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Toulon 1793 Napoleon’s first great victory Robert A. Forczyk | ||||||||||||
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Cena okładkowa: 14.99 GBP
Cena detaliczna: 59.00 zł
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| "In August 1793 France teetered on the brink of collapse. On every front her enemies’ armies swept forwards across her borders – the very survival of the Revolution itself was at stake. In Toulon, the strategically vital home port of France’s Mediterranean fleet, a coup had overthrown the Republican government and handed over the city to the blockading British navy. The entire French fleet had been captured without a shot being fired. It was doubtful the Revolution could survive the political and military aftershocks of this defeat. Toulon must be retaken and quickly. In this, perhaps her darkest hour, France’s saviour was at hand in the shape of a Captain of Artillery whose name all Europe would soon know – Napoleon Bonaparte. A French army had been sent to Toulon, but incompetent commanders were undermining its effectiveness. Ignoring this lacklustre leadership, Bonaparte quickly organised a siege train of guns and batteries to bombard the Allied fleet in Toulon harbour, which he realized was the key to the control of the city. In November, General Dugommier arrived and the quality of command improved. He saw the sense of Bonaparte’s tactics and the batteries that were now causing the Allies serious alarm and committed troops to defend them. Several allied attempts to capture Napoleon’s guns were beaten off with heavy losses. On 17 December, the French attacked the key Allied positions of Fort Mulgrave and Mount Faron amid desperate fighting. When the attack on Mulgrave faltered, Napoleon led forward the French reserve and they succeeded in breaking into the position. Napoleon was wounded, being bayonetted in the thigh. Despite his wound, Bonaparte rapidly moved his artillery up to dominate the harbour and the allies decided to evacuate Toulon. The evacuation was bungled and 14 French ships-of-the-line were recaptured intact by the Republicans. The victory at Toulon not only saved the Revolution but was also a rare French military triumph over the British. The young Napoleon Bonaparte, a captain only three months earlier, was promoted to brigadier general beginning his meteoric rise to power. " | ||||||||||||