Wearing British clothes as a second-generation aristocrat

Dugan announced his name at the door, "I am Brigadier General Dugan Connby, and I have been ordered to see the Minister of War."

After confirming Dugan's identity, the sentry at the door immediately made a report, and then a young officer came out of the building.

"Welcome, General Dugan. I am Major Lewis, Lord Camden's secretary." Lewis saluted Dugan.

Dugan returned the greeting, and without much formality, Lewis led Dugan directly into the Secretary of War's private office and study.

Before me sat War Secretary Pratt behind a huge oak desk, on which were three large document boxes, representing "Pending Review," "Approved," and "Rejected."

Pratt, wearing reading glasses, was reviewing documents.

"Lord Camden, General Dugan has arrived." Lewis knocked softly on the door.

Dugan stood at attention and saluted, stomping his boots heavily on the floor. "Dugan Connby, I salute you."

Unlike what was expected, Pratt merely glanced at Dugan with his eyes rolled upwards, then said "Oh," and continued reviewing the documents.

Then Dugan and Lewis stood quietly in front of Pratt for 10 minutes.

"Lewis, take these approved documents out." Pratt finally looked up and gave Dugan a proper look.

"Yes, sir." Lewis picked up the thick stack of documents and walked out, making sure to gently close the office door behind him.

"Mr. Secretary of the Army, Dugan Connby reports for duty." Dugan could only stand at attention and salute.

Pratt waved his hand and pointed to the chair in front of him while he worked. "Sit."

After Dugan sat down, Pratt returned to his desk and said to Dugan, "Mr. Dugan, your performance in India was outstanding, so General Arthur Wellesley and Governor Richard Wellesley recommended you to me."

"It's an honor to receive their recognition," Dugan said modestly.

"Do you know why we called you here today?" Pula asked.

Dugan smiled slightly and said, "It's related to Miss Catalina from Spain, isn't it? At least that's what my father told me."

"Oh!" Pilates looked surprised, then seemed to remember something, opened the drawer, pulled out a document, glanced at it, and then showed a regretful expression.

"Good heavens, I think I forgot to tell Aurisler the latest news," Pratt said apologetically. "So, that thing has been canceled now."

"What?" Dugan was taken aback and asked, "Isn't it about my marriage to Miss Katalina?"

"Marriage?" Pratt's eyes widened. "Mr. Dugan, what are you thinking? You're actually thinking about marriage?"

Pratt's words completely confused Dugan.

"Excuse me, but I'd rather lose my compass right now," Dugan frowned. "You summoned me back from faraway India just to influence Spain through a marriage alliance and get them on our side, didn't you?"

Pratt shook his head and said, "That was a plan from a month ago. Just last month, our Caribbean fleet attacked Spanish treasure ships, which thoroughly enraged the Spanish. Now Britain has officially declared war on Spain."

"How come I didn't know?" Dugan was even more confused.

Pratt pointed to the office door. "Among the pile of documents Lewis just carried out, there was a declaration of war that I approved."

Dugan took a deep breath, his mind racing.

There's a saying that goes something like this.

Those who instigate wars sit comfortably in their mansions, while those who fight to the death are buried in the mud.

These high-ranking people can change a person's fate with a single word.

Pratt looked at Dugan and said, "Mr. Dugan, what you should be thinking about now is not who to marry, but how to resist Napoleon's invasion! As a soldier of the Empire, your loyalty, your passion, everything you have belongs to the royal family and the country!"

"Injecting chicken blood?" If the other party wasn't the Minister of the Army, Dugan would definitely have given him the middle finger.

Pratt said, "You just got back from India, you probably don't know the current situation in Europe, do you?"

In 1714, according to the British Act of Settlement, the Stuart dynasty died out, and George I, Elector of Hanover, succeeded to the British throne, beginning the Hanoverian dynasty.

The current King George III of the United Kingdom is the grandson of Ernst August, Elector of Hanover, and was born with the dual titles of King of England and Elector of Hanover. Hanover is his hereditary ancestral domain, not under the jurisdiction of the British Parliament, but a private fiefdom of the King.

Hanover was the only British territory directly under British control on the European continent, and was known as Britain's Achilles' heel in Europe.

On May 18, 1803, Britain declared war on France, and the Treaty of Amiens broke down. Napoleon was unable to immediately cross the sea to attack Britain, so he chose to occupy Hanover to retaliate against Britain.

Napoleon appointed Marshal Mortier to lead approximately 3 French troops to attack Hanover in northern Germany from the Rhine River.

The standing army in Hanover numbered only slightly over ten thousand, and the main British forces were all on the island and unable to land and provide reinforcements. The garrison in Hanover was commanded by Frederick, Duke of Cambridge, the seventh son of King George III, and the Earl of Waldmorden.

How could they possibly be a match for the French army?

The French army easily captured the capital city of Hanoi, and towns and cities throughout the country fell one after another.

Signing of surrender: July 5, 1803, the Treaty of Atrenburg.

The Hanoverian authorities were forced to disarm their entire army on the spot, disband the regular Hanoverian army, and transfer all weapons and horses to the French army. The entire territory was then militarily occupied by the French army.

King George III refused to recognize the treaty, and many Hanoverian soldiers fled across the sea to England to form the King's German Army (KGL), which is currently stationed at Bexhill Barracks in southern England.

Napoleon chose to invade Hanover in retaliation against Britain because this land was the private hereditary territory of King George III, and attacking it was a direct attack on the British royal family.

At that time, the French navy was not capable of invading the British mainland through the English Channel, but it could easily advance into northern Germany by land.

Occupying Hanova would not only block the ports along the North Sea coast and cut off British land trade with Germany, thus implementing a trade blockade ahead of time, but also use the land of Hanova as bait to win over Prussian neutrality, achieving a triple objective of military, economic, and diplomatic goals in one fell swoop.

After listening to Pratt's explanation, Dugan asked directly, "Legally speaking, the King's German Legion is a private army directly under the royal family. Why would they send me to take over? After all, they are all Germans, and I can't even speak German."

In fact, Dugen only knew one sentence in German: "I have come to Hebei Province."

Pratt said, "It's because of the King's trust in your father."

"Trust? My father?" Dugan asked in surprise.

“Yes, the reason is that simple,” Pratt said. “Your father was one of the few nobles who were unconditionally loyal to the King. His political stance was neither Whig nor Tory.”

Having said that, Pratt rang a bell in his office, and Lewis knocked and entered. "What can I do for you?"

Pratt said, "Go and fetch Major Harcourt and Colonel von der Decken."