Kai made it back by 5:00 P.M. He pretty well followed the same route back to the camp, running whenever the terrain permitted. By the time he arrived, he was exhausted, but proudly delivered his report. “Warin, I counted between 20 and 25 thousand men.”
“Kai, welcome back! You did a good job. I’ll tell Nasua what you did when we get back to Innsbruck. You’re a brave man, Kai,” he congratulated patting him on the back. “While you were returning, the entire enemy camp, Taurisci, Boii, and Eravisci, packed up and began marching west to Rosenheim. We need to get our report back to Nasua as soon as possible. In the meantime, get something to eat and rest. I look forward to hearing about your trip later.”
“Thank you. I’d like that,” said Kai. “I ran into a Boii hunter by Ainring and had to fight him. I’ll tell you about it tonight.” NEW!!
That same day, Sereti received word that the army was moving to Rosenheim. He immediately informed his superior that he still had a man out hunting in the mountains. “I’d like to take my squad and go look for him. We can join the column on the march.”
Sereti led his men directly to Ainring, assuming Magalus couldn’t be more than a few miles away. When they arrived, Sereti stood in the center of the settlement and called for the people to come outside. Slowly, the doors opened. The faces of the people were etched with fear. “We are looking for one of our men who went hunting this morning. He came through here. Did anyone see him?” he yelled to be heard.”
The old man who had taken the Boii said, “The man you are seeking is in my hut. He had an accident and we are caring for him.”
Sereti rushed into the hut and saw Magalus lying in a bed. The old couple had washed the blood off his forehead revealing a deep three inch gash. Sereti asked the old man, “Where did you find him?
“I didn’t find him,” responded the man. “A young boy brought him here and asked us to take care of him, which we are doing.”
Sereti grabbed Magalus by the shoulder and shook him. “Wake up,” he said harshly. Magalus’ mouth moved, but no sound came out. “Has he said anything?” Sereti snapped as he glared at the old man.
“No sir, he’s been like you see him now. We got a little water into his mouth, but he’s been unconscious the entire time.” Sereti summoned his squad who quickly made a stretcher out of the bedding and carried Magalus out of the hut. The Boii squad carried Magalus downhill to rejoin the marching army. They never said “thank you” or “good bye” to the couple. Their gift to them for caring for Magalus was they were allowed to live.
*******
On June 10th, Warin and his men made their way through the forest back to the open valley at Bad Reichenhall and began the return trip to Innsbruck. They arrived on June 15th. Bethica, the Council, and Nasua now knew they were facing an army of about 30,000 men.
Timo’s couriers heard the report as it was given to Nasua and Bethica. They departed for Trento the same day. When they reached Bauzanum on June 20th, they were stopped by troops manning a road block. They learned that the King and Army Commander, Sethre, were no longer in Trento and were now at Bauzanum. The couriers were amazed at what they saw. Wagons crowded the road coming from Trento and were all going west towards Merano. They could see troops pushing broken down wagons off the road and other troops helping the owners with repairs. The line of wagons stretched far into the distance and never stopped moving.
The new Raeti Command Center was spread out among several abandoned huts not far off the road. The couriers were directed to Army Headquarters, which was the center of intense activity. Couriers were coming and going, staff officers were pouring over maps, and Sethre was right in the middle of it. He had never been so busy. He had riders still out notifying people to evacuate; troops were stationed at key areas along the route to assist the people; and teams scoured the area for spare wagons, wheels, and axles. When Sethre was told that couriers from Innsbruck had arrived, he said, “Bring them in.”
Upon seeing them, he said, “What’s the news from Innsbruck?”
“Sir, Suevi scouts found and identified the mercenary army. They are comprised of approximately 30,000 Taurisci, Boii, and Eravisci troops. On June 10th, they departed Salzburg for Rosenheim, which is at the mouth of the Inn River Valley and leads to Innsbruck. The Suevi estimate that they will arrive at Innsbruck at the end of June. The eastern most area of Suevi territory was looted and captives were taken. The people at Rosenheim and throughout the valley have evacuated. Queen Bethica and her Army of 15,000 are in a defensive posture at Fort Seefeld on the road to Munich.”
