Chapter 348: The Turning Point

  Chapter 338 The Turning Point

The civil war that lasted for a year cost the federal government more than 200,000 casualties, and the brutal casualties made the soldiers war-weary.

It was only a civil war, not a foreign invasion. The patriotism that had been drummed up had long since worn out in the blood and fire.

It wasn’t just the western states that didn’t fulfill the conscription task, even the core states of the federal government were facing the same problem of recruitment difficulties.

As of now, the federal government’s total military strength has exceeded 1.1 million, yet it’s still not enough.

The warring states, or states near the battlefield, are prioritizing their own safety, and it is difficult to coordinate on the battlefield, making it difficult to utilize the advantages of military strength.

These issues are unsolvable dilemmas, the officials of each state are elected, if they cannot guarantee the security of their state, the voters will be able to get rid of them.

The big picture, that’s a slogan for those who don’t have a cut of it. When it comes to self-interest, whether it’s the capitalists, the politicians, or the people, they all choose what’s best for them.

Secretary of State Safar burst into the President’s office in a hurry and said, “Mr. President, big deal.

Another telegram for help has just come from Illinois, and they declare that if the Federal Government does not send reinforcements, they are going to quit the war.”

Quit the war? Do not doubt that the Confederate States would dare to be so capricious. It is all right to surrender in order to keep their homes from being reduced to ruins, let alone just withdraw from the war.

Anyway, it was a civil war, there was no decimation. All Illinois had to do was declare their withdrawal from the war and the South would never attack them again.

Only then, the federal government would be finished. Now all it takes is one to take the lead and I’m afraid a chain reaction could easily form.

Capitalists want markets and cheap raw materials all right, provided they don’t hitch themselves to them. If their own industries are on the front lines and the enemy is fighting their way in, then a compromise is not out of the question.

You can’t just take your own family business with you for the sake of the class, can you? It’s not like the federal government is going to make up for those losses.

Hearing this news, Lincoln was so angry that he directly threw out the documents in his hand and cursed, “These assholes, actually threatening us!”

Then sadly realized that he had to accept this threat.

Maryland and Ohio had almost all fallen, Indiana was left with only a single even, Kansas had lost a third of its territory, and if Illinois were to withdraw from the war again, then the Northern government’s manpower advantage would cease to exist, and it would be strategically in a state of passivity.

After a moment’s effort of silence, Lincoln slowly spoke, “I have decided on the immediate implementation of the Homestead Act to pull in the people who are eager to acquire land.”

Secretary of State Safar said in an icy tone, “Are you sure you’ve thought this through and not just on a whim? If you take this step out, you’ll never be able to go back.”

Lincoln said in a firm tone, “It’s come to this, and if I can’t win this war, I’m afraid I’ll end up even worse!

If that’s the case, why not take a gamble? I can’t think of any other way to solve the problem of the lack of troops than to implement the Homestead Act.

Just take a look at the Austrians, in just one year they have snubbed over 200,000 immigrants away from us, almost as much as we have emigrated from Europe in one year.

Of course, we can’t take things to the extreme and leave a back door for them, lest the dogs jump over the wall.”

Secretary of State Safar nodded, he and Lincoln were already tied together, no one could escape if they were to go down. Of course he wasn’t the president, pulling, the hate value was going to be smaller.

Forced by the needs of the war, on May 1, 1862 Lincoln issued the Homestead Act, and the Northern government’s dilemma of not having enough soldiers was solved.

The Homestead Act stated: “Every head of a family, or any citizen of the United States over the age of twenty-one years, who has never taken part in the Rebellion, shall be entitled to register for homesteads not exceeding in all one hundred and sixty acres (one acre = 0.40 hectares), upon taking an oath that the land is acquired for the purpose of settlement, and upon payment of a fee of ten dollars.

After five years of residence and cultivation on the homestead, the registrant is granted a land license and becomes the owner of the homestead.

The Homestead Act also provides for a discount clause whereby a registrant may purchase the land after six months at a price of US$ 1.25 per acre if he makes an application for preemption.”

The foregoing was primarily intended to draw in the people who wanted to acquire land, although it was not explicitly stated that this was a replica of the military grant of land.

