French Empire: But Napoleon IV

Chapter 106 Madness, Then Surrender: Troch, Half-Day Republican President (Seeking First Subscription)

No longer paying attention to Drema, Eugène turned to Royal and gave orders to his guard company commander.

"Royal, go and inform General Morrel to lead the 6th Cavalry Division to block all exits south of Paris to prevent Troche from escaping south. Have him send out patrols to guard the banks of the Seine to prevent anyone from escaping by boat."

After arranging everything and nearing the end of the matter, Eugene, who had used both divisions to capture some important fugitives abroad, looked up at the eastern sky.

By this time, the sun had fully risen, and golden sunlight shone on the ravaged streets of Paris, where paper-wrapped bullets were scattered everywhere.

Although metal cartridges had already been introduced in this era, the French still opted to use inexpensive paper-packed bullets.

However, while metal cartridges can be recycled, paper cartridges are not recyclable. In terms of cost, paper cartridges are not much more economical.

While Eugene was relieved to have overcome this difficulty and was ready to face the next one, the Bastille Square was in complete chaos during the war against Prussia.

President Trochet, standing on the foundation of the Bastille ruins, watched his soldiers impatiently as they dismantled the barricades.

Compared to his former high spirits when he sided with two royalists to secure the presidency, Troch now has disheveled hair and several buttons missing from his military uniform, a far cry from the president of the republic he was just hours before.

"Hurry up, get it all dismantled."

Troch, who was now annoyed by everyone and saw everyone as a slacker, was shouting at the self-defense soldiers below him.

"Eugène's troops are about to arrive. We must break out of Paris and get to Versailles before they surround us."

Once we reach Versailles, we'll be safe.

The president of this republic was so isolated that he didn't even know there were imperial troops at Versailles.

As for the self-defense soldiers, while they were yelling at Troch, they were also exchanging glances with each other in private.

Most of those present had actually been forced to stay by Troch. With defeat already inevitable, only a few would want to die for the Republic; the majority did not want to serve this president who was about to fall.

Therefore, seeing fewer and fewer companions around them and hearing the sound of horses' hooves in the distance, many people were already having second thoughts.

"Mr. President, we can't escape."

A lieutenant colonel, a member of the Self-Defense Forces, whose family was in Paris and who really didn't want to leave, mustered up his courage and approached Trochet to persuade him.

"Eugene's cavalry has blocked the western road. Even if we dismantle the barricades, we can't break through. Perhaps... perhaps we should surrender. His Highness the Crown Prince said that as long as we lay down our weapons, we will be granted a pardon."

"Surrender? I'm not surrendering."

You guys can vote without any problem, but I can't.

Knowing his own situation—that he had never been given a kind look by Eugène when he was the Inspector General of the Army—Troch turned around and suddenly pointed his pistol at the lieutenant colonel's head.

"I am the President of the French Republic. How can I surrender to a supporter of the monarchy? Lieutenant Colonel, if you dare to utter the word 'surrender' again, I will shoot you right now."

Terrified by Troch's mad behavior, the lieutenant colonel, his face pale, took several steps back and dared not utter another word.

The Self-Defense Force soldiers present looked at each other and then lowered their heads again. By this time, those who remained had some republican ideals and were quite sympathetic to the Republic's defeat.

Therefore, it is precisely because they, who clearly constitute the vast majority, tolerate Trox's behavior that they do so.

However, just as the troops were dismantling the barricades, a soldier on guard duty at the front line hurriedly ran back.

"Mr. President, something bad has happened. Drema is coming from the east with his military police. They have occupied the street ahead and are now closing in on us."

"What! What about the west? Is there any movement there?"

There was no chance in the east. Troch's face darkened at first, but then his eyes lit up as he stepped forward to ask again.

Unfortunately, given the reality, the soldier clearly couldn't provide the answer Trosch expected.

"To the west... we also discovered a large number of cavalry, probably from the 5th Cavalry Division. They have blocked all the roads leading to Versailles."

"6

It's over... It's all over...

'

Troch, now deeply regretting his decision to switch jobs, is so depressed that he can barely hold his hands. His plan failed.

The pistol that had just been used to threaten people now clattered to the ground. Ignoring the pistol, Troch slumped into his pedestal; his presidential dream shattered, leaving him utterly despondent.

"How could I lose... How could I lose to a fourteen-year-old child..."

""

With the president in this state, how could one expect his subordinates to perform well? The soldiers around him, seeing Troch's condition, were even more terrified.

Several daring soldiers secretly threw down their weapons, attempting to slip away in the chaos.

"Don't run! Anyone who runs will be shot!"

However, Troch, in his depressed state, was surprisingly sensitive to the possibility of someone trying to escape. He immediately scrambled to his feet, picked up his pistol, and fired a shot into the air.

However, this shot did not deter the soldiers; instead, it caused even more people to flee.

Troch couldn't possibly actually fire a shot; if he did, those angry self-defense soldiers would surely riddle him with bullets.

Therefore, Troch, who could only watch helplessly as his confidants, who relied on shouting and threatening others, fled to the last few hundred, leaving him with less than two hundred men.

"Mr. President, let's surrender." The threatened lieutenant colonel didn't leave. Looking at the distraught Troch, he pleaded again, "Surrender now, and we can still save our lives. Any later, and it will be too late."

The killing of leaders is relatively rare in the West, as the procedures are quite complicated and it's not something that can be done at will. However, it does happen, at least in France where this tradition is quite strong.

After all, the worst precedent was set by their Republican ancestors, just look at the clueless Louis XVI.

Therefore, knowing that continuing to resist might not bring him any benefit, Troch looked at the soldiers scattering and fleeing around him, and then at the military police getting closer and closer in the distance. He was utterly desperate.

His arm fell limply to his side, and the pistol in his hand fell to the ground for the second time.

"Okay, okay... I surrender."

"6

Troch spoke slowly and listlessly throughout. However, the lieutenant colonel, who had listened patiently, breathed a sigh of relief.

Fearing Troch would return, the lieutenant colonel quickly ran to the center of the square, waving a white handkerchief and shouting loudly at the approaching military police.

"We surrender! We lay down our weapons! Don't shoot!"