Famous and decisive battles of the world. Or, History from the battle-field
King, Charles, 1844-1933
v %■ "oc = /"I r\> .v -5-- ■\ ^ ^ '■ % \$ , \x A ' ^> V s & '*< - 0 0' ,0 C '>„ m f V , v w A i Fm*m£8Mjk Lgw jfepcfisi^ fUS ^SsSft^i^iii >■ " ^^|K<|^v /yFif V ' c ■ ^r • i *%, - f * I u\ V \ Kg m \ ■<&•* \ ^, 1 \. FAMOUS AND DECISIVE BATTLES OF THE WORLD. OK, pigfoflj from the Battle-Field. BY CAPTAIN CHARLES KING, U.S.A., LATE PROFESSOR OF MILITARY SCIENCE AND TACTICS, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN; AUTHOR OF "THE COLONEL'S DAUGHTER; OR, WINNING HIS SPURS," ETC. I v ' fi, J. C. McCURDY & CO., Publishers, PHILADELPHIA, PA., CINCINNATI, O., CHICAGO, ILL., ST. LOUIS, MO. 1884. THE LIBRARY! OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON TO fhilip R ShepidaB GeneraUn-Qhief of the ^rmy of the Xlnited fitates, in Jeep Ifespect for him as a f^an and profound Admiration for him as a fioldier, This Yolume PUBLISHER'S PREFACE. The object aimed at in this book is to bring within the limits of a single volume fresh, spirited, and authentic descriptions of such bat- tles as, because of their influence in shaping the world's history, or of their exemplifying the heroic virtues, or of their brilliantly illus- trating some important tactical principle, are the most notable of recorded conflicts. In keeping with this design, we begin with Marathon, B. c. 490. The great battles mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures are mainly sieges of walled cities, precisely similar in most of their incidents, and very largely devoid of tactical movements and shifting scenes. Those fought on the open plain are few in number, and the Bibli- cal Record supplies but little of detail beyond the final results. Of the other great wars and sieges of high antiquity, the accounts are so meagre and so thoroughly interwoven with fabulous tales, that it is impossible to present a truthful account of them. Take, as an illustration, the " History of Cyrus the Great and his Campaigns." Herodotus tells us there were at least three different versions of it in his day. Our author has gone back to the dawn of authentic history, and has selected forty-five characteristic battles, covering a period of twenty-five hundred years. These have been carefully studied and faithfully described, and, though in many instances widely separated in point of time, the course of history linking them together has been traced with what distinctness was practicable consistently with the necessity of keeping the book within reasonable limits. Among the great historical events with which the battles herein described are associated may be cited : Persia's westward sweep through Asia Minor for the avowed pur- pose of conquering all of known Europe, with Greece's heroic and triumphant resistance ; the rise of Macedon and her counter-stroke in Asia, which left Alexander the Great in tears because he had no other worlds to conquer ; the rise of Rome, her contests with the Gauls, and her bitter struggle with her rival, Carthage ; the swarming of the Saracens from Asia to Gibraltar and Biscay, with the revenge of the Crusaders; the Norman conquest of England ; Sweden's leap to martial fame, and her struggle with Russia; the desperate and (5) Q PUBLISHER'S PREFACE. bloody religious war of the Thirty Years ; Prussia's seven years' grapple with encircling Europe ; France, headed by Napoleon, against the world in arms ; America's fight for liberty ; the war of the allies against Russia ; the rising of the South against the Federal Govern- ment ; the war between Germany and France, and the still more recent struggle between the Russians and Turks. The truthful and graphic delineation of the battles that typify and illustrate these epochal collisions brings before the mind's eye the grandest scenes in the annals of the human race, and furnishes the reader with key-points to nearly the whole range of authentic history. We love to read of battles, rot alone because they are among the chief factors of the vast mass of history, which as "the heirs of all the ages" we inherit, but more especially because they are the most energetic expressions of our common humanity wherein whatever of valor and of vigor individuals or nations have possessed, finds its most forcible illustration. Both instruction and entertainment, therefore, may be derived from the perusal of this book of battles, and in following its pages the reader will march with the Great Captains of all time. What a cat- alogue they make ! Darius, the Great King ; Datis, the Mede ; Miltiades, and Themistocles, and Aristides ; Xerxes, son of the great King- Leonidas the Spartan; Pausanias ; ill-fated Mardonius; Epam- inondas of Thebes, Father of Tactics ; Philip of Macedon, sire of Alexander the