Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 04] Roman Retreat (18 page)

“Good to see you Marcus.  You were wise not bring the horses we have neither food nor stabling.  Good to see you Julius; you look leaner.”

“All this walking sir.”

As the three of them warmed themselves around the brazier in the fort’s Praetorium the wind howled outside. “What is the situation then Cominius? And how can we help?”

“The woods on either side are filled with warriors.  The road is blocked by log barriers, I will show you them in a moment when you are warmer. Until we clear those we cannot move up to relieve Alavna. I daresay they have the log barriers around those too.”

“Hmm.  Much as I am enjoying the warm, it does my aged bones good, I fear we must view the field for ourselves.”

As soon as they stepped outside, the wind, which howled and cursed from the north chilled and cut them to their very bones.  Julius glanced up at the walls.  He did not envy the sentries. They had to stand out suffering all that this wild and desolate land had to throw at them; snow and rain like needles and cold which seeped up from the ground making feet feel like stone. At the bottom of the ladder a sentry handed each of them a shield.

Marcus looked questioningly at the Tribune. “They watch from the woods and the barrier.  As soon as they see a head flurries of arrows fly in.  We lost a great number of men before we adapted.”

Holding the shield above their heads they mounted the tower from where they could see the road snaking north and the barrier of logs.  “There are four of them.”

“Yes Marcus.” Suddenly their shields were peppered with arrows, some bouncing off and some sticking in the leather coverings. “Annoying aren’t they?  Yes they are using the barriers as small forts from which to attack us.  We at least can fire back, as for the other fort… they had limited ammunition at the start and now I dread to think what they have left.  The barriers are as high as a man and the gaps between them mean that they can support each other should we attempt to attack them.”

Julius peered out at the tree line. “The tree line is what? A hundred paces from the barriers?”

“Nearer one hundred and fifty.  Why Julius, do you have a plan?”

“Just the beginnings of one.  If we go back to the headquarters and warm the Tribune’s bones I will outline it.”

Once back in the warmth Julius used the three men’s pugeos and gladii to show his plan. “When they put up the barriers it was at night was it not?”

“Yes we could see nothing.”

“That is how we will defeat them. We attack at night. We will use a mixture of your men and mine.  Macro will take half the ala in the woods to the left.  Gaius and I will take the rest to the barrier.  We will slip out of the Porta Decumana and slither along the ground so that the guards do not detect our approach as you did not detect theirs.  Our aim is to take out the two log barriers on the left and neutralise the warriors in the woods to the left.  Once we have done that you send out a cohort with a couple of bolt throwers and we should be able to take out the other two barriers.  We then hold until morning.”

“Will Macro be able to deal with the warriors in the woods?”

“Have you tried a night attack yet?” The Tribune shook his head. “Then they won’t be expecting it.  Macro will take the best archers and all he has to do is stop them from interfering with our attack.”

“Yours is the harder role Julius. For if you are seen as you make your way across that killing ground there will be no escape.”

“We will manage.”

Tribune Sura shrugged his shoulders. “If you are willing to do that then we will support you.  What happens if and when we take the log barriers?”

I assume that the Caledonii will attack from the right for we will have eliminated those on the left. Your artillery should be able to deal with them when they are in the open. They will not have the barriers to protect them from your bolt throwers and I assume you have plenty of ammunition.”

“And then Tribune we need to reinforce this fort to enable us to take a force and rescue your lost cohorts.”

“That sounds simple in words but it will be hard in deeds.”

“It also begs the question about Alavna. What do we do?  Rebuild and reinforce or abandon?”

“While you two tribunes discuss strategy I had better brief my officers.”

“Thank you Julius.”

When he had left Cominius turned to Marcus.  “That was a good appointment. It is an old head on young shoulders. Returning to our dilemma; it is not merely a problem of abandoning Alavna.  That would mean we would have to, eventually, abandon every fort down to the Clota.”

“I think it will come to that but it is your decision. The question you need to ask yourself is this; what is gained by maintaining these forts along this valley?”

“I am not sure what you mean.”

“Whom do we control by using these forts?”

“The Caledonii.”

“And how are they controlled?”

