Jeff Shaara Quotes & Sayings

I did not come into this Army to serve one man, to serve a friend. — Jeff Shaara

He is appointed Lieutenant Colonel, second-in-command of the Twentieth Maine Regiment of Volunteers. — Jeff Shaara

Not even generals can stop the rain. — Jeff Shaara

Instructions like he's never been on a field of — Jeff Shaara

Quick words did not always mean a quick mind. — Jeff Shaara

The best way to defend is to attack and the best way to attack is to attack. At Chancellorsville, Lee was asked why he attacked when he was outnumbered three to one. He said he was too weak to defend. - GEORGE PATTON — Jeff Shaara

Wars are indeed fought by children, by young people who have little to say in where they are sent to die. — Jeff Shaara

Is that not what a commander must do, earn respect, give them discipline and ... love them? — Jeff Shaara

And so, pointing fingers become pointing guns, because nobody listens to fingers. — Jeff Shaara

As the months passed, even the strident voices from the newspapers had begun to moderate, and the passion to put Preston's neck in a noose had become subdued. It was a relief to Adams that with the trial now scheduled for October, he had time to work with Josiah Quincy to prepare a case based on law and reason. And it meant he could spend time with his family and enjoy the wonderful peace of the farm. — Jeff Shaara

Anger is simply momentary madness, and sometimes there is strength in silence. After all, he is only throwing words, not stones. — Jeff Shaara

I spend half my time in Montana, the other half in New York City. In unique ways, both places help me unwind, and both are the most satisfying places to live I can imagine. — Jeff Shaara

Most people learn all about the Second World War in school, or else, they see so many films put out by Hollywood, that it's easy to think we know exactly what happened. — Jeff Shaara

Anything that might be — Jeff Shaara

Around him the chorus had begun, great swarms of creatures that he guessed to be insects, frogs maybe, everything else in this infernal country that had a voice. Why night? he thought. They don't say a thing all day long. The sun goes down and they have some kind of contest to see who can croak and buzz the loudest. Just to keep us awake, I guess. Revenge for slapping at them all day, killing their cousins. — Jeff Shaara

See the strength of the blue lines in front of them. But it was — Jeff Shaara

The world around him grew silent; there was something in the air. The odor of dead meat came down on the wind, drifting through the trees. Soft and sour, the smell of distant death. — Jeff Shaara

Two things an officer must do, to lead men. This from old Ames, who never cared about love: You must care for your men's welfare. You must show physical courage. Well, — Jeff Shaara

General Lee, if it will please God, we will kill them all. — Jeff Shaara

Men with power either trumpet to everyone just how powerful they are, or they use that power effectively by keeping quiet about it, and going about their duties. — Jeff Shaara

Worn-out shoes. Few of the men had anything solid on their feet, and the curses toward the supply officers went mostly unheeded by the officers, who had worries of their own. — Jeff Shaara

It's so rarely about military genius, who the greater tactician might be, who sat higher in his class at West Point. It's about mistakes, some of them unavoidable, some of them purely stupid. My job is to make fewer mistakes than the enemy, — Jeff Shaara

Lee made small greetings to the others, saw the sour expression of Jubal Early, Ewell's division commander, — Jeff Shaara

have to know, he thought. I have to get out there and talk to people and see for myself. But there's nothing I can do now, and, dammit, I need some sleep. — Jeff Shaara

The bands were everywhere, close and faraway, a blend of discordant noise. He passed close to one now, a half-dozen drummers pounding away, a sergeant leading them in a rhythm that was no rhythm at all, and behind, men with fifes, squealing out something that had no resemblance to a song. — Jeff Shaara

World will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion ... — Jeff Shaara

The heavy round face was looking at him, the hard look of a man who had also understood, who had seen all the stupidity, who knew, after all, that the gold stars were often mindless decoration, that the army was led not by symbols, but by the fallible egos and blind fantasies of men. — Jeff Shaara

Who blamed Lee. Longstreet knew that somewhere — Jeff Shaara

If you go to Gettysburg and take the time, maybe take a tour, maybe just drive around, read some of the monuments, read some of the plaques, you will come away changed. — Jeff Shaara

Burnside was in the best position on the field, could have moved at any time toward a weak defense, a defense that was weaker still — Jeff Shaara

Vegetables were almost nonexistent, and what passed for meat was either rancid or pure fat. The men were surviving on crackers and moldy flour. Lee was beginning to understand what this meant to the fighting strength of the army. — Jeff Shaara

Responsibility, had been shifted from the president's weakening shoulders. It was now up — Jeff Shaara

Major, I do not know why God does the things He does, but I believe you have the same duty to God as you have always had: to follow the right path, to live your life with a clear conscience. — Jeff Shaara

Annoyance, Eisenhower knew that the prolonged — Jeff Shaara

Sorry, ma'am, but we need a big damn army right now, and there's no better way to make one than to gather up a bunch of boys and tell them how much fun they're going to have killing their enemy. — Jeff Shaara