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Sharpe's Universe: Cast of Characters


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Characters: A

Provost Lieutenant Ayres

Name:
Ayres
Occupation:
British Army Officer
Rank:
Lieutenant Provost
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Gold Book & TV
Story Contribution:
A stickler for the rules and a tattle-tale. When Sharpe defends his useless Private against a charge of stealing a chicken at the point of a gun, Ayres complains and Sharpe is nearly court-martialled, if not for the influence of his friends Lawford and Hogan.

In the TV version, Ayres, even more objectionable, accompanies Sharpe into the mountains and dies trying to rescue Ellie Nugent.






Characters: B

Name:
David Baird
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
General
Place of Origin:
Scotland
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Tiger (Book)
Sharpe's Prey (Book)
Story Contribution
Tough and uncompromising. Baird’s hatred of Indians, fuelled by a long stay in the Tippoo’s dungeons, precludes him from the job of Governor once the British take Mysore. The job goes to his rival Wellesley. It was Baird who came up with the plan for rescuing McCandless. He sees Sharpe as a good tool albeit a bit rusty and unhoned and later intervenes with Sharpe's plans to leave the Army by sending him off on the mission to Denmark. Baird returns to action with Moore during the Corunna campaign. When Moore is fatally wounded, Baird assumes command of the army, only to be wounded too. It is the only time that he holds command of an army. After Corunna, he never holds command in the field again.


Name:
Horace Bamfylde
Occupation:
Naval Officer (Book)
Army Officer (TV)
Rank:
Captain (Book)
Lieutenant Colonel (TV)
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Siege (TV)
Sharpe’s Siege, Revenge (Books)
Story Contribution
Pompous, young, handsome, inexperienced, overly concerned with his own self importance, Bamfylde takes the credit for Sharpe's capture through subterfuge of the Teste de Buche fort, homeplace of the Compte de Maquerre, a French agent in league with Ducos.

A glory seeker, Bamfylde is easily swayed into abandoning the fort when informed Sharpe is killed. Sharpe subsequently returns to find himself and his men stranded with little ammunition and the fort's defenses disabled and General Calvet's brigade at his doorstep. Upon his return to the British lines, Sharpe challenges Bamfylde to a duel (Book). For TV, Bamphylde returned to report to Wellingon only to have Sharpe appear alive. He is arrested on a charge of treason, among others.


Name:
Jean Luc Barbier
Occupation:
French Cavalry officer
Appearances:
Sharpe's Gold (TV)
Quote:
"Please, I wish to make surrender."
Story Contribution
Barbier is a young French cavalry officer who attacks Sharpe and his men while they are on their way to deliver rifles to El Casco. He retreats and is later attacked in return by Sharpe. He attempts to fight Sharpe but runs off after one sword parry. According to the log that he leaves behind with a dead partisan, he plans to attack El Casco but his remaining men are in turn attacked by El Casco's partisans. Escaping, he witnesses the human sacrifice of his men by the partisans and flees only to run into Sharpe. Sharpe enlists his aid to create a diversion so he can attack the caves.


Name:
Barker
Occupation:
Thug
Appearances:
Sharpe's Prey (Book)
Story Contribution
Works for Lavisser. Tries several times to kill Sharpe. Sharpe kills Barker at Lavisser’s Copenhagen house.


Name:
Miguel Bautista
Occupation:
Colonial Governor of Chile
Rank:
Captain General
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Devil
Story Contribution
Corrupt, excessively fashionable and homosexual, Bautista, once a promising soldier, has decided to milk the Spanish colony for all he can for wealth and career opportunities before returning to Spain. When Sharpe returns with Cochrane and the rebel forces, having survived several Bautista-arranged assassination attempts, Bautista kills himself in a failed suicide pact with his companion, Marquinez in preference to being taken prisoner.


Ensign Beauclare Name:
Percival Beauclare
Occupation:
Commander of a Prisoner Escort Detail
Rank:
Ensign
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Peril
Story Contribution
A polite, good-natured, likeable young man. Ensign Beauclare is young and inexperenced, a teen who should be back at school with his mates, but instead finds himself as a young officer in the King's Army in India in charge of the prisoner escort detail taking Corporal Barabas Hakeswill to Calcutta. Unsure of himself following an attack by bandits, Beauclare is happy to have the aid of the notable veteran Sharpe assume command of the column. He conducts himself admirably, salvaging the Beauclare name that his father had disgraced at Vitoria, but dies from a bayonet wound gained in action during the final fight against the renegade Dragomirov.


Name:
Dominique, Countess of Benfleet
Occupation:
Landowner
Place of Origin:
Normandy, France
Appearances:
Sharpe's Devil (Book)
Battleflag (Book)
Story Contribution
Sharpe's daughter by Lucille, Dominique marries an English nobleman with a castle and raises five children.


Name:
Berry
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Lieutenant
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Eagle
Story Contribution
The stupid one in the book, the nasty one in the TV version, Berry serves with Christian Gibbons and participates in the attempted rape of Josefina. At Sir Henry Simmerson's instigation, he sets Sharpe up for a duel that he is sure he will win but is thwarted by Wellington's edict against dueling when Hogan sends him out on a scouting mission with Sharpe, knowing that one of them will not come back alive.

He succeeds in wounding Sharpe when they are attacked by a French patrol and follows behind Sharpe as he takes cover in some bushes to tend to his wound. Harper finds them as Berry is torturing Sharpe before killing him and uses a bayonet to finish him off. In the book, Sharpe takes his revenge by way of a knife on the battlefield.


Name:
Mary Bickerstaff
Occupation:
Army Wife
Rank:
None
Place of Origin:
Calcutta, India
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Tiger
Story Contribution
Daughter of an English Engineer Sergeant and Indian mother, Mary had no future other than to marry into the British Army. Currently the widow of Sergeant Jem Bickerstaff, she is looking to be the first Mrs. Sharpe before she gets a better offer from Kunwar Singh.

She accompanies Sharpe and Lawford on their mission into Seringapatam, scared that should she stay behind that Hakeswill and Morris will sell her to a local skin peddler. Once inside the city, she finds her situation comfortable and is given an opportunity to marry well and remain among her mother's people. Sharpe understands her reasons to stay behind and wishes her well.


Name:
Brand
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Colonel
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Mission (TV)
Story Contribution
Tall, scarred, noble, a racist, a bully, a thief, a killer and a traitor, Brand is a role model to Sharpe. Sharpe sees Brand as brave and as dashing as his wife does, and indulges in a spot of hero worship until he realizes Brand's true colours.

At first envying Brand's freedom to operate as he will, Sharpe soon realizes Brand's men are no more than a pack of mercenaries raping and pillaging their way across the countryside, ruthlessly never leaving behind any survivors to complain.

Discovering Brand's evil, Sharpe decides to let Brand's own trap swing shut on himself, with Harper showing Brand's Sergeant some street justice. Sharpe has Ross conduct a field court-martial while the French close in. Found guilty, Brand mocks Sharpe, knowing he'll get away with it, and Sharpe, hating to admit Brand is right, pushes him down a well.

