Stars and Stripes in Peril Read Online Free PDF Page B

Is General Sherman here?"
    "He has an office on this floor." Fox made quick notes.
    "See that he joins us, as well as Secretary of War Stanton. Now what about Generals Grant and Lee?"
    "Both of them in the field, I am afraid."
    "We could have used their wise judgement. Unhappily we must do without. Who else?"
    "Since the possible invasion that is being planned will be by sea, perhaps the Secretary of the Navy should be at the meeting as well."
    "Very good. See that Welles joins us on the behalf of our seagoing forces. Let me know when they have been assembled. In the meantime I have much other work to do."

    Hay poked his head around the door and Lincoln looked up from the mountain of paperwork before him.
    "You wanted to be notified as soon as the Mexican party arrived."
    "I did indeed," Lincoln said, happily pushing the papers away from him. "Let's get over there."
    When the President entered the flag-draped conference room the others were already assembled there. Secretary Stanton made the introductions, first to Ambassador Matias Romero, a thin, dark-skinned, dark-haired man with gray hair at his temples.
    "President Juarez, unhappily, does not speak English. If you would permit I will translate for him."
    Romero lifted his hand and Benito Juarez came forward. He was a small and unprepossessing man in a black suit and black tie. His skin was very dark and he had the typical high cheekbones and square nose of a Zapotec Indian from Oaxaca. He looked most commonplace—but Lincoln knew that this was the man who had led the Liberals to victory in the last election and who had united all of Mexico.
    "It is my pleasure to greet you," Lincoln said, "as the leader of our sister republic to the south. And to help you, if possible, in your continuing battle against the usurpers who occupy your country."
    Romero translated as Juarez spoke.
    "I, all of us, appreciate your aid. This so-called emperor, this foreign prince forced upon us by the French armies, has attacked the rights of others. He has seized our goods, assaulted the lives of those who defend our nationality, who makes of these virtues crimes, and his own vices a virtue. But there is one thing beyond the reach of such perversity—the tremendous judgement of history."
    Lincoln nodded agreement. "Well said, Mr. President. But I would like to give history a helping hand if that is at all possible." He looked around. "Now has anyone here any idea of how that can best be done?"
    "We discussed it in some depth before you arrived," Stanton said. "I believe that General Sherman is the one most versed in these matters."
    Sherman had been staring at the map of Mexico that had been mounted on an easel. His cold eyes, like those of a bird of prey, seeing into the future. Seeing the movement of men and machines. Seeing death.
    "The French, Belgian and Austrian troops have occupied all of the large cities. Here, here and here. As well as all of the smaller cities if they are of any strategic value. While the Mexican armies have all been destroyed, the guerrillero bands are still active in these mountains and jungles. These are men who know the country and know how to fight in it. What I propose to do is to supply them with modern rifles and ammunition—and as many cannon as we can get to them through Texas. Once they are armed they will push south. I see no reason why they should not be able to vanquish the French in the field. If the enemy makes a stand in any cities on the way, the cannon will drive them out. As the new army sweeps south it will gain men from the guerrilleros along the way. So, the situation will be such that it will be the direct opposite of the usual attacking force, in that it will gain strength as it advances, instead of growing weaker and weaker as it would normally do through attrition."
    Juarez said something to Romero who nodded, then spoke.
    "The president says that he will write letters to the various commanders that will be encountered on the way, so they