Great ; Hannibal, " the dire African ; " Fabius, Father of the Waiting Policy; Scipio, who " carried the war into Africa; " Julius Caesar, soldier, scholar and hero; Pompey and Mark Antony; Brutus and Cassius ; Theodoric and Attila ; Charles Martel ; William the Conqueror; Richard Cceur de Lion ; Saladin ; Edward the Black Prince; Joan of Arc; the Sultan Mohammed; Gustavus Adolphus ; Charles XII. of Sweden ; Marlborough and Prince Eugene ; Frederick the Great ; George Washington ; Napoleon Buonaparte and Ney ; Wellington and Blucher ; Grant and Lee ; Sherman and the John- stons ; Sheridan and Stuart ; Sedgwick and Jackson ; Thomas and Hood ; Von Moltke and Skobeleff — all these and more are of the com- pany with which this book brings the reader in contact. The author, a graduate of West Point, and experienced both as a fighter and instructor, has aimed to make his treatment of the battles in this book popular and yet professional ; it is a book for the parlor and the fireside, as well as for the use of the student in war, and neither the general reader nor the professed soldier will fail to find in its pages pleasure and profit. March 15, 1884. J. C. McC. & CO. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. i. Peace and War Frontispiece. Page. 2. Plate I. — Ancient Arms and Accoutrements 38 3. " II. — Arms and Accoutrements of the Middle Ages 209 4. " III.— Arms and Accoutrements, 15TH to i8th Centuries.. 251 5. « IV. — Arms and Accoutrements of the 19TH Century 682 6. Portraits, I. — Great Warriors of Ancient History 94 7. « II. — Notable Leaders of Twelve Centuries 178 8. " III. — Great Generals of Modern Europe 353 g. " IV. — Renowned American Generals '. 646 10. Thermopylae, Battle of 44 11. Roman Legion Destroyed at Cann/e 115 12. Elephant Charge at Zama 124 13. Magnesia, Battle of 136 14. Grecian Phalanx Destroyed at Pydna 152 15. Pharsalia, Battle of '53 16. Death of Harold at Hastings 196 17. Crusaders Approaching Jerusalem 201 18. Attack on the Walls of Acre 217 19. Congratulating the Black Prince 227 20. Joan of Arc Wounded 239 21. Monument to Joan of Arc at Rouen 242 22. Siege of Constantinople 250 23. Relief of Vienna by Sobieski 287 24. Relief of Narva by Charles XII 297 25. Portrait of Louis XIV 338 26. Burgoyne's Army Marching to Saratoga 400 27. Medal Awarded' to General Gates by Congress 414 28. Death of Marshal Desaix at Marengo 436 29. Last Days of Napoleon I 528 30. Balaclava, Battle-field of 550 31. Gettysburg, Battle of 616 32. Portrait of Lincoln 681 (7) MAPS. Page. GREECE. — Giving location of eleven Battle-fields : viz., Marathon, Ther- mopylae, Platsea, Leuctra, Mantinea, Cynoscephalse, Pydna, Pharsalia, Philippi, Constantinople, Magnesia 25 MEDITERRANEAN AND BLACK SEAS, AND ADJACENT COUNTRY. — Giving location of five Battle-fields in addition to the foregoing: viz., Arbela, Cannse, Zama, Jerusalem, and Acre 7 1 EUROPE. — Showing location of twenty-four Battle-fields not given on other Maps 218 4- 5- 6. 7- 8. 9- 10. 11. 12. 13- 14. »5- 16. 17- is. 19. 20, 21 Marathon, Battle-field of 37 Thermopylae, Plat^a, Leuctra, Mantinea, Arbela, Leipsic, Blenheim, Ramilies, Leuthen, kunersdorf, TORGAU, 46 46 63 70 93 264 329 329 369 369 399 Jena and Auerstadt and Adjacent Country 493 Waterloo, Battle-field of 5°5 Manassas, " 5^6 Gettysburg and Adjacent Country 59^ Nashville, Battle-field of 645 Five Forks and Vicinity 657 (8) CONTENTS. MARATHON, 490 B. C. Darius, King of Persia, 500 B. c. — Vastness of his empire — Grecian and Per- sian interests clash in Asia Minor — Darius' bitter resentment against Miltiades — Persia makes war on the Greek colonies — Mardonius de- spatched with a powerful fleet to sack Athens — His dire misfortune — Darius rallies for a final effort — Assembles a great army on the plains of Cilicia — Datis the Mede, and Artaphernes in command — They cross the ^Egean and land at Marathon — Confidence of the Persians — Simultaneous rising of Attica — Spartan aid invoked — Platcea to the rescue — Disposition of the Asiatics— Their surprise — Impetuosity of the Greeks finally checked by the Persian centre — They fall back and entice the Persians in undisciplined pursuit, on to the open plain — Greek successes on the right and left — The Persians hemmed in on three sides — Fearful carnage — The army of Datis in mad retreat — They fly to their ships — Their camp in possession of the Greeks — The Persians sail for Athens — Miltiades marches overland to its support — Datis, again baffled, withdraws — Athens to the forefront in Grecian affairs — Pitiful end of Miltiades — Darius returns to Asia — Greece sees no more of the Persians for ten years 25—37 THERMOPYLAE, 480 B. C. A combat renowned in history — Darius resolves to lead a new expedition against Greece — Great preparations — Baffled and annoyed, he is seized with a fatal illness and dies in the midst of his preparations — Xerxes his son succeeds him — Persia's last and greatest effort — The Hellespont bridged — An over- whelming Persian force in Europe — Triumphant march through Thrace, Thessaly and Macedon — The Spartans under Leonidas seize the pass of Thermopylje — An army of nearly 2,000,000 confronted by less than 5,000 — Xerxes vainly attempts to force the pass — Leonidas' position invincible from the front — The second day a repetition of the first — Treachery at work — A forgotten path utilized by the Persians — Bitter tidings reach Leonidas on the third day — A strong detachment of Persians in his rear — He scorns to flee — Xerxes amazed at seeing the Spartans charge his centre — Leonidas mortally wounded at last — His little command ucterly destroyed — The con- queror thunders through the streets of Athens 38-45 (9) -.Q CONTENTS. PLAT^A, 479 B. C. Disastrous defeat of the Persian fleet at Salamis— Leaving Mardonius in com- mand Xerxes makes his way back to his capital— Mardonius' attempt on At- tica—His insidious offer— Lofty reply of Athens— Sparta withholds her assistance— The Athenians again forced to take refuge in their ships— Realiz- ing her own peril Sparta finally comes to the rescue— Mardonius takes a position in Bceotia— The hostile armies meet near Platcea— Influence of the « Oracles "—Timely warning of Alexander of Macedon— The Spartans sur- prised—Midnight manoeuvres— Amompharetus the Spartan— Mob-like pur- suit of the Persians— Artabazus holds aloof— Pausanias pauses to offer up battle sacrifices — " Now, Sparta, advance " — The heavy infantry of Sparta literally tears through the Persian army — The hosts of Mardonius a fleeing mob Treacherous conduct of Artabazus— Greek meeting Greek on the ieft The Persians make for a fortified enclosure — The men of Attica carry it by storm, and an unparalleled massacre takes place — Persian conquest of Greece abandoned after Platrea 4^-55 LEUCTRA, 371 B. C. Incessant warring among the Greek States for the supremacy — Athens sur- renders to Sparta — The latter revengeful and despotic — Her former allies desert her — Spartan supremacy destroyed — Persia solicits aid to quell a revolt in Egypt — Fresh troubles among the Greek States — Epaminondas defiant in the council — Character of this extraordinary man — Thebes and Sparta at war They meet at Leuctra — Superstition aids the former — Superiority of the Theban cavalry — The " Sacred Band " — The strength of Sparta wasted against the science of Thebes — Death of Cleombrotus and retreat of the Spar- tans Epaminondas the conqueror of the time-honored leaders and heroes of Greece 56~63 MANTINEA, 362 B. C. Thebes and Sparta again meet in battle— =-No peace between the rival States since Leuctra — Description of the field — Composition and strength of the op- posing forces — Epaminondas marches to the attack — His strange movements puzzle the Spartans — Concluding that he does not mean to attack that day, they throw down shield and spear in easy confidence — Screened by his cavalry Epaminondas arranges the grand phalanx of Thebes in order of battle — Ready and awaiting the signal to advance— Confusion in the ranks of allies of the Peloponnesus — Instant overthrow of their cavalry — Epaminondas fights in the front rank of the phalanx — Greek meets Greek in deadly grap- ple— Unable to resist the Theban onset the Spartans fall back in utter rout and consternation — Epaminondas receives a mortal spear-thrust while pur- suing the fleeing Spartans — The pursuit abandoned — His death paralyzes the Thebans — They sign a treaty of peace — Epaminondas the greatest soldier Greece had yet known 64-70 CONTENTS. 21 ARBELA, 331 B. C. Rugged Macedon becomes mistress of the Greek confederacy — Its king, Philip, trained in the school of Epaminondas — His perfect military system — Philip's murder puts his son, the future Alexander the Great, on the throne — He pre- pares for an invasion of Asia — His small army the perfected machine of a century of experiment — Synopsis of his methods and description of his ar- rangements— Alexander a man of superb physique, iron constitution and dauntless courage — A new Darius opposes him in Asia — Napoleon's critique — Character of Darius — Repeatedly defeated he makes a final stand at Ar- bela — The empire of the world at stake — First appearance of caparisoned elephants in battle — Darius' order of battle — Cautious movements of the Macedonian king — lie calls a council and explains his plans — Disposition of his forces— Persia's opportunity — Failure of the chariot charge — The great line of Darius surges forward — Alexander leads an impetuous attack on the Persian centre — He makes for Darius — Flight of the latter