I Became The Crown Prince Of The Mexican Empire - Chapter 145



Only Noblemtl

Episode 145

Mexican-American War (18)

Although the number of anti-war activists, which had been small in number, was rapidly increasing, there were many in the North as well as the South who thought it was too early to give up the war.

“Gentlemen! It is too early to give up. Look at the number of patriots who are joining the militia! There are so many who are willing to risk their lives to defend their country, and we cannot give up and hand over half of our country to those Mexican imperialists!”

As the nation truly entered a state of crisis, hundreds of thousands of militiamen converged on Philadelphia in a show of fervent patriotism and hometown pride, as if to give Americans a firsthand experience of their population having tripled in the past 33 years.

“That’s right! We can start a guerrilla war now! The enemy has entered deep into our territory, and if we hold out until the end, we have no choice but to win!”

Although their claims may have been unrealistically optimistic, they found a lot of emotional support.

The reasons were really varied.

There were still many who believed, or were willing to believe, James Polk’s propaganda that the Mexican Empire was preparing for war and had provoked the conflict; there were also those whose families or hometowns had been harmed by Mexico; those who would go all the way even if it meant handing over all land west of the Mississippi, as Mexico demanded; and even those who were ashamed to change their minds because it was a war they had supported.

“It’s only been a year since the war broke out, and there are already so many traitors calling for surrender. Tsk.”

In fact, militias of tens of thousands of men were organized in the South to retake New Orleans, in the North to retake the area where Washington, D.C., was located, and Baltimore, and militias of hundreds or thousands of men were organized all over the country.

Most Americans did not agree with the experts who said that strategic areas had been lost and that the United States should surrender before further damage was done.

The war had only been going on for a few months, the territory occupied was only a small part of the entire United States, and there were still guns, ammunition, and food in their stores.

“Yeah. Since when were the British our allies? Those disgusting Mexicans prepared and waited for us to attack, so the population difference is 4.7 million, 4.7 million.”

This mood began to change after the conflict between the North and the South over the abolition of slavery began to surface.

“What the fuck. This is just Northerners dying to protect those Southern Dixie bastards’ slaves.”

There is no fighting in the South. Both the Western and Eastern Fronts take place in the North, and most of the deaths are Northerners.

“I heard Mexico made major concessions on the border···.”

The fact that the Mexican Empire abandoned its hard-line stance and gave in to its terms also had a major impact on public opinion. At least in the North, anti-war sentiment became the mainstream.

“Gentlemen! We can save our country only by ending the war! Let us not sacrifice any more of our young men for the slave owners of the South! No matter what the Southerners say, let us end the war first and then think about it!”

“Yes! You want to leave the Federation? Go ahead and do it if you can.”

In contrast to the mood in the North, anti-war sentiment was completely dead in the South. To abolish slavery was to them an invitation to die.

“The Northern Yankees are sacrificing the South and selling out half the country to save their own lives. What kind of a federation is this?”

“I’m sick of the hypocrisy of those northern cowards!”

“Right!”

***

“We need to show it with action right now.”

The operation had to commence before the President was forced by Northern public opinion to accept the armistice.

My colleagues also nodded.

“If either St. Louis or Philadelphia is breached, we won’t be able to hold out any longer. There are even voices calling for us to hold out and kill President James Polk.”

President James Polk had no choice but to side with the South. It is true that the North had more voters, but even if he were to side with the North now, it would not change the fact that he started the war trying to protect Southern slaves.

Northerners, who have always been pacifists when it comes to war, will not now support James Polk.

That is why, even if there is a small success in the war, President James Polk will not easily give up the war. Because the moment he gives up the war, it is the end for him.

They, the ‘army of the south’, had to make a difference.

“You must have been careful while scouting. If you loiter around and reinforce the garrison, you’ll be in trouble.”

“Okay. Don’t worry, I’m well disguised as a local resident.”

While fighting raged in the North, Southern militias prepared to retake New Orleans.

With over 100,000 troops, they gathered weapons and supplies, and even brought in officers who had served in the military from various places and trained them in-house.

Zachary Taylor, ‘The Butcher’.

After receiving a ignominious title in the Second Battle of Memphis, he took off his military uniform half voluntarily and returned to his home state of Virginia, but he could not refuse the earnest request of Jefferson Finis Davis, who had once been his son-in-law and subordinate.

“General, the Mexican Empire is letting its guard down. The fact that they have captured a great city like New Orleans and have left behind only 20,000 men to defend it is proof of this.”

“···Let me be clear. When the war with Mexico is over, I will return home.”

It was virtually an acceptance.

Although he was from Virginia, a slave state, he was not opposed to slavery, but he was opposed to further expansion of slave states, and he was also a Federalist who believed that the United States should not be divided no matter what.

So while he had some reservations about commanding the largest militia in the South, a majority of which were anti-Federalists, the war with the Mexican Empire was not over yet, and this was a chance to cleanse himself of some of his dishonor as a commander.

