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Pretty action-packed chapter. More to come...
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
After Jake and the others were shipped to Georgia, Jake received a letter from Pierre. Pierre had been promoted to general after his battlefield heroics and he was going to be in the upcoming French invasion of Mexico. Jake, the others, and many other Confederates who were coming back from service in Europe decided to sign up to fight in the invasion. It was widely known that the Confederates and French were going to conquer Mexico and push up into Utah-Nevada, while the British came from Canada.
Pierre was also giving Lisa a free ticket to move to the United States, which pleased Jake very much.
After a few days in Georgia, Jake, Jeffy, the rookies, and five hundred other Confederates were sent to Spanish Cuba to board the French ships. Departing from Havana, the invasion fleet sailed to Mexico.
The army was mainly Confederate and French, with a few Spanish artillery and British infantry units thrown in.
Finally, the day had arrived. The rowboats were let down near Veracruz, on the Mexican coast. Jake did not hesitate to join the French because he knew that Union troops had been sent to Mexico as soon as both announced their entry into the Quadruple Alliance, which, because of the US, had been renamed the Quintuple Alliance.
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Jake readied his Winchester. The boat he, his friends, and twenty other Southerners were in was just a short distance from the shore. Earlier, the initial assault by the French had been fairly successful. French marines had swarmed the Mexican defenses and had captured a key artillery position. The Spanish artillery was brought in and they started lobbing shells into the Mexican trenches and other hastily-constructed defenses. Jake and his men were supposed to push the Mexicans back and make the beach safe enough for the officers and supplies to land.
The boats they were in were long and wide, made out of timber gathered when the fleet was at Cuba. The soldiers in nearby boats were mainly French, although there was a boat of British infantry from South America. They were evidently there as a token force from Victoria.
The Brit's boat was the first to reach shore. Under intense fire, the redcoats swarmed the beach. A Mexican artillery barrage killed their officer and many others as they dashed forward, trying to get into firing position.
The British corporal took over since the officer died. Pointing his baton in a straight line, he struggled to get them into line of battle, “Men over here! Line up, mates! Come on, come on!” Finally, they were in position, “Ready...Aim...All right, chaps, fire into 'em! Unleash hades!” At that, the English fired into the Mexican trenches. Within seconds, Union troops helped the Mexicans roll up the auto guns. Unleashing a punishing volley, the British bodies piled up, “Keep going, mates! Queen Victoria and Old England forever!”
In the trenches, a Union captain barked out orders, “Fix...bayonets! Prepare...OVER THE TOP!” A new wave of Mexican-Union troops surged forward to push the English back.
Jake's boat hit the sandy shore. Now it was his turn. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, he fired his gun to provide covering fire for the others as they bailed out of the boat.
Waving the Confederate flag, Jeffy led the others into the fray. All of them, now including Jake, joined the British in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy.
Almost all of the “Mexican defenders” were Union troops in bright blue trench jackets. Enraged at seeing the Yankees, Jake drew his sword and thrusted it into the chest of a Yankee corporal. Then, he sliced through a nearby blue-clad arm. Blood geysering, he then chopped off the fingers of yet another man. Reversing his sword, without looking he plunged it under his right arm into an attacker sneaking up behind him. He was unable to withdraw his sword from the wound, so he then grabbed a musket from a corpse and started blasting away. His bullets flew true and struck down several Yankees. After bayoneting an infantryman, he regrouped with his friends. Jeffy and the four rookies were still in the fight, though the latter looked white as sheets.
Going forward as a team, the six men charged forward with a loud rebel yell. Well, all except Private Smith. He started running away as fast as any coward ever ran. Jake aimed and fired. The ball hit Smith in the leg, but he kept sprinting and ducked into some trees. Jake had half a mind to chase him down, but he had to focus on the battle. Suddenly, Smith reappeared with a Union soldier chasing him. Jake aimed at the Union trooper. The Yankee fired at and killed Smith with a shot to the neck. After seeing Smith the Deserter collapse in a bloody heap, Jake shot the Yankee dead. Two birds with one stone, as Jake's father always said.
Meanwhile...
LOCATION: French ship Paris
“Admiral Grignard, sir,” said an eager-looking French marine as he entered the Admiral's quarters at the back of the ship, “I beg to report that the Confederates are about to break through through the the chevau de frise! What are your orders, Monsieur Admiral?”
The Admiral looked down at his war map with another man who was present, “Maneuver our ships into range of the chevau de frise and prepare to give covering fire with our 12-pounders. Ask General Navarre here about what the troops should do, private.”
Navarre, a short man with a moustache and a metal pith helmet, pointed his finger at a spot on the map, “This...This spot is where we should bring up the reinforcements to support the Confederates. But infantry is too slow. Cuirassiers. Yes, have the cuirassiers charge from there. It's most fortunate that we just happened to land them moments ago, since they're the only ones on the beach.”
The Private bowed, “Yes, General Navarre, it shall be done!”
After the order reached the cuirassiers...
“Men!” yelled the cavalry's captain...
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LEGO Builder, Writer, Video-Gamer, Greaser, History Professor, Swordsman, and Military Collector. I am the Most Interesting Man in the World. :p
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so I doubt I'll be doing anything tomorrow, so maybe I'll update the story then. 
Yeah, the state of Baja was a result of my weirdness.