Soon after receiving news from Philadelphia, Charles received news of the war of Lake Superior.
Compared to Antoine and Sullivan, who were mainly responsible for combat, Charles and other rear-line leaders had much more to consider.
Charles first discussed it with Patrick and other key town officials, and they unanimously agreed that although the Iroquois army had been defeated, the war had to continue.
He then immediately notified the mayors of several nearby large towns to come and meet with Pittsburgh's key officials, even using the 'William' steamboat, which had just been refitted again. Through the already repaired sections of the canal, he went to those villages and towns to pick up people.
With the canal open, communication between the two sides was fast. In just two days, the steamboat had already brought the main leaders from various towns to Pittsburgh. As for those who were too far away and hadn't arrived, they would no longer wait for them, preparing to inform them directly after a majority decision.
"Gentlemen! Everyone should already know about the victory news from the front, so I won't repeat it. Let's directly discuss the Western Expeditionary Force's next arrangements." Charles presided over the meeting, stating the focus of the meeting from the start.
"Hahaha! This Western Expedition has always been conducted under the leadership of Pittsburgh and Councilor Godfrey. Now that such a great victory has been achieved, what should be done next, all of our towns should first listen to your opinions!" The oldest mayor said with a laugh.
Each village and town had its own representatives in the Western Expeditionary Force, and of course, they also had their own information channels in Pittsburgh. News of the great victory at the front had also been communicated to them.
Fighting with natives often brought benefits, not just spoils of war, but also large tracts of land as rewards. If it were only to protect the western settlements, it would have been impossible for so many people from other towns to participate.
This war was mainly led by Charles and the people of Pittsburgh, which led to such a great victory. Now, seeing that many of their own villagers and townspeople were eligible to receive the land promised by Charles and his group, these village and town chiefs were naturally willing to continue following the original arrangements.
"Hehehe! According to what Patrick and everyone originally discussed, the main goal was to defeat the main force of the Iroquois and eliminate their threat to the western Colonies. Now, this goal has actually been achieved, but a large number of Iroquois warriors have escaped from the battlefield.
Although it's unlikely these people will attack our villages and towns without leadership, we still face some risks before the Iroquois Tribes officially surrender. Therefore, Patrick and I have decided that we should continue to clear out the surrounding Iroquois Tribes, forcing the Iroquois to finally surrender and completely control the south bank of the Great Lakes!" Charles announced loudly.
In fact, Charles had made such a decisive decision shortly after learning about the iron ore near Lake Superior.
Even if these mayors disagreed, he would have the one thousand men from Pittsburgh continue fighting to ensure a safe passage from the iron ore to Pittsburgh. After discussing it with Patrick, he naturally had no objections. So, at this time, they unanimously put forward such a decision.
He could only see the importance of the Lake Superior iron ore and the benefits of controlling the south bank of the Great Lakes. As for the true impact, he had not estimated it. But in reality, the results of this decision would far exceed just the Lake Superior iron ore. As the south bank of the Great Lakes fell under Pittsburgh's control, people in the 13 Colonies, affected by the war in the east, began to develop the central America region earlier.
Compared to the actual westward expansion in history, this central advance was more important and crucial for America. By the time the war of Independence ended, the south bank of the Great Lakes had become a prosperous region comparable to the ordinary urban clusters along the eastern coast.
"That's right! My intention is also to continue fighting and completely drive out the natives on the south bank of the Great Lakes. As long as they are there, our western Colonies will not have a day of peace, and the land promised to the meritorious soldiers cannot be safely cultivated." Patrick also stated his position.
Since the Iroquois had been defeated, it was time to start thinking about acquiring their land.
"Gentlemen! As long as we control the south bank of the Great Lakes, we can even massively immigrate and train there. With the convenient transportation of the Great Lakes, but without the harassment of the British army, that area can definitely be developed into a prosperous region like the eastern coast." Greenspan interjected.
As the president of Pittsburgh Bank, he was very influential among these mayors because many mayors chose to deposit their money in the bank, and as the only bank in the west, Pittsburgh Bank was undoubtedly the best choice.
"Great! Great! We should completely control the south bank of the Great Lakes, so that natives will not be able to easily cross the Great Lakes in their canoes to attack our western Colonies in the future!" Most of the mayors agreed.
