The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World

The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World from Marathon to Waterloo by Sir Edward Creasy, M.A. The Battle of Marathon, Defeat of the Athenians at Syracuse, B.C.413, The Battle of Arbela, B.C. 331, The Battle of the Metaurus, B.C. 207, Victory of Arminius over the Roman Legions under Varus, The Battle of Chalons, A.D. 451, The Battle of Tours, A.D. 732, The Battle of Hastings, 1066, Joan of Arc's Victory over the English at Orleans, A.D, The Defeat of the Spanish Armada, A.D. 1588, The Battle of Blenheim, 1704, The Battle of Pultowa, 1709, Victory of the Americans over Burgoyne at Saratoga. For a writer, therefore, of the present day to choose battles for his favourite topic, merely because they were battles, merely because so many myriads of troops were arrayed in them, and so many hundreds or thousands of human beings stabbed, hewed, or shot each other to death during them, would argue strange weakness or depravity of mind. Yet it cannot be denied that a fearful and wonderful interest is attached to these scenes of carnage. There is undeniable greatness in the disciplined courage, and in the love of honour, which make the combatants confront agony and destruction. And the powers of the human intellect are rarely more strongly displayed than they are in the Commander, who regulates, arrays, and wields at his will these masses of armed disputants; who, cool yet daring, in the midst of peril reflects on all, and provides for all, ever ready with fresh resources and designs, as the vicissitudes of the storm of slaughter require. But these qualities, however high they may appear, are to be found in the basest as well as in the noblest of mankind.