Disclaimer: These are works of fan-fiction created for entertainment. It is not the intention of the author to infringe on anyone's copyright. No rights infringement intended. Warning: General Audience

The Sharpe Fan Fictions of Paul K.

---

Sharpe's Family

PART V

Chapter 17

JUNE 1793

FORT CHARLES - COUNTY CORK, IRELAND



Sergeant McDowell is ready to start the fifth week of training. None of the recruits have been sent off for failing to meet the requirements. He has two weeks to finish. The recruits need to prove they can shoot to hit targets. And, it is time for them to learn how to wear their ‘Necessaries’. They will then be ready to join the battalion.

McDowell stands on the grounds by the sea that they use to teach how to shoot. Today, five five-foot logs stand on end along the seawall fifty yards from where the recruits will stand. Each log has a circle white washed three feet above the ground. Sweeney marches their recruits to the firing line to form two lines--nine in front, ten to the rear.

When the recruits have finished dressing their lines, McDowell greets them.

“All right, you bastards! Today, we gave you real cartridges. You WILL load the ball when commanded. There are your targets.” He points to the logs. “Each four of you starting from Corporal Sweeney will fire at the same log. First group at first log. Second group at second log. And so on. Group five at the left end of the line has only three shooters. With one extra number, you other four groups should be able to best Group five’s numbers.” McDowell hopes to motivate each of the groups with a little competition.

“You will aim at the log’s ‘balls’.” For emphasis, he grabs his crotch. “These, on the targets. The white circles.” Some of the recruits chuckle.

“Aim small, miss small. You know some of you have balls only the size of your musket ball. You know who you are.” Some of the recruits elbow someone next to them and chuckle. “Kick of your musket will pull the barrel up. If you aim low at the balls, kick can still hit something higher.”

“You will fire by rank, front rank followed by rear rank. DO NOT FIRE until your rank is commanded!”

Sharpe is paired with Tom in the rear rank of the group that will fire at the second target. Oakey and Lowry stand in front of them and will be their front rank. Courtenay stands to Sharpe’s left in the rear rank. He will shoot at the third target.

Sharpe likes that the three others that will shoot with him have done well in the training. He decides to challenge Courtenay. Without turning his head, he quietly suggests “Half my evening meal if you four best us after all shots, Ben. I get half yours if we best you.”

“Bugger you, Sharpe. I’ll be eating your meal today.”

“Deal?”

“Deal.”

Sweeney has heard Sharpe talk. He does not call him out for talking. Nor does he cancel the bet. He lets McDowell know what has been agreed. McDowell smiles. “Let’s see how Sharpe does.”

McDowell makes sure that all are ready. When the instructors signal that they are ready, he begins the commands that someday on a field of battle will have the recruits fire death dealing shots. At ‘Present’, he pauses to assure that all weapons are pointed at the targets. When he is satisfied, he commands, ‘Front rank, FIRE!” Then, ‘Rear rank, FIRE!”

Because other sections are training too, no one moves to the sea wall until all sections have finished. One of the privates with Sweeney, who knows his numbers, trots to the targets. He records the number of hits at each target on a small chalkboard, then returns to McDowell.

McDowell looks at the chalkboard. Shakes his head.

“Targets 1 and 4: 0;

Targets 2:, 3: and 5: 1.”

“Only three hits out of nineteen

“You blind bats!”

“Can’t you see the white balls. AIM at the BALLS!”

He lets the smoke from the first volley clear.

“Again!”

McDowell and Sweeney command them through the steps to reload and fire. When they finish firing and the private has returned, the count is now.

“Your tally after two rounds is as follows!”

“Target 1: 1. Damn! Only 1 strike out of 8. Miserable.

“Targets 4: and 5: 2. Group 4, not much better 2 out of 8. Group 5, 2 out of 6. Fair.”

“Targets 2: and 3: 3; Also Fair. 3 out of 8.”

