Sharpe's Havoc

Richard Sharpe in Northern Portugal, 1809

***

This one picks up something like where we left off in "Sharpe's Rifles"; the rag-tag band of 95th Rifles, led by our titular hero, has been beaten up in Northern Portugal by the forces of French Marshal Nicolas Soult. They wind up in and around the city of Oporto just as the chaos of the French attack collapses the Portuguese defenses. Mayhem ensues, and Sharpe et al are cut off from the rest of the Bristish army. They cannot make it across to the south side of the Douro River, and hence are stuck in enemy territory.

Toss in a bit of espionage-flavored intrigue in the form of a certain "Colonel" Christopher (with ties to the British Foreign Office), a semi-love interest named Kate, and an accidental companion in the form of Portuguese Lieutenant Jorge Vicente (novice soldier, and poet, and lawyer), who is also stranded in enemy territory, and you have the makings of a fine story.

In the end, Britain decides to send General Arthur Wellesley to take over the British army in Portugal, rally the troops and push back against the numerically superior Marshal Soult.

It goes, as one would expect from the good General Wellesley, well. Soult's army is ripped to tatters and forced to flee Portugal for the relative safety of Spain, but not without discarding their entire baggage train and field artillery. Ha ha.

A nice read, as per usual. 

The Fortune of War

Aubrey and Maturin at War with America, Summer 1813

***

Ah, to be back among old friends. The War of 1812 is underway. In The Fortunes of War, O'Brian continues his survey of all of the possible horrific things that can happen aboard a ship in the early 1800s. In this case, a fire. Here's a hint: a fire on a man-of-war is not good, and it's over quickly (usually with a bang). We have shipwreck survivors, trying to limp their way to shore, we have ill-fated attempts to 'go straight at them' in battle, as per Nelson.

A good portion of the book passes with our heroes as prisoners of war in Boston. They run afoul of French intelligence agents working with the Americans, and eventually stage an escape. They rendezvous with the HMS Shannon, a British frigate blockading Boston harbor. They are aboard for a showdown with the USS Chesapeake (June 1, 1813). The Shannon is successful in capturing the American vessel.

As I have come to know throughout this series, this book does not disappoint. Wonderful action, nice pacing, chock full of historical interest. Huzzah!

Sharpe's Rifles

Richard Sharpe fights the French on the Iberian Peninsula, 1809

***

This book was a bit of an outlier. It had a somewhat different tone, particularly at the outset, and did not "introduce" Sharpe as a character very quickly. Furthermore, when we do finally hear Sharpe's name, it seemed to be a first time introduction of the character rather than a re-joining of our old friend, now six books into the series  (chronologically). This initially led me to suspect that "Sharpe's Rifles" was, in fact, the first of the Sharpe books in terms of publication date. That, however, is incorrect. This novel was in fact the ninth novel published (even though it is sixth in chronology).

At any rate, the action is as good as ever. This time we join Lt. Sharpe and his 95th Rifles as they are being routed from Spain. The British forces are in disarray, attempting to flee to the ports and the safety of awaiting ships. The Rifles are acting as a rearguard for the retreating British, and get cut off during a brutal French cavalry charge. Sharpe leads the tattered remnants into the wilderness, attempting to stay clear of the numerically (and militarily) superior enemy.

The group encounters a Spanish officer, one Major Blas Vivar, who has a crazy idea to incite a full fledged popular uprising against the French invaders. He aims to inspire the Spanish civilians using an old legend. Sharpe reluctantly agrees to help with the hare-brained scheme, and adventure ensues!

Sharpe, unfortunately, does not get the girl in this one. He has a love interest, but the feeling is not mutual.

At the end of the book the ragged survivors of the 95th Rifles, led by Sharpe, cross into Portugal where they meet up with British soldiers from the Lisbon garrison. It seems that not only has the garrison in Lisbon not be evacuated, but the British are sending an army to reinforce it, led by none other than General Sir Arthur Wellesley.

