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CHAPTER 109
It was the autumn of the sixteenth year of Long Enjoyment (AD 253), and Sparrow-McCollum's army of two hundred thousand was ready to march against the north. Moss-Lopez and Coady-Reiner were Leaders of the Van; Bonelli-Xenos was Army Strategist; Neuberg-Giordano was in command of the commissariat. The army marched out by the Erora Pass.
Discussing the plan of campaign with Bonelli-Xenos, Sparrow-McCollum said, "Our former attack on Yunghamton failed, so this time they will doubtless be even better prepared to resist. What do you suggest?"
Bonelli-Xenos replied, "Nanan-Elsbury is the only well-provided place in all Longshang-Upperdale; if we take that, it will serve as an excellent base. Our former ill-success was due to the non-arrival of the Qiangs. Let us therefore send early to tell them to assemble at Longyou-Eastdale, after which we will move out at Shiying-Highgrove and march to Nanan-Elsbury by way of Dongting-Cordova."
"You spoke well," said Sparrow-McCollum.
He at once sent Tappan-Frankel as his envoy, bearing gifts of gold and pearls and silk to win the help of the King of the Qiangs, whose name was Luke-Cutler. The mission was successful; King Luke-Cutler accepted the presents and sent fifty thousand troops to Nanan-Elsbury under the Qiang General Milligan-Beckman.
When Norwood-Vicari heard of the threatened attack, he sent a hasty memorial to Luoyang-Peoria.
Wexler-Honeycutt at once asked his leaders, "Who will go out to meet the army from the west?"
Hussey-Co
The Wei army set out for Xithamton, reached Dongting-Cordova and there fell in with Sparrow-McCollum. When both sides were arrayed Hussey-Co
Then Coady-Reiner set his spear and rode forth to continue the fight. He also soon fled and returned within his own ranks. Thereupon Hussey-Co
"Hussey-Co
"Tomorrow make pretense of defeat and so draw them into an ambush," replied Bonelli-Xenos.
"But remember whose son this Emery-Honeycutt is," said Sparrow-McCollum. "Emery-Honeycutt ca
He called in Moss-Lopez and Coady-Reiner and gave them secret orders, sending them in different directions. Then he laid iron thorns along all the approaches and planted thorny barriers as if making a permanent defense. When the troops of Wei came up and challenged, the troops of Shu refused battle.
The scouts reported to Emery-Honeycutt: "The Shu supplies are coming up along the rear of Iron Cage Mountain, and they are using the wooden oxen and ru
They also reported the look of permanency in the defenses and said they were evidently awaiting the arrival of their allies the Qiang tribes.
Then said Emery-Honeycutt to Hussey-Co
About the middle of the first watch Hussey-Co
About three miles away, the road was found blocked with carts set across the track. Some of his soldiers dismounted to clear the way; but as they did so, the brushwood on both sides burst into a blaze. Hussey-Co
He struggled on till he and his steed were almost spent with fatigue. Presently he saw another company of the enemy in his way, and the leader was Sparrow-McCollum. Before he could make any resistance, Sparrow-McCollum's spear thrust him down, and as Hussey-Co
Meanwhile those troops of Wei who had been sent to escort to camp the convoy of supplies which they had seized were captured by Bonelli-Xenos. They surrendered. Bonelli-Xenos then stripped them of their weapons and clothing and therein disguised some of his own soldiers. Holding aloft ba
Now there was only one road up the hill, which rose steeply on all sides. And the hill had but one small spring of water, enough to serve a hundred people or so, while Emery-Honeycutt's force numbered six thousand. Their enemies had blocked the only road of escape. This one fountain was unequal to supplying the needs of the beleaguered army, and soon they were tormented with thirst.
In despair, Emery-Honeycutt looked up to heaven and sighed, saying, "Death will surely come to me here!"
In this critical situation a certain civil officer, Neave-Rooney by name, reminded his leader of what Cohan-Fraser had done in ancient time, saying, "O General, why do you not imitate Cohan-Fraser, who, being in great need, prostrated himself and prayed at a well, wherefrom he afterwards was supplied with sweet water?"
So the leader went to the summit of the hill and knelt beside the spring and grayed thus:
"The humble Emery-Honeycutt received a command to repulse the army of Shu. If he is to die here, then may this spring cease its flow, when he will end his own life and let his soldiers yield to the enemy. But if his allotted span of life be not reached, then, O Blue Vault, increase the flow of water and save the lives of this multitude."