Sharpe feels pretty good that his group hit three of eight times. Even though Courtenay and his four hit the same, he thinks that he can do better. “I’m feeling hungry today, Ben. Will enjoy eating your meal.”

“Not likely, Sharpe. I’ll be eating your dinner.”

McDowell readies them again. Each time they fire, he gives them the results, lets the smoke clear then repeats the drill.

When the recruits have fired seven times, McDowell is happy that each group is scoring at least one hit with each volley. Group Five has only three men to shoot, so he is satisfied that they are hitting almost as many as the others. Courtenay’s group hit one more than Sharpe’s on the third volley. He continues to lead Sharpe’s by one hit on each subsequent round.

With more than a dozen hits in each target, it is becoming difficult to identiry new hits. Some of Sweeneys privates are sent to the targets to turn them so that a fresh face of white circles are showing.

McDowell addresses them. “You now can hit reasonably well with slow, controlled fire. When you are in a fight, there will NOT be time to pause. Need to load and fire as fast as you can. Time to go faster. All right! This time we fire a volley of three.”

“Again! ”

McDowell will call for them to fire three times in one minute. He calls the commands without pausing. By the time they have fired the second time, the recruits are shrouded in a cloud of smoke. He knows that it will be nearly impossible for them to see the targets. When they have fired the third time he has them stand easy.

“Target 5: 4.

Target 1: 5;

Target 4: 5;

Target 2: 6;

Target 3 6; “

Courtenay tells Sharpe. “Still own one more hit than you, Sharpe.”

Sharpe replies. “Ben, you’ll be the hungry one.”

McDowell readies them for another volley.

“Not bad, not bad. All of you fired three times inside one minute. Can you do it again? Ready?”

Before they start, Sharpe decides that to try something to help his aim. He points his lead foot at the target. While they reload, he keeps his toe pointed at the target. After each shot, he keeps his foot planted in place while he reloads. As he shoulders the musket, he points the barrel down the line that points out from his toes.

They fire another three volleys.

“Target 5: 7.”

“Target 1: 8.”

“Target 4: 9.”

“Target 3 10.”

“Target 2: 11. “

When the scores are called, Sharpe’s team has tied Courtenay’s.

“Gonna be hungry tonight, eh Sharpe?”

“Tied with you now, Ben. Got you worried. Don’t think you have it in you and your team to win this.”

“Bugger you Sharpe. Double the wager? The whole meal?”

“Aye, the whole meal. I will enjoy every mouthful.”

Sharpe knows that he has only three cartridges remaining in his box. This will be the final shots of the day. He asks the others with him. “When we fire in the smoke, how do we aim? We can’t see.

“Want to try something. When we can see at start, point your forward foot at the target. Don’t move it during the reload. When you shoulder the musket, point it where your toes point.”

The other three respond that they will.

So that Courtney can hear, he tells them “Henry, Phil and Tom. I’ll share my extra food when we beat Ben. Make your shots count, eh?”

“Aye Dick.” The others reply.

McDowell prepares them one more time to shoot . “Make ready!”

Each group fires to the cadence called by McDowell. Sharpe adds to the call. “Aim small lads. Find the white ball. Make your shot count.”

When all three volleys are discharged, the private dashes to the targets to count the final tally of the day. He counts the shot holes in each target. He counts twice for the second and third targets. He is challenged by the numbers. Rarely does he have to count more than twenty. When he is sure that he has counted correctly, he returns to Sergeant McDowell.

McDowell looks at the numbers. “Are these correct?”

“Yes, sergeant. Counted twice.”

Before McDowell calls out the results, he talks with Sweeney. “Sharpe had Group 2, Courtenay Group 3 and Crowley Group 4. Their groups did better than the others.”

Sweeney looks at the counts. “Aye and Sharpe wagered Courtenay he could do better. He did.”

“Yes, the wager.”

“Aye, for food. Sharpe came from behind to win.”

