This fascinating and compelling work offers a powerful critique of military leadership and strategy. Written in the mid-1800s, the book presents a fictional dialogue between two officers whom were killed in battle. Drawing on his own experiences as a military officer, De Johnstone offers a searing indictment of the mistakes and missteps that led to the defeat and destruction of so many armies. This book is an essential read for anyone interested in the history of warfare or leadership more generally. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.