No matter how shocked or unbelievable, the fall of Baltimore was already a fact, and for Lincoln and his administration, rather than complaining about the loss of Baltimore, it was more important to hold Washington and prevent further Union attacks.

At present, only more than 50,000 of Washington's available combat forces are still in training camps, the reserve youth army that has not completed all basic training, 20,000 wounded soldiers brought in from the front to recuperate, 5,000 militiamen, and 3,000 policemen, plus other miscellaneous people, the total number of available soldiers is about 80,000 when it is full.

80,000 people seems like a lot, but the problem is that except for those wounded soldiers who still have some combat experience, most of the other troops are rookies with little combat experience, and they can't be compared with the 300,000 allied troops who are recuperated and have rich combat experience.

Therefore, normally speaking, Washington cannot hold on, and it is only right that it should retreat from Washington in time.

The safest way, of course, was to quickly retreat south with his troops until Fredericksburg, where he joined up with the Potomac Corps, which was entrenched there.

After two years of hard work, Fredericksburg has been built into a large permanent fortress by the federal government.

In addition to the fortress originally built on the terrain, there are also a large number of permanent fortifications made of reinforced concrete, plus ring fortifications composed of barbed wire, wooden fences, multiple trenches, etc., plus the soldiers are well fed and equipped with a lot of equipment, it is not an exaggeration to call it a fortress that does not fall.

In other words, Fredericksburg has perfect fortifications, as well as 400,000 elite Potomac regiments, enough for 500,000 people to eat food for two years, a large number of weapons and ammunition, as long as Lincoln arrives here, even if he faces two sides of the Federation Army at the same time, or even faces several times the strength, it is difficult to fall lightly.

Therefore. When General Mead heard the news, he immediately advised President Lincoln to move to Fredericksburg to avoid the enemy's edge, to avoid a frontal battle with the enemy, and even to abandon Washington.

Anyway, this is not the first time that the U.S. military has abandoned Washington, when the British army came, the U.S. president and government officials also fled Washington in a hurry, and later after the British army occupied Washington, they even burned down the White House, so that incident. It can be said that it is an eternal pain for the US military.

Although it is an eternal pain and a great shame for the US military, it has happened after all, so it seems that it is nothing to do it again, at least in General Mead's opinion, it is the best choice to temporarily get out of the way of Washington and retreat to a safer place.

"Your Excellency!" In the face of the indifferent Lincoln. General Mead said quickly, "Now is not the time to hesitate, we must act as hard as we can, it will be too late!" ”

"I'm not leaving." Lincoln said with a blank face. "I'm not leaving Washington!"

"No, you have to go!" By this time, Mead had also let go, and he took two quick steps. He walked up to Lincoln and roared in front of him, "You are the President of the United States of America." You are a source of confidence for the United States of America, and if you are caught or killed here, it will be an unbearable blow to the United States of America! So, you can't represent yourself anymore, you represent the United States of America!

For the sake of the United States, I can't let you fall into the hands of the enemy, let alone let you die lightly, so even if I use unavoidable means, I will get you away, even if I use force! Do you really want me to do this? Mr. President? ”

"I knew you would, George." Lincoln smiled and looked at George, who was flushed. Gordon. Meade, "It's rare that you're blushing and thick-necked, I thought you'd always have that pampered expression." ”

"Mr. President." George. Mead said in a loud voice again, "Now is not the time to show off your mouth, there is no time left, so I will only ask you one last time, are you going to leave now?" ”

"I'm leaving, what should I do here?" Lincoln suddenly said, "We're all gone, and this is going to be an undefended city?" But in that case, will we be able to outrun the menacing Confederate forces? Jackson is not the kind of short-sighted person who will not give up chasing you and me for the sake of a Washington, after all, he is very smart and knows that I am worth more than a Washington, at least I think so. ”

"He's not going to catch up with you, Mr. President." George. Mead regained his composure, "I'll stay and lead the troops to snipe the other side, and I'll definitely get you to Fredericksburg safely." ”

"Washington is in no danger, where are you going to snipe the enemy?" Lincoln went on to ask, "Brydensburg?" ”

"Yes, Mr. President." George. Mead nodded quickly, "I'll snipe the enemy at Bradensburg, where we have a supply transfer station, which is also a permanent fortification, and if you are there, I promise to be able to hold off Jackson for at least ten days, and for such a long time, if you take the train, you will already arrive in Fredericksburg." ”

