“There is little danger to fear here,” said Hanabusa, “as the east fort is still in our possession. It stands midway between the gangway and basin at the end of the canal, and forms the strategic key to the operations to-day. Yermah will lead a force between that fortress and the granaries, as if ready to fall upon the city, whilst we, with our noisy drums and trumpets, draw the rebels north of the canal, to repulse our feigned attack.”
“Wilt thou forgive me for asking if this is thine own or Yermah’s plan?”
“It is the Dorado’s instruction. He is proving to be a worthy disciple of the great tactician, Akaza, who never failed to gain a victory. See! They are warned of our approach.”
As Yermah had predicted, the revolted troops, not being commanded by a leader skilled in strategy, had signaled to the forts around the city for reenforcements, and then turned toward the canal to repulse the invaders.
A rocket was sent up from East Temple, signaling the defenders to disembark south of the canal. Seeing this, the insurgents swept around the basin to engage in a close-range combat and overwhelm Hanabusa and Ben Hu Barabe by superior numbers.
Before they could execute this maneuver, the glittering ranks of Yermah’s own household guards marched through the pass between Las Papas and the Mission Hills, south of East Temple, with a company of horsemen bringing up the rear.
The two columns marched side by side, but separate, that on the right charging the insurgents on the right flank. There were about three thousand men hemmed in between their own ranks and Hanabusa’s command.
Finding they were cut off from the main body, the rebels made a desperate and gallant defense, but were obliged to surrender, with half their force either killed, wounded, or made captive.
Simultaneously, the main column under Yermah wheeled toward the Observatory, driving their enemies before them with great slaughter. The Dorado’s guard swept over the rising ground between the center of the city and the Observatory in a solid phalanx nine deep. Behind them came detachments from the fleet at the head of the canal, who harassed the stragglers and completed the general rout.
Archers and swordsmen, cutlass and javelin wielders excelled each other in feats of generous daring, while shield clanked against shield, and spearsmen tilted against spearsmen, in the shock and clamor of fratricidal warfare.