Time flies very quickly, and 1869 came in the blink of an eye. At the beginning of the year, it was naturally winter. I don’t know why, the winter in the eastern United States was particularly cold, and Washington, which was not very close to the north, was affected the most.

"I want this cotton coat! I want it!"

"Okay, $100!"

"God! Why don't you rob it?"

"If you don't buy this lady, just leave quickly. I believe many people will rush to ask for it!"

"You evil! disgusting guy! You..."

“$100?”

“For $100!”

"Give me!"

"Okay sir!"

"Oh God! What's wrong with this world? It's just a thicker cotton coat, someone actually bought it for $100?! God!"

The streets of Washington are now in chaos, and the merchants simply set up stalls in such places. The woman just now couldn't buy her favorite cotton coat. She was snatched up by someone else, but it was $100, but the guy who bought the clothes actually said...

"I said you stupid woman, when is it now? $100 is a big deal! These dollars are not worth anything now, so it would be better to spend them earlier!"

"Oh God!"

The woman also knew the situation at this time, and the US dollar was depreciating rapidly. This kind of green banknote with the avatar of Chase, the current US Treasury Secretary, was increasingly unable to buy anything.

Not only cotton coats. Nowadays, prices are rising sharply as long as they are daily necessities, which is unacceptable.

Just a few months ago, the price of a barrel of flour was still 15 US dollars. Although this is much more expensive than the flour before the Civil War, it is acceptable to ordinary people. But now, the price of a barrel of flour has reached 80 US dollars!

This price is said to be the most difficult price in the south. Later, their flour price fell, and now it is the turn of the north. It should be said that in Washington, especially in Washington, the people here have to pay for such a price.

Why is Washington special?

"Sir. You can't say that, the US dollar is still useful elsewhere." The merchant who bought clothes smiled and collected the money.

"Okay, you guys who walk around the streets can still use it." The guy who bought the clothes left.

Obviously, this person pointed out something. That is, prices in other places have not soared like this, but...

"Sir." The woman who couldn't buy clothes was anxious. She asked the merchant: "Where are there places in the east now that prices have not risen so much?"

Yes, this question is good, this question is very critical.

"Ms., I also want to know where else in the east has price risen a little less. Maybe New York is better, but I heard that life is not easy there. As for other places... I'm sorry. You might as well cross the Appalachian Mountains, which is not bad."

"You bastard! Are you bullying me, a woman? Do you think I don't know? The Appalachian Pass is now occupied by those damn thugs! What a shit emperor! God! Please let that tyrant go to hell!"

"This lady, I want me to tell you. You might as well look forward to the emperor coming in! Hahaha... It will be fine then, and you probably won't need any cotton coat."

"u-k-temptation! You bastard who should go to hell!"

"Hahaha……"

This scene in the Washington neighborhood actually revealed many problems. The whole East is not easy now, and this is not easy, mainly because the US dollar is starting to be worthless. But isn’t the US dollar worth the value as stipulated by legislation?

Obviously, the situation is a bit special now. That is, when fighting, this may cause currency instability, and it can be seen from the trading process that the weather is now winter. When winter comes, people's living costs will naturally increase, including cotton coats, coal, food, etc., many things, which will also cause prices to rise.

Of course, there is another point, that is, the railway that crosses the Alabachian Mountains from the west was occupied by the empire, which is probably a reason, but this is the east, the railway network is very dense, and there are many railways in Washington that converge.

So, the current price increase is too exaggerated, right?

There may be other reasons for this...

In the White House, Lincoln looked at Washington outside the window. He felt that he didn't know the city anymore. It definitely had nothing to do with the heavy snow recently, because he had never seen snow, although this year it was a bit heavier.

"Mr. President, have you considered it?"

Lincoln's four old partners were all there, and the person who asked this was Treasury Secretary Chase.

"What else do you ask me to think about? Well? What else can you do in this situation now?" Lincoln no longer had any grace. This tall and thin old man looked depressed.

