Chapter 348 [The Blood Dispersed]

When later generations of people who study the history of military wars reviewed the most important history of the war in this era, almost all military history experts agreed that the most important battle in the Battle of Osgilia during the Byzantine Civil War was definitely this assault battle with the Rodria cavalry regiment entering the city.

After restoring the entire process one by one through countless research and descriptions by later generations, almost no one was shocked by the unswerving spirit of the Rodria Cavalry that broke out.

Although in this process, some people occasionally raise some detailed questions, such as the most prominent question is whether the great sacrifice brought about by an army as important as the cornerstone of the Emperor's team is at the risk of being wiped out by less than 10,000 alone or even tired soldiers, attacking several times or even ten times their own enemy forces just to escort their crown prince into the city to inherit the throne. Is the huge sacrifice brought by such an approach worth it?

Some people even think that although the courage erupted by the Rodria cavalry is admirable, it should be a meaningless sacrifice and is not worthy of promotion.

Or, there are several military enthusiasts who will make various assumptions, such as if the Rodria cavalry did not attack head-only, but turned around, would they have the opportunity to avoid the rebel brigade, or directly avoid the rebels in Armenia?

Or, there are many obstacles on land, but what if you can choose to take the sea route? Are there any Allies of Landis on the sea route?

In short, although such sacrifice is commendable, is it a bit stupid and loyal...

Surprisingly, among all the questions raised by these scholars, the first person to stand up to safeguard Rodria's honor was someone who no one expected.

——Reinhardt, a guy who later became an important member of the military group under King Charia, later called the "Lion Heart" by later generations for his outstanding merits and outstanding military talents. The biggest stain in this famous general's life was believed to be that in the battle of the Romanian cavalry assault into the city, he did not follow Rodria's main attack. Such a record has been criticized for "retreat at the last minute" for a long time.

But when someone questioned the role of the Rodria cavalry in that battle, it was the first person who stood up to safeguard the honor of the Rodria cavalry and refuted others.

Several years later, when Mr. Reinhardt retired as a professor of war history at the Imperial College, he personally wrote an article titled "Memories of the Patriotic War I Experienced - The Afterglow of Rodria", which once wrote:

"Maybe later generations have looked through countless maps, looked up countless materials, and then spent countless time and made countless assumptions - perhaps, under such circumstances, many people can design more and better routes of entry, and even design many different tactics to avoid the maximum casualties, and use various clever methods to make the marching routes avoid the main force of the rebels as much as possible... But I think these are nonsense.

Yes, gentlemen, these are nonsense.

Because at that time, when we learned that His Majesty Contos was in danger, we had to send the crown prince into the city in the shortest and fastest time. Therefore, the respected General Ruhr did not have "number of time to read countless maps and consult countless materials" - what was left for him at that time was only less than an hour! And within this hour, a decision that concerns the life and death of the empire must be made!

You must understand that at that time we were stationed about thirty miles northwest of Osgilia. The city of Osgilia was full of rebels, and our troops were weak, and even our scouts and reconnaissance radius was less than five miles! We did not have a sky eye, so it was impossible for us to know all the details of the entire battlefield like the scholars who studied the history of war later! For example, our eyes were covered in cloth at that time! And all the scholars who studied later, after you read a lot of information and checked a lot of information, you clearly knew the distribution of forces in each barracks of the rebels, and the advantages and disadvantages of each defense line - but at that time, we didn't know these!

Moreover, you can make all kinds of assumptions. But at that time, for us... we have no choice! We must succeed in one go, we cannot fail!!

Therefore, General Ruhr chose the safest but most sacrificed method: forcefully push it over with his strength! With the Rodria cavalry's ability to outsmart the world, and with the shortest marching route with a straight line distance, he rushed over directly.

As for the assumption of making the route to the city from the sea, I would rather call it a romantic fantasy.

