On June 9, the Indian Front Army had already arrived at the Rio Grande and fought a battle with the American troops who were rushing to repair the broken bridge, and both sides suffered heavy losses, but there was no way to repair the bridge.

On June 10, the rear armies of both sides arrived one after another. Along the Rio Grande, which had become extremely turbulent in torrential rains, the two armies faced each other across the river.

Although there were occasional attempts to cross the river, it was only sporadic and did not break out into large-scale clashes.

Heavy rain is still falling.

……

Winfield fell ill at this time.

After all, he is an old man in his 60s, and after a long journey of about a week, coupled with the recent heavy rain, the body that used to be pampered can no longer support it, and it will collapse.

At first, I just felt tired, and I thought it would be good to lie down.

Unexpectedly, when I lay down, I found all kinds of diseases, vomiting and diarrhea, fever, cramps, and sore limbs...... The doctor couldn't see it well, but said that in the current situation, it was best to rush to a hospital in New York, where there were conditions for treatment.

The doctor's advice was given, but how to get to New York, that's the problem.

The final treatment plan is still two words: lie down quietly!

However, at this time, Winfield himself could lie down, but his army could not.

Winfield held out for two days, but on the third day, he couldn't hold on any longer, summoned his most trusted man, John Ellis Wool, to his bedside and waved the others away.

John Ellis Wool is actually not too young, and is basically a contemporary of Winfield.

When he saw Winfield, he rubbed his eyes in surprise.

"Scott, why haven't I seen you for three days, and you're like this?" Wool asked.

Winfield, on the hospital bed, was skeletal, his eyes were blank, and his pale hair hung haphazardly on his forehead, like a useless old fellow who had been kicked out of his home.

"Come and sit...... Sitting on the edge of the bed, Wool ...... My throat is bad and I can't speak loudly. Winfield leaned against the head of the bed and said weakly.

Wool sat down, took Winfield's hand, and sighed, "O merciful Lord, please have mercy on this poor man in front of him, and restore him to his physical health and spirit, Amen!" ”

"Thank you, Wool...... cough cough cough ......"

Winfield coughed, and Wool tried to call a doctor, but Winfield stopped him.

It took a while for Winfield to stop coughing, and a flush appeared on his face.

Strangely, after this cough, his spirits seemed better.

It's just that his expression is still a little depressed.

"Alright, Wool, listen to me...... Thomas Jackson is dead, William Sherman has fled, McClellan is the idiot being led to the West Coast by the Indians, and the only thing we can do at this point is to go north ......"

"Yes, General!" Wool said, "Under your leadership, we are heading north!" ”

"But now we're stopped here at the Rio Grande—whew!" Winfield gasped heavily, and then said, "Don't be afraid, Wool, the Indians can't stop us!" ”

"Yes, General!"

"Don't rush into battle – our strength is firepower and well-trained soldiers, and the soldiers who can be sent to fight in Mexico are the elite of the federal army, and they will not be defeated as long as they play at a normal level. However, we have to wait for the heavy rain to pass, and we don't want to fight in the rainstorm......"

Winfield paused to catch his breath.

Wool hesitated and hesitated, and stopped talking several times, but finally he could not hold back, and asked: "This heavy rain will be at least another week, and we cannot wait for that time, General!" We have no food! ”

"Then we have to wait!" Winfield said: "Starting today, three meals a day will be changed to two meals a day, and the meals for officers above the rank of lieutenant will be halved...... Whew......"

Winfield stopped again, his chest heaving violently.

Wool couldn't bear it, but still asked, "If this is the case, wouldn't it be a confirmation of the propaganda of the Indians?" ”

Winfield closed his eyes and frowned, half resting, half thinking.

Ever since he had led his army into Monterrey, soldiers had been able to pick up leaflets scattered by the Indians everywhere.

Some of the leaflets depicted crows and corpses with the words: "Soldiers, your time of death has come!" ”

Some of the leaflets were filled with rumors: "You are fighting at the front, your wives are being flickked by federal officials in the rear!" ”

Some flyers are creating a curse: "Sleep carefully, a million Mexican souls will enter your dreams"

There were also leaflets spreading panic: "France has declared war on you, and then there will be Britain, Russia, and all the righteous nations of the world!" ”

But what worries Winfield and John Wool the most is one of the flyers, which says, "Your food will only last for two weeks at most, take a look at your food, is it downallocated?" ”

At that time, Winfield stepped on such a flyer into the ground, but he knew in his heart that there was definitely more than one such flyer.

As for whether his soldiers will believe it, and how much, no one can guarantee it - sometimes, the soldiers would rather believe the rumors than the debunking them!

……

After a while.

Winfield struggled to raise his eyelids: "Wool, where did I talk about it just now?" ”

"General, you said that you want to change three meals to two meals, and halve the meals for all officers above the rank of lieutenant......"

"Oh...... Keep it up, Wool! Winfield said: "We need to buy a little more time and when the rain stops, it's a good time for us to attack!" ”

John Wool nodded.

"This battle is up to you for the time being—I can only trust you, Wool!"

"Me? No, no, no, Mr. Scott, you're the commander of this war—"

"Don't shirk, Wool!" Winfield said, "You have seen my situation, and I am afraid that I will not be able to command this battle." Over to you, Wool! ”

John Wool looked at the languishing Winfield, and finally had to nod slightly.

……

In all fairness, John Ellis-Wool was a good battlefield commander.

However, it has been quite difficult to save the situation by relying on the on-the-spot performance of a battlefield commander until the war has been fought so far.

- It is not without such examples in history that such Jedi have turned the tables, but such examples often have one thing in common, that is, they are in their own territory to make a defensive counterattack against the invaders that can only be won but not defeated.

And this U.S. military on Mexican soil, although Winfield does not admit it, is actually a lone army.

On someone else's territory, in the most unfavorable weather conditions, a group of soldiers who fear that they will run out of food at any time...... Maybe only God can save them.

Can John Ellis Wool not cut the soldiers' meals?

- No, no! He doesn't have enough food, so he has to lose!

Can John Ellis Wool not fight on a rainy day?

- No, no! The Indians want to beat him, can he still refuse?

Can John Ellis Wool choose to avoid the war and return to the army?

- No, no! Damn Santa Anna, at this time staged another mutiny, calling on his people to come and fight for the defense of Mexico!