Audentes Fortuna Luvat

The battle for the republic is in full swing. An imperial army numbering over 95 thousand soldiers marching on the capital. The defense falls upon the new replacement of General O’Hare. The army of the republic quickly assembled. Many regiments marching from across the republic from the cities of Almsberg, Fredericksberg, Vernberg. However, the imperials had split their army. At Aubsberg the city defends itself against an imperial corps falling upon the city. Near the village of Louis-Mann the republican army had been defeated.

The village of Barron-Louis, a mile or so from Louis-Mann. The village at near the river separating the two nations. The 17th Aubsberg remained at the rear missing the battle itself. Defending the supply train. There the regiment remained at the village. Billeted on the outskirts so as to not anger the locals.

The day after the battle the remains of the shattered army marched past the village back towards the border. There the 17th saw the carnage of the battle. Wagons filled with wounded and dying. Sergeants leading companies, regiments led by captains or in the direst of cases lieutenants. Even the pride of the army the lancers. Reduced to a squadron or two. All came shuffling back. However, a frantic rider rode to the camp of the 17th.

“Where is colonel Dubois? I have orders from General Eclaire.” A sergeant said from horseback. The beast was nervous. Moving its tails back and forth. His eyes sunken from the lack of sleep and food. The army had been defeated less than a day ago. The regiment saw the army routing down the road. They looked nothing like the shiny new army that was to defend the republic. Instead, they looked like bandits. Worn, tattered, bloody.

A younger man suffering from the heat walked forward. Still buttoning his uniform together. “Colonel Henri Dubois. At your service.” Henri saluted the sergeant. Handed the orders he read the quickly scribbled directions.

‘Colonel Dubois, you are to defend the rear of the army here. Using the river line as a natural defensive barrier against the enemy. Expect cavalry, infantry, and artillery. Do not expect reinforcements. Every hour you hold more lives will be saved.

You are to pull troops from any stragglers to form an ad hoc brigade. Defend to the last.

Good luck. May god save us all.’

Upon reading the last line he called for his officers to stop any man from this point onwards to form battle lines near the sparse woods near the village of Barron-Louis. Companies formed getting stragglers into ad hoc battalions. Officers from the retreating regiments rallied and formed the remnants of their commands. In total six regiments of various sizes, including his own, and four guns. A woeful number compared to the coming divisions of the imperial army.

He appointed his lieutenant-colonel Francis Keyes to lead the 17th Augsberg regiment. Taking horses from the supply wagons that were now useless. He created a small command staff of 10 men. One to carry the national flag, taken from a retreating ensign, a colonel, who had survived the battle, and eight messengers, to act as guides and to relay orders.

He had set up over the Barron Heights to observe the terrain and in his opinion. It was solid ground. The Barron Heights would be a key position. So, he planted the four guns there. Right next to him.

The woods that surrounded the area really gave great protection. Seeing a ford near the village. He had ordered two regiments to take position defending the road to his northwest. While in the southeast he had sent a regiment to guard over the roads near a thicket of trees. Finally setting his regiment along with two more to defend the bridge proper. They had deployed sharpshooters to act as pickets to ensure the total retreat of the republican army and the spotting of the imperial army.

The bridge itself was an engineering marvel at the time it was built. A massive stone bridge to facilitate trade. The bridge could hold six wagons side to side. Along with allowing an entire regiment to cross at a time. However, due to this design they had to march out of step which wreaked havoc on cohesion.

After what felt like an eternity of a morning. He heard the first shots ring out. A corporal on horseback came riding from the bridge. He saluted and reported the situation. “Sir, compliments from colonel Keyes, they went for a charge. Laid the fire thick and hard on them. They routed after a couple exchanges. We put in some of the reserves, but not all of them. Your order’s sir?” Henri looked at the battle before him. He thanked the corporal and gave his order. “Put them all in. Don’t waste the opportunity to reinforce the line.” The corporal saluted and rode off wards.

He looked about the field until he turned to his second in command, while the colonel that acted as his second, an older man in his late forties. His name Charles Von Metternich. A lower nobleman who supported the revolution saving his family from the executioner’s block. He originally was a colonel in the imperial army tendering his resignation the eve of the revolution and fighting in a volunteer battalion shortly after.

“Colonel Metternich.” He was cut off by the colonel who rubbed his mustache. “Call me Charles, sir. You do outrank me.” Henri gave a thin smile. “Right. Charles. What do you think about all this?”

