"According to intelligence from the Tatar cavalry, Russia's newly appointed commander-in-chief Gorchakov is intensively training the army in Perekop! I believe that in the near future, a war will appear on the north bank... Fair
Golden Hills...and here!"
Commander Pelissier lightly stomped the ground under his feet as a signal.
To be honest, he himself didn't like this method of standing still and waiting for the enemy to attack.
However, this was an instruction personally issued by His Majesty the Emperor, and he had to carry it out.
Therefore, Pelissier had no choice but to stick to Sevastopol and build fortifications.
This renovation lasted more than two months. During this period, Pelissier not only renovated all the defense systems on the north and south sides of Sevastopol, turning them into veritable giant bastions, but also built a
A large number of fortifications have been built in the strategically important town of Yevpatoria outside Bol. As soon as Gorchakov leads his troops to attack, Pelissier will give them a taste of what it means to be beaten.
Blood flow.
"If Gorchakov is unwilling to attack directly, then our defenses may not be of use at all!" Marshal Raglan, holding the marshal's scepter, sighed and said casually.
"No!" Pelissier said to Marshal Raglan in a firm tone: "If Gorchakov really doesn't want to recapture the Sevastopol Fortress, why would he need to assemble at the Perekop Fortress?
Massive army!
Now, all the Russian mobile forces in the entire southern front area are concentrated there, and it is impossible for Gorchakov not to make big moves."
Having said this, Pelissier paused and then said in a brisk tone: "Even if we continue to fight with the Russian Empire, I believe that we will win in the end! Russia does not have the same situation as our two countries.
financial resources!"
"Right!" Commander Raglan nodded. Of course he understood how big the gap was between Russia and Britain and France.
The coalition forces with sea control in the Black Sea can obtain everything they want from France at any time.
And as the coalition forces gradually stabilized in the Sevastopol Fortress, many French shops began to appear in Sevastopol.
Soldiers of the coalition forces can purchase luxury goods from the Paris region and wine from the Bordeaux region in Sevastopol. It can be said that the coalition forces are unconsciously changing the entire economy and ecological environment of Sevastopol.
Those Sevastopol residents who once served the Russian Empire have now become the most loyal collaborators of the coalition forces.
The originally weak resistance was completely defeated by the money and material offensive of the coalition forces.
If the Allied Forces Fortress can stay for a year and a half as history has, Sevastopol will be able to form a comprador group attached to the Allied Forces industrial system.
Just like the Afghan regime in later generations.
The Russian Imperial Army does not have such good conditions as the coalition forces. They need to rely on manpower and animal power for transportation at all costs to barely maintain their precarious logistics. At the same time, they have to guard against the pervasive Tatar spies on the Crimean Peninsula.
with bandits.
What's more, the current Russian Empire is not only being beaten by Britain and France in the military field, but they are also led by Britain and France in the financial field.
In order to maintain the stability of the ruble, the stupid Finance Minister of the Russian Empire began to continuously sell gold to the outside world.
However, the current international gold market is being suppressed by Britain and France, and the price of gold is generally falling.
Many Russian nobles living in St. Petersburg had to exchange gold through their own channels and at the same time exchange the gold for hard currency francs and pounds.
The aristocrats of St. Petersburg still don't know it, but their unconscious actions indirectly diverted a large sum of super-issued francs.
The entire Russian economy has fallen into a state of semi-collapse due to internal and external troubles.
The last time the Russian Empire's finances collapsed was during the Napoleonic Wars. At that time, Russia still relied on the Kingdom of Britain to continuously inject funds into it to rise rapidly.
This time the British Kingdom stood opposite the Russian Empire, and they were destined to face failure.
Of course, the above is just an overall view. For commanders like Pelissier, it is impossible for them to pay too much attention to things other than military affairs. However, in their eyes, the Russian Empire has assembled a large number of troops, but there is no
A stable logistics is simply crazy.
Either Gorchakov wants the Russian army to die with him, or Gorchakov wants to make a splash in Crimea.
If you win, everything will be fine; if you lose, everything will be fine.
The second possibility is obviously higher than the first possibility.
"However, we can't go on like this!" Marshal Raglan said with a hint of worry: "If we stay here for one more day, we will consume a lot of money! I'm afraid that if we stay here for too long, our allies will suffer
Can’t stop!”
Since the coalition forces are composed of four countries, Britain, France, and Sardinia, Britain and France can continue to support it with their strong financial resources, but Sardinia and the Ottomans may find it difficult to maintain a long-term confrontation.
