Chess Generalship, Vol. I. Grand ReconnaissanceYoung, Franklin K. (Franklin Knowles)
History
Chess Generalship, Vol. I. Grand Reconnaissance
Young, Franklin K. (Franklin Knowles)
Chess
Alexander the Great invaded Asia (May, 334 B.C.) whose armies aggregated
3,000,000 men trained to war; with 30,000 heavy infantry, 4000 heavy
cavalry, $225,000 dollars in money and thirty days’ provisions.
At Arbela, Alexander the Great with 45,000 heavy infantry and 8,000 heavy
horse, annihilated the last resources of Darius and reduced Persia to a
Greek province. The Persian army consisted of about 600,000 infantry and
cavalry, of whom 300,000 were killed.
* * * * *
Hannibal began his march from Spain (218 B.C.) to invade the Roman
commonwealth, with 90,000 heavy infantry and 12,000 heavy cavalry. He
arrived at Aosta in October (218 B.C.) with only 20,000 infantry and
6,000 cavalry to encounter a State that could put into the field 700,000
of the bravest and most skillful soldiers then alive.
* * * * *
At Cannae, Hannibal destroyed the finest army Rome ever put in the field.
Out of 90,000 of the flower of the commonwealth only about 3,000 escaped.
The Carthagenian army consisted of 40,000 heavy infantry and 10,000 heavy
cavalry.
* * * * *
At Alesia, (51 B.C.) Caesar completed the subjugation of Gaul, by
destroying in detail two hostile armies aggregating 470,000 men. The
Roman army consisted of 43,000 heavy infantry, 10,000 heavy cavalry and
10,000 light cavalry.
* * * * *
At Pharsaleus, (48 B.C.) Caesar with 22,000 Roman veterans routed 45,000
soldiers under Pompey and acquired the chief place in the Roman state.
* * * * *
At Angora, (1402) Tamerlane, with 1,400,000 Asiatics, destroyed the
Turkish army of 900,000 men, commanded by the Ottoman Sultan Bajazet, in
the most stupendous battle of authentic record.
After giving his final instructions to his officers, Tamerlane, it is
recorded, betook himself to his tent and played at Chess until the crisis
of the battle arrived, whereupon he proceeded to the decisive point and
in person directed those evolutions which resulted in the destruction of
the Ottoman army.
The assumption that the great Asiatic warrior was playing at Chess during
the earlier part of the battle of Angora, undoubtedly is erroneous. Most
probably he followed the progress of the conflict by posting chess-pieces
upon the Chessboard and moving these according to reports sent him
momentarily by his lieutenants.
Obviously, in the days when the field telegraphy and telephone were
unknown, such method was entirely feasible and satisfactory to the Master
of Strategetics and far superior to any attempt to overlook such a
confused and complicated concourse.
* * * * *
At Bannockburne (June 24, 1314), Robert Bruce, King of Scotland, with
30,000 Scots annihilated the largest army that England ever put upon a
battlefield.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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