The Adventures of Henri Bonhomme - Prequel 3

As a part of my experiments with AI image manipulation, all the images in this post were photographed as a part of the actual solo wargame and then processed through Google Gemini with an instruction to replace the backgrounds and then present the whole image in a specific artistic style. 

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True to his word, Napoleon assigned Henri Bonhomme to brigade command in March 1809. He was ordered to report to Italy where he would command a new brigade under his old acquaintance Jacques Macdonald.

He arrived in Italy just as the Austrians initiated hostilities by invading Bavaria, but before he could join his new command, he was reassigned. General Marmont had met with a reverse in Dalmatia and blaming the failure on one of his brigadiers had requested a replacement. Macdonald recommended Bonhomme.

Bonhomme arrived in Dalmatia in mid-May, joining the army at Knin, 60 kilometres north of Split. His new brigade consisted of two regiments - the 8th Light and the 23rd Line - both consisting of two battalions. Both regiments were extremely well trained having  been through the training camps at Boulogne four years earlier, but since they had not been engaged in the battles of 1805 or 1807 the quality of troops had not been diluted by an influx of conscripts as had occurred in other regiments. 

The Austrians, making skills of their local border troops, made a nighttime attack on a battalion of the 8th Light on 15 May, before Bonhomme had even had time to settle into his quarters properly. The Austrians inflicted around 100 casualties and capturing a further 200. The action had shaken the brigade morale a little, but nothing that a little wine and a full belly wouldn't fix.

A response was required and that evening Marmont called his senior officers together to explain his plan.

The army would advance on the Austrians at Pribudić, northwest of Knin. The Austrians were strongly posted atop a height that rose 400 feet above the valley floor in a position that resembled a closed fist where the knuckles were the ridge tops and deep ravines formed the gaps between the fingers.

"A direct assault is not possible," Marmont said. "Even if we could ascend the slope the ravines are too narrow to allow an assaulting column to form. Instead we will demonstrate in front with the artillery and a strong skirmish line, while Bonhomme will take the 23rd Line to the right, swing wide and get in behind them, then we will turn our demonstration into an assault."

"Will two battalions be enough for the flanking force?" another of the brigadiers asked.

"Yes," Marmont replied. "If we get in behind them, get across their communications, they will crumble, I certain of it. Now go to your troops gentlemen."

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Bonhomme, assisted by a local guide, led the battalions off into the valley a little after 6:30 in the morning, taking roads and trails through the forest that would keep the column out of view from above.

Soon they began to climb. It was hard going on a slope that in places was as steep as 30 degrees and the troops were beginning to tire. But there could be no pause. 

After an hour and a half the guide indicated that they had gone far enough. The column was halted and the  companies formed for attack. Bonhomme, with the two battalion commanders Zerbini and Drouet, walked forward to the crest in front.

"Damn it," Bonhomme said when he saw that they had come up short. The Austrian line extended at least another 600 metres to the right. 

"Get the back into march column, gentlemen... we need to go further to the right!"

The column was reformed, accompanied by the usual grumbles and the march continued. The trail descended for a distance then ascended at an even steeper rate than before, but after half an hour Bonhomme reckoned they had gone far enough. Climbing to the crest again he could see he was right. He was well beyond and above the Austrian flank. He gave the order for the troops to form and then granted a brief rest.

Below him he could see the light infantry going forward.

They met with stiff resistance from the Austrian jägers 

He went back down the hill and found the battalions formed in mass in a clearing.

He gave the order and the battalions surged forward.  The advance in the woods disordered the column, but this was an unstoppable force. As they crested the ridge they caught the Austrians completely by surprise. An officer tried to turn a battalion to face, but Bonhomme's battalions were among them before the line could turn. The Austrians offered some resistance, but quickly took to their heels.

Anxious to keep up the momentum Bonhomme rode up onto the highest point, raised his hat and cried out, "keep pushing men. Push on, take them all!"

The column, disordered as it was, pressed on smashing into and overrunning a battery.

As the men of the 23rd continued to press on dozens of Austrians fell to French bayonets. When the other French came up from the valley dozens more threw down their arms and put up their hands. In less than an hours fighting the French lost only a few dozen casualties, but 200 Austrians were killed, 300 wounded and 600 captured.

As Bonhomme passed the  rear of Pribudić Marmont rode up full of excitement.

"Well done, Bonhomme, very well done!...Join me for a drink later!" Then he rode on.

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Next day Marmont pressed forward aggressively. He struck Austrians again at Gračac, a few kilometres north of the previous day's battlefield. Although the losses were fairly equal, the Austrians were forced to fall back again.

Marmont pressed on and five days later he fought the Austrians again at Gispić, inflicting a severe loss that compelled them to fall back in disorder on Zagreb.

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Marmont pushed past the Austrians and occupied Trieste. There he received the call to take the Army of Dalmatia to Vienna where it would fight at Wagram in July. He never did have that drink with Bonhomme.

Bonhomme meanwhile remained in garrison at Trieste in a beautiful villa overlooking the harbour. He found the Italian lifestyle very much to his liking. In August he was made military governor of Venetia with headquarters in Venice. He installed  himself in a wonderful palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal with a fabulous, but diminishing art collection. This was the life!