Sharpe’s Eagle. Lieutenant Richard Sharpe is ordered to accompany the newly arrived and inexperienced South Essex Regiment,
leading to conflict with martinet Regimental Commander, Colonel Sir Henry Simmerson.
The Spanish army invited Sir Arthur Wellesley’s British army to enter Spain from their bases in Portugal in order to attack a small French force led by Marechal Jourdan near Talavera, Spain led by Spanish General Cuesta. The Spanish promised food supplies and war materiel to Wellesley, however they never delivered. Spanish General Cuesta failed to rouse his men to
battle. The Spanish army fled, the night before the battle, frightened of their own 10,000 rifle volley. They were beaten back in line by Spanish Cazadores. The events of 27th and 28th July 1809 promoted Wellesley to Viscount Wellington of Talavera. The battle of Talavera with three combined French forces under Marechals Jourdan,. Soult and King Joseph Bonaparte of Spain met the British and Spanish armies at prepared fortifications, manned by the Spanish, resulted in 5,365 British dead and wounded, 600 Spanish dead and 7,268 French dead and wounded.
On the day of the battle, early morning mist obscured the Medellin hill. The French army attacked in three columns of 2,000 men each up the grassy slopes of the Medellin hill, crossing the Albeche river, which the British had left in order to shelter from the opening French artillery bombardment. French Voltigeurs met British
riflemen each clearing the way for their infantry. The French Voltigeurs suffered badly from the British Riflemen’s Baker rifles, highly accurate at a longer range.
The British battalion was in line and firing on the massed French columns in controlled platoon volleys. It was superb, no infantry could stand against Britain’s best, the Battalion was shredding the column with musketry that rolled up and down the Battalion’s line, ramrods flashing in unison, the platoons firing in sequence pouring into the French ranks. The enemy wavered, each volley decimating the column’s leading ranks. Groups of blue-coated French broke away. A mounted British officer saw it, raised his sword, the redcoats cheered and charged with levelled bayonets and the battle was done. The French retreated ever faster from the reaching blades.
Wait! Two more French columns, turning to the right, started up the Medellin hill, preceded by French Voltigeurs, they fought in pairs, each protecting his partner, firing in turns and calling out warnings, constantly watching the enemy guns. The British Riflemen targeted officers and sergeants. The French column was too close. The Riflemen retreated. The French column was a tried and tested battle winner, but against volley firing troops it was a death trap, only the flank and front sixty men could return fire. They had almost gained the top of the Medellin hill, suddenly, the hilltop was lined two deep with waiting men. The relentless volleys began, the French were thrown backwards, a few hundred Riflemen attacked the flank. Sharpe captured a French Eagle.
The battle flared and died. Colonel Shrapnel’s case shot fired on top of the French column causing the retreat.
Sharpe is pure fiction. Ensign Keogh and Sergeant Masterman of the 87th, an Irish Regiment captured a French Eagle at the Battle of Barossa 5th March, 1811. Masterman was promoted to Ensign.
Talavera was given up to the French, the poorly supplied British army returned to Portugal. A good read! Sharpe is promoted to a Captaincy.