Those who immediately agreed were basically from larger villages and towns. For them, with two or three thousand people, they already had the ability to open up new Colonies.
The other few remained silent but did not raise any objections.
"Actually, our more than two thousand Western Expeditionary Force can even conquer the entire Ohio area without any problem. However, Councilor Godfrey knows that each village and town temporarily dispatched personnel to participate in the attack on the Iroquois.
If they cannot return before the end of autumn, it may affect the autumn harvest of each village and town. That's why it was decided to just incidentally clear out the Iroquois Tribes!" Patrick, who understood the situation of the mayors who hadn't expressed their opinions, continued to speak on Charles' behalf.
Those mayors who didn't speak were all from smaller villages, where manpower was relatively scarce. Moreover, they were relatively traditional people; they were willing to go and eliminate a threat once it appeared, but once the threat disappeared, they didn't want to take further action.
The reason was also very sufficient: it was certainly time to harvest the crops planted in each village. Now Patrick stated that their situation had been considered, preemptively blocking their potential reasons for disagreement.
"Mayors, I actually have another good piece of news to tell everyone. A coking plant I started can now produce a type of fertilizer that is very useful for crop growth. I have agreed to prioritize its supply to the towns that participated in this war. In the future, as long as each town uses it, they can greatly increase grain production and free up more labor for other things!" Charles added.
Hearing that Charles and Patrick's intentions were very firm, those mayors no longer had other ideas and obediently expressed their agreement with this arrangement. They were also eager to see this fertilizer.
Charles naturally would not miss this opportunity to sell a large number of goods. He immediately arranged for Greenspan to help promote the fertilizer.
Before these mayors even left Pittsburgh, many Philadelphians arrived in Pittsburgh.
—
These people, dressed in formal attire and carrying money bags, were not here to investigate mineral deposits, but to observe the surrounding living environment and conditions.
Charles quickly sniffed out a way to make money from their behavior.
People in the Colonies were very pragmatic. Except for those hot-blooded youths and radicals, ordinary people would not choose a clear political stance as long as their own interests were not infringed upon.
But now, a major war was about to break out in the east, and the coastal battles would certainly not go smoothly. Those people feared the spread of the war to themselves, and while forced to choose a stance, many also began to consider their fallback options.
At this time, Pittsburgh, the westernmost town undergoing rapid development, undoubtedly became a major choice to avoid the war. Especially those who had industries in Pittsburgh transferred a lot of property and personnel to Pittsburgh.
Almost every month, new construction plans for production facilities were launched on the land they bought. Pittsburgh did not become deserted because a large number of militia left. In just over ten days, a large number of eastern immigrants made Pittsburgh almost return to its former prosperity.
Especially after learning that the Western Expeditionary Force had won a great victory at Lake Superior, many adventurers from western villages and towns, riding horses and carrying muskets, began to go to the south bank of the Great Lakes to seek adventure and gold. These people all regarded Pittsburgh as their starting point for westward expansion.
They resupplied here, rested here, and then went to the south bank of the Great Lakes to search for gold mines, hunt for valuable wild animal furs, and look for lost treasures. When they found something valuable, they would return to Pittsburgh to sell it, then resupply, spend, and continue their journey.
Pittsburgh was not only developing as an industrial hub but also rapidly becoming prosperous as a transportation hub and trade center.
Charles was very confident in attracting common people from the east, but for those wealthy people who pursued luxury and enjoyment, the current Pittsburgh was almost like a desolate land, making it impossible for them to settle.
Forcing them to stay in this poor and backward place like Pittsburgh would be worse than going to a slightly better big city in the east. These wealthy people sometimes preferred to take certain risks for enjoyment.
Just as Charles was drafting plans and writing proposals, thinking of building some good facilities and launching a few projects to attract eastern magnates for entertainment, Mayor Patrick brought a few people to see Councilor Charles.
"Charles! This is Chief Oneida. He represents the Oneida and Tuscarora Tribes to discuss cooperation with us. Those few are warriors from their tribes."
Patrick pointed to the people around him and introduced them one by one.
Seeing the familiar feathered headdress, Charles immediately recognized Chief Oneida.
"Good afternoon, esteemed Councilor Charles!" Chief Oneida greeted Charles in english first, and had two tribal warriors present wampum and precious animal skins.
