I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 117

Ohio is located south of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes.

With an area roughly ten times that of Gyeonggi Province [a province in South Korea], it was naturally not a land solely occupied by the Shawnee.

The primary tribe holding sway there was the Cherokee, who had been fighting to protect their land since the 17th century.

Still, New France didn’t try to directly displace them.

Like the Shawnee, they had fought on the side of France during the Seven Years’ War.

Instead, they sent Pukeshinwa, the Shawnee representative, to offer them naturalization.

The Cherokee flatly refused.

Chiyu Ganchini, in particular, who was leading the Cherokee and spearheading the resistance, wouldn’t even listen to Pukeshinwa’s persuasion.

“We are willing to form an alliance, but we have no intention of submitting to the whites and sucking up to them. We have already found an effective way to fight the white bastards.”

Known as Dragging Canoe by the Americans, and a figure they feared, he was riding high on a series of victories.

“But the whites are battle-hardened veterans. If you keep fighting the same way, it will soon become ineffective.”

“The Muskogee of the South have already agreed to join us. If you want to side with the whites, I won’t stop you, but don’t interfere with our fight.”

“…I understand for now. But time is short, so please make a wise decision.”

Pukeshinwa expressed his intention to remain outside Cherokee territory for a while.

Dragging Canoe told him to do as he pleased and lost interest in the Shawnee.

“Whether it’s New France or the United States, it’s ridiculous. Who do they think they are, treating this land like their own private property?”

Pukeshinwa gave a bitter smile at Dragging Canoe’s words, which echoed his own sentiments from the past.

Of course, he didn’t think that spirit was wrong.

However, turning both the United States and France into enemies would only result in bloodshed for his people.

Even though he hadn’t spent a long time in New France, Pukeshinwa’s perspective had broadened considerably.

He could foresee what would happen in the future.

And in less than a few months, his ominous prediction became a reality.

Surprisingly, it was the Cherokee who launched the first attack, not the United States.

From the Cherokee’s point of view, it was a legitimate attack.

They sent a warning to the Americans who had arbitrarily begun settling in the Kentucky region, known for its fertile and vast soil.

Naturally, the United States ignored the Cherokee’s warning and established several settlements.

Dragging Canoe, considering this an invasion, took action with the allied Muskogee.

It was a large-scale attack involving more than 1,000 warriors.

However.

“Sweep away all these savage Indians!”

“They’re stupidly crawling out on their own. They don’t know their place!”

Bang! Bang!

The Cherokee, who had ambitiously launched the attack, were met with the sound of exploding gunpowder.

Tat-tat-tat!

Only the roar of muskets pouring down a rain of death.

“Aaaah! Save me!”

“Run away! Run away!”

“You bastards! Die, you invaders!”

Some ran away, others prepared to die and charged, and still others froze in place, unsure of what to do.

The Native American coalition quickly fell into disarray and collapsed without putting up a proper fight.

“Don’t panic! If you retreat beyond the border, they won’t be able to chase you. Retreat as planned!”

Dragging Canoe, ignoring the bullet that grazed his shoulder, managed to rally the collapsing warriors.

Fortunately, he had given them a warning before the battle in case this situation occurred.

The warriors, who somehow escaped the panic, retreated to New France territory.

“The Americans’ response is strangely swift… what happened?”

Suddenly, Pukeshinwa’s warning flashed through his mind.

Still, it’s okay so far.

This time, they were too straightforward in attacking the settlements, and their movements were anticipated.

Anyway, they can’t invade this far, so if we reorganize our forces and circle around to the south and attack…

“Chief! Scouts report that the Americans are chasing us and slowly moving west!”

“Don’t worry about it! They can’t cross the border anyway.”

“No! They have already crossed the border and are continuing to search the area!”

“What!”

Dragging Canoe, who firmly believed that the United States wouldn’t cross into Ohio, was momentarily stunned.

Did Pukeshinwa foresee this situation and warn him?

If so, it means that France and the United States are joining forces and moving south.

If they are attacked from both sides, the situation is desperate.

“Evacuate the villagers in the path of the Americans! And send scouts north to see if the New French army is moving!”

“Yes!”

“Damn it… what the hell is going on.”

Even in the midst of his panic, Dragging Canoe quickly assessed the situation and tried to come up with countermeasures.

The problem was that the United States’ movements were much faster than his.

George Washington was fundamentally different from the Native American chiefs who only had scattered battle experience.

From the moment he decided on the mop-up operation, Washington mobilized troops from all directions in conjunction with each state.

2,500 troops from North Carolina crossed the river and searched Native American villages, and 2,000 regular troops from Pennsylvania crossed the border.

In an instant, more than 30 villages were destroyed, and hundreds of civilians were killed.

Even the survivors were captured and sold into slavery.

“You bastards!”

The offensive was so fierce that the battles they had fought so far felt like a joke.

Dragging Canoe reorganized the remaining troops and attempted an ambush attack on the riverbank, but even that was anticipated and countered.

The national power of the United States, determined to wage war, was already beyond the level that Native American tribes could handle.

To make matters worse, a report arrived that New French troops were coming down from the north.

In the end, after only two months, the Cherokee concluded that further resistance was impossible.

Hundreds of warriors were killed by the Americans, and countless houses and orchards were burned.

The United States, purging the Native Americans, showed no mercy, to the point of being terrifying.

Like sweeping away dust with a broom, the Native Americans who lived in the American territory lost their homes and were pushed to Ohio and Indiana.

No matter how desperately they fought to protect their families and land, the fundamental difference in power was too great.