Brand does get away with it, as Ross, at the suggestion of Wellington, wishing to get on with the war with as few distractions as possible, lies in the official records that Brand died with honour, so as to avoid any inquiries by Horse Guard.


Name:
Sally Bunting
Occupation:
Matron of Foundling Home
Place of Origin:
Yorkshire
Appearances:
Sharpe's Justice
Story Contribution
Sally grew up in the same Foundling Home as Sharpe and Matt Truman, helping them to survive the brutality of the home. She knew the secret that they were really half brothers and the details of the death and burial of Lizzie Sharpe. Sally also provided the only romantic interest for Hagman in the entire series.
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Characters: C

Name:
Colonel Cailleau
Occupation:
French officer
Rank:
Chef du Battalion
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe's Christmas (short story)
Story Contribution
Bad tempered, he shot Ensign Nicholls under a flag of truce, and was shot in turn by Colonel Gudin for this breach of protocol.


Name:
Jean Calvet
Occupation:
Career soldier
Rank:
General, though Calvert, like Sharpe, has risen through the ranks.
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe's Siege, Mission, Revenge (TV)
Sharpe's Siege, Revenge (Books)
Quote:
"In Russia, I ate one of my corporals."
Story Contribution
Tough, loyal, well loved by his men and fair with a knack for survival, Calvet, like Sharpe, has risen up the ranks by merit alone. He is also a veteran of Napoleon's disastrous winter campaign against the Russians. Calvet is not shy about the fact that he survived by eating the bodies of his dead men. Ducos thinks him an oaf, but Calvet is a brave and professional soldier who has no time for airs and graces. He is also food obsessed, going to great lengths to obtain bacon, etc, probably as a result of starving on the Russian front.

Calvet learns a grudging respect for Sharpe during their confrontation in Siege. Calvet sees Sharpe as another honest soldier, though the trick with the lime annoyed him. Calvet actually ends up assisting Sharpe clear his name in Revenge, though Calvet's true goal is to recover the treasure.


Name:
Lady Anne Camoynes
Dowager Countess Camoynes
Occupation:
Socialite
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Regiment, Justice (TV)
Sharpe's Regiment (Book)
Quote:
"The only part of me he's kissed is my hand, and for that I was glad to be wearing gloves."
"The price you would have to pay, Sir Henry, would have the shirt off your back long before come to bedtime."
Story Contribution
Beautiful, cold, elegant and ruthless, yet vulnerable, Lady Anne sees Richard as a means to rid herself of Lord Fenner, who has purchased her as well as her late husband's marker. She now finds herself paying off her late husband's debts by serving Fenner in whatever capacity he demands, usually in his bed.

Surprisingly, she finds Sharpe a diversion as well as an ally, bedding him in payment for each favour she grants him, supplying him with as little information as he needs and sending him on his way. Sharpe fails though, and it is Lady Anne who saves the lot of them by preventing the destruction of Simmerson's ledgers.

She forgives Sharpe though, having gotten what she wanted anyway, and she returns to again offer insider information for an intimate transaction in Justice. She makes it plain that he chose foolishly when he chose Jane Gibbons to be his wife and teases him with bits of information about her's and Rossendales whereabouts and activities.


Name:
Carline
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Regiment (TV)
Sharpe’s Regiment, Revenge, Waterloo (Book)
Story Contribution
One of the foppish, arrogant officers discovered dining and playing parlour games in the deserted Chelmsford barracks by Sharpe who has turned up at Chelmsford in search of the second batallion of the South Essex.

Despite bad first impressions, Sharpe takes Carline back to Spain to fight with the South Essex. He turns into a fine officer that Sharpe regrets is killed in action at Quatre Bras.


Name:
Lucille Castineau nee Lassan
aka Madame la Vicomtesse de Seleglise (Book)
nee Maillot (TV)
Occupation:
Landowner
Place of Origin:
Normandy, France
Appearances:
Sharpe's Revenge, Sharpe's Waterloo (TV)
Sharpe's Revenge, Waterloo and Devil (Books)
Sharpe's Ransom (Short Story)

Story Contribution
Tall, dark, Gallic, thin with a long sharp nose, Lucille thinks herself not as beautiful as Jane, but she has a greater beauty inside, as well as strength and compassion, and becomes the love of Sharpe's life. Never able to marry Sharpe due to inability to afford a divorce from Jane, she remains Sharpe's companion for the rest of his life and the mother to his son, Henri Patrick (see the Starbuck series of books), and his daughter, Dominique.

Sharpe first met Lucille when she shot him, thinking him responsible for her brother Henri's death and that he has come back for her. Sharpe had in fact been seeking Lassan, hoping the French officer would exonerate Sharpe of the charges Ducos had plotted against him. When Frederickson, who has decided that a soldier could indeed marry and feels she is a perfect candidate, leaves to pursue Ducos, Lucille is forced to tend Sharpe as he recuperates from the her shooting of him. As Sharpe recovers from his wounds (in the book he was also shot in the shoulder and lost part of his ear), he is at first very bad tempered and rude, but, with no other company, he is forced to learn French, and soon there is a strong mutual attraction between the two. In the books, there is nothing to stop Lucille conceiving Sharpe's child, but on the screen Sharpe, very uncharacteristically, refuses to break his marriage vows until Harper tells him Jane has taken Rossendale as a lover. Thus poor Frederickson returns and finds he has indeed left the fox guarding the hen house, and his friendship with Sharpe never recovers from this blow.

On TV Sharpe returns to England, to confront Jane and Rossendale, but not before Lady Anne convinces him to be unfaithful to Lucille, though Sharpe initially refuses her first advance. He returns to Lucille, because in both book and film, it is with Lucille that he has decided to spend his life.

Later, in Sharpe's Challenge, Lucille is said to have died of a fever, leaving Sharpe open to further romantic entaglements.


Name:
Guy Challon
Occupation:
French Soldier
Mercenary
Rank:
Sergeant
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Revenge (TV and Book)
Sharpe's Ransom (Short Story)
Story Contribution
Brutish and dull witted. Challon is the hired muscle in Ducos’ plan to destroy Sharpe once and for all by setting Sharpe up to be accused of theft while Ducos himself absconds with the jewels.

Challon is Ducos' eyes and ears during the court martial proceedings where Sharpe is tried for absconding with Napoleon's Treasury. Challon shows up at Chateau Lassan nearly two years later still looking for the treasure.


Name:
Clayton
Occupation:
Soldier
Rank:
Private (Sharpe’s Company)
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Company (TV)
Sharpe’s Company, Waterloo (Books)
Story Contribution
Husband of Sally Clayton, the prettiest wife in the Regiment and a target of Hakeswill's evil intentions. He is a useful man to have around as he is amiable and can read, write and keep the books. On TV, he is killed in the breach at Badajoz, in the books, Clayton doesn’t make his wife a widow until Waterloo, after which, she takes up with the newly-promoted Sergeant Charlie Weller, a situation that Clayton had acceptingly contemplated before the battle.


Name:
Sally Clayton
Occupation:
Army Wife
Rank:
None
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Company (Book, TV) Sharpe's Waterloo (Book)
Story Contribution
Sally was one of the wives lucky enough to officially accompany her husband to war. The prettiest wife in the Regiment, Sally is desired by all, including the evil Obidiah Hakeswill. In the film version, he rapes and murders (or vice versa) the very recently-widowed Mrs. Clayton (it's a close call as to which of the Claytons fell first). In the books, Sally is widowed at Waterloo and given into young Charlie Weller's care.


