บท 44: Ambush 1
The Battle of Fornovo is not a battle, but it is actually a farce. Because neither side is fighting for life. The only fierce battle was when the Venetian infantry crossed the river to attack the Swiss square. In that battle took more than an hour. Of course, this battle has seen a lot of casualties, the Swiss had more than 1,000 casualties, and the Italians had more than 2,000 casualties. Counting the runaway, the Italian lost a total of 5,000 people.
But the miraculous thing is that the Mandova and Milan light cavalry who are responsible for flanking the French army, went in disarray to take the gold and silver treasure the French had left on the road. This is also a strategy of Charles VIII, he knows that the coalition has thousands of light cavalry. In a face-to-face confrontation, he was naturally not afraid, but he was worried that the Italian cavalry would delay them. So, in order to get out as soon as possible, he gritted his teeth and sprinkled all the gold and silver, treasures that he had been reluctant to throw, on the roads on both sides of the French line.
I have to say that Charles VIII's strategy was very successful. You know, most of the soldiers in this era are mercenaries, and they are fighting for money. Charles VIII gave up the money and it really attracted the Italian cavalry. Then, the 6000 Italian cavalry also forgot that they were coming to fight with the French, and went straight to pick the treasures.
At the same time, Charles VIII had no intention of fighting, and quickly took people out of the battlefield, and went back to camp, leaving only the Swiss against the Venetian. After that, the Swiss also withdrew from the French army camp. The remaining 5000 infantry in Venice (except for the 2,000 people killed and 3,000 people were scattered by the Swiss) did not dare to catch up with the Swiss, but retreated.
In the French army camp, the French and Swiss residences are separate. The Swiss camp is on the northeast side and faces the coalition. The French knights are stationed on the southwest side, separated from the Swiss camp. After returning to the camp, Charles VIII had already made plans to run and the clock was ticking. Therefore, he directly began to rest on the horse. The scouts are responsible for finding bridges and boats across the river. In fact, this road was originally the route of the French army took before. Therefore, the French scouts did not go too far into the two north roads to investigate, and did not find Marin's ambush.
Moreover, the weather is too bad, and the scouts cannot see too far. After a few kilometers of investigation, the French Scouts confirmed that there was no problem. Moreover, the coalition battalion was also monitored by the French army scouts, confirming that the coalition forces were going to eat and drink after returning to the camp, and were ready to rest.
At about 9 o'clock in the evening, Charles VIII, according to the report of the French scouts, confirmed that the Italians in the coalition camp were basically sleeping, and they began to assemble all the French knights and prepare to run. At this time, the French army scouts just collected enough wooden boats and built a pontoon that crossed the small Tarot River to facilitate the French knights crossing the river. Then, at 10 o'clock in the evening, the French army began to cross the river at some point in the western part of the Tarot River, far from the coalition camp. At this time, the Swiss were still in the dark that they were abandoned by Charles VIII.
Around 12 o'clock in the middle of the night, all the knights and horses of the French army crossed the Tarot River. Then, under the command of Charles VIII, began to march along the riverside avenue, marching in the direction of the north east.
But after 10 kilometers, I arrived at the place where Marin dug the river bank.
"What happened? Why did we stop?" asked Charles VIII in the middle of the team.
"Your majesty, the river embankment seems to have been smashed by heavy rain. Now, the roads and farmland are flooded by the river. The cavalry will have a difficulty to pass..."
"What should I do? Can we only go back?" Charles VIII said helplessly.
"Your Majesty, this subject remembers that there is another way to Asti, and that road is more distance than this road." A scout officer recommended.
"Oh, is there such a way? Why last time we didn't take that road?"
"It is because, it is a mountain road, and people and horses passed without problems, but the artillery cannot take it. When we came last time, there were too many canon to carry, and it was not suitable for that road. "
Indeed, when the French army came to Italy last year, it brought a hundred and dozens of artillery pieces. Walking the mountain road is indeed awkward. But at this time, the French army had already lost the artillery. Even the carriages carrying the treasures were thrown out because the treasures were not carried.
Riding through the less steep mountain roads of the hills can still be done. After all, the horse is a four-legged animal, not a carriage that requires big roads. In the case of a mountain road with a small slope, the horse can pass. The the plains were flooded, but the knight could not easily pass. Because the flooded roads and farmland will be very soft. The French knight wearing a heavy armor has an amazing total weight. After the flood, the horseshoe is easy to get into the quagmire and it is difficult to get out. Moreover, Charles VIII was worried about being found by the coalition forces and came to surround him. Therefore, in order to hurry, Charles VIII decisively ordered, turned back, took the legendary mountain road, and went into the trap of Marin.
In fact, Charles VIII is cautious and innocent. Because, at night, French scouts can't look far. Even if he walked into the ambush circle, he could not see the ambush as long as he did not fall into the trap and the ditch. At the same time, the Frenchman repeatedly confirmed that the Italians did not send out people and troops because they sent a lot of scouts to investigate the Italian battalion. Therefore, as smart as Charles VIII is, he did not expect that someone would wait for him early.
When the Frenchman turned around, Marin taught French to his men:
"Brothers, wait for us to ambush the French people who fled. They have many people, and it is difficult for us to win. But in the middle of the night, the French can't see clearly, we can scare them."
"Come, everyone said to me, 'rendez vous et vous serez épargné' "
"rendez vous et vous serez épargné (French)..." The soldiers were a little aggressive, and at the same time, they were a little nervous.
But Marin flicked them, saying that the army was defeated and morale was low. Otherwise, if the men are told that they are facing 8000 unscathed French heavy cavalry, they may not have the courage to fight. However, they are ambushing on the high slopes on both sides of the road, and the French cavalry can not be washed up on the high slope, and they are not worried. Moreover, even if the French find that they are few people, they will not stop, and they will attack the high slopes on both sides. Because the French are running away, he is most afraid of alarming the Italian coalition. As long as they withstand a few waves of attacks, the French will not continue to storm and waste time.
Marin have no intention to completely eliminate the French army. His plan was to inflict heavy blows on the French army. At the same time, using the night to scare the French. If you can kill or confuse Charles VIII, then you won the battle.
Because it was at night, it was difficult for the French to observe and learn how many people Marin had. As long as Marin puts the momentum out, he can keep the French army.
"Le roi (Charles VIII) a été tuée/occis !" Marin taught everyone to scream.
"Ah?" Some French-speaking soldiers do not understand. Isn't this a lie?
And Marin, what is required is the effect of lie. In the middle of the night, the Frenchman was attacked and he was sure to panic. On his own side, in French, yelling "Charle VIII is dead" will definitely cause great confusion to the French army. And Charles VIII, there is no megaphone to do self-justification. 8000 French army, there will always be people who are scared by this fake news.(Artim's note: It's a fake new that I am an idiot and work to create a Third World War.
Words from President T.)
This trick was learned from the Battle of Surabaya. The Qin Dynasty's 800,000-strong army, because of being deceived by Zhu Xuh because he shouted "Qin Jun defeated" after the battle, and then the former Qin group of soldiers are muscle-brain, so they really thought that he was defeated, and everybody started to retreat and escape. As a result, 800,000 Qin army, inexplicably lost to tens of thousands of Eastern Jin army.
Marin intends to wait for the French to enter the ambush circle, then take a round of stones and shoot a few rounds of arrows. Then, he sent someone to scream "Charlie VIII is dead!" in French. At the same time, he sent people to make noise and make noise. Even if Charles VIII wants to call out to prove that he is alive, he will be covered by noise. Then, it's hard for the French to think in the chaos.
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