“Thank you for a thorough report. Rejoin your unit.”
Sethre gathered a few staff officers and walked over to the King’s hut. “Sethre, what’s the latest? asked Timo. “Have you heard from Innsbruck?”
“Yes we have.” Sethre then repeated the couriers’ report and added, “If they arrive in Innsbruck as scheduled, they could be here in two weeks, July 5th.”
“Have all the people been notified?”
“Yes, the cavalry has performed a systematic search of the area. The people in extremely remote areas have mostly elected to stay put, but everyone else is on the road. Scouts have informed me that our lead wagons, to include Queen Rosa and the royal household, will arrive at Nauders Valley within a few days. There have been no incidents.”
“That’s good news. When do you think the last of the wagons will pass us here at Bauzanum?”
“I estimate we need another two days to completely clear this area. By the time the mercenaries arrive, our last wagons will be 12 to 13 miles west. I’ve had the staff prepare plans for a series of ambushes from the sides of the cliffs that line the road just in case the enemy decides to pursue us. We can’t stop them, but we can slow them down and make them pay a very high price. Where the road narrows and is flanked by cliffs, the Army is prepared to block the road with boulders and hurl rocks from the heights It will be painful for them to try to force a passage.”
“You’re doing a good job Sethre; when should I leave?”
“I recommend you depart tomorrow. It will be good for the people and the Army to see you along the road with them.”
*******
Bad Tolz, Innsbruck, Rosenheim, Salzburg (Google Maps)
Aze and Lugius led their 30,000 Taurisci, Boii, and Eravisci out of Salzburg and headed due west. Four days later, they arrived at Rosenheim and rested for a day. The two Commanders then led their men south to Kufstein, Worgl, and through the Inn River Valley where they expected to find a large population of Suevi ripe for plunder. Instead, they found empty huts, barns, and a few old people who were too frail or stubborn to leave. They were mostly spared, but did give up information about the Suevi Army and Bad Tolz. They learned that the Romans had built a large camp at Bad Tolz that was now occupied by Suevi refugees who had been driven from their homes by the Cimbri/Teuton invasion. To Aze and Lugius, a large camp of civilians meant food and valuables, and they were in need of food.
Nasua’s cavalry had ridden through the area a week earlier and spread the alarm. Depending on where in the valley individual families lived, they went northwest to Munich or south to Innsbruck. The enemy foragers found some food, but not enough to maintain an army of thirty thousand. They could last another week or so with the food they found at Salzburg, but the Commanders were concerned.
Three days later, the long column arrived at Jenbach, near Schwaz, and turned north. On June 20th, they arrived at Bad Tolz. Aze, Lugius, and Haggith were amazed at the size of the fort and its formidable looking defenses. They hadn’t expected a professionally built fort!
Aze and Lugius developed a plan to march their troops completely around the fort as they came up the road from Jenbach. The Taurisci were sent to the right side and the Boii and Eravisci to the left. Most of the men had marched all night. As the troops settled into their positions, they ate and slept. The leaders allowed them to rest the next day while they talked with the leaders at the fort.
The 10,000 Sue
vi Auxiliary force, as well as every able-bodied male over 15 years of age, watched the fort slowly being circled like a giant snake circling its prey. Many of the women also came up to the ramparts to see what was happening.
*******
Kuno, 24, and his wife Alina, 20, were among those who watched from the walls. After a while, Kuno took his wife gently by the hand and said softly, “Let’s go back.” They climbed down the ramparts’ steps and walked to their hut. Kuno was deeply concerned, not so much for himself, but for his newly pregnant wife.
Four years earlier, they were part of the mass exodus of refugees that came south to Innsbruck when told about the Cimbri/Teuton invasion. As newlyweds, they had lived comfortably with Kuno’s parents in Augsburg. That life ended when they evacuated. Despite the danger, his aged parents decided to stay. The hardships the couple endured while traveling to a new land seemed to end well for them when they settled at Bad Tolz. As one of the early arrivals at the fort, they picked a large, sturdy hut with a big stone fireplace, and life began anew.
