A Colt's War

by Codexwriter476

Chapter Five: The Ponyville Pocket- Part 2

[Ponyville Pocket- Day 7 Aug.1876]

The weather remained grey and cloudy as the siege continued. Yesterday, the Lunars had allowed any civilians or wounded to leave through the eastern gap. At least they had some honor, but they were still determined to take the town. Supplies were cut off from both the ground and the air as they shot down whoever was unfortunate enough to fly over the battlefield. Conditions for the defenders remained strong, but their moral were constantly tested by the onslaught of bullets and words.

"Brave soldiers of the Coltgrenadier Battalions. Your leaders have forgotten you, left you to fend for yourselves. There will be no relief for you. They do not even consider you soldiers. Surrender and you will be given warm clothing, food, shelter and the proper respect you deserve." The pony behind the megaphone called out from atop his trench, just twenty yards away from the outskirts of town. He was speaking loud enough that fourth company at Sweet Apple Acres could hear.

"Ah, SHUT UP!" A grenadier shouted, then fired a shot at the enemy. Five bullets forced him to take cover once again. The defenses around the farm had improved to some trench works and a bunker for ammunition. The house was converted to a medical station and kitchen, and the barn the company command post. The cool early fall weather had came early this year, and the troops were wearing brown jackets over their uniforms, then attached their harnesses over them. Lawrence, Sketch and Big Macintosh were on the roof of the barn, surveying the enemy lines.

"There must be at least two battalions here, and who knows how many more at town." Sketch scanned.

"It's weird enough that they didn't bring cannons, yet their bunkers are built to contain one. This doesn't make sense." Lawrence noted the square bunkers. As most military ponies know, the only way to win a siege was to blast the defenders away with artillery, yet not a single cannon was reported, let alone heard. The hatch behind them opened and Pipsqueak poked his head.

"The companies in town are still holding on. They did have some skirmishes a few hours ago, but it wasn't much." He reported.

"Anything about reinforcements?"

"Not since we sent the report a few days ago."

"How's my family doing?" Big Mac asked.

"Applebloom's bored. Granny Smith's asleep and Applejack is begging to get in the fight." Pip replied.

"I'd bet." He chuckled under his breath. Lawrence continued to focus on the bunkers, only to confirm his suspicions: They didn't bring any cannons at all! He wanted to chuckle about their folly, but he didn't. Something kept him from doing so, as if they wanted to make them believe they were bringing cannons. A sudden boom echoed throughout the valley, drawing their attentions towards...

"Canterlot. They're attacking Canterlot!" A soldier shouted. Flashes of light dimmed under the clouds as smoke rose from the Cliffside palace. Ponyville wasn't their target; Canterlot was. It always had been.

"Damn High Command!" Lawrence shouted in frustration, only to duck down as bullets started to fly once again.
--

"Damn High Command." Haybrun muttered under his breath. The explosions were louder where he and another grenadier regiment stood upon a ridge.

"I count at least two brigades, plus an heavy artillery company." A second in command reported through his scope. The Royal Battery along the wall hammered away at the enemy cannons and troops, but they were getting blasted with such brute force a general would only dream of. They couldn't help them, for it was suicide to even attempt. All they could do now was watch as their fellow soldiers were dying.

"Lancer, you fool. You should have strengthen the defenses, let alone request more ponies." Haybrun thought.
[Flashback, three days earlier...]

"We now have confirmed reports that they don't have any siege weapons approaching Ponyville." A sergeant replied.

"Then you shouldn't worry about supporting them Haybrun, my friend." Lancer smugged.

"Shouldn't you at least be worried about their cannons roaming somewhere. They could be on their very way here to smash the city wall. At least reinforce the batteries here." Haybrun laid a hoof on the northern wall; the weakest defense along the Canterlot line.

"They wouldn't be able to reach it without using very strong pegasi. A cannon is about ten times the weight of a pony, and I doubt they have that many supporters in Cloudsdale." a cocky pegasi officer boasted.

"If your so keen on that, then send some additional companies."

