1850 American Gold Tycoon

"The contracts of many soldiers in the California Infantry Regiment and the Oregon Infantry Regiment are about to expire, and a batch of fresh blood needs to be replaced. In addition, the Cavalry Regiment and the Artillery Regiment will expand a cavalry regiment and an artillery regiment respectively based on the existing personnel."

Liang Yao summoned Colonel Elvis, the commander of the Oregon Infantry Regiment, at Weixiuju, his new residence in Sacramento.

The contract for ordinary infantrymen of the Western Brigade is generally three years. Many of the infantrymen of the Western Brigade Infantry Regiment currently in service were signed in 1854.

Liang Yao wanted to take advantage of the expiration of many Western Brigade infantry contracts to launch his army expansion plan.

The War Department assigned five regiments to the standing force of the Western Brigade: the California Infantry, the Oregon Infantry, the Arizona Infantry, the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, and the 5th Artillery Regiment.

Soldiers in these five regiments receive a monthly allowance of US$7 from the federal government, but a salary of US$7 cannot attract young adults to join the army on the West Coast, especially in California, even if it includes food and accommodation.

Therefore, the current salary of Western Brigade soldiers consists of three parts. The first part is a monthly allowance of $7 provided by the federal government, and the second part is a $7 monthly allowance provided by the California state government.

The amount of the allowance for these two parts is the same for infantry regiments, cavalry, and artillery, which is $7.

The third part of the allowance varies according to the different arms. They are US$3 for infantry (technical sergeants in the engineering and signal corps are a separate matter), cavalry US$5, and artillery US$7 (technical sergeants in the artillery are a separate matter). . This part of the allowance was paid by Liang Yao out of his own pocket.

The Western Brigade is also the only brigade-level unit in the United States with complete arms and composed entirely of standing regiments.

In the United States during peacetime before World War II, the federal government maintained a very limited standing force in order to reduce financial pressure.

At this time, the United States' standing infantry regiments, including Liang Yao's Western Brigade, only had 15 infantry regiments, 3 cavalry regiments, and 5 artillery regiments.

"How many veterans need to retire this time? How will the retired veterans be accommodated?"

Elvis asked Liang Yao how he would place these retired soldiers.

Liang Yao has rich experience in how to place veterans whose contracts have expired.

Veterans of the Western Brigade with service experience are very popular in California and will not worry about being unemployed after retirement.

Umbrella will directly sign mercenary contracts with outstanding retired veterans. The militia groups in the three West Coast states also welcome these veterans to serve as grassroots officers in the militia groups. Other companies with security needs will also compete to hire these retired veterans.

The so-called militia is not a regular military force and will not directly participate in high-intensity military operations. Instead, it exists as a reserve force. Each state in the United States maintains militia state soldiers of varying sizes.

Militia members of the militia are called up and trained within a specified time every year. After completing the training, they return to civilian life and are not professional soldiers.

Since many of these militiamen and volunteers come from rural areas, the training time is usually chosen during the slack period.

The treatment of militias and volunteer units varies greatly between states. For example, for the militias in the three West Coast states, the state government will provide standard weapons and ammunition, accommodation, meal subsidies, training clothing and equipment, etc.

In most states, militiamen and volunteers need to provide everything from weapons to equipment.

There are quite a few militias that Liang Yao can directly control. There are 3 militia groups in California, 1 militia group in Oregon, 1 militia group in Liangzhou, and a newly established Utah militia group, totaling 6 militia groups.

The main sources of non-commissioned officers for these six militia regiments are retired veterans of the three standing infantry regiments of the Western Brigade.

"Some of the veterans will directly join the mercenary force of Umbrella Company. I plan to establish a non-commissioned officer school for the remaining part and send them to the non-commissioned officer school for further education," Liang Yao said.

"I want to establish a comprehensive non-commissioned officer school, which consists of infantry, cavalry, artillery, engineering and communications departments to train the non-commissioned officers needed by the army."

