Thomas W. Knox

“ Similar comments might be made concerning the capture of Silistria by the Russians in 1829, the battle of Gujerat twenty years later, the battle of Sedan in 1870, and the conquest of Khiva in 1873. The American Civil War will doubtless lead to criticism of the battles selected as decisive; it would be difficult to find in any group of the men who participated in that gigantic struggle perfect accord of opinion as to the relative importance of the battles that were fought between 1861 and 1865 for the preservation or destruction of the Union. ”

“ Thus while the victory of the English at Prome in Burmah, described in the second chapter of this book, was "the beginning of the end" of the Burmese kingdom, it by no means follows that their complete defeat would have forever kept them outside the boundaries of that semi-barbarous country. ”

“ Creasy justly says: "It is probable, indeed, that no two historical inquirers would entirely agree in their lists of the decisive battles of the world," and it is of course still less likely that any unanimity of opinion could be found among historical students of the present day in the selection of the decisive battles since 1815. There is a wide difference of opinion concerning the battles which assured English supremacy in India ”