Name:
Lord Thomas Cochrane
Occupation:
Pirate
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
Scotland
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Devil
Story Contribution
The Devil Cochrane, scourge of the Spanish colonial government in Chile. A Scotsman, a sailor, a jailbird and a rebel.


Name:
Jack Collett
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Major
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Company
Story Contribution
Friend and hunting companion of Colonel Windham. Collett is killed during the siege of Badajoz.


Name:
Conchita
Place of Origin:
Gypsy
Appearances:
Sharpe's Mission
Story Contribution
Conchita flirts with Harper, Harris and Hagman. She is murdered along with the other gypsies in the camp by Colonel Brand in his attempt to silence the gypsy girl Zara.


Name:
Francis Cooper
Occupation:
Formerly a dealer in other people's property, now a rifleman.
Rank:
Chosen Man (Sharpe's Rifles to Gold TV)
Corporal (Sharpe's Battle Book)
Place of Origin:
London, England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifles to Gold and Legend (TV)
Sharpe's Battle (Book)
Quote:
"Sir, it's time to go mad."
"It's very hard to trust a man who wants to borrow your picklock."
Story Contribution
Choosing the army over gaol, hanging or transportation, Cooper is the smart mouth of the group, always ready with a quick line that leaves Sharpe wordless for reply. Cooper's sticky fingers make him the ideal scrounger of the group. We never see him in action, but Sharpe knows exactly who to go for when in need of such odd items as a picklock (Rifles TV). Cooper was last seen wounded in Sharpe's Gold (TV). We assume he was repatriated, as he pops up again hale and hearty in Sharpe The Legend.


Name:
Craig
Rank:
One of Brand's Boys
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Mission
Quotes:
"Congratulations Colonel. You must be able to smell the garlic."
"You seem a bit soft hearted to be chosen men."
Story Contribution
One of Brand's Boys, he admits to being a murderer but denies that he ever was a French spy. He dies honorably while defending Rocha fort from a French assault, allowing Sharpe and his men to blow up the powder magazine and escape thru a secret tunnel.


Name:
Father Curtis
aka El Mirador
Occupation:
Priest and spymaster
Rank:
Doctor
Father
Place of Origin:
Ireland
Appearances:
Sharpe's Sword
Quote:
"I will see to it that Harper goes first to the church then to Ramona's bed. And you will see to it that the girl goes from your bed to the church."
"I think the theological reasoning would bore you Sharpe."
"Sure, we're ALL going to die, Patrick"
"God forgive me, but I wish it had lasted longer."
Story Contribution
This crafty little priest is Wellington's number one spy in Spain. Curtis fought with Spain against the British, but now fights with Britain and Spain against France. A master swordsman, doctor of theology, healer and spymaster, Father Curtis finds himself number one with a bullet on Napoleon's hit list. Leroux has discovered his identity and is on his way to kill Curtis, but Sharpe discovers the identity of El Mirador in time, thanks to Harris, and manages to prevent the planned assassination.
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Characters: D

Name:
Peter d'Alembord aka Dally
Occupation:
Officer
Rank:
Lieutenant (Sharpe's Honour)
Captain (Sharpe's Regiment)
Major (Sharpe's Waterloo)
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Honour (TV)
Sharpe's Honour, Regiment, Revenge, Waterloo (Books)
Sharpe's Christmas (Short Story)
Quote:
"If you would deign to hold that thing more like a sword and less like a cleaving instrument, one might hold out a morsel of hope."
"Your paths of glory lead but to a lady's bedchamber."
Story Contribution
Dally is a handsome yet foppish young man who doesn't really seem suited to the army, yet there he is, sitting out a scandal in England that occurred as the result of a duel. When Dally first meets Sharpe he is in awe of the man. He is both frightened of Sharpe's reputation, his bad temper and he thinks Sharpe's elaborate bluff against the French in Honour is proof that Sharpe is mad.
When the bluff works, Dally learns respect for the ragged Major and soon becomes one of the very few officers Sharpe considers a friend. Dally though, like Harper, learns you can only follow Sharpe, never lead him, a lesson quickly learnt when trying to teach Sharpe how to fence like a gentleman.
Dally accompanies Sharpe to England during Regiment, and he goes with Harper to track down Jane in Revenge, after first having let Sharpe escape the provosts.
Dally is reunited with Sharpe at Waterloo, dining with Sharpe and Lucille often before the battle. Dally is fearful that he is going to die in the battle, because he has just become engaged and is looking towards a rosy future. Poor Dally's portents very nearly come true. He is shot in the leg and as a result of malpractice on the part of the surgeon, rather than the actual wound, is forced to loose the leg as he almost bleeds to death.


Chasseur Colonel De l'Eclin

Name:
De l’Eclin
Occupation:
French Chasseur
Rank:
Colonel
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Rifles
Story Contribution
De l’Eclin, accompanied by Blas Vivar's brother, an avowed Anfrancesado, relentlessly pursues Vivar and Sharpe from Corunna to Santiago in a cat and mouse like hunt, nearly catching Sharpe several times. Outside Santiago, De l’Eclin takes on Sharpe, and Sharpe is loathe to shoot him outright - he doesn’t want to damage the calvary trousers De l’Eclin is wearing. Finally dragging De l’Eclin from his horse, Sharpe wins a pair of trousers and boots that he wears until he kills Leroux in Sharpe's Sword and gains a new set.




Lieutenant Denny

Name:
Christopher Denny
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Ensign
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Eagle
Quote:
"Four shots a minute!"
Story Contribution
Young and green, Denny fails to heed Leroy’s advice about following Sharpe to glory. He dies in his first battle against the French when he leaves the South Essex firing line to accompany Sharpe and the Chosen Men as they pursue the capture of a French Eagle at the Battle of Talavera.





Name:
Simon Doggett
Occupation:
Officer
Rank:
Lieutenant
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Waterloo
Quote:
"You're nothing but a silk stocking full of shit."
Story Contribution
Young, inexperienced and career conscious, Doggett is at first proud to be on the Prince of Orange's staff, but after witnessing cowardice after military bungle, Doggett decides Sharpe is quite correct in his assessment of the Prince.


Name:
Donaju
Occupation:
Palace Guard
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
Spain, of Irish descent
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Battle
Story Contribution
One of the few good apples in a rotten barrel, Donaju helps Sharpe train the Irish palace guard.


Name:
Michel Dubreton
Occupation:
French Officer
Rank:
Chef du Battalion
Colonel
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Enemy
Story Contribution
Dubreton is tricked into fighting Sharpe by the deserters, but he soon forms a gentlemen’s agreement with Sharpe and is most courteous in their efforts to release the hostages, even inviting the British officers to Christmas dinner. He is a man who plays fairly by the rules of war.


