At 1.15pm, Rimmer’s men to return to their positions: they rest and recuperate.
Ruminating on the significant problem posed by the enemy cannon-fire, the baron orders the collection of hessian sacks and leather hides. The hessian is soaked then in water and nailed to the sides of buildings facing the enemy bombardment. These are to be resoaked regularly in the gaps between firing. The hides will take a bit longer to absorb moisture, but in a few hours time, during the night, they will be nailed up too. Buckets of water and other fire fighting paraphernalia are taken over to the buildings from the town. Beams and some of the barrels stacked on the edge of town will be used to help shore up any damage during the night.
Colonel Kluck und Gluck reports to the baron that morale in the militia seems to have taken a turn for the worse. Several of the men seem to have disappeared. Lurid stories seem to be circling Schrote about the fate of Humpe at the hands of the invaders – stories of violence, fire, and the inappropriate use of gherkins. The inhabitants of Schrote might be next!
Schrote Militia:
First Detachment: 21 men present, including seconded grenadier NCO (8 dead, 16 lightly wounded, 16 heavily wounded, 5 deserted).
Second Detachment: 65 men present, including seconded grenadier NCO (No casualties, 1 deserted).
As useful cannon-fodder (especially given the actions of the enemy cannon), Hunchmausen directs immediate remedial action. He has a "ferret" or two find out who is spreading disaffection, with the intention of having them apprehended, and tells Colonel Kluck und Gluck to give a stirring speech.
Having been in Schrote for a day or two, the colonel feels that he has developed a rapport with, or at least a useful resistance to, the local inhabitants. He intends to try and motivate the militia by pointing out that “getting the Humpe” is what would happen as a matter of course where Nabstrians are concerned and that with reinforcements having arrived, repulsing the repulsive invaders at every turn, the militia's best bet is to continue to help, as the moment is fast approaching when they will be able to wreak their rewenge on the vile invaders. The colonel intends to promise the pineapples (whatever they are) with which they can administer the dreaded “Vulgarian Fruit Salad”. As it turns out, he doesn't give a bad speech, with many references to such solid themes as ‘honour’, ‘integrity’, and ‘gold’. But his script also perhaps contains rather too many references to such things as ‘scorched’ and ‘maimed’, and ‘beyond the recognition of your own mothers’. Alas, the speech does not seem to materially improve things.
The baron also begins to consider finding a man or two to scout Flossen for signs of the emperor. Two difficulties clearly confront him. The Vulgarians obviously don’t have any local knowledge (or knowledge of any kind really - except how to hurt people, or steal their trousers); and a force moving southwest will have to pass initially through the area occupied by Bachscuttel troops, and so might well have to evade enemy patrols. Assuming that the Bachscuttel military has such things, of course.
Considering that a local guide might provide the answers to these problems, Hunchmausen offers some monetary inducements to the militia, and some volunteers come forward. There’s Johan, the beetroot farmer, who claims to know the area around here well. There’s Franz, the carrot smuggler, who says he knows Flossen; or Hugo, a member of the minor aristocracy in Schrote who claims to have hunted extensively in these areas. Hunchmausen takes the view that a carrot smuggler would need to be very aware of all the secret back roads to ensure his cargoes arrive so, if he knows Flossen and the rumoured hiding places in the area he might be the best bet.
Ziegler's Headquarters, 2.30pm
The Nabstrian cannon fire for one hour, expending ten shots each. Herr Dodo is dangerously excited, whooping and capering as each volley sails off towards the enemy.
After a while, through his telescope, Ziegler can see the enemy attempting efforts to reduce the effects of his fire. Soldiers seem to be trying to nail lengths of some material or other to the front of the buildings. A few can occasionally be sighted carrying buckets. Brave men! Some, certainly, are blown to smithereens.
One house is reduced to matchwood. A second is beginning to emit smoke which is carried southeastwards by the light breeze.
At 2.20pm, a messenger is received from Colonel Nockenshoppes. He sends his compliments and reports that the picquet near Hanau-Brancau ambushed a small group of armed civilians heading towards Schrote. The heavily wounded civilians were left behind. Six others, two of whom are lightly wounded, were captured and are now at his headquarters.
Ziegler orders that the civilians must be brought to his headquarters and interrogated!
Hunchmausen's Headquarters, 2.30pm
The efforts of Hunchmausen's troops to mitigate the effects of the enemy cannon have not been entirely unsuccessful, but the fire still has effect. Two grenadiers are killed, five lightly wounded, and five heavily wounded. Colonel Kluck und Gluck is able to rally off the additional shock and disorder. One building is destroyed, but the efforts of the defending soldiers prevent it setting alight. A second building, however, is damaged and now on fire. The smoke drifts to the southeast.
Herr Kraftstein arrives to report, his apron now covered with something that is green in colour. He declares that the captured peasant has yet to reveal any additional information, but that he has decided to speed matters along by broaching his cupboard of ‘special accoutrements’, a selection of which will no doubt loosen the miscreant’s tongue; or, indeed, just yank it off completely.
The baron then decides it's time for a quick bit of counter-battery fire, in the hope that it might help put the enemy off their aim. He orders each of his two guns to fire thirty rounds each.
The Nabstrian cannon fire for one hour, expending ten shots each. Herr Dodo is dangerously excited, whooping and capering as each volley sails off towards the enemy.
After a while, through his telescope, Ziegler can see the enemy attempting efforts to reduce the effects of his fire. Soldiers seem to be trying to nail lengths of some material or other to the front of the buildings. A few can occasionally be sighted carrying buckets. Brave men! Some, certainly, are blown to smithereens.
One house is reduced to matchwood. A second is beginning to emit smoke which is carried southeastwards by the light breeze.
At 2.20pm, a messenger is received from Colonel Nockenshoppes. He sends his compliments and reports that the picquet near Hanau-Brancau ambushed a small group of armed civilians heading towards Schrote. The heavily wounded civilians were left behind. Six others, two of whom are lightly wounded, were captured and are now at his headquarters.
Ziegler orders that the civilians must be brought to his headquarters and interrogated!
Hunchmausen's Headquarters, 2.30pm
The efforts of Hunchmausen's troops to mitigate the effects of the enemy cannon have not been entirely unsuccessful, but the fire still has effect. Two grenadiers are killed, five lightly wounded, and five heavily wounded. Colonel Kluck und Gluck is able to rally off the additional shock and disorder. One building is destroyed, but the efforts of the defending soldiers prevent it setting alight. A second building, however, is damaged and now on fire. The smoke drifts to the southeast.
Herr Kraftstein arrives to report, his apron now covered with something that is green in colour. He declares that the captured peasant has yet to reveal any additional information, but that he has decided to speed matters along by broaching his cupboard of ‘special accoutrements’, a selection of which will no doubt loosen the miscreant’s tongue; or, indeed, just yank it off completely.
The baron then decides it's time for a quick bit of counter-battery fire, in the hope that it might help put the enemy off their aim. He orders each of his two guns to fire thirty rounds each.
No comments:
Post a Comment