The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-03-08
STRATEGY IN WAR
Retreats to Lure the Enemy From
His Base Of Supplies.
KNOWN As FABIAN TACTICS.
Methods That Have Been Used by
Warriors Since Long Before the
christEn Era = George Washington
Was Called the American Fabius.

| Warriors Since Long Before the
| christen Era = George Washington
Was Called the American Fabius.
After the great war in Europe had
broken loose In the summer of IDA
and the allies fell back from their first
line IN northern France 10 the Marine
| good deal was said and written of "Fa-
bian tactics" and when the Germans
fell back from the line of the Marue
to the Aisne more was said OF "Fa-
| bian tactics" In this country when
| Washington and the heroic Continental
army fell back before the English in
superior force and Of superior equip
ment and perhaps superior discipline,
his tactics were called Fabian" In
fact General George Washington was
called and by historical writer's Is still
referred to as the American Fabius."'
1t Is probably true that many Amer
leans long parted from their school
books have forgotten about Fabius,
even though whenever an army makes
an orderly retreat for the purpose OF
gaining time or reaching more favor
able position they speak fuently Of
| Fabian tactics" 1t Is a phrase that
comes trippingly off the tongue.
| Fabius. as might easily be guessed
commanded the legions of Rome
| against the powers of Carthage 200
/, years before the Christian era. The
tactics which came to be called after
Fabius were no doubt employed cen
turtles before Rome was born. Fabian
| tactics without doubt have been used
ever since bodies OF men made war,
but it may be that Fabius so refined
or systematized those tactics that 1t Is
just and worthy they bear HIS name.
Fabius in PIT b. c. stood opposite
TO the hosts or hordes OF Carthagin-
ians under the brilliant leadership Of
Hannibal. In battle before Fabius
Maximus was called TO the supreme
command of the Roman troops In the
field the Carthaglnans had been VIC
torious. F'abius, profting by what
had befallen his predecessors in com
mnnd. avoided pitched battle in the
open ana retreated fighting ms he fell
back, holding off the enemy with
what are now described rs rear guard
actions. Drawing the enemy farther
and farther from base or the sources
OF supplies. wearying their troops
more than he wearied his own and
delaying battle until he reached
ground where his position would give
him Il great advantages position
against superior numbers-where the
loss in men and morale OF the assaI-
ants must be great and where at
the proper moment the counterstroke
could be delivered with high promise
OF success, the tactics of Fabius won.
In some ways the phrase Fabian
tactics" has been diverted from its
original and proper significance and
is made 10 comprehend any tactics OF
particularly shrewd or foxy" ma
ture In this connection 1t has been
said that Napoleon employed Fabian
tactics with brilliant success at Aus
terlitz. The combined Austrian and
Russian armies greatly extended their
line In an effort TO turn the right
flank OF the French army and cut his
communications. Ii seemed as though
this move would succeed, for Napoleon
permitted it 10 develop without seri-
ous resistance. Then he suddenly con-
centrated his whole strength ut the
center. with the exception Of a portion
of Bernadotte's corps, which he left to
deal with the Austrian turning force,
and burst through the line, destroying
one wing OF the Austrian army as 1t
retreated.
Historians OF Rome deal at consid-
cradle length with n family called the
Fabii. 1t is narrated that this ancient
and renowned family undertook the
duty Of defending Roman territory
against incursions by the Valentines
and for this purpose established them
selves at place on the Cremara river. |
The Fabii were drawn into ambush |
and were all killed. The date of that |
event is given as b. c. AT
A boy OF the family Fabii had been |
left in Rome, and he became the sec
ond founder Of the family. Fabius |
Eximus, who won his laurels and his |
spurs in the second Punic war, was |
descended from that boy, and there |
was another famous member OF the |
family whose name was Fahius Pictor,
who wrote a history OF Rome and who
is often referred TO as the earliest Ro-