Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 371

Chapter 371: Chapter 58, The Uprising Fails

February 15, 1865, the “Rebel Army,” unaware they had been betrayed, launched the planned armed uprising, igniting the flames of rebellion in both Milan and Venice simultaneously.

Under the leadership of the core members of the Hungarian Independence Organization, a group of bewildered Italian mercenaries became the Rebel army, attacking the Austrian Government.

In Venice, the Rebel Army attacking the police station encountered a fierce counterattack from the police. In this era, starting a rebellion required more than just numbers; it also required guns.

Regrettably, the few guns in the hands of the Hungarian Independence Organization were not enough. On the other hand, the police station was ready with more than a hundred armed officers.

In a panic, Taft said, “Oteco, something’s wrong. The enemy is prepared; the surprise attack has failed. Retreat immediately.”

Seeing his Death Squad members cut down, Oteco knew they were doomed. Despite their numbers, their fighting capacity was pitifully poor.

Just think, an uprising army armed with edged weapons, facing fully equipped police—the outcome was self-evident.

Moreover, these Italian mercenaries were coerced into the battlefield and had no consciousness of sacrificing themselves for the revolution.

Oteco said frantically, “The information must have been leaked. Break through separately and flee. Each man who escapes counts.”

The leaders of the Independence Organization down to the enthusiastic public who had received letters were all betraying them. In just over a month, the Venice Police Station and city government had received more than a hundred reports. How could the uprising possibly succeed?

Oteco’s decision was not wrong. Realizing that they had failed, scattering and breaking through was the best option. A stubborn resistance would mean total annihilation, but dispersing might allow a few to escape.

Unfortunately, this was Venice. As a city on water, their means of transportation was not carriages, but—boats.

By the time Oteco ordered the breakthrough, the Rebel Army was already in disarray. Sirens sounded, mixed with the roaring of steam engines—the water police had come.

What should ordinary boats do when they encounter gunboats?

Escape was impossible; these small gunboats were not something they could contend with. The Rebel Army lacked cannons, and even guns were scarce.

The wise immediately chose to land ashore, hoping to break through using the surrounding buildings as a chance for survival. Some who were exceptionally gifted had already dived into the water, intending to break through from beneath the surface.

This was entirely a matter of luck; if you’re not the protagonist, don’t even try. The arriving water police began picking off those in the water—after all, Austria never required the rebels to be captured alive.

Trying to swim away was a path to certain death. Unless one could swim underwater without surfacing, there was no escaping the pursuit.

Taft was a wise man; he immediately led the people on his boat to a nearby building to land ashore and escaped by abandoning the boat.

“Bang bang bang…”

The gunshots sounded in rapid succession; sharpshooters lurking in the surrounding buildings started to take their toll. Taft and the others who had just landed were immediately met with a barrage of fire.

The gunshots became more and more intense. The erratic firing proved that this could not all be from Austrian regular forces. After all, Austria had standardized rifle calibers many years before.

This cacophony of gunshots from a variety of sources could only mean one thing—the local residents were taking potshots at them.

There was nothing surprising about it. From the moment they sought to come ashore, they were in opposition. If the rebels were to enter their homes and confront the police, wouldn’t that be a disaster?

After all, the rebel army is at a disadvantage now, and is doomed to fail, helping the government suppress the rebellion. Perhaps, after the war, they might even be awarded for their merits.

This is simply because people like Taft and others don’t have guns, and everyone is not afraid of them at all. The Venice Area is never short of people who mix overseas, and these seafarers usually have guns in their possession.

In this era, guns are an indispensable part of overseas colonization and trade. It’s much easier for them to apply for a gun license than for ordinary people. After all, overseas, a fist often persuades more easily than reason.

Guns embolden heroes, and many believe the opportunity to perform has come. Even the smallest act of bravery in battle is sure to be compensated with a reward afterwards.

The bullets issued by the Venice Police Station are all numbered and traceable, so the enthusiastic public doesn’t worry that their battle results will be unfairly claimed by others.

Taft’s face was pale; he had unintentionally taken a hit to the knee, and his right leg was now useless.

He gritted his teeth and said, “Don’t mind me, just run, escape counts for each one of you.”

The Italians will never truly understand the revolutionary zeal of the Italian populace; what they’ve encountered are mere profiteers, hoping to escape under the cover of the locals.

Reality had taught Oteco a lesson—the slogans for propaganda were all deceitful. Not everyone wants a revolution, especially not one led by the Hungarians.

Regional discrimination is common in many areas, and compared to the prosperity of the Venice Area, the Hungarian Region is seen as a backwater by many Italians.

The idea of risking their lives and fortunes to support the Hungarian Independence Organization is simply unthinkable.

Although the Rebel Army is primarily composed of Italians, these deceived mercenaries do not represent the will of the people, and the local population has shown them through their actions—they are not welcome.

As the gunboats drew closer, Italian mercenaries shamelessly surrendered. No matter how the commanders appointed by the Hungarian Independence Organization pleaded, it was to no avail.

Babatefu was one of the mercenaries, now grinding his teeth in resentment against the Revolutionary Party. They had all agreed to go overseas to colonize and make a fortune together, but these turncoats were actually plotting a rebellion against Austria.

If he had known that the employers were the Hungarian Independence Organization, he would have never taken part. Now he had been completely trapped, and escaping was too difficult.

To spite these turncoats, Babatefu decided to surrender and even captured a small leader of the Hungarian Independence Organization installed on the ship to present as his surrender token.

…

In Milan City, the garrison of the Kingdom of Lombardy had surrounded the rebel army. After all, this is the capital of the Kingdom of Lombardy, where heavy troops are stationed.

The Lombardy Government had also made adequate preparations to suppress the rebellion quickly. However, the King had no confidence and ordered the garrison to suppress the rebels immediately.

The cornered rebel army was obviously outmatched; even if they wanted to fight to the death, they were now facing modern weapons with their primitive arms—this battle was simply impossible to fight.

…

At the Port of Venice, Paul, one of the leaders of the Hungarian Independence Organization, urged, “Let’s go, Stephen. The rebellion has already started. There’s no need to pay too much attention to a destined-to-fail uprising.”

Stephen said with a bitter smile, “We can’t leave now, the time is not yet ripe. If we leave at this moment and word gets out, how will we ever hold our heads up for the rest of our lives?”

Paul nodded in agreement. Fleeing under uncertain circumstances would label them as cowards for life.