Name:
Sarah Dubreton
Occupation:
Hostage
Rank:
None
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Enemy
Quote:
“Lost in solitary gloom, withering in my bloom.”
Story Contribution
The English wife of a French Colonel, Sarah has been captured by deserters while praying at the convent. Quick thinking and educated, she alerts Sharpe to where she is being held by means of reciting a poem. The French only see her as an excuse to move into the town, but her husband genuinely loves her.


Name:
Pierre Ducos
Occupation:
Spy and advisor to the Emperor Napoleon
Rank:
Major
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe's Enemy, Honour, Seige, Revenge (TV)
Sharpe's Battle, Enemy, Honour, Siege, Revenge (Books)
Quote:
"An Eye for an Eye."
Story Contribution
Aptly toad like, cold blooded, misygionistic and ruthless, Ducos is a political animal, having survived several changes of government by being a lying weasel and court toady. Ducos is a career yes man. He is also a control freak and frequently ventures out into the field to personally supervise his Machiavellian schemes, usually against a British officer named Sharpe. Kill Sharpe, Ducos has reasonably concluded, and the whole British army in Spain will crumble and retreat. This is, in effect, the plot and motives for Honour, Siege and Revenge.
Ducos is a hater of women, and he demonstrates his contempt to Helene, whom he forces to participate in his plans. He is spiteful, going to great lengths to get his revenge on Sharpe for breaking his spectacles in Enemy, when they first meet. Ducos has announced that he is glad the Spanish whore La Aguja is dead. Not the best way to convey your condolences to an emotional Richard Sharpe. Sharpe, torn up with grief over Teresa's death, manages to channel his anger into the cool act of deliberately removing and stomping on Ducos' glasses, grinding them into the dirt. Sharpe them humiliates Ducos further by calling his bluff and scaring off the French with his Rocket troop. Ducos does not take these twin insults lightly.
Ducos is also a coward, unable to face Sharpe without the restraint of a goon squad or crippling grief (on Sharpe's part) . Ducos proves he's got a streak of yellow a mile wide by fleeing when Sharpe brutally and bloodily escapes when being held in the Fort of Santa Maria in Honour. Sharpe is a wee bit peeved at this stage as Ducos has just busted up his prize telescope, a gift from Wellington for saving his life, in return for the broken glasses. Resourceful even under duress, our Sharpie uses the broken bit of telescope to saw through his ropes and mangle the guards who were holding him, going straight for the groin on the guard who had been looking at him like he was dessert.
In the book Siege, Ducos manages to snare Sharpe in his trap, but Sharpe escapes, and discovers he was bait to trap Ducos all along. Sharpe is not a happy man and takes out his anger on those he feels have betrayed him.
Sharpe is next set up by Ducos in Revenge, being charged with stealing the Emperor's jewels, which Ducos himself has made off with, down to Naples. Frederickson manages to find Ducos via his repeated orders for new spectacles and the lads take off for Naples, though things are a bit strained between Sharpe and Frederickson.
Ducos has hired the local Cardinal's army and a few mercenaries, but it's not enough to stop Sharpe, his mates and a handful of Calvet's men. They storm the house, see off the mercenaries and scatter the Cardinal's troops with a few pennies from heaven. Sharpe shoots Ducos off his horse, but it's never entirely clear whether the bastard is really dead this time (as he appeared to have bought it in the TV version of Honour, but apparently not).



Warren Dunnett Name:
Warren Dunnett
Occupation:
Officer
Rank:
Major
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifles (TV)
Sharpe's Rifles, Waterloo (Books)
Story Contribution
Originally commanding the 95th Rifles, Dunnett was caught by the French during the retreat to Corunna. He never approved of Sharpe's having been risen from the ranks, but manages to be polite when he meets Lt. Colonel Sharpe during the battle of Waterloo. Dunnett had sat out the Peninsular war as a POW, and thus finds his former Lieutenant now outranks him.

On TV, Dunnett is commader of the Rifle Company to which Sharpe is first assigned and is to command Dunnett's Sharpshooters. Disapproving of the up from the ranks Sharpe, he sends them to scout ahead just before his company is attacked by French cavalry and he is killed by a saber slash and dies on the spot.

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Characters: E

Name:
El Casco
Occupation:
Spanish partisan leader
Place of Origin:
Spain - descended from Aztec Indians
Appearances:
Sharpe's Gold (TV)
Quote:
"Meow, meow, meow, yow, yow, meow ...... meow"
Story Contribution
El Casco is a Spanish partisan leader who wears 300 year old armour. He comes to see Wellington and proposes trading 52 deserters for 50 Baker rifles. In his mountain caves he has a horde of Aztec gold and practices human sacrifice upon his hapless victims. He is found by Sharpe as he prepares to serve up Ellie Nugent to his "God of Flaying". He spears Ayres who dies instantly and is chased into the treasure rooms of his caves as he fights and wounds Sharpe and is finally shot and killed by Harper.


Name:
El Castrador
Occupation:
Partsisan, vet and bandit
Rank:
Nothing formal
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Battle (Book)
Story Contribution
El Castrador has expanded his services to include French soldiers and has become the leader of the local Partisans. He helps Sharpe maintain order and discipline with the Irish troops by demonstrating that all deserters will have their bollocks cut off.


Name:
Dona Juanita de Elia
Occupation:
Partisan and French Spy
Rank:
Not known
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Battle
Story Contribution
Juanita collects the uniforms of every soldier she has ever slept with, which is also how she collects her information. Sometime lover of Loup, she is sent into the British fort to collect uniforms, including Kiely’s and Perkin’s, and tries to get Sharpe’s.
When Juanita tries to interfere in the duel between Sharpe and Loup, Harper shoots her off her horse. In the TV version she is killed by Kiely for her treachery.


Name:
El Matarife
Occupation:
Partisan
Rank:
Leader
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Honour
Story Contribution
Violent and savage. Matarife’s favourite method of execution is, while chained to his captive, fighting with long blades and killing them cut by cut, the chain preventing them from escaping the blade. Not surprisingly at all, Matarife’s brother happens to be an inquisitor. Under orders from Ducos, Matarife kidnaps Helene and hands her over to the church, then lies about her whereabouts to Sharpe. Sharpe has to fight Matarife for Helene, in Matarife’s chosen method, but Sharpe is quicker and manages to win.
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Characters: F

Name:
Sir Augustus Farthingdale
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Colonel
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Enemy
Story Contribution
Another English aristocrat who wants to make a name for himself in Spain. Sir Augustus has published a book on army procedure without ever having set foot on a battlefield and his connections force Wellington to rescue Farthingdale’s wife from the deserters who have captured her. Farthingdale disapproves of the choice of Sharpe for the mission, but he has no choice as Sharpe is now a Major. And when he disagrees with Sharpe’s idea of staying and fighting the French, Sharpe reminds Farthingdale that his “wife” is a whore of Sharpe’s aquaintance. Sharpe takes over command for the price of his silence.