"I'm sorry, I have a responsibility for the previous things, but no one can know the changes in the international market in advance. I'm just a mistake in prediction, that's all. And what we need to do now is the current things. We need to solve the current problems. We need to adjust our budget. We need more currency. We need to let the mint work with all our efforts! Because only enough currency can make the current United States overcome the difficulties!" Chase said righteously, embarrassing, and no feeling of review, but he said that he had a responsibility before.

"Mr. Chase, we won't talk about your responsibility for this, but isn't this adding fuel to the fire in the current practice? It's obvious that prices have soared, but we still have to issue more paper money and more national debts?"

It should be said that Lincoln is a lawyer and he studied at the lawyer himself. This guy has a strong ability to learn himself, but there are still many twists and turns in economic and currency issues. This lawyer and president probably can't understand it, but...

Now it seems that everyone can see that it should no longer issue currency. You can no longer add currency to the market, but!

"Mr. President, there is no way, we still have to maintain a large army, we can only do this." This is the words of Attorney General Best.

The Minister of War Cameron came out and spoke again, "Mr. President, you know. Actually, I don't like this old guy Chase, of course. He doesn't like me either. But, in the current situation, we can only listen to this old bastard. Yesterday, General Grant told me that Washington now must add another 100,000 volunteer troops. Without these forces, it will be difficult for Washington to defend."

"Hundreds of thousands?! Still more than one hundred thousand?!" Lincoln was furious, "There is now a large army of 300,000 in Washington, so why do we need so many people?"

Three hundred thousand?!

That's right, wasn't Grant in Atlanta before. He had 100,000 people in his hands at that time, and he was replenished afterwards. Later, he conquered Atlanta, and the result was very exciting. Even though Grant immediately retreated from Atlanta, the result still allowed the Lincoln Cabinet to pass a bill, and he could become a wartime president.

Yes, there is no need to make the election now, and all parts of the United States generally agree, because everyone is not stupid. This is the time when the United States is in life and death, who would want to change a president?

Whether Lincoln did a good job or bad job, it was better for him to continue to be president. Overall, Lincoln did a good job. If it weren't for that damn empire, the civil war would have ended long ago.

However, you should know that Grant has withdrawn. In fact, this retreat is the advice Grant gave to Lincoln at that time, which is actually Grant's strategic plan.

Simply put, his strategy is to shrink all forces and then hold on to Washington!

Yes, you must do everything you can to defend the capital of the United States.

This strategy is naturally correct in terms of military terms. As for Grant's situation at that time, not to mention a famous general like him, even a guy who just graduated from a military academy knew that he had to take the troops back, because staying in Atlanta would be an enemy from both sides.

When retreating, the only place that can be guarded is Washington. This place is the capital of the United States. In fact, from the perspective of terrain, it is really easy to defend but difficult to attack.

The Appalachian Pass to the west, and the railway to the west comes from here. The Maryland to the east, but it is actually the seaside. The Topomac River to the south, which is the most important confluence in the eastern and central United States. Therefore, the Southern Army could not capture this place before because it was really difficult to fight.

Also, during the civil war, a lot of fortifications were built here, which was just right fortifications. Robert Li was invading.

So, since he had retracted in this way, he naturally had to bring back the army. Almost all the elite troops of the United States came. Grant retreated along the way and recruited many troops, even the troops in Petersburg came back.

It should be said that there are nearly 300,000 soldiers in Washington City now!

If that damn empire had not come out, the United States would soon win the civil war, and all the 300,000 soldiers had been sent out. But now, there is no way. When that empire comes, it will win with great victory, and the Southern Army will be rekindled. Robert Li is quite good at winning with less.

Judging from the overall strategic layout, Grant did nothing wrong. He did everything right, but it was not.

Washington is actually not big. There were 300,000 more people, which was really a place to put on the ground. Now the military tents are pierced in front of the White House. Lincoln just saw this!

And these 300,000 people are actually the root cause of the bad life in Washington now. Because there are too many people, everything will naturally be expensive. And there is another point, that is, the United States has issued a lot of dollars, that is, green paper, and national debts before, and these things have caused the situation today.

Now, Chase has to issue more government bonds, that is, to issue more dollars, so this... (To be continued)
Chapter completed!