Th First 24: Three telegrams

Freedonian campaign log

June 1st:
At noon Telegraph report arrives at main force HQ in Bastogne attn Gen Lorenko from the telegraph station at Wicourt:

AT 0500 STRONG ENEMY FORCES CROSSED THE BORDER AT HOFFALIZE AND ARE PROCEEDING WEST TOWARDS WICOURT STOP ESTIMATE FOUR TO SIX BRIGADES WITH CAVALRY AND ARTILLERY STOP ENEMY ATTEMPTS TO FLANK OUR POSITION WITH CAVALRY HAVE BEEN CONTAINED STOP WE WILL BE UNABLE TO HOLD WICOURT AGAINST THIS FORCE STOP INTEND DELAYING ACTION FOLLOWED BY SLOW WITHDRAW WEST ALONG MAIN ROAD TO NOVILLE STOP TROOPS CUTTING TELEGRAPH LINES AND PULLING UP RAILS STOP MANY REFUGEES WILL BE HEADING YOUR WAY ALONG MAIN ROAD ENDSTOP GEN CRUZ

At 4PM Telegraph report arrives at main force HQ in Bastogne attn Gen Lorenko from the telegraph station at Bertogne:

AT 0600 THIS MORNING STRONG ENEMY FORCE CROSSED THE BORDER ALONG MAIN ROAD TO BERTOGNE STOP FORCE STRENGTH AT LEAST THIRTY THOUSAND RIFLES SEVERAL HUNDRED CAVALRY AND TWO DOZEN GUNS STOP ENEMY FORCE STICKING TO MAIN ROAD AND PROCEEDING AT A NORMAL PACE STOP FREEDONIAN CAVALRY SCREEN SUCCESSFUL AND PREVENTING ENEMY CAVALRY FROM RANGING TOO FAR FORWARD STOP COVERING FORCE WITHDRAWING STUBBORNLY TO WEST STOP ONLY CAVALRY HAS BEEN ENGAGED SO FAR STOP IN MORNING I INTENDTO DELAY ENEMY AT BERTOGNE AND SLOWLY WITHDRAW WEST ENDSTOP GEN MAKOWSKY

At 7pm another telegram from telegraph station at Novella

BRIGADE WASSERMAN WITHDRAW WEST FROM NOVILLE AFTER DELAYING ACTION STOP CURRENT POSITION TEN MILES NORTH OF NOVILLE PREPARING NEW DEFENSIVE POSITION AT CROSSROADS STOP CASUALTIES TWO HUNDRED KILLED AND WOUNDED STOP BRIGADE STILL IN GOOD SHAPE STOP ENEMY FORCE HALTED AT WICOURT FOR THE NIGHT THEY DO NOT SEEM TO BE IN ANY HURRY STOP ENEMY FORCE STRENGTH ESTIMATED AT OVER FORTY THOUSAND BAYONETS SEVERAL HUNDRED CAVARLY ONE HUNDRED GUNS STOP OUR CAVALRY SCREEN SUCCESSFUL IN PREVENTING ENEMY CAVALRY FROM RANGING FORWARD OF THEIR MAIN BODY STOP GEN CRUZ

At 8PM General Lorenko Issues the following orders via telegraph followed up by courier:
To CRUZ

DO NOT BECOME DECISIVELY ENGAGED IN CURRENT PREP3ARED POSITION STOP BEFORe INCURRING MODERATE CASUALTIES FALL BACK TO NOVILLE STOP SUGGEST YOU WORK THROUGH NIGHT TO PREPARE FURTHER DEFENSES THERE STOP REQUIRE EXACT INFORMATION ON ENEMY FORCES STOP GEN LORENKO

To Makowsky
PREPARE STRONG DEFENSIVE POSITION AT CURRENT LOCATION AND ATTEMPT TO DELAY ENEMY FORCING HIM TO DEPLOY STOP PREFER ONE DAY RESPITE ON ENEMY ADVAnCE IN YOUR FRONT STOP REQUIRE EXACT INFORMATION ON ENEMY FORCES STOP GEN LORENKO

Situation After 24 hours (0500 2 June)