The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World from Marathon to Waterloo, Edward Creasy [simple e reader TXT] 📗

riter, therefore, of the present day to choose battles for hisfavourite topic, merely because they were battles, merely becauseso many myriads of troops were arrayed in them, and so manyhundreds or thousands of human beings stabbed, hewed, or shoteach other to death during them, would argue strange weakness ordepravity of mind. Yet it cannot be denied that a fearful andwonderful interest is attached to these scenes of carnage. Thereis undeniable greatness in the disciplined courage, and in thelove of honour, which make the combatants confront agony anddestruction. And the powers of the human intellect are rarelymore strongly displayed than they are in the Commander, whoregulates, arrays, and wields at his will these masses of armeddisputants; who, cool yet daring, in the midst of peril reflectson all, and provides for all, ever ready with fresh resources anddesigns, as the vicissitudes of the storm of slaughter require.But these qualities, however high they may appear, are to befound in the