Chapter 15: The Campaign Against Chandragupta
Let us go back a bit before moving on. In the years since Arabia had fallen under Alexander's rule, pirates from South India had taken to much disruption of commerce. For various reasons Alexander had not been able to launch a punitive expedition against them. But finally, Dilmun would be sacked in 312 BC, with much of the wealth from the thriving spice trade being taken away, and some of the women being carried off. At this Seleucus would immidiately set off in pursuit of them. After about 2 days, they were caught up to, and a surprisingly fierce battle ensued. Seleucus would end up in a swordfight with the captain, who had an eyepatch over one eye. Unfortunately, Seleucus was getting rather old, and was foolish enough to let his guard down at just the wrong moment, and the captain would push him over the edge, off the same wooden board that Seleucus and his men had used to board the ship. After fire arrows had nearly caused retreat, and the captain's ship had been sunk, Seleucus's men would take their prisoners, head back to Dilmun, only to be searched and have their cargo seized by the Indian Navy.
Alexander was outraged when he heard about this. He demanded a personal apology from Chandragupta, and demanded more be done to control piracy. He would get no reply. So Alexander prepared for an invasion of India.
He would organize a force composed of his finest generals Antigonus, Ptolemy and Craterus. Also coming along was the 16-year old son of Selecus, Antiochus, who looked for a chance to avenge his father. The army had recently been refined so the phalanx would work more effectively, and also had certain elements of the Roman legion.
So Alexander would sail from Babylon on Novemeber 24 and arrived at his destination, the port Gwadar on December 16. He defeated the Indian Navy and sailed up the Indus.
It was rather unfortunate that he had miscalculated for perhaps the first time in his career. Chandragupta, knowing that Alexander would expect absolutely no one to attempt a crossing of Gedrosia like he did, did so. Because of winter, and the army not being forced like in the case of Alexander, there weren't many casualties. Chandragupta had set out on November 8, and arrived at the port of Harmozla on December 10. It quickly fell to him, and right after that he would attack the forces of Demetrius. Demetrius was unfortunately rather inexperienced, and was annhilated. He amazingly escaped. Chandragupta had therefore elminated any immidiate threat to the west. He then set out to control commerce to cut off the flow of supplies to Alexander, not exactly a hard thing since his supply lines were so long.
Alexander would slowly realize that he wasn't getting the reinforcements he was needing, while waiting for the rainy season to abait. Despite the fact that he had several successful battles in northwest India, he knew he was rather exposed being as Indian armies could surround his roughly 80,000 force if he stayed. On a somewhat brighter note, the traitor Tagira was captured after he was found out cold with his head in the river, and his feet hanging below some stones. So finally, Alexander would, on April 28, head for the Indo-Bactrian Pass, and rescue the remnants of the Bactrian corps from certain defeat.
Hearing that Chandragupta was apparently behind this, Alexander would march his army southwest through Bactria while finding Demetrius neasr Propthesia, alive but starving, and his clothes in rags. He had apparently found shelter with Gedrosians who had given him food, and let him go in March. Unfotunately Demetrius had wandered in the wrong direction and barely found enough food and water to keep himself adequately nourished.
Chandragupta had become aware of Alexander marching through his territory, and had figured, correctly, that Alexander would eventually come to deal with the threat from his rear. So Chandragupta had started marching northeast on May 1. And he would then encounter Alexander in northeast CarmaniaMay 17 311 BC, and from then, the first battle between the two would unfold.
Unfortunately, neither side could deploy it's elephants effectively, due to the mountainous terrain, and so Chandragupta attempted to have his infantry out in front. Unfortunately, though he had superior numbers, he was not able to deploy them effectively, and Alexander eventually broke through the lines, and made him retreat. This, however, would be the last ever time that Alexander would expect to get so lucky with Chandragupta, who would then circle around Alexander's forces. Chandragupta would circle around into Drangiana, and would end up intercepted by Alexander again, who had followed Chandragupta's movements, and decided to cut him off. However, despite that Alexander too had elephants, some from Africa, some taken from Indians, it would be effective use of them that would ultimately determine the outcome of the campaign.....
