Note 29 — Chapter X

His Grace the Duke of Wellington, the hero of a hundred fights, was never once defeated in the open field, but as a man and a gentleman he has openly acknowledged that he often committed faults, and with any other than British troops would have been defeated. His men always got him out of scrapes or muddles with the queen of weapons. No end of instances could be quoted where a handful of men have decided a doubtful field, and have, as it were, snatched victory from the foe. Napoleon’s grim-faced veterans of the Guard on more than one hard contested field had to bow before the conquering sons of Albion. Let us be but true to ourselves, and loyal to our beloved Sovereign, and El Bodón, Albuera, Victoria, or Waterloo, may easily be repeated.