Desolation Island

Aubrey and Maturin have a desperate run of bad luck while transporting prisoners, c. 1811

***

Ahhhh, to be back at sea with my good friends, Aubrey and Maturin. This book gives us, the readers, an unfortunate front row seat to some of the crueler hardships endured by a man-of-war crew. In particular the outbreak of disease in a large scale way and a desperately damaged ship followed by the possibility of being marooned and having to winter over on some tiny spit of land amid the frozen seas surrounding Antarctica.

The "gaol fever" experienced by the crew is another name for typhus.

I am always a bit surprised when, in the course of sailing from England to the Cape of Good Hope on the southern tip of Africa, Brazil is a common way point. Not so when coming back to England, due to the nature of the prevailing winds.

We are also treated to a running battle through a storm, on high and dangerous seas, which ends disastrously for Captain Aubrey's opponent.

A strong current of espionage and international intrigue flows through this one as well. The Americans are nearing the point of declaring war on the British. English forces are so preoccupied with countering Napoleon that they have taken to interfering with American merchant shipping and pressing both merchantmen and whalers into the Royal Navy. President Jefferson et al don't like this turn of events, of course, and they are planning to do something about it.

Sharpe's Prey

Richard Sharpe gets involved in espionage, 1807

***

The French are moving every closer to outright war with England. Napoleon has his eyes set on the Danish fleet; he would dearly love the ships currently hiding in port at Copenhagen for his own. In part, these ships would replace some of those lost at Trafalgar, in part they would provide troop transports for an invasion of England.

Sharpe gets roped into escorting another officer who is trying to bribe the Danes to let these ships be placed under English "protection" until the end of the war. The proud Danes refuse, the determined English insist, and hundreds of civilians in Copenhagen wind up dead during the bombardment.

In the end, England sails away with dozens of ships and Denmark is forced into an alliance with France.

In this book, our hero is double-crossed more than once, it seems, but still manages to kill the correct bad guys in the end (doesn't he always?). Along the way, we learn more history and Sharpe has time for love (doesn't he always?). We meet some old friends, and Sharpe's success will hopefully propel him higher in the ranks. Perhaps someday soon he'll be looked on as a proper officer.

The Mauritius Command

Captain Aubrey is made acting Commodore for an important mission, 1810

***

Jack Aubrey is ordered to sail for two French-held islands in the Indian Ocean, eastward off the coast of Madagascar. The island pair, Mauritius and Le Reunion, hold ports from which French ships have been preying upon East India Company vessels.

Jack is made Commodore for the mission, enabling him to fly a long pendant from the topmast, and given a small flotilla and access to ground troops. He is to batter the French naval assets into submission, land the troops, and install a British governor. The British sailing vessels are outnumbered, and it requires all of Aubrey's characteristic luck and expert seamanship to eventually wear down and defeat the enemy.

The book is full of the usual ups and downs experienced by a man of war in action. Wonderful adventure and excitement, alongside brutal and fierce butchery. In the end, the islands fall, and British shipping is a bit more secure. As a reward for his wonderful service, Jack is given the honor of ferrying the dispatches about the success back to England, a plum assignment sure to result in honor, glory, advancement, and promotion. We'll see...

Sharpe's Trafalgar

Richard Sharpe partakes in Sea Battles, 1805

***

These land and sea books are beginning to meld into one massive narrative, in my mind. Here we have Ensign Richard Sharpe, attempting to return to England from India, accidentally becoming entangled in nautical adventures, including meeting the legendary Admiral Horatio Nelson and participating in the fierce action of the defining naval battle of the Napoleonic Era.

Such violence! Such mind-numbing action! Drive two cannon-laden ships up, park them next to each other, literally within touching distance, and empty your broadsides. Repeat. And repeat. And repeat. Then boarding action and the chaotic swirl of death and dismemberment becomes up close and personal. It is stunning to read about, and horrific to contemplate.

No Sergeant Hakeswill to worry about in this book. Sharpe has fed him to tigers, had an angry elephant nearly crush him, and shoved the odious man into a cobra pit in past books. I am firmly convinced the ne'er-do-well is still out there, somewhere.

This was a wonderful read, and another fast one. Can't wait to return to Aubrey-Maturin, then return to Sharpe. I like these characters and this time period. Excellent books, all.

