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

PLAN OF HOLDING VALLEYS. 517wonderful good health, he was not wont to be long laid up.The same rule will apply to the average of tlie soldiers.Thei'e were probably many wounded who scarcely went offduty; who certainly kept with their conmiands or with thetrain, even if relegated to easy work or none for a shorter orlonger period.The town in question had a double wall, and was stoutlydefended. The next morning the rest of the troops arrived.An attack was made. The barbarians could not resist theMacedonian onset. The outer wall, not being very substantial,was at once taken. The inner wall was more difficult,but was defended only a few hours after the ladders werebrought into use.As usual, the better weapons and good defensivearmor of the Macedonian heavy troops gave the barbariansno chance. The Macedonians were comparativelysafe from wounds, as well as under the best of discipline.The barbarians were wise enough to make their exit whilethey might by the rear gates, and fled to the mountains.Here they were followed up, and many of their number overtakenand slain.Alexander's men, in revenge for their leader'swound, razed the city to the ground. Marching to thenext town, named Andaca, Alexander gained possession ofit by capitulation, the inhabitants being appalled by the summaryfate oftheir neighbor.Alexander saw that by holding with suitable forts the outletsof these valleys, he coidd readily control the valleys themselves,and by carefully blockading them, reduce theirinhabitantsto terms in his own good time. He therefore leftCraterus with an ample heavy infantry force to continue thereduction of the minor towns, place garrisons in them, andarrange the affairs of the country as best might seem to him,and then, by a lower pass over the mountains nearer the CophenRiver, to join him in the valley of the Guraeus (modernPandj Kora).