Reflections on the Art of War |
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Common terms and phrases
action advanced guard advantage Alison arms army art of war artillery attack Auerstädt Austrians batteries battle of Borodino battle of Spicheren battle of Wagram brave British Cæsar campaign cavalry character circumstances Clausewitz columns command consequently considered corps counter-attack courage danger decisive defeat defence detachments disaster discipline Emperor enemy enemy's example favourable field of battle fight fire flank force Fortune Frederick French front gained généraux Germans Gravelotte ground guns Hannibal horses importance instructions Jomini Livy losses lost manœuvre Marlborough Mars-la-Tour Marshal Saxe Maximes de Guerre moral effect movement Napier nature necessary never offensive officers operations opportunity outposts Pensées de Napoléon Plutarch Polybius position possible Prince Kraft principles Prussian pursuit rear rear-guard reconnoitre regarding reserve resolution result retreat Roman says Lord Wolseley says Napoleon soldiers Spicheren strategical success superior tactical Trebbia troops Turenne turning victory Vionville Wagram Waterloo Wellington
Popular passages
Page 80 - Hawkshawe fell wounded, and the Fusilier battalions, struck by the iron tempest, reeled and staggered like sinking ships. But suddenly and sternly recovering, they closed on their terrible enemies, and then was seen with what a strength and majesty the British soldier fights...
Page 126 - At that word, such is the power of imagination, those troops whom neither the strong barrier nor the deep ditch, nor the high walls, nor the deadly fire of the enemy could stop, staggered back appalled by a chimera of their own raising...
Page 186 - I look upon the Northern League to be like a tree, of which Paul was the trunk, and Sweden and Denmark the branches. If I can get at the trunk, and hew it down, the branches fall of course ; but I may lop the branches, and yet not be able to fell the tree, and my power must be weaker when its greatest strength is required. If we could have cut up the Russian Fleet, that was my object.
Page 149 - ... did not much notice it after the partial failure of one attack which had been made early. Gathering in dark groups and leaning on their muskets, they looked up with sullen desperation at the Trinidad, while the enemy, stepping out on the ramparts, and aiming their shots by the light of the fire-balls which they threw over, asked as their victims fell, " Why they did not come into Badajos...
Page 192 - We started with the army in the highest order, and up to the day of the battle nothing could get on better ; but that event has, as usual, totally annihilated all order and discipline. The soldiers of the army have got among them about a million sterling in money, with the exception of about 100,000 dollars, which were got for the military chest.
Page 127 - As all men desire their own happiness, praise or blame is bestowed on actions and motives, according as they lead to this end ; and as happiness is an essential part of the general good, the greatest-happiness principle indirectly serves as a nearly safe standard of right and wrong.
Page 57 - ... necessaries, where the unarmed multitude ; with what number and what kind of troops he should guard them, and whether it would be better to prosecute his march as intended, or to return back by the way he came ; what spot, also, he should choose for his camp ; how large a space he should enclose within the lines ; where he could be conveniently supplied with water ; where a sufficiency of forage and wood could be had ; which would be his safest road on decamping next day, and in what form the...
Page 65 - , says Sir Charles Wilson truly, 'of skilful combination in his plans, and on some occasions he appears to have neglected the most obvious military precautions. To seek the enemy and, on finding him, to attack with headlong valour...
Page 36 - Savarin, tome ip 252). The habit of eating fast and carelessly is supposed to have paralysed Napoleon on two of the most critical occasions of his life — the battles of Borodino and Leipzig. On each of these occasions he is known to have been suffering from indigestion.
Page 194 - The battle of Napoleon was the swell and dash of a mighty wave, before which the barrier yielded, and the roaring flood poured onwards, covering all.