|
Warning: For General Audience |
|
|
SHARPE’S choice
Richard Sharpe and the
Battle of Vimeiro
Novel Adapted by Paul Kaster
Based on Characters created by Bernard Cornwell.
Prologue
SHORNCLIFFE June 7, 1808
Lieutenant Richard Sharpe stands at attention before his battalion’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Beckwith. He has been summoned urgently. Sharpe knows that Beckwith has been unhappy with him since Sharpe returned in November from the leave he took after the battalion returned from Denmark. When he returned to his regiment, Beckwith was waiting for him to explain why he, Sharpe, had been in Denmark when he was expected to be here in England arranging for all the supplies that the regiment would need on campaign and when it returned.
When Sharpe had replied that he was working for General Baird and the Foreign Office and was unable to tell the details of what he had done, Beckwith was dissatisfied with that answer. He repeatedly asked Sharpe to provide details of what he had done in Denmark. When Sharpe continued to reply that he was unable to providethe the details that were requested, Beckwith nearly removed him from the regiment. Sharpe continued to serve only because General Baird and Sir William Pumphreys had interceded.
Beckwith had been told by Pumphreys,
“What Lieutenant Sharpe has done for us, is of no concern to you. And, our Royal Majesty’s government would find it very distasteful for you to remove Sharpe from the Army. As an agent for our government, I may find Sharpe of use in the future. I would like to know where to find him.”
Beckwith did not like to be told what he could or could not do with his regiment and particularly by a civilian. However, he knew that Pumphreys had influence at Court and Horse Guards. Beckwith retained Sharpe in the regiment.
“Mister Sharpe. I am so happy that you are able to join me. Your ‘friends’, General Baird and Sir William have made me aware of an opportunity for you, ‘again’.” Beckwith made sure to emphasize ‘friends’ and the last word.
Although he was curious about what the opportunity would be, Sharpe stood and waited for what would come next.
“It seems that Lieutenant Bond, the quartermaster for our second battalion, has no desire to join that battalion on an expedition that will leave our fair country. As our battalion will need to provide only two companies for an expedition again to the Baltic, General Baird has suggested” Beckwith pauses. “that Lieutenant Bond trade with you. Bond can remain in England. You go abroad with the Second. You seem to like to go on ‘adventures’. The Second has been selected again to send companies for an adventure too. Four companies to be precise”
“To return to South America.”
“They want a quartermaster to support them.”
“The force is to be lead by another of your ‘friends’.“ Beckwith again emphasizes ‘friends’.
“Lieutenant General Arthur Wellesley, who was stepped up only recently, is assembling at Cork. In one week, the four companies of the Second will leave for Ireland to join Wellesley’s force that will assemble there.”
Beckwith stopped talking.
Richard did not immediately reply. Sharpe knew to let officers talk. When he joined the army as a private, the sergeants punished any recruit who talked without first being talked to. He served his first ten years in the ranks and only the last five as an officer. Saying few words has served him better than saying too many.
Beckwith broke the silence first.
“What say you, Sharpe? Off with the Second for a new adventure with Wellesley, or stay here with me, eh?”
Four years ago, while stationed in India with the 1st battalion of the 74th Regiment, Sharpe had chosen to join the First Battalion of the 95th Rifles Regiment. This regiment was to be unlike other British infantry battalions. The regiment wore green instead of red uniforms. They carry the Baker Rifle, not the Brown Bess musket. The rifle can hit targets at much longer distances than the musket. The men are taught to fight in pairs instead of in two lines. They deploy as skirmishers in front of the lines to harass enemy formations and to especially wound or kill the officers and sergeants.
Before he had been promoted to be an officer Sharpe had served in the light company of the 33rd regiment, the first battalion that Wellesley had commanded. The light company trained to fight as skirmishers until recalled to serve with the other line companies. Sharpe had gone with Wellesley and the 33rd to fight in The Netherlands and India.
At the battle of Assaye, Sharpe saved Wellesley’s life. As reward, Wellesley promoted Sharpe from sergeant to ensign in the 74th regiment. Although the 74th badly needed officers after their losses at Assaye, they accepted him reluctantly. Sharpe was not a gentleman.
Wellesley thought that Sharpe might better fit with the Rifles. The 95th is intended to be ‘the first into the field and the last out’ in a fight. Although Sharpe had fought in more battles than most of the officers in the army, they too treated him poorly. He was not a gentleman like most of them.
When both battalions of the 95th went to Denmark, they served with Wellesley’s brigade. Sharpe had been on a special mission for Lord Pumphrey and General Baird that was unknown to anyone in the regiment. Wellesley commanded at Koge, which was the only real battle of the campaign. Sharpe had encountered the 95th at Koge and saved Major Dunnet from a lone Danish defender. The regiment had fought well. Half of each battalion had been sent with a failed expedition to South America at the same time. In December, all the companies were reunited in England.
