Introduction Overview:
In 1789, the French Revolution broke out. The revolution shook the foundations of feudal rule throughout Europe, and the French National Convention abolished the king and proclaimed a republic. The establishment of the First French Republic left other European countries in a difficult position, and in 1793, Britain, Spain, Austria, Prussia, the Netherlands, and Nablis formed the first anti-French alliance, which was bound to strangle the French Revolution in its cradle.
The anti-French coalition, with the cooperation of the French royalists, easily occupied Toulon without firing a single shot. The young Major Napoleon was appointed commander of artillery for the counterinsurgency forces in Toulon, and the army defeated the royalists and the British army to win the Battle of Toulon. It was this Battle of Toulon that made Napoleon from an obscure man to the big stage of war and a famous general of the generation.
1. The fallen nobles from the small islands of the Mediterranean
Napoleon was born in August 1769 to a declining aristocratic family in the western Mediterranean in the city of Ajaccio, Corsica. His father was a poor lawyer and his mother was born into the Italian nobility.
If it were not for the fact that France bought Corsica at a high price a year before Napoleon was born, Napoleon would have been an Italian rather than a Frenchman, and thus would never have had the opportunity to enter the stage of French history.
In Italian, the name Napoleon means 'Lion of the Wild''.
In 1779, at the age of 10, Napoleon was admitted to the Army Elementary School in Burian, France. Because of his family's poverty and discrimination by the nobility, Napoleon was stimulated by this and studied hard.
Excellent results in all subjects, especially in history and mathematics.
Napoleon showed great talent in mathematical geometry and always won the first place in the class. In 1784, Napoleon was admitted to the Paris Military Academy, majoring in artillery, and graduated early the following year, where he was awarded the rank of second lieutenant in artillery.
2. In the face of danger, he was ordered to defend French territory
In 1789, the Great Bourgeois Revolution broke out in France that shook the entire European continent. The French National Convention announced the abolition of the King and the establishment of the First French Republic.
The abolition of the king and the establishment of the republic led to further interference by the European powers.
In 1793, Britain, Prussia, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, Sardinia, Naples and other countries formed the first anti-French alliance. Instigated and supported by counter-revolutionary forces abroad, the royalists at home planned and launched a series of counter-revolutionary rebellions in an attempt to overthrow the revolutionary regime and restore the Bourbon dynasty.
At that time, the British and Dutch interventionists surrounded Dunkirk, an important port in northern France, from the north. The Prussian Intervention Army crossed the northern border, captured Mainz, and surrounded Corruence. At the same time, the Intervention Army approached Grenoble from the east. The Spanish Intervention Army crossed the Eastern Pyrenees from the south.
Incredibly,
In exchange for the protection of the British army, the royalists who were entrenched in the city of Toulon handed over the fortress of Toulon and the French Mediterranean Fleet, which had more than 30 ships, to the British and Spanish.
The Events in Toulon shocked the whole of France, and in order to defend the new revolutionary regime and repel the rampant attacks of counter-revolutionary forces at home and abroad, the French revolutionary army was formed. After the French captured Olivier, the commander of the artillery of the army, Major Martian, was unfortunately wounded and disabled, and artillery was a powerful pillar of firepower in land warfare, especially in siege operations.
It was at this time that Napoleon appeared. The young Napoleon succeeded Major Martian as artillery commander of the counterinsurgency forces in Toulon. The appointment was quickly approved by the Paris military authorities. No one expected that it was such a fortuitous opportunity that gave Napoleon a stage for the first test.
Napoleon arrived at the Toulon front and took over the command of the entire artillery of Theo's forces. He tried to collect all kinds of artillery.
In a short time, nearly a hundred large-caliber guns were obtained, including long-range mortar guns, cannons firing 24-pounder shells, and a large amount of ammunition to collect all useful ordnance. A fully equipped artillery repair workshop has also been set up. In addition, he held two technical positions, Director of the Agency and Director of the Agency.
Under the personal supervision of Napoleon, the artillery built artillery positions at key points on the front line, and carried out daily artillery battles with the anti-French coalition forces defending the city, covering the French attack, suppressing enemy fire, eliminating enemy infantry, and playing a key role in maintaining the French offensive.
Napoleon was not only a brilliant organizer, but also a down-to-earth doer. He often went deep into the front line of Serene, with the soldiers, with his practical actions and exemplary role to influence the soldiers, inspire their enthusiasm and revolutionary spirit.