"Good afternoon, esteemed Chief Oneida." Charles smiled and had someone take the gifts.
He hadn't expected Chief Oneida to know a few words of english. He truly lived up to being a relatively enlightened native tribe. It seemed it was no accident that they managed to escape American retaliation.
"Charles, Chief Oneida heard about our Western Expeditionary Force's victory at Lake Superior and greatly admires our capabilities. He wants to cooperate with us." Patrick explained to Charles.
Beside Chief Oneida, a native also softly explained to the Chief in the native language. Charles naturally understood that this Chief only had a few tricks up his sleeve.
"How do you propose to cooperate?" Charles was noncommittal about Patrick's words.
The Oneida and their two native tribes had clearly fallen out with the remaining four Iroquois Tribes, yet they still managed to get news of the demise of those tribes. It seemed they also had other communication channels.
"Chief Oneida knows that Antoine and his men captured many natives, so he wants to pay a certain fee to ransom those warriors." Patrick glanced at the native Chief next to him. "Chief Oneida also guarantees that after ransoming those warriors, they can formally ally with us, not invade each other, and be friends forever."
"Hehe! Not invade each other, and be friends forever!" Charles smiled faintly, not answering immediately.
This operation by Antoine and his men to attack the natives was very smooth. Not only did they defeat the main force of the four Iroquois Tribes in the decisive battle at Lake Superior, but they also captured a large number of weapons and many British army instructors. The four tribes could be said to have suffered heavy losses and basically had no ability to resist the Western Expeditionary Force's sweep.
And he and the other mayors had just decided to continue the sweep. If they handed over the warriors to them now, it would be difficult to guarantee that the four tribes would not temporarily defect to Chief Oneida and his men. After all, they were also natives, and also came from the original Iroquois Tribes, so the possibility of defection was still very high.
But if they disagreed and continued to sweep the native tribes on the south bank of the Great Lakes whose warriors were out, there would not only be a few hundred captured native warriors, but also a large number of native women and children who could be turned into slaves.
According to the original decision discussed with Patrick and the other mayors, these women and children would be turned into slaves and then sold elsewhere. However, the character of natives was very different from that of black people. Captives were basically very difficult to turn into obedient slaves, and Charles did not have much confidence in such an arrangement.
After hearing Chief Oneida, he was a little tempted. Anyway, it was selling, and perhaps selling this way would bring greater profit. However, the sale could only take place after the four tribes were defeated, and the potential threat after the sale also had to be eliminated.
Rick had previously been tempted when he heard that Chief Oneida was willing to accept those natives, but he was also afraid that if the native Chief accepted the captives, his power would increase and he would become a major problem for Pittsburgh.
However, unable to resist the large number of valuable gifts the Chief had sent, he had dragged himself to see Charles. Seeing Charles hesitate, Chief Oneida, who was nearby, kept winking at him, so he had to speak up for the natives:
"Charles, natives are very difficult to enslave. Although we have captured many people this time, I estimate it will be very difficult to tame them. Moreover, if we enslave them, we also need to consider the feelings of other natives. If we incur the hatred of other native tribes, it may not be beneficial to us. Therefore, I think the original arrangement should be reconsidered carefully."
"I know that too, but the key is..."
"Reduced to slavery?" Chief Oneida, who had heard the translation, changed his expression, and then said a few serious words, asking the person next to him to translate: "Mr. Councilman, Your Honor the Mayor, you can kill our defeated warriors, but if you reduce them to slavery, you will definitely become the enemy of all of us natives!"
Charles and Patrick were startled by Chief Oneida's sudden change of expression.
Is it really that serious? It's not like they hadn't captured natives before. It's just that white people, in order to clear out natives as much as possible, usually executed them directly. It was only because Charles disagreed with the massacre that he thought of enslaving them, and he didn't expect it to touch upon the natives' dignity.
Charles shook his head, knowing that natives were famously disunited, so even if he incurred their hatred, it was unlikely they would unite to attack him. He was not afraid of this threat. However, he was still very displeased that his arrangements were being criticized.
"Your native trustworthiness has always been low. I don't believe that after you accept these warriors, you will continue to maintain friendliness with us. Enslaving them is actually the safest option."
The translator whispered to Chief Oneida, and Charles' reply was:
"We natives have always valued trustworthiness. It is you white people who first broke trust..."
