Sharpe's Battle (Sharpe, #12)

Title: Sharpe's Battle (Sharpe, #12)

Author: Bernard Cornwell

Published in: 1995

Date read: 22nd August 2017

Score: 4/5

Genre: Historical fiction

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Sharpe's Battle" by Bernard Cornwell, published in 1995, is the sixth novel written in the Richard Sharpe series. Set during the Peninsular War in 1811, it finds Major Richard Sharpe and his elite company of riflemen caught in a desperate situation when they are unexpectedly betrayed and forced to defend a crucial hilltop against overwhelming French forces.

The story opens with Sharpe and his men escorting supplies through Portuguese territory. They encounter a company of the notorious South Essex Regiment, a unit largely made up of ex-convicts and led by the arrogant and incompetent Lieutenant-Colonel Bartholomew Girdwood. Girdwood is a man of questionable character, more interested in self-preservation and personal gain than in leading his troops.

Adding to the complexity is the presence of the Irish Legion, fighting for the French, led by a ruthless and ideologically driven officer. This unit holds particular bitterness towards the British.

Sharpe and his men are ordered by the seemingly benevolent but ultimately treacherous General Thomas Leroy to hold an isolated and strategic hilltop known as Cascaes against an anticipated French attack. What Sharpe doesn't realize is that this order is a deliberate act of betrayal. Leroy, a corrupt and cowardly officer, intends to use Sharpe's company as a diversion and a sacrifice, buying himself time to escape with valuable loot he has plundered.

As the French forces, led by the experienced General Jean-Baptiste Soult, launch a massive assault, Sharpe and his outnumbered riflemen, along with the disgruntled South Essex men, find themselves fighting for their lives. Sharpe must use every ounce of his tactical genius, his experience as a hardened soldier, and his sheer courage to inspire his dispirited troops and hold the position against impossible odds.

The novel is a brutal and visceral depiction of Napoleonic warfare, highlighting the heroism of ordinary soldiers, the savagery of close-quarters combat, and the devastating consequences of incompetent leadership and betrayal. Sharpe faces not only the French enemy but also the treachery from within his own ranks. The climax is a desperate, bloody defence of Cascaes, where Sharpe must overcome overwhelming odds and expose the treachery of General Leroy to ensure his men's survival and a measure of justice. "Sharpe's Battle" is a classic entry in the series, showcasing Sharpe's resilience and his relentless pursuit of justice amidst the chaos of war.

Comments:
I read all of the Sharpe books in chronological order, one after the other. When I have looked back, I have not separated them at all unless there is a specific thing to add which will be after saying that I suddenly loved historical fiction and anything that Bernard Cornwell writes.

Books that we've read by Bernard Cornwell (28):
Sharpe's Eagle (Sharpe, #8) (1981), Sharpe's Gold (Sharpe, #9) (1981), Sharpe's Company (Sharpe, #13) (1982), Sharpe's Sword (Sharpe, #14) (1983), Sharpe's Enemy (Sharpe, #15) (1984), Sharpe's Honour (Sharpe, #16) (1985), Sharpe's Regiment (Sharpe, #17) (1986), Redcoat (1987), Sharpe's Siege (Sharpe, #18) (1987), Sharpe's Rifles (Sharpe, #6) (1988), Sharpe's Revenge (Sharpe, #19) (1989), Sharpe's Waterloo (Sharpe, #20) (1990), Sharpe's Devil (Sharpe, #22) (1992), Sharpe's Battle (Sharpe, #12) (1995), Sharpe's Tiger (Sharpe, #1) (1997), Sharpe's Triumph (Sharpe, #2) (1998), Sharpe's Fortress (Sharpe, #3) (1999), Sharpe's Prey (Sharpe, #5) (2000), Sharpe's Trafalgar (Sharpe, #4) (2000), Gallows Thief (2001), Heretic (The Grail Quest, #3) (2003), Sharpe's Havoc (Sharpe, #7) (2003), The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1) (2004), Sharpe's Escape (Sharpe, #10) (2004), Sharpe's Fury (Sharpe, #11) (2005), The Pale Horseman (The Saxon Stories, #2) (2006), Sword Song (The Saxon Stories, #4) (2007), Lords of the North (The Saxon Stories, #3) (2007)