Chapter 91: The Attack on Milan

"Very well, Your Majesty," Prince Windischgrätz nodded. There was no doubt that Emperor Franz II had once again presented him with a difficult problem.

"However, Your Majesty, General Vasiliev has requested our support for Milan. He needs a large number of troops, artillery, as well as ammunition and provisions to enable Milan to withstand the war for a longer period," Prince Windischgrätz continued.

The Holy Roman Empire possessed vast territories and was, until its dissolution, the largest country in Europe in terms of land area after Tsarist Russia. Its extensive territory brought with it a massive population, making the Holy Roman Empire the most populous and resource-rich country in Europe after Russia.

With such a country, its war mobilization capability was undoubtedly formidable.

"Find a way to transport a batch of troops and weapons and ammunition to Vasiliev. It's just a pity that this time, the British are facing their own problems; otherwise, we could rely on the British Navy to directly strike at Genoa instead of engaging in a ground war with the French as we are now," Emperor Franz II said, shaking his head helplessly.

In this war, he had no allies. Therefore, he could only rely on himself to confront Napoleon, which undoubtedly made him feel very strained.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Prince Windischgrätz nodded.

If they could dispatch a batch of reinforcements to the Italian battlefield, it would undoubtedly be advantageous for holding Italy. However, the mountainous terrain in northern Italy posed a significant challenge to Austria's logistical transport capabilities.

At the same time, the French were not fools. While Austria dispatched reinforcements, they would undoubtedly increase their military deployment on the battlefield. This meant that Austria had to arrive at the battlefield before French reinforcements arrived; otherwise, their efforts would be in vain.

After the meeting, Prince Windischgrätz returned to the War Department with a troubled expression. Emperor Franz II had delegated the task of counterattack to him, and he had to find a way to fulfill Emperor Franz II's request.

Otherwise, even if he was a prince of Austria, his fate might not be too good.

"To hold onto Italy and counterattack against the French. Relying solely on Vasiliev's troops in Milan is definitely not enough. They are struggling even with defense, let alone launching a counterattack. Once they leave the strong defensive positions, they will likely become targets for the French to eliminate," Prince Windischgrätz thought to himself as he looked at the map.

Since Milan's Vasiliev couldn't mount a counterattack, the only army capable of doing so undoubtedly belonged to Carl in Venice. However, before the war began, Venice only had around 100,000 troops, which Prince Windischgrätz felt was insufficient, especially considering Napoleon's formidable reputation.

Fortunately, Emperor Franz II only demanded the defense of Northern Italy, so Windischgrätz had some leeway. With extensive fortifications already constructed in Northern Italy to counter French pressure, along with Carl's forces, defending against Napoleon's onslaught wasn't deemed too difficult.

Therefore, Prince Windischgrätz immediately ordered Carl to move west to support Vasiliev.

...With Vasiliev's plea for help, Austria mobilized entirely. Especially, the Archduke Carl stationed in Venice received strict orders from Prince Windischgrätz to rush to Milan's aid.

Napoleon couldn't overlook Austria's large-scale movements, especially when he dispatched troops to keep a close eye on Archduke Carl's movements.

While noting Austria's actions, Napoleon also had to make preparations. He needed to swiftly take Milan and prepare to face Carl's attack.

Originally, the French intended to attack Milan on the 28th, but under Napoleon's urgent orders, the attack was moved forward.

On the afternoon of the 26th, Napoleon ordered Moro's 2nd Division and Lana's 1st Division to attack, with two artillery brigades providing fire support. The French quickly broke through the Austrian defenses on the border and began a deeper advance.

Inside Milan, the Austrian Commander Vasiliev's grim expression was intimidating. Their outer defenses had been breached in just half a day, completely unexpected.

Although the defense of Milan was still relatively strong, Vasiliev had no confidence in whether they could withstand the French's next assault.

With only 50,000 troops at his disposal, and the infantry division deployed on the border already decimated, they would surely be ineffective in the upcoming battles.

"General, a telegram from His Highness Prince Windischgrätz," a staff officer handed the telegram to General Vasiliev. It had just arrived from Vienna via messenger.

After reading the telegram, General Vasiliev's expression improved considerably. The military report from Prince Windischgrätz informed him that Archduke Carl had already begun his westward advance to support him. Additionally, Hungarian Hussars would also join the battle. However, due to pro-French elements obstructing the movement within Italy, the arrival of reinforcements was delayed. Nevertheless, Archduke Carl had taken measures to address this, and it would likely take three to four days to overcome these obstacles.

General Vasiliev believed that even if the French were formidable, holding out for three to four days should be manageable.

...

"Order all units to abandon the outer defenses and retreat into Milan, prepare to face those yellow monkeys there!" General Vasiliev issued the command. In this situation, engaging in a futile stalemate with Napoleon made no sense. It was better to consolidate all forces and defend one position.

The remaining 40,000 Austrian troops gathered around the small city, relying on constructed defenses to attempt a staunch resistance.

At 3:00 p.m., the French assault began, with Lana's 1st Infantry Division taking the lead.

"Order the 1st and 2nd Heavy Artillery Brigades to hasten their arrival; it's time for them to shine," Napoleon ordered his staff officer after lowering his binoculars.

During previous battles, the French siege artillery had refrained from firing to conserve ammunition. But the Austrian defenses within Milan were significantly stronger than those at the border. Therefore, employing heavy artillery at this point would undoubtedly deal a heavier blow to the Austrian forces and hasten the French advance.

By dusk, the French heavy artillery finally reached Milan. Transporting these cannons was arduous, requiring significant logistical efforts.

The next morning, under Napoleon's command, all French artillery fired in unison, launching an attack on Milan.

Although the French heavy artillery numbered fewer than twenty pieces, each firing a 25-pound shell, the thunderous roar of these cannons echoed through the air. The heavy shells whistled toward the Austrian positions, emitting sharp cries that seemed to pierce one's eardrums.

"Artillery! Damn it, these are definitely over 20-pound cannons. Those damned French, how could they have such large-caliber artillery?" General Vasiliev's face turned pale as he listened to the thunderous roar of cannons from the French positions. The ferocity of the French firepower made him wonder how he could possibly defend against it.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Shells rained down from the sky, cratering the Austrian positions upon impact. The explosions sent shockwaves rippling outward, destroying everything in their path. Under the relentless barrage of heavy artillery, the wooden and earthen Austrian defenses crumbled one after another.

"General, the enemy's artillery barrage is intense. It's no longer safe here. We must seek shelter underground," a staff officer said.

"Yes, alright. Let's go underground."