"Hahaha! Alright! Alright! Chief, Charles. This is not the focus of our discussion. For now, let's prioritize how to deal with those captives. In fact, as long as Chief Oneida is willing to divide his tribe into several small sections and accept the supervision of nearby white people, I think we can agree to the request to redeem the captives." Seeing that the discussion was about to turn into a racial debate, Patrick immediately stepped in to mediate.
The translator immediately conveyed the message to the Chief, and Chief Oneida, after hearing it, did not express anything, but looked at Charles, waiting for his reply.
Charles now attached great importance to Patrick. His opinion naturally still needed to be heard. Indeed, if the news of him enslaving a large number of natives spread, it would probably have a very bad impact.
The white people might not be satisfied, and the natives would definitely harbor hatred. What they respected were warriors; if they were to die, they should die on the battlefield. Becoming slaves would definitely be an insult to them. Although it might not immediately provoke attacks from other natives, it was very likely to cause their resentment and lead them to refuse future cooperation.
"Chief Oneida, then what price are you prepared to pay to redeem those captives? As far as I know, we will soon have not just a few hundred captured warriors, but also several thousand elderly, weak, women, and children.
Although these people are civilians and should not be counted as war captives, I think if we are to deal with them, we should include them all." Charles still decided to consider Patrick's suggestion.
However, if he was going to sell, he would also have to include the natives who were not yet in his hands.
"You also attacked villages?"
However, this Chief was very old and cunning; his anger flashed across his face and immediately returned to normal.
"war is a matter for warriors, and should not involve the elderly, weak, women, and children. I believe those women and children should be considered victims of war, and I am willing to accept them unconditionally."
"The matter of the women and children can still be discussed. Chief Oneida, why don't you first tell us what price you will pay to redeem those warriors?" Charles shook his head.
He was not an evil slave catcher and was not interested in selling slaves, but he could not release them unconditionally either.
"We are willing to sell you the land on the south bank of the Great Lakes region as compensation." Oneida proposed the redemption conditions as if in great pain.
old fox! Charles immediately had a descriptor for the old Chief.
"Chief Oneida, that doesn't seem to be owned land, does it?"
"How can it be unowned land? We natives have lived on this land for generations, so we are naturally the owners of this land. This is something you white people also acknowledge. Didn't you often try to get us to sign land deeds before acquiring land!" Chief Oneida retorted loudly.
"Haha! Chief Oneida, things are different now. That land has already become our spoils of war, so it can no longer be bought and sold." Charles denied with a smile.
"This... this was forcibly taken by you, it should not belong to you, it is not recognized by any contract."
"I can have the other Iroquois tribal Chiefs sign this contract; they should agree," Charles said calmly.
It won't be long before Antoine and the others can capture those Chiefs, right?
"Uh..." Chief Oneida was momentarily speechless. "Then what conditions do you want to propose?"
"My conditions are simple. You send a few people to help my men command those Iroquois warriors, and let them, along with my Western Expeditionary Force, attack the British in the Ohio area,"
Charles stated a condition that no one else had thought of. "As for the elderly, weak, women, and children, they can be freely redeemed by you at a price of ten animal skins or an equivalent amount of gold per native."
"Attack the British?" Chief Oneida frowned, automatically skipping over Charles' later words about the women and children.
He wasn't afraid of falling out with the British; not agreeing to cooperate last time was already tantamount to falling out with them. However, actively attacking the British now, would it not incur the wrath of the British? Not to mention, attacking the always powerful British army would cause great losses to the natives.
"You're not planning to use our warriors to block bullets for your army, are you?"
"No! Of course not. My Western Expeditionary Force will attack Ohio with you. As soon as the Ohio area is taken, those Iroquois warriors can leave with your people. As long as you no longer attack us, we can be friends forever, just like the trade we often do now.
Of course, you also have to, as Patrick said, divide your tribe into several sections, live on the reservations we designate for you, and accept the supervision of the surrounding white people." Charles gave his final bottom line.
These days, he had traded a large number of valuable furs with Chief Oneida and their two tribes. After processing them with Picric acid, he sold them to the eastern region and made a lot of money. What he paid was only a small amount of inexpensive items like iron tools and cloth. For such a large income, he was unwilling to cancel trade with the natives.