Charles rubbed his temples looking at the field. “It's damn good ground, sir. The best in the area. I would pick no finer place and no better placement then to hold the line here.” Henri sighed. “I know that, Charles. I meant what do you think about the men.”

At that Charles looked at him. His steel grey eyes staring into the younger man. As if he was searching for something. “You have a difficult command. Only your original regiment is at full strength. They alone haven’t tasted the bitter taste of defeat. So, they shall be your center. As long as they remain you have a semblance of order.” He then touched his cap in a gesture of a salute and ending with a sir. He then tipped his head to bring Henri’s attention back to the battle.

The battle seemed to intensify. Causing Henri to call a messenger to have the guns focus on the bridge. He then rode towards the line to observe up close and personal. A decision that Charles seemed to approve of. Upon arriving he saw the carnage up close and personal. He started near the left and made his way to the right, where his regiment was.

The artillery struck at the ridge they used as cover. The shells bouncing harmlessly overhead. Sometimes a ball would get lodged into the hill face causing the ground to shift ever so slightly. Musketry from both sides which caused the air to vibrate with the whistling of lead rounds. The rounds hitting the earth kicking up dirt. The air was thick with smoke. Which burned Henri’s lungs. Then he heard a roar from across the way.

A captain that saw Henri gave a forced but genuine smile. “Hear they come again, sir. This makes the third time as is...” He then looked forward raising his sword in the air. “Battalion makes ready. Take care to aim. Fire.” The entire line of 300 or so men erupted in a cloud of fire and lead. Henri heard the screams of men near the end of the bridge. The captain then gave the order to fire at will. “We’ll be able to hold them, sir. However, we could do with more ammunition.” Henri turned to runner to get from the wagon trains. The captain thanked him and turned back to his men.

Henri made his way until he reached his regiment, having to brave across the open ground near the mouth of the bridge. Upon arriving some of his men stood to salute him. He smiled and saluted back. He saw Keyes in the middle with the regiment’s standard. “Francis, how is everything?” The colonel walked over to shake Henri’s hand. “Damn, fine Henri. They keep pushing but faltering about the half way mark. They can’t make it.” Henri nodded.

Henri looked towards his regiment one more time firing and loading at an excellent rate. All that time he remembered training the men. Clearly it wasn’t a waste in the slightest. The better part was that their position was solid. In a thicket where there were boulders and the like covering their defense. They were well protected to say the least.

Henri attention was turned when a sergeant covered in dust and sweat came galloping towards him. He was winded. Didn’t even have the strength to even salute. He started to speak stuttering out his answer. Henri grabbed the man’s shoulder to get him to focus and breath. “Sir, our regiment needs reinforcements at the ford. They came with cavalry and artillery. The captain died in the bombardment.” Henri was almost slack jawed. Then he composed himself. “Head to the 35th near the crossroads. Inform them that they are to reinforce your position of the 6th. Do so at the double quick.” At that Henri returned to check the left as he heard the sounds of drums and the cries of the enemy.

He looks to see a full-sized regiment marching down the road. He rode towards the regiment that took up defense in a small patch of tree. The captain sees Henri and salutes him. “Captain, do you think you can hold. We have no reserves.” The captain looked at the full attack column. He rubs his chin as if he was some great philosopher. “We can delay them. However, I doubt we can hold them. We number only 200 men or so.” Henri looked at the battered remains of the regiment.

He looked towards Charles who simply gave a grim nod. He looked towards the captain. “Hold them as best you can and when you hear the bugles begin to retreat in good order. We will organize a retreat.” The captain gave a grim salute.

Henri turning in the saddle galloped to the center. There the situation was no better. The artillery fire was in earnest. The number of shells smashing into the ground lifting great piles of dirt. Henri reached the center passing along orders to prepare to fall back to the woods near the crossroads. He then galloped along with his staff dodging falling shells and lead rounds slicing through the air.

He rides towards the ford in doing so he noticed the lull in the battle as the sounds of musketry and cries of battle fade. He arrived at the ford to see a grizzly sight. The bodies of horses stained the river that once faded from a light blue to a bloody maroon. The surrounding greenery stained also a shade of maroon. There was a pile of bodies. Most likely a mixture of enemies and friend. A captain sat nursing a leg wound staring across the ford whispering to the men.