Gentlemen, please remember that the Rodria Cavalry Corps did not have ships in our logistics equipment! At that time, the coastal marina outside Osgilia was almost occupied by rebels... Let us attack a certain marina to seize the ships, which is even more risky! As for the statement of contacting the Landis Navy, not to mention whether it can be contacted in an emergency at that time, even if it can be contacted, from a political perspective, we cannot hand over the crown prince to the Landis people! Although we were allies at that time, no covenant could be reliable in the face of national interests!"

This article written by Reinhardt was included in the documentation of the War History Collection of the Imperial Academy.

In that battle, the second flag regiment suffered the most heavy losses. The flag regiment of more than 2,000 cavalry had destroyed a cavalry regiment in Armenia with great courage and strong combat power, and forcibly attacked the army formation of the main infantry regiment of Armenia. Facing the enemy heavy armored infantry regiment that was ten times more than one, it was able to force the enemy to retreat step by step and be on the verge of collapse! Although the entire army was wiped out in the end, according to the subsequent statistics, the Romanian cavalry of these more than 2,000 cavalry killed at least 6,000 rebel infantry, and the total number of rebel cavalry regiment that had been defeated before was close to 10,000!

There is still constant research on the war of the Rodria cavalry assault. Some people even studied the route and distribution of troops of the Rodria cavalry at that time: the second flag regiment took the lead, the first flag regiment was behind, and then the third flag regiment guarded the crown prince, and the fourth flag regiment broke the rear.

But later it was found that General Ruer's military order was "The Second Flag Regiment opened the way. If it was set, the two wings could be dispersed and the heavy armored cavalry of the First Flag Regiment broke the formation."

However, when the Second Flag Regiment faced the dense and thick array of the Armenian rebels' main infantry corps and encountered setbacks, it did not execute this order. In other words, the flag-master officer of the Second Flag Regiment who died in battle did not execute this order, but only ordered the troops to move forward.

This detail also caused great controversy. The most mainstream view is that the commander's blind and aggressive advance was too reckless. If the two wings disperse after the setback, let the space open the space to attack the Armenian infantry defense array, the effect might be better, and perhaps the second wing would not have to be wiped out.

Although the rebels' heavy infantry retreated step by step with two thousand light cavalry, almost collapsed, such combat power was indeed amazing, but such losses could be avoided.

Regarding this issue, the one who later stood up to safeguard Rodria's honor was a candidate that everyone even more unexpected - a general under the command of Hughes, the governor of the Armenian rebels! This rebel general later turned against the empire before the Armenian rebel group was destroyed. Later, he was tried by a military court and was exempted from death because of his rebellion. He was exiled to Sicily for fifteen years. Later, he was pardoned and returned to China in the national pardon order when the emperor of the empire was married.

After returning to China, the rebel general worked as a researcher in the history of extra-staff wars at the Military Academy and wrote an article titled "The heavy rain I witnessed with my own eyes."

He wrote in the article:

"When I saw two thousand light cavalry, forcing my heavy infantry phalanx to retreat step by step, as a commander and general, I felt deeply ashamed. The Second Flag Regiment is the most courageous and bravest army I have ever seen in my life.

Some people may think that it is unwise to use two thousand light cavalry to attack the heavy armored infantry phalanx that is ten times more powerful than one. Perhaps the two wings can be dispersed to wait for the subsequent heavy cavalry...

But in my opinion at that time, the second flag group's approach was the wisest one.

At that time, the terrain was a muddy and semi-dried river beach on the left, and a hillside on the right, and the road in the middle was only 50 meters wide. The Armenian heavy infantry was more than 20,000, all equipped with the world-famous Armenian elite armor weapons. In a not-wide terrain, once the 20,000 heavy infantry formed into a dense and thick array, it was enough to withstand the impact of the cavalry.

At that time, the reason why the impact of the Second Rodria Flag Regiment was able to defeat the Armenian infantry step by step was not only their courage and combat effectiveness, but more importantly, our infantry had not yet been able to fully form a well-arranged array!