“Do we let him? We can change the count?”

“Let him. Reward for leading his group. He was calling on them while they shot. He knows the drill. Can shoot too.”

“Called to them, did he? Aye, we shall let him claim his victory.” McDowell calls the scores.

“Target 5: 10.”

“Target 1: 11.”

“Target 4: 13.”

He pauses before he calls the final two groups.

“Target 3 15.”

Groups 1, 4 and 5 know that Courtney and Sharpe have a bet and that they are tied going into the final volley. If Sharpe must post better than 16 to win.

McDowell clears his throat before stating.

“Target 2: 18. Group 2 fired 36 times and hit 18. That’s damn fine shooting.”

Sharpe wants to shout when the scores are given. Instead, he ruffles Courtenay with . “Good shooting, Ben. Not good enough.”

“Damn your eyes, Sharpe.”

“But not my belly. We’ll be eating your dinner, eh lads?”

McDowell finishes the drill by sending them off.

“We are done for today. You shot. You shot three times inside a minute. Next time, we will do four in a minute. Eat well tonight lads. Sweeney take them away.”

Henry, Phil, Tom and Sharpe marched happily back to barracks. During their meal, they brag about their shooting as they enjoy the extra food. They have had a good day.

That evening, McDowell compares his recruits’ scores with the other training sergeants. He is proud that his have done at least as well as the others. More importantly, none of the others’ groups one minute volleys totals have scored more than twelve hits. His best three groups were the best three of all the groups. He knows that when men are firing at fifty yards and at three rounds per minute, it is difficult to hit more than one in five of the times. Twelve hits is one in three. In battle, if they miss the target, they may hit a man next to or behind that target, but it is better to hit the target. Hitting the others is only by luck. Courtenay, Crowley and especially Sharpe continue to show that they can lead others. He will report so to the regiment.



McDowell had one more week with the recruits before he would give them to the regiment. He would finish their training by teaching them how to use the bayonet. He will pass all nineteen to the 33rd. “Although all companies need men, the new major asked for all to go to his company. They will do well with him.”

“Captain Hall will be disappointed. Wanted Sharpe for the Grenadiers.” All the grenadiers must be at least six feet tall. When a recruit is at least that tall and performs well, the grenadiers usually get the man. “Captain Hume asked for him too for the Light Company. Would do well as a skirmisher, too. But, the Major claims him. Maybe another day he will go to one of the flank companies. Not today, though.”

Sergeant McDowell stands before his recruits. They have finished their training. Only three recruits are not passed on. They were injured during punishment too badly to serve. All that have survived the training will be spread to companies in the regiment.

”Lads, today ends your training. I turn you over to your regiments. Serve them well.”

With that, he turns and strides away. Other sergeants were standing near McDowell and stepped to the front of Sharpe’s group.

“I am Sergeant Major Bywaters. You now belong to me and the 33rd. See those flags.”

He points to two flags behind him aht are being carried on poles. “One of them is the Union flag. The other is the King’s colour. It is RED. You will pay attention that the collars, cuffs and shoulder straps of our red coats are also red. These are OUR colours.

For a time, the facings on our coats were white. White, not RED! Some say that it is because we lost our colours, the flags, to the French at some place in Spain named Brihuega. Even though we won the first victory in Spain in that war, our commander, Lord Stanhope, was forced to surrender after being trapped by a force three times as large and only after his force was reduced to only one in ten men left to fight and those men ran out of powder. Our regiment was also surrounded and captured at Yorktown in the American War. But, we did not have to surrender our colours. The regiment marched out carrying the colours.

See those flags. We do NOT give them to anyone willingly. This regiment is one of the best in the King’s army. We wear RED. We carry RED. We follow RED. No one. NO ONE takes these from us as long as one of us is alive.”

“Prepare to march with me. I will take you to your company. The Major claims you for his.”

Sharpe smiles at Tom. “Could do worse. This major takes an interest in us. Seems to learn as much as we do, eh?