H.M.S. Surprise

Captain Jack Aubrey, H.M.S Surprise, voyage to India, 1803

***

What a wonderful and quick read. I feel like I am really getting somewhere with these Aubrey-Maturin books, now. The book opens with Jack not, in fact, getting his share of the lucrative prize money presumed to be coming his way based on events at the end of the last book. As the Spanish were not at war with England, the capture of the treasure-laden galleons did not qualify as the taking of prizes. Debt (or at least part of it) finally catches up with Jack. He spends some time in the debtor's prison. In matters of love, by book's end Stephen finally gets the gumption to ask plainly for Diana Villiers hand in marriage. Jack also finally arranges to wed his dear Sophie.

The crew tangle with the tough French Admiral Linois and his squadron while trying to protect a flotilla of East India Company ships. The Surprise (a 28-gun 6th rate frigate) roughs up the Bercaeu (a 22-gun corvette) then goes toe to toe with the Marengo (a 74-gun ship-of-the-line), mauling each other and barely surviving, with help from the East India Company ships. This action appears to have given Captain Aubrey a financial windfall, as the Company is very grateful indeed.

The Surprise is en route back to England at the end of this book, preparing to face off against the French in what promises to be a difficult war with Napoleon's Navy.

Sharpe's Fortress

Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Gawilghur, 1803

***

Wow, these "Sharpe" books just fly by. Another gripping story and fantastically quick read. Good old Ensign Sharpe is done with India at the end of this novel: he'll be trading his red coat for a green coat, and swapping his trusty musket for a new-fangled rifle.

Gawilghur is a is a rocky mountain fortress in the sky, towering above the plains below. Impregnable, or so the Indian defenders think. That traitorous snake Dodd is holed up there, too. The Sir Arthur Wellesley-led British forces will crush the last of the Mahrattan resistance if they can crack open this double-walled compound. But it most certainly won't be easy.

Who better to send in such a bloody assault than some angry, screaming Scotsmen and Richard Sharpe? Good ol' Ensign Sharpe always finds a way.

Quick read, fierce action, bloody battles, double crossing treachery and wanton bravery. A fine book, indeed.

Post Captain

Captain Jack Aubrey, R.N., formerly of the HMS Polychrest & temporary commander of HMS Lively, 1803

***

Just finished this wonderful read; the second of the Aubrey-Maturin books, and as my brother-in-law and Aubrey-Maturin veteran promised, the pace of the book, not to mention the humor, has picked up considerably from the opening of the series.

A delightful joy to read, with many humorous episodes. Much pulse-pounding nautical action, of course, and a number of informative side treks, mostly involved with Captain Aubrey narrowly avoiding debtors prison and/or a French jail cell.

Dr Maturin grows ever more interesting as a character, as grows his sideline of high profile spy. He remains a source of humor, as well, particularly as it relates to how the sailing men view such an odd duck aboard their vessels. He steadfastly declines to learn too much about ships and ropes and sails, etc. His skill as a surgeon and naturalist more than makes up for his eccentricities, however.

Captain Aubrey has finally made it to Post-Captain, a rank from which, he assures us, he is now able to die an Admiral. It's just a matter of time and seniority, now. One trouble will his being able to secure a command. Napoleon has reignited the on-again off-again English-French open warfare, but there are still many more captains about than there are vessels to command. Aubrey has some wonderful success during a temporary posting as the captain of the HMS Lively, taking over for her regular captain who bought himself a seat in Parliament. At the end of the book, the Lively takes part in a squadron action off the coast of Spain, intercepting a quartet of treasure laden galleons returning from the New World. The pay off will likely spell and end to the good Captain's financial difficulties, and even moreso set him up in a marriageable way.

Love blooms, withers, and partially blooms again throughout this book, including a Aubrey-Maturin-Lady love triangle. This source of friction almost forces a duel with pistols between the two men. I am eager to continue on my sea journeys with this crew; interested to see where the winds take us next.

Sharpe's Triumph

Richard Sharpe and the Battle of Assaye, 1803

***

The second Sharpe book is complete. Another fast read, particularly when compared with Master & Commander. This tale takes place 4 years after the events of the Siege of Seringapatam. 

