The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-05-17

lost, that the garrison had been massacred |
and that the barbariaps, who at first had |
intended to cross the sea in galleys and land |
an immense force near Ravenna, south of
it, near Porius C!assis, finding that the Libur-
MAN craft had been all withdrawn to Italy by |
the prudence of Germanius, were now swarm
ing through Histria, round the head Of the |
Adriatc.
The tidings agreed. Germanicus explained |
his plan detailed below, and asked his |
council their advice upon it, remarking that
he had forty thousand effective men, and that
the hordes with whom they were to contend
might perhaps number three times rs many.
But half three times as many" added he,
make only sixty thousand men and we
know from long experience that we are gener- |
ally equal to twice own numbers We
must, however, avoid being struck by all that
vast horde simultaneously; and I conceive
that we have now an opportunity of fighting
the barbarians in two separate armies, success
fully, with the whole of our own force. They
have committed q mistake and frequently the
best thing general can do is to wait for such
mistake s, and take advantage of them.
"a few miles north of Verona, there is a
narrow, ma,shy, and difficult pass, between the
eastern shore of the lake and the river Atheists
(Adige).
" have sent forward the best part of one
legion, with plenty of spades and Any
| number of wild Germans, marching upon
| between the lake and the river, will there be
| checked and brought to a stand for weeks by
| such force as have sent when it shall be
well established behind earth works. 1 mean
! at once to march, with every available man
remaining, round the southern end of the lake,
and to turn northward by our right hand, so
as to meet visitors the other the
western shore, where they will not seize in
q pair of tongs, as they hope and have said,
but must fight front to front. If we beat
them effectualy, as I calculate we shall, we
can return rapidly; and being near this end
of the lake, and having four times a shorter
road, we shall reach our detached legion above
Verona long before the fugitives on the oppo
site route can rejoin the assailants of the de-
tached legions. We will then change the
| defence of that position into offensive action.
"You have heard my plan," concluded Ger
manicus. " Give me your advice. require
the youngest present, my new message
bearer, Paulus Lepidus Emilius,.to speak the
first"
General" said Panlus, the plan seems to
me to be sound. may mention to the other
for the moment has discharged me from bein g
his message-bearer and has appointed me to
command the greater part of legion,
stationed at the marshy pass between the
eastern shore of the lake and the river; I shall
therefore not share in your first battle. All 1
would ask of our general is let me have sixt y
or seventy carpenters and artifcers, one more
r balister for shooting stones, and three more
cntauults for darts and for the trifayD
| What is your purpose'" asked Germani-
Gus.
| my men," replied Paulus, "havo already
by using the axe and spade, made their posi-
l ton very strong with felled timber and earth
n between the lake and the river expect the
o enemy to arrive in front of it shortly after my
t return to the post and am in great hopes
: as they cannot at this season soon get upon
our hanks or rear and must attack us upon q
8 very narrow face, that handful of Roman
soldiers will be good thousands o.
savages. But should be still more confident
of holding my ground if could turn O.
their TANKS"
: Here Panlus forthwith was in terrupted by
. general laugh, and Germanicus exclaimed:
| Are you so oblivious of the very first rudi
8 ments of fghtingf You, with about three
quarters of one legion, turn the flank of fifty
or sixty thousand barbariansw
a Again the grim old officers forming tn,
0 council laughed
Paulus Redeemed, and with a slight bow, in
:, q slow and deliberate way, said: Il wan
5, the artiiicers to coutrive me n large raft, OF
9 which l will place the balsta and the tire,
IS catapuits. l have obtained two small row
|. boats. They shall be tugs to my raft. l viii
Il have the raft flowed up the lake, on my lef
If hand, little hey ond the front face-line o
IS my small Notifications, out of reach of an,
handdarts from the shore, and well secure,
j. against arrows, but the shore will be within
the easy and powerful range of our own in
IS struments, or tormenta, upon the raft WheI
Il the Germans attack me in front, their owl
right will be CALLED and tormented from tn
d lake. This is what l call turning their RICH
flank. only wish could have smila
d establishment on the Adige, to turn their lef
" flank also.n