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Of Battels.
ALL who have commanded Armies, or written of the Military Art, have universally agreed, That no one Act of War, is so great in it self, or in the Consequences of it, as Fighting a Battel; since the winning of one, has not only been the cause of ta∣king of the Place besieged, (if in the Field the Army is de∣feated which comes to relieve it) but also by the gaining of the Victory, a Province, nay, a Kingdom has often been the Reward of the Victorious.
But as the Advantages are eminent to him who wins it, so the Prejudices are no less to him who loses it; and therefore nothing ought to be more exactly consider'd and weigh'd in War, than whether a decisive Battel shall be given, before the resolution to fight it, is taken.
There is hardly any thing which seems to me more essen∣tially needful to a great Captain, than perfectly to know and lay hold of all advantages in a day of Battel; and to know all the disadvantages, that he may avoid them. I shall there∣fore in what I write on this Subject, specifie some general Rules or Principles, which, in my opinion, ought never to be unknown or unpractised by a General or Commander in chief.
I. The first is, to be so vigilant and careful, as not to be forced against his will, to come to a Battel; but if he is so unhappy, or faulty, as not to avoid it, then to be sure to dis∣guise it from his Army, by his words, looks, and actions; since for a chief Commander to evidence Fear, or Amaze∣ment; or to own he has been over-reach'd by his Enemy, before he is gotten out of the ill consequences and effects of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, •…•…oes to that degree deject his own men, that they are half conquer'd before they fight. For the Generality of the Soldiery in an Army, have their Senses much better than