IBTCPOTME Novel - Chapter 145
## Chapter 145
**The Mexican-American War (18)**
While the number of anti-war advocates, once a mere handful, was rapidly increasing, many, even in the North, still believed it was too early to give up the war.
“My fellow Americans! It’s too early to give up! Look at the number of patriots joining the militia! With so many willing to risk their lives for our country, we cannot simply surrender and give up half our land to those Mexican imperialists!”
As the nation truly faced a crisis, Americans, as if to demonstrate the three-fold increase in their population over the past 33 years, gathered in Philadelphia in their hundreds of thousands, forming a militia, and showcasing their fervent patriotism and love for their homeland.
“That’s right! We can still fight a guerrilla war! The enemy has entered deep into our territory, and if we hold out, we’re bound to win!”
Their claims, while unrealistically optimistic, resonated emotionally with many.
The reasons were truly diverse.
There were still many, or perhaps those who wanted to believe, that James Polk’s propaganda that the Mexican Empire had prepared for war and instigated the conflict was true. There were also those who had family or home in Mexico that suffered, those who were willing to go to the end rather than cede the entire territory west of the Mississippi River as demanded by the Mexican Empire, and even those who, because they had supported the war in the first place, were ashamed to change their minds.
“The war has only been going on for a year, and already there are so many traitors advocating surrender. Tsk.”
In fact, in the South, militias numbering tens of thousands were organized to reclaim New Orleans, and in the North, militias were organized in the hundreds or thousands across the country to reclaim the area where Washington D.C. and Baltimore were located.
Most Americans couldn’t understand the experts who said that America had lost strategic areas and should surrender before suffering greater losses.
The war had only been going on for a few months, the occupied areas were only a small part of the entire American territory, and their warehouses still contained guns, ammunition, and food.
“Yeah, when did those British guys become our allies? Those disgusting Mexicans attacked as if they had been waiting for the opportunity, and they’re already prepared. The population difference is 4.7 million, 4.7 million.”
This sentiment began to change when the conflict between the North and South over the abolition of slavery came to the surface.
“Damn it. This is like the Northerners are dying to protect those Dixie bastards’ slaves!”
There were no battles in the South. Both the Western and Eastern fronts were happening in the North, and most of the deaths were Northerners.
“I heard Mexico made a big concession on the border… ”
The fact that the Mexican Empire had abandoned its hardline stance and made concessions also had a significant impact on public opinion. At least in the North, anti-war sentiment became the dominant view.
“My fellow Americans! We must end the war to save our nation! Let’s not sacrifice our young people any longer for the sake of Southern slave owners! Whatever those Southern bastards say, let’s end the war first and then think about it!”
“That’s right! They’re going to secede from the Union? Let them try!”
Contrary to the atmosphere in the North, anti-war sentiment completely subsided in the South. To abolish slavery was like telling them to die.
“Those Northern Yankees are trying to save their own lives by sacrificing the South and selling half the country. What kind of Union is this?”
“The hypocrisy of those Northern cowards is sickening!”
“Right!”
***
“We need to show them with action.”
They had to launch an operation before the president, under pressure from Northern public opinion, accepted the peace treaty.
His colleagues nodded.
“If we break through either St. Louis or Philadelphia, they won’t be able to hold out any longer. They’re already talking about holding out and killing President James Polk.”
President James Polk had no choice but to side with the South. It was true that there were more voters in the North, but even if he sided with the North now, it wouldn’t change the fact that he had started the war to protect Southern slaves.
Northerners, who had all become anti-war advocates when they had supported the war, would not support James Polk now.
Therefore, if there was even a small success in the war, President James Polk would not easily give up the war. If he gave up the war, he would be finished too.
They, the ‘Army of the South’, had to achieve something.
“You’ve been careful with your reconnaissance, haven’t you? Don’t get caught and end up reinforcing the garrison.”
“Of course. We’re well disguised as locals, so don’t worry.”
While fierce battles were taking place in the North, the Southerners’ militia was preparing to retake New Orleans.
They had gathered over 100,000 troops, weapons, and supplies, and had invited officers with military experience from various places to train themselves.
‘The Butcher’ Zachary Taylor.
He had earned this shameful title in the second Battle of Memphis and had reluctantly returned to his hometown of Virginia, but he couldn’t refuse the earnest request of Jefferson Finis Davis, his former son-in-law and subordinate.
“General, the Mexican Imperialists are complacent. The fact that they only left 20,000 troops to defend a major city like New Orleans is proof of that.”
“…I’ll be clear. I will return home when the war with Mexico is over.”
It was practically an acceptance.
He was from Virginia, a slave-owning state, but while he didn’t oppose slavery, he was also a federalist who believed that the United States should never be divided.
Therefore, he was uneasy about leading the largest militia in the South, where anti-federalists were in the majority, but the war with the Mexican Empire was not over yet, and this was an opportunity to wash away some of his disgrace as a commander.
Zachary Taylor accepted the command with the condition that he would step down and return home after the war ended.
***
November 6th.
