CHAPTER 543: CHAPTER 535 THE BATTLE OF KARATINA PORT

Returning to headquarters, Brigadier General Trocch reported to Marshal Saint Arno the decision of the British Command and requested that Marshal Saint Arno approve his participation in the action alongside the navy.

Marshal Saint Arno first glanced at Brigadier General Trocch and then cast a sidelong glance at General Pellissier beside him.

Marshal Saint Arno understood that his adjutant was preparing a contingency for himself.

As Marshal Saint Arno’s adjutant, Brigadier General Trocch wouldn’t have to worry about his future in the Allied Forces as long as Saint Arno was alive.

However, if something happened to Marshal Saint Arno, the new commander of the Expeditionary Army might marginalize him.

As Marshal Saint Arno’s health deteriorated day by day, Brigadier General Trocch naturally had to plan for his own future in advance.

That’s why he requested Marshal Saint Arno to allow him to participate in this operation, a means to dissociate himself from being just Saint Arno’s adjutant.

"General Pellissier, what do you think?" Marshal Saint Arno asked in a calm tone.

Pellissier understood what Marshal Saint Arno meant and quickly nodded with a smile, saying, "I believe Brigadier General Trocch is capable of handling this position!"

"Since General Pellissier has already agreed, then I have nothing more to say!" Marshal Saint Arno approved Brigadier General Trocch’s mission to accompany the navy to Camish Port.

However, before departing, Marshal Saint Arno specifically instructed Brigadier General Trocch not to excessively interfere with the navy’s actions just because of his relationship as his adjutant.

Although this joint operation was army-led, it didn’t mean the navy would always accommodate the army.

The army had favorites of the Emperor like Marshal Saint Arno and Niel, but the Minister of the Navy, Deco, was equally esteemed.

The Emperor had repeatedly instructed Deco not to overburden himself, and with such imperial favor, it allowed the navy to stand proud before the army.

Unless absolutely necessary, Marshal Saint Arno didn’t want disharmony between the army and navy.

Brigadier General Trocch quickly assured Marshal Saint Arno that he would follow the Marshal’s instructions and wouldn’t trouble the navy.

"Go now!" Marshal Saint Arno waved his hand, telling Brigadier General Trocch.

Brigadier General Trocch took a few steps back with a solemn expression and then saluted Marshal Saint Arno.

"Alas!" Watching Brigadier General Trocch’s departing figure, Marshal Saint Arno sighed, stood up and said to Pellissier, "General Pellissier, I’m going to rest now. The headquarters will be under your charge!"

"You can trust me with it!" General Pellissier assured Marshal Saint Arno confidently.

When Brigadier General Trocch arrived at the bay, a regiment of French troops (3,000 men) had already been waiting there for some time.

However, beside this French unit about to board the ship, there was also a British Infantry Legion of about 2,000 men.

Brigadier General Trocch immediately found Kingscott’s aide to ask him what was going on.

Kingscott’s aide informed Brigadier General Trocch that this Infantry Legion was at Commander Lagren’s request, accompanying the French Army to the vicinity of the South Shore of Sevastopol, near Kara Yana Port.

"The commander said that if we want to make it look real, an operation would be incomplete without British troops!" Kingscott’s aide mimicked Commander Lagren’s tone in telling Brigadier General Trocch.

Thus, a 5,000-strong Anglo-French Alliance Army boarded six troop ships one after another, as the transports carrying the 5,000 Anglo-French Army sailed towards Kara Yana Port near the South Shore of Sevastopol.

When the Anglo-French Fleet arrived near Kara Yana Port, the Russian militia responsible for monitoring the port returned en masse to Sevastopol to report this situation to Admiral Korolev.

Admiral Korolev, who was commanding troops to build a pontoon bridge, was momentarily stunned, as he couldn’t comprehend what the Allied Forces were up to.

Admiral Korolev immediately summoned the militia leader of Kara Yana Port to ask him, "Did you personally see the Anglo-French Fleet arrive at Kara Yana Port?"

"I saw it with my own eyes!" the militia leader replied firmly to Admiral Korolev, then exaggeratedly said to him, "Admiral, you wouldn’t believe how large their fleet is! It’s like a city floating on the sea..."

"Alright! I get it!" Before the militia leader could finish, Admiral Korolev waved his hand to dismiss him.

Standing at the port, Admiral Korolev paced back and forth twice in a state of unease, muttering to himself, "Could it be that the Allies’ target is not the North Shore?"

Realizing that the Anglo-French Alliance Army might launch an attack from the South Shore, Admiral Korolev suddenly panicked.

