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

DANGER OF RETREAT. 203the river, where but four men couhl march abreast. Thearmy must ford theriver on its way towards the gap, whichgave the barbarians a still greater advantage ; for they heldthe heights which commanded the ford as well as the entirevalley, and had sent detachments along the hills tocommandtlie road on which lay the Macedonian line of retreat. Theywere a warlikeand well-armed people, and their confidencewas so high that they were apt to do stanch fighting. Theheavy woods on allhands offered them a chance for ambuscadewhenever any part of the army was sent out in searchof provisions. Alexander's position was well-nigh desperate.And yet he must have Pelium.The young king had no idea of retreat.Neither would hewait for reinforcements. His natural impatience stood himin good stead. This problem must be worked out successfully,or he could not attempt to leave Greece for Asia ;andquickly, or the Greek insurrection would gain too much headwayto be handled without vast trouble.The first step in theproblem was to make secure his line of retreat, now dangerouslythreatened. He conceived one of those brilliant ideaswhich only emanate from the brain of a man of genius. Heresolved to impose on the enemy by a display of militarymanoeuvring, a battlefield drill, as it were ; and having thusmade him uncertain ofhow he might be about to attack him,seek to fall on him at a disadvantage. While the horse andlight foot were thrown out towards the town, the king accordinglydrew up hisphalanx with files one hundred and twentymen deep, placed some cavalry on each wing to protect themanoeuvres, and began, in the middle of the plain, in fullsight of the enemy, who was also drawn up in battle array onthe heights surrounding the plain and at the town, a seriesof those incomparable evolutions which only a Macedonianphalanx could execute. Imagine the splendor of this hostile