"Well, then what? George? Lincoln asked rhetorically, "What will happen to me if I lose my capital and run like a lost dog to Fredericksburg?" Just watch the enemy surround me from the north and south, and then slowly grind me to death, and finally make me surrender in humiliation, or commit suicide? ”

"No, Your Excellency." George. Mead frowned, "In the three places of Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and New York, we still have a total of more than a million troops, as long as they are mobilized in time, they can finally sweep away Jackson's raid, so as long as you can hold on for a while, victory will be yours sooner or later!" ”

Hearing him say this, Lincoln shook his head slightly: "No, George, you don't understand, if I really go, go to Fredericksburg, and fall into a siege, then we will really be gone, and the more than a million troops will not work at all." ”

"Why?" George. Meade said, "We have more than a million mobile troops, how can we not deal with Jackson's 300,000 men?" Are you worried about the Anglo-French forces in the direction of Boston? Rest assured, Hartford's Shenandoah River Corps will definitely stop them. Moreover, with the presence of the Shenandoah River Corps, the British and French forces would never dare to transport troops to Baltimore from the sea, which would be tantamount to abandoning Boston, and the threat to them would be greater.

So, you don't have to worry at all, just go to Fredericksburg in peace. In less than two months, the situation will improve. ”

"So, you're just a general, but you're not a president." Immediately sighed, "Indeed, what you said seems to make sense, but it is purely from a military point of view, but I don't see anything else, it is those other things that keep me from leaving Washington." Can't even go to Fredericksburg! ”

"What is it that scares you so much?" George. Mead asked.

"Hope, my George, is the hope of victory!" Lincoln whispered, "In this case, once I abandon Washington, D.C., and flee like a lost dog to Fredericksburg, and are surrounded by the enemy, you think that the armies elsewhere will serve me with all their hearts." Will you go to great lengths to rush over and fight the Alliance forces in an effort to save me from the encirclement? No, it won't, they won't! ”

Speaking of which. Lincoln waved his right hand fiercely, "I bet those legion commanders won't send troops once I abandon Washington and fall into a siege." Instead, I waited for the Allies to make an offer, and prayed that the Allies would destroy me once and for all. They can continue to get a better seat in the new government, or at least keep their old position. ”

"You are too pessimistic, Mr. President." George. Mead frowned, "I believe that those legion commanders are patriotic, and they also love the United States, and they will not make such a traitorous act lightly." ”

"Yes, if I don't leave Washington, they will indeed continue to be patriotic." Lincoln smiled sarcastically, "Because Washington is the capital of the United States of America, and here is not only the center of the United States, but also the many relatives and friends of those legionnaires, who are the best hostages." Therefore, as long as I do not leave Washington, whether it is for the sake of justice or personal feelings, the troops in Philadelphia and New York will not dare to die against me, and they will inevitably send troops desperately.

On the contrary, as soon as I left Washington in a hurry, leaving the relatives of those legionnaires in the hands of the Confederate army, the confederate army had hostages in its hands, and the capital had fallen, and the blow to the morale of the army was not the slightest bit.

When the time comes, their war-weariness will rise, and they will probably die for me, wait for the Confederates to destroy me, and then submit to Davis, and let the entire federal government be merged into their so-called Confederate government, and re-complete their so-called North-South unification! ”

"Mr. President, they won't." George. "They are all generals you have personally promoted, loyal to the United States of America, and all opposed to slavery. ”

"People change, George." Lincoln shook his head, "Yes, those people were indeed promoted by me, and they were all anti-slavery and anti-Southern separatist forces, but so what?

At this time and then, the reason why they are saying what they say is probably just to climb up, and deliberately cater to our policies and tastes, which is not true at all.

Of course, there may be some people who are truly patriotic, truly loyal to the United States of America, but I can't put all my hopes on one possibility.

In short, in this sinister situation, we cannot tolerate a single mistake, especially Washington, and I must not go!

I have a hunch that once I'm gone now, I'll probably never come back! ”

"Well, even if you're right, that's all for later, and it's just a possibility." George. "But the current situation is that if you continue to stay in Washington, you will not be able to stop the enemy attack, and once you are captured or killed, the defeat of the United States of America will only be more rapid, because in the short term, there will be no one in the United States who can gather the morale of the people like you."

You are now the spiritual symbol of the United States of America, so to speak, and many people have persevered until now because of your resolute resistance and unyielding, and if you fall lightly, many people will no longer have the courage to continue fighting against the Confederate Army and the British and French invaders. ”

"So I need you, I need you to stop that Jackson!" Lincoln smiled, "I'm right here, right here in Washington...... Of course, I will not stay in the White House and be stunned, I will personally take to the streets to give speeches and encourage everyone to join the army! Encourage everyone to work together!