Allegiance to the federal government required military service. This also includes the meaning of the people of the southern states, want to prove that there is no betrayal of the federal government is very simple, go to war to fight the rebels will be.

By using land to buy people to go to war and fight, the federal government is undoubtedly undermining the interests of the interests that operate the price of land.

The discount clause at the back is the back door left for them. Only because of the time and the number of registered land per person limit, increase the difficulty of operation.

The effect of the Homestead Act, which has been hailed as a turning point in history, has naturally been overwhelming, and conscription points, which had been shunned by everyone, are now once again lined up with long lines.

……

Compared to the shortcomings in the army, the federal government achieved much more in the navy. Of course now the Confederate government control area has hundreds of ports, with the federal government’s naval strength, naturally impossible to blockade finished.

Still, they did an excellent job nonetheless, and about ten percent of the ships bound for the Confederate government in 1861 were caught.

Don’t think that number was small, but it was actually very difficult for the U.S. Navy to do what it did.

The Royal Navy, which was pulling the wrong side of the tracks, was out from time to time, and in many cases the Cotton Transportation, the British fleet, was not far away keeping an eye on the Confederate Navy.

The problem wasn’t whether or not they could win the fight, but whether they could fight at all. Britain, France, and Austria and Spain had reached an agreement on intervening in the American Civil War, and once the war started it was one against four.

Countries are now short of a persuasive domestic war excuse, in this context, the federal navy can still achieve such results, has been very not easy.

In order to break the blockade, the southern government also formed a navy. Because of the disparity in the number of warships between the two sides, the southern government secretly built ironclad ships, and at this time the northern government was also building ironclad ships.

In March of 1862, the Northern and Southern navies fought to the death in the Hamptons, kicking off the Ironclad War.

Unfortunately, the American naval artillery was not very good, and the Confederate ship Merrimack fired against the Northern ship Monett without any success.

Against this backdrop, in late May 1862, the Austrian Ocean Fleet visited the Confederate government.

Count Hummel and President Jefferson Davis had friendly exchanges and agreed to strengthen bilateral trade cooperation, primarily in labor export services.

On June 7, 1862, the two men signed the Labor Importation Treaty, which stipulated that the Confederate government would import three million laborers from the Austrian colonies over the next ten years, and that the Southern government would bear the entire cost of the immigration and pay the Austrian side 60 guilders per person.

It was a big deal, no doubt about it. The prerequisite was that the Southern government win the war before the treaty could be honored.

In order to attract Austria, the southern government also paid a lot of money.

This is the fist decided, do not look at the Austrian ocean fleet as long as more than seventy warships, but there are five ironclad ships, is currently the most powerful fleet on the East Coast.

Count Hummel proposed, “Your Excellency the President, I think you need a strong navy to suppress the northern government’s fleet and guarantee the smooth flow of overseas trade.”

Promoting warships, Hummel is not the first, the major naval powers in Europe have promoted warships to the Southern government, the Confederate government has also ordered a lot of them, but unfortunately, distant water cannot quench the thirst of the near.

Jefferson Davis replied with a lack of interest, “Yes Your Excellency the Count, we have ordered a number of warships in Europe, but they will not be able to arrive in a short period of time.”

Count Hummel smiled slightly and said, “Your Excellency the President, your need is spot on, ordering warships is just too slow. The battlefield is ever-changing and time is life.

If it is your navy that has the upper hand now, then this war might already be over. All you have to do is blockade the overseas trade of the New England states and the Northern government will have to compromise.”

President Jefferson Davis’ eyes lit up as he heard Count Hummel’s words and asked with limited incredulity, “Is your country interested in selling this fleet?”

Count Hummel replied affirmatively, “Under normal circumstances, we would not sell active equipment, but treating friends can be an exception.”

After a little thought, President Jefferson Davis said cautiously, “Your Excellency the Count, name your price, we won’t let our friends suffer!”

There was no way around it, that even if he knew he was going to be slaughtered, he had to bring it up. Even if the price was more expensive, it was not as big as the loss of the ships intercepted by the northern government.