Lady Farthingdale

Name:
Lady Isabella Farthingdale (TV)
Lady Josefina Farthingdale (Book)
Occupation:
Professional escort
Place of Origin:
Portugal
Appearances:
Sharpe's Eagle, Enemy (TV)
Sharpe's Eagle, Gold, Enemy (Books)
Quote:
"I have no morals, yet I'm a very moral person."
Story Contribution
Dark and beautiful, Sharpe first sees Josefina accompany Christian Gibbons, but is told he'll never be able to afford her. Sharpe wants her more than the Eagle he promised Lennox, so when Christian treats Josefina with cruelty, Sharpe takes his oppurtunity to play hero. He really can't afford to keep her though, and must borrow money (from Hogan in the book, Leroy on TV).
Sharpe gets his eagle, but Josefina moves on to greener pastures. First with Captain Claud Hardy, whose body Sharpe is sent to find in Gold, and then Sir Augustus Farthingdale.
Josefina turns out to be Sir Augustus' kidnapped wife Sharpe has been sent to rescue from the clutches of the deserters, and Josefina turns on her best temptress act as a reward, in spite of the fact that Sharpe is now married to Teresa. Sharpe discovers Josefina is not really married to Sir Augustus, merely hired to pose as his wife. Sharpe uses this knowledge to blackmail Fartingdale in allowing Sharpe to take command.


Name:
Lord Fenner
Occupation:
Secretary of War
Rank:
Lord
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Regiment
Story Contribution
The quintessential politician, Fenner is self serving, corrupt and cruel. He has purchased Lady Anne’s services as mistress and spy, and uses her to spy on Sharpe. The plan backfires when Lady Anne decides to use Sharpe against Fenner. Fenner has been skimming the books in a big way, transferring men and stores in and out of battalions secretly and taking hefty kickbacks for his trouble. When Sharpe finds out what Fenner is up to, he means to stop him, but not if Fenner can kill or disgrace Sharpe first.
Lady Anne manages to find the missing ledgers containing records of all the illegal transactions, saving Sharpe and blackmailing Fenner. Fenner resigns, now unable to afford his public office.


Name:
Fitzgerald
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Ensign
Place of Origin:
Ireland
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Tiger
Story Contribution
Cheerful and popular. So of course Hakeswill hates him and decides to teach Fitzgerald a lesson. Which he does, luring Fitzgerald to his death during the siege of Mysore.


Name:
Ford
Occupation:
Naval Officer
Rank:
Lieutenant
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Siege, Revenge (Books)
Story Contribution
Snobbish, having enquired of Sharpe’s origins, Ford is Bamflyde’s offsider and serves as his second in the duel with Sharpe over the desertion of the fort.


Name:
William Frederickson
aka Sweet William
Occupation:
Career soldier
Rank:
Captain of the 60th Rifles
Place of Origin:
Half German and Half English.
Appearances:
Sharpe's Enemy, Siege, Revenge (TV)
Sharpe's Enemy, Honour, Siege, Revenge (Books)
Quote:
"I collect perfect teeth from dead Frogs. When I get back to London I'm going to have a complete set made."
Story Contribution
False hair, false teeth, eyepatch and gruesomely scarred, Frederickson carries all the badges of a professional soldier, as well as a pair of pliers for his French teeth collection. Older and grittier than Sharpe, Frederickson commands the Royal American Rifles, a unit raised in America and left over from the Revolutionary war, with only one actual American, Thomas Taylor, left among their ranks.
Sharpe laughs that Frederickson doesn't care in Enemy, and in truth, the only thing he does care about is getting the job done, often betraying his ruthless German origins, and his love of architecture, showing Frederickson as a man of higher learning.
Frederickson respects Sharpe and considers him a good friend, one worth fighting for, until Sharpe does him the diservice of bedding Lucille, upon whom Frederickson was sweet on.


Name:
Fytch
Occupation:
Marine
Rank:
Lieutenant
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Siege (Book)
Story Contribution
One of the men left behind with Sharpe to defend the fort, Fytch bravely dies while trying to stop the French breaking through the barricades.
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Characters: G

Name:
Tom Garrard
Occupation:
Soldier
Rank:
Private (Sharpe's Tiger)
Lieutenant (Sharpe's Gold)
Captain (Sharpe's Battle)
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Tiger, Gold, Battle (Books)
Story Contribution
Tom was Sharpe's best friend in the ranks while they fought in India, and Sharpe is delighted to meet his old friend in Almeida, now an officer with the Portuguese army. Wellington had allowed deserving Sergeants to become officers with the Portuguese because they were desperately needing in training. Tom survives Sharpe blowing up the fort of Almeida to meet him again in Battle, Tom's Portuguese soldiers having been sent there to reinforce and mind the Irish. Tom sacrifices his life to save Sharpe's during an attack by Loup, lighting a wagon of gunpowder to serve as a distraction. Sharpe finds Tom had still kept his one of the tin tinderboxes they had bought in Mysore together, just about the only thing left after the explosion.


Christian Gibbons

Name:
Christian Gibbons
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Lieutenant
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Eagle
Quote:
"I don't fight duels over whores."
Story Contribution
Nephew to Sir Henry Simmerson and brother to Jane. Christian is a nasty piece of work and his first meeting with Sharpe nearly ends in a duel. Sharpe takes Josefina away from Christian, and Christian returns the favour by attempting to rape Josefina. Christian finds Sharpe on the battlefield first and nearly succeeds in killing him if not for the timely intervention of Patrick.


Name:
Jane Gibbons
Occupation:
Wife and Adulteress
Place of Origin:
Essex, England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Regiment, Siege, Mission, Revenge, Justice, Waterloo (TV)
Sharpe's Eagle, Gold and Company (as portrait only), Regiment, Siege, Revenge, Waterloo (Books)
Quote:
"You belong in the gutter!"
Story Contribution
Blonde, beautiful, young and sheltered, Sharpe first falls for Jane when he sees her portrait in a locket he has just taken off the body of her brother Christian (who has just come off the worse in an argument with Sharpe and Harper). He carries the portrait with him for a long while, and even showed it to Teresa in the book versions of Gold and Company.
Sharpe did not meet Jane until 1809, while in England on some business, and he held the image of her dear until he meets her again in Regiment. Jane is as beautiful as he remembered and when Jane agrees to help him, Sharpe cannot believe that his feelings might be returned. Jane's image has been an ideal for him, she came to represent what he was fighting for, she represented England, and her acceptance and fledgling crush on the dashing officer meant a lot to Sharpe's self image and self esteem. She was everything he aspired to in a wife; rich, genteel, educated. The complete opposite to the dark and fiery Teresa.
Sharpe elopes with Jane, to Patrick's despair, to save her from the punishment she expects from her Uncle, Simmerson, in regards to her conspiring to help Sharpe against her Uncle. Jane follows Sharpe to Spain and manages to charm Patrick and Ramona, who employs herself as Jane's maid.
Sharpe is very much in love with his wife, and frets for her all through Siege, thinking she has caught a fever from Hogan whom she had visited before he died. In the films Sharpe must also enlist the help of Harris to see off the unwelcome advances of would be poet Percy Shellington. Sharpe doesn't entirely trust Jane in the fidelity department, probably because he's no great shakes there himself.
Jane soon finds army life not to her taste, and frets that her husband will be more of a social millstone than a lift when she returns to England. Thus is does not take too much convincing for her to find an excuse to leave Sharpe and abscond back to England with all his money, which is quickly frittered away by her fair weather friend and inveterate gambler Rossendale. It doesn't take much convincing from Rossendale to get her into bed, either.
In Justice, Sharpe returns to England to find his career shafted thanks to Rossendale, and Jane bitterly uses Rossendale's influence to threaten Sharpe away from trying to claim his money. Sharpe now only wants his money back, to help with Lucille's farm, as Jane's parting words firmly bury their relationship. Now only hate an enmity lie between them.
Lucille sees Jane at the Ball in Brussels the evening before the battle of Waterloo and warns Sharpe of the hate in Jane's eyes. Lucille is worried, knowing that Jane would, and indeed has, asked Rossendale to kill Sharpe after the cover of battle, and thus preserve her stolen fortune and allow her to marry her titled lover. Sharpe, finding Jane and Rossendale at the ball, threatens Rossendale at the point of a sword for his money. One abortive duel in the forest later finds Sharpe with a promissory note in exchange for Jane. Sharpe has crudely explained to Rossendale that he has sold his wife to him.
The note is worthless, however, as Rossendale, an untried soldier, dies on the field, leaving Jane with little money, no title, no friends and with child.


