Chapter 546: Napoleon's Thunderous Might
The next day.
On a square two streets away from the Ajaccio Assembly Hall, over 200 fully armed soldiers stood in two neat formations, facing Lieutenant Colonel Buonaparte astride his horse.
"Not long ago, we saved Corsica from the clutches of rebels," Napoleon declared, raising his riding crop and pointing toward the Assembly Hall. "And now, another group of conspirators threatens our hard-won peace.
"Intelligence has revealed that these incompetent, corrupt separatist delegates are acting on Paoli's orders to incite rebellion in the Chinto Mountains.
"You, the brave warriors of France, will follow me to arrest these separatists and finally end the nightmare of chaos in this province!"
His voice was powerful and rousing, completely ignoring the fact that only months ago, he himself had been a member of the separatist camp.
"Yes, Commander!" the soldiers replied in unison. Under their officers' commands, they began marching toward the Assembly Hall to the beat of drums.
Trailing behind them were a few warhorses pulling two six-pound cannons.
Inside the Assembly Hall, Corsican delegates were preparing for a routine vote. Some of the 70-odd delegates were still yawning when the doors were flung open, and two officials from Ajaccio's municipal office burst in, shouting in alarm:
"The army! Buonaparte is coming with troops!"
"He said something about arresting separatists…"
The delegates leapt to their feet in a panic, their shouts overlapping:
"Who gave him such authority?"
"I heard he already abducted three judges. That man is insane!"
"Does he intend to arrest us too?"
"What should we do? Who will stop him?"
Giuseppe, the leader of Paoli's faction, jumped onto a table, waving his arms and shouting:
"Do not be afraid! This is the Corsican Assembly! We must stand together and show that madman, that power-hungry soldier, that Corsicans never yield to threats!"
Other nationalist delegates echoed his fervor:
"Exactly! Corsica is a land of freedom and democracy! We won't let him act with impunity!"
"We're not afraid! Come, let's drive him away together!"
As skilled orators, the delegates' impassioned words turned them into seemingly fearless warriors.
Led by Giuseppe, dozens of delegates made their way to the Assembly Hall's entrance in disorganized defiance. There, they saw a column of French soldiers in white uniforms approaching.
Giuseppe stepped forward and demanded, "What do you think you're doing?"
Napoleon ordered his troops to surround the Assembly Hall before riding up to the group of delegates. He tipped his hat briefly in mock courtesy, then retrieved a list from his pocket. Looking down at them from horseback, he announced:
"In my capacity as Commander of the Corsican garrison, I hereby declare the arrest of the following individuals for conspiring to incite rebellion—
"Andreu Alexandre Alchide.
"Sean Chris Bartolo.
"Ritchie Romano Greco Giuseppe.
"Tim Toscachi…"
At his words, the soldiers moved to detain the named individuals.
Though the garrison soldiers were stationed in Corsica, most were from mainland France. Napoleon had carefully selected men for his "Grenadier Company," even if they didn't meet the towering stature of formal grenadiers, they enjoyed similar pay and benefits. These men were fiercely loyal to Napoleon and had no regard for the so-called Corsican delegates.
Giuseppe, panicked, exchanged glances with his allies and stepped forward, locking arms with a few others. He shouted:
"We are delegates of the Corsican Assembly, representatives of its people! You have no authority to arrest us!"
"Leave the Assembly Hall at once, you insolent thugs!"
"You're trampling on freedom and the law! You will face judgment for this!"
The soldiers hesitated at the delegates' confident rhetoric, looking to their commander for guidance.
Napoleon cast a sidelong glance at the Grenadier Company's captain. "Labot, show your men what to do."
"Yes, Commander!"
Labot dismounted and strode toward Giuseppe, brandishing his whip. Without hesitation, he lashed it across Giuseppe's face, bellowing:
"Shut up!"
Giuseppe let out a cry of pain, releasing his grip on the other delegates as he stumbled backward.
Labot ignored the gasps of the remaining delegates, striking Giuseppe again and knocking him to the ground. Planting his boot on Giuseppe's back, he barked to his soldiers:
"Ropes! Tie him up!"
"Yes, sir!"
Labot turned to the rest of the soldiers, shouting:
"What are you waiting for? Didn't you hear the Commander's orders?"
With Labot setting the example, the other soldiers sprang into action, quickly binding the hands of the delegates whose names Napoleon had read aloud.
"Fight them!" one of Giuseppe's allies shouted in a desperate attempt at resistance.
At that moment, the rumble of wheels sounded from the street. The delegates turned to see two black cannons being wheeled into view, their barrels pointed directly at the Assembly Hall. Soldiers stood ready with smoldering linstocks.
The sight of the cannons silenced the defiant delegates.
Though the artillery was unnecessary for handling unarmed legislators, its psychological impact was overwhelming. Even the most eloquent orators could find their voices failing under the shadow of a cannon's maw.
Within minutes, the soldiers had loaded over a dozen bound delegates into waiting carriages. Paoli's faction in the Assembly had been nearly wiped out.
The remaining delegates, either loyalists or neutral, dispersed quietly. Meanwhile, pro-French delegates exchanged smirks and whispered among themselves, clearly pleased with the turn of events.
By noon, Ajaccio was placed under martial law. Troops patrolled the streets, ostensibly to prevent unrest stirred up by "conspirators."
Two days later, the Ajaccio High Court convened.
The three judges Napoleon had "invited" to a warehouse earlier were now escorted by soldiers under close watch. The trial lasted a single day, ending with the judges declaring Giuseppe and 13 others guilty of inciting rebellion and colluding with foreign forces. Sentences ranged from 10 to 20 years in prison, with their Assembly seats revoked.
The verdict sent shockwaves through Corsica. In regions with strong separatist leanings, tempers flared, and some appeared on the verge of uprising.
However, with their leaders imprisoned in Napoleon's barracks, the separatists lacked both leadership and resources to act.
Moreover, Napoleon's forces soon appeared in these restive areas, swiftly quelling any budding rebellion.
The Corsican populace, stirred moments before, fell silent under the imposing presence of French soldiers.
(To be continued…)
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