Capítulo 47: Journal of Lafayette
Journals of Lafayette, August 5th, 1776
Preserved in the American National Museums of History and Culture, _______.
"When I entered a small port town called Savannah, I was both nervous and eager. For months, I have heard rumors of a man from China that was an important military leader for the colonials. During my long voyage to the Americas, I spoke with many of the sailors and merchants to discover more about this man. Even they had only heard speculations about this "General Kim," and as my destination grew closer, I spent more and more time wondering how the man ended up continents from his home. During my travel, I also studied the books that Ambassador Franklin handed to me before my departure. The books were filled with information about previous battles the Americans had engaged in and new military theories that were foreign to me. Thankfully, those books stymied my boredom, and I was fairly preoccupied with studying as much as I could before my arrival.
I must be frank. Before I arrived in this "United States of America," my opinion of my future allies was optimistic but also wary. I had heard about the numerous British defeats by the Americans and the cries of liberty stemming from the new nation. Still, I almost convinced myself that the "Americans" were merely lucky due to British incompetence in battle. I was in love with the ideologies that the Americans were fighting for, and they seemed sincere in their pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all (even slaves!). Still, I was hesitant to imagine that the Americans were well-trained and well-equipped for their cause. After all, they were "mere" colonial subjects and constantly sought to purchase arms and gunpowder from foreign nations. I concluded that the Patriots were merely brave and committed to their cause and were defeating the British because of their willpower and British neglect.
I was wrong.
When I arrived in New York City, it appeared as though my assumptions were correct. The city was battered and half-destroyed, and the Patriots only had state militias stationed in the city. While they seemed relatively well-armed, the militiamen were a far cry of the professional soldiers of the French, and even British, Army. I assumed that this was the case for most of the Continental Army and had little expectations for "General Kim" and his men as I traversed towards the southern colonies.
Imagine my surprise when thousands of uniformed veterans greeted me in the town called New Windsor that looked every bit as professional as the soldiers of France! And I meant thousands of men. They were nothing like the militiamen in New York, as the way they trained and even marched looked strikingly different. Several of them greeted me in French, and I discovered that many of them were Queboics! Their leading general, a well-spoken man named Robert Howe, informed me that his commanding general expected me down in Savannah. I spoke to him for several minutes and complimented the professionalism of his troops, yet he claimed that it was all due to the works of one General Kim. He even stated that General Kim's personal unit, the Continental Marines, were even better trained and equipped than the rest of the Continental Army. His statements excited me to no ends, and I rushed with several of the Marine cavalry, Indians from the areas near Quebec, to Savannah. Most Indians spoke very little English, but they were well-behaved and treated me like one of their own, which shocked me. I then learned that General Kim was a firm believer in the ideals of liberty and equality and treated his soldiers equally, regardless of background or race. At this time, I realized that many of the soldiers with General Howe were Negros, which left me both hopeful and flabbergasted.
I finally arrived in Savannah after several days of riding, and my initial opinion of General Kim was a man of integrity and power. The men under his command respected him greatly, and he carried himself in an authoritative yet humble manner. His face was undoubtedly Asian, and his accent made me believe that he was certainly not born in the colonies. The man greeted me eagerly and was perhaps more excited than I was. He gave me a tour of his temporary camp and led his men through drills and training. His tactics and ways of command were foreign, but I soon understood the reason for the continuous American victory against seemingly improbable odds. General Kim inspired his men, and his marines were trained to deal with nearly every type of situation. Not only that, but his officers and men were extremely flexible in doctrine and focused on the "winning" aspects of battle instead of the "gentlemen" aspects. Even so, I was impressed by the sights of thousands of elite marines and smiled at the thought of the British surrendering and panicking en masse against this powerful force.
When night came upon the town, General Kim invited me to a personal conversation with him in his tent. I happily obliged, and we spent hours discussing every possible topic. The topic we spent the most time on was the future of this "United States." Shockingly, it seemed the general had numerous connections with the Continental Congress and revealed the future plans that Congres had prepared after the war ended. It seemed as though the United States would become a republic, a "federal republic." I was keenly interested in this topic, as republics were uncommon and lackluster throughout history. But the general seemed confident that this republic would succeed, and for some strange reason, I believed him. He asked me about my personal beliefs, and I admitted that I joined the American cause because the ideals of liberty appealed to me greatly. He seemed supportive of my ideas and stated that he believed the ideals of liberty could mesh with a monarchial government with experimentation and trials. I was surprised to hear this statement from him, as he was extremely pro-republican, but I appreciated his support nonetheless. I finally ended my conversation with him after hours of engaging dialogue, which is why I am writing this entry.
I have learned that we will be moving up north to capture the town of Charles Town from the British within two weeks, and I have determined myself to learn as much as I can and be of use to the cause of liberty..."
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