Yes, it is true that we only look like 80,000 soldiers, but we actually have more than 200,000 ordinary people, although many of these people are women and children, and most of them are family members of soldiers, but they are just as capable of fighting and can serve the war effort.

In addition, Washington has a large amount of arms, food, and medicine. As long as we have faith, are not afraid of sacrifice, rely on the favorable terrain of Fort Bradens, plus our arms and supplies, who said that Jackson's 300,000 men will definitely be able to eat us? ”

"But ......"

"But they're lightly armed!" Lincoln interrupts George. Mead's words, "Yes, they took Baltimore, but so what? From there to Washington is at least sixty kilometers, and coming over such a long distance, the supply line is a big problem!

To know. Even if there was a railroad with Washington, I don't think there was a locomotive in Baltimore, so Jackson's people couldn't have shipped the locomotive by boat, right? Without locomotives, the railway line would not be able to be used effectively for them, and they would not be able to transport heavy equipment quickly and efficiently.

Therefore, this battle is still fought, because although we are small in numbers, we are not short of logistical materials, and we are guarding our homeland. Morale is bound to be high, and it's a defensive battle, and the final result is really not certain. I think our odds are a little bit better. ”

"But our people are all rookies with little experience." George. Mead shook his head, "If those 80,000 are regulars, no, even if it's only 50,000 regulars. I also have the confidence to hold this place, but unfortunately no, those 80,000 people are not regular troops at all. They're complete rookies!

Rookies are not reassuring, Mr. President, without a sufficient number of veterans to lead, they will only do bad things, the greater the number of people, the greater the possibility of bad things, and it is likely that a few deserters can ruin a war. ”

"Then let them not be deserters!" Lincoln said categorically, "Put those wounded soldiers at the end, all of them will be used as law enforcement teams, and at the same time, I will also let agents of the Patriotic Association and the Intelligence Bureau join the army and act as law enforcement teams. ”

"I'm afraid it's not enough to rely on those people, it's not enough." George. Meade shook his head.

"Then one more decree, an emergency mobilization order." Lincoln said coldly, "In the new regulations, if any recruit escapes, the commander of the unit to which he belongs has the right to kill him on the spot!" If the commander of the unit did not flee, but the soldiers below did, and were not stopped in time, then the whole unit was shot!

Well, for the time being, let's take the company as a unit, once the company commander escapes privately, the deputy company commander can kill the other party, and then be promoted to the company commander, and so on for other officers.

And if the grass-roots officers such as the company commander and platoon commander did not escape, and the soldiers below fled, and the others could not stop it, then the entire team of officers and soldiers would be shot and killed, and not a single one would be left!

Not only that, but I also have to issue an order that all the families of the officers and soldiers who have escaped will be deprived of their rights to serve in the army in place of the escaped officers and soldiers, and serve as cannon fodder at the front line!

In short, this is an extraordinary time, as long as you can win, as long as you can maintain the morale of the officers and soldiers on the front line, you can do anything, even if it is strictly unconstitutional, understand? ”

"I see, just win." George. Meade nodded.

"Then my commander-in-chief, do you still think we can't hold Washington?" Lincoln asked with a smile.

"Even so...... George. Mead smiled bitterly, "I'm only thirty percent sure, and, after a long time, we are not opponents after all." After all, in many cases, Brute Courage cannot compete with the superiority of numbers and experience, especially if the opponent's commander is a good commander. All I can say is that I can stop the other party for a while. ”

"It's enough to be able to block the other party for a while." Lincoln shook his head, "As long as you can block the other party for two months, that's enough, two months is enough time for a complete change!"

You must know that Washington is attacked, and the Philadelphia troops may hesitate at first, but as long as we keep fighting, as long as Washington does not fall, then after a month at most, they will not be able to sit idly by, and they will eventually send troops over.

Moreover, even if they don't care, we still have the Western James River Army, they are on their way over, at most two months, they will be able to rush over, so we still have a good chance of winning, as long as we can hold it for two months! ”

"Two months...... I'll try my best. "George. Meade nodded.

"It's not as much as possible, it's necessary to hold it!" Lincoln stared into his eyes and said, "It must be held for two months!"

If it is held, and the reinforcements arrive, the United States will continue to hold it...... Hehe, there's no point in continuing to resist, don't you say? (To be continued......)