Chapter 5: The Battle of Toulon

"Good morning, Uncle Pete! How's business today?" In the early morning, Roland, as usual, arrived at the library near his home and warmly greeted the librarian.

 "Good morning, young Roland! You're here again. You truly have a passion for learning! You'll surely be someone remarkable in the future. Oh, if only my own son could be half as dedicated as you." The library owner looked at Roland with envy, evidently troubled by his own child's behavior.

 "Uncle Pete, please don't say that. My brother Doris is still young, he'll focus on studying when he grows up." Roland quickly interjected upon hearing Pete's words.

 "Ah, I hope so, as you say! By the way, Roland, the books you wanted are already set aside, in the third row. You'll find them as soon as you enter." Pete remembered something and informed Roland.

 "Great! Thank you, Uncle Pete." Roland expressed his gratitude and promptly headed towards the designated area.

 At the bookshelf, Roland quickly located the books he desired and eagerly began to read.

 Three years had swiftly passed since Roland arrived in this world. During this time, Roland immersed himself in studying at the library every day. He was acutely aware of the dangers surrounding his current location, with formidable enemies encircling revolutionary France, eagerly waiting to seize an opportunity to strike while the country was weakened. Roland knew that eliminating them wouldn't be easy, especially without the aid of a system like other time travelers had. Success relied solely on his own efforts. Thus, Roland spent nearly every day in the library, continuously expanding his knowledge, intending to strengthen his mind.

 Roland's dedication naturally drew attention. Many parents were pleased with Roland's eagerness to learn. They wished for a child like Roland, capable of self-driven education without parental concern. Concerns about children's education were universal, both in Roland's time and in the future.

 Roland had unwittingly become a role model for nearby parents in educating their children. Consequently, he became like a child of everyone else's, praised by parents for his diligence, contrasting with their own children's lack thereof. Whenever their own children neglected their studies, these parents would use Roland as an example, urging their children to learn from him.

 This dichotomy in attitudes towards Roland within the city led to extreme reactions. Parents adored Roland, wishing he were their own child for the peace of mind it would bring, while the children who were constantly compared to him harbored resentment, blaming him for their inability to indulge in leisure.

However, Roland remained unaware of all this. Even if he did know, he wouldn't be overly concerned, as there were many more important matters awaiting him.

 At this moment, France was in constant turmoil, with events unfolding almost daily. However, what concerned Roland the most was the ongoing conflict at Toulon Harbor.

 Clearly, history had not changed due to Roland's arrival in France. Everything unfolded according to its predetermined course. In June 1793, a massive revolution erupted in France. Subsequently, in August, taking advantage of the chaos, Britain and Spain seized Toulon Harbor under the guise of aiding the French king.

 Toulon Harbor, a strategic stronghold in southern France adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea, once captured, would effectively lock down the entire southern maritime region of France. This was unacceptable to the French authorities. To rectify this unfavorable situation, France decided to mobilize its forces immediately to recapture Toulon Harbor from the hands of the British and Spanish.

 In their endeavor to reclaim Toulon Harbor, the French authorities deployed almost all available military units, including Napoleon himself.

 War provided ample opportunities for the capable, and Napoleon had clearly seized upon this chance. As Roland had anticipated, upon reaching Toulon, Napoleon displayed remarkable talent, immediately discerning the key aspects of the entire battle.

 The crucial point in capturing Toulon was to control the Rasen Peninsula, which housed both inner and outer harbors of Toulon. If the French army could seize the "Little Gibraltar Heights" on this peninsula, Napoleon's forces could directly control the entrance to Toulon's inner harbor, rendering the British warships unable to establish a foothold on both sides.

 The Royalist forces dared to venture forth mainly due to the formidable British naval fleet backing them. Therefore, if Napoleon could defeat the British forces at sea, the Royalists in Toulon would crumble without external support. Thus, seizing the Little Gibraltar Heights became the focal point of the French army's subsequent attack.

 To achieve this goal, it was imperative to capture the heavily fortified British stronghold at the base of the peninsula facing inland: Fort Malgrâce. Once this fortress fell, the situation would immediately turn in favor of the French.

 To accomplish this, artillery became paramount. Therefore, Napoleon promptly proposed a change to the original assault plan, advocating for a concentrated attack on the Little Gibraltar Heights by all available artillery, supported by infantry.

Napoleon's plans proved unquestionably superior. Through his brother Joseph, who was then serving as the French Military Commissioner in Marseille, he forged acquaintances with the Republic's special envoys to the Toulon front: Salicetti and Gasparin, gaining their support, and subsequently earning the admiration of Lucien Bonaparte, the younger brother of the Chairman of the Committee of Public Safety, Robespierre, once he had relieved internal pressures.

 With internal tensions resolved, Napoleon focused all his energies on the battlefield. Initially, he gathered all kinds of cannons from the Toulon front, totaling over a hundred pieces, and constructed thirteen artillery positions right in front of the British lines, preparing to concentrate firepower on their fortifications. Unfortunately, many French soldiers lacked proper training in artillery operations at the time, but this did not deter Napoleon. He demonstrated his extraordinary capabilities once again.

 With his characteristic efficiency and organizational command, Napoleon swiftly subjected the artillery to proper training, transforming a group of irregulars into proficient gunners in a short time. His prestige soared during this training period, and most of these soldiers who participated in the Battle of Toulon later became Napoleon's core forces in his European campaigns.

 On December 16th, after thorough preparation, the Battle of Toulon commenced.

 This battle turned into Napoleon's personal showcase.

 He began by bombarding the British positions with artillery fire, quickly overwhelming their defenses. Then, commanding 37,000 French troops, he launched an assault, with the primary target being the Little Gibraltar Heights. The French troops, nearly all elite forces, faced harsh weather and intense gunfire, resulting in fierce combat.

 However, the British and Spanish forces entrenched within the positions proved incredibly resilient. Despite the ferocious French onslaught, they held their ground, resulting in a situation where positions were lost and regained repeatedly.

 In response, Napoleon chose to lead from the front, personally charging alongside infantrymen despite being wounded in the thigh and even losing his horse to enemy fire. Yet, these hardships didn't deter Napoleon. He continued to lead the charge alongside his soldiers.

Under Napoleon's leadership, the morale of the French army soared to unprecedented heights. Ultimately, they captured Malgré-Tout Fort and seized control of the Little Gibraltar Heights. Without pausing, they swiftly mounted cannons on the heights and unleashed a fierce barrage upon the British and Spanish warships in the harbor of Toulon.

 This battle was of decisive significance. With the French army in possession of the heights, their artillery could easily shell the British warships and the English forces within the city of Toulon. However, despite this advantage, the combined British and Spanish forces fiercely resisted, engaging in close-range artillery duels.

 Nevertheless, due to the French occupation of the high ground, their cannons could directly target the British and Spanish warships from a position of superiority. Under the relentless bombardment from the French artillery, both nations' vessels suffered heavy losses.

Seeing the inevitable, British commander Smith promptly decided to retreat. With the withdrawal of British support, the Royalist forces became like grasshoppers after autumn, swiftly annihilated under the onslaught of the French advance within half an hour.

 In the end, the Battle of Toulon concluded with a triumph for the French army.