The large-scale mobilization of the US Army could hardly be kept a secret.
A week later, news reached Virginia, and so newspapers even published governnt recruitnt announcents.
To Napoleon, this was akin to soone showing their hand in a poker ga against him.
"Commander, the food collected from Orange, Waynesboro, and other places is enough for two and a half months," Brass looked at the docunt in hand and said to Napoleon, "There are quite a few mules and horses. However, even though we’ve emptied the ammunition depot in Charlottesville, we didn’t manage to get much gunpowder supplent.
"After the next large-scale battle, there might be a shortage of ammunition."
"It’s enough," Napoleon nodded indifferently, then shook the "Jas News," saying, "Send soone to release rumors that we’re preparing to burn Norfolk Port in retaliation for Wayne’s invasion of Louisiana."
Norfolk is Virginia’s most important port, backed by the natural harbor Chesapeake Bay, serving as a distribution center for goods like tobacco, wheat, and cotton in the US Southeast.
If sothing goes wrong here, a third of US overseas trade would be cut off.
In the following ten days or so, Napoleon led his army nacingly south, though they only advanced three to five kiloters a day.
When he arrived in Richmond, he set up cannons as if preparing to attack the city, only to lead the main force to suddenly turn north.
After a week of forced marches, Marcal’s cavalry finally returned to report finding the main forces of the US Army south of Woodbridge.
The last piece of news received by General Morgan was that the French Army was bombarding Richmond, prompting him to desperately urge his soldiers to speed up, hoping to reach the city before the French occupied it.
But that noon, his right flank was suddenly violently bombarded with cannons, and the marching column began to scatter and flee.
Napoleon chose a clever location for his artillery position, capable of covering the US Army’s two-kiloter-long column, and using the woods on both sides to defend against enemy cavalry attacks.
Indeed, the Aricans imdiately fell into chaos, never sending anyone to disrupt the French artillery.
Soon after, the French main force began attacking from the northeast and southwest simultaneously.
By two o’clock that afternoon, fewer than 5,000 French troops had surrounded Morgan’s main force of over 7,000.
The US "Militia Act" had just been implented for six years, and the US Army’s regular force numbered only 4,000 soldiers, with more than 1,000 taken by Wayne. So the reinforcents sent to Virginia largely consisted of militia hastily assembled from various states.
These troops had their own command systems, and upon being ambushed, they quickly surrendered one after another.
At 4 o’clock, facing the French troops closing in on three sides, Morgan reluctantly had his n raise the white flag.
...
Western France, Brest Port.
The French General Staff’s intelligence chief, Paul Thiebaud, eagerly helped open the carriage door for Baron Leothal and Major Marcal: "Paris has been waiting for your good news. This victory in North Arica will completely crush the Austrians’ resolve to continue resisting."
Once the three sat down in the carriage, Major Thiebaud impatiently asked, "I suppose Lieutenant Colonel Bonaparte then launched an attack on Philadelphia?"
Leothal had been describing the North Arican campaign process since disembarking. He believed that heading north from Woodbridge would reach Philadelphia in ten days, providing a good opportunity to teach the Aricans a harsh lesson.
Major Marcal’s dry voice sounded: "No, by then our supply line had stretched too long. Previously, we caught the Aricans off guard, but once they reacted, militias from everywhere could potentially cut off our logistics. Thus, the Commander ordered the army to imdiately return west to Ohio."
Thiebaud nodded, "Indeed, that’s the most prudent choice."
"Prudent?" Leothal smiled strangely and shook his head, "Lieutenant Colonel Bonaparte is not one to favor stability."
Major Marcal continued, "We again defeated Wayne’s army there."
Thiebaud exclaid, "Yes, Wayne would definitely try to drive away the indigenous groups in Ohio to secure his supply line..."
Leothal quietly corrected, "It’s ’indigenous people,’ Major."
Marcal continued, "Poor General Wayne got struck by a twelve-pounder cannon, and then his army surrendered. A total of over 3,000."
Leothal said, "The furious native soldiers from the northwestern tribes wanted to execute those prisoners. Fortunately, the Governor had bring the Crown Prince’s order, sparing their lives."
Thiebaud paused, then quickly drew a cross on his chest, "Praise the rciful Son of Divine Favor."
Leothal smiled, "His Highness required these Aricans to swear allegiance to the ’Iroquois Duchy’ and convert to Catholicism.
"Of course, a few stubborn fellows refused these demands, so the angry indigenous priest burned them to death in the na of the Holy See."
Thiebaud needed several seconds to digest this information, then doubtfully asked, "You seed to ntion the ’Iroquois Duchy’ earlier?"
"Yes," Baron Leothal nodded, "That’s the Crown Prince’s ceasefire terms proposed by the Governor. A duchy will be established in Ohio and northern Kentucky, after which His Majesty the King will designate a Duke there.
"Oh, negotiations were ongoing when we left New Orleans, but I believe the Aricans will agree. After all, it originally belonged to the indigenous people, and the ’Greenville Treaty’ should be abolished."
Five years ago, Wayne’s army drove the Shawnee, Miami, Delaware, Ottawa, and other Indian tribes out of Ohio. Joseph intends to reclaim those disputed areas to establish an Indian nation.
As for why not directly integrate into Louisiana, governance costs are high, with little revenue, making effective rule difficult. Secondly, it could create a buffer zone between the United States and the Louisiana Colony. Additionally, Ohio borders the Great Lakes Region, potentially restraining Canada in the future.
Actually, with the production and managent capabilities of the Iroquois Alliance’s Indians, they will inevitably rely on the Louisiana Governor’s Mansion in the future.
Major Thiebaud hesitated slightly, asking, "But will this encourage the Louisiana’s indige... ah, ’indigenous people’ to move to Ohio, causing a colonial population shortage?"
"No need to worry about that," Baron Leothal said, "Just as few Parisians would wish to live in Gascony. Now the West Bank of the Mississippi River is the richest region."
Reviews
All reviews (0)