West bank of the Mississippi River.
Jackson Town, a hundred kilometers northeast of Memphis.
Napoleon watched soldiers escorting groups of prisoners along the path and turned to Lucien. "How much gunpowder did we capture?"
"About 1.7 tons, General."
"Only that much? Those miserly Americans." Napoleon shook his head. "Send it all to the Artillery Company. Also, personally instruct the native officers: no killing prisoners at will."
"Yes, General."
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Mackenzie, who had been tasked with reinforcing Memphis, had not even reached Jackson Town before being inexplicably surrounded by the French Army.
He had failed to achieve his objective of "delaying the French Army for two days." He had not even managed to retreat toward Nashville before Napoleon wiped out his entire force.
Napoleon had found little of the desperately needed gunpowder in Memphis, but Mackenzie had replenished some of it for him.
Napoleon turned to the other officers and drew several circles on the ground with a branch. "Wilkinson will definitely go to Memphis to look for us first. Lieutenant Colonel Dalemagne, lead the 5th Infantry Regiment and the Grenadier Company here. I remember there's a Maple Forest nearby that can be used for cover.
"The Artillery Company will take up position on the high ground over here..."
Just as he spoke, a staff officer hurried over with a newspaper and saluted him. "General, perhaps you should look at this." Napoleon took the paper and saw the words "Kentucky Gazette" printed across the top, dated ten days earlier.
"Where did you get this?"
"The cavalry bought it from a merchant in Nashville, General." The staff officer pointed to the left side of the front page. "Look here."
He suddenly remembered that his commander's English was atrocious. Clearing his throat, he read aloud, "Major Macnab has arrived at Fort