At the end of the expedition to Copenhagen, General Baird advised Sharpe that the army would be calling on fighting soldiers. Sharpe had learned that when the army returned to England, the fighting soldiers Wellesley and Baird were set aside while other generals were given ‘fighting’ commands. If Wellesley and Baird could wait to fight, so could he.
He had hoped that the 95th would treat him differently than the 74th. They did not. But, if he was to continue in the army, he wanted to fight, not count uniforms and boxes at Shorncliffe.
“Happy to join the Second Battalion, sir.”
“Splendid, Sharpe, splendid. Although, … I will miss having you on our cricket team. You do bowl fiercely. Major Dunnet, though, may be happy to have you join his team. You made him look very silly in our last match. ‘Yorked’ ‘im grand, you did. He has been very displeased with you for that.”
Sharpe smiled briefly at how he had retired Major Dunnet at a crucial point in their last match with some bowling he had learned in London at Marylebone, the home of cricket. Dunnet could be trouble. Sharpe had heard that Dunnet had openly shared his view to other officers that Sharpe should not have been allowed to play cricket because “Sharpe is not a gentleman. Should not be allowed to play. Just not right.”
Beckwith notices Sharpe’s smile. “Won’t like that our team will have to face you now, Sharpe. But, then, you’ll be away on an adventure. Someone else will bowl while you are gone, eh?”
“Yes, sir.” Sharpe replied only. He was tempted to make a comment about some proper gentleman being able to bowl instead. Beckwith had no problem that he was a gentleman because he bowled fiendishly well, or so he was told. He chose to say nothing and to wait for his orders.
“Right, then. I’ll draw up papers transferring you to Wade today.”
“Prepare your kit. Dunnet, should be no trouble to you. He and his company will remain here. Major Travers marched his four companies in haste to join Wellesley. You may have seen them go. They go to Ramsgate to join ship. You will have to follow them on your own to Ireland. Will give you orders for you to sail with a packet. Maybe from Dover. More ships there, eh?”
Beckwith pauses. Sharpe waits in the awkward silence until Beckwith chooses to continue.
“Do well for Travers. Travers values good soldiers and good fighters. Men will die. May get your chance to fight for him, eh?”
Perhaps Beckwith had heard the rumors regarding Dunnet’s complaints about Sharpe.
“From all that I know of you Sharpe, Wade needs men like you. We need men like you. You fight.”
“But, here, I need a quartermaster to keep the books and take care of the battalion’s needs. Wade’s man will do for me.”
Beckwith pauses again.
“I wish you good luck and good fortune with the Second.”
Sharpe is surprised at Beckwith’s comments. During his time with the battalion, Beckwith has been cold and aloof.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Right then, on your way, Sharpe.”
Sharpe saluted, turned and left the room. He would go to Wades’s headquarters to report and then would gather his belongings from his room. They were to go to South America.
As Sharpe walked, he wondered how South America would compare to his time in India. The Rifle companies that returned from Buenos Aires told of heat, disease and strange animals. When Sharpe had gone out to India, he had heard tales of heat, disease and strange animals.
“So, will South America be like India?”
“Fought in India.”
“Survived there.”
“Expect I can survive South America, too. Besides, going is better than the staying here in the barracks.”
DUBLIN
Sir Arthur Wellesley sat at his desk as he prepared to address the men of his staff. Since February, he has been assembling a force to support a scheme to encourage the Spanish colonies in South America to rise up. Francisco Miranda had convinced the government, that despite the failures at Buenos Aires and Montevideo last year, the colonies to the north would rise. For four months, Wellesley collected the battalions that he would take.
Then, last month news arrived that after the French had replaced their king with Bonaparte’s brother and invaded their country, the Spanish had risen against the invaders. The Spanish junta requested Britain to help. Spain would become an ally.
Wellesley had recommended that he take his force to join General Spencer’s force off the coast of Spain. Together they could join the Spanish as opportunity would present. The government agreed. The Duke of York, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army had issued a letter of service for Wellesley to proceed.
With renewed energy, Wellesley had attended to every detail that his force would need to succeed.
With him were Major General Hill who is Wellesley’s second in command; [Major General Ferguson, Brigadier General Fane and Brigadier General Craufurd, who command the three infantry brigades, Acland at Harwich. Anstruther at Ramsgate, Captain James Douglas, Deputy-Assistant Quartermaster General and XXX]
“Gentleman, we prepared for Venezuela. We are about to depart for Spain. We do not know where we will land. Corunna, Vigo, Cadiz, Gibraltar are all possible. We need to be ready.”
“Some of you served with me in India and Denmark. In India, we learned that large armies starved while small armies were defeated. In Denmark, we never ventured far from our Navy’s support.”
“The French support their maneuvers by raiding and stealing from the lands through which they move. Behind them, they leave a populace who is angry. Before them, people run and take their possessions to avoid the thieves.”