One of them is a medium-sized country in the Apennine Peninsula, and its annual income is far less than that of the Kingdom of Belgium. The other is a feudal comprador empire that is still in the transition period. Not to mention a surplus every year, it is already very good if it does not owe foreign debt.
Marshal Raglan did not expect them to be able to sustain it like Britain and France.
[By the way, in the current Crimean Peninsula, the largest coalition force is still France (70,000), followed by the Kingdom of Britain (40,000) after a round of reinforcements, and closely followed by the Kingdom of Britain.
The Ottoman Empire (35,000), which had transferred 10,000 troops a few days ago, and finally the Kingdom of Sardinia (20,000), with about 165,000 troops, were deployed from the north coast of Sevastopol to
Kamish Port (the town of Yevpatoria also has a population of nearly 5,000 people).
As for the Russian Imperial Army, it is conservatively estimated to number around 230,000 people.】
"Don't worry! Commander Raglan, they will launch an attack soon!" Pelissier said to Raglan: "Concentrating a large number of troops on the line from Perekop to Simferopol will consume a lot of money.
The! The Russian Empire will be made even harder by our allies!"
"If it is as you said, that would be great!" Raglan tapped the palm of his hand gently with the marshal's staff, and then suddenly asked Pellissier: "By the way, Marshal Saint-Arnault"
What's going on with him? I haven't heard from him for a long time!"
"The Marshal's physical condition is quite good!" Pelissier said in a normal tone: "Moreover, he was also named Count of Sevastopol by His Majesty the Emperor!"
"Count of Sevastopol?" Marshal Raglan sighed in an exaggerated tone: "How long has passed and Marshal Saint-Arnaud has become Count Saint-Arnaud! So, as a Saint
.Marshal Arnault’s deputy should also be commended!”
Pellissier's eyes were filled with sadness. He shook his head and responded to Commander Raglan: "My merits are not comparable to any general during the imperial period, so how can I expect to receive awards! It's good to not be criticized!"
While Pelissier was talking to Commander Raglan, a soldier ran up to Pelissier and said to him: "Your Excellency, Commander, His Majesty the Emperor's envoy has arrived at the dock! Deputy Commander Canrobert has specially ordered me to
Came to inform you!”
"Don't you think the commendation is coming soon?" Marshal Raglan said with a slight tease.
Pellissier's expression also showed a hint of joy, and he bid farewell to Commander Raglan.
"Go! Go! Accept the glory that belongs to you!" Commander Raglan waved his hand and responded to Pelissier.
Later, Pellissier walked down from Inkerman Mountain and rode a horse to the vicinity of the expeditionary force headquarters.
When Pelissier arrived near the expeditionary force headquarters, a pair of cavalry troops wearing imperial guard uniforms were standing in two rows on the left and right sides of the gate of the expeditionary force headquarters.
On the last step extending from the gate, each of them raised the sabers in their hands and crossed them in mid-air.
"What are you doing?" Pellissier asked in a more serious tone.
The Guards Cavalry did not speak, they just said in unison: "Commander Pelissier, please come in!"
The confused Pellissier came to the first step of the expeditionary force commander, and all the sabers were sheathed by them at the same time.
Pelissier walked step by step to the gate of the expeditionary force headquarters. Standing at the gate, he looked into the interior of the expeditionary force headquarters.
All the general-level soldiers in the French Expeditionary Force stood upright, and there seemed to be someone else behind this group of generals.
"What are you doing?" Pellissier asked the general present in confusion.
Almost as soon as Pelissier finished asking, thunderous applause erupted in the expeditionary force headquarters. All the generals applauded Pelissier and showed kind smiles to Pelissier.
After the applause lasted for a while, a voice stopped it.
This is a voice that Pellissier is very familiar with, and the owner of this voice should have returned to Paris by now, why is it here.
"Get out of the way!" Jérôme Bonaparte's voice reached Pellissier's ears again.
All the generals made way for Pelissier, who saw Emperor Jérôme Bonaparte and Marshal Reignaud.
"Your Majesty!" Pellissier looked at the sudden appearance of Jérôme Bonaparte in front of him in surprise.
"General Pellissier, come here!" Jérôme Bonaparte said to Pellissier.
"Yes!" Pellissier hurriedly came to Jérôme Bonaparte's side.
"General Pelissier... No, from now on you should be called Marshal Pelissier!" Jerome Bonaparte clapped his hands, and an entourage carrying a tray came out.
The items contained in the tray were the short staff symbolizing the Imperial Marshal, as well as a gold Grand Cross and a red ribbon.