This is my first story,so try not to judge me too harshly.This'll be a fictional battle in the napoleonic wars detailing a battle between napoleon and the prussians.
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The night was damp and still,but a slight chill was in the air; it was evident that summer was coming to an end,and Blucher had to move fast.
"What's taking so long?" he called down to the bridge.He knew that if they couldn't secure the crossing in time,their exit back to prussia would be cut off.
He soon received his answer,as a messenger on horseback galloped furiously up to the old general."Sir,it's adisaster!" he began quickly."Bonaparte has already crossed by boat further down the river.They'll be here before dawn!"
Blucher realized the true situation at once,but knew there was no true way to retreat.If they went into allied territory,they would be attacked in the midst of crossing.If they pulled back to France,they would be in enemy territory and the bridge would be in French hands.
There was only one thing to do.
"Tell the men on the bridge to finish crossing,then order no more men across" said Blucher.
"Spread the rifles and cannons across our side of the river.Order the infantry to form a circle around the bridge;any others should join the rifles.The cavalry should wait in the forest with me.When the situations dire,come to me for orders.Do as you're told, Marshall".
So that was the generals plan;it was the only plan,but an insane one.
"Sir-" the messenger began,but the general cut him off.
"Do as your told".
"But-"
"Now" Blucher said,glaring at the messenger.
And the messenger hesitated,then finally sped away and delivered these orders to corporal Williams,the only British commander in the vincity.
When the troops heard these orders,some were shocked,some were terrified,others were grudgingly accepting it,but all realized the futility of disagreeing.
So they did as they were told.
The infantry on both sides of the river surrounded the bridge in a 3-rank line.The reserve infantry on Blucher's side of the river spread out directly behind the fusiliers and jaeger.The cannons positioned themselves in gaps in the line.There were a total of 136 guns;not enough to take on Napoleons grand battery,but enough to,perhaps,weaken their infantry enough for a cavalry charge.
The cavalry seemed the most willing to follow orders.A total of 3 hussar brigades and a division of dragoons were positioned behind a hill in the forest,giving them protection from the horrid French Artillerie E Pied.But there were still doubts among them.
As dawn approached,the dragoons commander rode up with Blucher to the top of the hill as the dark sky seemed to grow a little fainter.Dawn was coming,and fast.
"Sir" the dragoon commander began-"You know the French have boats".
"So,what of it?"Blucher replied?
"Sir,if they cross,we'll be surrounded.I should saywhen they cross,actually".
The wise old man next to him merely chuckled."You say that as though it's a bad thing" he replied.
The Dragoon commander,mystified,was about to ask what he meant,but then Blucher became very quiet and held a finger to his mouth.
"Look around" he said,barely in a whisper.
The commander looked,and saw the silhouette of the French infantry only a quarter mile away.
"It's almost begun" Blucher said, handing the commander a small piece of paper.
"We might as well get the first shot in" he chuckled,riding down the hill as the commander quickly read the paper and galloped away.
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Napoleon watched through his spyglass as Blucher passed a paper to a horseman nearby.The horseman then galloped to what looked like a fallen tree and pressed it against the bark.
Bonaparte gave a soft chuckle;was the man writing his name so his body would be found? A good idea;what was Blucher thinking,defending against him in French territory?
But then the man just left the paper there,and then the great frenchman was left dumbfounded.
And then he understood.
Bonaparte dropped his spyglass and rode furiously down the hill without speaking.
A moment later,the guns on the bank open fired.
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The night was damp and still,but a slight chill was in the air; it was evident that summer was coming to an end,and Blucher had to move fast.
"What's taking so long?" he called down to the bridge.He knew that if they couldn't secure the crossing in time,their exit back to prussia would be cut off.
He soon received his answer,as a messenger on horseback galloped furiously up to the old general."Sir,it's a
Blucher realized the true situation at once,but knew there was no true way to retreat.If they went into allied territory,they would be attacked in the midst of crossing.If they pulled back to France,they would be in enemy territory and the bridge would be in French hands.
There was only one thing to do.
"Tell the men on the bridge to finish crossing,then order no more men across" said Blucher.
"Spread the rifles and cannons across our side of the river.Order the infantry to form a circle around the bridge;any others should join the rifles.The cavalry should wait in the forest with me.When the situations dire,come to me for orders.Do as you're told, Marshall".
So that was the generals plan;it was the only plan,but an insane one.
"Sir-" the messenger began,but the general cut him off.
"Do as your told".
"But-"
"Now" Blucher said,glaring at the messenger.
And the messenger hesitated,then finally sped away and delivered these orders to corporal Williams,the only British commander in the vincity.
When the troops heard these orders,some were shocked,some were terrified,others were grudgingly accepting it,but all realized the futility of disagreeing.
So they did as they were told.
The infantry on both sides of the river surrounded the bridge in a 3-rank line.The reserve infantry on Blucher's side of the river spread out directly behind the fusiliers and jaeger.The cannons positioned themselves in gaps in the line.There were a total of 136 guns;not enough to take on Napoleons grand battery,but enough to,perhaps,weaken their infantry enough for a cavalry charge.
The cavalry seemed the most willing to follow orders.A total of 3 hussar brigades and a division of dragoons were positioned behind a hill in the forest,giving them protection from the horrid French Artillerie E Pied.But there were still doubts among them.
As dawn approached,the dragoons commander rode up with Blucher to the top of the hill as the dark sky seemed to grow a little fainter.Dawn was coming,and fast.
"Sir" the dragoon commander began-"You know the French have boats".
"So,what of it?"Blucher replied?
"Sir,if they cross,we'll be surrounded.I should say
The wise old man next to him merely chuckled."You say that as though it's a bad thing" he replied.
The Dragoon commander,mystified,was about to ask what he meant,but then Blucher became very quiet and held a finger to his mouth.
"Look around" he said,barely in a whisper.
The commander looked,and saw the silhouette of the French infantry only a quarter mile away.
"It's almost begun" Blucher said, handing the commander a small piece of paper.
"We might as well get the first shot in" he chuckled,riding down the hill as the commander quickly read the paper and galloped away.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Napoleon watched through his spyglass as Blucher passed a paper to a horseman nearby.The horseman then galloped to what looked like a fallen tree and pressed it against the bark.
Bonaparte gave a soft chuckle;was the man writing his name so his body would be found? A good idea;what was Blucher thinking,defending against him in French territory?
But then the man just left the paper there,and then the great frenchman was left dumbfounded.
And then he understood.
Bonaparte dropped his spyglass and rode furiously down the hill without speaking.
A moment later,the guns on the bank open fired.
[This message has been edited by Brass45 (edited 09-09-2010 @ 09:26 AM).]