“Could do worse, Dick. Could do worse.”





SEPTEMBER 1793

FORT CHARLES - COUNTY CORK, IRELAND



“Move you lazy bastards! Keep the pace. Make the Major smile.” Sergeant Hawthorne calls to his section. As the senior sergeant of the company, he sets the standard for the other two.

“Sure, we march. The Major rides. He should bloody smile.” Crowley grumbles.

“Nate’s not happy again.” Garrard says to Sharpe.

“Every day Nate finds something to complain. Marching is much better than holding packs in front of you for hours. Hope the Major doesn’t hear him. He makes us double march and deploy enough already.” Sharpe and half of the 33rd march another morning. Since June when he and all of the other new recruits joined the ‘Major’s’ Company, they have drilled with half the battalion twice per week. The Major has them up each day ‘at daybreak’. Before they would march out of the fort, they dine on ‘cold meat’. Along the route, they deploy from column to line, to square and mixed order repeatedly until they can move into any formation in a moment after receiving a command.

“Miss shooting though.”

“You miss winning extra food from Ben. So do I.”

“Training without cartridges isn’t the same.” Sergeant Hawthorne has them practice the steps of firing without cartridges for an hour three times per week.

“Nothing to count when we have no cartridges.”

“And, Ben learned not to wager against you. Maybe you can get Nate to wager next time.”

“Nate? Nate talks too much, but he is smart enough to bully on the ones he can.”

“Enough bullies already in our company.” Dick learned quickly who are the bullies in the company. When they joined the company, they were the newest of the nearly eighty men now filling the roster.

“Like to use two or three of them as targets when we train with the bayonet. Stick them with the ‘pig stickers’. Make them squeal. They make days rough for some of the lads.”

“Yes, poor Palin. Corporal Dukeman and his goons, Avery and Doone, pick on him. Eric went with Courtenay to Sergeant Tridle. Tridle looks the other way. Ben does nothing.” Sharpe doesn’t like bullies. Dealt with them at the orphanage. Wants to help. Can’t fight for Palin, at least not now. “Pity for Eric. He’ll have to learn to stand for himself.”

Sharpe and Tom fared better when they were assigned to Sergeant Bickerstaff’s section. Bickerstaff was happy to have four recruits that have learned as quickly as Oakey, Lowry, Garrard and Sharpe. Sharpe was happy that the four of them remained together when they were assigned to a company. The four of them scored the highest during musket drill each time. When the day comes that they will have to fire at an enemy to their front, he wants to know that the men with him can hit the targets. “As long as we keep Sergeant Bickerstaff happy, he leaves us alone.”

“Dukeman is the boss in Tridle’s section. He’s a mean bastard.” Tom makes sure that only Sharpe can hear him. Someday, he may have to serve under Dukeman or Tridle.

As they march past Wesley, he notes how each company performs. As when Sharpe trained as a recruit, Wesley joins them now when the companies eat and march. He has been with the men since they rose. Unlike Yorke and the officers who have commanded the 33rd for many years, Arthur lives a simple life. He cares little for the creature comforts of his quarters. A simple camp bed serves him when he needs to sleep. Each day, he rises early. Once awake, he can’t tolerate to lie awake in bed. So he rises to work. “Today we march to Ballymaccus. Four miles there, fire volleys at the sea, then four miles back. Two hours and a half. Have them back to eat.” He rarely eats a mid-day meal, but knows it is important that the men eat. Even as he trains the companies in the art of being soldiers, he takes care of the men when they join him in the field as well as in the barracks. They rarely miss a meal. When units perform poorly, he rarely shows his emotions publicly emotion. He remains calm while he addresses the error.

Since Wesley arrived at Fort Charles, he has put all of his energy into the regiment. He trains the men often.