In his plan, the Allied Forces were supposed to launch their attack from the North Shore.

If the Allied forces chose to land on the South Shore, the consequences would be unimaginable.

While Admiral Kornilov was contemplating the strategic intentions of the Allied forces, Nasimov appeared beside Admiral Kornilov, inquiring whether the news of the Allies landing at Kara Yana Port was true.

"It’s very likely true!" Kornilov replied dejectedly, "The Allies’ encampment on the North Shore is very likely a carefully orchestrated ruse!"

"A ruse?" Nasimov asked Admiral Kornilov.

"Think about it! If the Allies attacked the North Shore, their fleet would inevitably be unable to provide effective support! Moreover, they’d be subjected to attacks from our fleet on the North Shore!" Admiral Kornilov explained to Nasimov.

Kornilov’s behavior fully illustrated that if a person subjectively believes their conclusion is absolutely correct, they will find factual evidence to back up that conclusion.

Every tiny clue could be interpreted as premeditated.

Nasimov was clearly led astray by Admiral Kornilov’s speculation, and as the acting commander of Sevastopol, he immediately asked Kornilov what to do.

"We must not let them gain a foothold at Kara Yana Port!" Admiral Kornilov suggested to Nasimov, "We must mobilize all soldiers on the South Shore to expel the Allied vanguard from the port!"

"What about the pontoon bridge?" Nasimov pointed to the bridge under construction and asked Admiral Kornilov.

"Put it on hold for now!" Admiral Kornilov stated firmly, "We need to focus our efforts on one task!"

"Alright! I’ll head to Kara Yana Port with troops right now!" Nasimov replied to Admiral Kornilov.

"No! I’ll go instead! You’re the commander of the entire fortress, and it can’t be without you!" Admiral Kornilov reached out to hold back Nasimov.

"But..." Nasimov paused, looking at Admiral Kornilov, uncertain if Kornilov could handle the task.

"Don’t worry, after all, I’m the Chief of Staff of the Black Sea Fleet!" Admiral Kornilov responded to Nasimov with a resigned tone, "Now, it’s just you and me in Sevastopol!"

"Indeed!" Nasimov sighed heavily.

It’s a great joke that in such a vast city, they couldn’t find a qualified army general.

After over an hour of mobilization, Kornilov and Nasimov finally organized an army composed of over 3000 soldiers, over 1000 sailors, and more than 2000 militia.

To strengthen the firepower of this army, Admiral Kornilov dismantled 26 cannons from the battleships, together with 17 cannons stored in the South Shore warehouse, making a total of 40 cannons.

Admiral Kornilov firmly believed that with these cannons and troops (Kornilov forgot that naval and land battles are different), they were enough to push back the Anglo-French Alliance Army.

Thus, Admiral Kornilov, with over 7000 soldiers and 40 cannons, advanced towards Kara Yana Port south of Sevastopol.

Kornilov, leading the Russian Army hastily to Kara Yana Port, did not know that two regiments (two British battalions, three French battalions) of over 5000 Anglo-French Alliance troops had already stationed there, under the temporary command of Brigadier General Troche of the Allies. They had dug trenches, with a simple trench centered on Kara Yana Port forming, intended to resist a possible Russian Army appearance.

The fleet anchored at Kara Yana Port also lined up in a single formation, with all battleships’ cannons simultaneously aimed at the South Shore of Sevastopol, ready to unleash all their shells upon arrival of the Russian soldiers at the South Shore of Sevastopol.

However, the Russian Imperial Army should not be so rash as to attempt a naval bombardment...

"The enemy is coming!"

With a sailor’s shout from the ship’s lookout tower, the Anglo-French Alliance at Kara Yana Port immediately went on alert; lacking heavy weapons, they spontaneously sought cover to hide.

When the Russian Imperial Army arrived less than 2 kilometers from Kara Yana Port, the ships lined in a row began firing shells at the distant Russian Imperial Army.

Hundreds of shells fell around the Russian Imperial Army, the scorching waves flipping Russia’s soldiers near the shells.

Admiral Kornilov, mounted on a horse, hurriedly issued an order to the troops, "Get down! Stay down!"

Most of the Russian Imperial soldiers obeyed Admiral Kornilov’s command to lie down, but some militia, frightened by the shells, began fleeing in all directions.

This caused a small chaos within the Russian Imperial ranks.

If not for the experienced officers and decisiveness of the enforcement team, the chaos could have spread throughout the entire army.

Still, many attempted to flee, dying at the hands of the enforcement team.

The ground, under the strokes of naval artillery, emitted cries of sorrow.