Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796

Chapter 439 016 A blood-and-blood mill battle (VI) What is Soult up to?

What the French saw on the battlefield after the Russians retreated did make Augereau and others laugh and cry.

These soldiers are now collecting all the leftovers.

If the Russian soldiers knew that the French had to eat "swill" while fighting them, I don't know whether they should sympathize or ridicule them.

When someone creates a military pot in the future, they have to think about it. The patent is probably in the hands of the French.

Bagration and Essen retreated safely back to Eylau.

"It was a close call. We were also worried when we watched."

"The Podolsk Regiment fought well. They should be commended."

"Don't talk about this issue for now. We have now opened the main road to the southeast. Even if we set up the battle array according to the current situation, it can only ensure the safety of Kamensky's flank."

Bagration's face was originally long, and now it looks more serious.

And when they said this, Davout's attack had already begun to work, driving Dokhturov and Tuchkov's troops out of the first line of defense.

From the battlefield, the Russian left wing had actually been bypassed, and Davout once again changed the battlefield situation with his hard work.

When the report came, the people in the headquarters were obviously unhappy.

"This bald guy is really amazing. My iron bucket formation was not beaten like this in the other two routes."

"Mishka, what are you going to do?"

"If we transfer the 4th Division, Davout's side will be blocked by us, but it will be difficult for us to stop Napoleon in the southwest and southeast directions, and the front line will be further compressed to Eylau. The outer positions have been breached, and Eylau is actually infinitely defensible. We can only cause great setbacks to the French on the battlefield, and then choose the next action phalanx."

He did not say retreat, but the psychological expectation of every sentence was hinting at a retreat from Eylau.

But on the battlefield, several key positions could not retreat a single step.

At least the 5th Division led by Tuchkov can still ensure the main road to Königsberg in the north, and the road to the west is also unobstructed.

Napoleon also had good intentions in Eylau, cutting off the main road in the east, so that the Russian army could not consider returning to the side of the border line by the shortest distance, and could only stay to fight or be further compressed by the French army.

If Soult was not in the southwest, Solovyov might have considered the strategy of changing homes, cutting off each other's retreat, and finally having a decisive battle to the death.

However, when this risky plan was proposed, those who advocated the war could not agree, after all, it was too risky.

It's not that everyone is not courageous enough, but this kind of gambler behavior is indeed a bit crazy.

It's just that if Napoleon is not given some strength, I'm afraid he will continue to oppress, so he can only fight here.

As for the attack launched by Soult, it seems to be a 50-50 fight with Sacken, but he has been looking for the weakness of Sacken's formation.

Solovyov's iron bucket formation is indeed more dependent on the command ability of the division commander, army commander and commander-in-chief, as well as their personal determination.

The ones in the east, even the more hesitant Dokhturov, are brave in combat and resolute in executing orders.

This is not contradictory, because Dokhturov has this problem. He executes orders very well, but he is hesitant in action. Solovyov has seen it in Dürenstein.

But Essen and Sacken, the two German officers, although they are both "Germans" in the soldiers' mouths, Essen is obviously more outstanding, and in the battle of this day, as the central axis of the battlefield in the southeast, he cooperated well with Bagration, Bagovut and Solovyov.

Baron Sacken, Solovyov can hardly explain his movements. Although Baron Sacken still has some ability and is better than Essen in commanding troops alone, he is not resolute, and has his own considerations like an Austrian.

Therefore, he has been thinking about the issue of follow-up reserves. If Barclay takes the 4th Division out, should he leave the Somov Brigade as a reserve, so that the troops can be split up and used.

When he was thinking about this issue, everyone noticed his monocle.

Of course, this will not cause any popularity. After all, this is a new product. If it wants to cause a "fashion" trend, I am afraid it will have to wait until I return to St. Petersburg.

Then, I am afraid that those Germans with deeper eye sockets will prefer this.

"Sacken this way. The east side I am worried about is here."

Sacken's full name is von Osten-Sacken. Solovyov means it as a pun, after all, the surname is there.

"Soult's attack is obviously testing our weaknesses. The intensity of his attack today is much smaller than in the previous battles. He did not launch a fierce attack like the three armies in the east."

"Perhaps they are trying to contain us?"

"I'm afraid it's not just containment. Count, you also have to consider Davout's attack, which is obviously to attract our attention. If our previous cooperation was a strategic feint to the east and attack in the west, I'm afraid Napoleon has already used this method to attack the northeast on the battlefield, and his main goal is probably in the southwest."

What he said is correct. Although the idea of ​​​​strategic maneuvers was formulated by Solovyov, without the close cooperation of the generals and the abandonment of the past, it would be impossible to shift the battlefield away from the Vistula front line. Up to this point, the losses of the Russian army itself were not very great.

Solovyov didn't notice either. He now understood Napoleon's thoughts, except that Napoleon thought this was "mobilization" or "war mechanics", while Solovyov was acting as Russia's "Moving Great Wall", using It's thirty-six strategies.

Fortunately, the booklet that Mark took away was not complete.

It just looks weird that this is a kitten teaching an old lion kung fu.

What Solovyov is afraid of is that Sirte will pull the plug, and then there will be problems with his strategy.

Therefore, he also had the idea of ​​splitting up the reserve team.

This way, he becomes less and less able to attack.

As for Saken, the current situation is indeed confusing.

Langeron looked at Solovyov and decided to let him go over there.

At this time, Solovyov handed over the work at hand to the chief of the operations section of the staff and the director of munitions, General von Steinheier, and set off again with his entourage.

