Krugger turned to his adjutant, his expression already set.
"Tell the men to prepare the horses," he said. "We leave for Medellín tonight."
He cast one last glance toward the map.
"If the Spanish wish to hide behind the walls of Honda, let them. They have focused so much on denying us the river that they have left the road to Maracaibo wide open."
A faint, dry note entered his voice.
"Let them sit in their fortress and rot. We shall take their last great port."
He paused, then added more quietly, almost as a calculation spoken aloud:
"Once the port is ours, we may import arms freely—and sell Carlos's goods abroad. That will give us the funds for the next campaign. We will also need more people. This may serve as an opportunity to bring in new settlers."
—
Krugger departed that same day, leaving a trusted officer in command of the defenses of Mompox.
The journey to Medellín was swift, but it did little to ease the strain.