to the mountains — The desertion of the king produces a panic in the Persian centre — The Macedonian left utterly surrounded and cut off — Simmais and Cra- terus to the rescue of Parmenio — Final and decisive triumph of Alexander on the left — The glorious battle of Arbela the most decisive of his career — Moral effects of the battle — Dying at Babylon in the midst of his triumphs Alexander's great empire is divided among his generals — End of Macedo- nian sway in Asia 7 1-93 CANN/E, 216 B. C. Greece's internal dissensions — The rise of two new powers — Rome and Car thage clash in a "battle of the giants" — The former claims Sicily — The first Punic war — Carthage resolves to conquer Spain — Second Punic war — Hanni- bal appears on the scene — Fabius the Roman envoy in Carthage — War de- clared—Hannibal's eternal vengeance — Subjugates Gaul — Crosses the Alps and enters Italy — Scipio overthrown at Ticino — Battle at the Trebia and another Carthaginian triumph — The Romans fall back to the Adriatic — Rome chooses new Consuls — Another terrible disaster befalls them at Thrasymene — Hannibal's new move — Policy of Fabius — Hannibal hemmed in — He again outwits the Romans and escapes — Fabius supplanted by Varro and Paullus — They establish a magazine of supplies at Cannae — Hannibal dashes in and seizes it — A powerful army sent against him — His preparations — The Ro- man commanders violently antagonistic in character, plans and methods — The far-famed battle-field — Hannibal's matchless cavalry — Final disposition of the opposing forces — The battle begins — vEmilius Paullus severely wounded — Varro left to his own devices — Valor of the Roman knights — The Roman right swept away — Hard fighting of the left — Varro's cavalry all vanquished — The infantry stands firm — A general advance of the Carthaginian line — Rome winning in the centre, Hannibal falls on both their flanks and hems them in on three sides — He finally grinds the Roman legions to powder- All is lost but honor — Death of Paullus and flight of Varro — Hannibal's greatest triumph — Rome still unconquered 94- 1 15 12 CONTENTS. ZAMA, 202 B. C. Apathy of the Carthaginians after Cannae — Hannibal's call for support un- heeded— Scipio eventually "carries the war into Africa" — A brief glance at intervening events — The success of the Romans in two engagements revives hope and confidence — Hannibal wins two more bloody battles — — Capua taken by the Romans — The two Scipios killed in Spain — A young Scipio at the head of the reorganized Roman army — Fortune favors Rome — Success of Scipio Africanus in Spain — He invades Africa — Hannibal called home — Carthage sues for peace — A fresh war breaks out — Scipio collects his forces at Zama — Hannibal's elephants a source of perplexity to the Romans — Their tremendous charge in battle — Tricked into failure by Scipio's well- laid plans — Terrific hand-to-hand fighting between Scipio's legions and Han- nibal's veterans — Final defeat of the latter — Hannibal's flight — His death by suicide — Carthage finally razed to the ground 1 1 6-1 24 CYNOSCEPHALiE, 197 B. C. Decay of Macedon under another King Philip — Having conquered Carthage Rome declares war against her — Rome's military system — Description of the legion — Attention paid to physical training — Unpopularity of Philip — Rome's pretence for war — Her invasion of Greece 200 B. C. — Achaia joins Rome — Strength of the opposing armies — Composition of Philip's army — Encounter- in"- the Romans at Cynoscephalce — Confusion on both sides — The phalanx breaks the Roman left — Macedonia's left in loose array — Scattered by the war elephants — The Roman right wing falls upon them and completes their destruction — Consternation everywhere — Macedon's political importance gone for ever— Rome undisputed ruler of Southern Europe and Northern Africa 125-135 MAGNESIA, 190 B. C. Division of the empire of Alexander the Great — The portion of Seleucus — His great-grandson Antiochus the Great on the throne — His designs on Egypt clash with Rome — He invades Thrace — Rome's demand declined by Antio- chus— A declaration of war — Total defeat by the Romans near Thermopylae — Destruction of the Asiatic fleet at Myonesus — Scipio Africanus carries the war into Asia — Alarm of Antiochus — Scipio declines his offer — The oppos- ing forces meet at Magnesia — Composition and strength of the two armies — The Romans under Eumenes begin the battle — His tactics discomfit the Asiatics — Retreat of the phalanx — Helplessness and irresolution of Antio- chus' army — The Roman horsemen complete its destruction — Rome " Arbi- tress of the world from the Atlantic to the Euphrates " 136-143 PYDNA, 168 B. C. A. new ruler in Macedon — His character — Growth of the country since the last war — Provisions of the treaty of peace with Rome ignored — The Romans de- clare war against Macedon for the third time — They land an army and send a fleet into the ^Egean — Defeat of their army under Crassus — Inactivity of CONTENTS. 