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

XXVII.ARBELA. OCTOBER 1, B. C. 331.Darius anticipated a nig-ht attack and continued his troops under arms allnight. Having stood thus all through the previous day, they became tired andunstrung. Early in the morning the Macedonians deployed into line, Alexanderand the Companions on the right, Parmenio and tlie Tliessalians on the left.The Persians had leveled the plain for their cavalry and chariots. They faroutflanked Alexander, who, to meet this tlireat, made two flying columns ofreserve, one behind each wing, with orders to wheel outward and stand againstany outflanking force, or to the rear, or to reinforce the phalanx, as needed.The battle opened by Alexander's taking ground to the right to avoid entanglementsin his front. Darius launched his chariots against him and hurriedBessus with a cavalry force to fall upon his right flank. The chariots proveduseless ;Bessus was checked by Alexander's right flying column. Alexandersharply advanced against the Persian left centre.»Here was a gap made by thePersian first line edging to the left, to follow Alexander when he edged to theright. ' Perceiving tliis, the king formed a wedge and drove it sharply at thisgap and at Darius, whose station was near by.Meanwhile Alexander's takingground to the right had rent a gap in his own line, as Parmenio could not followhim, because Mazseus had smartly attacked his left. The Thessalians heldhead against Mazsus, but a column of Persian cavalry rode down through thegap and penetrated to the camp at the rear. Again the army was saved by thewisely disposed left flying wing, which attacked this Persian column. XParmeniofeelirg sore pressed sent to Alexander for aid. '^he king had just drivenhis wedge into the Persian line, and again Darius, as at Issus, ten-ified by thedangers which beset his person, and unmindful of his duty as a king, had takento flig'it. This gave rise to a headlong flight in the whole centre and left.Alexander was about to pursue when he heard of the danger to his left. Turningrapidly from pursuit, he headed the Companions and galloped back tostrike the cavalry which had ridden through his lines. He met them just asthey were coming back with the left flying column at their lieels. Here occurredthe stoutest fighting of the day. The Companions outdid themselves. ThePersian column was annihilated. Bessus had been driven off ; Mazseus hadbeen defeated ; the Persian centre and left were broken ; the right now followedthem in flight. The battle for the kingdom of Persia was won. Alex-