"General Cotton Eye's Brigade is on its way back from a victory farther east. He can be here within the week, which gives us plenty of time-"

"To do what? Discuss politics and let the enemy hoist cannons to our northern lines?" Haybrun interrupted. He did have faith about Cotton Eye, but he doubt they would arrive in time.

"General Haybrun, for the last time. It is impossible to lift cannons over the northern plateaus. We have constant air patrols that report back every hour on the hour, so stop worrying about that and focus on real issues!" Lancer slammed his hoof on the table, shaking the foundation of the table base. Haybrun was speechless, only to snort with frustration and leave the room.

"I swear, that old stallion has got to stop living in the past."
[Now...]

"...stop living in the past." Lancer's voice echoed through Haybrun's head like the wind.

"Sir, should we go back and help?" the second asked. Haybrun continued to stare.

"No. We continue on." Haybrun turned towards Ponyville and ordered the advance. The regiment formed up and followed their commander, leaving the chaos behind them. 'I may still have me head in the past, but at least I know what I'm doing.'
--

"How many do you think we've killed?" Thunder Dash asked another grenadier next to him. Second Company was on the North Ponyville line where the megaphone pony was earlier that day, shooting at an advancing battalion.

"I've lost count of them. I'm more focused on my ammo, I only got a few magazines left." He replied, pulling out another magazine. The seven days of constant skirmishes had taking a toll on the ammunition supplies, and with nothing coming in, the situation was turning worse by the hour.

"Sweet Celestia, they just keep coming!" A younger recruit said, whimpering as he aimed. Battalion after battalion kept coming at them.

"I bet Fourth Company isn't have this kind of problem." Thunder Dash groaned, about to take aim at another lunar soldier. Suddenly, everything went silent. His eyes twitching as he was finding himself falling backwards until he hit the ground. Around him, grenadiers and lunars went at each other in fierce close quarter combat. Finally, he could barely hear something.

"The line's collapsing! Fall back to the square!" a voice muffled. He turned his head again to see the young recruit next to him, his eyes blank of expression, jaw opened ajar and blood flowing gently from his mouth. He knew that he was killed, but then he noticed another pool of blood. His eyes followed until he gasped; a dark red spot was on his jacket, and was slowly creeping across him. He was hit. He wanted to scream in pain, but his throat choked from the shock. Seconds later, his head landed back on the ground, looking towards the sky as his eyelid closed for the last time.

"Lawrence, The Northern line collapsed. They're making their way to the square!" Newsprint panted as he bursted through the roof hatch.

"We have to go help them."

"But what about my family?" Big Mac asked, looking to the cellar.

"I'm sorry Mac, But if we stay here, the line will fold and they'll pick us off. We have to pull back to the town." Lawrence shouted, taking a blind shot over the railing.

"Sir, I reckon we let my sister in this fight. We could use all the hooves we can get." Lawrence hesitated, but nodded his head.

"Take one of the rifles, and while your down there, take a platoon and lead a flanking action. We're taking that bunker." Lawrence looked over the railing. He noticed Sketch was hunkered behind the railing, rifle in action when suddenly he stopped. He then turned towards him.

"Law.... I think they got me..." Sketch said and collapsed onto the deck.

"SKETCH!" Lawrence shouted, dropping his rifle and rushing over to him, Newsprint covering him. He looked him over to see a small red spot form at his front right leg.

"Am I dying?" Sketch asked.

"What?"

"Am I dying?" Sketch asked again, tears starting to form at the base of his eyes.

"They only got your leg, But I don't think your gonna keep it after this is all over." Lawrence replied. He quickly turned to Big Mac, who was almost down the ladder. "Big Mac!" Mac's head popped up. "Take Sketch over to the house, he's hit."

"Yes sir." He replied and helped him through the hatch.

"Crap this hurts!" Sketch shouted in pain.

'At least your alive.' Lawrence thought and continued the fight.

By four in the afternoon, everything started to quiet down. The Town still held out, with support of the local militia and some platoons from the bridge. Small fires broke out as the thunderous distant booms at Canterlot continued on, the flashes looked like lighting. At Sweet Apple Acres, Fourth Company were finally able to rest but with a heavy price. Within seven days going on eight, nearly twenty grenadiers were killed and five wounded, including Sketch. The lights inside the house were dimmed as a grenadier trotted in.