13 the fleet — A son of Emilius Paullus finally in command of the army — The Macedonians brought to bay at Pydna — Its location — An insignificant skir- mish brings on a great battle — Superiority of the Macedonian cavalry — Tac- tics of the Roman consul — The Phalangites decoyed into a disorderly pursuit, and then turned upon and annihilated by the legion — The last appearance of the world-renowned phalanx on any battle-field of fame — The death-blow of Macedon — Perseus dies a prisoner 144-152 PHARSALIA, 49 B. C. Rome's hundred years of ceaseless warfare — Extent of her Asiatic conquests — Julius Caesar rising into great prominence — His quarrel with Pompey — The senate decides against the absent Caesar — He crosses the Rubicon and quickly becomes master of Italy — Pompey flees to Greece and rallies a new army around him — Discipline in the opposing armies contrasted —Strength of Pompey's army and navy — Preparations for Caesar's coming — The latter's lack of vessels — He evades Pompey's fleet and lands an army in Greece — Reinforced by Marcus Antonius — Caesar dashes into Thessaly and seizes sup- plies— Pompey follows and overtakes him at Pharsalia — A battle for the mas- tership of the empire — Pleavy fighting — Caesar's veterans discomfit Pompey's cavalry — Utter rout of his army — His flight into Egypt and assassination — " Caesar Imperator," the greatest soldier of Rome, the victim of high-born assassins 153—164 PHILIPPI, 42 B. C. Effect of Caesar's assassination — Cicero's influence — Antony assumes to act as Caesar's representative — Trouble among the conspirators — A new hero appears — Caesar's adopted son hurries back from Greece and assumes the name of Caius Julius Caesar Octavianus — Antony's amazement — Cicero and five legions hasten to the former's support — Sharp fighting — The " Second Triumvirate," 42 B. C. — Unpopularity of Brutus and Cassius in the Eastern provinces — The Triumvirate declares war against them — Black record of the former — Brutus and Cassius await their coming at Philippi — The vision of Brutus — He precipitates the battle — Defeat of the Republicans — Suicide of Cassius — End of the first day's fight — Second day of Philippi — Brutus defenceless — Commits suicide — End of the Roman republic — Antony ensnared by Cleo- patra— Rupture between Antony and Octavius — The battle of Actium — Suicide of Antony and Cleopatra — Octavius becomes Augustus Caesar.. . 165-171 CHALONS, 451 A. D. The beginning of the Christian era witnesses Rome's humiliation — Her inva- sion of Britain — She destroys Jerusalem, and a century later subdues the Germans — The capital removed by Constantine to Constantinople — Rome's decline — Her colonies all Christianized — Attacked by the Huns under At- tila — Sketch of him — He invades France — Abandons the siege of Orleans and concentrates at Chalon-sur-Marne — Tactics of the allies — A bloody bat- tle begins — Defeat of Attila — His retreat — Resolves not to be taken alive — Reasons why the allies failed to pursue — The power of the Huns effectually broken 172—177 14 CONTENTS. TOURS, 732 A. D. Great changes in Christendom — End of the Roman Empire — Saxon conquest of Britain — The era of Mohammed — Saracenic conquests — Abderrahman crosses the Pyrenees and swoops down upon France — Charles Martel to the rescue — " The deadly battle " of Tours, the most important and decisive of the middle ages — The Saracens' desolating course — They lose all military discipline — Charles Martel takes advantage of this, and assembles an army — Abderrahman meets him at Tours — The advantage with the Franks the first day — The second day's fierce fighting, and death of Abderrahman — Merci- less slaughter of the Moslems — Their power completely broken — Charles Martel founds a great empire 17S-182 HASTINGS, 1066 A. D. Disruption of Charlemagne's empire with his death — France suffers from the Northmen — They settle in the north — Renown of the Norman knights — Rival claimants for the English throne — William of Normandy's sharp strategy — Harold named Edward the Confessor's successor — His troubles at home — William lays claim to his throne — He secures the Pope's blessing and prepares to invade England — He assembles a powerful army and lands at Hastings, England — Harold prepares to meet him — His position and equipments — A great battle impending — Composition of the Normans — They begin the attack — Stubborn fighting — King Harold badly wounded — A pretended Norman retreat towards evening lures his men out of their fortifications — They break ranks to