III.

CESAR IN BRITAIN.

(SECOND EXPEDITION)

CESAR'S first invasion of Britain was, as has been said, a mere reconnaissance; the second may be described as a serious effort at conquest. Great preparations were made during the winter. Old ships were repaired, and new ones built, the latter being specially adapted for the transport of cargo and horses. The rendez-vous for the fleet was the Portus Itius. Some delay was caused by the necessity of chastising some tribes which had showed a disposition to rebel; and when these operations were concluded a contrary wind, blowing from the north-west without any intermission for five-and-twenty day, prevented the departure of the fleet. Even at the last moment the flight of an important hostage from the camp caused the start to be postponed. It was not till July 20th that Cæsar set sail. He had more than six hundred ships, and these carried five legions, numberProbably Issant, near Boulogne ; possibly Boulogne itself.

2 It is worth while to mention, as showing Cæsar's uneasiness about the temper of Gaul, that he took a great number of hostages with him to Britain.

Dumnoix

THE SECOND LANDING.

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ing, it may be reckoned, with auxiliaries, about thirty thousand effective troops, and two thousand cavalry. The fleet weighed anchor at sunset (which on July 20th would be about eight o'clock). A light wind was blowing from the south-west, the tide, which was ebbing, was running in the opposite direction. At midnight the wind dropped, and the tide began to flow, carrying the fleet to the north-east. At dawn, which would be about three hours after midnight, Britain was seen on the left hand lying to the westward. The fleet had drifted past the North Foreland. The oars were then got out, and, the tide turning again, the ships made for the point where the landing had been effected the year before. The soldiers on board the transports worked, we are told, so hard that their heavy vessels kept up with the ships of war. No attempt was made by the natives to oppose a landing. They seem to have been overawed by the formidable appearance of the fleet, which had been increased by the craft belonging to private owners to more than eight hundred.

Cæsar lost no time in commencing operations. Without even staying to construct a camp he marched with the bulk of his army against the fortified position of the enemy. This was about twelve miles' distant on the banks of the Stour, and is described as having been strongly situated, and well constructed of earthworks and timber. The Romans, however, had little difficulty in taking it. The method of attack was that known as the "tortoise" (testudo), and has been thus described :

"The men in each file stood close together, but with

a space of about three feet between the files; excepting, of course, in the front rank, where the formation would be solid. This first rank held their shields in front of them. The other shields were held overhead, the length at right angles to the file. Thus between each two files a protected space, three feet wide, was left, through which the workmen could carry bush and faggot. This being rapidly piled, the soldiers kept mounting, stepping alternately to right and left, as the clear space was filled, and the place where they were standing was needed. Thus in a short time the testudo was formed, and the ditch was filled up. Then a rush drove the enemy easily from their works, and the position was taken." I

Cæsar did not permit any pursuit to be made, as he wished to fortify his camp without any further delay.

The next day he sent three columns in pursuit of the enemy. These had just come in sight of the Britons when news arrived from the officer in command of the fleet that great damage had been inflicted by a storm the night before. Cæsar at once recalled his troops, and set the men to work repairing the ships. Ultimately these were drawn up on shore and defended by the same fortifications which protected the camp. These works were laborious, and occupied as much as ten days. When they were completed Cæsar returned to the point from which he had been recalled by the bad news about the fleet. Meanwhile a large force of Britons had assembled, under the command of Caswallon (called Cassivelaunus by

Messrs. Allen and Greenough's "Cæsar," note in loc.

BRITISH VALOUR.

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Cæsar), an inland prince, whom the tribes by common consent had made general-in-chief. The chariots and cavalry attacked the Roman horse, and, though finally repulsed, inflicted severe loss. A second attack, this time made upon the cohorts which were protecting the fortifications of the camp, was for a time successful. The Britons broke through the Roman line, held their own against two cohorts, both composed of first-rate troops, which were sent as a reinforcement, and were compelled to retreat only by the arrival of a much larger force. They were found, indeed, to be formidable enemies. The legionaries, with their heavy armour, were baffled by the quickness of their movements, and the cavalry were perplexed by the ease with which their horsemen changed their tactics, showing themselves equally at home whether they were mounted or on foot. Their numbers, too, seemed inexhaustible, and fresh fighters were already ready to take the places of those that were weary or wounded.

It is probable that the success with which they fought made them so confident that they abandoned their desultory tactics and ventured on something like a pitched battle. Cæsar had sent out a strong force the next day to forage. The Britons attacked it, and ventured to engage the legions themselves when these came up to support their comrades. The result was a disastrous defeat. Many of the native levies were disheartened by the losses sustained, and dispersed. In fact, the Britons never could bring their whole force into the field again.

Cæsar now marched northward to attack Caswallon

in his own territories. To do this it was necessary to cross the Thames. There was but one ford, and that deep and difficult. Cæsar found that the opposite bank was held by a large force of natives, besides being fortified by rows of stakes, one of which was below the water. It was his intention to send over his cavalry in advance, but the impetuosity of the infantry was such that they dashed into the river, made their way across, though the water was so deep that it came up to their necks, and reached the opposite shore as soon as did the horsemen. The Britons could not resist the combined attack of cavalry and infantry, but abandoned their position, and fled.

Caswallon had now learnt by experience that a pitched battle with the Romans was hopeless. Accordingly he disbanded the bulk of his forces and, keeping a force of war chariots with him, watched the march of the enemy. Everything in the way of property was removed from the line of their march. All who ventured to leave the main body for the sake of picking up a little plunder were promptly attacked, so that Cæsar had to issue most stringent orders

The situation of this ford has been much disputed. Some very ancient stakes have been found in the river near Weybridge, at a place called from them "Coweay Stakes." But these are at right angles to the bank, and rather suggest the idea of a bridge. It is difficult, now that the character of the river has been so changed by the locks which make it navigable, even to guess at the place where the ford may have been. The stream between Bray and Windsor is, or certainly was some years ago, more shallow than in any other place in the lower river, but it has been deepened here, within the present writer's recollection, by the construction of an additional lock.