major@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Mike Schmitt) (06/03/89)
From: ssc-vax!shuksan!major@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Mike Schmitt) > > "Up at 'em Maitland, Guards!" > > - Wellington at Waterloo > > > "What I must have said and possibly did say was '"Standup! > Guard!"' and then I turned to the commander and gave the > order to attack" > - Wellington in prviate communication after Waterloo > [mod.note: The Iron Duke appears to have been a well-misquoted fellow... > > "Do not let my opponents castigate me with the blather that > Waterloo was won on the playfields of Eton, for the fact remains > geographically, historically, and tactically, whether the great > Duke uttered such undiluted nonsense or not, that it was won on the > fields in Belgium by carrying out a fundamental principle of war, > the principle of mass; in other words by marching on to those > fields three Englishmen, Germans, or Belgians to every > two Frenchmen." - J.F.C. Fuller, quoted by T.N. Dupuy in > _Understanding War_ Yep, a lot of legends have grown up around what Wellington did or did not say - did or did not do - during the Battle of Waterloo. "Nothing except a battle lost can be half so melencholy as a battle won." (Waterloo left 44,000 men dead and wounded) "I hope to Got I have fought my last battle." It's interesting that the 1st Foot Guards were given the title "Grenadiers" in memory of the defeat of the French Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard. In fact, they did not defeat the Old Guard Grenadiers, but engaged the Middle Guard Chassuers. The title should have gone to Colborne's 52d Light Infantry - who outflanked the 4th Chassuers and broke them. It was this action that broke the French Guard. BTW, the 52d Lt Inf Regt had just arrived from America, having fought at the Battle of New Orleans (War of 1812) But, my favorite quote come from a member of the 27th Foot (Inniskilling) that lost 500 men out of 700, who said of this battle while standing in square to meet yet another French cavalry charge: "I wonder if there was a battle where everyone was killed?" major