Well, it went something like this......
The Jews, no one in the region really, had ever seen an animal as big as an elephant - camel was a big as it got....... AND these elephants were armored, mounted by the elite, vastly better equipped, trained and experienced Syrian army, and crazed with wine before battle. They literally were the most technologically advanced war machine of their day - and horrifying to boot!!!
The Jewish farmers and merchants that made up the Israeli militia were totally demoralized with defeat after defeat..... what are rakes and hoes, bows and arrows, even swords against these huge beasts with their impenetrable hide and armour, even if you could get close enough through the hail of arrows and spears from the riders??? What could you do?? The rampaging beasts just crushed you like a summer gourd.
Well, the eldest son of Matthias took it upon himself to prove that HaShem had not brought an invincible enemy against Israel...... What he did was charge under one of the great goliaths with a spear and plunged it into the beast's soft under belly, killing it. The beast fell and killed him, but the Jewish troops, rallied by the proof that these beasts could be defeated turned the tide of the war........ with bravery and cunning!