But Napier is most famous for a single word issued after the fall of Sindh. Under the title ‘Foreign Affairs' Punch magazine reported in May, 1844:

“It is a common idea that the most laconic military despatch ever issued was that sent by Caesar to the Horse-Guards at Rome, containing the three memorable words ‘Veni, vidi, vici,’ [I came, I saw, I conquered] and, perhaps, until our own day, no like instance of brevity has been found. 

"The despatch of Sir Charles Napier, after the capture of Sindh, both for brevity and truth, is, however, far beyond it. The despatch consisted of one emphatic [Latin] word – ‘Peccavi,’ ‘I have Sindh,’ (sinned).”

Brilliant! – but, unfortunately, not true. After reading about Napier’s exploits a schoolgirl, Catherine Winkworth, said to her teacher that his despatch after capturing Sindh should have been ‘Peccavi’ (Latin for 'I have sinned'). Catherine was so pleased with her pun that she sent it to the new humorous magazine, Punch. Inexplicably, the editor printed it as a factual report.