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

160 ELAN OF THE CAVALRY.then had to oppose, it was as nearly perfect as possible. Itwas taught before allthings to attack, never to wait attack.The heavy foot and peltasts were drilled to fight by shocks,and the several bodies or brigades moved independently andwith intervals of twenty to forty feet between small phalanxes,mutually supporting each other, and thus making up for thewant of reserves. The cavahy esjsecially attacked with extraordinaryspeed and elan., — Alexander was Frederick'smodel in this, — relying upon impetus just as the phalanxdid on weight, and when broken was always able to rallyand renew the charge again and again. The light foot andhorse had no special place, but filled up the intervals betweenthe heavy bodies and protected detachments and the exposedflanks of the phalanx by restless activity.The marches were conducted with a rare appreciation ofterrain and troops, and the distances continuously coveredwere often enormous.The entire grand phalanx rarely fought as a body, butusually the several sections or di\asions fought separately,each being called a phalanx. Occasionally one section wasplaced by Alexander behind another as reserve, or to deepenthe column. A section or sections could be in reserve, facedto the rear, or to right or left, as at Arbela. One of Alexander'smost prominent qualities was the ability to makequick dispositions suitable to the occasion and quite outsideordinary tactical usage. For instance, on Pelium plain inIllyria, in a narrow and mountainous region, he formed thephalanx one hundred and twenty men deep. Arrian callsthis cuneus or wedge. After crossing the Danube Alexanderformed square, with archers and slingers in the centre, muchas Brasidas and Xenophon had done. No doubt he borrowedthe idea ; but what Alexander borrowed he bettered. AtArbela he formed two flying wings with consummate skill and