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

XLI.BATTLE OF THE HYDASPES. MAY, B. C. 326.PoRtTS had setup his two hundred elephants in one line, one hundred feetapart, sustained by his thirty thousand infantry ; one hundred and fifty chariotsand two thousand cavalry were on each flank.His ideas were limited to aparallel order, and he chose a defensive battle. Alexander had his phalanx ofsix thousand men ; some three thousand light troops, and, above all, five thousandsplendid cavalry. Eliminating' the elephants and the chariots, Alexanderhad a good chance to win. But could these be neutralized ? The Macedonianhorse could not be got to approach the elephants ;nor was the infantry steadyin their vicinity. Alexander saw that he could not advance direct on Porus.He chose rather to attack his left flank ; and sending Coenus with part of hiscavalry by a hidden circuit to turn and demoralize the Indian right, he movedhis phalanx, left somewhat refused, up towards the Indian left wing, whilewith his cavalry he rode around the left flank and attacked it smartly.Porus,though brave and with brave men, knew nothing of grand tactics, and was unequalto opposing this oblique attack, except by detaching the cavalry of hisright over to his left to meet Alexander. This enabled Coenus to throw theright into vast confusion by a sharp attack, and then to ride, in rear of Porus'line, over to the Indian left, and take in rear the cavalry opposing Alexander.Between them, Alexander and Coenus used up the Indian cavalry ;the chariotsproved useless ; the elephants, at first effective, were courageously met by theMacedonians and driven back on Porus' line ;the infantry, having nothing inits front and unused to manoeuvring, proved useless.After eight hours of hardfighting and the heaviest loss he ever incurred in battle, — one man in everyfifteen was killed, and the majority were wounded, — Alexander was completelyvictorious — a result he owed to splendid management and the very bestof fighting. Porus, captured, was every inch a king. Alexander made himhis friend and viceroy.Porus had with him all hiscavalry, four thousand strong,three hundred chariots, two hundred elephants, each with atower filled with well-armed men, and some thirtythousandinfantry. When he came to a place back of the river low-