Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 332 Late 1861
Nothing went smoothly for Lincoln during his first few months as president. European countries were paying increasing attention to the Confederate States of America, and Britain even deployed a large number of troops in Canada.

The civil war, which lasted for nearly a year, resulted in at least 200,000 casualties for the federal government. The brutal losses fueled the soldiers' war-weariness. The patriotism that had been stirred up had long been worn away by the bloodshed.

It's not just the western states that haven't met their recruitment targets; even the core states of the federal government face recruitment difficulties. States at war, or those near the battlefield, prioritize their own security, making coordination and cooperation on the battlefield challenging and hindering the effective use of numerical superiority.

These are unsolvable problems. State officials are elected, and if they cannot guarantee the security of their state, they will only lose the next election.

Fortunately, the Russian Empire in Europe was willing to support him. This was some consolation for Lincoln.

After experiencing all this, Lincoln decided to implement the Homestead Act as soon as possible to gain the support of western farmers.

The Homestead Act states: "Any head of household or any citizen of the United States who is 21 years of age or older and has never participated in a rebellion may register for a homestead not exceeding 160 acres, having sworn that the land is acquired for cultivation purposes and having paid a fee of $10. After residing on and cultivating the homestead for five years, the registrant may obtain a land certificate and become the owner of the homestead."

It also stipulates a compensation clause, which states that if the registrant applies for priority purchase, they can purchase the property at a price of US$1.25 per acre after 6 months.

To pledge allegiance to the federal government, one must serve in the military, which also applies to people in the southern states.

This law directly swayed public support for the North, and recruitment centers quickly filled up again. Everyone wanted land.

Moreover, compared to the shortcomings in the army, the federal government has achieved far greater success in the navy. Of course, the Confederate government now controls hundreds of ports, and with the federal government's naval strength, it's impossible to blockade them all. Nevertheless, they have done a very good job.

To break the blockade, the Southern government also formed a navy. Due to the vast disparity in the number of warships between the two sides, the Southern government secretly built ironclad warships, while the Northern government was also building ironclad warships, preparing for a confrontation.

The Confederate States of America was desperately short of money. As the saying goes, you don't know the cost of living until you're in charge; President Davis certainly experienced it firsthand. With cotton exports cut off, government revenue plummeted by 70%, forcing them to impose other taxes to keep the government afloat. They also sold off everything they could, including railway construction rights nationwide.

Davis requested that the visiting Mexican ambassador deliver the treaty to Britain and France. In the treaty, the Confederate States of America pledged to grant Britain and France trade privileges and priority in investment within Confederate territory after the war. Furthermore, the Confederate States of America committed to close cooperation with Britain and France in future international affairs.

Napoleon III showed great interest in the Confederate request. He hoped that by supporting the Confederacy, he could weaken American power and create opportunities for French expansion in the Americas.

Meanwhile, on the Paris Stock Exchange, the Confederate railroad company issued new shares, raising the price to $8 per share. This was because the South declared its intention to build railroads on every inch of land, and the Confederate Congress approved the bill. It's believed the price can rise even higher in the future. The Confederates, in a desperate move, are now scrambling for funds worldwide. Iran offered them a crucial deal: $1200 million for domestic oil exploration rights. With no better option at the moment, they signed the agreement.

With this money, Davis decided to bet on Robert E. Lee, allocating all his resources to his Northern Virginia Army in the hope that he could achieve the same results as before.

Lincoln ordered a general offensive with 50 troops. The Union army achieved successive victories on the Western Front, but suffered repeated defeats on the Eastern Front. Urged on by Lincoln, Union General McClellan hastily launched the "Peninsula Campaign," attempting to capture Richmond. Robert E. Lee hastily led his army to meet the attack. In the Seven Days' Battle, General Lee drove the Union army out of the peninsula near Richmond. For saving the capital, he was hailed as the savior of Richmond. With this favorable situation, Robert E. Lee decided to press his advantage, aiming directly at Washington.

At this time, the arms shipment from Mexico also arrived. This time, another 4000 million rounds of machine gun ammunition, along with 2000 Molotov cocktails, were delivered.

On December 3, 1861, General Macmillan of the Union led 100,000 men to attack Robert E. Lee's army, which numbered only 65000. Under the command of Jackson, known as the "Stonewall General" for his strong defenses, the Confederate troops withstood wave after wave of Union attacks. The Nadir machine gun once again proved its might, mercilessly reaping the lives of Union soldiers like the scythe of death.

The Union army suffered heavy casualties, with 1.3 soldiers either killed or wounded. General Robert E. Lee's tactical command and decisive decision-making enabled the Confederate army to achieve victory in the battle. His plan greatly boosted the morale of the Confederate army.

General Macmillan's command errors in the battle put the Union army on the defensive. His hasty attack and unprepared tactics put the Union forces at a disadvantage. After two days of fighting, the Union army suffered more than 2.1 casualties, and the number of wounded was more than twice the total casualties of the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Spanish-American War.

General Robert E. Lee decided to press his advantage and set his sights on Washington. He hoped to force the Union to submit through a decisive victory. Meanwhile, following this battle, British Prime Minister Palmerston finally submitted a proposal to Parliament to recognize the Confederate States of America. Parliamentary debate is currently underway.

At this critical juncture, on December 14th, Mexico officially declared war on the United States of America and issued a conscription order, recruiting 150,000 men to advance north. This news was like a bombshell, instantly igniting international public opinion. Mexico's entry into the war not only further complicated the situation of the Civil War but also plunged the entire American continent into an unprecedented state of tension.

The Mexican government claims that the United States posed a threat to Mexico's territory and sovereignty during the Civil War. They also accuse the US of supporting opposition forces within Mexico in an attempt to overthrow the government, which they claim they had to do in order to defend their country.

The Confederate States of America welcomed Mexico's declaration of war, viewing it as a heavy blow to the Union. President Lincoln immediately ordered a reinforcement of military forces along the southern border to counter any potential Mexican attack.

Under these circumstances, Europe began to soften its stance. Belgium and the Netherlands were the first to recognize the Confederate States of America, followed by Bavaria, Hesse, and Baden. On Christmas Day, the French government announced its formal recognition of the Confederate government. This was an unprecedented and momentous announcement; Europe had finally begun to take sides.

(End of this chapter)