Chapter 90: Politics Reigns Supreme
In the headquarters of the Papal Army, the power struggle within the Papal States has now reached the frontline troops.
“Commander, the revered Holy Father has issued an order commanding us to halt our advance and immediately return to Rome to suppress the rebels!” said a middle-aged officer with a worried expression.
There was no way. Just before receiving the Holy Father’s command, the Cabinet had also issued orders for them to cooperate with the Kingdom of Sardinia’s army and quickly conquer Venice.
General Polkin was troubled. Should he obey the Holy Father or follow the Cabinet’s orders? It was a life-altering decision, and in the realm of political struggles, one wrong step could lead to irreparable consequences.
Despite the democratic faction seemingly gaining the upper hand currently, as the exile of Pope Pius IX to Naples may have seemed like a decisive victory, but in reality, this power struggle has just begun.
As the religious leader of Europe, the Pope was also skilled in summoning allies. While he was facing challenges within the country against the bourgeoisie, he could seek assistance from outside powers. In history, both France and Austria were among those who sent troops to help him regain power.
“Commander, what should we do now? Whose orders should we follow?” an officer asked hesitantly.
Polkin shook his head helplessly; he truly didn’t know what to do. In his heart, he was leaning towards the Pope’s side, but he couldn’t guarantee the Pope’s victory in this political struggle.
Before the dilemma could last long, a young officer rushed in, breaking the tense atmosphere: "Commander, we are being ambushed by the enemy’s main force ahead, requesting reinforcements!”
Without hesitation, Polkin gave the order: “The Second Battalion will be immediately dispatched for reinforcement, and the Third Battalion will advance at a faster pace from the rear.”
Since the enemy had already attacked, there was no need to overthink; they had to focus on fighting first!
Unfortunately, the army of the Papal States had long deteriorated, even the Pope’s Guards were reluctant to rely on them, knowing their true capabilities.
The events unfolding in the country had already spread throughout the military camp. The Papal Army, lacking fighting spirit to begin with, now completely let go of any remaining desires for battle.
When morale is low and unity is lost, leading troops becomes difficult. If this were on the battlefield, the consequences would be dire.
By the time the Second Battalion caught up, the vanguard had already collapsed. In the era of muskets, courage was paramount, but unfortunately, courage was precisely what the Papal Army lacked.
Witnessing the rout of the vanguard, someone took the lead and everyone followed suit, fleeing in panic. The recently arrived Second Battalion also disintegrated without a fight. The battle hadn’t even begun, and they were already defeated in such a bewildering manner.
……
Having run twenty miles at one go, as the sky gradually darkened and they confirmed that the Austrian army hadn’t pursued them, the Papal soldiers finally regained their composure. General Polkin was still in a state of confusion.
Why did they lose so haphazardly when the battle had just begun? There was no way around it; he was indeed a befuddled general leading a befuddled battle.
General Polkin had risen to his position due to his noble background and shrewd political acumen. As for military ability, when did the Papal State ever need to test that?
Observing the chaotic camp, General Polkin furrowed his brow and asked, “Have the casualties from the battle been accounted for?”
“Commander, 3,300 soldiers have returned so far, and more should be coming back one after another. We are assisting them in regrouping,” Nelson replied mechanically.
Don’t judge him solely based on the name ‘Nelson’ and assume he is a renowned European commander. In reality, it’s just a mere coincidence of sharing the same name, and there are thousands of people with this name, but not all of them are famous military leaders.
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“Ah, God, what kind of battle is this! Summon all officers with the rank of Major and above immediately for a meeting!” General Polkin roared.
Forgive him, though. As a noble of the Nth generation, it was his first time commanding such a large force in battle. After suffering a major defeat, not completely breaking down mentally was already a sign of good composure.
In this battle, the losses of the Papal Army were not significant. Apart from the vanguard unit being ambushed by the Austrian forces, the rear units didn’t even engage the enemy in combat.
By the third day, the number of returning soldiers gradually reached over 6,300. Considering the unit’s total strength of 7,000, the losses were less than ten percent.
Having experienced a defeat, General Polkin became more cautious, deciding to stay in place and wait for logistical supplies while regrouping the scattered troops, carefully observing the situation on the battlefield.
A middle-aged officer whispered, “Commander, Marshal Badoglio ordered us to launch an immediate attack on the Austrian Army and assist the Sardinian troops in flanking from the side!”
General Polkin sneered, saying, “Order us? Who does this Badoglio think he is? Since when can the Marshal of the Kingdom of Sardinia command our Papal troops?
Does he think I’m like that idiot Macheld, a fool who blindly rushes to become their cannon fodder?
Paul, tell the Sardinians that our forces are currently engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy’s main force and have no capacity to support our brother units. I trust that the brave Sardinian Army can defeat the enemy and achieve victory in this war!”
Regarding the issue of fighting against Austria, the four Italian states had nominally reached an agreement, and Badoglio was the commander-in-chief of the joint forces in name only.
However, the actual effectiveness of this joint command was anyone’s guess. Originally, everyone was a competitor, and a mere verbal agreement couldn’t eliminate the mutual estrangement.
The Sardinian Army could stand by while the Tuscan forces suffered defeat, and General Polkin could equally watch the Sardinian army struggle against the Austrians.
“Yes, Commander!” Paul replied.
“Order the troops to pack up their belongings; we will retreat the day after tomorrow and leave the battlefield to the Sardinians,” General Polkin added.
Sabotaging one’s allies, who's afraid of whom?
General Polkin had never considered the Kingdom of Sardinia as an ally. In his view, the Kingdom of Sardinia had ambitious plans to unify Italy, posing a greater threat to the Papal States than Austria.
Not betraying each other on the battlefield was already enough to be considered “allies.”
On the surface, General Polkin suffered a defeat this time, and if he couldn’t wash away the shame of defeat, he would undoubtedly be in trouble when he returned.
However, politically speaking, this defeat was a timely blessing, helping General Polkin overcome his political difficulties.
After the battle with the Austrians, General Polkin could provide an explanation to the Cabinet; he had followed their orders.
Losing the battle was considered normal, merely an “inevitable outcome” given the exaggerated strength of the enemy. No one expected the Papal Army to defeat Austria; their expectations were already low.
However, the Vatican would need a different narrative. For instance, they could attribute the slow retreat to the large number of casualties suffered from the Austrian attack.
As the sluggish withdrawal progressed, the domestic political struggles would likely come to an end.
History always exhibits astonishing coincidences. Due to the necessity of the situation, General Polkin made the same choice and withdrew from the war after suffering a defeat.
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