We are about to go to Odessa, which is dozens of miles away from the Varna area (one mile is equal to 4 kilometers), to liberate the Turks and Tatars who are enslaved by the tyrants of the Russian Empire... I heard from the commander of my company that we
The people we have to fight in the first battle are the Turks and the Russians (note: It’s strange, why we still have to fight the Turks)... However, in addition to the British troops among our comrades, there are also 30,000
There are 20,000 Turks who are willing to help us and 20,000 troops from the Kingdom of Sardinia. (Note: I don’t know which country Sardinia is, but I heard from the commander that their country seems to be our puppet)...Fighting
It will soon start in the jungles of Odessa. I think the enemy will immediately lay down their weapons and surrender after seeing our rapid firepower.
I hope God can bless us to successfully liberate those Turks. After the war is over, I will return to my hometown and tell you the story of this battle.
——Staff Sergeant Jacques-Michel Jean-Baptista, 3rd Company, 2nd Battalion, French Regiment of Joao (on the Black Sea on May 18, 1854)
Staff Sergeant Baptista finished writing the letter while hiding in the storage room on the bottom of the troop carrier. He put the ink and water-dipped pen into his backpack, then folded the letter and put it into an envelope, and finally left the storage room.
, returned to the rest area on the upper deck, where his battalion rested.
When Baptista returned to the deck where his battalion was located, he saw that most of the people on the deck were lying on the deck to rest, and every French soldier was covered with a thin sheet.
.
These sheets were obtained from the quartermaster of their battalion before boarding the troop carrier, which allowed them to lie down and sleep on the deck. In addition to the sheets, each French soldier received eight days' worth of sheets.
The rations included rice, sugar, coffee, lard and biscuits, as well as a can and two low-quality cigarettes.
It can be said that the reason why every French Army member spends every day at sea is inseparable from France's strong industry, precise train dispatching, and perfect naval logistics system as guarantees.
Without these guarantees, the food that the French soldiers on board could eat would be greatly reduced, or even not eaten at all.
Of course, these issues were not something that little staff sergeant Baptista considered.
Now he just wants to return to the place of interest where he is, take a nice nap, and wait for the fleet to arrive at the port of Odessa.
Sergeant Baptista quickly found the sheets, and after saying hello to his colleagues on the left and right, he took off his rucksack and lay down on the sheets.
In a haze, Sergeant Baptista fell asleep. In his sleep, he found himself in a dense forest, and around him could hear the roars of wild beasts in the distance (the roars were somewhat...
Noisy), Baptista, armed with a Miné rifle, was vigilantly observing the surrounding environment to prevent possible sneak attacks while heading deeper into the jungle. An inexplicable premonition "told him" that Odessa
Just deep in the jungle.
Unfortunately, Sergeant Baptista in his sleep did not know that the place they were about to arrive was not the capital of Odessa, but the Crimean Peninsula.
What he learned about the landing in Odessa was just one of the rumors released to the army by the coalition forces based on confidentiality.
Of course, even if Baptista knew the war plan for the coalition forces to land on the Crimean Peninsula, it would be of little use.
Both Odessa and the Crimean Peninsula are virgin lands that Baptista has never touched.
Baptista, who had neither a map nor direct knowledge of Russia's terrain, would have thought it was the coast of the African continent even if he had actually set foot on the mainland of the Crimean Peninsula.
…
Just when Baptista fell asleep, on the French command ship less than 200 meters away from the troop transport where Baptista was located, the commanders of the four countries of Britain, France, and Turkey were debating the landing site in Crimea.
As the commander of Britain, Commander Raglan believed that the coalition forces should directly attack the Sevastopol Fortress Port and use the strong naval superiority of the leading forces to annihilate the remaining naval forces in the Russian Empire's port and destroy Sevastopol.
The defense system of the Sebastopol Fortress was designed to ensure the smooth landing of coalition forces near the Sevastopol Fortress.
Marshal Saint-Arnaud had a different view from Commander Raglan. He believed that the coalition forces should not launch a fierce offensive posture as soon as they came up. This would frighten the garrison of Sevastopol Fortress and thus make a decision.
The act of escaping the fortress.
The strategic goal of the coalition forces is not just to capture the Sevastopol Fortress, but to use the Sevastopol Fortress as a bait to encircle and mobilize reinforcements, attracting the Russian Empire to fill in soldiers from the Caucasus and Ukraine. They carefully prepared for Russia.
Among the meat grinders designed by the empire.