But this time, Liang Yao had other plans. He wanted to establish a non-commissioned officer school to train junior officers in preparation for the subsequent large-scale military expansion.

"Setting up a military academy requires a license from the federal government," Elvis reminded.

The establishment of a military academy is not a trivial matter and requires the approval of the federal government's Department of War and the president's instructions.

"You don't have to worry about the license, you just need to go and do it." Liang Yao said.

As for the federal government, he would submit an application and go through the motions. As for the license, whether it was approved by the federal government or not, he would run the military academy.

At present, there is a lot of shit going on within the federal government and it has too much time to take care of itself. Even if Buchanan has objections to his establishment of a military academy, he can only hold his nose and admit it.

The Mormons in the Utah Territory didn't even have time to deal with it, and they let Brigham Young, a magician, take advantage of them. It is reasonable and legal for Liang Yao to run a military academy. The federal government does not have sufficient reasons, let alone the ability to interfere with his running of a military academy.

"Yes! Your Excellency!"

Elvis retreated.

After Elvis left, Liang Yao looked at the roster of Umbrella's mercenary unit again.

The mercenary force of Umbrella Company is also an armed force directly subordinate to him. If the Western Brigade is called a force of the federal government, it is actually Liang Yao's own private army.

So Umbrella Company's mercenary troops are Liang Yao's private soldiers in name only.

Except for the lack of large-scale organized artillery and cavalry units, Liang Yao gave him all the mercenary units that Umbrella Company should have.

The light weapons used by Umbrella Company mercenaries are no different from the three main regiments of the Western Brigade.

After five or six years of expansion, the number of mercenaries of Umbrella Company has expanded from 500 at the beginning of its establishment to more than 3,000.

These mercenary troops safeguard Liang Yao's interests overseas.

They are stationed in: 360 people in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 240 people in Hokkaido, Japan, 360 people in Xiangshan, Guangdong, 120 people in Xiamen, 120 people in Fuzhou, 120 people in Ningbo, 120 people in Shanghai, 18 people in Nauru, and more than 1,500 people in Borneo (headquarters).

After all his calculations, he actually had as many as a brigade of mercenaries. No wonder his military expenditures have increased year by year over the years.

In addition, half of the regiment stationed in Nagasaki by Deng Yan, commander of the American Army in the United States, was theoretically a force that Liang Yao could mobilize.

In addition to these mercenary troops on land, Liang Yao also has an Umbrella fleet, which has a Pioneer-class ironclad ship, 28 Bold-class battleships, and several loach ships, and employs more than 5,000 sailors. people. The cost of raising a fleet is much more expensive than raising an army.

Liang Yao thought that each Pioneer-class ironclad ship required 450 sailors. When the ironclad ships were launched one after another, the fleet's expenses would definitely rise accordingly.

"Sir, telegram from Utah Territory."

Zeiss knocked on the door and walked into his office.

"read."

Liang Yao was looking through the roster of Umbrella's mercenary force and asked Zeiss to read out the contents of the telegram.

"Yes, sir."

Zeiss opened the telegram and read the contents directly.

It turned out that it was Pan Baolin who was suing Stanford again, saying that Stanford had not done anything serious since he arrived in the Utah Territory. He spent all day hanging out with the Mormons at the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City. Donate money and goods.

Pan Baolin didn't know what kind of medicine Stanford was selling, so she called Liang Yao for instructions.

"Call him back and tell him that I understand." Liang Yao said calmly, not taking what Stanford had done these days seriously.

"That's all?" Zeiss asked in surprise.

"That's all." Liang Yao affirmed.

"Sir, aren't you worried that Mr. Stanford really converted to Mormonism?" Zeiss was worried.

"Mormons are extremist religious elements. If they receive financial support from Mr. Stanford, the consequences will be disastrous."

"Can he join the Mormon Church?" Liang Yao seemed to have heard a big joke and couldn't help laughing.

