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Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

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RETREAT. 105o<strong>the</strong>r generals having been treacherously murdered in a parleyunder safe conduct with <strong>the</strong> enemy, new ones were chosenin <strong>the</strong>ir stead, <strong>and</strong> to <strong>the</strong> lot <strong>of</strong> Xenophon fell <strong>the</strong> rearguard,while to Cheirisophus feU <strong>the</strong> van. Nothing like thisfamous retreat is known in <strong>the</strong> world's <strong>history</strong>. Xenophonis <strong>the</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> system <strong>of</strong> retreat, <strong>the</strong> <strong>origin</strong>ator <strong>of</strong> allthat appertains to <strong>the</strong> science <strong>of</strong> rear-guard fighting. Hereduced its management to a perfect method.More <strong>origin</strong>alityin tactics has come <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> Anabasis than <strong>from</strong> any dozeno<strong>the</strong>r books. Every system <strong>of</strong> <strong>war</strong> looks to this as to <strong>the</strong>March <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ten Thous<strong>and</strong>, 401 B. o.fountain-head when it comes to rear<strong>war</strong>d movements, as itlooks to <strong>Alex<strong>and</strong>er</strong> for a pattern <strong>of</strong> resistless <strong>and</strong> intelligentadvance.Necessity to Xenophon was truly <strong>the</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> invention,but <strong>the</strong> centuries since have devised nothing to surpass <strong>the</strong>genius <strong>of</strong> this <strong>war</strong>rior. No general ever possessed a gr<strong>and</strong>ermoral ascendant over his men. None ever worked for <strong>the</strong>

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