Post

The First Step

President Robert E. Lee III lifted the flap that divided the tent he estabilished as his headquartes in the southern outskirts of Nashville: beneath him, around 5.000 soldiers of the 1st Confederate Infantry stopped chattering between them and started staring him silently. The President looked for a moment around him, he was surrounded by all the high-ranking officers of the New Confederate Army and, behind them, many local journalists, some with salvaged cameras, were observing him with the same religious silence of the soldiers around them, and everyone was waiting for his word, to finally know what was about to happen.
The President took a deep breath, and began the speech he had so carefully prepared: "Men and women of the New Confederate States, in the last week many viciuos rumors about have spread, rumors that said we're getting ready to reclaim the territories that are rightfully ours, stripped from us and our ancestors by the Northern Agressors, and I've come here today to tell you...this rumors are completely true."
If before the camp was quiet, now it was dead silent, many soldiers turned to theireighbors in search of reassurance or explanation, but they were equally incredulous. President Lee expected this type pf reaction, so he continued his speech: "After decades of preparation, the War Council has decided it is finally the time to start the campaign of reconquest of the stolen lands. Brothers, for long enough the fear has prevented us from reclaiming what was rightfully ours, aren't you tired of sitting here while savages roam through our lands?" various voices of consent could be heard coming from the mass of soldiers "In secret, our scouts have prepared our way to Memphis and the Mississipi river, which will have the honour to be the first Confederate city we retake from the barbarians that surround us!" the consent voices became more and louder as the speech progressed "I know that many of you have never even stepped outside Nasville, but I can ensure that our march will be glorious, we'll welcome the scared citizens that live in the wastes and show their loyalty to the Confederacy, but we will crush any savage that stands in our way. Ready your weapons man, tomorrow...we go to war!" the soldiers erupted in cheers and applause, while the President returned to his tent.
In fact the next day the 1st Confederate Infantry was ready to march into battle, despite the old I-40 was a more direct connection to their target, it was decided to start the expansion following the I-65, because the scouts found it a less-defended area compared to the one directly to the west of Nasville, or to be more precise the Route 31.
Much excitement filled the whole army when it crossed the Harpeth River, which had been the Confederate border for more than three decades. As the explorers reported, the area was loosely controlled by some small communities, and apart from the occasional crazy raider gang or feral ghoul pack, resistance to well equipped and trained army was basically minimal, with many locals welcoming the incoming army, seeing them as bringers of stability to their lands.
Some man were lost, many were left behind to control the newly acquired lands, but the bulk of the army, personally led by the President encamped on the northern shores of the Duck River, ready to continue the expansion.

1.567 civilians joined the New Confederate States, as now the Confederacy was in full control of the territory around what-once-was Murfreesboro.