"Here's the action reports from the town you wanted sir." He saluted, his magic levitating the paper.

"Set it down on the table, and return to your company." Lawrence replied. The grenadier saluted and walked out. Lawrence looked over the report.

"Second Company was hit hard to the north, losing thirty-five ponies in the process. They did manage to trap the enemy near the school house, with some help from the militia. First Company to the west managed to assist a local at her home while she was evacuating the animals there, and are still hold out. Finally, Third Company at the Bridge held off three battalions of regular volunteers, but with the cost of fifteen ponies; including their officer." Lawrence read.

"Anything else?"

"Yeah, the same problem everywhere: Shortage of Ammunition." Lawrence replied. "Estimates from all three companies, plus ours here show that we won't last long if they keep this up."

"So will their numbers. We must have killed off at least a full regiment alone." Sketch said, lifting his front left. Lawrence chuckled.

"You're lucky that bullet missed your horn, otherwise you'd never recover this quickly."

"Thanks. Now If only I could use it to reattach my leg." He looked at his right half of a leg.

"Just be glad Mr. Cake knew some medical work and was able to cut it off before it got infected." Big Mac entered the room.

"How was your little trip? We're you able to take it?" Lawrence asked. Mac shook his head. "Oh, how many?"

"Five." He said. Pip suddenly rushed inside.

"Sirs, you best come see this."

"Take one step closer and we'll blow your head off!" A grenadier shouted out. Out in the field was a Lunar, a white flag in his mouth. Lawrence and Mac rushed over.

"What's going on?"

"This here lunar wants to negotiate." He turned to him, then back out to the field. "Ok, my boss is here. Tell him what ya want, louder this time."

"My commanding officer wishes to discuss a cease-fire with your commanding officer." The lunar shouted.

"This better not be a trick, lunar. Last time an officer fell for that, Fillidelphia's defenders all got killed within the night." Lawrence shouted.

"This is no trick sir. Our officer has more honor than that, otherwise the civilians and wounded from before would have remained." The Lunar shouted back.

"Alright, We'll talk, but on one condition." Big Mac shouted.

"Anything."

"We want insurance that no civilians remaining in our line get killed from your night raids!" Mac shouted, remembering everything William had told him.

"Very well. I'll inform my commander. Have a nice night comrades." He shouted and returned towards his line.

"We're not comrades!" the grenadier shouted back. Concerned, Lawrence turned to Mac.

"Sergeant, have some guards posted along the line, incase they try something funny."

"I'll be among them, along with AJ." Mac replied. He too was concerned about the safety of his family, both militant and civilian alike.
--

"Sir, We're just a few miles out from Ponyville." The second reported. The full moon illuminated the open field road leading to Ponyville as the relief regiment marched on.

"Very well. Keep alert men. Those lunars are out there, waiting for a chance to strike." Haybrun reassured the troops. Marching at night was a grave mistake for any loyalist to venture, even the Royal Guards knew this very well. Haybrun, on the other hand, was use to the night, along with many of the coltgrenadiers. Heck, Haybrun embraced the night, despite his political standings. It gave the beauty of the land, along with certain potentials when engaged in warfare. He remembered the last time he used a night march in battle; the third conquest against the Dogs out in the deserts to the very south of Equestria. He lead an entire division around the enemy line to their camp and launched a rear attack, taking them completely by surprise and forcing them to surrender.

"Might I suggest making camp for the night sir?"

"What, and ruin such a beautiful starry sky? You Canterlot officers are all the same. They would expect that." Haybrun protested.

"But the men are tired sir." He pointed to the troops slowing their paces. Even though he wanted to reach Ponyville before dawn, he did care for his men.

"Very well. Have them men rest here, but no fires." Haybrun shouted. The column collapsed onto the road, exhausted and tired. "We'll start again at dawn." Little did he know, they were being watched as a shadow from the tree line slowly disappeared into the dark interior.

Comments

[TheRealShadowFoot]

you know I can't wait you evil webweaver of fiction.