Sharpe’s Rifles: The French Invasion of Galicia, January 1809

Sharpe’s Rifles: The French Invasion of Galicia, January 1809
Bernard Cornwell

Lieutenant Richard Sharpe and a detachment of riflemen join the assault of a strong French force holding the Holy City of Santiago de Compostela.Cut off from the rest of the army and surrounded, their only hope of escape is to accept the help of the Spanish, but this assistance comes at a price: to join the assault on the holy city of Santiago de Compostela, held by a strong French force. There is little Sharpe would enjoy more.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

RIFLES

Richard Sharpe and the French Invasion

of Galicia, January 1809

BERNARD CORNWELL

Copyright

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.

Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

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

First published in Great Britain by Collins 1988

Previously published in paperback by Fontana 1989

Copyright © Rifleman Productions Ltd 1988

Map © John Gilkes 2011

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

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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: 9780006176978

Ebook Edition © JULY 2009 ISBN: 9780007338733

Version: 2017-05-06

Sharpe’s Rifles is for Carolyn Ryan

‘Sharpe is the epitome of a nineteenth-century, romantic working-class hero. Cool, flash and fragrant … Escape and enjoy’

Daily Express

Table of Contents

Cover (#ucb849e7d-bf39-5024-b88b-3b067edef412)

Title Page (#ue9921fca-ad30-5cf5-843d-4f081243e9f6)

Copyright (#u641ce97d-6c41-5faa-8026-fb1eeb559a4a)

Dedication (#uf0951d8d-e5e9-5185-8bb5-0940df93371f)

Epigraph (#u0301e383-dba2-508d-81e2-c3cb03431e11)

Map (#u058f4307-451e-5b03-b712-c8733affb24d)

Prologue (#u8560d80a-cc24-5ba5-8ab9-a7854041a705)

Chapter One (#u9490270d-af34-50fc-abf3-f13f22fb4150)

Chapter Two (#u92e1dd0a-1394-5ad5-831a-07f3191f19ed)

Chapter Three (#u7e679e78-46f3-5220-bda1-a6520cabc8ef)

Chapter Four (#ue6b91032-3354-51e2-a229-b38b522a0495)

Chapter Five (#uec66878c-938a-5c39-84d3-157a226db965)

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)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)