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

3G4MARCH ON THE ENEMY.The camp, which was but seven miles from Darius' army, wasfortified with a ditch and stockade ; the utmost circumspectionon all hands was ordered.Here Alexander intended toleave all his heavy baggage and hospitals, so as to be abletogo into battle with his troops bearing nothing but theirarms.From all indications he judged that Darius proposed to choosehis own ground on this occasion, and not allow his impatienceto lure him to a battlefield where he could not employ hismasses.After the fourdays' rest and preparation, Alexander brokeup about the second watch, and made his mai'ch towards theenemy under cover of darkness (September 29-30), hopingto reach and attack the Persians by daybreak. But he wasdelayed on the way. The Arbela plain is full of huge conicalmounds to-day, the burial places of ancient cities ;perhapsmany existed then, A ridge of rolling ground lay betweenthe armies, so that Alexander came within four milesof the Persian host before he caught sight, as he finally didthrough the morning mists, of their huge masses darkeningthe plain.Darius had them already drawn uj) in battle array," in enormous squares of prodigious depth " of cavalry andinfantry mixed.From the top of the last of the hills Mazaeusand his cavalry had just retired, and Alexander, who haltedhis phalanx on this high ground, reconnoitred the situationfrom a distance, and called together his Companions and officersof rank for the usual council of war. Many of theyounger ones advised at once to attack, for the troops were inhigh spirits and eager for battle ; but Parmenio and the olderofficers advised by all means to delay until the ground couldbe examined, so as to discover if pit-falls and such like obstructionshad not been dug in front of the enemy's armyand until the enemy's tactical arrangements could be learned.Though Alexander's councils of war, unlike the proverbial