Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796

A month ago, when Masséna sent Legub's division to march into Amsteig and cut off the important trade routes in the hinterland of the Alps to the north of the Gotthard Pass, this move had already aroused the concerns of Archduke Karl. He planned to attack on the river. Two pontoon bridges were erected, but the operation ultimately failed.

Then the Austrian Emperor repeatedly asked for a delay in the action at the Russian Army Headquarters, changed his deployment regardless of the situation on the battlefield, and forced Archduke Karl to evacuate.

The fighting in Zurich had officially begun on September 25. Suvorov did not know yet. After Bagration's column broke through the French defense line from the front, he saw the winding mountain road ahead.

However, he did not repeat what Verother had done yesterday in scolding his Austrian staff. Instead, he sat on his horse and looked at the winding mountain roads and towering peaks.

"Children, I have been to many places in my life, but I have never seen such dangerous terrain!"

Verother accompanied him and said to the old marshal: "Your Excellency, marshal, from the Gotthard Pass, this is also the only way from Milan to Zurich. We can only seize the bridge on the river in front and pass through this Only when you are close to death can you move forward.”

"Yes, this is a 'death gate', but with the children, these officers and soldiers, we can get through it!"

He even pointed forward with his cane, referring to his own performance art yesterday: "If we can't get through here, bury me next to that bridge! Also, what is the name of this bridge?"

"The locals call it the 'Devil's Bridge'. We asked the captured French officers and found out that they did not destroy the bridge just to lure us to this mountain to be trapped to death."

"There are some cunning foxes. If we set up cannons on the other side of the tunnel, it will be difficult for us to get through!"

"They're not hunters this time?"

"They are not hunters now, we are. This is a dangerous game."

In the letter sent to Massena late the night before, Legoube did not mention the loss of the Gotthard Pass, but he expressed optimism that the Russian army could be delayed here.

Now that the Russian army has arrived at the tunnel and Devil's Bridge, it can be delayed for another day. At the same time, he also considered that it was best to block the Russian army here.

But he missed two things: one was the bravery of the Russian soldiers, and the other was that two battalions of the Austrian army had reached the back of Bristen Mountain.

In the morning, when Legub wrote to Massena again to report on the battle situation, the Austrian army had already approached Amsteiger, which they had lost more than a month ago.

The Austrian attack caused some trouble for the French, especially the light infantry of the Austrian army who entered the mountains. Many of them were mountain people from some places in Austria. They were used to walking this way on weekdays, but it gave the French a lot of trouble. A surprise came.

But their combat effectiveness was really limited, and they were quickly driven back to the starting point by the French army with bayonets. Some bridges and roads were only partially destroyed, so the French could not safely defend from the front.

However, on the steep road, the Russian army will not advance too fast, especially in order to seize the tunnels and bridges and prevent the French from sabotaging them.

However, the first round of the attack was not smooth. Many Russian soldiers who rushed over were beaten to a bloody pulp by grape bullets. There was only a 4-pound cannon blocked there, and it could be loaded quickly. There was a small group of soldiers nearby who were firing in formation. firepower, so that continuous firepower can be formed to prevent Russian soldiers from getting close.

The "Devil's Bridge" at the same time, although the road is very dangerous, there is still a source of the story.

"Your Excellency, Marshal, the tunnel is only 100 Arshins away (71 meters), but our soldiers paid a high price to attack there, and we cannot carry out bayonet charges recklessly."

"I know that. What's the name of the river below, Velosse?"

"It's still the same damn Reuss River as yesterday. The French are not leaving any supplies for us now, leaving all their weapons there, and then continuing to escape to the next position."

Verroser also roughly calculated that they could not see the battle situation of the Austrian light infantry climbing over the mountains to attack the French army's rear, and it was difficult for the news to come out. However, counting the time from the start of the artillery fire from there, the coalition forces had been attacking for three hours. time, but the results are very limited.

I won’t go into details about the tunnel.

In this case, Suvorov gave orders to the grenadiers and musketeers who were serving in reserve, under the command of Count Nikolai Kamensky.

This is the youngest son of Marshal Kamensky. Although he is known for his strict military discipline like his father, he is different from his father and brother. He is willing to share the joys and sorrows with the soldiers, so he is also very popular.

During the expedition to Italy, Suvorov attached great importance to him because of his bravery in combat, but he did not care that he was the son of an old enemy in the army.

"Tell Kamensky that it's up to him now. Let's go under the Devil's Bridge. Although there are cliffs there, there is a hillside that can only be seen from a high position."

After sending the messenger, Suvorov turned to Solovyov.

"Misha, you attack from the front. After Kamensky moves, cover the Cossacks and grenadiers from the front. The bridge is not broken, and the walking Cossacks are making a 'wooden bridge'. Go ahead, child, God bless."

Then he made the sign of the cross and began to murmur to himself.

The Devil's Bridge and the tunnel are both dangerous roads, but there are really a few paths that can be passed between the cliffs, and it is also an endless road.

The Russian infantry on both sides also began to climb mountains spontaneously. However, because the mountain itself was too steep, some soldiers would fall down from the mountain.

Such casualties are inevitable. Even Suvorov, who has always been kind and quick to use troops, shook his head after seeing it.

"They are here for me and for victory. This battle must be won!"

On the tunnel side, after the French army's ammunition was almost exhausted, a battalion of infantry rushed over and had a hand-to-hand battle with the French army, and finally drove away the French.

As for Devil's Bridge, the "Gateway of Hell", more than two hundred people led by Kamensky Jr. attacked up from the canyon, catching the French off guard. After paying a considerable price, they were able to occupy a passage and seize it. The French artillery fire was attracted.

"Well done, well done Nikolay, this is Marshal Kamensky's son, a brave and good man!"

