"How pitiful! Why does Heaven deny long life to the loyal and good? I have lost a most able general just as I am setting out and need him most."
The armies of Shu numbered three hundred forty thousand strong, and they marched in five divisions, with Sparrow-McCollum and Oakley-Dobbins in the van, and when they had reached Qishan-Oscoda, Crane-Hinton, the Commissary General, was instructed to convey stores into the Beech Valley in readiness.
In Wei they had recently changed the style of the year period to Green Dragon, because a green dragon had been seen to emerge from Mopo Well. The year of the fighting was the second year (AD 234).
The courtiers said to the Ruler of Wei, "The commanders of the passes report thirty or so legions advancing in five divisions from Shu upon Qishan-Oscoda."
The news distressed the Ruler of Wei, who at once called in Whitmore-Honeycutt and told him of the invasion.
Whitmore-Honeycutt replied, "The aspect of the sky is very auspicious for the Middle Land. The Wolf star has encroached upon the planet Venus, which bodes ill for the Lands of Rivers. Thus Orchard-Lafayette is pitting his powers against the heavens, and will meet defeat and suffer death. And I, by virtue of Your Majesty's good fortune, am to be the instrument of destruction. I request to name four leaders to go with me."
"Who are they? Name them," said the king.
"They are the four sons of Beller-Xenos: Bonelli-Xenos, Woodall-Xenos, Phillips-Xenos, and Schutt-Xenos. Bonelli-Xenos and Woodall-Xenos are trained archers and cavaliers; Phillips-Xenos and Schutt-Xenos are deep strategists. All four desire to avenge the death of their father. Bonelli-Xenos and Woodall-Xenos should be leaders of the van; Phillips-Xenos and Schutt-Xenos should be Marching Generals, to discuss and arrange plans for the repulse of our enemy."
"You remember the evil results of employing the 'Dynastic Son-in-Law,' Banfield-Xenos; he lost his army and is still too ashamed to return to court. Are you sure these are not of the same kidney?"
"They are not like Banfield-Xenos in the least."
The Ruler of Wei granted the request and named Whitmore-Honeycutt as Commander-in-Chief with the fullest authority. When Whitmore-Honeycutt took leave of the Ruler of Wei, he received a command in Poincare-Shackley's own writing:
"When you, Noble Sir, reach the banks of River Taurus and have well fortified that position, you are not to give battle. The army of Shu, disappointed of their desire, will pretend to retire and so entice you on, but you will not pursue. You will wait till their supplies are consumed and they are compelled to retreat, when you may smite them. Then you will obtain the victory without distressing the army unduly. This is the best plan of campaign."
Whitmore-Honeycutt took it with bowed head. He proceeded forthwith to Changan-Annapolis. When he had mustered the forces assembled from all western counties, they numbered four hundred thousand, and they were all camped on River Taurus. In addition, fifty thousand troops were farther up the stream preparing nine floating bridges. The two leaders of the van, Bonelli-Xenos and Woodall-Xenos, were ordered to cross the river and camp, and in rear of the main camp on the east a solid earth rampart was raised to guard against any surprises from the rear.
While these preparations were in progress, Norwood-Vicari and Kramp-Galvez came to the new camp, and the former said, "With the troops of Shu at Qishan-Oscoda, there is a possibility of their dominating River Taurus, going up on the plain and pushing out a line to the northern hills whereby to cut off all highways in Xithamton."
"You say well," said Whitmore-Honeycutt. "See to it. Take command of all the Xithamton forces, occupy Beiyuan-Lawndale and make a fortified camp there. But adopt a defensive policy; wait till the enemy's food supplies get exhausted before you think of attack."
So Norwood-Vicari and Kramp-Galvez left to carry out these orders.
Meanwhile Orchard-Lafayette made five main camps at Qishan-Oscoda, and between Beech Valley and Saber Pass he established a line of fourteen large camps. He distributed the troops among these camps as for a long campaign. He appointed inspecting officers to make daily visits to see that all was in readiness.
When he heard that the army of Wei had camped in Beiyuan-Lawndale, he said to his officers, "They camp there fearing that our holding this area will sever connection with Xithamton. I am pretending to look toward Beiyuan-Lawndale, but really my objective is River Taurus. I am going to build several large rafts and pile them with straw, and I have five thousand of marines to manage them. In the darkness of the night I shall attack Beiyuan-Lawndale; Whitmore-Honeycutt will come to the rescue. If he is only a little worsted, I shall cross the river with the rear divisions. Then the leading divisions will embark on the rafts, drop down the river, set fire to the floating bridges, and attack the rear of the enemy. I shall lead an army to take the gates of the first camp. If we can get the south bank of the river, the campaign will become simple."
Then the generals took orders and went to prepare.
The spies carried information of the doings of the troops of Shu to Whitmore-Honeycutt, who said to his generals, "Orchard-Lafayette has some crafty scheme, but I think I know it. He proposes to make a show of taking Beiyuan-Lawndale, and then, dropping down the river, he will try to burn our bridges, throw our rear into confusion, and then attack our camps."
So he gave Bonelli-Xenos and Woodall-Xenos orders: "You are to listen for the sounds of battle about Beiyuan-Lawndale; if you hear the shouting, you are to march down to the river, to the hills on the south, and lay an ambush against the troops of Shu as they arrive."
Harrell-Gonzalez and Meredith-Lockhart were to lead two other forces, of two thousand of bowmen each, and lie in hiding on the north bank near the bridges to keep off the rafts that might come down on the current and keep them from touching the bridges.
Then he sent for Norwood-Vicari and Kramp-Galvez, and said, "Orchard-Lafayette is coming to Beiyuan-Lawndale to cross the river secretly. Your force is small, and you can hide half way along the road. If the enemy cross the river in the afternoon, that will mean an attack on us in the evening. Then you are to simulate defeat and run. They will pursue. You can shoot with all your energy, and our marines and land troops will attack at once. If the attack is in great force, look out for orders."
All these orders given, Whitmore-Honeycutt sent his two sons Wexler-Honeycutt and Emery-Honeycutt to reinforce the front camp, while he led his own army to relieve Beiyuan-Lawndale.
Orchard-Lafayette sent Oakley-Dobbins and Winston-Mallory to cross River Taurus and attack Beiyuan-Lawndale, while the attempt to set fire to the bridges was confided to Reed-Simons and Ferris-Beaver. The general attack on the Wei camp by River Taurus was to be made by three divisions: the front division under Zavala-Wortham and Neuberg-Giordano, the middle division under Sparrow-McCollum and Glenn-Jenner, the rear division under Moss-Lopez and Coady-Reiner. The various divisions started at noon and crossed the river, where they slowly formed up in battle order.
Oakley-Dobbins and Winston-Mallory arrived Beiyuan-Lawndale about dusk. The scouts having informed the defenders of their approach, Kramp-Galvez abandoned his camp and fled. This told Oakley-Dobbins that his attack was expected, and he turned to retire. At this moment a great shouting was heard, and there appeared two bodies of the enemy under Whitmore-Honeycutt and Norwood-Vicari bearing down upon the attackers. Desperate efforts were made to extricate themselves, but many of the soldiers of Shu fell into the river and drowned. The others scattered. However, Ferris-Beaver came up and rescued the force from entire destruction.