When they entered the hut, Kuno retrieved an old spear given to him by his father. It was about six feet long with an eight inch metal tip and still in good condition. He planned to take his place with the other men on the wall. Kuno was of average height, and built as solidly as the fort around him. He was used to working from sunup to sundown, and never seemed to tire. He was the oldest of three children who were now scattered throughout the Inn Valley. Taking responsibility came naturally to him. When an ox stepped on his father’s foot breaking several bones, he easily assumed the mantle of man-of-the-house. His good looks, work ethic, and good nature won him the respect of all he met.
As Kuno opened the door to leave, he stopped and turned to look at Alina. Her face contorted with fear. “Don’t worry about me,” he assured her, “I’ll be fine. Here take this.” He drew his dagger from its sheath and handed it to her. “Put this in your belt.” Then he turned and left.
She felt so alone. Kuno made all the decisions, and before him, her parents guided her. She was totally dependent on him. Alina was essentially Kuno’s opposite. She was short in stature and appeared frail. She was the youngest of five, and used to being cared for by her parents, siblings, and now Kuno. She knew how to cook and manage a household, but making even simple decisions was difficult for her. She was more comfortable letting Kuno assume the leadership role.
The one thing they both shared was an intense love for one another. They believed they were the luckiest people on earth to have married each other, and were overjoyed when Alina realized she was expecting.
*******
The leaders inside the fort began debating what to do. Even before hearing the demands of the mercenaries, they knew they would want food and valuables. One faction wanted to fight. Others said to give them what they wanted. A third group said to give them only food. With no effective leadership, the arguing, proposals, and counter proposals continued for several hours with no agreement on a way ahead. There was no effective leadership.
Finally, the senior Legate of the two Suevi Auxiliary Legions stood and demanded silence. “If we are going to fight, we need to get organized. The pila and swords of our two Legions won’t stop that army. There are at least 10,000 more men in this fort capable of fighting. You leaders need to tell these men to gather rocks, dig for them if they have to, and tear down these huts for logs to throw down from the walls. Have the men get their sickles and scythes; we need every man up on the wall with a weapon. Have the women gather long sticks we can use to push ladders off the walls. Go now. I want to see rocks and logs all around these ramparts.”
When the sun rose and the people in the fort saw the size of the encircling army, they were gripped with fear. After spending a sleepless night, no one was thinking clearly. The advocates to fight seem to have prevailed; at least the walls were fully manned and rocks and logs were scattered along the ramparts. Even the women took their place alongside the men. Besides the Auxiliaries, there were at most another 12,000 men and boys old enough to fight. Weapons were in short supply and fighting ability was totally lacking. Fear rather than bravado filled their hearts, but with each passing hour, fear was growing into defiance. The men began to encourage one another. Bravery was slowly replacing fear.
Aze and Lugius allowed some time to pass so the people in the fort could take the full measure of what they faced. At 9:00 A.M., a Boii representative rode to the main gate. He spoke the Suevi language and was prepared to speak for Aze and Lugius.
“If you open your gates and allow us to enter, we will not harm the people. We are only interested in your grain and livestock. You have two hours to decide what to do, and then we will attack and no one will be spared. For the sake of your women and children, open the gates now.”
He had delivered the message and turned his horse around. It was now up to the leaders of the fort.
The tired men gathered one more time to discuss the proposal. This time, there was a unanimous vote to keep the gates locked. No one, not even the faint of heart, believe for an instant that the encircling army wouldn’t harm the people once they got inside. They decided that one way or the other they would all die, and they elected to die fighting.
Word of the decision was passed from one person to another and very quickly the entire fort was in chaos. Fathers were hugging and kissing their wives and children. Weapons of every description were fashioned and brought to the walls. Women readied the hemlock to give to themselves and to their children. The crying and wailing of the people carried over the walls to the mercenaries as they prepared ladders to cross the ditch and climb the walls.
Twenty-two thousand untrained men who were poorly equipped faced 30,000 trained and experienced warriors. At 11:00 A.M. the encircling army began shouting and banging their swords on their shields. The sound was deafening, but only added to the bravado of the men on the walls. The hour had come. They shouted back at the mercenaries and defiantly lifted their weapons.
