No Quarter !

Different in complexion, but also with a ghastly touch of humour about it, is the story of a huge Highland sergeant belonging to the British forces engaged in the war against Napoleon in Egypt. A French soldier fell suddenly into the
hands of this huge Highlander, and seeing no hope of escape, threw up his arms and cried, “Quarter! quarter “, the only English word, perhaps, with which he was acquainted. The Highland sergeant, infuriated by the havoc that had been made amongst the his own comrades and friends, exclaimed, “Quarter, I have no time time to quarter you, but I have time to cut you in two,” and suiting the action to the word, he severed his enemy’s head from his body with one stroke of his sword.

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