Table of Contents
BACKROUND
• After Alexander defeated the last of the Achaemenid Empire’s forces under Bessus and Spitamenes in 328 BC, he began a new campaign to further extend his empire towards India in 327 BC.
• Whilst possessing a much larger army, an estimated 40,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry crossed the river in time to engage the enemy. During this battle Alexander suffered heavy losses compared to his earlier victories.
• Alexander’s army he ever faced but he still emerged victorious, despite being outnumbered depending on the source, somewhere between 3:1 and 5:1.
• In early spring of the next year, he combined his forces and allied with Taxiles (also known as Ambhi Kumar), the King of Taxila, against Taxiles’ neighbor, the King of Hydaspes, King Porus who had chosen to spurn Alexander’s command for surrender and prepared for war
SETUP
• Alexander fixed his camp in the vicinity of the town of Jhelum on the right banks of the river.Porus drew up on the south bank of the Jhelum River to repel any crossing in the spring of 326 BC.
• He moved his mounted troops up and down the river bank each night while Porus shadowed him. While leading his troops across, he landed on another island, causing his troops to wade across
• He would eventually attack Indian cavalry flanking each side of Porus’ main force from the right.He left his general, Craterus, behind with most of the army, to make sure Porus wouldn’t find out about his crossing, while he crossed the river upstream with a strong contingent, consisting of 6,000 on foot and 5,000 on horseback
• Craterus was ordered to either ford the river and attack if Porus faced Alexander with all his troops or to hold his position if Porus faced Alexander with only part of his army.
SETUP
• The most notable event in the present connection was Alexander’s crossing of the Hydaspes in face of the Indians on the opposite bank. The complex preparations for the crossing were accomplished with the use of numerous feints and other sorts of deceptions.
• It was also reported that there was an Alexander look-alike who held sway in a mock royal tent near the base. Alexander quietly moved his part of the
army upstream
• Alexander mistakenly landed on an island, but soon crossed to the other side. Porus perceived his opponent’s maneuver and sent a small cavalry and chariot force under his son, also named Porus, to fight them off, hoping that he would be able to prevent his crossing. By chance
a storm occurred that night which drowned the sounds of the crossing.
EDICTS BATTLE
• When King Porus reached the point where Alexander’s army was arrayed, led to believe that his own cavalry outnumbered Alexander’s, he ordered his cavalry to charge.
• The Indians were poised with cavalry on both flanks, their center comprising infantry with War Elephants which were heavily armored and were strapped on with a castle-like howdah on their back carrying a trio of archers and javelin hurlers towering among or before them in equal intervals of fifty feet to defend the vulnerable flanks
• All of the War-Elephants were equipped with fire-hardened leather and quilted armor for protection while their foreheads and trunks bore steel-plates to defend against enemy arrows.
• King Porus, seated atop the tallest War Elephant.
BATTLE
• The Macedonian heavy infantry phalanx were outnumbered 1:5 against the Indian infantry.Even their heavy armor-piercing bows were inaccurate because of the slippery ground, though the muddy ground was an advantage to King Porus’ light infantry. supposed 200 elephants prevented any frontal attack.
• Alexander commenced the battle by sending hired horse archers to shower the Indian right cavalry wing. The Indians tried to form a double phalanx, but the necessary complicated maneuvers brought even more confusion into their ranks making it easier for the Macedonian horse to conquer.
• Porus, atop his elephant, personally led his elephant corps instead of the usual double-horse chariot used by Indian kings. The War-Elephants caused heavy losses to the phalanx, impaling many with their tusks fitted with steel spikes and heaving some before pulverizing them.
BATTLE
• Alexander commanded his Indian Contingents to end the carnage, with the light infantry which tossed javelins at the Elephants’ eyes.
• The mahouts were killed before they could kill their panicked elephants with poisoned rods. The remaining Indian cavalry fled among the elephants for protection, but the beasts were already out of control and would soon retreat exhausted from the field, leaving the rest of Porus’s army encircled by the Macedonian horse and phalanx.
• Alexander sent his phalanx to attack the elephants, which were forced back on their own side. They boxed the Indian infantry and cavalry, many of whom were trampled to death.
WARRIOR KING “PORUS”
• After the battle fatigue started affecting the King Porus, he slowly began to retire. Throughout the battle, Alexander is said to have observed with growing admiration, the valor of King Porus and understood that he intended to be killed in combat.
• Hoping to save the life of this competent leader and warrior, Alexander commanded Taxiles to summon Porus for surrender. However, Porus turned indignant on the very sight of his nemesis and tossed a spear at him in furor without listening to his proposal forcing him to take flight on his steed.
• In such manner many other messengers, dispatched by the determined Alexander were spurned, till at last Meroes, a personal friend of Porus convinced him to listen to the message of Alexander. Overpowered by thirst, the weary Porus finally dismounted his War-Elephant and demanded water. After being refreshed, he allowed himself to be taken to Alexander. On hearing that the Indian King was approaching, Alexander himself rode out to meet him and the famous surrender meeting took place
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