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iv at Prome in Burmah, described in the second chapter of this book, was "the beginning of the end" of the Burmese kingdom, it by no means follows that their complete defeat would have forever kept them outside the boundaries of that semi-barbarous country. It might have delayed the conquest for several, perhaps many, years, but would not have prevented it. Similar comments might be made concerning the capture of Silistria by the Russians in 1829, the battle of Gujerat twenty years later, the battle of Sedan in 1870, and the conquest of Khiva in 1873. The American Civil War will doubtless lead to criticism of the battles selected as decisive; it would be difficult to find in any group of the men who participated in that gigantic struggle perfect accord of opinion as to the relative importance of the battles that were fought between 1861 and 1865 for the preservation or destruction of the Union. The author's reasons for his selections will be found at the end of the chapter wherein each battle is described. In the preparation of this volume the author has examined a vast amount of military and other history, and is indebted for his material to the works of many previous writers. Of some of the battles described he had personal knowledge, and he has been able to inspect certain of the battle-fields referred to in the narrative. Among the works his obligations to which he desires to acknowledge may be mentioned the following:—

"A View of South America and Mexico" (Anonymous); Soldan's "Historia del Peru Independente"; "Journals of Lord Cochrane in South America"; Phayre's "Narrative of the Burmese War"; Histories of India by Malcolm, Mill, Kaye, Wilson, Elphinstone, and others; Alison's "History of Europe"; Lady Bourcher's "Despatches of Admiral Codrington"; Histories of Greece by Grote, Cox, and others; Count Von Moltke's "Russians in Bulgaria and Roumelia"; Chesney's "Russo-Turkish Campaigns of 1828-29"; Poltevin's "Prise de la Citadelle