Chapter Six Part III
The crossbows managed one point blank discharge before the slipped behind the infantry and the lines closed to receive the charge.
Arn watched from above how the infantry, his infantry, took one step forward and just the right moment and took the Janissaries by surprise and simply annihilated the first rank, however the Janissaries were deeply professional and soon the two formations were locked in a deadly struggle.
As the men on the ground fight for their lives the Sipahis on the flanks form up again and trot slowly forward intend on harassing the Byzantine flank and Angelo responds by sending the crossbows from the center to the flanks to increase the firepower there.
The light horse-archers closed carefully with the Byzantine flanks, weaving and dodging, before finally well within reach of the crossbows they launched an all out attack, drawing their scimitars and light lances. The Byzantine stood fast, but were beginning to take casualties, when finally the hidden Greek force on the flank rose out of the grassy hills and started firing into the Ottoman flank.
The Sipahis were utterly unprepared for the fire into their vulnerable side, but still the Turks maintained the pressure and the Greek center was beginning to show signs of bending. Arn was quietly wondering if he had bit over more than he could chew.
A low rumble interrupted his thoughts and plans for retreat. At first no one took notice, then the well-rested heavy cavalry burst from the riverbed. The Sipahis on the other flank are warned by the sound, but do not have the time to change formation and is caught on the wrong hoof. With a crash of steel and the screeching sound of dying horses that could be heard all over the battlefield the cavalry tore through the center of the enemy splintering the formation and coming out on the other side. The Ottoman survivors quickly made good use of their nimble steeds and pulled out of reach of the cavalry and fired their arrows form distance.
Despite the saving of the flanks the center was still hard pressed, slowly bending and giving way to the Janissaries. Arn looked at the overall situation and the fresh troops on the horizon, retracing their steps and bearing down on his forces, making the already bad odds insufferable. He signaled a messenger,
“Go hoist the blue flag, we need to save what can be saved.” The messenger sped of and moments later a pole rose up, carrying a blue clothe.
No sooner had the wind unfolded the banner before trumpets sound a new note and the flank infantry left their defensive positions on the hills and moved to flank the Janissaries. The heavy cavalry took the cue and started harassing the other flank and back of the Janissaries and soon the fortune of war were reversed.
The Ottoman elite for a long moment seemed to hold their own and stand fast against the Greek, but then the Byzantine center rallied and pushed forward, punching a small hole in the Janissary lines. Slowly, ever so slowly the orderly lines began to crack, first waving slightly, then bending back and finally disintegrating into total chaos.
What followed can only be termed as a massacre, with infantry on the front and one flank and the cavalry at large behind them the Janissaries were crushed to a man, three regiments, thousands of men lying dead on the field. But at what cost? Arn surveys the field below as the Imperial army regroups, he shakes his head, his own army has not come through this unscathed, both center and cavalry looks thinner, worn, from up above.
He gazes right, to were the main Turkish army would be and see that indeed they are lining up, he looks to the city walls in front of him, far in the distance and wonders if they are preparing anything. He cannot let them risk anything to save his army, calling up another messenger he gives a general order and moments later the red flag goes up again.
Below the commanders see the signal and in an orderly fashion the cavalry retreats down into the riverbed followed by most of the Infantry. The remainder joins the flanking force and slinks into the hills again. In a surprisingly short time all that remains are the dead and the rearguard, still holding the jagged edge of the river, preventing any enemy from getting too close to the retreating Byzantines.
Arn climbs down from the hill he has used to overlook things and find Angelo and Alexios waiting for him by the horses.
“Why did you sound the retreat? We had them, we could have taken the next ones too.” Alexios is all flushed from the successful battle.
Arn held up his hand before he could continue his tirade, “My friend, up from the hill I could see what was coming, we were taking losses, losses we cannot easily replace, where as the Turks have men coming from Anatolia as we speak if my guess is not wrong.”
Angelo nodded, “We were taking heavy loses in the center, the numbers will overwhelm us if we fight them in a setup battle where they know where we are, and we have no tactical surprises.”
Alexios nodded reluctantly and the Italian infantry commander continued, “Without the force in the hills and your cavalry, they would have worn us down.”
Arn looked at the his brother in law, “Any news from the raiders cross the river?”
Angelo smiled, “You’d never guess what they stumbled upon?”
Arn smiled back and headed for his horse, allowing Alexios to save face, “No, what? Grain and flour sacks?”
Angelo grinned, “That too, and I’ve taken liberty of diverting one caravan of mules up river to supply us, and burned the rest.”
Arn nodded, “good thinking”
“No what they found was very nice, they found the cannons.”
“Cannons?”
“Some small ones, but also one huge siege cannon, the largest I’ve ever seen.”
“That was not good, the walls cannot stand that abuse,” Angelo was the only one in the company with a remote knowledge of siege cannons. “What did you do with them?”
“The small ones we either carried off or tried to destroy.”
“And the big one?”
“We set fire to the sledge, destroyed the powder and the men surrounding it, I hope the fire will damage it, in the end it rolled of its carriage and into a stream.”
Angelo shook his head, “I hope that will do.”
Arn mounted his horse, “We can do no more here, lets follow the river and see if the Ottomans will follow.”
