Chapter 108 - 88 Each Has Their Own Desires_2
This is actually just an additional demand. Canosa will inevitably provide the resources to Attutmus, and his forces must be replenished and strengthened. Only then can they share our burden, ensuring that we are not isolated in Apulia. Our own development and expansion will also proceed more smoothly...
To be honest, since we started heading south, Attutmus has been willing to heed my advice, restrain his army, and allow us to smoothly arrive here. This has been far beyond our expectations! Think about it—if it had been Cross, Enomai, or even Antonix leading their armies south with us, would they have followed our suggestions? Would our march south have been this smooth?... So, Attutmus has already done his utmost. We cannot demand more from him.
Maximus’s words dissolved the dissatisfaction of Torrelugo and Fesaros.
Indeed, Canosa sent an envoy to the rebel army’s camp. While they obviously could not offer the vast resources demanded by the rebel army, they attempted to delay by negotiating. However, they were unaware that this was merely an excuse for Maximus and his men to mislead the opposing side. Using this as a pretense, they ignored the envoy’s pleas and resolutely declared war on Canosa.
By the time this envoy fled back to the city in panic, the blaring sound of copper horns had already reverberated through the rebel army’s camp.
Attutmus’s forces primarily attacked the western side of Sarabia City. Maximus’s army focused their efforts on the eastern side, while the southern side of Canosa City was mostly subjected to feint attacks by Attutmus’s army, with Maximus’s army providing assistance (Attutmus’s forces amounted to approximately 12,000 soldiers—double the number of Maximus’s army). Only the northern side of Canosa City remained untouched, as its proximity to the Ophidus River hindered the deployment of attacking forces.
Maximus sat atop his horse, watching as his soldiers formed ranks about a mile east of the city walls: At the forefront were five crossbow cannons, followed by the sparse line formations of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Battalions, each group of one hundred soldiers carrying a wooden ladder. Behind them were the First and Second Battalions serving as reserve forces.
Maximus decided to use these two elite battalions as reserves for two reasons: First, he was reluctant to expend their strength; second, he needed to preserve their capabilities for subsequent military operations.
From these two battalions, he also selected approximately 200 soldiers skilled in javelin throwing to assist in the attack.