This was a case not so much of flight, but of advancing to the rear.
An army of 10,000 could pretty much go where it wanted even with appointing a journalist as general.
Referring to the retreat from the Inchon reservoir during the Korean war, Marine General Oliver Smith went into Marine history with the comment:
Retreat Hell, we’re attacking in another direction
General Chesty Puller went one better: “We’re surrounded. That simplifies our problem of getting to these people and killing them. Now we can fire in any direction, those bastards won’t get away this time!
When the Communist Chinese threw 270,000 troops into the Korean War, numerous U.N. divisions were overrun. Eight Chinese divisions engaged the 1st Marine Division. In the face of “General Winter” and overwhelming numerical superiority, the division concentrated promptly, rescued and evacuated surviving remnants of adjacent, less ready Army formations, and commenced one of the greatest marches of American history, from Chosin Reservoir to the sea.
Sixteen days later, having brought down its dead, saved its equipment, and rescued three Army battalions, the 1st Marine Division - supported by the 1st Marine Wing - reached the sea with high morale and in fighting order. The division had shattered the Chinese Communist Forces 9th Army Group, killed at least 25,000 Chinese, and wounded more than 12,500.
The generals were right after all.