Stars and Stripes in Peril Read Online Free PDF Page A

narrow isthmus, barely a hundred miles of land, separates the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Here, on the Pacific shore, is where the unusual activity is taking place. Earlier reports were very vague. That was why I sent O'Higgins there to find out what we could. His report is most detailed and most accurate. There are troops there, many of them, regiments of soldiers. And they are not French or Austrian."
    Lincoln looked up, startled.
    "They are British," Fox said grimly. "Our recent enemy seems to be thinking about war and invasion again."
    "A road," O'Higgins said. "Would you believe that they have invaded Mexico, right here, and are now engaged in building a road across the isthmus from one ocean to the other. I have watched them laboring to cut through what has been, up to now, the trackless jungle. I do not envy them their labors in the heat. Many of them sicken and die at this thankless task. But troop transports arrive from across the Pacific quite often and their numbers grow. I have reported all of these facts to Mr. Fox, as well as the names and the numbers of the regiments of troops involved."
    "They are all troops from the various countries of the British Empire," Fox said. "Indian for the most part, as well as some English regiments that were stationed in the remote corners of the Empire. And I believe what they are planning is obvious, although I have no exact knowledge as such. I am sure that when I get reports from our agents in Britain they will support what is, so far, just a supposition."
    "Which is?" Lincoln asked.
    "Invasion," Fox said. Striding over to a map of the United States and tapping the Gulf coast close to New Orleans. "In the soft underbelly of our country. They can pick a landing site, anywhere from Texas to Florida, and land there in overwhelming numbers. There is a thousand miles of coastline here, and it is impossible to defend all of it at the same time. Troop transports in ballast could leave England and sail swiftly across the Atlantic, protected all of the way by warships. Without advance knowledge of their course, position and strength, there is little that we could do to stop them. Once they have reached Mexico they could load the soldiers from the east here, at the port of Vera Cruz, on the Atlantic shore. And the new road is going to that seaport."
    "You are sure of that?" Lincoln asked.
    "With my own ears," O'Higgins said. "I heard two of their officers talking and they mentioned that city as the road's destination. I had heard it mentioned before, in passing, but these officers were quite positive about it. Of course they had no idea that I could understand what they were saying."
    "This is indeed unhappy news," the President said, shaking his head. "I had hoped that our cousins in Britain would come to their senses once they had been defeated. It appears that defeat has only incensed them the more."
    Fox nodded in somber agreement. "Their plan is a good one. They can mass overwhelming troops at Vera Cruz, bring in the transports—then strike! Once the soldiers are boarded and at sea, guarded all the way by ironclads, they can attack at any time—and at any place they might wish. If they can strike fast enough, before reports reach us, why there is no way that we can stop them from putting those troops ashore."
    "This is terrible, disastrous," Lincoln said. "Then—what can be done?"
    "The answer to that is a simple one. But it might be very difficult to achieve."
    Lincoln looked puzzled. "Please enlighten me."
    Fox touched the map of Mexico again. No, he did not touch it—he slammed his fist hard onto it.
    "We stop them here. We stop the road being built. We harass the troops and make it impossible for them to reach the Atlantic Ocean. Without these troops there can be no invasion."
    "That is a tall order, young man," Lincoln said. He approached the map, put his finger on Texas, then traced down the length of Mexico to the isthmus. "That is a powerful long way to march our men.