IBTCPOTME Novel - Chapter 127
**Chapter 127**
**The Air of Mexico Creates Freedom (6)**
“Don’t do anything crazy!”
The slave hunter, betraying Lieutenant Lucas’s expectations, pointed his gun.
The Mexican patrol, barely 100 meters away, couldn’t have missed seeing them.
Bang!
“Fire!”
Tatatatat!
The sudden turn of events left Lieutenant Lucas’s mind blank.
Why did this happen?
After days of pursuit, they had finally found the escaped slaves. And they were the first to do so, ahead of the other platoons.
When he saw the size of the group, 30 people, he thought they’d catch them within 2 or 3 days. But the slaves had gone further than he expected.
Only after finding the group did he understand the reason.
“There are white people!”
“They’re from the liberation organization.”
The ‘Underground Railroad’ was a secret organization, but many people knew of its existence.
‘Now I understand. They had professionals with them. Two white guys in the lead, and a black guy dressed like a free black. They’re definitely from the liberation organization.’
This was the reason why such a large group of escaped slaves could move so far without being caught.
They were about to catch them.
Catching these troublesome liberation organization members would be a great achievement.
He knew they were in the border area, but he could see them with his own eyes. He couldn’t just turn around and leave those guys running right there. It was the border, not a wall. It was fine to go in for a bit and then come back out.
That judgment was a mistake.
He shouldn’t have crossed the border in the first place. He had been blinded by greed and crossed the line.
The Mexican patrol’s warning, which came when they were distracted, was justified.
They weren’t civilians, they were military, and they had crossed the border. They could have opened fire without a word, but they even gave them a warning.
Lieutenant Lucas naturally wanted to just turn around, but there are people in the world who are of a kind he couldn’t understand.
“What are you saying? We’ve been working our asses off for over a week, and now you’re telling us to go back?”
It was one of the slave hunters.
“Put down your gun, you stupid bastard!”
“Don’t do anything crazy!”
Jack and Lieutenant Lucas shouted in unison, horrified.
Bang!
The gunshot that heralded the beginning of tragedy echoed through the air.
***
The Mexican border patrol was slightly smaller than a normal platoon, with 25 members.
25 against 40.
They must have believed in their numerical superiority.
‘Or did they?’
Considering the guy’s usual actions, where he didn’t think before he acted, he might have just acted without thinking. Jack thought so. The guy’s shot even missed.
“Fire!”
At the Mexican officer’s command, the patrol’s EC(Eduardo Carabina)-42s roared to life.
Tatatatat!
Cough!
Ugh!
The slave hunters were at the front. They had been leading the pursuit. Therefore, most of the casualties from the Mexican patrol’s fire were slave hunters.
Jack, barely surviving, saw Lieutenant Lucas standing frozen, the one who should have been giving orders.
“Damn it! Return fire! It’s all or nothing!”
It wasn’t intentional, but now that the fight had started, they couldn’t just take it.
Jack saw his subordinates and the platoon members preparing for a counterattack, and grabbed Lieutenant Lucas by the shoulder, shaking him.
“Hey! Snap out of it!”
The surviving slave hunters were armed with outdated muskets or pistols, makeshift weapons, but Lieutenant Lucas and his platoon were using Springfield Model 1842s.
This rifle, modeled after the Mexican breech-loading rifle, was considered the worst rifle among the US military. It broke down too often.
It was a disaster caused by the higher-ups’ demand to make a rifle that was on par with the Mexican one, ignoring the difference in weapon technology.
Bang! Tatat! Bang!
The platoon members were firing indiscriminately without Lieutenant Lucas’s firing order.
Lieutenant Lucas, snapping out of his daze at the sound of gunfire right next to him, finally shouted.
“Retreat! Retreat now!”
“What kind of crazy talk is that? Retreat? We still have more!”
Jack protested Lieutenant Lucas’s order.
“Shut up! We can’t win with these crappy guns!”
The revolvers were reliable, but if they got too close, they’d be riddled with bullets in a barrage of fire. Now, after exchanging a few shots, was the time to retreat.
“Damn it!”
The moment they turned their backs, the second volley came.
Tatatatat!
Ugh!
Hhhhhiiing!
“Already!”
The reload speed was barely 5 to 7 seconds, and aiming and firing took 12 seconds at most.
Jack looked around. The number of people had already decreased drastically.
The enemy also had casualties from their indiscriminate fire, but they had already lost half their number in two volleys.
They ran like madmen, bullets flying from behind them.
“Thankfully, they’re not chasing us across the border.”
“They’d be hesitant to do that too.”
23 survivors.
Only 3 slave hunters survived, including Jack. Everyone was in despair.
They moved in silence, and camped in silence.
The city was just ahead.
Jack was thinking about going back north. It was a shame that his men had died, but he hadn’t even been grazed by a bullet.
He was thinking that when he heard it.
“Jack. I’ve been thinking, you know.”
At that voice breaking the silence, he turned his head, saying ‘Hmm?’, when a chilling sound echoed.
Click-
It was a revolver.
“You’re going to have to die here.”
“What? Wait, wait… ”
Bang!
“Damn it! Jack!”
Bang! Bang!
Cough-
Bang!
