war

"Kirmani proudly recounts the manner in which Tanjore was ravaged by the forces of Tipu: Prince Tippoo with seven thousand horse, four thousand regular and irregular foot and five guns, [marched] towards Tujawur [Tanjore] and Nuthurnuggur [Tiruchirapalli]. With this force, the Prince Tippoo boldly advanced into the country of Tujawur. His soldiers, brave as Roostum, in obedience of his orders, plundered and destroyed the environs of that town, which in population and fertility, may be called equal to Kashmere . . . the habitations and idol temples of that country, which threw shame on the best paintings of China, and resembled the beauties of Paradise, they levelled with the ground, and setting fire to most of the houses, shops and bazaars, they laid waste the whole of the country. They set the country in a blaze, they took the lock or latch, and set fire to the door. By the hoofs of the Islam horse, plains and mountains were rendered indistinguishable. Sacks upon sacks of corn, herd upon herd of cattle, flocks of sheep and goats, with other articles considered worthy the notice of Hydur were sent to him . . . and plundered Seerung [Srirangam?] and Jhumgiri [?], ancient temples, seated between the waters of the Kaveri and Kaverum held in great veneration by the Hindoos, and the gaze and delight of the world . . . the young men, fond of beauty and enjoyment, obtained lovely virgins and slave girls, of the Brahmun caste, and Bayaderes, beautiful as the moon, arrayed with ornaments of gold and jewels, to their hearts desire, and warmed themselves thoroughly in the arms of beauty. Of the whole of the plunder taken, one fourth was returned to the Sirkar.30"

"Innes Munro, an eyewitness and a captain in the late 73rd or Lord Macleod’s Regiment of Highlanders, records the horrors that this invasion of the Carnatic by Haidar brought in its wake: All the villages blazing on every quarter within view of this garrison, and as many of the inhabitants as could escape with their lives flying towards us in immense droves from all parts of the country, whose cries and lamentations were distinctly heard a full mile off, being closely pursued by those inhuman barbarians, who brandished their bloody swords in triumph as they galloped along . . . aged parents borne . . . upon the bleeding shoulders of their offspring, who were wantonly mutilated; mothers bewailing the loss of their helpless infants that had fallen a sacrifice to the fury of the enemy on the first surprise; and innocent virgins clinging for protection to the arms of their lacerated brothers. This was indeed a melancholy spectacle, which made the deepest impression upon our sympathizing minds, as yet unaccustomed to such scenes of brutality and horror; but which a poor soldier must not only learn to behold, but participate in, with calmness and indifference. Such was the extreme terror of those inoffensive and unhappy people, that they never once slackened their pace until they found themselves immersed in the ditch of Pondmalee."

"Edmund Burke, the statesman and orator in England, recounts: He [Haidar] became at length so confident of his force, so collected in his might, that he made no secret whatsoever of his dreadful resolution. Having terminated his disputes with every enemy, and every rival, who buried their mutual animosities in their common detestation against the creditors of the Nabob of Arcot, he drew from every quarter whatever a savage ferocity could add to his new rudiments in the arts of destruction; and compounding all the materials of fury, havoc, and desolation, into one black cloud, he hung for a while on the declivities of the mountains. Whilst the authors of all these evils were idly and stupidly gazing on this menacing meteor, which blackened all their horizon, it suddenly burst, and poured down the whole of its contents upon the plains of the Carnatic. Then ensued a scene of woe, the like of which no eye had seen, no heart conceived, and which no tongue can adequately tell. All the horrors of war before known or heard of, were mercy to that new havoc. A storm of universal fire blasted every field, consumed every house, destroyed every temple. The miserable inhabitants flying from their flaming villages, in part were slaughtered; others, without regard to sex, to age, to the respect of rank, or sacredness of function; fathers torn from children, husbands from wives, enveloped in a whirlwind of cavalry, and amidst the goading spears of drivers, and the trampling of pursuing horses, were swept into captivity, in an unknown and hostile land. Those who were able to evade this tempest, fled to the walled cities. But escaping from fire, sword, and exile, they fell into the jaws of famine."

