In the early 1790s he recruits the young Richard Sharpe into the 33rd from a public house in Sheffield. On transfer to the 95th Rifles, Sharpe becomes a second lieutenant, equivalent in rank to an ensign, as the Rifles do not have ensigns. William Dodd appears in the novels set in India near the start of Sharpe's army career. Although he is based on a real historical figure, his involvement in the Sharpe novels is entirely fictional. Dodd appears in the 2006 television revival Sharpe's Challenge, portrayed by Toby Stephens. He also appears in the Simon Scarrow novel The Generals as the actual historical character. During the early years of the Peninsula Campaign, Sharpe's affections are torn between a Portuguese courtesan, Josefina LaCosta, and the Spanish partisan leader Teresa Moreno ( Sharpe's Eagle, Sharpe's Gold). Teresa bears Sharpe a daughter, Antonia ( Sharpe's Company), in 1811, and marries Sharpe in 1812, but is murdered a year later by Sharpe's longtime enemy, deserter Obadiah Hakeswill ( Sharpe's Enemy). Sharpe leaves his daughter to be raised by Teresa's family, and, as far as is known, never sees her again. Over the same period, Sharpe also has affairs with an English governess, Sarah Fry ( Sharpe's Escape); Caterina Veronica Blazquez, a prostitute who has beguiled Henry Wellesley, Sir Arthur's brother ( Sharpe's Fury); and the French spy Hélène Leroux ( Sharpe's Sword, Sharpe's Honour). Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Leroy is a fictional character in the Richard Sharpe series of novels by Bernard Cornwell. He is an American Loyalist serving as an officer in the British Army during the Peninsular War.

This article needs editing to comply with Wikipedia's Manual of Style. In particular, it has problems with MOS:CONTRACTIONS. Please help improve the content. ( November 2021) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Captain Dunnett – Sharpe's superior officer in the 95th Rifles, with whom he has a strained relationship Restored to rank of captain in the South Essex Battalion after successfully leading an unofficial forlorn hope to take the third breach of Badajoz and the death of several captains in the Battalion. Sharpe's first command happened by misfortune in Sharpe's Rifles. He found himself in command of fifty rifleman after Sharpe's battalion, acting as rearguard to the army, are cut down by a squadron of French regular cavalry.He is a good soldier and his abilities resulted in him being commissioned as an officer on the battlefield. He overcomes class in an army where an officer's rank is often bought. Unlike many of the officers with whom he serves, Sharpe is an experienced soldier. Colonel Sir Henry Simmerson is a recurring villain, portrayed as a stereotypical snobbish, petty and tyrannical minor English aristocrat. He is narrow-minded, militarily inept and cowardly; while he is not presented as a clever man, he does display a certain cunning and deviousness. Destroying the Army of Deserters and taking their leader "Marshal Pot-au-Feu" Deron captive (Cornwell notes that the historic Deserters' Army was finally destroyed by the French, though they did hand British deserters over, as shown in the novel); Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. Cornwell's series (composed of several novels and short stories) charts Sharpe's progress in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars.

I realise the last criticism is unfair, the whole point of the series is to explore key historical moments through the avatar of Sharpe but in Sharpe's Prey, and moreso in the risible Sharpe's Trafalgar, it feels like he has been shoehorned somewhere he had no place being rather than naturally following a plausible army career in India and Spain. Although Sharpe escapes with "only" 202 of the assigned 2000 lashes after an intervention by Sir Arthur Wellesley, Hakeswill continues to pursue a vendetta against him for the next three years, during which he betrays Sharpe and Lawford to Tipoo Sultan ( Sharpe's Tiger), falsifies a second assault charge and murders Sharpe's friend and mentor Hector McCandless ( Sharpe's Triumph). He later kidnaps Sharpe and sells him to a corrupt merchant and finally deserts to join the turncoat William Dodd at Gawilghur in Sharpe's Fortress. After Gawilghur was captured by Major General Arthur Wellesley, Hakeswill rejoined the British forces. At one point, he also served in the Fever Islands, where he contracted Yellow fever, the result of which stained his skin yellow.Rifleman Ben Perkins is a fictional character in the Richard Sharpe stories written by Bernard Cornwell. Rifleman Ben Perkins also appeared in episodes of the Sharpe television series, played by Lyndon Davies. Sharpe is frequently employed (with or without his men) to carry out small scale secret operations for Hogan – for example, destroying a bridge in Sharpe's Eagle, capturing a renegade exploring officer in Sharpe's Havoc, retrieving treasure vital to the war effort in Sharpe's Gold, retrieving hostages in Sharpe's Enemy and uncovering or capturing French spies in Sharpe's Battle, Sharpe's Sword and Sharpe's Siege. Saving the Duke of Wellington from two assassination attempts in Paris (Cornwell explains that the first attempt happened, though the shooter simply missed, while the second is fictional and based on a likely deliberate fire that broke out in a house Wellington had been in days earlier).

Harper protects Isabella, a young Spanish girl, through the horrific hours of rape and looting that follow the capture of Badajoz. They subsequently marry and settle in Dublin, where they raise many children. Dunnett has the misfortune to then spend the remainder of the War languishing in captivity, while the Lieutenant he despised rises through the ranks. He was given the freedom of the town of Verdun, and his captivity was not harsh, but had no money for bribes or luxuries, and he stated he'd much rather die than ever see that town again. Harper's growing respect – eventually deep and lasting friendship – for Sharpe and his promotion to sergeant finally provide Harper with a stability that allow him to flourish in the army. He transfers with Sharpe to the South Essex Regiment ( Sharpe's Eagle) and serves throughout the Peninsular War with great courage, a ferocious and adept soldier and natural leader of infantry.Rifleman Thompson first appeared in Sharpe's Battle however he would have accompanied Sharpe in the retreat to Corunna but was he was never mentioned in Sharpe's Rifles. Thompson fought in the First Battle of Oporto and also partook in the Second Battle of Oporto in Sharpe's Havoc which he survived. Thompson fought with Sharpe in the Battle at Talavera where Sharpe captured a French Eagle. He also participated in the destruction of Almeida in Sharpe's Gold and also partook in Sharpe's Escape during the battle of Bussaco. Thompson was killed in Sharpe's Battle where he was shot in the head by a sharpshooter whilst on watch at a fort. [40] Sharpe classed Thompson as one of his four best marksmen along with Hagman, Cooper and Harris. [5] In the television series Dunnett was played by Julian Fellowes, who would go on to also play the Prince of Wales in Sharpe's Regiment.