Chapter 597 Adding Fuel to the Fire

Chapter 590 Adding fuel to the fire

"Is there still no one in the abolitionist states who can provide substantial help to John Brown?" Liang Yao invited Pinkerton, the director of the California CIA, to Weixiuju in Sacramento to inquire about John Brown's situation.

Brown, now 5 years old, was born into a poor white farmer's family in Connecticut, northeastern America. Because his father was an abolitionist, Brown was influenced by anti-slavery ideas since childhood. When he grew up, John Brown was not surprisingly influenced by his family style and grew up to be a staunch abolitionist.

John Brown was also one of the main organizers of the "Underground Railroad" movement, transferring a large number of black fugitives from the South through underground tunnels, successfully crossing the tight blockade of the South, and sending them to the North. He established prestige among black people and many abolitionists.

In 1850, John Brown established a black armed organization, the Gilead League, in Springfield, and made organizational preparations for the armed struggle to liberate southern blacks.

In 1854, the Kansas Civil War broke out, and John Brown resolutely led his Gilead Confederacy to participate in this local civil war.

Because the armed personnel of the Gilead Confederacy were well-trained and had high morale, they really participated in the Kansas Civil War with the belief of liberating black slaves in the South. Therefore, this armed force has defeated the attacks of the Southern armed groups several times, which has caused great headaches for the Southern armed groups.

John Brown's Gilead Confederacy is one of the few northern armed forces that can fight against the organized armed groups in the South and sometimes even win.

Although the Gilead Confederacy performed very well in the Kansas Civil War, this local civil war that has not ended for five years made John Brown lose patience.

John Brown believed that it would not be possible to successfully liberate all the black slaves in the South by just fighting in the frontier area of ​​Kansas.

He decided to do a big job and go south directly to lead the armed uprising of black slaves in southern states to overthrow the rule of local slave owners.

As it happens, Liang Yao now wants to use John Brown, the flagship figure of the abolitionists, to make a big move, so that the Buchanan government will not be too idle and find something for them to do. So that they don't always focus on the West.

"After John Brown left Kansas, more than 20 diehards were willing to follow him. The Yankees thought that more than 20 people would not be able to accomplish anything, and the South hated John Brown to the core, so no one was willing to provide substantial help to John Brown for the time being." Pinkerton introduced.

"This kid always talks about liberating Virginia and planting the flag of freedom on every inch of the United States, so many people think he is a boastful drunkard."

Just more than 20 people want to liberate the South's base camp, Virginia, a state with outstanding people and beautiful scenery. It really sounds like drunken nonsense. It would be abnormal if he was not considered a drunkard.

Liang Yao had heard a little about the deeds of this ruthless man on the eve of the American Civil War. John Brown was not a drunkard, but a respectable madman, a true abolitionist fighter. If he was given a gun and people, he would really dare to lead more than 20 people to attack Virginia, the old nest of the South.

"Send him a batch of arms secretly." Liang Yao told Pinkerton, "This matter must be done secretly without leaving any traces. Send smart people to do it. Do you understand?"

"I understand, I'll do it now." Pinkerton didn't know why Liang Yao would support a drunkard, but since Liang Yao had already assigned him a task, he would just follow Liang Yao's requirements. The general did this, of course, for his own considerations.

After assigning the task to Pinkerton, Liang Yao prepared to go out with Ge Wen to visit his mentor, former Secretary of the Treasury Corwin.

Corwin had just settled in Sacramento yesterday and reluctantly accepted the house given to him by Ge Wen.

As a California Senator and Secretary of State, Ge Wen, who usually has to manage his own business, has long been overwhelmed.

In addition, Ge Wen himself was mediocre in ability, so Ge ​​Wen also hoped that Corwin could replace him as Secretary of State, so that he could also unload the burden of Secretary of State. It just so happened that Liang Yao also had the idea of ​​setting an example and attracting elites and capital from the East to the West. So he and Ge Wen hit it off and agreed to visit Corwin together today and invite Corwin to serve as Secretary of State.

As long as Corwin agreed to nod as Secretary of State, Liang Yao would say hello to Fremont and let Fremont nominate Corwin as Secretary of State. Finally, Corwin would go through the process in the State Assembly and the Senate, and Corwin would be able to take office immediately.

Fremont also gave face to Ge Wen and Corwin. When he heard that Ge Wen was going to visit Corwin with Liang Yao, he also expressed his willingness to visit Corwin together.

"In order to commend your outstanding performance in maintaining public security in the western region and in the second US-Mexico border conflict. President Buchanan has nominated you as a candidate for Lieutenant General, and the nomination has been sent to the Senate for voting." After meeting Liang Yao, Ge Wen congratulated Liang Yao with a happy face.

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

The value of the American Lieutenant General is self-evident.

Once Liang Yao's nomination as Lieutenant General is approved by the Senate, Liang Yao will become the third Lieutenant General of the United States after the founding president Washington and the current Secretary of War Scott.

To be honest, the rank of Lieutenant General is indeed very tempting. There are many Brigadier Generals in the United States, but Scott is the only living Lieutenant General.

In other words, once Liang Yao becomes a Lieutenant General, he will be the undisputed number two figure in the American military.

And Scott is already 80 years old. I heard that Scott has been ill recently and will not live long. Liang Yao is only 30 years old this year. As long as he can hold on for a few more years, he will be the top figure in the military in the future.

"Congratulations! Congratulations!" Fremont also expressed his heartfelt congratulations to Liang Yao.

"Why are you so happy?" Liang Yao still maintained a calm attitude and said very calmly, "There will be no cheese falling in the world. And with my qualifications, I am not qualified for the position of lieutenant general. His Excellency the President suddenly nominated me as a lieutenant general, I am afraid it is a disaster."

Liang Yao did not think this was a happy event, but a disaster.

George Washington was promoted to lieutenant general in the last year of his life, that is, 1799. George Washington was 67 years old at that time.

Scott was also promoted to lieutenant general when he was 70 years old and in poor health.

The rank of lieutenant general before the Civil War was actually more like an honorary rank, prepared for dying people who made outstanding contributions to the construction of the American army.

Scott was a pure accident. No one expected that Scott, who was old, had bad living habits, and looked not in good health, would live until after the Civil War.

Liang Yao thought that his contribution to the United States was not enough to allow the federal government to award him the rank of lieutenant general. It was even less enough to be compared with Washington and Scott.

Since he was not nominated as a lieutenant general simply for his merits, Buchanan's intention of nominating him as a lieutenant general at this time was very intriguing.

"From what you said, this piece of cheese is the bait on the mousetrap?" Fremont thought about it and felt that it made sense.

The three of them walked and talked. When Liang Yao had just stepped out of the door of Weixiuju, his assistant Carnegie caught up with a telegram in his hand and said breathlessly: "Boss, the telegram from His Excellency the President and the Secretary of War."

Buchanan and Scott called at the same time?

Liang Yao was very surprised that Washington had not made a clear statement on his military preparations and called after Christmas.

Everyone present were people Liang Yao could trust, so there was no need for Liang Yao to hide anything and he openly read the telegram in public.