'What do you mean?' Napoleon asked, as he stepped closer and stared through the tent flap. Inside he could see Carteaux leaning back in his chair, his head bowed. Napoleon felt a renewed surge of anger and started forward, until Saliceti placed a hand on his chest and held him back.
'As I said, there is no general here,' Saliceti repeated.'I have just dismissed Carteaux from his post as commander of the army. He's failed us too many times. And now Citizen Carteaux is under arrest.'
Chapter 78
Major-General Dugommier stared hard at his assembled officers. 'There will be no more mistakes, gentlemen. We will have Toulon back in our hands before the end of the year. I want to make that quite clear. I will not tolerate incompetence, nor cowardice.'
He paused to let his words settle firmly in the minds of his audience and then stood up and crossed over to the map that hung on the wall of the inn he had chosen for his headquarters. At first Napoleon had not been inspired by the choice of Dugommier as the new commander of the army surrounding Toulon. Dugommier was from a noble family and, in his late fifties with grey hair and heavily lined face, was reaching an age when he would be better employed in an administrative role, rather than as a field officer. But the new general had quickly proved to be a professional of the old school and had personally inspected every unit under his command and rectified a number of supply and equipment problems that his predecessor had simply ignored. Despite his noble blood he seemed to enjoy the complete confidence of the representatives of the Committee of Public Safety, and within days of his arrival he had reinvigorated the spirit of his officers and men. Even Napoleon, grudgingly at first, recognised the superior quality of the man. All the more so when Dugommier adopted the plan of attack that had been drafted by Napoleon.
Dugommier tapped a stubby finger on the map. 'Everything hinges on L'Eguillette, as the more tactically minded of you have already come to realise. Of course, the enemy is of the same mind, hence the powerful defences that they have built at Fort Mulgrave. Over the last week I have been encouraging our opponents to believe that we are shifting the focus of our attacks to Mount Faron. Hence the increased patrols, probing attacks and limited bombardments in that area. It seems that my approach has paid off, since our spies tell us that the enemy has shifted two battalions and twelve guns from L'Eguillette to the other side of the harbour over the last two nights.' Dugommier paused and turned to his senior officers with a faint smile.'The time to attack is almost upon us, gentlemen.'
Around the long table the officers exchanged excited glances. Their chance had come at last. After all the piecemeal failures of General Carteaux they were still somewhat sceptical of any plan of attack, and waited for the new commander to elaborate. Instead, Dugommier returned to the table and sat down, before nodding in Napoleon's direction.
'Colonel Buona Parte, if you would be so good as to explain the plan to us?'
'Yes, sir.' Napoleon had a pile of notes in a leather case on the table in front of him, but he had read over the plan enough times to have memorised every important detail, so he left the case where it was and rose from his bench and stood to one side of the map. Most of the other officers looked on in poorly concealed surprise that Dugommier had ceded centre stage to this freshly promoted commander of the army's artillery. Napoleon cleared his throat and mentally rehearsed the sequence of his plan.
'In order to unsettle the enemy we will continue small-scale attacks right along the line of their defences for the next week.' He swept a hand in an arc around the port. 'Our artillery will support these attacks by bombarding their main redoubts and forts.The aim is to keep the enemy guessing about our intentions so that they spread their forces across their lines of defence. We will launch simultaneous assaults along the whole front on the night of the attack. That has been set for the early hours of the eighteenth of December. General Lapoye will be co-ordinating operations to the east of Toulon. The main weight of the attack will be thrown here, against Fort Mulgrave. The night before, we will assemble twelve infantry battalions in the village of La Seyne. There will be four columns involved. The first will be commanded by Colonel Victor, the second by Colonel Delaborde and the third by Colonel Brule. The fourth is the reserve under my command, and will remain in La Seyne until it is needed.'
'If it is needed,' General Dugommier intervened quietly.
