1855 United States Tycoon

As Scrooge said, the weakness of the South is obvious. Their most precious thing is that their economy is based on agriculture on vast fields, and it is indeed very difficult militaryly to protect the plantations scattered in large areas. In addition, on the Eastern Front, General Grant continued to attack Richmond almost without hesitating casualties. Although General Robert Force kept repelling his offensives, although in this series of battles, the Southern Army was better than the exchange. They all have obvious advantages, and in several battles, they even achieved a two-to-one exchange ratio. If General Robert E. Lee’s opponent was a person like General McClellan who could not see his own soldiers killed in battle, he might have retreated long ago. But Grant would not be like this. For several months, he bit Robert Eee's army firmly, relying on the advantages of troops and supplies, and firmly approaching Richmond step by step. Therefore, when Sherman was pursuing the "Three Lights Policy" in Mississippi, and when President Davis's hometown was burnt to nothing, the Southern Army could not provide enough troops to deal with Sherman.

Grant's indomitable attack dragged down the main force of the Southern Army, giving Sherman a free time for several months. During this time, he completely destroyed the entire Mississippi state. His opponent, General John Hood, had only one army of no more than four to fifty thousand people, and most of the soldiers in these army were recruited temporarily, and many of them were only fourteen or five years old. But Sherman has a full 100,000 well-trained federal troops in his hands.

Every time, General John Hood tried to rely on a certain town to block Sherman, and Sherman always sent a part of the army to confront him, and then let the other army go around. And go around from behind, cut off General John Hood's supply line, and then General John Hood can only retreat before Sherman's encirclement is completed. In this way, Sherman quickly advanced the front to Georgia, approaching Atlanta, the most important industrial city in the South.

Sherman left Mississippi with his army, but the suffering of Mississippi did not end.

Dorothea straightened up from the field, gasping for breath. Since there was no hoe and no farm tools, she could only use some pointed wooden sticks as farm tools. Most of the free blacks in the manor were taken away by Sherman, and some did not know where they went. Only Jim and Tom remained in the manor. But they are also servants who work at home, and they don’t know anything about farming. Some things are not even as good as Dorothea. Dorothea has read at least some books about agriculture. Woolen cloth.

There are two cellars in the manor. One of them was discovered by the Yankee. Of course, nothing was left. There was a small cellar that was kept. With a little grain in it, Dorothea and Mrs. Stephen, And Jim and Tom survived the winter. Now that spring is here, they drove a small plot of land together and planted it with the little wheat they finally found.

Dorothea slammed her back hard, and she felt that her waist was about to break. "I want to grit my teeth and stand it up. In any case, I want to live and keep the manor."

"Anna, let me listen." Scrooge pressed his ear to Anna's bulging belly. "Ah, this kid is so powerful. He kicked me again."

"Well, it's not as honest as you. It doesn't stop for a moment." Anna said to Scrooge with a smile, but then her face became gloomy, "It's just that he can't call your father or my mother. "

Scrooge stretched out his hand and gently wiped a drop of tears from Anna's face, "Anna, but no matter what, he is our son. No matter what he calls us, he is my son and my heir. Moreover, you can also come to my house in the future, be a nanny for him, take him with him since he was young, and watch him grow up a little bit."

"Well, I know." Tears flowed from Anna's eyes like spring water. "I know, only in this way can he have a decent identity and a decent future. I know..."

Scrooge hugged Anna and gently patted her on the back with his hand. After Anna gradually calmed down, he said:

"Anna, I may not be able to stay here with you recently." Scrooge said, "The war is about to end. There is a big business in Mississippi. I have to go there myself."

"When? How long will it take?" Anna asked.

"Maybe in two months, I will go." Scrooge said.

"Isn't that when the child is about to be born?" Anna grabbed Scrooge's hand tightly.

"Yes, but there is no way. I don't know how many people are staring at the sale now. I must get ahead of him." Scrooge said.

"You can't, can't you not go? Without you, I'm so scared!" Anna held Scrooge's hand tightly, as if she was afraid that Scrooge would fly away if she let go.

"No, this sale is of great significance, even as much as the Pacific Railroad. I have to lay a good foundation for my children." Scrooge said.

"You men always..." Anna seemed to want to say something, but in the end she didn't say anything, just let out a long sigh.

