People discussing matters in a group never reach the decision to fight, which an individual would make.
Act upon your own judgment and make your Generals execute your orders. Call no counsel [sic] of war. It is proverbial that counsels of war never fight.
[1863 H. W. Halleck Telegram 13 July (1877) III. 148]
Solomon's adage that in the multitude of counsellors there is wisdom does not apply to war. ‘Councils of war never fight’ has passed into a proverb.
[1891 A. Forbes Barracks, Bivouacs & Battles 191]
Related to: action and inaction; decision and indecision; warfare
Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.