'Yes, sir. If it is needed.' Napoleon felt his face flush slightly and quickly turned back to the map. 'The batteries of Men-Without-Fear, the Jacobins and the Happy Hunters will provide covering fire, and hopefully divert attention away from the approaching infantry columns. As soon as the fort is taken, Colonel Victor will advance and take Fort L'Equillette, Colonel Delaborde will take Fort Balaguier and Colonel Delaborde will mop up any remaining enemy forces in Fort Mulgrave. As soon as the forts are secured we will move the siege guns forward to Fort L'Eguillette and sweep the inner harbour. Cut off from the sea, it is only a matter of time before Toulon falls.' He turned away from the map. 'Any questions?'
'Yes,' Colonel Victor nodded. 'A night attack? With three columns going forward close to each other? Sounds like a recipe for confusion to me.'
'The routes will be marked the night of the attack,' Napoleon replied. 'My subordinate, Lieutenant Junot, will be leading a small party to lay down pegs and twine to show the way.'
'Still sounds risky,' Colonel Victor mused.
'I assure you it will work,' Napoleon replied impatiently. 'The surprise will be complete. Now, any more questions?'
'No,' General Dugommier said firmly. 'There will be no questions.The plan is sound and we will stick to it in every detail. All officers will receive precise orders from my staff. Gentlemen, you are dismissed.'
Chapter 79
The rain began at dusk and continued into the night as the men emerged from their tents and formed up in their companies and battalions before marching off towards the fishing village of La Seyne. A cold wind had blown up from the sea, driving the rain into their faces, and long before they had reached the village every man was soaked to the skin and shivering. Being small and thin, Napoleon felt the discomfort even more than the men he trudged alongside. He had left headquarters to make his final report on the preparations just after it had begun to rain.The track had quickly turned into a quagmire that sucked at his boots, and where the ground was more stony it made the surface slippery so that he had to concentrate on every step he took.
Napoleon had not considered such awful weather when he had drawn up his plans for Dugommier, and now, as he pulled his greatcoat tightly about his shoulders, he tried to consider the possible impact this freezing rain would have on the attack. As long as this mud did not slow them down too much the attack should succeed. Besides, the rain would help to conceal their approach and the sound of their progress would be muffled by the hiss and patter amid the blustering moan of the wind.
When he reached La Seyne Napoleon made his way to the merchant's house that had been chosen for the headquarters for the night's operation. Victor, Delaborde and Brule were already waiting as Napoleon entered, spattered in mud and dripping water across the threshold. He closed the door behind him and hurried across to the glow of the fire that crackled in the grate.
'You could have picked a better night for it, Buona Parte,' Victor smiled. 'If this rain continues then, to be honest, we'd better leave the job to the navy.'
'What navy?' Brule grumbled. 'Useless bastards gave up their ships without a fight when Toulon went over to the British.'
Victor shook his head sadly. 'Colonel Brule, I was joking.'
'Joking?' Brule glanced at him guardedly. He was a die-hard Jacobin, as willing to kill for his cause as die for it, which partly explained his elevation to his present rank. 'Soldiering's a serious business, Colonel. There's no place in it for jokes.'
'Really?'Victor responded with a wry look.'In which case you must surely be the exception to the rule.'
As Brule frowned Victor turned back to the new arrival. 'Everything sett
led at headquarters?'
'As settled as it can be,' Napoleon replied, trying to stop his teeth chattering. 'The general and his staff will be on their way down to join us.Then we just have to wait for Lapoye to give the signal. He'll fire a red rocket tonight, just after his men make contact with the enemy. We acknowledge it with a green rocket.'
'What if we don't see it?' said Colonel Delaborde. 'In this weather, we might not, especially if there's a mist later on.'
'A fair point,' Napoleon nodded. 'In that case, if there's no signal by midnight, we might wait an hour before the columns march out of the village and make for the fort.'
'If that's what the general decides,' Delaborde replied. 'It may be your plan, Buona Parte, but it's still his army.'
Napoleon looked round and fixed the older man with a blank stare. 'Of course. Whatever the general decides.'
Colonel Victor clapped his hands. 'Come now, gentlemen! No long faces. No disagreements. Let's have a drink and a hand of cards while we wait.'
