Sharpe’s Regiment: The Invasion of France, June to November 1813

Sharpe’s Regiment: The Invasion of France, June to November 1813
Bernard Cornwell

Richard Sharpe returns to England to save the regiment.Major Sharpe’s men are in mortal danger – not from the French, but from the bureaucrats of Whitehall. Unless reinforcements can be brought from England, the regiment will be disbanded.Determined not to see his regiment die, Sharpe returns to England and uncovers a nest of high-ranking traitors, any of whom could utterly destroy his career with a word. Sharpe is forced into the most desperate gamble of his life – and not even the influence of the Prince Regent may be enough to save him.Soldier, hero, rogue – Sharpe is the man you always want on your side. Born in poverty, he joined the army to escape jail and climbed the ranks by sheer brutal courage. He knows no other family than the regiment of the 95th Rifles whose green jacket he proudly wears.

SHARPE’S

REGIMENT

Richard Sharpe and the Invasion of France, June to November 1813

BERNARD CORNWELL

Copyright

Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

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London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk)

Previously published in paperback by Fontana 1987

First published in Great Britain by Collins 1986

Copyright © Rifleman Productions Ltd 1986

Bernard Cornwell asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

This novel is a work of fiction.

The incidents and some of the characters portrayed in it, while based on real historical events and figures, are the work of the author’s imagination.

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HarperCollinsPublishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication.

Source ISBN: 9780007298655

Ebook Edition © July 2009 ISBN: 9780007338719

Version: 2017-05-06

Sharpe’s Regiment is respectfully dedicated to the men of The Royal Green Jackets, Sharpe’s successors

‘The same combination of thorough research and narrative drive that distinguished its predecessors. It is a gripping read’

Independent

‘… if any ’prentices have severe masters, any children have undutiful parents, if any servants have too little wages, or any husband too much wife, let them repair to the noble Sergeant Kite, at the sign of the Raven in this good town of Shrewsbury, and they shall receive present relief and entertainment. Gentlemen, I don’t beat my drum here to ensnare or inveigle any man, for you must know, gentlemen, that I am a man of honour!’

From The Recruiting Sergeant by George Farquhar (1678–1707)

Table of Contents

Title Page (#u286c2176-71dd-5b53-aa09-1fe57cf29715)

Copyright (#u5828fd8f-e103-55f4-adf5-4c72c43e29ee)

Dedication (#u4aef27b4-4e1e-5669-a933-4995dfc4a61e)

Epigraph (#u998f8775-878e-567d-92c0-f3c063cd73ea)

Prologue: Spain June 1813 (#u4b5d4389-bd06-5823-83c1-5ce96dbda2be)

Prologue (#ud61990da-2f9d-5e48-8818-cff4ae58f63a)

Part One: England July – August 1813 (#ueb253b29-1cc4-5cb4-98f0-51cfcfec7593)

Chapter One (#u50444d84-654f-5cd2-9b3f-9f029fd7d030)

Chapter Two (#u2bfdbf9f-5845-5383-b018-28f734ae1778)

Chapter Three (#ud6d2eb0d-0735-5ef8-bdea-dd9b3aeb027a)

Chapter Four (#ue99c063a-9b53-5644-8b23-af756c4a7b42)

Chapter Five (#u30cf9aa8-8d06-5718-8219-2d7c18fc8dd0)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)