Major: you have the honor to report that the numbers of…
““Major: you have the honor to report that the numbers of men now under your command qualifies you for promotion to colonel. But you ask me to believe that your regiments assaulted Rebel forces in a pitched battle of over two hours duration, all the while steadily employing the heavy field pieces recently shipped to you, without one single battle death on either side . Sir, that is not warfare. That is fraternization with the enemy !””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker argues that a battle with no casualties cannot be genuine combat, but rather collusion with the enemy.
In simple terms: No casualties = not real war
Key Takeaway
Question true combat from collusion
Themes
war
ethics
military
truth
Mood
skeptical
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- military training
- historical analysis
- ethical review
- policy making
Key Concepts
combat realism
collusion
military doctrine
Questions to Reflect On
- What defines a legitimate battle?
- How do we verify combat reports?
A Different Perspective
Real wars involve loss; idealized reports may hide truth