Lord Cornwallis is Colonel commanding the 33rd, but for seven years, he is away in India. Lieutenant-Colonel John Yorke, who had been with Cornwallis at Yorktown, gave him free access to all of the regiment and its books. Arthur poured over the numbers. Arthur discovered that Cornwallis had not overseen how has been handling the regiment’s funds. Yorke has allowed others to handle the regiment's accounts poorly, but not corruptly. Despite searching diligently, he has been unable to find where the money has gone. As a result of the poor practices to handle the money, the regiment has many unpaid debts.

Two months later, Wesley has replaced people who could not explain their actions with the money. With the new people in place to do the work, he set out to pay the bills and restore the regiment’s credit. The 33rd has been suffering from too few officers who know the drills nor are capable with numbers. As he can not trust many of his officers, he chooses to manage down to the other companies to make sure that all the companies are trained and perform to his same standard. His anger has come out when one or two officers have been caught drunk or treating their troops poorly. He raised his voice only at these officers that he considered to be pampered.

As he pours over the numbers, he realizes that he has an aptitude for the details. Those that work with him are surprised how quickly he can calculate the numbers to a correct answer. So many of the mistakes in the books appear to be from when someone did not give due attention to the details of the bills to be paid or to the sums of the accounts.

“The regiment’s money is much better now. The companies are coming along. But, managing books and drilling will win me no glory or awards. Lord Moira is assembling an expedition to Brittany and La Vendee. As no other calls have come, I should greatly like to join him in some capacity. As he stands well with the Duke of York and I stand not well with him, I will humbly request Moira to let me join, in any capacity. While I wait, I shall ask Richard if I may borrow the funds to pay the difference between my Majority and a Lieutenant Colonel.”

Recently, Colonel Yorke related that he would be leaving the regiment. He offered to sell Wesley his rank for £3500.

“John Sherbrooke has expressed interest to buy my majority for £2600. By the end of the month, I can command the 33rd.



NOVEMBER 1793

FORT CHARLES –



Arthur Wesley sits at his writing table to sign the orders that will send his Flank Companies away. For more than a month, he has had full command of the 33rd. He reads the orders from Horse Guards that will divide his regiment..

‘All regiments now serving in Ireland,

those being 8th, 12th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd, 31st, 33rd, 34th, 35th, 38th, 40th, 44th and 55th, are hereby ordered to send the Grenadier and Light companies to Cork. There they are to form a battalion of Grenadiers and a battalion of Light infantry under the command of General Sir Charles Grey to embark for service as General Grey is commanded.”

“Captains Hall and Hume have done well. Hate to see them go. Two companies of the best men in the regiment. ”

“The Duke of York has been campaigning in The Netherlands for almost a year. It is likely that he will need more regiments. The 33rd will be ready.”

“General Howe in the American War and General Grey now select companies of Grenadiers and Light Infantry to lead their attacks. How can I train the regiment so that every company can fight with the skills of a grenadier or a skirmisher?”

Arthur remains disappointed that he was rebuffed to join Lord Moira. “ Other opportunities will come. Nights give me time to read. The books can teach me how things should be done.. Days, I will drill the regiment on what I learn. When the call comes, and a call will come, this regiment will be ready to fight an enemy, wherever that may be.”

“General Grey has taken two hundred of my best men. I see no reason why I may not replace them in numbers. The recruiters did well in the Spring. The two poorest ensigns and sergeants can perhaps better serve recruiting. With another two parties, the recruiters should be able to add one hundred men by the end of the year and a further hundred by Spring. Sergeants like McDowell will have them ready in fine time to go wherever we are sent. I can’t expect to get the flank companies back for some time. Yes, yes. More recruits. Train them. Fill the numbers.”

He continues to read and sign orders and documents to send the flank companies away and to augment the center companies.