When we received the news that the vanguard's cavalry regiment was destroyed, the entire army was shocked and the morale of the army was unstable. In a hurry, although the array was barely formed, it was lost in a heavy manner!

It can be said that if the Second Flag Regiment does not attack immediately, we will leave enough time to rectify the square array! Once we are given time to rectify the array, then... even if the heavy cavalry of the First Flag Regiment of Rodria arrives, they may not be able to defeat us head-on... Maybe, but the losses will be greater!

The Second Flag Regiment's approach was not unwise, but to exchange his own sacrifice for the most precious fighter plane! I respect the Second Flag Regiment's flag-holding officer, and I think he is an outstanding commander! He must have captured the fighter plane keenly. If he ordered the attack to be suspended and the arrival of the heavy cavalry, it would give me precious time to rectify the army! But he did not - he almost immediately issued the order to charge with a determination to die. Such an order made me not have enough time to calmly set up a formation! Under the continuous impact of the Second Flag Regiment's cavalry, although we had not really defeated us, it had already scared our infantry.

The arrival of the first flag regiment's heavy cavalry quickly ended!

It can be said that if the commander of the Second Flag Regiment had not ordered an immediate charge at that time, even if the Rodria cavalry could defeat my troops, the losses and costs they paid would have increased by at least 50%.

To this day, I still regret it deeply.

Just like the sentiment I made on the battlefield at that time: Such an iron army could not open up territory for the empire, but died in the civil war... It can be said that this is the sin of us and the misfortune of our birth in this era."

——This is an evaluation from the "enemy general".

Unfortunately, this article was not included in the document on the war history of the Emperor ** Academy due to the identity of the author, but was only circulated in private.

The pouring rain continued, as if it had leaked that day. The dense rain curtain poured down from the sky, mixed with the thick and ink-black clouds, and lightning flashes flowing from time to time.

The killing of this night seemed to have turned the rain into a red color.

What a bloody rain!

Hughes's whole body was already wet, and the raindrops hit his armor, making a crackling sound.

The Armenian governor was covered in fatigue and panic. His expression was like a frightened beast. The rain had washed away the blood on his armor, but his hair was still stuck to his forehead, clustered by cluster, hanging on his eyelids.

Hughes pressed his hand on his waist... Unfortunately, he only had a scabbard hanging on his waist. The sharp sword was lost. The leather boots under his feet were covered with red soil - yes, soil, red!

The rain seemed to hit Hughes so hard that he couldn't even straighten his waist. He was hunched, like a weak old man, with no vitality in the eyes of Stubble.

"Sir, front, front..."

The sound came from beside him, and then a barely stable hand held Hughes, pointed to the front of the rain curtain, and beside the path, there was a small piece of dilapidated house.

The soldiers around him had already run over, and some kicked open the door and rushed in. Some of them had horses, and some could only run with their legs. But at this moment, it seemed that everyone had forgotten the difference between high and low, and it seemed that everyone was running hastily, and no one came to pay attention to the noble Governor Hughes again.

Hughes was surrounded by only a few of his guards, and a general wearing Qiushan armor.

When everyone helped Hughes into the house, the defeated rebels around him just looked at him with numb eyes. The general suddenly became full of energy and shouted loudly: "Governor is here, are you all blind! Go and make a fire!"

As he walked over and scolded a few times, the numb soldiers' eyes showed some vitality again, and gradually gathered together. Under the assignment of this general, they spread out to work.

The fire soon started, and there was finally a little more heating in the damp and cold room.

This may be a small hotel that has been abandoned - originally on various roads outside the city of Osgilia, there are not many such hotels. However, after the war broke out, most of the residents here fled, leaving only empty and dilapidated houses.

A soldier took off his helmet, took some rain outside, and then started burning on the fire.

Hughes sat in front of the fire, as if he hadn't come back to his senses.

The general around him noticed the Governor's body, as if he was trembling - not cold, but the fear and despair, which seemed to have not yet dissipated!