"Robson mentions the plunder of Hindu temples in Tanjore: Hyder entered the Tanjore country, plundering and burning every village in their way; spreading desolation everywhere; even the Gentoo [Hindu] temples, which hitherto were held sacred by all castes, were plundered of their swamies, or idols, by his people of the Moorish [Muslim] sect. About this time a Gentoo subidar or captain in his service, requested his permission to bear a Gentoo flag, with the figure of the Swamie Annamoontoo [possibly Hanumanta?] on it. On which, Hyder desired to know who this Annamoontoo was; in the course of the subidar’s narration, he said Annamoontoo was born of a man; Hyder then observed his father was certainly the devil, to which the subidar assenting, Hyder ordered a flag to be made, with the figure of a devil evacuating Annamoontoo from behind, which he shrewdly observed, was the only aperture he could escape at; and obliged that subidar’s company to bear it. The same flag was afterwards taken from them by the English, near Negapatam [Nagapattinam]."

"Hast thou not seen my horsemen charge the foe, Shot through the arms, cut overthwart the hands, Dying their lances with their streaming blood, And yet at night carouse within my tent, Filling their empty veins with airy wine, That, being concocted, turns to crimson blood, And wilt thou shun the field for fear of wounds?"

"Uxbridge: By God, sir, I've lost my leg! Wellington: By God, sir, so you have!"

"At times he regarded the wounded soldiers in an envious way. He conceived persons with torn bodies to be peculiarly happy. He wished that he, too, had a wound, a red badge of courage."

"Then next, the way to fortify your men; In champion grounds what figure serves you best, For which the quinque-angle form is meet, Because the corners there may fall more flat Whereas the fort may fittest be assail’d, And sharpest where th’ assault is desperate: The ditches must be deep; the counterscarps Narrow and steep; the walls made high and broad; The bulwarks and the rampires large and strong, With cavalieros and thick counterforts, And room within to lodge six thousand men; It must have privy ditches, countermines, And secret issuings to defend the ditch; It must have high argins and cover’d ways To keep the bulwark-fronts from battery, And parapets to hide the musketeers, Casemates to place the great artillery, And store of ordnance, that from every flank May scour the outward curtains of the fort, Dismount the cannon of the adverse part, Murder the foe, and save the walls from breach."

"Others did fortify and rampire their walls, set up little fortresses, bastions, squared ravelins, digged trenches, cleansed countermines, fenced themselves with gabions, contrived platforms, emptied casemates, barricaded the false brays, erected the cavaliers, repaired the counterscarps, plastered the curtains, lengthened ravelins, stopped parapets, morticed barbacans, assured the portcullises, fastened the herses, sarasinesques, and cataracts, placed their sentries, and doubled their patrol."

"Went the day well? We died and never knew; But well or ill, England, we died for you."

"When you go home, tell them of us, and say ‘For your to-morrows these gave their to-day.’"

"Slowly and sadly we laid him down, From the field of his fame fresh and gory; We carved not a line, and we raised not a stone, But we left him alone with his glory."

"If the cause be not good, the King himself hath a heavy reckoning to make, when all those legs and arms and heads, chopp’d off in a battle, shall join together at the latter day and cry all, “We died at such a place”; some swearing, some crying for a surgeon, some upon their wives left poor behind them, some upon the debts they owe, some upon their children rawly left. I am afeard there are few die well that die in a battle; for how can they charitably dispose of anything, when blood is their argument?"

"Τεθνάμεναι γὰρ καλὸν ἐνὶ προμάχοισι πεσόντα ἄνδρ᾿ ἀγαθὸν περὶ ᾗ πατρίδι μαρνάμενον."

": mors et fugacem persequitur virum nec parcit inbellis iuventae poplitibus timidove tergo."

"Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once."

"Major, tell my father I died with my face to the enemy."

"And, like a troop of jolly huntsmen, come Our lusty English, all with purpled hands, Dyed in the dying slaughter of their foes."

"Blow out, you bugles, over the rich Dead! There’s none of these so lonely and poor of old, But, dying, has made us rarer gifts than gold. These laid the world away; poured out the red Sweet wine of youth; gave up the years to be Of work and joy, and that unhoped serene, That men call age; and those who would have been, Their sons, they gave, their immortality."

"Yet for my sons I thank ye, gods! ’tis well; Well have they perish’d, for in fight they fell. Who dies in youth and vigour, dies the best, Struck through with wounds, all honest on the breast."

