In short, if the enemy is
there, it would be madness to attack him in front; he must be maneuvered
out by the immemorial plan of threatening his line of communication, as
necessary to his existence as to the diver at the bottom of the sea his
air-tube. But how ascertain if the enemy is there? There is but one way:
somebody must go and see. The natural and customary thing to do is to
send forward a line of skirmishers. But in this case they will answer in
the affirmative with all their lives; the enemy, crouching in double
ranks behind the stone wall and in cover of the hedge, will wait until
it is possible to count each assailant's teeth. At the first volley a
half of the questioning line will fall, the other half before it can
accomplish the predestined retreat. What a price to pay for gratified
curiosity! At what a dear rate an army must sometimes purchase
knowledge! "Let me pay all," says this gallant man - this military
Christ!
There is no hope except the hope against hope that the crest is clear.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25