Zachary Taylor took command on the condition that he would resign and return home at the end of the war.

***

November 6th.

This is the day that the two-week period offered by the Mexican Empire ended.

On the eastern and western fronts, fighting resumed, and Northerners hurled hateful insults at the President and Southerners.

But this day was also the day when the ‘Army of the South’ was scheduled to attack New Orleans.

‘This time for sure.’

At the beginning of the war, it was difficult to find a weak point in the Mexican Imperial Army, but now it is different.

“They want to wage war against the United States while keeping their economy intact. They’re winning without a mass draft.”

“That’s right. But we need to make it clear that this arrogance is coming to an end.”

Unlike the United States, where a sense of extreme crisis was spreading throughout the country and militias were being assembled from all over the country, Mexico was rapidly conquering more and more territory without increasing its military force.

“The enemy is only 20,000 strong, but we must not let our guard down. Do you see that barbed wire over there?”

“Yes, General.”

“The moment you stop at that obstacle, you die. You have to get over that obstacle and reach the trench before you can fight properly.”

Gulp-

At that decisive tone, the militia officers, including Jefferson Davis, became nervous. In the conference room where silence was permeating, Zachary Taylor spoke again.

“Just do as I have prepared.”

As Zachary Taylor had experienced the brutality of trench warfare, he prepared more thoroughly.

As before, a wooden plank was prepared, but several legs were attached to the bottom. It was a tool for safely crossing the obstacle area.

The problem with this item was that it was too cumbersome to carry and therefore difficult to use in combat, but this was overcome by another trick.

It was a method that could only be used in the South.

“Hey! The moment you drop that wooden plank, you die! Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes!”

They mobilized as many as 30,000 black slaves.

The Southern army gave wooden spears to black slaves brought from various plantations. The black slaves were forced to run towards the enemy lines carrying wooden boards and wooden spears on their bare bodies.

“Let’s go.”

“Go! Charge immediately!”

bang!

Someone just fired a rifle.

He shot not the enemy, but a black slave.

“Hey you little shit! Charge!”

Black people ran in tears at the direction of white people who threatened them with guns from behind.

It was a fight against those who wanted to continue to enslave black people, and against the nation that claimed to be freeing black people.

The tragic sight began to appear even in enemy territory.

“Coming!”

“Huh? They’re black!”

When the soldiers informed the Mexican officer, he ground his teeth.

“Those fucking kids.”

It was obvious what the situation was.

“Slave soldiers? How uncivilized…”

But I couldn’t just leave them alone.

Ppoddeuk-

“Artillery, open fire!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Wedge-

“Eww!”

I don’t want to fight for those disgusting slave farm owners.

‘If I had even one gun, I would have shot them all dead···.’

A slave thought so as he ran. If he had not had such delusions, he would not have been able to endure this terrible reality.

“Wow!”

Finally, he was about to put the wooden plank he had carried with great difficulty down on the barbed wire.

Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-

Tata Tang!

The Mexican Empire’s fire poured down like a hail.

Many were shot, fell, and missed the plank, but their sacrifice was not in vain.

“Now! Charge!”

The soldiers of the ‘Army of the South’, who arrived late, stepped over the corpses of black people and wooden planks to climb up.

There was great damage in the process, but the enemy had only 20,000 men, and they had a large force of 120,000 men.

Although they had no cannons and the guns they had were brought from home, their force of 150,000 men, including 30,000 blacks, was enough to overwhelm the enemy.

The battle that started at noon continued until night.

“Charge without leaving a single one behind!”

As darkness began to fall, the reserves and Zachary Taylor and Davis Jefferson also charged. The enemy trenches were already filled with friendly troops.

“Wow!”

“Victory!”

A precious first victory.

Although 25,000 of the 30,000 black slaves were killed, and the militia suffered 40,000 casualties including killed and wounded, and the Mexican Empire successfully retreated, it was its first victory.

Davis Jefferson, who organized the militia, gave a grand speech in front of everyone.

“Yes. Right now, it may seem like the Mexicans, who have been preparing hard, are winning, but if the militia had 200,000 or 300,000, but a million, would the Mexican Empire still be as relaxed as it is now? To defend this huge territory, the Mexican Empire would need hundreds of thousands more troops. We need to shut the mouths of those fools who don’t even know this simple fact and are demanding surrender.”

“Yes! Let’s report this news to the government immediately!”

Although it was a city that would soon be retaken when the Mexican Empire’s armies or fleets returned, it was a symbolic metropolis for the southerners.

The recapture of this city would have greatly strengthened the Southern argument that the war should continue as there was a good chance of victory.

The messenger raced at full speed to deliver the good news to President James Polk in Pennsylvania.

Even though we took the trains and horses that were still running in the middle, it took more than two weeks.

November 21st.

The messenger who arrived in Pittsburgh sensed something strange in the air. It was an excited atmosphere that did not seem appropriate for a city in a country that was losing a war.

“Hey, what’s going on and why are people cheering?”