"You'll really let our warriors go as soon as the Ohio area is conquered?" Oneida wanted to confirm again.
—
Chief Oneida, who was willing to learn english and refused to cooperate with the British, was considered a surrenderist leader. After he moved to the uninhabited area northeast of Pittsburgh, he also felt the benefits of trading with Pittsburgh. They had plenty of animal skins, which Charles considered valuable, while the daily necessities that Charles considered worthless could greatly improve their living standards.
To say that he would have no thoughts after truly accepting those Iroquois warriors would be impossible. But this rational Chief also knew very well that only by agreeing to the conditions and getting those warriors into his hands first would he have the opportunity to think about what to do next. So, even if he was scolded for being weak after returning to the tribe and arranging for their division, he decided to agree to Charles' demands.
"Yes! As soon as the Ohio area is conquered, you can leave." Charles nodded in assurance.
"Good! Then I will immediately send out my warriors, and let our Iroquois warriors attack Ohio with you." Oneida stood up and agreed.
He and Charles had no major doubts about conquering Ohio, because there were simply too few British people there. If it weren't for some regular British army stationed there, and the population primarily consisting of colonists who had just arrived from Britain, they might have even been incited to participate in the war of Independence in America and become the fourteenth state.
Ohio was just a newly occupied British territory. As a former French colony, its current population ratio was very strange: natives were the most numerous, followed by the French, then the British, and a small number of people from other European countries.
Because the development level was not high, the British king's exploitation of this area was not significant. On the contrary, to encourage citizens to develop this area, he also granted a large number of preferential measures, which was also the reason why immigrants in this area did not oppose the British king much.
Of course, Ohio at this time was a geographical concept, referring to an area in the Ohio River basin, not the state of Ohio in the twenty-first century. Strictly speaking, Pittsburgh, as part of the Ohio River, belonged to the territory of Ohio at this time.
Because it was mainly developed and managed by Pennsylvanians, it was counted into Pennsylvania and participated in the war of Independence. This was also the reason Franklin believed that Charles wanted to be the fourteenth power of the Continental Congress.
However, history finally showed a significant difference here. The struggle for the Ohio area was originally not expected to begin until the Second American-British war, but now, due to the early development of Pittsburgh, it gave him a greater advantage in the Ohio area, and also brought war to Ohio earlier. In fact, the Western Expeditionary Force's battle at Lake Superior can already be considered fighting in the region under the current concept of Ohio.
The Ohio area was conquered by the British after the Seven Years' war between Britain and France. In such a multi-ethnic and mixed place, it was impossible for security to be entirely handled by the newly arrived British. Descendants of various countries and ethnic groups all had militias of varying sizes.
British soldiers did not directly attack Pittsburgh, not only due to their small numbers, but also primarily to guard against these uncontrolled militias. If the British army here had just set off to attack the American independence forces, and the various ethnic militias in their homeland also started to declare independence, that would be too laughable.
When the Western Expeditionary Force appeared in the Ohio area, these forces all noticed it, but they were not required by the British government to participate in the war, and their own strength was only enough for self-defense.
They naturally would not actively participate in a battle that would not fall upon them. When the Western Expeditionary Force defeated the natives with relatively small losses, the people in these areas suddenly became a little panicked.
The British had originally been very wary of these self-defense organizations, considering them hidden threats, but now finding a more direct threat, they wisely made a choice, demanding that all self-defense armed forces gather to jointly resist the invasion of Pittsburgh's Western Expeditionary Force.
However, descendants of other countries and other ethnic groups, who were themselves ruled by the British due to defeat and other reasons, seeing the British in trouble, were naturally unwilling to stand with them.
Among them, the French descendants' militia, which was the second strongest, had already decided, upon receiving friendly information from Pittsburgh, that as long as their interests were maintained, accepting Pittsburgh's dominance over the Ohio area was not a problem.
These French people arrived in Ohio earlier than the British. Most had lived in Ohio for several generations and were considered the true natives of Ohio. They had previously endured exploitation by the French king, and now by the British king, having little affection for either. Seeing the Thirteen American Colonies, which were in a similar situation but had achieved independence, they even greatly admired them.
At this time, seeing the Western Expeditionary Force enter Ohio, many of them even expressed a desire to respond, or to declare independence with the help of the Western Expeditionary Force, establishing an Ohio nation dominated by French descendants, or simply joining the Thirteen American Colonies as a member to participate in the independence of all America.
