Well...
1. He could not send more than four legions at once. Two more legions were supposed to join in later however due to bad weather that was delayed. The disaster had already happened before anything could be done about it.
2. The extreme strain on supply that TEN legions would put on the area/mages (summoning food/water)/supply routes would propably mean that the army would have BIG problems supplying itself. Let us also remember that the supply was cut off due to bad weather for a year or so, the army sent however managed with what supplies they found/had in the area. Now, with ten legions being caught for a year on a limited amount of space... They would starve and the Tsaesci would win even easier.
3. Even disregarding all these logistical things... The Tsaesci pretty easily won over four legions with an unknown amount of their main force. If what drew the legions out was just a part of the main force... Then not even ten legions would stand a chance.
4. All the legions were NOT wiped out, only almost. The Fourteenth had some remnants left and two men from the Tenth survived.