On the surface, these ship losses were the capitalists’, but in reality, these losses were borne by the southern government, and the northern government’s blockade had raised prices in the southern states and restricted the export of goods.

Most typically, merchant ships had to leave a large number of empty bilges in order to ensure that they had enough speed to escape the Northern Navy. When they encountered the Northern Navy, they often had to throw the ship’s cargo into the sea to reduce their weight in order to increase their speed.

Count Hummel quoted, ” 46 million God’s Guilders, the ocean fleet is sold as a package, with ammunition that can can be used for three major battles, and we offer free training services.”

This is a completely astronomical price, 46 million shields is about 23 million pounds, if you just calculate the cost of building the ship, you can build a royal navy.

Of course 23 million pounds is definitely not enough to buy a Royal Navy, even doubling it is not enough. Building a Royal Navy out of nothing, 100 million pounds is not enough.

The Royal Navy’s world domination relies on not only warships, but also a series of supporting facilities, a huge industrial chain, and well-trained soldiers.

None of these were available to the Southern government, nor were they available to the Northern government. Before the outbreak of the Civil War, the U.S. Navy numbered no more than 10,000, and the Navy of the Southern government was only composed of retired personnel and merchant sailors.

Suffice it to say that the quality of naval officers and men in both the North and South was among the best in the world, but in reverse.

Jefferson Davis thought for a moment and said, “Your Excellency the Count, your offer is too high. How about this, we hire an ocean-going fleet to fight. As long as we suppress the Northern Navy in the harbor, we’ll pay a commission of 46 million divine guilders.”

Hummel shook his head, he wouldn’t dare to take such a business. Don’t look at the short-term suppression of the Northern Navy was very easy, but in reality, the Northern Government’s major shipyards were raining dumplings, and the later the Northern Fleet got, the bigger it got.

If within a year, the southern government can not win this war, the strength of the two sides of the contrast has changed. Even if it was just a matter of sheer numbers, the Northern government would have gained the upper hand.

Expecting to destroy the enemy in a naval battle, it is better not to dream. If you can’t win, can’t you run? After entering the harbor, with the cover of shore artillery, there is nothing they can do.

Unless the Southern government is willing to hand over the army to Austrian command, then there is still some hope. The big thing is to land in Canada and stab the Great Lakes.

Odds are the British wouldn’t mind being the ones to open their eyes, and John Bull had the thick skin to be a scoundrel anyway.

“I’m sorry, we’re a neutral country and can’t enter the war.”

Jefferson Davis just about rolled his eyes, which neutral country sells arms so loudly? Aside from not personally going to war, everything else you can and can’t do, you’ve already done.

These spiteful words can think about it, say it would be too hurt feelings la, no matter how to say the Austrians still support them, is considered half an ally.

” 25 Million Shendian, at this price you guys can at least double your profit.”

This was Jefferson Davis’ estimate based on the ex-works price of the Southern Shipyards, defaulting to the capitalist’s profit and adding the ocean-going costs.

Hummel calculated for a moment and said, “Mr. President, in business, if it is normal times this price is not non-negotiable, but now is an extraordinary time, without more than two times the profit, even if it is a loss.”

……

On July 1, 1862, Austria signed an arms purchase agreement with Nicaragua, and the Vienna government sold the ocean fleet to the Nicaraguan government for 38 million Shenduan.

The news came to the Americas in an uproar, and many were surprised that Nicaragua had the money to buy the Ocean Fleet?

Before anyone could recover, on July 5, 1862, the Nicaraguan government transferred the giant fleet to the government of the South for the same price.

Of course, the fact that it could be sold at this astronomical price was still the result of Count Hummel’s agreement to accept half of the bonds to pay for it. The Southern Government also went to great lengths to bind Austria.

The news had not yet reached Vienna, but the Austrian shipyards were already busy.

The old does not go the new does not come, since the sale of warships, Franz can not let the Austrian Navy no warships available, naturally, to build new ships.

In the future to interfere in the American civil war, or inseparable from the navy, overseas colonization is also inseparable from the navy. It is estimated that the news of the deal back to Europe, the new warships are about to be commissioned.

(End of chapter)