Chapter 2548 Battle of Barn Mountain

At the beginning of June 1626, George Vasa had not yet arrived, and the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army was temporarily represented by Baron Benedict Laval.

Originally, Laval had no enthusiasm for this transitional position. Anyway, no matter how hard he tried to manage the army, the final credit would fall on the head of the real commander-in-chief, George Vassar, so why did he bother to make wedding dresses for others?

It is precisely because of this negative mentality that is almost angry that Laval came to the town of Idalil, where the headquarters of the Continental Army is located, in mid-May. "Hands-off shopkeeper".

As the leading general in the New World, Laval has already seen through the many shortcomings of the Continental Army. He also knows that these problems are very difficult and cannot be solved in a short time.

If he were the commander-in-chief of Zhengyin, he would of course make great efforts to rectify military discipline, strictly train troops, and raise equipment, but when he thought that the Continental Congress had elected an unknown man like George Vassar as the commander-in-chief, he couldn't help being discouraged, and would rather do more than less For one thing, I just need to keep this mess, let George Vassar worry about other troublesome things!

However, with the passage of time, the situation at home and abroad has changed rapidly, and General Laval's mentality has also undergone subtle changes.

In early June, Laval received a letter from his old boss, Sir William Nichols, the president of the Continental Congress.

Sir Nichols admitted frankly in his letter that most of the envoys sent by the Continental Congress to various countries for assistance were rejected.

The three governments of Ashan, Hailan and Baoshihua refused to recognize the legitimacy of the Continental Congress, let alone provide any form of military assistance.

The attitudes of the Canaanites and the Far Easterners were a little bit better, and they didn't say anything dead, but it was not so easy to get substantial benefits from them. The Continental Army had to fight a few good battles first to prove that it was worthy of foreign friends. Note.

The representatives of the Continental Congress entrusted Sir Nichols to write this letter in order to consult General Laval's opinion. Is it possible for the Continental Army to fight a battle that will impress foreign friends?

If Laval was sure, the Continental Congress would authorize him to act on the cheap.

This letter made the flame of ambition that was almost extinguished in Laval's chest ignite again!

He was determined to seize this rare opportunity while George Vassar was not yet in office, and use a victory to prove that the Continental Congress's failure to choose him as commander in chief was an unforgivable mistake.

Therefore, General Laval immediately wrote back to Sir Nichols, and took the initiative to invite Ying to start a campaign, trying to win the beauty, win the appreciation of foreign friends, and help diplomats win more bargaining chips at the negotiating table!

General Laval's high-spirited reply surprised the representatives of the Continental Congress, and immediately authorized him to choose the right time to launch the offensive.

The representatives of the Continental Congress fought side by side with the front-line fighters in spirit. As for the guns, ammunition and logistical supplies... Sorry, you just make do with it first. To win this battle, there will be bread and bullets. There will also be promotions and promotions.

General Laval hadn't expected to get substantive promises from those bureaucrats. The most urgent task at the moment was to concentrate his strength and win the battle.

The strength of the Continental Army is comparable to that of the Feizhen troops stationed in the city. The level of equipment and actual combat experience are not at the same level. The only advantage is the strong morale. Inspired by the "Declaration of Independence", the passionate young people who take the initiative to join the army at the front are not afraid of bloodshed sacrifice.

General Laval has always adhered to the principle of kindness and no soldiers, but he does not want to force the boys to attack the enemy's heavily guarded fortress, because this kind of meaningless sacrifice will not bring him victory, but will damage his reputation. make him look stupid.

It is unwise to confront Fiji's regular army head-on on the plains. Laval needs a better entry point and chooses a battlefield that is most beneficial to himself, so as to bridge the gap between the enemy and us in terms of equipment and individual quality. Only in this case is it possible for the weak to defeat the strong.

Laval convened a meeting of his generals to plan, and finally selected the target as Barn Hill on the Riding Boot Peninsula.

The reason why he chose to occupy Barn Hill is actually exactly the same as Governor Winthrop's thinking:

Set up a cannon from the barn hill, and the shells can be blasted directly into the city of New Avalon. Although the actual damage caused is limited, it can cause the maximum psychological deterrence to the people in the city, which in turn arouses heated discussions at home and abroad, creating a great advantage for our side. Great vibe.

Foreign friends must have been very happy when they saw the headline in the newspaper, "New Avalon was shelled by the Continental Army and fell soon."

Anyway, it is impossible for gringos to visit the battlefield in person. As long as the Continental Army makes a big splash, creates public opinion, and coaxes foreign friends to sign checks and provide military aid, Laval's goal will be achieved.

Coincidentally, when Laval was planning to capture the highlands of Barn Mountain, the "Sons of Liberty" in New Avalon found out that Governor Winthrop and his generals planned to enter the Horseshoe Peninsula on June 15.

When Laval received this information, he couldn't help but feel a dilemma.

If you don't act quickly, the enemy army will take the first step to occupy the barn mountain, and all the good prospects you have planned before will be in vain.

Conversely, if the offensive is launched now, since the reorganization and supplies of the army are not yet ready, and the artillery has not yet been transported, the risk of rushing out troops is too great.

What choice should we make?

If George Vassar was in Laval's position, he would definitely choose to stay still and preserve his vitality.

However, Laval is not George Vassar. The two of them are like a pair of mirror images. They are completely opposite in terms of origin, personality, and command style. Launch a military adventure.

Laval learned early on that a successful general had to be ruthless enough to not mind building a legacy on the bones of his colleagues and subordinates.

His military experience over the years has continuously strengthened his philosophy, and this time is no different.

On the evening of June 12, 8,000 soldiers of the Continental Army, led by General Laval, left the position at the neck of the peninsula. After more than two hours of marching, they boarded the barn mountain in the dark.

Laval commanded the militia to dig trenches, build forts, and with the assistance of spellcasters accompanying the army, they built a decent fortification on the mountain before dawn.

Thank you book friend: tce, reward 500 starting coins this week