The two-week period the Mexican Empire had set was over.
Battles resumed on the Eastern and Western fronts, and Northerners showered the president and Southerners with hateful insults.
But this day was also the day the ‘Army of the South’ was going to attack New Orleans.
‘This time, for sure.’
The Mexican Imperial Army, which had been difficult to find weaknesses in the early stages of the war, was different now.
“They want to keep their economy intact while fighting a war against the United States. They’re winning even without large-scale conscription.”
“That’s right. But we have to show them that their arrogance is over.”
Unlike the United States, where a sense of extreme crisis was spreading throughout the country and militia forces were gathering from all over, Mexico was rapidly occupying wider territories, but there was no corresponding increase in manpower.
“The enemy is only 20,000 strong, but we cannot be complacent. You see that barbed wire fence?”
“Yes, General.”
“You die the moment you get caught in that obstacle zone. You have to get past that obstacle zone and reach the trench before you can fight properly.”
Gulp-
Jefferson Davis and the other militia officers were tense at his assertive tone. In the silent meeting room, Zachary Taylor spoke again.
“Do as we planned.”
Zachary Taylor, who had experienced trench warfare firsthand, had prepared even more thoroughly.
They had prepared wooden planks as before, but this time, they had several legs attached to the bottom. It was a tool to safely cross the obstacle zone.
The problem with this thing was that it was too cumbersome to carry and difficult to use in battle, but they had overcome this with another trick.
It was a method that could only be used in the South.
“Hey! You die the moment you drop the plank! Got it?”
“Yes, yes!”
They had mobilized 30,000 Black slaves.
The Army of the South gave wooden spears to the Black slaves they had brought from various plantations. The Black slaves had to carry the wooden planks and spears and run into the enemy lines.
“Advance.”
“Advance! Charge immediately!”
Bang!
Someone fired a rifle immediately.
Not at the enemy, but at a Black slave.
“You son of a bitch! Charge!”
Under the orders of the white men who were threatening them with guns from behind, the Black slaves ran, shedding tears.
They were being forced to fight for those who wanted to keep them as slaves, against a nation that advocated for their liberation.
That tragic sight began to be seen from the enemy lines.
“They’re coming!”
“Huh? It’s the Blacks!”
When the soldiers reported, the Mexican Imperial officer gritted his teeth.
“Those damn bastards.”
He knew what was going on.
“Slave soldiers? What a barbaric act…”
But they couldn’t just let them go.
Creak-
“Artillery, open fire!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Weee-eee-ee-ee-ee-ee-
“Aaaagh!”
I don’t want to fight for those goddamn slave owners.
‘If I had a gun, I would have shot them all…’
One slave thought that as he ran. He couldn’t bear this terrible reality without such delusions.
“Woo-hoo-hoo!”
Finally, when he was about to drop the wooden plank he had been carrying with great effort onto the barbed wire fence.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-
Rat-a-tat-tat!
The Mexican Empire’s gunfire rained down like a hailstorm.
Many were shot and fell, dropping the planks, but their sacrifice was not in vain.
“Now! Charge!”
The soldiers of the ‘Army of the South’, who had started late, stepped over the bodies of the Black slaves and the wooden planks.
There were heavy casualties even during this process, but the enemy was only 20,000 strong, while they were a force of 120,000.
Although they had no cannons and their guns were from home, a force of 150,000, including 30,000 Black slaves, was enough to overwhelm the enemy.
The battle, which began at noon, continued into the night.
“No one left behind! Charge!”
As darkness began to fall, the reserves, along with Zachary Taylor and Davis Jefferson, charged. The enemy trenches were already full of their troops.
“Woo-hoo-hoo!”
“Victory!”
A valuable first victory.
Although 25,000 out of the 30,000 Black slaves died, and the militia soldiers suffered 40,000 casualties, including deaths and injuries, and the Mexican Imperial Army successfully retreated, it was their first victory.
Davis Jefferson, who had organized the militia, gave a bold speech in front of everyone.
“Yes, right now, it may seem like the Mexicans, who have been preparing diligently, are winning, but if the militia becomes 200,000, 300,000, or even 1 million, will the Mexican Empire still be as relaxed as it is now? They’ll need hundreds of thousands more troops to hold all this vast occupied territory, right? We need to shut the mouths of those idiots who don’t understand these simple facts and advocate surrender.”
“That’s right! Let’s tell the government about this immediately!”
The city would be retaken as soon as the Mexican Empire’s army or fleet returned, but it was a symbolic metropolis for the Southerners.
Reclaiming this city would give great weight to the Southerners’ argument that they should continue the war because they had a chance of winning.
The messenger ran at full speed to deliver this good news to President James Polk in Pennsylvania.
He took a train that was still operational in some sections, and he rode a horse, but it took over two weeks.
November 21st.
Upon arriving in Pittsburgh, the messenger felt a strange atmosphere. It was a cheerful atmosphere that didn’t suit a city in a country losing the war.
“Excuse me, what’s going on? Why are people cheering?”