IBTCPOTME Novel - Chapter 135
## Chapter 135
**The Mexican-American War (8)**
Various information was reported several times a day from the command headquarters in Trinidad City.
The inside of the command headquarters was a complex atmosphere of tension and bustle. Numerous documents and maps were spread out on the desks, and a large strategic map with the latest information updated was hanging on the wall.
The information relay network built along the land supply lines was operating 24 hours a day, and naval information was being reported immediately through Galveston Harbor, which was connected by telegraph.
The urgent clicking of the telegraph echoed every time a report arrived from the navy.
“Report that the blockade of New York Harbor began successfully on March 15th.”
“Boston Harbor also on March…”
As March came to an end, reports began to pour in that major American ports were being blockaded.
Starting with Charleston Harbor, the largest port in the South, which was close to Mexico, they blockaded the most important ports of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.
“Report that three ironclad ships whose steam engines were damaged during the battle will take at least six months to return to action.”
“Okay, I understand.”
Information from inside the United States was also steadily being reported from the military intelligence agents.
“Ha, he doesn’t know shame, but he’s good at one thing, propaganda.”
Fernando Cortes Mendoza, the Chief of Staff of the Mexican Imperial Army, commented on James Polk.
He had received a report from a military intelligence agent that the United States was drafting 1,800 to 2,200 soldiers a day.
“Considering the travel time, it is expected that 150,000 troops will be assembled in Memphis by the end of April.”
A staff officer who was listening to the report with him quickly finished his calculations and reported.
“That’s about the same number of troops we’ll face in Memphis. But they’re just a motley crew hastily gathered for numbers, aren’t they?”
Ignacio, the lieutenant general in charge of the 4th Mexican Army Corps, said nonchalantly, but Fernando’s thoughts were different.
“It’s not that simple. We passed a law on large-scale conscription in advance for conscription, conducted a census, pre-selected those who would serve in the military, and even mobilized railroads across the country. With all that preparation, how many did we conscript per day?”
“I remember it was about 2,500 to 3,000 per day.”
“Right. The problem is that the US conscription number is 2,000 per day. This high conscription rate means that the Americans’ will to fight has increased considerably.”
When his senior, Fernando, said that, Ignacio had no choice but to agree.
“I suppose that’s possible.”
“That’s not all. Consider the enthusiastic volunteers from the Indian population who hold grudges against America.”
It was a story of those who had migrated to Mexico under the ‘Indigenous Relocation Agreement’. The resentment they held for the Americans, who had subjected them to the cruel ‘Trail of Tears’, was not something that could be forgotten in just a few years.
The Indians who had been chased out of America didn’t gather together to make a resolution. They couldn’t. The tribes were scattered by the Mexican Empire’s strong assimilation policy, living with people of various nationalities and races.
There was no need to gather together to make a resolution. The major event of the war with America, which broke out in the midst of their busy lives, naturally brought back memories of past grievances.
Most adult males from the tribes who had experienced the Trail of Tears applied to volunteer, and the Mexican government was surprised by their immense enthusiasm.
“…Thinking about it again, it seems like a big deal.”
Ignacio corrected himself.
“But there’s no information about immigration? Tell them to report as quickly as possible.”
The headquarters became busy when the Crown Prince, who had been listening quietly from the top seat, spoke.
Orders were sent through the telegraph to the immigration offices in Galveston Harbor and Veracruz Harbor, and soon reports came in.
“Report that a total of 40,000 Irish immigrants have entered through Galveston Harbor and Veracruz Harbor since last December.”
“40,000? Hmm, that’s about 10,000 coming in a month. Make sure to fill the vacancies in the industrial sector as much as possible.”
“Yes!”
***
As April arrived, the 3rd Army Corps of the Mexican Empire, stationed in Nueva Granada, began to move south.
It was a force of 60,000, smaller than the usual army corps, but three times the size of the 20,000 troops hastily gathered by the Nueva Granada government.
“Ha, it brings back memories of the days right after independence.”
That was the impression of the Mexican military leadership who confirmed the appearance of the Colombian army through binoculars.
In fact, most of the Colombian army’s weapons were old flintlock muskets that the Mexican Empire had sold off.
“Crush them in one go.”
“Yes! Advance!”
The Colombian army tried to hold off the Mexican Imperial Army at Veragua, north of the Panama region, but they were pushed back without a fight.
It was hardly even a battle.
The forcibly conscripted troops had no will to fight, and their armament was limited to flintlock rifles, while their artillery was merely for show.
“Fire!”
“Fire!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In a normal battle, the side that takes up a position first and prepares for defense is usually at a great advantage. But the enemy’s weapons had a range that overwhelmed the Colombian army.
