The National tribune., 1906-08-09

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GUS regions. and accept the gage of bat
tie with Hannibal upon the plains.
Neither the taunts nor stratagems of
his enemy. nor the contempt and ridi-
cIle Of his own people. could make him
depart from his resolution and abandon
the heights. The people finally grew SO
dissatisfied under his policy that he was
required to share the command of the
army with Minucius. During the long
and eventful period embraced in the
second Punic war. which lasted is
years, different commanders sailed
forth and delivered battle; but Fabius
continued to adhere strictly to his plan
of warfare, and stubbornly refused to
encounter his antagonist in the plains.
His colleague, Minucius. an fmprudent
and even rash General, dashed down
from the heights with one-half of the
army, engaged Hannibal, and was only
spared utter destruction by the timely
aid of Fabius. Varro marched out,
fought the Carthagenians near Came,
was defeated, and left 10000 Romans
upon the field. Marcellus. a more for
tunate General, gained important ad-
vantages over the enemy; but. as his
tory tells us, Fabius permitted no al
lurement Of his foe. nor outcry of his
countrymen. to induce him to descend
from the mountains.
His policy was seemingly as fixed and
Interchangeable as the sun in the eternal
heavens. Plutarch relates that in order
ito secure himself against the enemy's
horse, he took care to encamp above
them on high and mountainous places.
When they sat still, he did the same:
when they were in motion. he showed
himself upon the heights. at such dis
tance as not to be obliged to fight
against his inclination, and yet near
enough to keep them in perpetual
alarm. as If, amidst his arts to gain
time, he intended every moment to give
them battle. These dilatory proceedings
exposed him to contempt among the
Romans in general. and even in his own
army. Thus the soldiers were
brought to despise Fsbius. and by way
Of derision to call him the pedagogue
of Hannibal, while they extolled Minu-
cius as great man and one that acted
up to the dignity Of Rome. This led
Minucius to give freer scope to his
arrogance and pride, and to ridicule
the Dictator for encamping constantly
upon the mountains, as IL he did it on
purpose that his men might more clear
ly behold Italy laid waste with fire and
sword And he asked the friends of
Fabius whether he intended to take his
army up into heaven, as IL he had bid
adieu to the world below, or whether
he would screen himself from the enemy
with clouds and fogs?' When the Die
tator's friends brought him an account
of these aspersions, and eXhorted him to
wipe them off by risking battle: In
that case said he, I should be of a
more dastardly spirit than they repre-
sent me, If through fear Of insults and
reproeches I should depart from my
own resolution"
Therefore when Gen. Johnston re-
treated from the mountain Businesses,
crossed the Chattahoochee River and
moved out upon the plains of Georgia,
he bade adieu forever to even a shadow
of right to the claim Of having pursued
the policy SO persistently carried out
by Fabius Maxi,nus. Had he clung to
the mountains and refused to surrender
them to Gen. Sherman, vast indeed
might have been the results achieved,
and far greater his title to distinction.
Although Fabius succeeded in wasting
in a great measure the strength of his
adversary, It however required the bold
ness and genius of Scipio to finally de-
feat Hannibal and place Carthage be-
meath the heel OF the proud Roman.
Carrying the War Into Africa.
Gen. Johnston not only signally fail
ed in the Fabian policy, but, unfor-
tunately. declined to act the part of
Scipio Africanus at Dalton, in the early
Spring Of 1864.
History records the deeds of this
famed warrior who, whilst the Cartha-
gepians we're still warning in Italy,
aroused the Roman pride, gathered to-
gether his legions,. moved to the rear
of the enemy, transferred the war into
Africa. forced the recall OF Hannibal.
routed his army in battle, placed Car
thage at his feet. and brought security
and prosperity to his countrymen. Ar
mold, in his History Of Rome, gives a
lengthy and interesting description of
this bold and brilliant move, and of the
victories which followed. Plutarch con-
denses the whole into these few worus:
after Scipio was gone over into Africa
an account was soon brought to Rome
of his glorious and wonderful achieve
ments. This account was followed by
rich spoils which confirmed it. A Nu-
indian king was taken prisoner: two
camps were burned and destroyed, and
in them a vast number of men, arms
and horses, and the Carthagenians sent
orders to Hannibal to quit his fruitless