Just to show you how little reliance can be placed even on what are supposed the best accounts of a battle, I mention that there are some circumstances mentioned in General -'s account which did not occur as he relates them. It is impossible to say when each important occurrence took place, or in what order.

Duke of Wellington

Categorized in : Order Important Battle

Wise people learn when they can; fools learn when they must.

Duke of Wellington

wise education motivational

I don't know what effect these men will have upon the enemy, but by God, they frighten me.

Duke of Wellington

humorous military war

We always have been, we are, and I hope that we always shall be detested in France.

Duke of Wellington

total-war france war

Our army is composed of the scum of the earth - the mere scum of the earth.

Duke of Wellington

waterloo scum-of-the-earth army

All the business of war, and indeed all the business of life, is to endeavour to find out what you don't know by what you do; that's what I called 'guess what was at the other side of the hill'.

Duke of Wellington

life-is sides war

Nothing except a battle lost can be half so melancholy as a battle won.

Duke of Wellington

battle war peace

Victory is the ability to fight five minutes longer than any other army in the world.

Duke of Wellington

victory army fighting

Being born in a stable does not make one a horse.

Duke of Wellington

horse born doe

Habit is ten times nature.

Duke of Wellington

ten habit

Be discreet in all things, and so render it unnecessary to be mysterious about any.

Duke of Wellington

unnecessary-things mysterious inspirational

An extraordinary affair. I gave them their orders and they wanted to stay and discuss them.

Duke of Wellington

parliament affair order

The British soldiers are fellows who have all enlisted for drink. That is the plain fact - they have all enlisted for drink.

Duke of Wellington

british-soldiers war facts

If you had seen one day of war, you would pray to God that you would never see another.

Duke of Wellington

memorial-day one-day war

Yes, about ten minutes.

Duke of Wellington

minutes humor funny

Hard pounding, gentlemen. Let's see who pounds the longest.

Duke of Wellington

military war history

Educate men without religion and you make them clever devils.

Duke of Wellington

education teacher retirement

To define it rudely but not ineptly, engineering is the art of doing for 10 shillings what any fool can do for a pound

Duke of Wellington

engineering fool art

When other Generals make mistakes their armies are beaten; when I get into a hole, my men pull me out of it.

Duke of Wellington

army mistake men

I never saw so many shocking bad hats in my life.

Duke of Wellington

hats saws life

Always make water when you can.

Duke of Wellington

water