Sélestat had fallen! The news exploded in Lamoricière's mind like a thunderclap. He immediately pictured his retreat being cut off, the entire center collapsing, the German Allied Forces rampaging through the heart of France, their spearhead pointed straight at Paris.
Countless dreadful images flashed through Lamoricière's mind, but he quickly regained his composure.
" Sélestat has fallen? You never even captured it!"
The sarcasm in Lamoricière's words made the messenger's heart sink.
The claim that Sélestat had fallen was the story Benoît de Coulon had given him. The reason was, of course, to shift the blame and save face, but also to persuade Lamoricière to send reinforcements.
After all, a defeat meant they had put up a fight, which would at least have weakened the German Allied Forces somewhat.
But Lamoricière wasn't buying it. He was indeed the overall commander of the central army, but the Alsace theater was Benoît de Coulon's responsibility.
That arrangement had been personally decided by Bellevue. Back then, he had wanted to claim a share of the credit for the central army's strategy of besieging the enemy to draw out its reinforcements. Instead, he'd tried to steal a chicken and lost his rice sack. Now it was only right that he take the blame.
That was exactly why Lamoricière was so cold.
"Your Excellency, General Benoît de Coulon and you are bound together like lips and teeth. If the general is defeated, the Austrians will surely cut off your retreat!"
The messenger was so frantic he was nearly in tears, describing in vivid terms the terrible future that might unfold.
But Lamoricière merely replied coldly:
"Then let them come. I'll deal with them all at once."
Benoît de Coulon's messenger was astonished by those words. In fact, Lamoricière had already thought it through: the German