"Stanford smokes and drinks all the time, and he can't live as austere a life as a Mormon. Zeiss, let me ask you, in the western region, which one has more influence is me? Or is it the Mormons?"

"Of course it's you, you are the president of the west." Zeiss said without hesitation.

"You can all think about the problem, but a pragmatic person like Stanford can't figure it out? Don't trust the people you trust, but don't trust the people you employ. Since I have entrusted the affairs of the Utah Territory to Stanford, I should give him full trust." Liang Yao said.

There must be a reason for Stanford, an old cunning man, to get close to the Mormons. Liang Yao asked Stanford to be responsible for eradicating the Mormons in the Utah Territory. As for how to eradicate it, and how much time and financial resources it would take to eradicate it, it all depends on Stanford's own abilities.

"Understood, sir."

Zeiss suddenly realized that he was too preoccupied to think about the problems that he could think of, and how could this old cunning guy like Stanford not think of them. "

Zeiss pulled out another telegram.

"This is a call from Colonel Krueger."

"read"

"Colonel Kruger called to inquire. Stanford asked Colonel Kruger to release the 120 Mormons arrested by the Arizona Infantry Regiment. The matter was serious and Colonel Kruger did not dare to make decisions without authorization, so he called to ask for instructions." Zeiss read.

"Tell Kruger that as long as anything Stanford asks for is related to the Mormon Church, the Arizona regiment will fully cooperate and there is no need to ask for instructions." Liang Yao instructed.

"Last call from Utah, Mr. Stanford called to request your approval of 10 Thunder M60 machine guns and 50,000 rounds of ammunition." Zeiss read Wan's last telegram, waiting for Liang Yao's reply.

"Approval of 5 Thunder M60 machine guns and 25,000 rounds of ammunition for him." Liang Yao gave Stanford a half discount.

This is not because he is stingy, but because the output of the Thunder M60 machine gun and its supporting ammunition is not high.

The Volcano Repeating Arms Company, which is responsible for producing the gun, produced only 7 machine guns throughout April in addition to the 6 prototype machine guns completed before late March.

On top of this, he had to rush to complete the order from Yue Yong. It was impossible for Liang Yao to award 10 machine guns to Stanford at once.

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In May 1857, there was an atmosphere of tension inside and outside Guangzhou.

"Shilang Liang, you are back. Go and persuade Governor Ye quickly. Governor Ye wants to execute the foreign crew to establish his authority!"

In Xiangshan, Guangdong, Admiral Hong Mingxiang of the Guangdong Navy was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot.

Liang Shaoqiong and Shen Baozhen were riding a Bold-class steam battleship. They were going to replenish fuel at Xiangshan Port and head north. Unexpectedly, as soon as the ship docked, Hong Mingxiang found him in a hurry.

"Governor Ye wants to execute foreigners? Foreigners from which country? I heard that your Guangdong Navy intercepted a smuggling ship flying the British flag last year, but who are the foreigners on this ship?" Liang Shaoqiong frowned when he heard this.

He left the Qing Dynasty at the end of last year and went to the United States to visit Liang Yao and discuss shipping matters.

When Liang Shaoqiong left, he heard that the Guangdong Navy had seized a British ship, which caused the situation between the Qing Dynasty and the British Hong Kong authorities to become very tense.

However, this matter was between the Guangdong authorities and the British consul. There was no need for him, the right minister of the Ministry of War, to interfere blindly, lest he cause trouble. So he didn't pay much attention to it at that time.

"No, although the private ship called Yarrow flew the Union Jack flag, all the crew members captured were Chinese, and there were no foreigners." Hong Mingxiang said.

"In that case, why did Governor Ye want to execute foreigners?" Liang Shaoqiong became more and more puzzled.

"This matter has to start with the smuggling ship called Yarrow that Hong captured. The Chinese that Hong captured on this ship were either pirates or smugglers. Therefore, Hong did not dare to make the decision without authorization at that time, so he The arrested suspect was handed over to Governor Ye, and it was up to Governor Ye to decide how to deal with it.

