Orthes.—Wellington defeated Soult, February 27th, 1814.
Oudenarde.—A Marlborough victory in Belgium. (July 11th, 1708).
Paardeberg.—A battle of the Boer war in which Lord French beat Cronje and forced him to surrender a few days later (February 18th, 1900), on the anniversary of our defeat at Majuba, during the first Boer war.
Pegu.—An issue of the second Burmese War, 1852.
Peiwar Kotal.—One of the attacks of the Afghan War, 1878–80, successfully carried out by Lord Roberts, V.C.
Pekin, 1860.—The “Arrow” incident brought matters to a head and the second Chinese War began in 1857. Owing to the massacre of English residents, Pekin was occupied by British and French troops and the famous Summer Palace razed to the ground.
Pekin, 1900.—This refers to the Boxer rising.
Peninsula.—The campaign between the British and French; under the leadership of the Duke of Wellington.
Persia.—A war which sprang from the relations of Persia and Russia and comprised the engagements of Reshire, Bushire, Koosh-ab, etc. 1856–7.
Plassey.—Here Clive, to avenge the “Black Hole of Calcutta,” defeated the Nabob of Bengal, Surajah Dowlah, on June 23rd, 1757. Probably in no important battle have we met greater odds, which were nearly fifty to one. From this battle dates our paramount position in India. There was a prophecy that the “British Raj,” or rule, in India would last a century, and the Mutiny broke out in 1857.