The revolutionary and restless spirit of the French was fully evident at this time. By the time the Western Expeditionary Force had swept away the remaining Iroquois Tribes and the four Iroquois Tribes had joined the allied forces, appearing in the interior of the Ohio area, the situation in Ohio was already clear.
About a dozen French-dominated villages and towns with self-defense militias either declared neutrality or pledged allegiance to the Western Expeditionary Force, requiring no conquest.
The remaining dozen or so villages and towns mostly had British garrisons, or were simply majority British; some of them also declared neutrality, while others began building fortifications, preparing for resistance.
What was slightly amusing was that a French village of over three hundred people actually expelled the British-appointed tax officer, declared independence, and its mayor proclaimed himself Grand Duke, establishing the Duchy of Ohio. It even sent an envoy to the Western Expeditionary Force, requesting an alliance with the United States to jointly resist Europe's colonial rulers.
The commanders of the Western Expeditionary Force, Antoine and Sullivan, who received the envoy and the alliance letter, completely ignored them, merely sending the envoy directly to Pittsburgh by fast horse, stating that "the supreme decision will be made by Pittsburgh," while their army continued its advance.
This allied force totaled over 2,500 men, possessing a large number of cannons and cavalry. With the spoils captured from the Iroquois Tribes as a base, food supplies were also completely sufficient.
Antoine and Sullivan simply divided their forces into two routes: one led by Sullivan, with the Iroquois surrendered soldiers and Pittsburgh's militia as the main force, heading directly south to escort the managers of the Pittsburgh Coal and Steel Consortium to St. Louis in the French Louisiana Colony, and then attacking Massac, the last major city in Ohio before it merges with the mississippi River—this was also the southernmost point of Sullivan's historical Western Expedition; the other route was led by Antoine, with members mainly volunteer militiamen from villages and towns near Pittsburgh. They would sweep along the southern shore of the Great Lakes, clearing out small native tribes and British colonial outposts, and then return to Pittsburgh.
Although the forces had been divided into two routes, each team of over a thousand men still held an absolute advantage in every sweep of the various Ohio villages and towns.
The armed forces of these villages and towns were civilians who took up arms to defend their homes; it was impossible for them to gather at any one point to fight a decisive battle with the Western Expeditionary Force. As such, the militias of any single town could not resist such a Western Expeditionary Force.
They could hold out for a period, but Ohio's connection with the British army in Canada could only rely on the Great Lakes, which had now been cut off by the Pittsburgh Western Expeditionary Force, making it impossible for them to hold out for reinforcements.
Therefore, after a few cannon shots, those towns still intending to resist wisely raised their flags, responding to the Western Expeditionary Force's demands to, as members of the Colonies, also rise up against the British king's rule over America.
Some, seeing the unfavorable situation, either simply boarded boats and sailed down the Ohio River to Louisiana on the opposite bank of the mississippi River, or sailed directly down to New Orleans at the mouth of the mississippi River, and then took sea vessels back to Britain.
However, the Ohio area at this time was very large. If the allied forces wanted to conquer the entire nominal Ohio area, it would be practically impossible without a year and a half. In reality, by the later stages of this war, only Sullivan's true allied force remained, as Antoine had already led his contingent back to Pittsburgh when the autumn harvest began.
These are all matters for later; for now, let's return to the starting point.
The Western Expeditionary Force almost flattened the remaining Iroquois Tribes with few large-scale battles, taking less than half a month. By late August, Charles and Patrick and the others all knew of the victory.
Along with this news of victory, early casualties from the Lake Superior campaign and a large amount of spoils from the Lake Superior camp also arrived in Pittsburgh. The arrival of these fruits of victory undoubtedly excited the people of Pittsburgh. Everyone cheered the names of Charles, Patrick, and Antoine, celebrating this great victory.
Charles already understood that, with this, the land route from Pittsburgh to Louisiana was considered open. As for the waterway from the Ohio River to the mississippi River, it could officially be navigated after Sullivan captured Massac.
However, the envoy from the "Duchy of Ohio" was very troublesome; accepting him was certainly impossible, but not accepting him might offend a large number of French descendants within Ohio.