"Much work for tears in many an English mother, Whose sons lie scattered on the bleeding ground; Many a widow’s husband groveling lies, Coldly embracing the discolor’d earth."

"A captain cannot be too careful of the company the state has committed to his charge. He must pay the greatest attention to the health of his men, their discipline, arms, accoutrements, ammunition, clothes and necessaries.His first object should be, to gain the love of his men, by treating them with every possible kindness and humanity, enquiring into their complaints, and when well founded, seeing them redressed. He should know every man of his company by name and character. He should often visit those who are sick, speak tenderly to them, see that the public provision, whether of medicine or diet, is duly administered, and procure them besides such comforts and conveniencies as are in his power. The attachment that arises from this kind of attention to the sick and wounded, is almost inconceivable; it will moreover be the means of preserving the lives of many valuable men.He must divide his company into four squads, placing each under the particular care of a non-commissioned officers, who is to be answerable for the dress and behavior of the men of his squad. He must be very particular in the daily and weekly inspections of his men, causing all deficiencies to be immediately supplied; and when he discovered any irregularity in the dress or conduct of any soldier, he must not only punish him, but the non-commissioned officer to whose squad he belongs.He must keep a strict eye over the conduct of the non-commissioned officers; oblige them to do their duty with the greatest exactness; and use every possible means to keep up a proper subordination between them and the soldiers: For which reason he must never rudely reprimand them in presence of the men, but at all times treat them with proper respect.He must pay the utmost attention to every thing which contributes to the health of the men, and oblige them to keep themselves and every thing belonging to them in the greatest cleanliness and order. He must never suffer a man who has any infectious disorder to remain in the company, but send him immediately to the hospital, or other place provided for the reception of such patients, to prevent the spreading of the infection. And when any man is sick, or otherwise unfit for duty, or absent, he must see that his arms and accoutrements are properly taken care of, agreeably to the regulations prescribed.He must keep a book, in which must be entered the name and description of every non-commissioned officer and soldier of his company; his trade or occupation; the place of his birth and usual residence; where, when and for what term he enlisted; discharges, furloughs, copies of all returns, and every casualty that happens in the company. He must also keep an account of all arms, accoutrements, ammunition, clothing, necessaries and camp equipage delivered his company, that on inspecting it he may be able to discover any deficiencies.When the company arrive at their quarters after a march, he must not dismiss them till the guards are ordered out, and (if cantoned) the billets distributed, which must be as near together as possible; and he must strictly prohibit his men from vexing the inhabitants, and cause to be punished any that offend in that respect.He must acquaint them with the hours of roll-call and going for provisions, with their alarm post, and the hour of march in the morning.If the company make any stay in a place, he must, previous to their marching, inspect into their condition, examine their knapsacks, and see that they carry nothing but what is allowed, it being a material object to prevent the soldier loading himself with unnecessary baggage."

"[Insert French text]"

"That in the captain's but a choleric word, Which in the soldier is flat blasphemy."

"The captain, in the first place, is lord paramount. He stands no watch, comes and goes when he pleases, and is accountable to no one, and must be obeyed in everything."

"Cook was a captain of the Admiralty When sea-captains had the evil eye, Or should have, what with beating krakens off And casting nativities of ships; Cook was a captain of the powder-days When captains, you might have said, if you had been Fixed by their glittering stare, half-down the side, Or gaping at them up companionways, Were more like warlocks than a humble man— [...]Cook was a captain of the sailing days When sea-captains were kings like this, Not cold executives of company-rules Cracking their boilers for a dividend Or bidding their engineers go wink At bells and telegraphs, so plates would hold Another pound. Those captains drove their ships By their own blood, no laws of schoolbook steam, Till yards were sprung, and masts went overboard— Daemons in periwigs, doling magic out, Who read fair alphabets in stars Where humbler men found but a mess of sparks, Who steered their crews by mysteries And strange, half-dreadful sortilege with books, Used medicines that only gods could know The sense of, but sailors drank In simple faith."

"Our great captain’s captain."

"Who does i' the wars more than his captain can Becomes his captain's captain."

"As many are soldiers that are not captains So many are captains that are not soldiers."

"I take a bold Step, a rakish toss, a smart Cock, and an impudent Air to be the principal ingredients in the Composition of a Captain."