pursue the fleeing enemy — The Normans turn fiercely on their pursuers, and rout them with terrible slaughter — Lead- ing Saxon nobles killed — William of Normandy, now William the Conqueror, King of England — Elevation of the Normans and depression of the Saxons — England a gainer by the conquest 1S3-196 JERUSALEM, 1099 A. D. The Saracens still dominant in Asia and Africa — Europe under the sway of Rome — Pilgrimages to the Holy Sepulchre — Short-sighted conduct of the Turcomans — Indignities to the Pilgrims — Peter the Hermit and Walter the Penniless — The Crusades — Their object and character — The march to Pales- tine— Terrible reverses to the advance-guard — Great military leaders to the front, under Godfrey de Bouillon — Jerusalem besieged — Activity of the Infi- dels— Furious and long-continued assaults of the allied Christians— God- frey's vision — Renewed vigor of the attack — Jerusalem falls — Indiscrimin- ate massacre- -Nearly a century of Christian rule — Rise of a new Infidel champion — His successes 197-208 ACRE, 1191 A. D. Richard I. on England's throne — Rome preaches a new crusade, which he undertakes — Emperor Frederick of Germany and King Philip of France join him — Family quarrels — Acre besieged — Knightly conduct of Saladin — Incessant and terrific fighting — Surrender of Acre — Richard marches on to CONTENTS. 15 Ascalon — He wins the immortal name of Canir de Lion — Concludes a truce with Saladin — Richard's domestic troubles — His untimely death — End of the Crusades a century later 209-2 1 7 CRESSY, 1346 A. D. The age of gunpowder — Hereditary trouble between England and France — The latter country invaded and many peaceful villages sacked — Philip of France raises an army and encounters the English at Cressy — King Edward gives his son a prominent command — Fearful odds against him — Tumultuous approach of the French — The struggle begins — Moral effect of the English aitillery — Heavy and determined fighting — Edward's message to his son — Utter defeat of the French — Mortality among their distinguished leaders — The " Order of the Garter " — Other English successes 218-227 ORLEANS, 1429 A. D. Continued troubles between England and France concerning the crown of the latter — France again invaded — Defeated and disheartened the French retire to Orleans — The English lay siege to it — Artillery used on both sides — Heroic defence of the city — Imbecility of the king — Three women to the rescue — Joan of Arc — Her history — In command of the French, and leading the assault, banner in hand — A terrible battle ensues — Complete overthrow of the English — Charles VII. crowned — Joan defeated in a subsequent battle and taken prisoner — Barbarously treated, and finally burnt by the English — The latter lose their hold on France 228-242 CONSTANTINOPLE, 1453 A. D. Foundations of the city — " The Empire of the World " — Its numerous sieges — Its decline in the fifteenth century — Differences between the Greek and Roman Catholic Churches — The latter fail to assist in repelling the Infidel — Sultan Mohammed II. lays siege to it— His great army and ponderous artillery —His fleet— Brave defence of the garrison under Constantine — The offer of Mohammed declined — The final grand assault — The Janizaries — Death of Constantine — Surrender and pillage of the city — End of the empire of the East — Politic conduct of Mohammed Bujuk 243-250 LEIPSIC, 1631 A. D. The Thirty Years' War the outgrowth of the Reformation — Great military chieftains — The countries involved — Gustavus Adolphus — His genius — Re- organization of the military system under him — His aid solicited by the Protes- tants of Germany, and his triumphant march to join them — Encounters the Imperialists under Tilly at Leipsic — Confidence of the latter — Allied order of battle — Heavy fighting — Final and utter defeat of Tilly — Moral effects of this great Protestant victory — New complications 25 1-264 IQ CONTENTS. LUTZEN, 1632 A. D. Gustavus Adolphus — Conqueror, judge, and lawgiver — Tilly's death and Wal- lenstein's humiliation— Character of the latter — His reinstatement to oppose his great rival — They meet at Liitzen — Strength of the opposing armies — Their relative positions and order of battle — The night before the battle — The allied army begins the attack — Wallenstein surprised — Death of Gusta- vus Adolphus — Renewed energy and fervor of the allies — Pappenheim arrives His death — Last hope of the Imperialists — Wallenstein retreats during the night — Again deposed from command — His assassination — New complica- tions— Turenne and Conde appear. 