Warning from the Walloon Chamber of Commerce

Count Radetzky looked up at the sky, frowning slightly, and said to his staff officer:

"Order them to quicken the march. We must enter Wavre before nightfall."

[Map of the Southern Netherlands]

His orders were to seize control of Namur, Wallonia's transportation hub, as quickly as possible.

With France potentially intervening in Wallonia's situation, the sooner he arrived, the more time he would have to prepare for war.

However, just as his order was passed down, a short Bugle Call suddenly sounded from the front of the column. Something had gone wrong ahead; it was the signal for those behind to halt.

Count Radetzky did not have to wait long before a Cavalry Captain hurried over from the vanguard and saluted him.

"General, a group of people is blocking the road. There seem to be officials from the Wallonia Chamber of Commerce among them, as well as reporters."

Radetzky frowned and sneered.

"Hah, do these idiots think they can stop us the way they stopped the Brussels Public Security Squad?"

Just the day before, the Public Security Squad sent by the Flanders government to "quell the riots" in Wallonia had been intercepted by the Walloon Police. They had slunk back to Brussels in disgrace, with more than ten of them arrested by the Walloon Police.

Count Radetzky urged his horse down the road to the very front of the column, where he saw dozens of Wallonia officials standing arm in arm across the road, with more than a dozen people who looked like reporters standing to either side.

He tilted his head toward his attendant.

The latter immediately stepped forward and shouted:

"General Radetzky has come under the orders of His Majesty the Emperor to resolve the chaos in Wallonia. You must move aside at once, or you