The main reason why Congreve rockets did not shine on the battlefields of the 19th century was because of their poor accuracy, but this weakness is not present when the target is a fortress.

Hundreds of rockets rose into the sky at the same time, marking a gray trajectory. The shrill whistling was like the call of death, and some of the French soldiers were already desperate, staring at the sky with vacant eyes.

The rockets soared into the air like an angry dragon, and after exhausting the last of its strength, it turned into fiery meteors and smashed into Saarburg.

A rocket landed on the ruined tower, first lighting up the sky with the light and heat of the rocket's explosion, and then the rubble, dust, and smoke swept up by the air waves.

Then came the second and third shots, and the rockets exploded one after another, the flames rose into the air, and the bricks and rubble continued to rain down like drops.

As time went on, the raindrops fell faster and faster, and every drop was so shocking.

In addition to the French soldiers, who were already desperate and waiting for death, many more were panicked, they scurried like headless flies, screams, cries for help, cries and explosions mingled.

The French soldiers searched for all the places they could hide, but most of the seemingly safe places had already been planted with explosives.

The ubiquitous explosions caused the entire fortress to collapse rapidly, and also made the French soldiers feel the real cruelty and helplessness for the first time.

Since the first Alsace-Lorraine crisis in 1844, Franz has been sending war materials to Alsace, either openly or covertly.

As for why it was not sent to the Lorraine area without losing an inch of land, the answer was that the defense line was too long to hold at all.

As the northern gate of Alsace, Saarburg naturally received Franz's heavy care, and dozens of tons of gunpowder were stored underground, enough to support several large-scale battles.

And Franz could not really leave his fate in the hands of a group of militias and mercenaries, and his backup plan was to detonate all the explosives that had been predetermined long ago if he could not hold on.

The French were left in ruins so that the Austrians could regain their lost territory.

Those hundreds of rockets were just an appetizer, and then more rockets rose into the sky from all directions.

The horrific explosion lasted almost thirty minutes, and the vanguard of the French army entering Saarburg was dealt a devastating blow.

However, the heaviest loss was Lamosillier's command, whose chain of command was blown apart after the attack.

Two of the three legion commanders were seriously wounded, and the remaining one temporarily lost his hearing. Ramosilier's own adjutant, as well as more than a dozen senior staff officers and dozens of members of the guard, were killed.

The command is still like this, and the casualties of ordinary soldiers are even more difficult to count.

And this is not the end, but only the beginning.

Ramosillier, supported by several guards, reached a relatively safe place, and he sighed as he looked at the ruins and the heavily damaged troop commander.

"What a bunch of despicable rats, they actually planted so many explosives in the fortress. And where did they get so many Congreve rockets? It's so unusual! Could it be a conspiracy of the British? ”

The stereotypical Congreve rocket is a British product, after all, the burning of Copenhagen is still famous.

The adjutant was no longer there, and the others were either too low in rank or in no mood to talk about it at all, and they had not yet recovered from the catastrophe just now.

"Report! Your Excellency, Marshal!."

At this moment a scout cavalry rushed over in a panic, and Ramosirier's heart chuckled.

The reality was as he had predicted, the attack was not an impromptu idea, but a long-planned conspiracy.

"It was reported that an army was approaching, at least more than 10,000 men, and carrying a large number of artillery, and they also sent a herald."

"Bring him to me!"

Ramosilier looked at the mess around him, and he changed his words.

"Let them wait first."

Ramosilier's move was naturally to protect his image and the face of the Second French Republic, but it was also to buy time to regroup his ranks and get more troops into Saalburg.

Although it has been bombed into ruins, it is still the only route from Lorraine to the north of Alsace, so its strategic position has not changed.

In the end, he was a little bit revengeful, the explosion just now was more than a fright, if he was unlucky, he might have died.

Half an hour later, the French army temporarily cleared a clearing in the rubble, and all the wounded soldiers and corpses on the side of the road were urgently treated.

The officers of the follow-up unit led the emissaries of the German coalition to Ramosilier.

The messenger was told that Marshal Ramosirier was resting, and the former simply let out a disdainful laugh.

At this time, the envoy of the German coalition was the famous radical Hernan Noy in history, who was supposed to create a rebellion against the German Empire in the original world line.

But there were too many historical differences that led the radical populist to become a pawn of the German coalition and willing to act as the least welcome messenger.

No matter what the situation is, the French will not be able to give him a good face, and no matter how good he is, no one will remember, but the slightest mistake can be court-martial for the slightest mistake.

However, Hernan Noy was not afraid, he just thought the French were funny, and he had witnessed the grand "fireworks display" just now.

Obviously, the soldiers standing guard in the outermost part are all disgraced, but the French troops inside the ruins are glamorous, and everyone believes that they are honor guards.

As for Ramosillier resting, he felt that it was even more unlikely, and it was somewhat credible to say that he was being treated with that intensity just now.

The French officers in charge of the reception were also unhappy, but they did not have a seizure, because what they needed most now was time.

The first 10,000 men to enter Saarburg were almost all disabled, and it would take time for the follow-up troops to come over to stabilize the situation.

After a silent journey, he finally arrived at the temporary headquarters of La Moxilière.

Ramosirier said he was resting, but he sat upright on a fallen boulder, still holding his marshal's scepter in his hand, and his clothes were brand new.

There is also a rather divine horse on the side, with sharp muscles under the pitch-black mane, which perfectly embodies the four words tall and mighty.

In addition to the war horse, Ramosirier had a large flag erected beside him, which was the flag of the Second French Republic.

The blue, white, and red tricolor flags waving in the wind, the sound of hunting, and the majestic guards on both sides will definitely give the visitors a dismount.

However, Hernan Noy only thought it funny, what was there to be in the ruins of a group of Frenchmen?

"Your Excellency, on the orders of Archduke Albrecht of Austria, Commander-in-Chief of the Second Army of the German Allied Army, I ask you to withdraw unconditionally from Saarburg in order to avoid unnecessary sacrifices of officers and men on both sides."

Ramosillier was a little surprised, and then said with some anger.

"Did Albrecht figure it out? Now it is our army that occupies Saarburg, and the advantage is on my side of France! ”

Hernan Noy said quietly.

"And you mean to go to war immediately?"

"Uhh

"I didn't mean that."

(End of chapter)