Those Who Are Free From Common Prejudices

There Is No Such Thing As Accident; It Is Fate Misnamed.

It Must Be Recognized That The Real Truths Of History Are Hard To Discover. Happily, For The Most Part, They Are Rather Matters Of Curiosity Than Of Real Importance.

Suicide Is A Crime The Most Revolting To The Feelings; Nor Does Any Reason Suggest Itself To Our Understanding By Which It Can Be Justified. It Certainly Originates In That Species Of Fear Which We Denominate Poltroonery. For What Claim Can That Man Have To Courage Who Trembles At The Frowns Of Fortunes? True Heroism Consists In Being Superior To The Ills Of Life In Whatever Shape They May Challenge Him To Combat.

Soldiers Generally Win Battles; Generals Get Credit For Them.

A Commander-in-chief Cannot Take As An Excuse For His Mistakes In Warfare An Order Given By His Sovereign Or His Minister When The Person Giving The Order Is Absent From The Field Of Operations And Is Imperfectly Aware Or Wholly Unaware Of The Latest State Of Affairs. It Follows That Any Commander-in-chief Who Undertakes To Carry Out A Plan Which He Considers Defective Is At Fault; He Must Put Forward His Reasons, Insist On The Plan Being Changed, And Finally Tender His Resignation Rather Than Be The Instrument Of His Army's Downfall.