The reputation of the coalition forces was forged with the blood and blood of Russian Imperial soldiers.
Of course, there is another point that Marshal Saint-Arnault did not say clearly, that is, the terrain near the Sevastopol Fortress is too favorable for the Russian army defending the fortress.
The commanding fort allows the 24-pounder cannon fixed on the fort to launch shells into the sea surrounding the Sevastopol Fortress.
As long as the Russian Empire stationed in the Sevastopol Fortress can blow up its own port dock where large ships are docked as soon as possible, then the coalition forces can only use small ships to land and fight, and the casualties caused will be immeasurable.
number.
Not to mention that after the coalition forces land, they will have to face the bastion group on the coast, which will be another nightmare.
"I agree with Marshal Saint-Arnaud!" La Maramore, the Minister of War of the Kingdom of Sardinia, clearly supported Marshal Saint-Arnaud: "Our goal is not just to occupy the Sevastopol Fortress.
, but to turn the Sevastopol Fortress into an unhealable wound for the Russian Empire, so that Nicholas I had to invest enough soldiers in order not to lose the fortress. As long as the Russian Empire mobilizes their soldiers from the Caucasus region
If some of them come here, I think the Turkish army will be able to open up a whole new situation in the Caucasus."
"I also agree with Marshal Saint Arnaud's opinion!" After hearing what La Maramore said, Omar Pasha also agreed.
Although Sardinia and the Ottoman Empire are two insignificant pawns in the eyes of Commander Raglan, pawns can often come in handy at the most critical moments, especially when the British and French forces are in a stalemate due to different routes.
Under such circumstances, the support of the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Ottoman Empire is particularly valuable.
"Commander Saint-Arnaud! In your opinion, where is the best place for our troops to land?" Commander Raglan asked Marshal Saint-Arnaud.
"My suggestion is here!" Marshal Saint Arnaud pointed to Kalamita Bay, which is about 35 miles away from the Sevastopol Fortress. "This is very close to the Sevastopol Fortress. Menshi
Kokov must not have thought that we would land from here! Now he must have concentrated all the troops on the Crimean Peninsula in the Sevastopol Fortress, and captured a port that is almost empty. It is for us
It’s almost as easy as getting it.”
Saint-Arnaud paused, glanced at the dogs around him and continued: "But before that, we still need to capture this place!"
Marshal St. Arnaud pointed his finger at Yevpatoria on the left flank of Kalamita Bay, "We must ensure the safety of the flanking troops!"
"Then who should we send to carry out this mission?" Commander Raglan asked Marshal Saint-Arnaud.
The generals who heard that the tasks were about to be assigned were gearing up and preparing to join the war.
"Let us, France, come first as the first stop!" Marshal Saint-Arnault proposed to Commander Raglan in a consultative tone.
After Commander Raglan glanced at the generals under his command, he nodded and responded to Marshal Saint-Arnaud: "Yes! However, I hope you can take action as soon as possible!"
"Of course!" Marshal Saint-Arnaud nodded in response to Raglan's command, and then turned his head to the generals under his command.
After thinking carefully, Marshal St. Arnaud pointed his finger at Brigadier General McMahon of the Zuav Regiment: "Brigadier General McMahon!"
McMahon, who was pointed out by Marshal Saint-Arnaud, took a step forward and responded to Marshal Saint-Arnaud in a sonorous tone: "My subordinates are here!"
"Raise troops for a thousand days, use them for a while! Your Zhuav regiment will take the lead and must capture the town of Yevpatoria!" Saint Arnaud responded to Saint Arnaud in a tone that left no room for doubt.
"Please rest assured, Marshal! I promise to complete the mission tonight!" McMahon responded confidently and issued a military order: "If I fail to complete the mission tonight, I will take off this military uniform.
Quit the army!"
"Okay! Remember what you said!" Marshal St. Arnaud said to McMahon with a serious expression, then waved his hand and said: "Don't make us wait too long!"
"Understood!" McMahon turned and left the command ship of Marshal St. Arnaud.
He jumped on the steamboat and soon arrived at the troop transport ship where the Zhuav regiment was located.
"Captain!" The two members of the Zhuav regiment in charge of the inspection immediately saluted McMahon.
"You two go down immediately and call me all the cadres above the battalion and company!!" Brigadier General McMahon said without delay.
"Does the regiment commander have any tasks?" a soldier from the Zhuav regiment asked excitedly.
"The marshal has given our regiment the task of covering the main landing force! Our regiment is not only covering the main landing force, but also the first batch of troops to land on the island!"