3. Change the toulon battle plan, a calm and wise young officer
The original battle plan for the attack on Toulon was to concentrate an army of 60,000 men.
Regardless of the enemy's frontal firepower, it attacked simultaneously from both the east and the west.
First, seize the Farran Mountains, the Farang Fort, the Rouge Fort, the Brand Battery and the St. Catlin Battery and crush the enemy's outer defenses. After that, they went out to the vicinity of the fortress of Toulon, dug trenches, built fortifications, and when the conditions were ripe, waited for the opportunity to capture Toulon.
Napoleon disagreed with this, so he proposed a completely opposite plan of battle.
He believes that, first of all,
The enemy's defensive line on the outskirts of Toulon, with its fortified artillery and abundant troops, was by no means easy to break through from the front. Second, a frontal assault, if it is not conquered for a long time, will give the enemy the opportunity to increase the defense and wait for reinforcements.
Even if the frontal assault were successful, the enemy was likely to burn down warehouses, docks, and loot the whole city of Toulon.
Therefore, Napoleon proposed to concentrate his forces on capturing Malgrave Fortress (known to the British as Little Gibraltar) on the west bank of the harbor, capturing Cape Kerr, and then, concentrating artillery to bombard the berthed British fleet, cutting off the connection between the British fleet and the defending enemy in Toulon, forcing the British ships to withdraw from the harbor.
In this way, the enemy will inevitably break through without attack and destruction in the case of retreat, no reinforcements, and no fire support.
Napoleon's bold and novel battle plan showed his keen insight and rich imagination, and the new plan was quickly approved. Napoleon was therefore appointed deputy commander of the siege artillery.
Fourth, it has emerged and become famous in world war I
The day of the siege of Toulon was finally approaching. In late November, Front Command finally approved plans for offensive operations.
In early December, the last reinforcements of the Revolutionary Army arrived, bringing the siege of Shang Lun to 38,000 men, more than double the number of defenders.
In mid-December, both the assault force and the artillery entered the concentrated area as planned, and occupied the pre-constructed fortress, completing the final preparations for the attack.
The sea breeze roared, lightning flashed and thundered, and darkness and terror enveloped the entire battlefield. At the beginning of the battle, both sides fought very fiercely.
Although the French shelled Little Gibraltar for 48 hours, they were met with stubborn enemy resistance. The French lost their way in darkness and chaos. Relying on pre-constructed obstacles and fortifications, the enemy stubbornly resisted and fiercely returned fire.
Rows of French soldiers fell. After breaking through the enemy's first line of defense, he was subjected to more fierce artillery fire, and he was crushed by enemy fire again and again. At that time, the French army was a little desperate. Many officers and men began to lose their minds, and the attack seemed unsustainable.
However, at this critical moment, Napoleon led the reserve to rush up.
Under the cover of artillery fire, Napoleon personally led the assault troops through the holes in the wall that had been blown through by the shells, entered the Fort of Little Gibraltar, seized the Allied fortifications, and dragged the enemy cannons of the Little Fort of Gibraltar, turning the gun head to bombard the Coalition counter-attacking troops.
At dawn, the French captured the Fort of Little Gibraltar and transported 60 cannons overnight to the newly captured Cape Kerr, taking advantage of the situation to bombard the British and Allied ships in the inner and outer mooring grounds. The British navy fled in a hurry. The defenders of the city of Toulon, who had lost their support, were surrounded on all sides and had to fly white flags and surrender to the French.
The 4-month Battle of Toulon ended in a French victory. Napoleon's capture of Fort Gibraltar and Cape Kerr was a key reason for the French victory.
In this battle,
Napoleon was wounded twice on his body because of his advance and charge. The French paid the price of 1,000 casualties for the attack, while the Allies suffered 2,500 casualties.
Since then, Toulon has become famous in the First World War, and the hero Napoleon Bonaparte began to rise at this time.
epilogue
In the Battle of Toulon, Napoleon proposed a battle plan that successfully forced back the British fleet and drove the anti-French coalition forces out of Turon. The battle he led to capture Little Gibraltar was also a crucial battle in the entire Battle of Toulon, which fundamentally shook the defense of the entire Toulon fortress.
The French army won the battle, and Napoleon was instrumental. The Battle of Toulon is arguably the most important battle in Napoleon's life, because it pushed Napoleon onto the stage of French, European and even world history.
Reference: History of Europe
Napoleonic Wars
French War
The Extraordinary Life of Napoleon, a Military Genius