Wellington's Strategy

On a certain occasion durmg Wellington's oampaigt in tke Pyrenees, that "great Captain," being displeased with the dispositions Gen. Pictou had made i'or rtveiving the íismiult of Marshal Sonlt, wli o hád mena eed liim in front, orderedthe plan to be entirely ohangcd. Bilt the difficulty was to delay the attack oí the Frc.noli until tliB change could be effected. ïliis the "Iron Duke" acoomplipftaa in perwon in the following marnier: Doffing his oooked hat, and wuving it in the air, he roile furiously to the liead of a regiment, as ii' to order a charge. Therenpon rose a tremen(loiis clieer from the men, whieh was taken up by eorpn al'ter corps uutil it reverberatod along the whole extent of l'ict'm'n line. As the roiiv died away, AVcJlington was heard to reinark, nmsiugly, asif addressing himself, " Soult is a skillful btit eaiitiouK commander, and will not nttack in torce uutil lie has asoertained the in - -i i i 1 1; v of thrsi L-hecrH. This will give tillH' lol' Illl' B i X 1 1 1 divÍMKUlto COlill! Hp, and wc ;-!):ill heat, liim." Tt tnriied nut :ih iiu' !■! ]af.''.i. Soult ïmtiü'iilly fiiongli supposed those tremendous shoats to anuounoe Ui' itTiviil of lu-ge ments, and did not attack until too lato. Had he struok at the riglit moment, lic would have won au easy victory; as it was, he met with a bloody repulse. Tliis was strategy. Not the strategy of books, butthe strategy of genius, conoeivcdand exeeuted in the same moment. The idea was born of the occasion, andcarried out on the instant.