'Cards?' Brule frowned.
'Yes. Whist? Or should the prospect of following the fortunes of fifty-two cards be too daunting for you, we could play vingt-et-un. '
'Ah!' Brule's dull expression lightened up. 'Vingt-et-un. Now that's a game I enjoy.'
Colonel Victor smiled. 'How could I possibly say I am surprised, my dear Colonel? Come then, let's play. Buona Parte, join us.'
Napoleon shook his head. 'Not tonight. There's too much at stake. I can't help thinking about it.'
'It's all in hand. The plan's good and, besides, there's nothing you can do about it now. The cards will take your mind off it. I find it helps calm the nerves.'
Napoleon nodded. 'Very well, I'll play.'
The men sat round a small table and as Victor shuffled and dealt the first hand Napoleon reflected that Victor was right. When an operation began then the men involved must cease thinking about all that had gone before; all that mattered was performing their specific tasks in a clear-minded way. So he concentrated on the play of cards by the other officers and noted that each had a distinct style that said much about his character. Delaborde was cautious, Brule impulsive and obvious, and Victor affected a nonchalance that belied an extremely calculating mind. After the first half-hour Victor suggested that they might play for money, just small stakes, to help them focus their concentration. For the next hour he proceeded to fleece the other colonels of the contents of their purses and would have completed the job had not General Dugommier intervened.
The colonels lowered their cards and stood up. The general nodded a greeting and then gestured through the door. 'Filthy night. Every track has turned into bog. It'll be tough going.'
Dugommier made his way over to the fire, as Napoleon had done, and warmed his hands. 'What hour is it?'
Victor reached for his fob watch. 'Twenty minutes to midnight, sir.'
'Then you'd better join your units, gentlemen. Watch for the rocket. Move off as soon as you see it.'
Napoleon and the others pulled on their coats and hats, still heavy and sodden, and left the building. Outside the rain was falling even harder, rattling off the tiled roofs and hissing into the muddy street. Everywhere Napoleon looked the men were huddling under eaves or in the doorways of houses.
Colonel Victor grasped Napoleon's hand. 'I'll see you in the fort.'
'Yes. Until later then.'
The officers dispersed. Napoleon trudged through the streets to the fish market where the reserve battalions were waiting. He found Lieutenant Junot and the other officers warming themselves over the embers of a fire in a smithy.
'Junot!'
'Yes, sir.'
'You've got better eyes than me. Get over to the church. Climb the tower and keep watch for Lapoye's signal. You let me know the instant you see anything.'
'Yes, sir.' Junot saluted and then ran off down the cobbled street, hurriedly buttoning his coat. Napoleon took his space by the hearth, pulling up a stool, and then settled down to wait. Midnight passed, then another half-hour, and then one o'clock. Still there was no sign of Lapoye's signal and no report from Junot.
Then at half-past one, a staff officer strode into the fish market. He cupped his hands and called out, 'Colonel Buona Parte!'
'Over here!'
Napoleon rose from the stool and advanced to meet the staff officer. 'What's up?'
'General Dugommier's compliments, sir. He wants to see the senior officers, straight away.'
Napoleon nodded and as the staff officer ran off to find the next man on his list Napoleon hurried back through the streets. When he arrived he discovered Brule and Delaborde in earnest discussion with the general. Dugommier waved the new arrival towards the table.
'Any sign of the signal from your position, Buona Parte?'
'No, sir.'
'You see?' Delaborde shook his head. 'No signal. Something must have gone wrong.'
Dugommier stroked his chin. 'Perhaps. It is equally possible that the weather has delayed Lapoye and his men are still getting into position.'
'We don't know that, sir,' Delaborde insisted.'But even if it was true, this rain has made the ground impassable. Worse still, it'll make it impossible to use firearms. Our men will be at a terrible disadvantage.'
'No,' Napoleon responded. 'There is no disadvantage. The same conditions apply to the enemy. At least our cannon will be able to fire. The powder's sheltered and the fuses will burn even in this rain. We can still proceed with the attack.'
