March 26th, 1797.
Napoleon returned to the city of Udine, the Army of Italy Headquarters. Upon his arrival to the city, he was welcomed warmly by the locals and the French troops who were waiting for the commander's return.
The army has been idle for three days, and the look on the soldier's faces showed that they are excited to march onward and drive out the Austrians completely.
In the headquarters palace, Napoleon saw Berthier sifting through documents and files, managing everything from logistics to intelligence reports. Berthier looked up from his desk, his tired eyes lighting up as he saw Napoleon enter the room.
"General Bonaparte, welcome back," Berthir said, standing up and extending his hand. "How was your trip in Paris, was it productive in any way?"
Napoleon shook Berthier's hand firmly and replied. "Yeah, I have just settled my business there. Anything interesting that transpired while I was gone?"
Berthier glanced at the table and grabbed one document. "Yes General, here is a detailed report."
Napoleon took the report from Berthier and quickly scanned its contents. It detailed the recent movements of the Austrian forces, as well as intelligence gathered from spies within their ranks.
A week ago, Napoleon and his army defeated the Austrian forces under the command of Archduke Charles, brother of the Austrian Emperor, in the Battle of Tarvis. It was a hard-fought victory that solidified the French hold over the region and dealt a severe blow to the Austrian forces.
Napoleon's eyes narrowed as he read the report, his mind racing to assess the implications of their recent success. The Battle of Tarvis had been a turning point in their campaign, with the Austrians suffering heavy losses and being forced into a hasty retreat.
There would be no way for the Austrians to fight the French again in the region as the Army of the Rhine was preparing for a counteroffensive. He knew it when he received a letter from the commander, Jean Victor Marie Moreau. But they'll need a week to launch their offensive.
At this point, the war has already been won. Napoleon just has to make that reality sink into the Austrians.
"Berthier, order the divisions led by Masséna, Guieu, and Chabot to take..." he paused, looking for a map. He found one displayed on the wall and he scrunched up his brow, studying the map of the region.
"So, what are you proposing? Should we accept the armistice?"
"Accepting an armistice means that we accept defeat, Your Majesty," Charles said somberly. "And we are not receiving any help from the British. Personally, I don't want to make peace but strategically speaking, it might be the best option for us at this point."
Francis leaned back in his chair and pondered aloud. "Are we really going to surrender to that barbaric nation? Do we not have a choice? I can't believe we are losing to a general that is just about my age."
"The French just got lucky, brother," Charles dropped his formal address and leaned closer to Francis. "If I had been the one facing Napoleon in Italy, there's no way he would have achieved such success."
"Let's stop dwelling in what-ifs," Francis said, his voice filled with a mix of frustration and determination. "I'll talk to my ministers first before I make a decision."
Charles nodded and left the Emperor.
***
Meanwhile, on the French side. Napoleon and his army are marching towards Leoben, moving deeper into the Austrian's territory. Since he hadn't received any word from the Austrians, Napoleon was growing increasingly impatient. He knew that time was of the essence, and the longer the negotiations dragged on, the more opportunity the Austrians had to regroup and launch a counteroffensive.
As they advanced toward Leoben, the French army encountered sporadic resistance from Austrian forces, but nothing that posed a significant threat.
On April 7th, 1797, Napoleon arrived at Leoben, and finally, this time, he managed to attract their attention.
"General," Berthier called as soon as he entered Napoleon's office.
Napoleon glanced up at Berthier and took a bite of an apple. The crunch of the apple echoed in the room as Napoleon looked intently at Berthier, awaiting his news.
"General Maximilian von Merveldt and the Marquis of Gallo have arrived in the city, and they're asking to meet with you," Berthier informed.
Napoleon raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the unexpected visit. "Maximilian von Merveldt and the Marquis of Gallo? Interesting. Did they mention the purpose of their visit?"
"They didn't specify, but it's likely in response to your letter proposing the armistice," Berthier replied. "They must be here to discuss terms and negotiate."
Napoleon nodded thoughtfully. "Very well, I will receive them. Set up a meeting in the main hall at noon."