Deeds that Won the Empire

Deeds that Won the Empire, by
W. H. Fitchett

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Title: Deeds that Won the Empire Historic Battle Scenes
Author: W. H. Fitchett
Release Date: September 12, 2006 [EBook #19255]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THAT WON THE EMPIRE ***

Produced by Al Haines

DEEDS THAT WON THE EMPIRE
HISTORIC BATTLE SCENES

BY W. H. FITCHETT, LL. D.

LONDON: JOHN MURRAY

FIRST EDITION (Smith, Elder & Co.) . . . November 1897
Twenty-ninth Impression . . . . . . . . October 1914 Reprinted (John
Murray) . . . . . . . . September 1917 Reprinted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
February 1921

PREFACE
The tales here told are written, not to glorify war, but to nourish
patriotism. They represent an effort to renew in popular memory the
great traditions of the Imperial race to which we belong.
The history of the Empire of which we are subjects--the story of the
struggles and sufferings by which it has been built up--is the best
legacy which the past has bequeathed to us. But it is a treasure
strangely neglected. The State makes primary education its anxious
care, yet it does not make its own history a vital part of that education.
There is real danger that for the average youth the great names of
British story may become meaningless sounds, that his imagination will
take no colour from the rich and deep tints of history. And what a pallid,
cold-blooded citizenship this must produce!
War belongs, no doubt, to an imperfect stage of society; it has a side of
pure brutality. But it is not all brutal. Wordsworth's daring line about
"God's most perfect instrument" has a great truth behind it. What
examples are to be found in the tales here retold, not merely of heroic
daring, but of even finer qualities--of heroic fortitude; of loyalty to duty
stronger than the love of life; of the temper which dreads dishonour
more than it fears death; of the patriotism which makes love of the
Fatherland a passion. These are the elements of robust citizenship.
They represent some, at least, of the qualities by which the Empire, in a

sterner time than ours, was won, and by which, in even these
ease-loving days, it must be maintained.
These sketches appeared originally in the Melbourne Argus, and are
republished by the kind consent of its proprietors. Each sketch is
complete in itself; and though no formal quotation of authorities is
given, yet all the available literature on each event described has been
laid under contribution. The sketches will be found to be historically
accurate.

CONTENTS
THE FIGHT OFF CAPE ST. VINCENT THE HEIGHTS OF
ABRAHAM THE GREAT LORD HAWKE THE NIGHT ATTACK
ON BADAJOS THE FIRE-SHIPS IN THE BASQUE ROADS THE
MAN WHO SPOILED NAPOLEON'S "DESTINY" GREAT
SEA-DUELS THE BLOOD-STAINED HILL OF BUSACO OF
NELSON AND THE NILE THE FUSILEERS AT ALBUERA THE
"SHANNON" AND THE "CHESAPEAKE" THE GREAT BREACH
OF CIUDAD RODRIGO HOW THE "HERMIONE" WAS
RECAPTURED FRENCH AND ENGLISH IN THE PASSES
FAMOUS CUTTING-OUT EXPEDITIONS MOUNTAIN COMBATS
THE BLOODIEST FIGHT IN THE PENINSULA THE BATTLE OF
THE BALTIC KING-MAKING WATERLOO-- I. The Rival Hosts II.
Hougoumont III. Picton and D'Erlon IV. "Scotland for Ever!" V.
Horsemen and Squares VI. The Fight of the Gunners VII. The Old
Guard VIII. The Great Defeat
THE NIGHT ATTACK OFF CADIZ
TRAFALGAR-- I. The Strategy II. How the Fleets Met III. How the
Victory was Won

LIST OF PLANS

THE BATTLE OFF CAPE ST. VINCENT THE SIEGE OF QUEBEC
THE SIEGE OF BADAJOS THE BATTLE OF THE NILE THE
BATTLE OF ALBUERA THE SIEGE OF CIUDAD RODRIGO THE
COMBAT OF RONCESVALLES THE BATTLE OF ST. PIERRE
THE BATTLE OF THE BALTIC THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO
THE ATTACK OF TRAFALGAR

THE FIGHT OFF CAPE ST. VINCENT
THE SCEPTRE OF THE SEA.
"Old England's sons are English yet, Old England's hearts are strong;
And still she wears her coronet Aflame with sword and song. As in
their pride our fathers died, If need be, so die we; So wield we still,
gainsay who will, The sceptre of the sea.
We've Raleighs still for Raleigh's part, We've Nelsons yet unknown;
The pulses of the Lion-Heart Beat on through Wellington. Hold, Britain,
hold thy creed of old, Strong foe and steadfast friend, And still unto thy