“We will NOT steal!”
“We want the people with us. The local people are an asset to supply our men with articles that the men can purchase. And, the local people will willing provide us information about our enemies.”
“We will need to know where the French are, where they may go, how many they are and if possible, what they intend. We need Intelligence.”
“To defeat the French, we will need to move, and to move better than they move. Where we move, we need supplies”,
For the month since Wellesley knew that he would take his force to Spain, he had worried about how to supply the force. He had two troops of Wagon train here, but did have them in his force. He was frustrated that his infantry and cavalry came under his command by way of the Commander in Chief.
“You quartermasters are essential for us to bring armies large enough to defeat our enemies.”
“I received word from Horse Guards. The two troops of Wagon train that we have are now members of the Royal Wagon train.”
“The Board of Ordnance controls our artillery. Because our force was destined for South America, Ordnance has made no provision to supply horses.
Treasury controls the Commissariat who have two troops of Wagon train stationed here. But, they are restricted for use in Ireland only. Their horses had been drawn horses from the cavalry.
“We need horses. I have taken the horses from the Wagon train for our cavalry.”
He wanted the Wagon train drivers too. He adeptly persuaded the officers and men to accept foreign service. However, the Commander-in-Chief would agree to give up the men only, not the officers. The men declared that they would not go unless they went with the officers. Wellesley wrote to Castlereagh to have the Duke of York release the officers. The letter that he had received from the The Duke of York offered the two troops’ officers commissions in the Royal Wagon train.
Now Wellesley could control of his wagon drivers and horses for his artillery when the artillery reunited with his force. The guns, under Colonel Robe are at Portsmouth waiting to sail.
“We need more than the horses for the cavalry. To support our force we would need five hundred vehicles and four thousand horses. The Navy does not have enough ships to send so a force in a single fleet. They would require multiple trips from Great Britain.”
“When the horses arrive, they would need time to adjust to being on land again. As, will our men, regardless.”
“If we can not debark at a port, we will have to land over a beach. In India, when we were preparing for an operation against Manila, I observed the 33rd practice to land from boats. It did not go well.”
“I have decided to take only the forge carts for the artillery along with their ammunition wagons and four other wagons.”
“Only horses enough to draw these and to equip two squadrons of cavalry will go with us. The total is not to exceed six hundred animals. To carry the entire cavalry and artillery force will add twenty-one ships to those already named to carry our infantry.”
The assembled quartermasters listened intently while Wellesley talked. As he paused, they began to talk among themselves about what they had learned.
Captain Hume of the 38th who was assigned to oversee the quartermasters’ work for Ferguson’s brigade asked,
“Sir, as you say, our army will need more than four hundred fifty vehicles and four thousand horses to support itself beyond what we will take. Where will we get them?”
“We will purchase what we need from local suppliers to fill the additional needs.”
“You and the quartermasters from each regiment will be called upon to fill your regiment’s and brigade’s needs. I count on you to succeed.”
“Captain Douglas, of my staff, will serve as Deputy-Assistant Quartermaster General. He performed this role well in Denmark. Look to him with your questions.”
With that, Wellesley nodded to General Hill to see to escorting the men from the room.
“Captain Hume. Captain Douglas. Remain please.”
“Captain Hume. It is good to see you again. And, in good health.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“The last time that I saw you, you were taking our Light Company from the 33rd to join Earl Grey’s expedition to the West Indies.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And, I believe that I denied you some of the new recruits to keep for my own company at that time.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, one of those recruits is with us and will work with the two of you. Lieutenant Richard Sharpe. He serves as quartermaster for the 2/95th.”
“He served me well in India. Sharpe knows how to get things done. And, he’s a damn fine soldier.”
“Use him well.”
Douglas and Hume nodded then walked out.
“Knew Wellesley before, Hume?”
“Yes, Was major in 33rd when I was captain.”
“This Sharpe?”
“Was a new recruit. I wanted him for the Light Company. Wellesley claimed him. I hear that Sharpe saved Wellesley’s life at Assaye. Wellesley made him an officer.”
“Well, then. This Richard Sharpe, Quartermaster for the 2/95th. Think this Sharpe can help us to collect four hundred wagons and four thousand horses?”
Douglas smiles at Hume.
“Well we should find out how useful Mister Sharpe has become since I last saw him, eh?”
Fiction Index | Sharpe Tales Home | Sharpe's Choice Index | Chapter 1
Host: Psychz Networks
Since: November 25, 2010
©Sable 2025 | Valid CSS
This is not official and I am not Sharpe or Bernard Cornwell, the owner of Sharpe. This website is for entertainment purposes only. If you have any questions or queries please use the Contact Form. Your submissions for contact will not be posted anywhere within this site. Images, etc are copyright their respective owners. No infringement intended.