Name:
Gilliand
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Enemy
Story Contribution
Commander of the rocket troop.


Name:
Bartholomew Girdwood
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Lt. Colonel
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Regiment
Quote:
"Ambush would have broke a lesser man."
“Black as bog.”
Story Contribution
Aspiring suitor of Jane Gibbons. Of fastidious appearance, including a tarred moustache. A coward, equally terrified of Irish and dogs. Girdwood had been attacked by a dog as a child, and by Irish on his one and only field command. Saved from disgrace by his friend and patron Simmerson, Girdwood is set up as commander of Foulness, the secret army camp in Essex. Arrested by Sharpe at Foulness, Girdwood reluctantly accompanies the Regiment to Spain, with Sharpe acting as the real commander. Girdwood’s first taste of battle proves too much, and he goes quite insane.


Name:
Jean Gudin
Occupation:
French adviser to the Tippoo
Rank:
Colonel
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Tiger (Book)
Sharpe's Christmas (Short Story)
Story Contribution
Kind hearted and fair. Gudin quite likes Sharpe, recognising him as a good soldier, and is happy to have Sharpe join the European soldiers fighting for the Tippoo within Mysore. He is quite disappointed when he has to arrest Sharpe for spying. He later meets Sharpe in Spain, never having progressed in his career after Seringampatam, and Sharpe, still ranking Gudin as the best Colonel he has ever served under, gives the French a victory.
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Characters: H

Name:
Hacha
Occupation:
Inquisitor
Rank:
Father
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Honour
Story Contribution
Cruel, secretive, corrupt, scheming and an information broker, Hacha is a credit to his profession. He involves himself in Ducos' scheme for the money and the political influence should the King of Spain return. Hacha arranges for the death of Helene’s husband, her disappearance into the convent and to extract letters of support for the Spanish King by whatever methods he feels fit, often using his violent brother as his heavy.
In the TV version, Ducos dispenses with Hacha’s services at the point of a gun.


Name:
Daniel Hagman
Occupation:
Formerly a poacher, now a rifleman.
Rank:
Corporal (Sharpe's Rifles)
Sergeant (Sharpe's Waterloo TV)
Place of Origin:
Cheshire, England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifles to Waterloo (Books and TV)
Sharpe's Christmas (Short Story)
Quote:
"Best brown paper and paraffin oil."
Story Contribution
The oldest chosen man and the best shot, Hagman was a successful poacher until a run in with the law forced a change a career path into the army. Able to shoot wee bunnies at night over quite a distance, Hagman finds it no trouble pop off the odd Frog.
Hagman is also the team musician, able to adapt a popular folk or marching tune for any occasion. Quietly the morale officer of the Chosen Men, Hagman dispenses sage advice as well as paraffin oil and best brown paper to keep tings running smoothly.
Hagman survives all the battles until the last one, at Waterloo.


Obadiah Hakeswill

Name:
Obidiah Hakeswill
Occupation:
A liar, a thief, a rapist and a murderer.
Rank:
Sergeant
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Company and Enemy (TV)
Sharpe's Tiger, Triumph, Company and Enemy (Books)
Quote:
"When old Obidiah's up, he's up like an animal."
Story Contribution
A complete bastard. Hakeswill is Sharpe's nightmarish nemesis, haunting our lad from India until he turns up again in Spain. It was Hakeswill who got Sharpe flogged in India. Hakeswill's main goal in life seems to be to cause Sharpe as much misery and grief as possible. Why, it is never really explained. Having succeeded in having Sharpe flogged once, Hakeswill betrays Sharpe to the Tippo and causes him to be flogged again.
Sharpe is really shaken when Hakeswill shows up in Spain, the harbinger of a run of bad luck that starts when he loses Lawford to a war wound and ends when he loses his wife Teresa to Hakeswill's bullet. It is Sharpe in the book who administers the final bullet that ends Hakeswill's miserable life.
Hakeswill is a complete psychopath who failed to be properly hung at age 12 for raping the Vicar's daughter. He escaped into the army where he later recruited a young 16 year old Sharpe, and proceeded to make life hell for the boy. Hakeswill's main distinguishing features are a hanging scar upon his neck, from which he claims he cannot die, a severe twitch and facial tick, probably as a result of the botched hanging, cruel yet childlike blue eyes and a tendency to talk to his mother out loud a lot.


Name:
George Hanover IV
Occupation:
Ruler of Britain
Rank:
Prince Regent
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Regiment
Story Contribution
Over pampered and over weight, and becoming every bit as loony as his father, the Prince reads about Richard Sharpe taking the Eagle at Talavera and becomes Sharpe’s number one groupie. The Prince bestows upon Sharpe a promotion to Brevet Major and when Sharpe arrives in London, he is summoned to an audience with the Prince. The Prince by this stage now imagines himself having fought alongside Sharpe at Talavera, and Sharpe realises he has an influential, but ineffectual patron. Nevertheless, Sharpe appeals to the Prince to be allowed to take his men to Spain, appealing to the Prince’s vanity by calling the missing Regiment the Prince of Wales’ Own Volunteers. The name stuck.


Name:
Claud Hardy
Occupation:
Calvary Officer
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Eagle, Gold (Books)
Story Contribution
The man who won Josefina from Sharpe in Eagle. Hardy has been sent to fetch the Spanish gold, but upon his non return, Sharpe is sent out to rescue his romantic rival. Sharpe finds Hardy dead, having been murdered by the partisans.


