Calm Western Europe, turbulent North America.
On April 19, 1775, British troops from Portland were ordered to Concord to seize a private cache of arms. They were passing through Lexington's Meadow when they stumbled upon militia in the midst of firing practice ...
The North American War of Independence began with this slap in the face.
At the Battle of Lexington, the British army was routed with 286 dead and wounded.
On June 14, 1775, the All-American Continental Army was organized, and the following day, George . Washington became Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army the following day.
On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was issued by the Continental Congress and the United States of America was proclaimed.
Great Britain was unusually clumsy in the face of this roaring revolution.
On the one hand, the Navy has not been able to select a suitable successor since the last Governor of the New World Fleet, Baron Elijah Drake, was accidentally killed on his way to take office. On the one hand, since the last Governor of the New World Fleet, Baron Elijah Drake, was accidentally killed on his way to his post, the Navy has not been able to select a suitable successor.
The mighty New World fleet was in chaos for a long time, and it was not until the middle of 1777 that they finally received their new governor, Sir Peter Parker. Sir Peter Parker.
On the other hand, the Colonial Army was mired in another form of chaos.
Early in 1776, John. Burgoyne became Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Territory, dividing his forces from those of William Howe, then Commander-in-Chief of the North American Territory, and succeeding in splitting the already small British army in two. Howe and succeeded in splitting the already small British army in two.
In order to get along with their colleagues at the same level, the two men further divided the army into smaller groups, formulating the massive [New England Divided Campaign], which split the army into three and marched on Albany, New York.
This is a ridiculous military operation.
Three uncontacted units, with a small force, Colonel Barry St. Redege was driven back to his starting point by the Yanks early on.
Commander Howe changed his mind halfway through, diverted to Pennsylvania, and captured Philadelphia, where the Continental Congress was located.
Only the honest Commander Burgoyne, leading a district of 7,000 soldiers, persevered and continued to advance toward the goal.
His troops first captured Fort Tecondroga and then collided head-on with the main U.S. force on the Hudson River, alone and out of ammunition.
On October 17, 1777, John. Burgoyne led his men north of Saratoga Springs to surrender to the U.S. Army in what is known as the Great Victory of Saratoga.
The great victory of Saratoga changed everything.
Beginning in February 1778, France, Holland, and Spain recognized the independence of the United States, and huge fleets sailed to North America.
In one night, the enemies of Great Britain had changed from country bumpkins "unworthy to be called rivals" to half the world.
The early spring trade winds blew up and swept across the vast Atlantic, bringing news of the war back to Europe.
Here was the root of the maritime powers, and the kings still talked and laughed, and endeavored to maintain the last restraint, but the trumpet of war ... had long since blown in the world of merchants.
...
April, 1778, Black Harbor, Elgin.
The Attis Beauty slowly moored into the calm harbor, and Pierce swung off the ship with his pants in his pants, just as Lorraine had done back then, and boom a shilling popped out and landed precisely in the pilot's hand.
In a flash of two years, tiny Pierce was much taller and darker back then.
His every move resembled Lorraine's, even the faint smile that curved at the corner of his mouth was the same as Lorraine's.
"Nice semaphore, Mr. Meade."
Pilot Meade smiled as he collected the shilling, put the double flag away and rubbed Pierce's head.
"How does it feel to be a captain for the first time, little Pierce?"
Pierce's shoulders slumped for a moment.
He cried, "Mr. Meade, it is not the gentleman's business to ask questions knowingly."
"Eh? Knowing ... well that Mr. Drake isn't taking a turn this time?"
"Brother is on rotation." Pierce bashfully hiked his eyes, "But with the form of the sea today, if Brother is not there, Sister Haina must be there. With her at the helm, don't I still have to listen to her even if I put up the name of Governor?"
As they were talking, Hina got off the boat as well.
Two years of sea voyage did not give birth to too many changes in her, still cloaked in a hooded veil, hooded veil, still cool and cold and not too much attention to people, only the figure is taller, and standing next to a tall man does not appear short, just thin, light.
She leapt off the tip of the bow and the four or five meters of height were nothing to her.
She frowned as she walked over to Med and handed a small bag wrapped in greaseproof paper from under her smock.
A wave of unease rose up inside Hyde and he froze, looking at Hina, "This is ..."
"We found Mr. Pimentel's ship on the route, only some wreckage left, no survivors, and here is his journal."
"Old Pimpernel ..."
Hina nodded silently.
Med took a deep breath and accepted the oil bag with both hands, "I'm going to pass the relics to the MC immediately, Ms. Yzra please follow me. Little Pierce, excuse me."
He took Hina and flew away, cursing under his breath as he went.
"Fourth resident this month! This world, is it crazy!"
As Pierce and Mr. Hyde spoke, it's been a bad few months at sea.
The war in the New World has escalated.
The colonial garrisons of England, France, Holland, and the West fought on the soil of the newborn United States, and could not find a moment's peace from sea to land.
The situation in Europe is a bit smoother than in the New World. This is the home country, where every move is fundamental, and the governments dare not act rashly, but maintain a facade of harmony with each other.
It's also the worst possible situation for a black businessman.
With the connivance of the state, the privateering merchants loosened their reins.
The hunt is on.
Overnight, the number of pirates scattered along the route has more than doubled.
Endless pirates drifted on the sea, and the black merchants with few people and weak guns were just the best target for them.
Robbery, Murder, Dumping, Destruction of Ships ...
These past few months, Pierce has lost track of how much bad news he has heard, in Belle Mayo, in Stavanger, and the most ... in Elgin.
Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Dingdong! Dingdong ...
Once again the clock tower on the Boulevard of Prosperity rang out a short, sharp, fearful death knell, indicating that the MC had identified Mr. Pimentel's relics.
The death knell represents the loss of another free, optimistic, and courageous black businessman based in Elgin.
"According to Mr. Meade, Piemont is the fourth ... next ... this month or the next ... when will it be our turn? "
Pierce bit his lip.
Lorraine was powerful, Hina was powerful, and even Noa, who blushed at the sight of people and was unassuming, was far more powerful.
But how valuable can individual strength really be in the face of continuous artillery?
The Drake Merchants are too weak right now.
They only had four standard Kirk-type freighters, and Lorraine had bitten the bullet with four more medium-range six-pounders for each ship.
Those guns basically couldn't penetrate the hull or break the masts, and their only purpose was to fire loose rounds toward the deck with a view to igniting the shells piled up on the deck or killing or wounding the scurrying sailors.
More than once during this time, Pierce recalled scenes from his visit to the Gemini in Stavanger.
Like that kind of twenty-gun Brigantine-type high-speed ship, can't fight, can't run away, Drake merchant group as long as encountered once, inevitably the whole group, shipwrecked.
They've even gone through the ghost gate.
More than forty days ago, on the last trade line, they sailed out of the Borkenfjord with a full load of Scandinavian furs and ran head-on into a Dutch Brigantine.
If it wasn't for the fact that, heaven forbid, the mighty Viking Cranium Corsairs were on their way to Stavanger to resupply, and in doing so expelled the Dutch gunboat that had assumed an attacking stance ...
Can the Drake Merchants escape with their lives?
Brother! What the hell are you hesitating for!
Pierce stared intently at the brass bells that shook and chimed in the distance, took a deep breath, and quickened his pace.
He decided!
Today, Lorraine must be persuaded to buy a ship. Even if he has to put up all the family money that the Drake Merchant Guild has saved over the past two years, he must buy a real gunboat!
Otherwise, it's dead!