Sharpe has been a Sergeant all this time, working in the Seringapatam armory. In this capacity he travels with a small group of men to an outpost of the East India Company to collect some cannon shot. While Sharpe is at the outpost a former-East India Company officer-turned-traitor named Lieutenant Dodd arrives at the compound, posing as a British ally in good standing and leading a column of infantry. Dodd parades his men into the central square, then orders them to open fire on the fort's inhabitants. The result is a massacre. All of the fighting men are killed, except for Sharpe, who is wounded and feigns death to avoid the roving bands of cutthroats.

After Dodd and his men leave the fort, Sharpe makes his way back to the Seringapatam armory where he meets up with his old friend Colonel McCandless. The Colonel is very interested in hearing about the deserter at the center of the massacre, William Dodd. McCandless has been charged with bringing Dodd to justice, and the Colonel recruits Sergeant Sharpe to assist him. The pair travel north and join the army of Major General Arthur Wellesley in time to witness the daring British attack on the fortified city of Ahmednuggur.

Dodd is in the employ of another European deserter-turned warlord for the local princes, one Anthony Pohlmann. Pohlmann dresses in fancy silks, rides in silver plated elephant howdahs, and generally lives the high life. He is attempting to lure the two small British armies operating in the region into a trap. To this end, he collects more than 100,000 men and 100 cannon and digs into a defensive position near the village of Assaye.

Major General Wellesley arrives with his force of 4500 troops, 17 cannon, and 5000 cavalry. Wellesly resolves to attack at once, but from the eastern flank instead of the southern route. His quick action gives no time for his similarly sized second army, led by Colonel James Stevenson, to arrive. They were a day's march to the west.

By BarretBonden - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5976732

What follows was an impressive display of hardened infantry versus a large amount of artillery. The resolute British marched through the flying lead, killed the gun crews, then marched toward the enemy infantry (who vastly outnumbered them), also under heavy fire. The grim British soldiers then stopped, presented arms, delivered a devastating volley of musket fire, then charged with fixed bayonets. The enemy was not eager to join the battle and large sections of the vast army fled in disarray. The end result was a lopsided victory for the British.

Along the way, Richard Sharpe manages to save the life of Major General Wellesley, earning a very rare promotion from enlisted man to officer. Now Ensign Sharpe has a bright future ahead of him. The traitorous Dodd escapes the battle, perhaps to be seen again?

Master & Commander

Jack Aubrey, Master and Commander of HMS Sophie, 1800

***

The second book on the epic journey of following the Napoleonic Era British Military on land and sea is complete. This book was a bit of a difficult read, for me. At times, it was thrilling and wonderful; at others it was dense and unintelligible. It was something like reading in a second language, what with the unending streams of nautical terminology threatening to drown out both understanding and desire to continue. But continue I did, as finish I must.

I suspect that during some passages, I probably appreciated a mere 50% of the details; all the sails, staysails, topgallants, jibs, hawsers, and whatnot making my head spin a bit. The novel was wonderfully written, with interesting characters, and did a superb job of immersion in the life and times of the ship at sea. The officers, the men, the sloop Sophie, the wind, the sea, the weather. The time period, the food (some of which sounds dreadful), and the music. A fascinating thing to see a shared love of playing classical music together be one of the hallmarks of the budding friendship between man's man and lady lover Jack Aubrey and naturalist, ship's doctor, and science geek Stephen Maturin.

I am told that the second and subsequent books in this continuing series move along at a brisker pace. I shall hope so, for while I enjoyed my time plying the Mediterranean with the Sophies, I should like a bit more than a mere 7 knots henceforth.

Sharpe's Tiger

Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Seringapatam, 1799

***

The first book in my journey is complete. A wonderful, gritty, fast-paced, realistic war story full of bravery and brutality, violence and horror. What a start to what will no doubt prove to be an epic series. I was led to this group of books through some dim recollection of seeing Sean Bean playing the title role on Masterpiece on PBS. 

