Sharpe's Regiment: Richard Sharpe and the Invasion of France, June to November 1813

Fresh from the victory at Vitoria detailed in "Sharpe's Honor", Sharpe is sent back to England to solve a mystery. His regiment is in danger of being broken up because of its low numbers, the replacement battalion back in the homeland is being converted to a shell unit for new recruits and soldiers in transit, but meanwhile it's still showing up on the payroll at full strength. What's up? Sharpe, accompanied by Harper and two others, goes back to find out, and finds himself in a political rat's nest that threatens him with oblivion, up against an unscrupulous minister, Sharpe's incompetent former commander Simmerson, and a twisted martinet, who make thousands illegally selling recruits like cattle out of a secret training camp to hellhole tropical postings. On the upside, he finds an unlikely ally in an English noblewoman deeply in debt - and also encounters Simmerson's niece, Jane Gibbons, whose enchanting likeness he had carried in a locket for years. Naïve in the ways of London drawing rooms, Sharpe has little going for him in London - except that he has one big fan: the Prince of Wales. An enjoyable break from Sharpe's years in dusty Spain and Portugal.

This is another entry on the Sharpe series. It is fun, entertaining and very readable. Cornwell's research is as excellent as usual. He takes some licenses for the shake of the story and continuity, but this is OK. Some people are outraged by the portrait of some of the real historical characters, but historical characters are rarely depicted accurately in historical fiction, so I think this can be forgiven. Besides, usually a more serious account of these characters is given at the end of the book on the Historical Note. Many people insist in compare this series with Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander. I don't think this is fair for any of the series, they are different entities. What they have in common is that once you start you may get hooked and devour one book after another... And in the literary world today that is a rare and marvelous thing.

I have read all of the Sharpe's series up to this point and I am never disappointed. This book is unlike the others in that it does not deal extensively with the battlefield overseas, rather it is primairly set in England. But never mind that, it is full of action and excitement. The amazing thing about this series is that every one is different but still contains the same elements: grapic action scenes, spellbinding adventure and just a bit of personal interest/romance. Get the book, but be advised, you won't be able to put it down till it is finished!

While there is some action in northern Spain and the invasion of southern France, in between the novel deals with the pecculations in the British Army circa 1813. The use of crimps was a common practice to supply crews for merchant ships (see Charles Tyng's "Before the Wind"). The Royal Navy used press gangs (see "John Nicol, Mariner"), but the British Army of that time period did not have authority to draft or press men. Consequently, the less popular regiments resorted to crimps to supplement the efforts of their recruiting sergeants. Up to the early 20th century, losses to disease were high in addition to battle casualties. A constant supply of new recruits was necessary.When replacements for the South Essex fail to arrive in Spain, Major Sharpe is sent back to England to investigate accompanied by Patrick Harper, recently promoted to Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM), and two junior officers. This leads to the immediate problem of finding the missing Second Battalion of the South Essex. Sharpe and Harper are old campaigners, rough individuals with many skills and willing to kill enemies - definitely not to be trifled with. Finding the battalion is one thing, but getting the replacements to Spain is another matter. Crimping has been carried to extreme heights involving highly placed people. Trained companies are being sold to the highest bidder to fill the needs of other regiments. Sharpe may be a skilled combat soldier, but he is not a diplomat and is unwilling to compromise. It helps to be a hero in favor with the Prince of Wales, but his real assistance comes from unexpected allies.A side trip takes Sharpe into the St. Giles slum of his youth to dispose of a bagfull of diamonds acquired as spoils after the Battle of Vitoria. This provides an interesting view of the underside of sociey where life is cheap, and some commentary on Sharpe's early beginnings.

In Sharpe's Regiment, Richard Sharpe takes a time out from the horrors of the Peninsular Campaign and finds an even more appalling situation back home in England. If reading the series in order, this book will provide you with a different look at Sharpe and serve as the turning point in both his military and personal lives. As always Cornwell's attention to historical detail shines through, showing the reader what was going on back in England while Wellington's forces persued Napolean across Europe.