To apologise for a book dealing with the campaigns of a celebrated General, but written neither by a soldier, nor by that far higher authority upon such subjects, a civil military expert, would be useless; for it is inconceivable that such an apology could be accepted. To the obvious retort, Then why did you write the book P the Author can only reply by saying, Why do most of us do many things which we ought not to do P and by expressing a hope that any ludicrous blunders to be found in the following pages may amuse his military readers as much as it has amused him to make them.