The general sighed softly, patted Hughes hard, blocked his body in front of him, and whispered in Hughes's ear: "Governor, please cheer up - the soldiers are all watching you!"

After saying this twice, Hughes finally regained a little vitality in his eyes. He raised his head and looked at the general beside him. He suddenly grinned at the corner of his mouth and showed a miserable smile: "Soldiers... Ha! Where are my soldiers? Where are my tens of thousands of soldiers? All... are there, no..."

No! None!

None!!

Just less than an hour ago - Hughes seemed to have just experienced the most miserable nightmare in his life!!

The cavalry regiment of the vanguard was defeated, and more than 2,000 Rodria light cavalry almost chased their butts and rushed up.

His more than 20,000 heavy armored infantry set up a hastily and blocked the middle of the road. A fierce battle was fought. Two thousand Rodria light cavalry beat his two outer heavy armored infantry backed step by step and was on the verge of collapse!

But finally, relying on his great advantage in military strength, the two thousand Rodria cavalry, at the end of their strength, finally failed to penetrate his infantry formation.

However, the courage and the momentum of swearing death that these Rodria cavalry have already scared their entire army!

Immediately, when another wave of cavalry from Rodria arrived, the situation showed a one-sided trend.

Originally, his own array defense line was already shaking, but the one who arrived immediately was the strongest heavy cavalry flag regiment among the Rodria cavalry!

The first wave of shock directly tear a huge hole in his defense line. As the breakthrough became larger and larger, even the supervision team was filled in, but it was impossible to fill the gap. Once defeated, the entire army collapsed, and the impact of the heavy cavalry would instantly shatter several defense lines!

His infantry finally collapsed completely, and countless people threw away their weapons like crazy and fled, while the Rodria heavy cavalry drove straight into the sky...

It can't be stopped, it can't be stopped at all!

At the most dangerous time, the Rodria cavalry had almost rushed under Hughes' nose. Fortunately, the hundreds of iron guards around him blocked the block to death, and the rest had already set up Hughes who had completely collapsed and ran all the way.

Hughes and his personal guards around him had war horses, and once they ran, they would naturally run faster than the defeated infantry under their command. The heavy cavalry in Rodria had to rush to kill the defeated soldiers, and the heavy cavalry was not too fast, which gave Hughes a chance to escape.

What happened immediately made Hughes almost unable to cry.

He fled with his men and ran to the middle of the way, and met two prepared cavalry regiments under his command who had just arrived. Because the order to advance tonight was too hasty, the two cavalry needed to rectify their equipment before they could advance, but instead fell at the end of the large army.

After joining the cavalry, Hughes recovered a little bit of courage, but at this time, Hughes had completely lost his mind. In his madness, he made another huge mistake - just like a gambler who had lost his eyes, who had completely lost his reason in a hurry to turn the tables!

He went crazy and ordered, and the thousands of cavalry around him immediately rushed forward! Hughes, in his crazy consciousness, thought that the Rodria cavalry could destroy his infantry regiment was at the end of his strength, and now he had two new cavalry in his hands. If he counterattacked, he could turn defeat into victory.

As a result, he did not listen to the persuasion of the people around him and forced a counterattack, and suffered a more severe defeat!

After the cavalry rushed forward, they did not immediately encounter Rodria's heavy cavalry, but they encountered large numbers of defeated infantrymen from their own people!

These defeated infantry soldiers were completely frightened, throwing their armor and fleeing like crazy, and Rodria's charge came from behind.

Everyone has no reason at this moment, and the only thought in everyone's heart is: escape!

As a result, these crazy defeated soldiers rushed towards each other, but instead dispersed the Armenian cavalry array!!

The queue was dispersed by his own people. At the beginning, the cavalry tried to call for rectification, but later they found that these defeated soldiers were completely disobeying orders. After the charge from Rodria came from afar, the Armenian cavalry general had no choice but to make a decision: he ordered his cavalry to wield butcher swords and clear the road!
To be continued...