Name:
Patrick Michael Harper (TV)
Patrick Augustine Harper (Books)
Occupation:
Rifleman and Sharpe's protector. Patrick, one son of a large and poor family, joined the British army as a way out of poverty.
Rank:
Corporal /Chosen Man ( Sharpe's Rifles TV)
Sergeant (Sharpe's Rifles TV)
Regimental Sergeant Major (Sharpe's Regiment TV & Sharpe's Christmas Short Story)
Place of Origin:
Donegal, Ireland
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifles to Waterloo (TV)
Sharpe's Rifles to Devil (Books)
Sharpe's Christmas (Short Story)
Quote:
"You're a grand man ... for an Englishman."
"Send them to Ireland, Sir. We'd be free in a week."
"Every cripple has his own way of walkin'."
"God save Ireland."
Story Contribution
In the books Patrick is tall, sandy haired and younger than Sharpe. In the films Patrick takes the traditional brunette role in the partnership. After a fierce almost courtship ritual as described in Rifles, Harper becomes Sharpe's best friend, loyal companion, protector and champion. Patrick declares his intention to look after Sharpe within the book Rifles, and his diligence to this promise can be seen to most touching effect when Patrick searches the dead and dying for a wounded Sharpe in Sword. Patrick then makes the wounded Sharpe a new sword, to replace his broken one, forging it with all the love in his heart, in a wonderful excursion into grail lore (Harper believes Sharpe will recover if he can see he has a new sword). Harper remains a lifelong friend to Sharpe, and not even the end of the war can separate them, as they reunite for one last adventure in Devil.


Name:
Ramona Harper (TV)
Isabella (Books)
Occupation:
Camp Follower
Place of Origin:
Badajoz, Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe's Company, Sword, Enemy, Honour, Regiment, Siege, Revenge, Waterloo, Devil (Books)
Sharpe's Company, Enemy, Honour, Gold, Battle, Sword, Mission (TV)
Quote:
"For me, no ups, no downs."
Story Contribution
Patrick finds and protects Isabella/Ramona during the siege of Badajoz. After the siege, Ramona decides to stay with Patrick, even though he speaks no Spanish and she speaks no English. They become lovers and she bears him a son. In the books, Patrick names his first born Richard. On TV the child is delivered by the chosen men while Harper is off adventuring with Sharpe, and Ramona names the poor child after all the midwives. Harper is not keen to marry Ramona, however. On screen, he is tricked into wedlock by Father Curtis. In the books, Harper is given permission to marry by Leroy in Honour.
Ramona accompanies Harper throughout the war, looking after her son, her man, and his best friend. After the war, Patrick has quite a bit of trouble getting Ramona back to Ireland, as only official wives, those on company strength, were allowed to return. Many Spanish and Portuguese wives were abandoned at the docks. Patrick and Ramona manage to get to Dublin, and though Patrick had intended to return to Donegal, he gets no further than Dublin, where he uses his fortune to buy a pub. Ramona gives him several more children and seems happy, except when her man is drawn away to go off adventuring with "him", Sharpe.


Name:
Harris (no first name ever given)
Occupation:
Formerly a teacher, now serving as a Rifleman as a result of some bad debts.
Rank:
Corporal /Chosen Man ( Sharpe's Rifles TV)
Sergeant (Sharpe's Waterloo TV)
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
TV - Sharpe's Rifles to Waterloo
Book - Sharpe's Battle
Quote:
"A Courtier to my Lord Bacchus and an unremitting debtor".
"I'll trade you a Voltaire and a filthy book by the Marquis de Sade for yours by Sir Augustus, sir."
Story Contribution
That red hair and an uncanny ability to come up with a classical quote for every occasion. Able to translate French book codes, especially if they're based on Voltaire and considers it a good score if a dead Frog has books in his pack.


Name:
George Harris
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
General
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Tiger
Story Contribution
Veteran of the American Revolutionary War. Harris does not approve of the plan to rescue McCandless, but agrees to it, mainly because Sharpe manages to convince him it could work.


Name:
Horatio Havercamp
Occupation:
Recruiting Officer
Rank:
Sergeant
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Regiment
Quote:
"I shall march you till you drop."
Story Contribution
Fat and bad tempered. Havercamp is a showman of the snake oil variety. He lies, cheats, bribes and shanghais men into the South Essex’s Second Battalion. He unknowingly recruits Sharpe and Harper while claiming to be personally aquainted with the heroes.


Major Hogan Name:
Michael Hogan
Occupation:
Engineer
Exploring Officer
Rank:
Captain (Sharpe's Eagle Book)
Major (Sharpe's Gold Book) (Sharpe's Rifles TV)
Lt. Colonel (Sharpe's Siege Book)
Place of Origin:
Ireland
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifles, Eagle (TV)
Sharpe's Rifles to Siege (Books)
Sharpe's Christmas (Short Story)
Quotes:
"You mind is making appointments, Richard, your body should never keep."
Story Contribution
Hogan's coats button up over a number of different duties, Wellington said, and button tightly they did. Colourful, Irish and theatrical, Hogan, ostensibly an Engineer, also work as an exploring officer and spymaster for Wellington, gathering information as he and his spies scouted ahead for the army and conducted liason with the partisans.

Hogan recruited Sharpe instantly to his little spy family, convincing Wellington to send Sharpe off on dangerous missions and indeed even pimping Sharpe as need be. The role was taken over by other spymaster Majors in the series, but in the books Hogan remains one of Sharpe's greatest supporters and friends until his death due to fever in Sharpe's Siege (book). It is through his machinations that Sharpe meets Teresa, and even Jane, after a fashion. Hogan genuinely cared for Sharpe and tried to keep him out of trouble as much as he dumped him into it, best illustrated in Sharpe's two adventures with Helene and in Battle (Book).


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Characters: I



Characters: J

Name:
Joaquim Jovellanos
aka El Catolico
Occupation:
Former Spanish Officer, now Partisan
Rank:
Colonel
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Gold (Book)
Story Contribution
Famous for quoting the Scriptures while torturing his prisoners, and the betrothed of Teresa. When Sharpe runs off with both the gold and Teresa, Jovellanos follows Sharpe to Almeida where they circle around each other until they finally duel in the church bell tower. Sharpe wins the duel by impaling himself on Jovellanos’ sword, thus disarming him.


Name:
Maggie Joyce
Occupation:
Hotel Proprietor
Place of Origin:
St Giles Rookery, London, England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Regiment (Book and TV)
Quote:
"When I first saw you, I didn't know whether to drown you or eat you."
Story Contribution
Sharpe's oldest surviving friend, Maggie found Sharpe after he had run away from the foundling home, and taught him the ways of the world, including his sexual initiation. Once a working girl, Maggie has made something of herself and now runs Bennet's place, a dubious establishment in the London slums.
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Characters: K

Name:
Kearsey
Occupation:
Exploring Officer
Rank:
Major
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Gold (Book)
Story Contribution
Deeply religious. Kearsey has gone a bit native and believes the noble Spanish partisans are more deserving of the gold than the British, in spite of his orders. He actively hampers Sharpe being able to collect and transport the gold back to British lines. Kearsey is killed during the siege of Almeida.


Name:
Kelly
Occupation:
Soldier and deserter
Rank:
Private (Sharpe’s Enemy)
Chosen Man (Sharpe’s Enemy)
Place of Origin:
Ireland
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Enemy (TV)
Story Contribution
A former Connaught Ranger, Kelly saw Sharpe take the Eagle at Talavera. Now a deserter, he finds raping and pillaging not to his taste so he helps Sharpe capture the deserters and dies bravely as a newly re-instated corporal.


