Sharpe's Battle: The Battle of Fuentes de Onoro, May 1811

Bernard Cornwell

Oct 2009 · Sharpe Book 12 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this ebook

From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the twelth installment in the world-renowned Sharpe series, chronicling the rise of Richard Sharpe, a Private in His Majesty’s Army at the siege of Seringapatam.

Quartered in a crumbling Portuguese fort, Richard Sharpe and his men are attacked by an elite French unit, led by an old enemy of Sharpe’s, and suffer heavy losses.

The army’s high command blame Sharpe for the disaster and his military career seems to be ruined. His only hope is to redeem himself on the battlefield. So with his honour at stake, against an overwhelming number of French troops, Sharpe leads his men to battle in the narrow streets of Fuentes de Oñoro.

Ratings and reviews

Twelfth in the Richard Sharpe historical military fiction series revolving around Captain Richard Sharpe in the Peninsular War in May of 1811. My Take One of the subplots has Sharpe facing off with General Loup while the primary theme is sabotage. A weakening of one's enemy through subterfuge. Harper is such a crackup with his little ways of distracting Sharpe when he's angry or frustrated. This time he keeps telling stories of how one or another of his relatives loses things. Cornwell has really created a nasty character in General Loup and I do love how Sharpe snarks at Loup! I don't care how badly the partisans treat the soldiers, you just don't treat children this way. And considering how the French normally treat everyone, heck, I think the French are getting off light. I liked the reference Cornwell throws in about Agincourt. A lovely bit of up yours! Throughout the stories about the Peninsular War so far, Cornwell has included a description of the French Republican ideals of Liberty, Equality, and Brotherhood ascribing these values as reasons why the afrancesadoes and others support the French invasion. Their reasons vary but boil down to intellectuals who see that the time for blood to dictate life and policy is over and a merit-based system would be preferred, the poor who are tired of being trampled on, and those who see violent change as an opportunity for their own advancement. From an American perspective, it's easy to empathize with these ideals especially when Cornwell presents the evils of the British Army's method of promotion! And their aristocracy's notions of officer suitablility...oh, brother. But Cornwell easily presents those principles only to demolish them through the French style of waging war. I find myself curious if Wellington's insistence on paying his army's way across countries is a first in warfare? From the dedication, I assume this particular installment was specifically written by Cornwell for the television series. The Story It's May 1811 and 40 men in Sharpe's company march to supplement the undermanned South Essex as a guard unit in Vilar Formoso. As you can imagine, Sharpe is quite depressed about this upcoming duty and inclined to take it out on the French soldiers who have raped and massacred a village right down to the babies and are just finishing up their "work" by raping the one woman they haven't yet killed. But Sharpe's idea of justice in one with which General Loup disagrees. Strongly. So strongly, that Loup vows to take Sharpe down. That's the easy part. The difficult task is coping with the Real Compañía Irlandesa. A royal household guard supposedly sent by the Spanish via the French to supplement Wellington's army. Right. It's a balancing act between being seen to honor the Real Compañía Irlandesa to curry favor with General Valverde--Wellington needs Valverde's nod to become Generalisimo and the head of the allied armies--and being nasty enough to the Irlandesa that they choose to go off to Cadiz even as he susses out their secrets. For Hogan and Wellington know full well that the company is simply a cover for French sabotage in the middle of the British Army. The powers-that-be determine that the best way to tick off the Real Compañía Irlandesa is assigning them to Sharpe's tender teachings. They couldn't ask for a better teacher nor could Sharpe possibly find a company in more desperate need of his abilities and compassion. Tucked away in Fort San Isidro for isolate this potential disaster, Sharpe does his best to strengthen them in spite of the betrayals, bitter attacks, and the determination of the High Command to get rid of the Irlandesa. Lord knows, Sharpe resorts to some pretty radical techniques to build morale! Shoot the officers. Hatch a gruesome plan with El Castrador. Logic. The enemy uses betrayal, forgery, and propaganda. The Characters Captain Richard Sharpe is between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand Wellington

About the author

BERNARD CORNWELL is the author of over fifty novels, including the acclaimed New York Times bestselling Saxon Tales, which serve as the basis for the hit Netflix series The Last Kingdom. He lives with his wife on Cape Cod and in Charleston, South Carolina.