I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 784: Siege of Genoa

Argentau initially thought that the French were just feinting. After all, judging from the current situation, it would be the most reasonable tactical choice for them to retreat westward and defend the Catibona Pass.

It wasn't until Walteri was breached that he finally reacted.

Dimobin is serious.

So he hurriedly called back the troops that had been sent out for a diversionary attack, but it was obviously too late.

Dimobin's vanguard, the Muran Corps, almost followed the Argentau Corps to the Turkino Pass and then launched a fierce attack.

The Turchino Pass is located west of the Port of Genoa and is the very end of the Alps.

Although this place is several kilometers wide, it is the only terrain outside Genoa that can be used for defense.

Argentau looked at the French cannons roaring on the northern high ground and asked the staff officer beside him loudly: "So how long will it take for our reinforcements to arrive?"

"General, according to the news sent yesterday at noon, the Tavernian Legion has set out from Milan."

Argentau frowned. It would take a week to get from Milan to Genoa even if they marched quickly.

He didn't expect that the French would be so desperate and put almost all their troops forward.

With only 7 soldiers, it was difficult for him to hold out for so long under the attack of more than 2 French troops.

Argentau was thinking about how to delay until the reinforcements arrived when a captain came running over and reported in a panic, "General... General, two hours ago, a group of Genoese thugs set fire to our warehouse on Canive Avenue..."

The so-called "thugs" were actually dozens of young Genoese nobles.

They received a secret order from Governor Abiaso to sabotage the rear of the Austrian army. The warehouse requisitioned by Austria was the family property of one of them, the surname Agradi.

Agradi, familiar with the place, led his companions into the warehouse through a hidden door, and then called the servants here - they were conscripted by the Austrian army as porters - and easily set fire to more than a dozen places in the warehouse at the same time.

The two ships of supplies that had just been delivered by the British transport ship the day before were instantly reduced to ashes.

"Kanniwei Avenue?" Agentao was stunned for a moment, then his face changed drastically. The legion's rations and some artillery shells were stored there.

Genoa was a place that produced no food at all, but thanks to the huge profits brought by maritime trade, they could always spend money to buy food from North Africa or Sicily.

But there were only 7 to people in Genoa, and the sudden addition of more than troops immediately led to food shortages.

The food and grass that the British had brought in was enough for Argentau to consume for more than half a month, but now that the warehouse was burned, he immediately ran out of food. The next batch of transport ships would not arrive for half a month.

On the battlefield, a dozen infantry columns of the Moulin Corps suddenly rushed up and deployed on the left wing of the Austrian army, and then the percussion guns burst into dense fire. Under the fierce shooting, the Austrian defense line suddenly showed signs of shaking.

Argentau hastily ordered a reserve battalion to take over, and he was able to stabilize the situation. But then he saw the French infantry line appear on the north side of the mountain pass, and more than a dozen cannons began to move forward.

Looking at the overwhelming offensive of the French army, Argentau could not help but groan inwardly.

According to this trend, their defense line can only last for three or four days at most - if the food is not exhausted before that.

food?

He suddenly thought of something.

The French completely ignored their western passage and used all their forces to attack Genoa. Soon the Cervoni Legion would be able to control the Catibona Pass, which was the French army's logistical supply route.

Therefore, it was completely meaningless for him to confront the French head-on here. He should let the French army enter Genoa to buy time for Milan's reinforcements to join him.

When the French ran out of rations in Milan, they would have to surrender without wasting a single shell.

It should be said that Argentau's plan was correct.

In the historical Battle of Marengo, Massena, who was placed in Genoa by Napoleon as bait, struggled for more than 50 days due to severe food shortage, and finally had to surrender out of the city with his hungry soldiers.

At the moment, Massena has been transferred to the Rhine battlefield by Joseph, and veteran Dimobin will have to attract firepower here on his behalf.

However, Dimobin was lucky because he would receive supplies from the French Navy in the Mediterranean.

History will not repeat itself on him.

The next morning, when Dimobin ordered his soldiers to launch a new round of attack, he unexpectedly discovered that the area near the Catibona Pass was quiet and the Argentau Corps had retreated eastward last night.

Two days later, Jubert led two infantry regiments and entered the city of Genoa, which was not defended by the enemy, amid the welcome of the Genoese.

Dimopin did not waste any time. After a short rest, he ordered Jubert and Augereau to build a defense line outside Genoa.

He himself went to the Governor's Palace in Genoa and read out in public the promise of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to "always support Genoa's neutrality and never interfere in Genoa's internal affairs", and urged the Habsburg family to repay the debt owed to Genoa banks for decades as soon as possible.

Yes, Genoa began to decline gradually in the 18th century, which had a lot to do with the fact that the Habsburg family borrowed a large amount of loans from them but refused to repay them.

Of course, most of this money was borrowed by the former Spanish Habsburg royal family, but who can calculate these old debts so clearly?

As for the loan that France owed Genoa, the Crown Prince said that the French valued credibility the most and would guarantee repayment of the principal and interest.

Well, when the war in Italy is over, these debts will be transferred to Austria in the form of war reparations. The French will never default on their debts!

A week later, the Sardinian Army led by Colli arrived at Novi Ligure.

Immediately afterwards, the Chervoni Army approached the Turkino Pass from the west.

At this point, nearly 5 Austro-Saharan coalition troops completed the encirclement of the Dimobin Legion, and after resting for a few days, launched a fierce attack on Genoa.

……

Northwestern Italy.

Novara.

In the officers' tent of the French camp, Napoleon quickly drew three arrows on the map with a pencil, and then looked at the officers in front of him with burning eyes: "Now we have three choices.

"Go south to Turin. This will force Sardinia to withdraw from the anti-French alliance.

"Southeast, this is the longest way, to Genoa, to attack the rear of Melas' army. If General Dimobin cooperates well, we can form a pincer attack on the enemy."

He pointed to the arrow on the far right: "Go east, attack Milan, and capture the Austrian stronghold in Italy."

Marmont didn't hesitate and said, "Commander, we should still give priority to the safety of General Dimobin.

"According to the intelligence sent yesterday, he is being besieged by an enemy force that is almost twice his size."

(End of this chapter)