Sharpe's Waterloo Quotes

The General knew he would probably die, for infantry took pleasure in killing cavalry and he would be the leading horseman in the attack on the bridge, but the General was a soldier and he had long learned that a soldier’s real enemy is the fear of death. Beat that fear and victory was certain, and victory brought glory and fame and medals and money and, best of all, sweetest of all, most glorious and wondrous of all, the modest teasing grin of a short black-haired Emperor who would pat the Dragoon General as though he was a faithful dog, and the thought of that Imperial favour made the General quicken his horse and raise his battered sword.

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Frederick the Great once said that the greatest crime in war is not to make the wrong decision, but to make no decision.’ Again the Prince gestured at Sharpe with the brandy glass. ‘You should remember that axiom, Sharpe!’ Sharpe did not even know what an axiom was, but he nodded respectfully. ‘I will, sir.

Then, just as d‘Alembord was about to sell his commission and retire to one of his prospective father-in-law’s farms, Napoleon had returned to France. Colonel Ford, worried that he was losing his veteran Captain of skirmishers, had begged d’Alembord to stay for the impending campaign and implicit in the Colonel’s plea was a promise that d‘Alembord would receive the next vacant majority in the battalion. That enticement was sufficient. The captaincy would sell for fifteen hundred pounds which was a good enough fortune for any young man contemplating marriage, but a majority would fetch two thousand six hundred pounds, and so d’Alembord, with some misgivings, but reassured by the prospects of a fine marriage portion, had agreed to Ford’s request.

Night was falling across the trampled rye. Nine thousand men had been killed or wounded in the fight for the crossroads,

He says he’s going to die. He’s got a what do you call it? A premonition. He says it’s because he’s going to be married.’ ‘What’s that got to do with it?’ Price shrugged as if to demonstrate that he was no expert on superstitions. ‘He says it’s because he’s happy. He reckons that the happiest die first and only the miserable buggers live for ever.