Very well written, this book virtually starts off with the bang of a cannon, the solid shot bouncing across the hard earth, seeking the tightly packed ranks of marching red coats. British infantrymen from the 33rd Regiment of Foot, some of whom served in the American Revolutionary War, now find themselves defending the Empire in hot and distant India. One of the lowly privates, Richard Sharpe, gives us a glimpse into the inner workings of the Army. The lower ranks are filled with misfits, thieves, and malcontents. The officers are nobles from important families, or those wealthy enough to have purchased their rank. Discipline is rigidly enforced, through the lash when necessary. On campaign, men die from all manner of diseases, sicknesses, and fever, in addition to the bullet, cannon ball, and bayonet. Traveling with the thousands of soldiers are many thousands more civilians, including wives, children, servants, laborers, and merchants.

Sharpe gets into trouble with a particularly foul and vindictive Sergeant, one Obadiah Hakeswill, and is almost flogged to death on trumped up charges. He is saved from certain doom only to be offered what amounts to a suicide mission. 

He and another man, young Lieutenant William Lawford, must try to infiltrate the fortified city of Seringapatam to free one Colonel Hector McCandless, chief of the British East India Company's Intelligence Service. McCandless has been captured by a fierce enemy, the Tippoo Sultan, leader of the the Kingdom of Mysore, ruler of most of southern India. Colonel McCandless has some information of the defenses of the city, and knows of a trap the sultan has built into those defenses for the unsuspecting British attackers.

Lawford and Sharpe pretend to be deserters wishing to join the Tippoo's forces. They are integrated into a unit of other Europeans, led by a French officer. Later, through a cruel twist of fate, they are discovered as spies and thrown into the dungeons to await a gruesome execution. In the chaos of the British attack on the city, the men escape with McCandless and join the fight to overthrow the "Tiger of Mysore".

By the end of the book Sharpe is returned to his old unit, promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and McCandless offers him a chance to work for him again in the future.

A great book but filled, as one can imagine, with death and destruction. A thoroughly researched piece of historical fiction, closely based on real events. Sharpe is a fictitious character, thrust into the midst of the action, acting as our defacto guide to the unfolding drama. Well worth the read.

This Blog

The goal of this blog is to be a collecting point for personal observations as I work through the large number of highly regarded books which comprise the "Richard Sharpe" series, by Bernand Cornwell, and the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian.

There are 24 books in the Sharpe series and 21 in the Aubrey-Maturin series. I plan to read them all in quasi-historical order, but alternating between the two series as follows:

Sharpe's Tiger (1799)
Master and Commander (1800)
Sharpe's Triumph (1803)
Post Captain (1802)
Sharpe's Fortress (1803)
H.M.S Surprise (1803)
Sharpe's Trafalgar (1805)
The Mauritius Command (1810)
Sharpe's Prey (1807)
Desolation Island (c. 1811)
Sharpe's Rifles (1809)
The Fortune of War (1812)
Sharpe's Havoc (1809)
The Surgeon's Mate (c. 1812)
Sharpe's Eagle (1809)
The Ionian Mission (c. 1812)
Sharpe's Gold (1810)
Treason's Harbour (c. 1812)
Sharpe's Escape (1810)
The Far Side of the World (c. 1812)
Sharpe's Fury (1811)
The Reverse of the Medal (c. 1812)
Sharpe's Battle (1811)
The Letter of Marque (c. 1812)
Sharpe's Company (1812)
The Thirteen Gun Salute (c. 1812)
Sharpe's Sword (1812)
The Nutmeg of Consolation (c. 1812)
Sharpe's Skirmish (1812)
Clarissa Oakes or The Truelove (c. 1812)
Sharpe's Enemy (1812)
The Wine-Dark Sea (c. 1812)
Sharpe's Honour (1813)
The Commodore (c. 1812)
Sharpe's Regiment (1813)
The Yellow Admiral (c. 1813)
Sharpe's Christmas (1813)
The Hundred Days (1815)
Sharpe's Siege (1814)
Blue at the Mizzen (c. 1815)
Sharpe's Revenge (1814)
The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey or 21 (c. 1817)
Sharpe's Waterloo (1815)
Sharpe's Ransom (1816)
Sharpe's Devil (1820)

Wish me luck! I have a lot of reading ahead of me!