The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-05-05
ALEAF FROM HISTORY.
THE BATTLE OF
T HE MOODkEE.

The very river Sutledge, on the banks
of which occurred the bloody fight be-
tween the English and the Sikhs, of
which we have just received the intelli-
gence-is the Hyphasis which proved
the boundary of Alexander's conquests,
and beyond which his army would not
follow him.
The easy victories and profuse pre-
cious spoils, which in the softer & SUMMER
plains of Persia or Western Asia, had
rewarded the valor ond satisfied the ava
rice of the Greek soldiers-had indis-
posed them for fercer cenficts, unre-
deemed BY captured treasures-which a.
waited them among the harder and poor
er tribes of India. Yet for time and
while there seemed some definite limit 10
the ambition Of their leader, they follow
ed Alexander without murmuring, even
TO the foot Of the Himalayas.
On the banks of the Hydaspes--the
northern tributary of the ludus-the
Macedonians encountered the great King
Porus, who reigned over the region south
of that river, and whose ambition was
dreaded by all the Indians dwelling on its
northern banks, and between it and the
Indus. These eagerly hailed the ap-
proach Of Alexander as a protection a.
gainst tyranny-real or apprehended--of
Porus; just as England at this day makes
battle now against the Atghans, and now
against the Sikhs, TO avenge some real or
supposed wrong to some native tribes or
princes, indicators like Alexander OF mi
nor wrongs by the infiction OF wrongs
tenfold greater.
On the left bank of the Hydaspes Po-
rus sat down with his army, composed of
10000 foot, six thousand horse, tour hun
dred war chariots, and more than two
hundred elephants. The force of Alex
ander, like that of England in the late
battle, was largely native. but with a Eu-
ropean basis and core; besides his Mace
domains and other Greeks, he had the cav
airy Of Asia, from Bactria, Scythia, Sog-
dia, &C., and a considerable force of ma
tive infantry. His main army however,
was cavalry.
Not daring to cross the river in front
OF so formidable an army; and especially
dreading the effect of the elephants upon
his cavalry, Alexander, by favor ofa dark
and stormy night, and of an island hap
PLY interposed between the banks of the
river, above the position of the enemy,
and which had at once the advantage of
concealing and facilitating the attempt of
the Greeks, threw five thousand horse
and as many foot across the river,& 81 leading
them in person turned the flank of Po-
russ army and utterly defeated it, with
great slaughter to the Indians; making the
barbarian king prisoner, and himself To-
sing-differing therein very much from
the English battles-only eighty foot sol
diers and two hundred and twenty horse.
A new city called Nikea, built on the
spot of the battle, commemorated this VIC
tory, and another, called Bucephala, be-
came monument of Bucephalus. woun-
ded in the passage Of the Hydaspes, and
who died there.
Porus brought before Alexander and in
terrogated how he expected to be treated,
answered, ''like king He was not
disappointed; for Alexander made him a
friend and ally and greatly increased his
dominions. The fame of such generosi-
ty united to such valor, opened the hearts
of the Indian nations of the Puniaub to
him. He was everywhere submitted to
and welcomed, and having organized a
naval expedition to descend the Indus one
thousand miles to the sea and proceed
through the Persian Gulf TO the mouth OF
the Euphrates and ascend it (the famous
voyage of Nearchus)-he continued his
march through Punjaub, aiming, as he
prolessed TO reach the Ganges. But when
the army came 10 the banks Of the lily.
phasis, they refused to cross it and enter