"Before you go, give your child a name," Anna said.

Scrooge thought for a while and said, "Just call Donald."

"Dorothea Miss, someone will find you!" Mrs. Stephen yelled as she ran towards the wheat field.

Dorothea put down the farm tool in her hand and asked, "Mrs. Stephen, who is it?" At this time, the farm tool in her hand was a real farm tool. Not long ago, an old friend of her father, Mr. Leonto, came here. Having visited her, Mr. Leonto also had a very remote hunting ground, hiding in this catastrophe, so he could give Dorothea a little help. However, his manor was also burned down, and he couldn't help Dorothea too much.

Dorothea thought, "Could it be my father's other friends? Now the war is over, but my father's friends are just as poor. By the way, my father still has some northern friends, and they will definitely have more money. "

Although she thinks of the "Northern guy", even if it is a friend of her father, she will feel sick, but as long as they are willing to spend money so that she can rebuild her father's manor, then she can bear it.

"It's a bunch of Yankees!" Mrs. Stephen said, panting. "They said they were the federal government, I yuck! The tax officer sent here."

"Federal government tax officers, what are they here for? They are here to collect taxes? Where can there be any taxes now!" An ominous premonition made Dorothea almost breathless.

"Miss, go and take a look. They brought the soldiers here." Mrs. Stephen said.

"Hold it for me!" Dorothea shoved the hoe into Jim's hand next to her. Just walked towards where they live now.

In the fire, the whole house was burnt down. Later, Dorothea and Jim cut the branches by themselves, found the tiles on the ground that were not completely broken, and barely covered the roof of a house. Now, those damn federal tax officials were waiting for her there.

Dorothea walked over and saw a guy who looked like a man or a ghost, waiting there with a few soldiers carrying guns. Well, there is another person she knows next to him, and that is the youngest son of the Bremers in the east.

"Are you the master of this land?" The ugly man looked at Dorothea up and down, and finally said.

"Yes, this is my home, we don't welcome the Yankee!" Dorothea said, and at the same time she looked at the Bremer's kid with contempt, and said contemptuously: "Traitor!"

The Bremer’s kid lowered his head, and the ugly guy said, "This is your home, and it won’t be anymore! According to federal statutes, you must pay this year’s taxes, totaling $400! President Lincoln is very Kindness, he said that considering that the war has just passed, half of the tax can be waived for families who did not support the rebels. Even so, you have to pay $200. If you don't pay within three days, you can wait for the land to be auctioned! "

"Mr. Soros, their family is a rebel!" The Bremer kid said suddenly, "Her Big Brother is an officer of the rebel army!"

"Hill! You bastard! Viper! Judas!" Dorothea wanted to rush to beat him. But a soldier stopped her with a bayonet-mounted rifle.

"Ah, so you are not within the slowdown range. We will come again in three days, Miss, please prepare 400 dollars. Okay, let's go!" So the tax officer, the soldiers and Judas left like this.

Dorothea stood there blankly, and she felt that this time, she really couldn't stand it anymore. 400 US dollars, if it were before the war, it would not be a big deal for them, but now, after experiencing so many things, even five US dollars can not be found in the entire estate. The wheat is about to mature. Now cut them off and you can exchange them for about twenty-five dollars, and sell all the farm tools in your hands, maybe eight to ten dollars, and then...

Dorothea tried hard to think about it, her head was a size bigger, but she couldn't figure out what else could be sold in exchange for the 400 dollars.

"I can't think about it anymore, I'll be crazy if I think about it again. Think about it tomorrow, tomorrow I will definitely find a way..." Dorothea said to herself.

"Elizabeth, we are here." Scrooge and Elizabeth got off the boat, and the damn Sherman was so thoroughly damaged that the railroad was blocked. Scrooge had to change into a ship on the Mississippi and rushed over. .

"Look! Elizabeth, look at this vast land! I must hold them firmly in my hands! By the way, Elizabeth, do you have any acquaintances, do you want to visit?" Scrooge asked.

"My acquaintances? I really want to see what they look like now! Hahahaha!" Elizabeth lowered her voice and laughed, "Unfortunately they all live far away, and they can't fall there today."

"Today we are staying at Picayune for one night. I have a friend here. We can visit him tomorrow. Well, I hope they are all well." Scrooge said.

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