265-278 VIENNA, 16S3 A. D. Its position and liability to attack — Besieged by the Grand Vizier Kara Mus- tapha — Flight of the Emperor — Count Staremburg undertakes the defence — Vigorous investment by the Turks — Suffering in the city — Leopold appeals to John Sobieski for assistance — Three other powers join him — The march to relieve the beleaguered city — Attacking the Turks — Discipline and valor of the Polish cavalry — Rout and disorderly flight of the Turks — Vienna saved — End of Turkish aggression — Ingratitude of Austria 279-287 NARVA, 1700 A. D. The successors of Gustavus Adolphus — Character of Charles XII. — Secret plots of neighboring sovereigns — Resolution of the Swedish King — He takes the field and humbles Denmark — Meanwhile Poland assails Riga, and Russia lays siege to Narva— Unmindful of Augustus of Poland, he moves on Peter the Great — Character and genius of the latter — Charles attacks the besiegers of Narva — Great disparity in the strength of the rival forces — Fiery impetuosity of Charles — One-third of the Russian army captured, and the remainder killed and dispersed — A glory to Sweden and a blessing in disguise to Russia — The prelude to Pultowa 288-297 PULTOWA, 1709 A. D. Amazement of Europe — Philosophical view of Peter the Great — Charles turns on Poland — Artifice of Augustus — He is dethroned — Charles is visited by Marlborough — The former's ambition — He invades Russia in midwinter — Marches on Moscow — Winning victories everywhere — Running short of supplies his generals urge him to await the arrival of the Polish allies and his provision trains — Incapable of realizing his danger, he immediately turns south and marches into the wilds of the Ukraine — Sufferings and demorali- ' zation of his army — Besieges Pultowa — Great odds against him — The Swedes overwhelmed — Charles wounded — His flight to Turkey — His sub- sequent career and tragic death — Policy of Peter the Great — His great achievements 298-307 CONTENTS. 17 BLENHEIM, 1704 A. D. A war contemporaneous with that of Charles XII. and Peter the Great — The Golden Age of France — Her great captains — Grasping policy of "Le Grand Monarque" — A powerful league formed against him — Death of William III. of England— The brilliant Duke of Marlborough in command of the Confed- erates— His character — Influence of his wife at court — Eugene of Savoy second in command — They are everywhere successful — The French and Bava- rians concentrating at Blenheim — Careful preparations on both sides — Irish- men in the French service — The great struggle begins— -The earlier advantages with the French — Marlborough's mistaken supposition — The British line recoils — Eugene finally turns the allied left — Attack on the French centre' — The English cavalry complete their defeat — Marshal Tallard a prisoner — The gathering darkness favors the escape of his shattered army — The power of Louis XIV. broken — A glorious victory for England 308-328 RAMILIES, 1706 A. D. After their defeat at Blenheim the French march into Holland — Honors to Marlborough at Vienna — The rival armies confront each other at Ramilies — Their strength — The destinies of the Netherlands, the issue — The French overconfident — The attack begins at noon — Villeroy, the French commander, misled by Marlborough's movements — Prince Eugene absent on other duty — Hard fighting — The Dutch and German cavalry in confusion — Marlbor- ough's personal danger — French lines driven back and defeated after three hours' fighting — Marlborough's unerring judgment — Effect of his wife's impe- rious temper — Serious French losses — The waning power of Louis XIV. re- ceives another blow — Exultation in England 329~ 33& OUDENARDE, 1708 A. D. Bitter experience of Louis XIV. — Reverses in Spain — His army again in the field — Dissensions among the Confederates in the Low Countries — Marl- borough and Eugene again to the front — The French lay siege to Oudenarde — Its position — Incompetence of the Duke of Burgundy — The French out- manoeuvred— Amazed at the rapid movements of Marlborough — Vendome attempts to retrieve their evil fortunes — Brilliant work of the Confederate cavalry — Renewed blundering of Burgundy — Furious charging and counter- charging— Bravery and firmness of the Confederate cavalry leaders — The decisive move of the battle at 6 P. M. — The last hope of Burgundy gone — Fearful carnage on both sides — Darkness saves the French from utter annihi- lation— Louis XIV. makes proposals of peace — His efforts to recall Eugene of Savoy — Public thanksgiving in England — Marlborough's victory at Mal- plaquet — His invincibility in the field — His troubles at home 339-352 LEUTHEN, 1757 A. D. Frederick the Great, the most renowned general of this period prolific of great warriors — An age of three great epochs — Eccentricities of Frederick's father 2 13 CONTENTS. — The Seven Years' War — Prussia's perfect army — Menaced by encircling Europe — Frederick's tactics — He darts