General Rosen and his officers insisted so strongly that unless they were allowed to move off in search of forage, the whole army would be disabled by the loss of their horses by hunger, that he was almost forced to comply with their request." "But, even so, he made a mistake," the colonel said.

"If instead of marching to meet us in front of Marienthal he had fallen back directly he had the news of our coming, he could have been joined by all his detached troops before we came up with him." "He said as much to me tonight," Hector replied; "but even the greatest generals are liable to make a mistake sometimes.

And, indeed, had General Rosen with the advanced division held the wood in front of them, instead of retiring on to the plain, they should have been able to keep you at bay until all our troops came up." "Undoubtedly that was a terrible blunder on his part," the colonel said, "and he rather than Turenne is to blame.

And now, sir, may I ask how is it that you, who cannot be more than twenty, come to be a colonel, and in command of a regiment ?" "I have been five years an officer, and was fortunate on two occasions to obtain the approval, once of Monsieur de Turenne, and once of the Duc d'Enghien." "I congratulate you, sir.

It is seldom indeed that so young an officer has opportunities of distinguishing himself.