“They cannot use the lower part of the valley.”

“True but they do not need to.  They use neither wagons nor trade.  They can use the trails over hills, as they have so ably demonstrated, in their ambush and siege. If you were to make your fort line along the Clota solid then you would be protecting the whole of the south of the province.”

“Convincing argument and in truth we have not the men to maintain this tiny artery.”

The only Decurion who looked pleased with the orders was Macro. The rest did not question the orders but their faces betrayed their thoughts. “Do I get to use my men first Prefect?”

“Yes Macro. Choose the best archers and those who are swift and light of foot for they will be opposed by more warriors than you will be taking.”

Turning to the others Macro pointed to their faces.  “Get your men to put mud or charcoal on their faces, hands and arms. Dull your blades so that they do not reflect and I would remove the crests from your helmets or they will stand out.”

“There is heavy cloud tonight and I believe it will rain.”

Decurion Cilo murmured, “It always rains here.  I could be a soothsayer.”

They all laughed and Julius knew that they would cope with whatever hardships they had to face. “Only one man in two will carry a shield in our half of the ala and they will follow those who are armed with gladii and pugeo.”

“The lads won’t like leaving their spathas behind.”

“I know but this will be close work and we need to use the right weapon. Once we eliminate the guards we go defensive until the Batavians join us with their men and the bolt throwers.  I suspect that will be the hard time for those behind the other barriers will be on us quickly. Decurion Macro will need to disrupt those in the woods until supported too.”

“Hopefully their main camp will be some way away.  We have not got enough men to hold up the main warband.”

“Right.  Go and brief your turmae.  Make sure they are all fed and if any are sporting injuries leave them at the fort for speed is the watchword.”

Because Macro had chosen his men from all the turmae they felt special. In the ala every man was equal and equally valued but Macro’s choice made them feel like an elite. “Now our job is to be hidden.  We take out the sentries with arrow if they are in a clearing or with a knife otherwise.  We need to kill every warrior we see.  No prisoners and no-one left wounded.  Once we have eliminated them we then have to support our comrades and stop them being flanked.”

One of the recruits who had been chosen said nervously, “Will we be outnumbered?”

The more experienced troopers all laughed.  “We are always outnumbered but as one trooper is worth four hairy arsed barbarians, apologies to those of you who were until recently hairy arsed barbarians,” everyone laughed at this, “I don’t think we have a problem. Seriously though if I think we are in danger of being overrun I will order the recall.  If you hear my first shout run back to the fort for there won’t be a second.”

The ala made a rare sight as they waited by the gate.  Macro’s men had removed their helmets and all of the troopers were blackened up. Tribune Sura came up to Julies and clasped his arm. “I will await your signal.”

Marcus opened the gate. “Good luck my brothers. I will join the Batavians when we charge.” Saluting them he stood back. Within moments they had left the fort. One third went around the eastern side whilst the remainder headed west. As Gaius dropped to the floor Macro led the rest of his turmae in a halting half crouch half run to the safety of the undergrowth. When Macro waved his bow Gaius signalled his men forward.  The ground was hard and wet after the recent rain. By morning it would be frozen. Gaius suddenly remembered he had not warned the men about stones.  Metal rasping over a stone would be like an alarm bell.  It was too late to worry about that and instead, as he crept past the corner of the fort, he glanced over to where the Prefect should be doing the same.  He saw nothing which either meant he had not reached there yet or he could not be seen. Gaius hoped it was the latter.

In the woods Macro led the way like the point of an arrow. He held his hand up and the three hundred wraiths stopped like statues.  Drawing his arrow back he released it with a soft whoosh. He noted, with satisfaction, that the sentry had been struck in the throat and pinned in to the tree. His eyes were now accustomed to the dark and he gestured for Decurions Cilo and Galeo to creep forward with their men and eliminate any other sentries. As they disappeared into the darkness and gloom him and the other turmae notched arrows in their bows and scanned the forest. Macro almost jumped when the trooper next to him released his arrow but he nodded with satisfaction when the missile took out the sentry who had appeared from behind a tree. It seemed like hours later but in fact it was merely minutes when he saw Cilo wave him forward. The line move inexorably forward through the woods. Glancing to his right Macro could see that they were beyond the log barriers and he could only see two guards on the barriers.  His comrades should achieve their first objective.