Delaborde shook his head at Napoleon and turned back to the general. 'Sir, we must call off the attack. Wait until we have better weather. Otherwise there might be a disaster.'
Napoleon felt a wave of frustration at the man's anxiety. As he wiped his dripping hair to the side of his forehead the door opened and Colonel Victor joined them.
'Ah,' Dugommier smiled. 'Now that you're all here, we must make a decision. There's been no signal from Lapoye. Delaborde and Brule advise me that the attack should be cancelled, and that we wait for better weather.'
'That would make life easier, sir,' Victor nodded. 'But it's no reason to call it off. Not yet at least.' He sat down beside Napoleon. 'And what does Colonel Buona Parte think? After all, it's his plan.'
The general looked at Napoleon and raised an eyebrow.'Well?'
'I say we go now, sir. Don't wait for the signal. The men have had enough standing around waiting. Leave them there much longer and it won't do much for their spirit.We don't know how long this weather will last. Could be hours, days, weeks. Who knows? Besides,' Napoleon looked at his general with a shrewd expression, 'I don't think that Saliceti and Freron, still less the Committee for Public Safety, are going to look on any delay favourably.'
'Civilians!' Brule spat. 'What the hell do they know about military affairs?'
Napoleon shrugged. 'Not much, perhaps, but they know the mood of the mob in Paris, and they know the minds of the men of the Convention. France needs a victory. If we call off the attack then it doesn't take much imagination to work out how our political masters in Paris will react.'
'Hmm.'The general frowned.'Have you considered how much more they will be displeased, should the attack fail and we lose too many men?'
'Yes, sir. But that could happen at any time. I don't see how waiting until the weather has improved is going to better our chances.'
'No. That's true,' General Dugommier reflected, and then slapped a hand down on the table. 'Very well, we'll wait for another hour. But if there's no sign of Lapoye's signal by three o'clock, then I'm calling off the attack.'
Delaborde smiled and nodded his assent. Napoleon felt betrayed. If this was how France waged war then the conflict with the other nations of Europe was as good as lost.
'Back to your units, gentlemen. If there's no signal, I'll send word for you to order your men back to camp.'
As he made his way back to the fish market Napoleon's brow creased into a frown. The campaign to retake Toulon had been dogged by dithering commanders for long enou
gh. If Paris was minded to make an example of those it held responsible for not pursuing the siege with enough vigour, then it was possible that Dugommier's immediate subordinates might be drawn into the net. Napoleon swore under his breath. If only he were in command. Then he'd order the attack at once, come rain, snow and ice. He stopped in his tracks, a sudden thought seizing his mind. It was very simple. The attack would go ahead. He would make it happen. Striding forwards again he hurried back to the fish market, and headed towards the church. Inside he stood at the bottom of the tower and called on Junot to descend and join him. After a quickly glance round to make sure that they would not be overheard Napoleon spoke quietly to his companion.
'Junot, the general intends to call off the attack.'
'Why? What for, sir?'
'The rain. He thinks it will bog our men down, and it means we might not see Lapoye's signal.'
'What if Lapoye has fired it already, and is waiting for our acknowledgement?'
'Yes,' Napoleon mused. 'That might be so. In which case the rain will be the ruin of us all.'
Junot smacked a fist against his thigh. 'Damn this weather! If only it would clear for a moment.'
'Let's assume it won't. Something has to be done, Junot. Someone has to make things happen.'
Juont looked at him cautiously. 'What are you suggesting, sir?'
'I want you to fire a green signal rocket.'
'What?'
'A green rocket. If Lapoye sees it, then the attack continues as planned. If he doesn't then at least our attack on Fort Mulgrave will go ahead.'
'And what if we fail, sir?'
Napoleon shrugged. 'Let's make sure we don't. Now then, Junot, are you with me on this?'
Lieutenant Junot thought for a moment and then nodded once. 'You've not let me down yet, sir. And I won't let you down.'
'Good.' Napoleon smiled, and clasped the other man's arm. 'That's good. If this goes badly for us, then you have my word that I will do everything I can to exculpate you.'
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