However, the gap he opened faced the attack of a battalion of light infantry stationed by the French army, causing heavy casualties for a while.

But it was here that he attracted the firepower of the French army and gave the Russian troops on the Devil's Bridge in front a chance.

There were even lightly-armed officers who jumped over the broken bridge with only pistols and bayonets. This scene stunned some French soldiers!

"These Russians are simply crazy!"

If it were an ordinary army, the Russian army might have been let go long ago. After all, the opponents were crazy and they would definitely not be able to defeat them.

But these French soldiers were fighting back and rushed up. Many Russian soldiers who were setting up planks on the broken bridge were knocked down by them. Some Russian officers who rushed over were also shot and killed.

But the bridge had already been erected. A battalion of the Moscow Grenadier Regiment, which rushed to the front, took them to the Devil's Bridge and set up the artillery, and finally they had fire support.

And the Austrian army ran back again, and Legub now realized that if he did not run away, before luring the enemy deep enough to lure the Russian army to their death, he would be finished.

His current choice is to destroy all the equipment that cannot be taken away, although he is still holding on to the Devil's Bridge line, and continue north along the Royce River to the next position.

Such a wretched fighting style indeed left the Russian army in a hurry to move on. When the flag of the Guards Chasseurs passed the Devil's Bridge, it still made people unhappy.

Most of the French army ran away again, and the Russian army itself suffered heavy losses. Most of the more than 200 people Kamensky brought over, and the subsequent troops who came up from this gap, had been killed or injured.

It was a miracle that the Count himself was unscathed.

Moreover, the French did not leave any valuable captures for the Russian army, except that the flag of a battalion in the rear was taken away.

Subsequent troops passing by reinforced the wooden planks on the stone bridge, allowing artillery vehicles and large groups of people to pass.

Suvorov saw that the roads in this area were extremely dangerous, so he sent 200 engineers with his team to the tunnel and Devil's Bridge to provide protection here.

The subsequent battles on this day continued with the French army retreating and the Russian army attacking. After breaking through several dangerous passes, the French army retreated to Seedorf and Altdorf.

The old guide told Suvorov that the road ahead would be easier after passing Atterdorf.

But the French have been fighting and retreating like this, making it impossible for the Russian army to catch them, which is really a headache.

In fact, Suvorov knew very well that they were delaying time by doing this. If they just want to block the attack, the Russian army may have already stuck these French troops on the mountain road, and they may be wiped out.

The French did not expect that they would send an artillery unit to go up the mountain. The Russian army also went up the mountain. Moreover, the Austrians even reached behind them and harassed their flanks all the time.

This made it possible for the French army to be completely annihilated, and Legoube wisely chose to continue to retreat.

After another day of fighting, the Russian army finally opened the middle section of the road to Zurich, and the French troops in the mountain stream retreated to the mountain pass on the flank.

This made the coalition headquarters that continued to advance not optimistic. While the French were getting out of the way, according to the reconnaissance of the Cossack cavalry, there were still many French troops stationed in front.

Calculating the strength of the Russian army does not have an absolute advantage. Even the French army encountered from the Gotthard Pass has more than 10,000 troops. If there are other troops in front, the Russian army may be at a disadvantage.

At the same time, there was no news at all about the Austrian troops left by Archduke Karl in the north to support them.

Especially on September 26, after the Russian army captured another mountain pass on the road to Zurich, neither the Russian army nor the Austrian army in Zurich sent any messengers to contact them.

There is no need to say more about this, because the veteran ruffian Massena himself defeated the Russian army on the main battlefield, and Soult on the flank defeated the Austrian army that met at the mountain pass.

Suvorov, who knew nothing about this, continued to advance, and even sent an advance Cossack detachment to continue advancing.

Solovyov served as the liaison officer of this force. After crossing a series of mountain passes, the edge of Lake Zurich could already be seen.

"Captain, Zurich is just ahead, but it's really quiet here. We haven't seen anyone, that's right."

"You don't have to tell me. I saw a group of French soldiers there, and we have more people than them!"

Soloviev rode his horse over, and the commander of the Cossack detachment was also there.

Their plan was to persuade this group of French soldiers to surrender, just like they did in Amsteig, where some French soldiers who didn't have time to retreat surrendered.

The group of French soldiers in front of them had only a dozen people, and they were all hunting cavalry. Even their leading detachment had more people than this group.

"French, you should surrender to us immediately! Your General Le Gub has been defeated by us in the battle from the St. Gotthard Pass to Amsteg. Marshal Suvorov's troops have arrived. It's only a matter of time before you fail. We Russians treat prisoners well!"

"Go to hell, Russians! Our General Massena has already defeated all the Russian soldiers in Zurich. It's only a matter of time before you fail. I think you speak French well, maybe General Massena can send you a translator! Hahaha!"

A good opportunity to show off, but he got slapped in the face. The French army has won in Zurich, and this must be reported to Marshal Suvorov immediately.

"Don't get entangled with them at this time, let's go back and report first."

The first reaction of both sides was to go back and report to their superiors.

Suvorov realized that it was no longer possible to continue northward at this time. Going to Zurich was not only meaningless, but would also put the 20,000 troops who lacked supplies into danger.

So he issued a new order, asking the troops to seek retreat to the east, and asked Rosenberg, who had already reached St. Vito, to cover the rear, while the large group of troops went to Liechtenstein from the eastern mountain pass.

According to the plan made by Werosser, if everything went well according to this marching route, the troops would arrive in Liechtenstein in early October and be safe.

During this period, one problem to worry about was that Massena, the old soldier, would not be satisfied with just defeating Korsakov's troops. He would also pursue the victory, mobilize his main force, and lock Suvorov in the mountains. This would be a great victory that could reverse the entire Swiss battlefield and the entire war situation in one fell swoop.