Coincidentally, at this time, contact with the French Colonies could already be attempted. Charles immediately dispatched an official envoy to meet the French colonial governor of Louisiana to discuss the Ohio territorial issue and seek French assistance for the American Revolutionary war. He also brought along the envoy from the "Duchy of Ohio" as a friendly representative, sending him to Louisiana as well, allowing the French to deliberate on how to proceed.
After dispatching representatives to Louisiana, Charles had to face the problem of how to deal with the Ohio area. Based on various situational assessments, it seemed that taking over most of the Ohio area in the upcoming battles should not be an issue.
However, for a small Pittsburgh to swallow such a large area was clearly impossible. Even with the other villages and towns participating in this war, controlling the southern Great Lakes region was already busy enough, and it would be impossible to take on the rest of Ohio.
When he first marched, he never expected that Ohio could be taken so easily by the Western Expeditionary Force. This completely changed history, and he didn't know how to position Ohio. Should he directly incorporate her into Pittsburgh's rule, or report this matter to the Continental Congress for its handling?
When he discussed it with Patrick, Greenspan, and the others, these men had never encountered such a large matter and were all flustered, saying they didn't know how to handle it, but they unanimously respected Charles' decision.
Naturally, Charles' instinct was to take over himself, but he genuinely couldn't handle it, and the matter was of great importance, not only concerning the thirteen Colonies of America but also having interests intertwined with the French Colony of Louisiana. Not informing the Continental Congress would also be somewhat unreasonable.
So, one day in late August, after hastily arranging the distribution of spoils of war, Charles set off for Philadelphia again, carrying the land deeds symbolizing the southern Great Lakes region and a portion of the spoils. He intended to first gauge the Continental Congress' intentions before making specific arrangements.
The Western Expeditionary Force's campaign had already yielded results, and from the current situation, the future development was also expected to be very smooth.
After Charles arrived in Philadelphia, before he could even send up his good news from the western front, an unfavorable message arrived by fast horse from the east.
The first battle to defend New York, the Battle of Long Island, was lost by the Continental army.
After the British army's attempt to induce Washington to surrender failed, they immediately moved to attack New York. Washington, of course, knew that New York could not be defended; resisting over thirty thousand elite British army soldiers with one army was like throwing an egg against a rock.
But the Continental Congress had decided to defend New York to the death. Washington had no choice but to bravely shoulder the responsibility of defending New York.
To defend New York, Washington prepared for a bloody battle. He actively collected ammunition and supplies, arranged cavalry patrols along both banks of the Hudson River, and prepared fire ships that could burn enemy ships with the wind.
He also took several extraordinary measures: handling confidential military files and entrusting them to the Philadelphia Continental Congress for safekeeping; forcibly relocating pro-British individuals suspected of collaborating with the enemy to other areas, strictly preventing the delivery of intelligence and supplies to enemy ships; escorting accompanying family members to safe places; and cooperating with local councils to evacuate city residents, among other things.
Regarding troop deployment, to hold New York, Brooklyn Heights had to be held. He sent General Greene to lead the main force to build trenches and defend the heights, while he personally commanded a portion of the troops to guard the New York City area.
However, even the wisest can make a mistake. It was later proven that this deployment was a wrong move. With the main force concentrated on Brooklyn Heights, there was a risk of complete annihilation if surrounded by superior enemy forces.
And as if misfortunes never come singly, the astute and capable General Greene fell ill from overwork and was bedridden, leaving only the old General Putnam to be transferred to take over Greene's duties. Changing commanders on the eve of battle was a major military taboo, leading to ineffective command of the subordinate troops, and some remote but very important roads were not garrisoned.
In the early morning of August 22nd, twenty thousand British army soldiers quietly landed on Long Island, which was consistent with Washington's judgment. Long Island's wide terrain offered too many landing points, making it impossible to defend everywhere.
After the British army consolidated their beachhead, they gradually increased their forces, biding their time. On the night of the 26th, under the cover of darkness, British General Henry Clinton led a British army contingent, guided by a loyalist, through a secluded path, directly approaching the Bedford Pass.
They originally expected a skirmish with the defenders there, but unexpectedly, such a vital pass was unguarded, and they easily occupied the forward positions, controlling the American army's left flank. Another British army contingent, commanded by General Grant, outflanked the Continental army's right wing, forming an encirclement of the Continental army garrisoned on Brooklyn Heights.
