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

XENOPHON'S NEW DEVICES. 107kept his rear-guard posted on some convenient eminence toprotect the filing by of the phalanx. Before allowing thehead of his column to enter a defile, he threw forward liislight troops to seize the heights commanding its mouth, andthese he held until the column had filed by. On this retreatalso was first shown the necessary, if cruel, means of arrestinga pursuing enemy by the systematic devastation of thecountry traversed and the destruction of its villages to deprivehim of food and shelter. And Xenophon is moreover thefirst who established in rear of the phalanx a reserve fromwhich he could at will feed weak parts of his line. This wasa superb first conception. Something like reserves had beentheretofore known ; but nothing so nearly approaching ourmodern idea. These things all seem simple now, but we havebeen twenty-three centuries learning them, and to-day Xenophon'sAnabasis is one of the best of military text-books.this retreat it was first demonstrated how much the Persianempire lacked homogeneity and hence strength. What Xenophonactually did showed Alexander what he might, by persistentand intelligent activity, even with a meagre force,accomplish.It is impossible to convey an adequate idea of the fertileand ingenious schemes of Xenophon by the mere relation ofone or two incidents. But even this brief narrative of earlierexploits will serve its end after a fashion, by exhibitingthe status of military science when Alexander ascended thethrone of Macedon. Very many instances of able tacticalbattle manoeuvres existed before his day, and one or twoaffairs of Xenophon 's will give a partial idea of the resources,activity, good judgment and courage of which the Anabasisis full. To read Alexander's campaigns in the light of theAnabasis explains many obscure details.The Greeks, about midway on the march, had just emerged.On