Napoleon's expression was like a man who hadn't eaten for three days, watching helplessly as a table full of delicacies disappeared right in front of him.
He was almost roaring: "What the hell is going on in the Southern United States? Damn, aren't all the people there growing cotton?"
The Governor's Assistant was startled, somewhat nervously saying: "Haven't you heard the news? General Jourdan has released a large number of slaves in South Carolina, and nearly all the plantations there have stopped working..."
Napoleon had been on a long campaign and was indeed unaware of the situation in the east. He was momentarily stunned: "Are you saying, General Jourdan? Isn't he still gathering troops in Mobile?"
"That was a month and a half ago," said the assistant, "General Jourdan received reinforcements from Santo Domingo, quickly raided Pensacola, and then marched victoriously, occupying Long Bay in less than a month."
Long Bay was already at the northernmost part of South Carolina.
