第115章

In the meantime， the Florentines， under their commissaries， had drawn together their forces， and being joined by those of the pope， halted at Anghiari， a castle placed at the foot of the mountains that divide the Val di Tavere from the Val di Chiane， distant four miles from the Borgo San Sepolcro， on a level road， and in a country suitable for the evolutions of cavalry or a battlefield. As the Signory had heard of the count's victory and the recall of Niccolo， they imagined that without again drawing a sword or disturbing the dust under their horses' feet， the victory was their own， and the war at an end， they wrote to the commissaries， desiring them to avoid an engagement， as Niccolo could not remain much longer in Tuscany. These instructions coming to the knowledge of Piccinino， and perceiving the necessity of his speedy return， to leave nothing unattempted， he determined to engage the enemy， expecting to find them unprepared， and not disposed for battle. In this determination he was confirmed by Rinaldo， the Count di Poppi， and other Florentine exiles， who saw their inevitable ruin in the departure of Niccolo， and hoped， that if he engaged the enemy， they would either be victorious， or vanquished without dishonor. This resolution being adopted， Niccolo led his army， unperceived by the enemy， from Citta di Castello to the Borgo， where he enlisted two thousand men， who， trusting the general's talents and promises， followed him in hope of plunder. Niccolo then led his forces in battle array toward Anghiari， and had arrived within two miles of the place， when Micheletto Attendulo observed great clouds of dust， and conjecturing at once， that it must be occasioned by the enemy's approach， immediately called the troops to arms. Great confusion prevailed in the Florentine camp， for the ordinary negligence and want of discipline were now increased by their presuming the enemy to be at a distance， and they were more disposed to fight than to battle； so that everyone was unarmed， and some wandering from the camp， either led by their desire to avoid the excessive heat， or in pursuit of amusement. So great was the diligence of the commissaries and of the captain， that before the enemy's arrival， the men were mounted and prepared to resist their attack； and as Micheletto was the first to observe their approach， he was also first armed and ready to meet them， and with his troops hastened to the bridge which crosses the river at a short distance from Anghiari. Pietro Giampagolo having previous to the surprise， filled up the ditches on either side of the road， and leveled the ground between the bridge and Anghiari， and Micheletto having taken his position in front of the former， the legate and Simoncino， who led the troops of the church， took post on the right， and the commissaries of the Florentines， with Pietro Giampagolo， their captain， on the left； the infantry being drawn up along the banks of the river. Thus， the only course the enemy could take， was the direct one over the bridge； nor had the Florentines any other field for their exertions， excepting that their infantry were ordered， in case their cavalry were attacked in flank by the hostile infantry， to assail them with their cross bows， and prevent them from wounding the flanks of the horses crossing the bridge. Micheletto bravely withstood the enemy's charge upon the bridge； but Astorre and Francesco Piccinino coming up， with a picked body of men， attacked him so vigorously， that he was compelled to give way， and was pushed as far as the foot of the hill which rises toward the Borgo d'Anghiari；but they were in turn repulsed and driven over the bridge， by the troops that took them in flank. The battle continued two hours， during which each side had frequent possession of the bridge， and their attempts upon it were attended with equal success； but on both sides of the river， the disadvantage of Niccolo was manifest； for when his people crossed the bridge， they found the enemy unbroken， and the ground being leveled， they could man渦vre without difficulty， and the weary be relieved by such as were fresh. But when the Florentines crossed， Niccolo could not relieve those that were harassed， on account of the hindrance interposed by the ditches and embankments on each side of the road； thus whenever his troops got possession of the bridge， they were soon repulsed by the fresh forces of the Florentines； but when the bridge was taken by the Florentines， and they passed over and proceeded upon the road， Niccolo having no opportunity to reinforce his troops， being prevented by the impetuosity of the enemy and the inconvenience of the ground， the rear guard became mingled with the van， and occasioned the utmost confusion and disorder； they were forced to flee， and hastened at full speed toward the Borgo. The Florentine troops fell upon the plunder， which was very valuable in horses， prisoners， and military stores， for not more than a thousand of the enemy's cavalry reached the town. The people of the Borgo， who had followed Niccolo in the hope of plunder， became booty themselves， all of them being taken， and obliged to pay a ransom. The colors and carriages were also captured. This victory was much more advantageous to the Florentines than injurious to the duke；for， had they been conquered， Tuscany would have been his own； but he， by his defeat， only lost the horses and accoutrements of his army， which could be replaced without any very serious expense. Nor was there ever an instance of wars being carried on in an enemy's country with less injury to the assailants than at this； for in so great a defeat， and in a battle which continued four hours， only one man died， and he， not from wounds inflicted by hostile weapons， or any honorable means， but， having fallen from his horse， was trampled to death.