MAY 1794

KINSALE - COUNTY CORK, IRELAND



For six months Arthur Wesley had prepared the 33rd to join the war. Now that he was able to make his own choices for the entire regiment, he began to remove incapable officers and sergeants. He placed older, ‘untrainable’ officers into jobs that suited them. This was difficult, because he also kept the regiment’s staff small. He continued to personally handle all the important movements or see them started well. He and the officers that he kept knew the commands to drill and maneuver the battalion, companies and sections. Whether they needed to move in column, line or square, the men followed the commands with no hesitations. All companies could deploy into line, load and fire at least three rounds per minute.

He was proud that his own, ‘the Major’s Company’ often fired four rounds per minute. “New men have fit well with the old. Sergeant Hawthorne has done well. Must tell him, and the men.”

Besides marching and shooting, he had trained them in the ways of Light infantry.

“As the Grenadier and Light Companies are gone, someone must fill their roles. The Colonel’s and Lieutenant Colonel’s companies will train as grenadiers. My and Number Seven companies will train as light infantry.”

To prepare them he borrowed from the Essay on Partisan Warfare, he adopted the points of ;

‘DISCIPLINE: The severest discipline must be established in such a corps from the first moment; for a commanding officer can never be too strict with men collected from all corners of the world; no fault however trifling, ought to be overlooked. When men are accustomed to strict discipline, punishment becomes less necessary.

REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS: in such corps, those who behave well or distinguish themselves must be publicly praised and encourage by rewards and promotions in the extreme. The disobedient must be punished in the most exemplary manner.’

Arthur recalled the Colour Sergeant telling him, “Fear keeps a man sparking. Works hand in hand with the drill”. He wrote in his notes on these books and the lessons he was learning from his veterans. “A key seems to be the ability to strike a balance between too much and too little discipline.”

As he has trained with the recruits and the companies, he developed his own view of discipline. When he was a junior officer he had often failed to punish men who thieved and pillaged on his watch. “The men gain no benefit when we punish one of them. The others become angry when we abuse them. It is better when we give them an example. We must be their examples.”

“Ewald has said

‘It is an error to believe that you will gain the love of the soldiers by showing a culpable indulgence to them at the expense of the poor peasants, who have already too much to suffer from war; by no means! The soldier will try everything, if a crime be once overlooked, he will trust to your weakness, and excesses of every kind will grow so frequent that the honour of the corps and the corps itself must be ruined; the enraged inhabitants of the country, in order to revenge their sufferings, will seize every opportunity to betray you to the enemy, and this alone may be attended with the most serious consequences, while by discipline and good behaviour friends may be made even in an enemy’s country.’

“Our example is not motivated by having the soldier love us. There will be time to use extreme punishments. Especially, we will punish them when they abuse those that inhabit the lands that we are commissioned to protect.”

When Arthur had the sergeants train the companies, he borrowed from notes that were left at Kinsale by John Moore and from Comte de Saxe’s book.

‘It must be laid down as one invariable maintain on all marches, to have parties, consisting of 100 men, always advanced in front, and upon the flanks, which must be sustained by others of double the same force…in order to be effectually guarded against all attempts whatever of the enemy…’

‘A partisan of enterprise and spirit, with 3 or 400 men, will find means to attack an army on its march, and to occasion a great deal of disorder and inconvenience.

If he seizes an opportunity, at the close of the day, to cut off your baggage, he will be able to carry away a considerable part of it, without exposing himself to much danger; because,

if he retreats between two passes, and makes a vigorous opposition in his rear, he thereby check your pursuit…A stratagem of this nature must be attended with dreadful confusion. It is for these reasons therefore that

‘advanced parties ought to cover all the avenues of your march; but they must never be too weak in numbers; for unless they are sufficient to oppose any attack, nothing less than ruin and disgrace can be the consequence.’

All of the training, discipline and rewards will now be put to the test. The 33rd has been called to fight in the Netherlands. Arthur watches the companies march past on the way to the ships. He will sail ahead to meet with the Lord Moira.

---

Fiction Index | Sharpe Tales Home | Sharpe's Family Index | Chapter 17

---