who said "Dont fire till you see the white of thier eyes"?

"Further to your previous correspondence (Q&A, December 30), which attributes the saying to the American General William Prescott, at the Battle of Bunker Hill ill 1775, this phrase is actually recorded some 32 years earlier.

At Dettingen, Flanders, on June 27, 1743, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Andrew Agnew of Lochnaw (5th Baronet) gave to the men or his regiment, the 21st of Foot, an order from which this saying is derived. A man of spirit even for the times, he had earlier in the day replied to a brigade order that "the scoundrels will never have the impudence to attack the Scots Fusiliers", but they did.

Formed in square, the Scots Fusiliers held a steady fire rolling along their lines and kept off the advancing French infantry.

Sir Andrew, a resourceful and experienced officer, had in training practised a novel battle drill with the men in his square, should they be attacked by cavalry.

At last, the opportunity to spring this trap appeared when the square was attacked by enemy cuirassiers. Instead of employing the orthodox tactic of seeing them off by standing firm and taking the charge on muskets and pikes, Sir Andrew gave orders that, as the cavalry approached the front line, the two centre companies should divide from the centre and fall back from the outer markers. This novel approach allowed the cavalry to charge through a lane with the Fusiliers facing inwards. At this point Sir Andrew gave the command:

"Dinna fire till ye can see the whites of their e' en . . . if ye dinna kill them they'll kill you." The French, as they rode through this lane of soldiers, were subjected to a withering crossfire and destroyed.

Later in the day King George II, who commanded the Army but was a little out of his depth, rode up and said: "So, Sir.

Andrew, I hear the cuirassiers rode through your regiment today."

"Ou, ay, yer Majestee," was the reply "but they didna get oot again."

This account is extracted from an article in the Journal of the Royal Highland Fusiliers Volume 24, No 2 (Winter 2000) and written by Sir Andrew's descendant, Major Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw, Bt.

Dr J. R. Donald. Glasgow"

A famous command attributed to William Prescott, an American officer, at the Battle of Bunker Hill in the Revolutionary War. Prescott may have said “color” rather than “whites.”

No, because the media has brought out the racecard by projecting and making the statement and statistics that you have given. The issues were placed in the back of the bus!----So it is being said that blacks are not voting for Obama because he is black? Believe it or not there are some intelligent blacks in this country who are not voting for him because he is black all because of the fact that this is still a racist country......** It is not his time they say** --Why should the white folk believe it? Do blacks still need the approval of white folks like in slavery days? Is it to believed that there is no racism in this country? Check out the responses from those who will not vote for him! Blacks fought for the "right to vote" and they "voted for white people" in those days and it was choice. ***** There is a choice today isn't?****