Henri rode forward. The captain trying to stand. Henri stopping him and asking a report and that the brigade shall be falling back. “Captain, I know I am asking a lot, but you are to remain at your position. The brigade will pivot from the crest of the heights reaching here. Once that is done then the brigade will pivot once more this time hinging on the regiment on the crest. So that a line is formed amongst the trees using it as cover.”

The captain looked up and simply muttered an affirmative. Henri looked at the men all around. They were tired, dirty, and bloody. Henri rode back towards the din of battle. Arriving at the center. Near the bridge. He then saw the regiment holding the thicket of woods on his left begin to fall back in open order. All around him he heard the regimental bugles and drums giving the call to fall back to.

He called on his staff and spurred his horse to the heights to ensure the retreat to be completed.

Henri upon reaching the height saw the true or visible forces of the imperial. He saw near the bridge was the divisional flag of the fourth division a part of the first corps. They advanced in good order setting up several guns near the fork in the road near the village itself. “The fighting has reached its second phase, sir. Don’t lose control.” Charle said with a mutter. He was grooming his beard as if he was calmed. However, with the short time that Henri knew him. The battle must be on the tip of the blade.

He saw the regiments forming along the many patches of trees that surrounded and intersected the roads. His regiment was in the center and masterfully escaped with minimal losses. He looked towards the ford to see the captain with the wounded leg. Procuring a horse from somewhere leading a fighting retreat. On his heels were militia based on the grey coats but sky-blue pants. Imperial militia were very unique in their uniform choices.

He called on his gunners to fire but to take care as to inflict friendly fire. To which one of his staffers muttered that all fire was never friendly. It elicited a laugh from his staff, but Henri scowled, causing them to quiet down. The two guns focus fired on the militia. Halting their advance. However, the roar of combat erupted once more in front of him.

The imperials sent forwards three regiments in attack column hoping to rip through his center. He saw his regiment, his men, unfurl the colors. The resplendent yellow and blue fluttering in the breeze. He saw the tree line that housed his men erupt in a crisp volley that cut down a whole line of infantry. Henri looked on his two guns that were already loaded and preparing to fire. A massive plume of smoke obscured his vision, but after a moment of clearing. He saw the devastation. The leading regiment that had maybe half their strength were falling back in disorder.

The stragglers slowing the following regiments allowing for further damage to be inflicted. A nervous sergeant must have wanted to rally the men. For the following regiments unfurled their banners and almost like moths to a fire. Attracted a large number of rounds from his regiment. Henri was impressed though by their dedication. He personally saw at least twenty or so men continue to keep the imperial colors a loft. Only stopping when a cannon had ripped the thing to shreds.

The regiment was receiving such concentrated fire that they started to look more like a colander than a solid force. They finally broke though after getting only another hundred paces or so. The rear of the attack column retreated in good order. Screening the remains of their retreating allies.

After that final charge. No further attacks continued. Instead, a rider along with an aid came up the road. Waving the white flag of truce. Henri and Charles followed in suit. Upon meeting their counterparts. Henri noticed their rather high ranks. A brigadier general and a lieutenant general. They both saluted Henri as he rode up. He returned the gesture in kind.

The more senior of the men spoke first. His walrus mustache shaking in the slight wind. “I hope you speak common?” Henri gave an affirmative to that. “Good. I am lieutenant general Enrich Von Volk. I assume you are an aid from the commanding officer?” Henri looked at the older man. He saw the tired eyes that witnessed the days fighting. “No, sir. I am the commanding officer. Colonel Henri Dubois, this is my second, Colonel Charles Von Metternich.” At this the general seemed surprised. “A colonel, not what I thought would be leading a division.” At that Henri looked at Charles who simply shrugged.

The general coughed into a handkerchief. “Anyways, sorry for prattling. You have done an excellent job in the defense. I give my regards. Let’s get down to business shall we. I wish for a ceasefire. To recover the dead and dying. In turn I offer you the same chance. I know the men could use the time to recover.” Henri pondered for a moment. This would be ample time to search for the wounded and to shore up defenses and think of a plan. “I agree, care for some dinner?”

This time it was the general and his subordinate that was surprised. “Very well. That would sound lovely. Want to make the ceasefire as long as our meal or?” Henri looked towards Charles who stared into the general’s face. This time Charles spoke up. “Please, for pleasantries and a thorough search. Till sundown?” Henri nodded along with this assessment. The general clapped his hands. “Alright, at the village leader’s house? Let’s say an hour or so?” Henri nodded.

The group parted ways. Henri wonders what will await him later on.