A man of struggle and controversy, discussed and often vilified by the small press, I have always been an embarrassment to those who have employed me. My character and my faults are not an obstacle to my useful service in the active army, but they will make me ill-suited to fulfill the duties of the King's aide-de-camp which require extreme reserve and prudence.

All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), 5. A prospectus by the military Chazal and Brialmont, The military centipede Henri-Alexis Brialmont (1821-1893) On December 23, 1865, Brialmont replied negatively to a letter from Jules Van Praet requesting the new king to follow in the footsteps of his father Henri-Alexis Brialmont to become aide-de-camp to the new king Leopold II. Brialmont kindly thanked him for the honour. LECONTE, L. “Brialmont, Henri.”, 216-221.