Within a few days, the British Consul Parkes came to ask for someone. You also know Governor Ye's character. Governor Ye has always hated dealing with foreigners. In order to be clean, these 12 suspects were sent to Pasha Li. "Hong Mingxiang talked about the ins and outs of the matter in detail.

"Parker? This guy just translated, what kind of British consul is he? What happened next?" Liang Shaoqiong corrected. At the same time, he was also very disappointed with the ignorance of these local officials.

Hong Mingxiang and Ye Mingchen had been serving in Guangdong for only a year or two, and they actually regarded a translator as a consul.

At this time, the British consul in China was concurrently held by the Governor of Hong Kong, Bonham. However, Bonham had multiple responsibilities and was always busy with official duties, so he liked to leave the consular affairs to Parkes, a China expert.

Therefore, the local officials in Guangdong, ranging from the governor to the prefect of Guangzhou and the magistrates of surrounding counties, all regarded Parkes as the British consul.

Unexpectedly, after so many years, two local officials, Hong Mingxiang, Admiral of the Guangdong Navy, and Ye Mingchen, Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi and Minister of Commerce, still failed to understand this most basic question. This shows how ignorant they are about foreigners.

"Parker refuses to admit these suspects."

"Why?"

"Parker wants to see Governor Ye and discuss the matter face to face with Governor Ye."

"Then we'll talk to them and we'll take care of the matter."

"Governor Ye felt that it was unlucky to see foreigners and that it was unbecoming of a high-ranking official in a feudal country, so he kept asking Hong to hold off Park Li. Governor Ye said, just spend time with foreigners. When the foreigners lose their patience, the foreigners will naturally retreat. ”

"Confused! Governor Ye is also the Minister of Commerce. If he doesn't come forward to negotiate with foreigners, who will come forward to negotiate with foreigners?!" Hearing this, Liang Shaoqiong's blood pressure rose a little.

The Liang family owned properties in the Guangfu area, and other officials of the Qing Dynasty knew nothing about the strength of the British, or even where the British were.

But he, Liang Shaoqiong, at least had a superficial understanding of Britain. In addition, he had just returned from the United States and had seen with his own eyes the customs and customs of the United States, a second-rate Western power.

American trains, new foreign guns and cannons, factory machines everywhere, tens of thousands of tons of steel production, armored ships, fierce folk customs everywhere, and the wealth of merchants all left a deep impression on Liang Shaoqiong.

The Western countries are by no means the despised and barbarian countries described by the courtiers, and should not be underestimated.

If a second-rate Western power looks like this, what will Britain, a first-rate Western power, look like? How strong is the national power? Liang Shaoqiong couldn't even think about it.

At present, the internal worries of the Hongyang Rebellion have not been resolved, and it is extremely unwise to provoke Britain, a powerful enemy.

"Hong Mou also advised Governor Ye to reluctantly commit himself to meet the British man, but you, Mr. Liang, also know Governor Ye's temper. Governor Ye is usually easy to talk to in other matters, but only when he encounters problems with foreigners, no one It can be persuaded." Hong Mingxiang was also helpless.

Hong Mingxiang thought that it would be great if Liang Shaoqiong was the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. Liang Shaoqiong understood foreigners' Western affairs better and did not object to dealing with foreigners. If Liang Shaoqiong were in this position, his naval admiral would be much easier to do.

Ye Mingchen kept dragging the foreigners, and the foreigners put pressure on the Qing Dynasty, and basically all went to his side of the Guangdong Navy.

Those who were directly confronting the British strong ships and guns at the Pearl River Estuary were their brothers from the Guangdong Navy. Not the group of civil servants sitting in the yamen of Guangzhou City.

Hong Mingxiang once wondered if she had done something wrong in her previous life to end up with such a boss in this life.

"What happened to those foreigners that Governor Ye wanted to kill?" Liang Shaoqiong asked.