Lucas and his men survived.
‘I can’t be held back by these trash.’
***
December 1845.
Lieutenant Lucas, wearing a uniform, spoke with an indignant face.
“I admit that I went to the border because I wanted to complete the mission, but everything else is false. They opened fire without warning. Slave hunters? That’s a lie to hide their criminal acts!”
“A lie?”
“We heard that 30 slaves had escaped and were pursuing them. At first, I thought we’d catch them quickly because there were so many of them, and they’d be slow. But it turned into a fierce chase that lasted a whole week. Finally, when we found them, I understood how they could escape so well.”
“What method did they use?”
Lieutenant Lucas boldly lied.
“There were white people guiding them. The Mexican army was protecting them, blocking our pursuit, and opening fire on us without warning.”
“My god…”
The reporter, with a shocked expression, quickly took notes.
“So, you’re saying that Mexico was helping black slaves escape?”
“That’s what I think.”
The soldiers’ testimony about the presence of white people in the group of escaped slaves, along with Lieutenant Lucas’s false testimony, spread throughout the United States.
Those who knew the truth knew that the Mexican government’s statement was more likely to be true, but the truth didn’t matter.
Lieutenant Lucas, with his strong physique, neat face, and the fact that he had joined the US Army despite being the son of a wealthy family, was perfect for gaining public popularity.
It didn’t matter that he had four older brothers and had been forced by his father to go to military academy.
By the end of December, articles featuring Lieutenant Lucas’s interview were setting the United States ablaze.
Seeing the situation, President James Polk delivered a message to the US Congress.
[My fellow citizens,
The times we face are momentous and should never be taken lightly in the annals of our nation’s history. I have listened to the words of our patriot, Lieutenant Lucas, and I can feel the echoes of truth resonating in his words. Mexico’s actions earlier this year have crossed a line we cannot ignore. By aiding the escape of slaves and condoning their crimes, they have committed an act of blatant robbery.
Now, a more shocking incident has occurred. Mexico has essentially declared war on our nation by killing our soldiers who were trying to reclaim our property. This act is not just an attack, but a clear challenge to our sovereignty and security. Mexico’s actions are unacceptable, and we must respond decisively.
Our efforts at patience and seeking reconciliation have unfortunately been met with misunderstanding and contempt by Mexico. We have tried to maintain peace despite their constant threats and aggressive behavior. But now, they have invaded our property and shed the blood of our soldiers, forcing war upon us.
In this situation, we have a duty to resolutely defend our honor, our rights, and the interests of this nation. We have exhausted all efforts to seek peace, but war has been brought about by Mexico’s actions. Now we must defend our country with our patriotism and duty.
I call upon Congress to act swiftly. Acknowledge the existence of war and provide the necessary means to conduct it effectively, thereby facilitating the speedy restoration of peace. We will emerge stronger from this crisis, and our unity and courage will see us through this challenge.
In closing this letter, I hope that we will all stand together in this difficult time, supporting and encouraging each other for the sake of our country. Our patriotism and courage will lead us to victory.
Thank you.
James K. Polk]
It was a message to justify the war with Mexico and gain the support of Congress.
While not many people explicitly used the term “Manifest destiny,” Americans thought that it was the destiny of American settlers to expand across North America, and that this belief was clear and certain.
This belief, which to outsiders was simply another expression of imperialism, was an expression of the national pride and confidence of a nation that had started as a colony, chosen a democratic political system, and grown rapidly. It was rooted in American exceptionalism and romantic nationalism.
Despite the opposition to the war expressed by many American intellectuals and Whig Party members, the US Congress declared war on January 13, 1846.
It was a declaration of war.
***
“They’re responding as if they’ve been waiting for this.”
“It’s a bit of an exaggeration, but… it’s really ridiculous.”
Diego’s feelings of absurdity were understandable. From his position of knowing the truth, it was nothing more than a political show full of lies. The problem was that the political show wasn’t ending there, but actually leading to a real declaration of war.
“He’s an expansionist who wanted to go to war with England too, so he must have been waiting for an opportunity like this.”
He was that kind of guy.
Even before he became president, he had actively advocated for the annexation of Texas, and during his presidential campaign, he had threatened England with war if they didn’t give up all of Oregon. After becoming president, he sent troops to the Mexican border, provoking conflict as he did now, and finally started the war.
‘When you put it all together, he’s a complete madman.’
To the Americans of his past life, he was a great president who had greatly expanded their territory, but from my perspective, living in this era, he was nothing more than a fanatic expansionist.
‘But… if he’s going to go to war, why is he acting so slowly after openly showing his hand?’
The incident happened at the end of November.
It took almost a month and a half for James Polk to hear the report, devise a scenario, build public opinion, and declare war.
On the other hand, we Mexicans moved in unison. On the day the incident occurred, a telegram was sent from the border city. I thought what had to come had come, and I suggested to my father that we declare a state of pre-war and order a draft.
That was a month and a half ago.
“Your Highness, the time has come.”
I checked my uniform and boarded the train.
There was no grand send-off ceremony.
Like the soldiers being transported from all over the country, I was simply wearing my uniform and boarding the train.
The train, loaded with soldiers and supplies, headed for Texas.