The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-08-16

the time. He won II. Oddly enough
he won II by employment Of the very
tactics which have gained the most
marked success for the German arms
In the present war. He may almost be
said to have furnished the inspiration
for Hindenburg. For he gained his
great victory by Turing the leglons OF
Rome into the mire Of his swamps and
GRASS and there slaughtering them
almost to u man. The great fight took
place nine years before the beginning
Of the Christian err. 1t drove the
power Of Rome out OF Germany for
ever.
vercingetorix. the great Gallo
chleftain, had been overcome by julius
| Caesar, had been made to march In
Caesars triumph and had afterward
been murdered In his Roman dungeon.
Augustus. the voluptuary and profit.
gate, was on the throne OF a Rome
now largely given owe to pleasure.
Tiberius. ufterward to become emper-
or himself, had been recalled from the
command Of Germany, then held US an
outpost OF German empire. To sue
coed him came Quintillus Vnrus, fresh
from rule ms the rroconsul OF Syria.
He established his headquarters near
the center Of the modern country OF
Westphalia, where he not only gave
up himself to the qualification Of his
rapacity and Righteousness, but en-
couraged all manner of excesses on the
part OF his soldiers. No mans life or
property was safe. Less so was the
honor OF any The Romans
wnllowed In evil. The German swarm
buzzed In Indignation. In the mind of
Arminius formed the plan, preposter-
Gus as II seemed, not only to take ven
gcance upon the oppressors, but to
defy the whole Roman empire. and
turn Germany back from vassalage
Of Rome to It's own independence. But
for his success the Europe OF today
might be populated by an entirely DIFF.
ferrnt race.
As Is not infrequcntly the case a
wQmGn figured In the maelstrom.
Arminius, himself a citizen Of Rome
by the benign concession Of the Ro-
IIuH eIiItIoE viz u NohhHuSA''
him. eloped with the daughter of n
Segestes. For this he was de-
nounced and prescribed. So he took
to the forests where he reused and
organized the wild hOrdes of Ger
nan fighting men.
Very crafty was Arminius. He
waited for the heavy rains. These
coming in due season turned the coun-
try into bogs through which 1t became
most difficult to maneuver regular
troops. Then he directed the tribes
near the Weser and the Ems to take
up arms In minor revolt against the
Romans. This was represented to
Vnrus US n local disturbance which re-
quired his immediate presence on the
spot. Varus fell into the trap. Prompt
~ he set forth, starting his army on II
line parallel with the Lippe. Here, not
far from the source of the Ems, where
the country IL rugged and heavily
wooded, with streams which are shall
low In the dry season, but which over
run their banks in the time of the
rains, Arminius staged his terrible en-
terprise. No modern Hindenburg drew
on the invaders with more guile.
varus was little more than an ordi-
nary general, but he had with him II
force Of the best-disciplined, most for
midable troops in the world-ltoman
legionarics to the number of some a.
o supplemented by Il thousand Ho-
man cavalry and numerous light auxil-
iuries. These were commanded by
skillful officers. although the incompe-
tent Varus had permitted his force to
be encountered by q rabble of camp
followers and women who greatly i'm
peded the march. Into the dark for
est entered this doomed host.
Once clear Of the firm level ground
came trouble. In the marshes the
cavalry often found itself unable to
proceed. Even the infantry must
make roads Of logs. The camp follow
ers got In the way Of the engineers.
And then suddenly came the word that
the renr guard had been ~furiously n
tackled by the barbarians.
Confused and startled, Varus gave
he command To press forward. His
troops struggled on, but from the
woods on either flank came heavy
discharges of missiles. Some OF the.
best Of the cohorts were moved down
by enemies whom they were unable to
see. On such ground the legions could
not deploy. The Gcrmnnic auxiliaries
began to desert. But Roman discipline
held firm. Advancing until 1t reached
something which Appropriated an
open spot, the army, continually beset
by harassing foes, stolidly pitched Its
regulation Roman camp.
! The veteran officers of varus were
worried. While history Is somewhat
uncertain on this point, II appears that
during the night they induced him tn
surrender command. When the army
resumed It's march on the morrow IL
was under the direction Of It's best sol
diers but not even this change could
save the condemned men OF Rome.
Armlnlus was far too wise TO risk
a