upon the Austrians first — The great battle of Leuthen a masterpiece of movements, manoeuvres and resolution — Preliminary movements and incidents — Frederick hurries on to Leuthen to give battle to an overpowering force of Austrians and Saxons — His movements amaze his enemies — Daun superseded and his counsels ignored — The Austrians march forward to open battle with Frederick — His memorable ad- dress— His strategy — His far-famed oblique order — Consternation of the Austrians — Their left wing in disorder — Terrible fighting around Leuthen — Lucchesi trapped and killed — Utter rout of the Austrians — Their enormous losses — The most decisive of ad of Frederick's victories — Maria Theresa relieves Prince Charles and reinstates Daun — Prussia once more in possession of Silesia 353~368 KUNERSDORF, 1759 A. D. The Russians now assail Frederick — The bloody and destructive battle of Zorndorf — His fourth campaign — He introduces to the military world the first battery of horse artillery — Frankfort-on-the Oder seized — Location of Kuners- dorf, and the position of the allied Austrians and Russians — Frederick again surprises them — He meets with an intelligent peasant whom he interviews — He finally storms and captures the Miihlberg— The grandest sight of Kuners- dorf — Soltikoff rallies his Russians — The Prussians repeatedly repulsed — Loudon's superb Austrian grenadiers — Despair of Frederick — "The conse- quences of this battle will be worse than the battle itself" — His army prac- tically annihilated — The blackest day Prussia had ever known — Russia and Austria fail to follow up their great opportunity — A barren triumph — Jealousy in the Russian ranks rohs Loudon of his due merit — Frederick himself again in six weeks 3°9-3^5 TORGAU, 1760 A. D. The inaction of Frederick's adversaries enable him to assemble another army — His fifth campaign — His fortunes at their lowest ebb — Fairly in the toils of encircling Europe he turns upon his enemies like a hunted lion — Daun again in the field at Torgau — Frederick outwits him another time — The situation — The battle opens — Ziethen's premature move — Frederick furious — Magnificent charge of the Prussian grenadiers — Terrible slaughter of Frederick's choicest troops — Daun's left in grievous disorder — Ziethen's night attack — Darkness and confusion — Complete rout of the Austrians — The pursuit— The king embraces Ziethen — The treaty of peace — France gives up the contest — Frederick the Great, lord of Silesia — End of the " Seven Years' War " — Prussia the acknowledged military leader of Europe. . ..386-399 SARATOGA, 1777 A. D. The story of the revolution — Saratoga one of Creasy's " Fifteen Decisive Bat- tles of the World " — Sketch of Burgoyne — He is opposed to the employment of Indians as allies — Account of the opening of the campaign — Failure of the CONTENTS. 19 British Expeditions of St. Leger and Baume — General Starke's brilliant ser- vices— Gates supersedes Schuyler— The situation on his arrival— Burgoyne's position — Strength of his forces— His attack on Arnold's division— The Brit- ish repulsed — Enthusiasm caused by Arnold's appearance — Critical situation of the British— Failure of Clinton to relieve them — Their offer to capitulate Gates finally accedes to their proposition— The refusal of Congress to ratify his terms Backbone of British aggression broken — France comes to the aid of the Colonies— The scale turned 400-414 MARENGO, 1800 A. D. Childhood of Napoleon Buonaparte— His character as described by the Military School— His predilection for artillery— A lieutenant in this branch— His early career — Backed by prominent and influential men, he obtains promotion over others above his rank — His vehement ambition aroused to feverish activity — In command of the army operating in Italy — He oveithrows five Austrian armies in succession — Amazing the world by his marvellous skill — His Egyp- tian campaigns — First Consul under the new constitution — His wonderful passage of the Alps— Confronts de Melas, the veteran Austrian commander — Lannes and Desaix with Napoleon — Relative strength of the opposing armies — They meet on the plains of Marengo, Italy — Three able generals, Lannes, Victor, and Murat, with the First Consul — The Austrians' first attack a failure — Wearing out the French — The day going badly with them— The " Man of Destiny" on the scene — Lannes' superb courage saves the army from total destruction — De Melas considers the day won — Reckoning without his host and Desaix — Arrival of the latter with his corps on the battle-field — "There is yet time to win another" — Death of Desaix — Fearful rout of the Austrians — Their army in Napoleon's grasp — " What a glorious day" — Marengo gives France an emperor 41 5_43^ AUSTERLITZ, 1805 A. D. 