“Damn it!”
“What kind of defense is this?!”
The enemy was already firing bullets and shells happily from afar, but their weapons didn’t reach them.
Even if they mustered the courage to go forward, most of them died without firing a single shot.
“Th, this is a fool’s death!”
The Colombian army’s formation began to crumble rapidly. They had been forcibly dragged in the first place. The enemy had overwhelming power, and there was no chance of winning.
“Don’t run away!”
“Those who run away will be killed!”
Shouts of Colombian officers echoed everywhere, but they couldn’t give up the fight in the face of the Mexican Imperial Army advancing rapidly.
“Retreat! Retreat!”
The Colombian army had no choice but to retreat as the Mexican Imperial Army advanced, and with each retreat, a huge number of soldiers vanished.
“Surrender! Don’t shoot!”
Desperate Spanish cries echoed across the battlefield.
Now, the soldiers preferred to drop their weapons and raise their hands rather than run away.
“…Proceed cautiously, making sure not to shoot those who have dropped their weapons and raised their hands.”
At some point, it became unclear whether this was a battle or a rescue operation.
The faces of those who were taken prisoner were filled with relief that they had survived, and the Colombian officers had to utter absurd threats like ‘If you don’t retreat and stand there, you’ll be killed!’ every time they retreated.
***
“You’d better make up your mind before the army arrives.”
It was an arrogant and blatant threat.
With over 1,000 of his own soldiers and the workers who worked on this vast farm combined, over 6,000 people would rush to kill him at his word.
Jose Rodriguez was neither a king nor a nobleman, but here, his word was law.
However, he couldn’t give the order to capture this arrogant man. The fact that this man, who had come alone without fear, had 60,000 troops behind him had been revealed.
As if to prove his confidence, there was no fear to be found on the face of this Mexican spy.
“…I’m sorry, but I don’t have the authority to make such decisions. After all, the Mexican Empire is not a federation, is it?”
His voice didn’t tremble, but the anxiety hidden within was hard to conceal.
“Haha, you’re the one who actually governs this region. Who will make the decision if you don’t? And there’s already a precedent of regional leaders in Central America joining our Imperial Majesty. What’s the point of a federal form of government?”
During the Spanish colonial period, the region called the Capitanía general de Guatemala, or the Guatemala Captaincy General, declared independence separately from Mexico, but after consultation among the representatives of each region, they requested to join the Mexican Empire led by Iturbide.
It was a fact that Rodriguez knew well. What he said was nothing but a justification.
“Are the conditions I proposed earlier still valid?”
“Yes, but as I said before, there are limited positions, and those positions will go to those who have shown courage first.”
“…I’ll cooperate.”
It was an important choice that could change history, but Rodriguez had already made up his mind.
If he joined the Mexican Empire, he would likely no longer enjoy the power he held in this region, but they were offering him a decent position, so he thought, ‘This is a good deal.’
Even though he was a local power broker, there was no way to stop the Mexican Imperial Army in the midst of war, and Mexico could take away everything, including his life.
If he had valued the country, he wouldn’t have ignored the government’s conscription cooperation. What mattered to him was his own safety and the safety of his family, and if he waited any longer, even the position the Mexican Empire had promised him would be taken by someone else.
“Wise of you. Sign here.”
The Mexican spy presented a statement.
It contained criticism of the incompetence and corruption of the Nueva Granada government, which had provoked a war with Mexico for the sake of the ruler’s self-interest, and an agreement to join the Mexican Empire for the future of the region.
Swoosh-swoosh-
Taking a deep breath, Jose Rodriguez closed his eyes and signed his name.
***
Starting from New Orleans, a major city in the South, to Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, to Natchez, located near the border of Louisiana and Mississippi, and Vicksburg, Mississippi.
The 1st Mexican Army Corps advanced relentlessly.
People in the cities watched the movement of the army corps from their windows and on the streets, their eyes filled with mixed emotions.
“American bastards, are you just going to give up these cities?”
Dequan Torres, a young man of Comanche descent, muttered. It had been two months since they marched without any real battles.
“It’s good for us if we can occupy them without fighting.”
“I volunteered to kill those American bastards.”
When Dequan said that, the mestizo youth replied with a bewildered expression.
“…They say we’re going to fight in the next city.”
“Really?”
It was true.
In mid-April, they joined the 2nd Army Corps, and they watched them cross the river. There was no enemy to deter their crossing, so the 1st Army Corps had little to do.
April 29, 1846.
The 1st and 2nd Army Corps of the Mexican Empire, along with the Imperial Fleet, reached the outskirts of Memphis.
A force of 145,000 troops and over 80 warships began to target Memphis, the city that served as a logistics hub on the middle Mississippi River.