Julius’ arms were bleeding and scratched from the stones and rocks beneath him but, as yet he had not heard a sound neither from his men nor the enemy.  As they approached the barrier he held up one hand and the assigned men went around the edge of the barrier.  Julius followed.  When he looked to his left he was surprised to see two Caledonii whispering to each other.  They had been doing so very quietly for Julius had not heard them. He began to rise to his knees praying to the gods that they would not turn.  Out of the corner of his eye he saw two other troopers doing the same. Almost in an instant both men rose and the throats of the two negligent sentries were slit. Julius quickly took in the scene.  There were thirty warriors asleep; nodding to his men he reached down, put his hand over the nearest man’s mouth and plunged the sword through his eye into his brain. There was only one man who made a noise and, while it sounded loud to them, the fact that no-one else reacted meant it had been unheard. Julius hoped that Gaius was having as much luck.  He whispered, “Make the bodies into two barriers around the side.”

Gaius had not been as lucky for his sentries were more vigilant but, as they peered over the top of the barrier four men took them silently down and the rest were killed just as Julius’. Gratius, one of the new Decurions said, “I saw the sentries go down over there.”

“Thanks.” Gaius knew it was now or never. He went to the western end and waved his arm. If Julius had failed he would know it by the arrow plunging into his body. Julius’ arm waved and Gaius went to the other end of the barrier.  Once again he had to rely upon a comrade.  Had Macro achieved his objective? Gaius waved and he saw the returned wave. He then left the safety of the barrier and walked twenty paces in front where he had left the pot of fire. He lifted the lid and blew gently. The flames came up lighting his face and Gaius heard the gates swing open. Unfortunately so did the sentries to the east and suddenly they heard the alarm being sounded.  “Right lads now we hold.”

Glancing over the barrier Julius saw the recognisable figures of Tribunes Sura and Maximunius leading the cohorts in two columns with the bolt throwers between them. Arrows began to erratically fall on the eastern column and Julius saw auxiliaries fall.  “Get the Caledonii bows and keep their heads down.”

The defenders of the next barrier got a real shock when arrows began to descend upon them from their own lines and the auxiliaries managed to reach the barriers without further losses. “Well done Julius. Put your bolt thrower behind this barrier.  Auxiliaries! Two lines either side.  Julius you form a third line.”

On the western side Tribune Sura was doing the same. The forests seemed very quiet and Gaius wondered where Macro was.  Suddenly a figure burst from the trees and an auxiliary was going to drop him with an arrow when he quickly gave the watchword, “Ulpius! Sir. Decurion Macro says the sentries are all dead and the forest is quiet.”

“Well Gaius that is a bit of luck.  You four take the other bolt thrower to Tribune Maximunius he will need it.” They could hear the sound of warriors screaming their war cries as they hurled themselves at Marcus and Julius.  The first grey of dawn was spreading behind the warriors and Gaius could see there were thousands of them. “Permission to take my troops to assist sir?”

“Permission granted.  If you hear the buccina then come running.” More troops were coming from the fort to reinforce the advance party. The barbarians were enraged; Calgathus’ plan had been working successfully and suddenly they were being attacked.  As the bolts scythed through them, taking files of men down, the warriors hurled themselves onto the auxiliaries’ spears.  By the time the sky was brighter and the forest could be discerned the field was littered by the dead and dying. 

Suddenly Gaius heard the buccina. “The Tribune! He is being attacked.”

Marcus shouted, “Batavians defend this flank. Marcus’ Horse in two lines, follow me!”

The warband had heard the noise and flooded down the valley.  All that they could see was a small force of auxiliaries defending their log barrier.  They ran headlong in a wedge to cut through and massacre the Romans before them.  In their haste they did not see the trees fill with Macro’s men nor did they see the six turmae form line to their left flank. They did, however, feel the effect as volley after volley flew into their unprotected side and javelins crashed into thin shields. Tribune Sura had had time to form lines and, by the time the front of the wedge had reached the barrier, it was a fraction of the force it had been.