle, then glanced at his pocket watch and said angrily, "These sons of bitches, it's already four thirty and they still want to attack.

Looks like 'Miss Delvaux's Feast' might have to go to other camps!"

The soldiers' eyes immediately turned red.

The field kitchen couldn't cook after dark, because the firelight would be the best target indicator for the enemy artillery.

The fighting on their side was likely to continue until dark, so the food truck wouldn't be able to come.

Andre gritted his teeth and said, "Aim and fire! We must drive the enemy back before dark!"

"That's right, as long as we fight hard enough, we should be able to make it in time for dinner."

"God bless us, don't let 'Miss Delvaux's Feast' leave..."

More than ten minutes later, thousands of Prussian skirmishers, under the cover of shelling, quickly approached from the south.

Behind them were more than 30 infantry assault columns.

However, the Prussians were surprised to find that the French army southeast of Eschdorf was unusually fierce today, each one acting as if they were crazy, completely ignoring the artillery fire and desperately pouring bullets at them.

The Prussian frontal attack was immediately blunted.

However, due to their massive numerical advantage, their encircling forces on the east side quickly attacked again.

This is the terrifying aspect of numerical superiority in large-scale battles.

Normally, 5,000 elite troops have a good chance of defeating 10,000 enemies, but when the scale of the army expands to 50,000, dealing with 100,000 enemies becomes very difficult.

This isn't a simple ratio problem.

When 100,000 people spread out on the battlefield, they will occupy an area several kilometers wide.

The smaller side simply cannot cover such a large area, and because the front line is too long, you can't even see the distant enemies.

After the battle starts, you can repel the enemies in front of you, and then find that your flanks have been surrounded at some point.

This is also why the larger the battle, the more it tests the commander's ability—many times the commander needs to rely on experience and intuition to judge the enemy's movements in order to mobilize troops in advance to respond.

However, as soon as the Prussian encircling forces approached the French defense line, two French skirmisher battalions used an unusually fierce counter-charge to push them back, so that even the formation of the Prussian infantry behind them was disrupted.

The Prussians closer to the French army seemed to hear that the soldiers on the opposite side not only shouted "In the name of the Crown Prince" as usual, but also interspersed with sounds such as "For dinner" and "Stewed beef."

In this way, the soldiers of the Eschdorf defense line, with their "rage" at full capacity, repelled the Prussian attack in less than half past five.

At this time, the setting sun in the sky was still barely hanging on the horizon.

Andre, Orol, and others soon saw the smoke rising from "Miss Delvaux's Feast" and immediately began to sing happily.

Just as the Prussian army launched its last wave of attack, on the north side of Eschdorf, Massena finally saw the flag with the Crown Prince's emblem in the distance.

He hurriedly signaled the military musicians to start playing music, then tidied up his military uniform and quickly stepped forward with his guards to greet him.

"Your Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, I am very happy to see you here." Massena placed his hand on his chest and bowed in front of the Crown Prince's horse, "However, this place is too close to the enemy, very dangerous, do you think it is necessary to..."

Joseph jumped off his horse, threw the reins to Ksord, stepped on the fallen leaves, walked up and patted Massena, and signaled to the military band next to him: "I am here to fight, don't do this kind of ostentation again in the future."

Massena had been serving in the old army before.

After Joseph returned to France from Silesia, he went to the Paris Police Academy for further study, so he had not fought with Joseph and did not know Joseph's style and habits.

Massena hurriedly nodded and said, "Yes, Your Highness, I remember.

However, I still suggest you go to Würz's headquarters for safety."

Joseph turned his head and smiled: "The enemy is not in Würz.

I'll say it again, I'm here to fight, how can there be no danger in fighting?"

He knew very well the importance of the Rhineland.

This is the key to truly influencing the entire German region, and it is also the breakthrough point for the Allied forces to attack France.

Whoever wins here, France or the anti-French alliance, will gain the absolute initiative in the entire war.

So he personally came to Luxembourg with the Lefebvre Corps, even if he didn't participate in commanding the battle, he could at least boost morale.

Massena had to follow, respectfully saying, "With you leading France, we will surely achieve a glorious victory!"

No mistake, one first, one hair, one inside, one capacity, one is, one looks!

Joseph didn't take his cue, and looked towards the direction where the sound of artillery fire was coming from: "Tell me about the battle situation in detail."

"Yes, Your Highness." Massena also knew that the Crown Prince had led troops on southern and northern expeditions, so he no longer stopped him.

He followed Joseph and straddled his warhorse, saying,

"Our defense line has been stable on the Eschdorf to Consthum line.

However, Ferdinand has gathered nearly 100,000 troops here, so the defense pressure is still very high.

"Fortunately, the Oudinot Corps defeated the armies of Thuringia and Lower Hesse in Neuerburg, otherwise there would be 13,000 more enemies here."

Joseph nodded slightly.

Massena's deployment was very correct.

He did not defend the Luxembourg fortress to the death, but pulled out strategic space on the Ardennes Plateau, which allowed Oudinot to have the opportunity to raid the enemy's rear.

Otherwise, even if the latter succeeded in the attack, he would be surrounded by the enemy.

Massena continued: "As for the Luxembourg fortress, General Berthier is leading three regiments of the Royal First Infantry Division, as well as the Champagne Corps, a total of 13,000 people to defend it.

"They are facing the Allied forces of Hanover, Mainz, Trier, and other countries, a total of more than 15,000 people.

There should be no accidents."

When Hanover rebelled in Brabant, its main force had been crippled by Joseph.

Its current combat effectiveness is basically on par with countries such as Lower Hesse and Thuringia.

As for small countries such as Mainz, their military strength is even less worth mentioning.

So the city of Luxembourg is indeed not difficult to defend.

Joseph and Massena passed through the town of Eschdorf and could already see the smoke of gunpowder from the front line in the distance.

He shook the reins, made the horse go faster, and turned to Massena and said, "The problem of insufficient troops will soon be alleviated.

I have brought you 36,000 reinforcements, and they should be here tomorrow."

"36,000 people?" Massena's eyes lit up immediately, and he said excitedly, "You brought all the troops from the Southern Netherlands Army!

In that case, the Royal Fourth Infantry Division is also among them?"