The mercenary army surged towards the ditch, scrambled over the ladders, and raced to the walls. They were met by a storm of pila, rocks, and logs. Ladders were pushed off the walls. Women and children hauled more logs to the ramparts where they were quickly gathered up and thrown down. After 30 minutes, the attackers drew back cross the ditch. About 4,000 of their comrades lay dead or seriously injured. The defenders on the wall cheered as they saw their attackers withdraw. Some thought it was all over, and they had won. The experienced Auxiliaries knew they’d be back. The men on the wall had paid a high price for this small victory, however. Arrows and spears took their toll on the defenders. One thousand were carried away.
Kuno was one of those wounded. He had fought well with his spear and killed or wounded two men on ladders who reached the top of the wall. He leaned out over the wall and thrust his spear with two hands. Usually, it hit a helmet or chain mail and did no damage, but the impact of the spear caused a few of the men to tip back and fall. Two other attackers he struck in the face. He felt the point sink in and saw the blood. Finally, he thought, I’m doing some good.
Most of the time, Kuno struggled to keep standing. He was pushed from behind, jostled, bumped, and cut as other defenders tried to get closer to the wall to thrust their spears and swords. His arms, shoulders, and back were soon bloodied from numerous gashes from the other men on the ramparts. He stood next to a soldier who held a large shield and thrust with his pilum. His shield deflected arrows and spears, but Kuno’s arm and shoulder were constantly battered as the shield was swung violently to ward off enemy blows.
Kuno saw the face of a man on the ladder and thrust with his spear, while the man stabbed with his sword. They both connected. Kuno reeled backwards, and his hands went to his face. The sword had entered the corner of his mouth, traveled between his tongue and teeth, and exited in the back of his neck. Blood poured from the wound. He staggered off the rampart, his only thought to make it home to Alina. He opened the door and collapsed on the threshold. Ali
na rushed to him and pulled him inside. She grabbed some bedding, pressed it against the hole in his neck, and cradled his head in her lap. His eyes blinked open, and he looked intently at her. His mouth was full of blood, and he began coughing violently. She turned his head to allow the blood to drain.
“Sorry,” he managed to say as his eyes closed forever. Alina held him and sobbed.
Aze and Lugius moved through the exhausted men and began to encourage them as did the other leaders. Money rewards were promised to those men who first topped the walls. Some of the leaders crossed the ditch and walked dangerously close to the palisades as they attempted to rally their men. After an hour, the mercenaries surged forward again. This time, they did not meet any pila or rocks, only logs came down from the walls. The ladders were firmly braced by half a dozen men and the army surged to the top. Sword met sword, but the endless stream of men ascending the ladders won the day. The defenders were cut down or driven off the ramparts.
Once inside the fort, the attackers ran to the gates and opened them. The rest of the army poured in.
At the first sign that the walls had been breached, the women handed each of their children a cup filled with water, honey, and hemlock. After each child drained the cup, she drank her own portion and cuddled her children around her as they lay together on the bed. One by one, the children would say, “I can’t feel my feet. My legs are numb. It’s hard to breathe.” Then they closed their eyes and were silent. They were the only ones to die a nonviolent death. The mercenaries ran throughout the fort stabbing and hacking everyone they found. Except for the young women, no one was spared.
A young Boii warrior kicked in the door of Kuno’s hut. He saw Alina sitting on the floor with Kuno’s bloody head on her lap. He was obviously dead. He quickly scanned the hut, turned, and pushed the door closed. He lay down his sword, removed his helmet, and smiled lewdly at Alina. He grabbed her by the wrist and jerked her to her feet. Kuno’s head slid off her lap and hit the floor with an audible thump. As the soldier turned to look at the bed, Alina’s hand found the dagger in her belt. She tightened her grip around the hilt, drew it out, and thrust at his exposed neck. He never saw it coming. The knife penetrated his neck and severed his carotid artery. He grabbed his throat with both hands and Alina struck again. He fell to the floor, his eyes wide with terror. Alina followed him down and stabbed his neck and face over and over. She was in a fury. When she stopped, she was exhausted and slumped to the floor trembling.
Legio XVII: Battle of Zama Page 21
