"Upon the whole it was a Glorious day-Our men are in the Spirits-and I am confident we shall give them a total defeat the next Action; which is at no great distance"
About this Quote
The phrasing does two jobs at once. “Our men are in the Spirits” is a tactical assessment disguised as cheerleading: morale becomes a measurable resource, as crucial as powder or rations. The capitalizations and brisk cadence make it sound almost ceremonial, as if the day’s violence can be redeemed by naming it. That’s the subtext of Revolutionary-era correspondence: language as discipline, as persuasion, as an antidote to panic.
Then comes the tight little tell: “the next Action; which is at no great distance.” He doesn’t say “battle,” and he doesn’t say “soon” in a way that invites dread. “Action” keeps it professional, almost procedural, while “no great distance” compresses time and space into something manageable. It’s also a warning in plain clothes: this war is not pausing for anyone to recover.
Context matters. Wayne’s reputation-“Mad Anthony,” the aggressive commander-is built on audacity and momentum. This line is momentum made rhetorical: celebrate, declare, advance. The confidence is real, but it’s also operational theater, the kind leaders perform when the next fight is already on the horizon.
Quote Details
| Topic | War |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Wayne, Anthony. (2026, January 16). Upon the whole it was a Glorious day-Our men are in the Spirits-and I am confident we shall give them a total defeat the next Action; which is at no great distance. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/upon-the-whole-it-was-a-glorious-day-our-men-are-133114/
Chicago Style
Wayne, Anthony. "Upon the whole it was a Glorious day-Our men are in the Spirits-and I am confident we shall give them a total defeat the next Action; which is at no great distance." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/upon-the-whole-it-was-a-glorious-day-our-men-are-133114/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Upon the whole it was a Glorious day-Our men are in the Spirits-and I am confident we shall give them a total defeat the next Action; which is at no great distance." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/upon-the-whole-it-was-a-glorious-day-our-men-are-133114/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.