"The Field Marshal desires that when the Commanding Officers of regiments of cavalry, battalions of infantry, and troops and companies of artillery, send non-commissioned officers or soldiers to England from the corps under their command respectively, on any occasion whatever, they will take care that such men do not take with them from this country any woman who is not married to the person with whom she may cohabit.The Commanding Officer of any detachment which may be sent to England is to have a certificate specifying the names of the men accompanied by their wives, and the number of women returning to England; and any individual taking a woman over to England is to have a certificate from his Commanding Officer that she is his wife."

"A brave captain is a root, out of which as branches the courage of his soldiers doth spring."

"Who can look for modestie and sobrietie in the souldiers, where the captaine is given to wine, or women, and spendeth his time in riot and excesse?"

"The company is the true unit of discipline, and the captain is the company. A good captain makes a good company, and he should have the power to reward as well as punish. The fact that soldiers would naturally like to have a good fellow for their captain is the best reason why he should be appointed by the colonel, or by some superior authority, instead of being elected by the men."

"A loud-mouthed, profane captain who is careless of his personal appearance will have a loud-mouthed, profane, dirty company. Remember what | tell you. Your company will be the reflection of yourself. If you have a rotten company it will be because you are a rotten captain."

"There is no freer man alive than a captain of cavalry in command of his own troop."

"The Captain had brushed his project aside in a way that captains have."

"A Shipman was ther, woning fer by weste: For aught I woot, he was of Dertemouthe. He rood up-on a rouncy, as he couthe, In a gowne of falding to the knee. A daggere hanging on a laas hadde he Aboute his nekke under his arm adoun. The hote somer had maad his hewe al broun; And, certeinly, he was a good felawe. Ful many a draughte of wyn had he y-drawe From Burdeux-ward, whyl that the chapman sleep. Of nyce conscience took he no keep. If that he faught, and hadde the hyer hond, By water he sente hem hoom to every lond. But of his craft to rekene wel his tydes, His stremes and his daungers him bisydes, His herberwe and his mone, his lodemenage, Ther nas noon swich from Hulle to Cartage. Hardy he was, and wys to undertake; With many a tempest hadde his berd been shake. He knew wel alle the havenes, as they were, From Gootlond to the cape of Finistere, And every cryke in Britayne and in Spayne; His barge y-cleped was the Maudelayne."

"The demi-brigades are expressly forbidden to carry with them more women than the laundresses the law provides for. Every woman found with the army and not duly authorized shall be publicly whipped."

"The company commander is a living example to every man in his organization. To be an officer means to set an example for the men. The officer must be his soldier’s incarnation of soldiery, his model. If the German officer is inspired by this mission, the best and deepest qualities of his soul will be awakened; his life’s aim will be fulfilled if he succeeds, through knowledge, demeanor, and conviction, in forcing his troops to follow him. This is the manly purpose for which it is worthwhile to stake life in order to win life."

"Let me harness you a chariot of lapis lazuli and gold, its wheels shall be gold and its horns shall be amber. Driving lions in a team and mules of great size, enter our house amid the sweet scent of cedar!"

"The very casques That did affright the air at Agincourt."

"Many a time, but for a sallet, my brainpan had been cleft with a brown bill."

"The billmen and pikemen wore salades and morions. Steel caps were made to the shape of the head and sometimes called scull-caps; a woollen cap was worn within."

"Pitifully—under a great soldier’s helmet, a cricket sings"

"His Helmet now, shall make a hive for Bees."

"The great house is all agleam with bronze. War has bedecked the whole roof with bright helmets, from which hang waving horse-hair plumes to make adornment for the heads of men."

"Then Sohrab with his sword smote Rustum’s helm, Nor clove its steel quite through; but all the crest He shore away, and that proud horsehair plume Never till now defil’d, sunk to the dust."

"They had their heads armed with a Morion, upon which they had hornes graven, or the representations of birds, or some foure footed beast, which was the cause that Caesars ninth Legion consisting of Gaules was called Alouette or Larke, for that on the head peeces of the souldiers of this Legion, there were Larkes graven, or else the crests. Or else it was so named as some thinke, for that the souldiers used Morions made like the crest of a Larke."

"Grabbing a short capstan bar, he fetched me such a clip on top of my brain-bucket as to drive all my senses clear down into my boots."