Langeron focused his attention on the three battlefields to the east, and his side was going to Saken.

Just when he arrived in Saken, Solovyov felt that the atmosphere was strange.

Not only is he wearing a monocle weird, he also has a riding crop in his hand, which makes it even more abstract.

General Saken, by chance, captured a French colonel. Judging from this bulky cuirass, he was still a cuirassier.

"What's going on?"

"Michael, this colonel fell down during a charge by the French army and was captured by our people."

"You are really lucky. If you catch such an officer, he should be a regiment commander, right?"

"Yes, we know he is from the 5th Cuirassiers."

"Aha, looks like I need to ask more."

He even took the riding crop and pressed it directly against the big man's breastplate.

"Colonel, it seems that you are not very lucky. It is easy for you to lead a charge. Sometimes, although the cavalry under your command are brave, they are not as brave as you."

"What are you going to say, but as a general, you seem to be a bit young."

"There is also a 37-year-old bald marshal in France. My age is only equivalent to your brigade general. What's so strange? In Prussia, this position is not even a general. Listen, what I want to ask is Su What on earth is Marshal Walter going to do now? The cuirassiers' attack should be a general attack, but this is not the case."

"I have nothing to say, General. You can now choose to use your barbaric methods to deal with me."

"Oh, the Russians are not barbarians, and we also love French culture, and even French women. I was lucky enough to develop a friendship with Madame Recamier that went beyond ordinary friendship. As for you, Colonel, we will not shoot you Yes, this is against the rules. But as soldiers, the lives of you officials and your brothers are in the hands of your emperor. A truly brave soldier would rather die in battle if he were not so unlucky. You can’t be a prisoner either.”

Baron Saken looked at Solovyov and felt a little strange. He had never heard of him having German ancestry, but his speaking style was changeable. It was indeed strange today, as he had the tone of a Prussian soldier.

After all, King Frederick believed that death in battle was a better reward.

Moreover, I couldn’t find out anything from the colonel. All I knew was the two commanders of the cuirassier division. General Nansuti was not on the battlefield, but Dopul was on the front line to command. This cuirassier attack It was launched together with the light infantry of the Legrand Division of the Fourth Army and a group of temporarily transferred chasseurs.

In fact, the losses caused by the Russian army to the cuirassiers were only 2 dead and 1 wounded, and the unlucky regimental commander was captured.

However, Solovyov remembered that Balzac had written a book about a cavalry colonel, which should have some prototype, and that this unfortunate guy was really tall.

Solovyov is no longer the beautiful girl she was when she was fifteen or sixteen. She has grown to be only slightly shorter than the Tsar himself, but compared with this giant, there is still a big gap.

As for effective intelligence, although the colonel was also a French talker, he only revealed the arrangements that the Russian army could see.

Based on this statement, Solovyov was actually able to analyze something.

Soult's various probing and diversionary attacks were just like what Massena, a veteran ruffian, had done in Zurich, aiming to strike at the weaknesses of the Russian army.

Baron Saken, unfortunately, suffered a tragic defeat in General Korsakov's column.

"Baron, don't you think that the French have not yet launched a final decisive attack?"

"That's right, just like in Zurich."

"But you are not that Korsakov. Although you may be disrespectful to the emperor, if your favorite is incompetent, he should not invite himself to fight."

The destructive power of these words is too great. After all, except for the five Orlov brothers and Potemkin, the rest of the people are really indescribable.

Fortunately, it was said on the front line. If it were said in the palace, it would offend people.

"I understand what you mean. You are really a disciple of Alexander Vasilyevich. You inherited the art of speaking, right?"

"I am not a running hare, but a greedy fox."

"Ah, it is interesting. Now let's talk about the most important core issue. What exactly is Soult going to do?"

"He is probably looking for your weakness. Or waiting for Napoleon's instructions to launch an attack at an appropriate time."

"That makes sense, or both, and then he can make up a blow."

"And after asking so many questions, we only saw two regiments from the Legrand Division and the Leval Division. Saint-Hilal seemed to have disappeared. You know, Soult likes to use this guy to launch an attack, or to hold the front. , so that Leval and Legrand can use the hammer and anvil tactics. "

"These people are all imitating Bonaparte to hold the reserve troops, but what they want to do, judging from the actions and results, is still different. "

"It makes sense. If you are in trouble, I would suggest that the 4th Division currently led by Barclay be split out of a brigade to support your retreat. It is necessary to put Bagovut on your left wing. This road is narrow for us and for the enemy. And that ice lake, although frozen solid, no one should let the main force go here in this season. Unless the French want to be something? That is, to be the local "honor drowned ghost." "

This is still a bit humorous, and Baron Sacken is now a little relaxed.

"Okay, but I think we shouldn't give up this front so easily. It's still very beneficial for us."

"Not necessarily. You have cuirassiers here. When the killer moves appear, we will have to shrink our troops. If necessary, we will organize a retreat. It's best to act at night. The size of our corps is enough to consume the French for a while. The most important thing is that you must act according to the deployment. You can't retreat at present until the reserve arrives and there is an order directly from the headquarters."

Baron Sacken was relieved and commanded the 3rd Division to continue to hold on.

"Okay, Michael, I think you are right. But there is another problem. If the French connect the front lines, they can use several army pairs to attack us on one front. There may be large-scale infantry and cavalry maneuvers. At that time, the other divisions will also be affected."

"It doesn't matter. We just need to fight bravely here now."