The United States army, unified and battle-hardened through the war with England, was on a different level than before.

What can’t be done, can’t be done.

The Native Americans, overwhelmed by the disparity in power, naturally had a sense of defeat and fear instilled in their minds.

Dragging Canoe gathered those who had been driven out and planned to wage a final battle.

However.

“Now is the last chance. If the New French army arrives, all that remains for everyone is death. Prince Christian has guaranteed our safety if we become citizens of New France and recognize his authority.”

As if he knew this would happen, Pukeshinwa contacted the displaced Native Americans and began to persuade them.

“How can we believe that? They may just be making sweet talk and planning to enslave us.”

“Not only us, but several tribes have already decided to side with France, and they are actually being treated well. New France is different from the United States.”

“…They’re still the same whites…”

“Our Native Americans are not all the same Native Americans. Even just a few years ago, they were fighting each other.”

Christian had given clear instructions in advance.

The tribes that accept the offer first will be treated the same as the Iroquois Confederacy or the Shawnee.

And even if they are a little late, those who submit before the army arrives will not be given a seat in the council, but they will not be forcibly relocated.

However, those who join after the New French army arrives will be forcibly relocated and will not be granted citizenship.

Finally, the survival of the tribes who do not lay down their arms until the end cannot be guaranteed.

In other words, there is not much time left.

Pukeshinwa and the Shawnee desperately continued to persuade them in order to save as many people as possible.

Fortunately, many of the Native Americans who had been badly treated by the American army chose to go under New France.

This was because the pressure from those who were sweeping people away like erasers and advancing was terrifying.

As one tribe defected, other tribes simultaneously expressed their intention to side with New France.

No matter how hard they tried to fight to the death, if there were not enough people to follow them, it would only be a suicide attack.

“Still, I will not give in! Rather than live under the invaders, I will become a spirit and curse them!”

Even in the midst of this, there were those who did not give in until the end, like Dragging Canoe.

Pukeshinwa did not give up persuading them until the very end, but in the end, the final moment came mercilessly.

“I have given you enough time.”

With that declaration, New France no longer accepted any more Native Americans in Ohio and Indiana.

And the last warriors led by Dragging Canoe were swept away by the American army that rushed in like a tidal wave.

With this battle, no large-scale battles took place in New France’s Indiana and Ohio, and America’s Kentucky.

It took less than half a year for this vast territory, wider than most European countries, to calm down.

Of course, sporadic battles occasionally occurred, and it couldn’t be said that the reclamation was complete, but the speed at which settlements were created gained momentum.

The territorial expansion of both countries, later called the Great Reclamation Era, showed such a smooth start.

※※※

…Aside from things going well, the Toronto government offices have been busier than ever these days.

Beyond the extent to which meetings are held, there were more days with meetings than days without meetings in a 24-hour period, and those who didn’t go home lined up even if I didn’t give them a hint.

This is because the work of building a new administrative system from scratch was in full swing.

“Shouldn’t you take a break while working?”

It was Marie’s worried words when I returned to the bedroom after three days.

I didn’t need to look in the mirror to predict my condition, but I can’t help it now.

“My subordinates are working hard day and night, so I can’t rest.”

“No… isn’t it because you don’t leave that other people can’t leave work?”

“…Is that so?”

Could it be that without me even noticing, I had become like a professor who didn’t leave the lab and put unspoken pressure on people?

“Then I’ll try telling them that I’m going home early tomorrow.”

“That’s good. I went to take a peek yesterday… Lavoisier’s dark circles under his eyes had gone down to his chin. People really die like that, you know?”

“…I clearly warned them in advance. It’s the New World you chose, so you have to endure it with evil and grit…”

“They can’t handle it.”

She’s more determined than I thought.

Judging from her tone, I could feel that she was a little upset.

Honestly, I had only spent one day a week with Marie for the past month, so she must have been angry.

Especially since this place is more secluded than Paris, and there are fewer social gatherings like salons [social gatherings held to discuss intellectual and artistic ideas], so how bored would she have been?

Right now, there is also a procession of immigrants coming from France, which is also chaotic, but I won’t make any hasty promises because it may continue like this in the future.

Instead, I took out a letter that had arrived from France and naturally changed the subject.

“I was too busy yesterday to see it, but a letter came from my brother. I don’t know what it says, so shall we read it together?”

“Okay.”

Marie leaned back in her chair.

I glanced away from her, who was narrowing her eyes, and read the letter aloud.

The first part was mostly trivial personal matters, and the main point came after the middle.

-I heard that you are successfully continuing the reclamation. There are also stories that you are giving too many benefits to the submissive Indians, but every time I say that it is right to trust and leave what you are doing without question. My grandfather also said that New France is under your jurisdiction, so if you have anything to say, send a letter directly to you.

As expected, now that I’m not in Paris, are there slowly starting to be complaints?

I should schedule a trip back by next year at the latest.

-By the way, recently my grandfather has been saying more and more that his body is not the same as before, so I am very worried. He will be 70 years old soon, so he can’t always be healthy…

Having read that far, I paused with the letter in my hand.

When I turned my head, Marie was also looking at me with a worried face.

After roughly skimming through the contents of the latter part, I folded the letter and placed it on the desk.

“It seems that the time to give the officials who have been working day and night a vacation has come sooner than I thought.”

Marie nodded slowly with a complicated expression.

The initial goals of coming here have already been achieved, and even if I’m not here, things will go well for a few months, so it might be a good time.

I immediately ordered Lavoisier to be summoned and canceled all official schedules that had been scheduled.

“I think I’ll have to go back to Paris for a while.”

End