The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-12-15
ASSURANCES OF HISTORY.

The Rev. Mr. Renfroe, chaplain OF the Tenth
Alabama Regiment, on Fast Day, preached SER
mon from the text, "The battle is Gods" Il las
been published Tho Richmond Wing thus speaks
{ of it.
The author quotes the remark of Victor Cousin,
that "History proves, even when viewed from
human stand point, that wars always terminate
lust as they should, and that their results are
always full osblessings for coming generations"-
and the following passage from Sir William Tenn
pies Essay on Heroic Virtue: "The second OBJ
servation L shall make the subject of victory
and conquest is, that they have in general been
made by the smaller numbers over the greater;
against which do not remember any exception in
all the famous battles registered in story, except
ing that of Tamerlane and Bajazet." In proof OF
the general correctness of this observation, the
speaker says the Persian army under Cyrus was
but handful when compared with the vast multi
tu9s Of Assyrians over which they were completely
gictcrious. And afterwards these victorious Per-
slams, with an army of six hundred thousand, were
beaten by the Maoedonians, who were never more
than forty thousand strong. The little ,Athenian
army Of ten thousand fighting for their liberty and
independence, as we are, drove back and overcame
.ons hundred and twenty thousand Persians'0t Ma
rathon. In all the famous victories Of the Lacede
monans, they never bad over twelve thousand
soldiers at any time, though their enemies had Of
ten twenty times that number. Almost every one
Of the celebrated victories of the Romans was
achieved over far greater numbers than themselves.
The great Gears armies, whether in Pharsalia,
Gaul or Germany, were in no proportion to those
conquered by him. The army of Marius was never
over forty thousand, while that Of the Cimbres
which he conquered, was three hundred thousand
The famous victories of Etius and Belisarius over
the barbarous Northern nations, were won with
Numbers astonishingly small The same is true
of the first great victories of the Turks the
Persian Kingdom, and Of the Tartars over the
Chinese. In all the immortal victories of the
renowned Scanderbeg over the Turks, he never
brought together more than sixteen thousand men,
though his enemies often numbered over hundred
thousand. To come down to later times, the
. English victories at Greasy and Agincourr fam
in history, were gained with incredible disad
victories Of Charles the VIII, in Italy; OF Henry
the ", ia France; of Gustsvus Adolphus in Ger
many and Of Charles the XII, of Sweden in Den
mark, Poland and Muscovy. The King Of Poland,
who bad army of twenty four thousand, was de-
ieatcd and driven from his throne by force less
than twelve thousand; and the Russian army OF
eighty thousand was beaten by him with little
army of only eight thousand. Nor must We forget
the fate Of the great Napoleon in Russia He in
vaded that country with army of six hundred
and thirty thousand soldiers, and was finally COM
pietely vanquished, and driven out of the country,
although the Russians had never over two hundred
and fifty thousand men 10 the field at any one
time.