The next morning, the British army began a frontal bombardment, with volleys of musketry. After about two hours of fighting, a burst of cannon fire came from behind the Continental army, a signal that the British army's flanking force was in position; the enemy in front suddenly intensified their assault, launching attacks simultaneously from the left and right flanks.
The Continental army, caught between two fires, hastily responded, being repeatedly divided and dispersed by the superior British army, only to regroup and resist stubbornly.
The Continental army was surrounded and cut off from reinforcements, yet they fought bitterly and refused to surrender. The battlefield echoed with the clash of swords and spears, the thundering of horses' hooves, the firing of firearms, and the shouts of both sides.
Ultimately, due to overwhelming odds, the Continental army suffered heavy losses. On this day, two hundred Continental army soldiers were killed, and nearly a thousand officers and men, including Brigadier General Sullivan, were captured; the British army suffered three hundred eighty casualties.
That day, Washington commanded the troops in New York, closely monitoring five British warships sailing into the inner harbor. The sound of gunfire from Long Island was clearly heard in the city, indicating that the battle had begun.
Fortunately, a strong headwind prevented the British warships from docking. Washington then took a small boat from his headquarters in Manhattan to the Long Island front, witnessing this great struggle and disaster firsthand.
But he had no more troops to deploy, and no one could turn the tide.
This battle had severely weakened the Continental army, losing nearly half its strength. In contrast, the British army's morale was high, and if they pursued aggressively, the Continental army would be hard-pressed to resist.
If the British fleet at sea entered the bay, cutting off communication between Long Island and New York, there would be no retreat, and the entire army would be annihilated. The only expedient was to quickly lead the troops to break out from Long Island by sea.
Washington was indeed Washington; to deceive the enemy and maintain absolute secrecy, he deliberately issued contradictory orders: all officers and men were to prepare for an attack that night. He then dispatched the brave and skilled General Mifflin, leading the remnants of three regiments, to the front lines to confront the enemy directly. Guards were to be posted as usual throughout the day, and they were responsible for covering the main force's breakout during the retreat.
The next day, it rained, the sky was gloomy, and a dense fog rolled in, making visibility very poor. Washington, with an uneasy heart, prepared to meet a new British army offensive. As long as they could hold out until dark, there would be hope for a breakout.
General Howe of the British army originally intended to use the firepower of the fleet, coordinating land and sea forces. He planned to besiege without annihilating, forcing the Continental army to cross the sea by boat to break out, and then attacking them while they were halfway across, which would achieve twice the result with half the effort.
General Howe's plan was comprehensive and almost impregnable. However, his decision caused the British army to miss a prime opportunity to destroy the main force of the Continental army, and it was this one-day pause that saved the Continental army.
At ten o'clock on the night of the 29th, the Continental army began its planned retreat. Troops boarded ships by regiment, crossing a three-quarter-mile wide strait. It was truly a godsend; as soon as the troops had boarded, the wind and waves gradually subsided, and a dense fog enveloped the strait on the Long Island side, completely unnoticed by the British army, while the New York side was clear with moonlight and gentle breezes. Before dawn, the main force of the Continental army had already withdrawn to New York, and this skillful breakout success greatly enhanced Washington's reputation.
Although the troops withdrew safely, the abandonment of Long Island left New York without a natural barrier, and the entire city was completely exposed to the British army's firing range.
Compared to the loss in battle, the loss of morale among the populace and the military was even greater. The city's residents were in a state of panic, and the condition of the troops was worrying. The soldiers, having narrowly escaped death, were all in low spirits, deserting in groups and fleeing home.
Washington, burdened with the responsibility of defending the city, was extremely anxious. The day after returning to New York, he reported to the Continental Congress by letter: "Our situation is extremely difficult. Due to our army's defeat on the twenty-seventh of last month, many soldiers are in low spirits, pessimistic and despairing.
Not only do they not strive to resist the enemy to recover losses, but they are disheartened, disobedient, and eager to return home. Many have already left... I must admit that I lack confidence in commanding this army. If our freedom is not defended by a permanent standing army, then our freedom will be in danger."
As soon as the news reached the Continental Congress, naturally, everyone was shocked.
When Charles arrived at the Continental Congress, he saw a scene of anxious faces