Chapter 111: Attack on Rome
"Less than a ton of gunpowder, and about two tons of shells!" Snook answered after a moment's thought.
As Snook's voice rang out, the faces of the Austrian generals turned visibly grim. While they possessed the world's most impregnable fortresses, without weapon and ammunition supplies and sufficient food, they simply couldn't hold out for long.
"Less than a ton of gunpowder and about two tons of shells may sound like a lot, but when distributed among thirty thousand troops, it's not much. Moreover, with the French advancing so aggressively, no battle can be fought without a bitter struggle, and these reserves are simply insufficient."
Facing such a crisis, Philip was also shaken violently in his heart. He had not anticipated that the supply situation in Rome had deteriorated to such an extent.
However, after a brief moment of shock, Philip immediately regained control of his expression. He knew he couldn't show any sign of nervousness now; otherwise, his subordinates would become even more anxious.
After pondering for a moment, Philip smiled and said, "Gentlemen, rest assured, I have already considered this issue. While our enemy is formidable, they lack a navy. We can be resupplied via the sea."
"His Majesty the Emperor will spare no effort to support our war effort. Diplomats in Vienna have already contacted the British, who will transport supplies to us by sea. The first batch of supply ships has already left port. It is expected to arrive in Rome in a little over two months. By then, we will receive reinforcements, weapons and ammunition, as well as food and medical supplies. As long as the fortress can withstand the French attack, we can hold out here until we ultimately defeat those Frenchmen."
Philip spoke passionately, but whether his words were entirely accurate remained to be seen.
After hearing Philip's message, everyone was relieved, but Mayor Snook's worry did not dissipate much.
While Philip's words sounded uplifting, Snook knew there were at least two errors in what Philip had said.
Firstly, while Vienna did indeed send diplomats to seek help from the British, England is simply too far from Italy. Even if their diplomats manage to convince the British immediately upon arrival, the round trip alone would take at least half a month.
Snook's statement that supplies can last for three months is under normal circumstances; if war begins, the consumption of supplies will definitely accelerate.
Secondly, the French do have a navy. According to him, the French Mediterranean fleet has already been rebuilt, although their combat effectiveness may not have fully recovered to its peak, Napoleon could still send them to intercept British transport ships if necessary.
Combining these two points, Snook seriously doubts whether the Austrian army in Rome can hold out until the British supplies arrive.
However, just as Mayor Snook was about to say something more, he was sternly stopped by Philip's gaze. Now, as Rome faces a crisis, Philip absolutely wouldn't allow Mayor Snook to say anything that would affect morale.
Mayor Snook also thought about this and remained silent. However, his worries in his heart intensified.
What will the future of Rome be? No one knows.
...
On June 18th, after four days of preparation, the French preparations were gradually completed.
As soon as the preparations were completed, Napoleon ordered the artillery to open fire and bombard the outer defenses of the city of Rome.
"Fire!"
With Napoleon's command, nearly a hundred cannons on the French artillery positions opened fire simultaneously, countless shells fell on the Austrian army positions, and billowing smoke rose.
This time, in order to take Rome faster, Napoleon decided to start with a heavy blow. Therefore, Napoleon ordered all howitzers weighing more than 15 pounds to open fire, hoping to break the morale of the Austrian army in one fell swoop.
As for those light howitzers weighing less than 15 pounds, they did not open fire. After all, the power of these two types of artillery is too small to have much impact on fortresses made of stone.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Orange flames flashed at the muzzle, accompanied by deafening noises. Shells whistled out of the muzzle and fiercely smashed towards the distant Austrian fortresses.
The French new 20-pound heavy howitzers were undoubtedly the mainstay of their artillery. As for the other light howitzers, they merely played a supporting role.
Balls of fire rose from the Austrian fortress, marking a confrontation between large-caliber heavy artillery and sturdy fortifications.
The French heavy artillery units focused their attacks on the Austrian fortresses, which was the key to the war. Without destroying these fortresses, the French would not be able to launch an attack on the city center of Rome, even if they sacrificed lives. Ultimately, no matter how many lives were sacrificed, these fortresses could not be destroyed.
"Boom!"
Even the heavens seemed to favor Napoleon this time. Shortly after the start of the battle, a French cannon hit one of the Austrian fortress's gun emplacements. The shockwave from the explosion stunned all the Austrian soldiers inside the emplacement.
In 19th-century artillery duels, the accuracy of cannons was not high, often relying on luck or direct firepower coverage. Therefore, it was truly miraculous for the French to destroy a gun tower shortly after the start of the battle.
"Boom! Boom!"
After destroying one Austrian fortress, the fortunate French artillery seemed to be blessed by the goddess of luck. Two consecutive 20-pound heavy howitzer shells hit two more Austrian fortresses, directly destroying them and killing all the Austrian soldiers inside. The large-caliber fortress cannons inside were also destroyed.
"Excellent! Keep this up!" cried an excited Mura in front of the position.
No wonder Mura was excited; heaven was clearly favoring the French army. No one expected that within less than an hour of the battle starting, the French would destroy three Austrian fortresses in succession.
"Indeed, only large-caliber heavy cannons can pose a threat to the Austrian fortresses. However, we have too few heavy howitzers at our disposal. At this rate, it will take quite a while to demolish the Austrian fortress complex," Napoleon said, somewhat dissatisfied despite the remarkable achievements of the French artillery.
"Napoleon, your demands are exceedingly high. Each of these heavy howitzers costs over 300,000 francs, not to mention the cost of the accompanying ammunition. Our treasury simply cannot support so many large cannons," General Desaix replied, wearing a troubled expression. "You should realize how strained our finances are due to the ongoing war. How can we afford more cannons?"
"General Desaix, Uncle Napoleon, I have a solution," Roland interjected upon seeing Desaix lamenting to Napoleon, immediately sensing an opportunity.
"You have a solution? What solution? Could you provide funds for me?" Napoleon asked, smiling broadly at Roland.
"I'm not good at business, but I can certainly improve cannons. Recently, I've developed a new type of cannon. It has a higher rate of fire compared to previous models, without sacrificing power," Roland explained.
"Like the Model 01 rifle? How much do you need? Name your price. I'll allocate funds immediately," Napoleon's interest was piqued. Ever since the Battle of Florence, the Model 01 rifle had gained fame throughout Europe, making Roland renowned as the 'King of Weapon Invention'. Therefore, when Roland claimed he could manufacture a new type of cannon, Napoleon didn't hesitate to inquire about the costs.
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