Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-17


maintained perfect GOODNESS, and when the
work cut out for them was done, wheeled
and united, and Miltiades placed himself
at their head and led them upon the vic
torious Persian center. The discounted
Greek center, seeing this, rallied and renew
ed the fight. The compact formation was
the one for the new emergency, and Greek
discipline enabled Miltiades to vary his
tactics in the heat Of action
The solid ranks of the united columns
Of the Greeks and their heavy arnor
and superior equipment for fighting at
close quarters defeated every effort of
the Asiatics, and finally the whole Persian
host was in a rout. And at this time, the
proper moment, the spirit of carnage that
had come upon the Greeks by reason Of
their successful blows was given full play,
and they pursued the shattered masses to
the waters edge, and cut them down in the
ships drawn upon the beach for embarka.
ton. Many ships were boarded and fired,
and the Asiatics who had the temerity to
offer resistance were drowned or slaugh-
tered. The Greek loss was mainly sustained
on the beach. Callimachus fell there, and
also one of the ten generals. Seven Per
sian galleys were burned, and the rest
quickly pushed Off, bearing away vast
army, so far as numbers went, despite the
enormous loss in battle.
But Miltiades' work was not ended.
Athens was still exposed to treachery, and
to the craft Of Darius able general, Datis.
Hippias had been killed in the battle, but
his emissaries might unwittingly betray
the scantily garrisoned city to the Persians
II summoned to do so while the Athenian
army was at distance. The hero of Mar
athon did not sit down on his laurels but
left a guard over the fabulous spoils of the
field, and before daylight on the morning
after the battle mustered his weary sol
ders on the heights above the city, where,
TO the arRazement of the Persian leader,
they lay in full view OF his feet as it en-
tered the harboT of Athens after rapid
nights sail
The victory was complete The Persans
withdrew, and the moral effect was such
that Grecian courage never quaiIed and
never yielded before the monster hordes of
the Orient.
The Persian dead on the field were over
six thousand, and great numbers were
drowned in the sea or burned In the ships
The Athenian dead, numbering only 1872
were exceptionally honored by interment
upon the battlefield, where mound was
raised over their bones, and ten columns
were erected TO commemorate the fallen of
the ten tribes which took part in the bat.
tie The Spartan re-enforcements 10 the
number Of 1900 made forced march OF
$50 miles in three days, but were too late
to share in the glory. The tactics Of Mil
tiades at Marathon have been study for
military men ever since. Had he adhered
to Grecian custom and spread his men in
uniform line they would not have been
able to strike "A telling blow at any given
point, and could have been broken with
ease. Had he sent them in at n slow pace
the Persians would have had time TO form
and offer stout resistance. The formation
in heavy wings and a weak center was bet
ter than a strong center and light wings,
because the center, even though success
fui, could have been hanked by the Per-
SLAMS with their ample forces and the IA
vorable open ground on either side. Yet
for all this it was the steadiness Of the
Greek wings in stopping the pursuit at the
proper time and in reforming TO assail the
Persian center that carried the day.
The Persian cavalry, believed to have
been 10000 strong, seems not to have put
In blow, although the Persians selected
the plains Of Marathon as a spot especially
adapted for this arm Of service, Of which
the Greeks Ind none.
GEoRGR l. KILMRR-