Name:
Lord Benedict Kiely
Earl of Kiely
Occupation:
Commander of the Real Compania Irlandesa
Rank:
Commander
Place of Origin:
Ireland
Appearances:
Sharpe's Battle
Story Contribution
Talk, dark and good looking, given to alcohol and brooding. Untried in battle, Kiely has definite ideas about heroism and seems to have a death wish, engaging a French calvary officer in single combat. He resents Sharpe's experience and advice, and becomes too involved in his mistress, Dona Juanita de Elia, to notice the dissension within his ranks due to anti-British propaganda.
In the book, betrayed and humiliated Kiely blows his brains out. In the TV version, Kiely betrays Sharpe in order to save his wife, and yet dies in the rescue attempt in any case.


Lady Kiely Name:
Lady Kiely
Occupation:
Wife
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Battle (TV)
Story Contribution
Pale and English, this wilting rose is distressed both by her husband's infidelity and a nasty spot of morning sickness. She begs Sharpe to intervene on her behalf regarding her husband's indiscretions, but Sharpe gently refuses her offer of payment for the favour.
Lady Kiely proves to be made of sterner stuff than her husband, having already survived the loss of a child, she now helps fight against the French, survives abduction by Loup and then reluctantly assumes the mantle of widowhood.





Name:
Cornelius Killick
Occupation:
Privateer (to the Americans and French)/Pirate (to the British) and commanding officer of the schooner, Thuella
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
Marblehead, Massachusetts, United States of America
Appearances:
Sharpe's Siege (Book)
Quote:
"When they dangle us at a rope's end I'll say that not every Britisher is a bastard."
"Bugger me."
Story Contribution
"He had a cutwater of a face; sharp, lined, savagely tanned; a dangerously handsome face framed by a tangled shock of gold-dark hair. It was battered, beaten by winds and seas and scarred by blades and scorched by powder-blasts, but still a handsome face; enough to make the girls look twice." Smokes cigars.


Name:
Robert Knowles
Occupation:
Officer
Rank:
Lieutenant (Sharpe's Eagle)
Captain of Fusilier Battalion (Sharpe's Company)
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Eagle, Gold, Company (Books)
Story Contribution
Quiet and honest, Knowles first meets Sharpe when he takes command of the Light Company of the South Essex and the two quickly become friends and allies, Sharpe relying on Knowles to smooth out the tensions within the unit and to act as his liaison. They have an excellent working relationship, one that Sharpe misses when Knowles is transferred. They remain friends and Knowles gives his life for Sharpe's family. He is the first to reach the Moreno house in Badajoz and is killed by Hakeswill while trying to protect Teresa and the baby.
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Characters: L
Josefina La Costa

Name:
Josefina La Costa
Occupation:
Countess
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe's Eagle (TV)
Sharpe's Eagle, Gold, Enemy (Book)
Story Contribution
A true gentlewoman, Josefina was widowed at Vimiero and is travelling under the protection of Christian Gibbons and the South Essex when Sharpe first encounters her. Her attentions to Sharpe and his assuming responsibility for her safety causes hostility between himself, Gibbons and Gibbon's friend Lieutenant Berry.

In the books, Josefina is a high-dollar courtesan, rescued from mistreatment by Gibbons and Berry and only too happy to repay Sharpe with her favors.


Lass Name:
Lass
Occupation:
Novice Nun
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe's Sword (TV)
Story Contribution
Quiet and doll like, the novice is shocked into silence after witnessing the torture and murder of her priest and fellow nuns. She is found hiding in the woods by Sharpe and taken back to camp to be cared for by Ramona. Lass will not leave Sharpe's side and insists on sleeping with him, and finds herself unable to resist the temptation to touch his naked shoulder while he's trying to sleep.

When Sharpe is shot, Curtis decides it is Lass who should tend the rifleman, which she does with Ramona's help, removing the musket ball and stitching up the wounds. She stays with Richard throughout his fever and when the fever finally breaks she speaks for the first time. Richard keeps his promise to Father Curtis however and returns her to the church in exchange for Curtis arranging a marriage for Harper and Ramona.



Name:
Henri Comte de Lassan (Book)
Henri Maillot (TV)
Occupation:
Officer
Rank:
Capitaine
Place of Origin:
Normandy, France
Appearances:
Sharpe's Revenge (TV)
Sharpe's Siege, Revenge (Books)
Story Contribution
In command of the fort Sharpe captures in Siege, and the brother of Lucille, Lassan is a quite, studious, deeply religious man who would prefer to serve in the priesthood than in the army. He is a kindly man, tortured by his conscience for the smallest of sins. Lassan had turned his quarters in the fort into a library, but all his precious books were burnt for warmth or used for personal hygiene purposes when the British captured the fort.
Lassan takes the loss of the fort hard, and Ducos exercises his spite by making poor Lassan the fall guy, along with Sharpe, in his next plot. Lassan is stated to be the only living witness to Sharpe's crime, but when Frederickson demands that Lassan appear in person to give his testimony, Lassan is murdered by Ducos men to preserve his silence. Lassan's body is mutilated by the removal of two fingers to explain why his written statement was illegible, and the murder is set up so that Sharpe will get the blame. Lucille certainly believes in Sharpe's guilt and shoots him in revenge for her brother the first chance she gets.


Name:
Henri Patrick Lassan aka Patrick Lassan
Viscount Seleglise of the Duchy of Normandy
Occupation:
Observer for the French Government of the American Civil War.
Rank:
Chasseur Colonel of the Imperial Guard
Brevet General during the Austrian Wars
Place of Origin:
Normandy, France
Appearances:
Sharpe's Waterloo, Devil (Books)
Sharpe's Ransom (Short Story)
Copperhead, Battleflag (The Starbuck Books)
Story Contribution
The bastard son of an English rifleman and a French aristocrat, born shortly before the battle of Waterloo and named for his father's Irish best friend. Patrick is tall like his father, with his mother's dark, thin face. Choosing the French Calvary over the British Rifles (and breaking his father's heart in the process), he became an officer cadet at St Cyr in 1832, Patrick has served in the Crimea and Austrian wars, amongst others, as a advisor to the American Confederate Army and though very handsome and charming, and very much the rogue, his face shows the marks of these wars. He has a scar from a Russian sabre on his right cheek, a scar where an Austrian rifle bullet broke his left jaw and a Cossack bullet took out his left eye. Nevertheless the adventurous Lassan is never short of female companionship, though his father disagreed with his taste in women.


William Lawford Name:
William Lawford
Occupation:
Officer in His Britannic Majesty's Army, later politician in the House of Commons and Magistrate
Rank:
Lieutenant (Sharpe's Tiger - Book)
Lieutenant Colonel (Sharpe's Eagle)
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifle, Eagle, Company and Regiment(TV)
Sharpe's Tiger, Eagle, Gold, Company and Regiment(Books)
Quote:
"Just big pussy cats".
"God, you're ruthless"
Story Contribution
An elegant dandy, monied, fashionable, aristocratic and able to buy his promotions, William Lawford represents everything Sharpe hates about the British Army and the officer class. Except Sharpe likes his superior officer very much, and the feeling is quite mutual. Complete opposites, they forged a friendship that surpassed rank and class while stuck together in adversity in India on a mission to rescue Lawford's uncle,Hector McCandless. Sharpe kept Lawford alive and Lawford taught Sharpe how to read and write, using only one page of the bible while in the dungeons of the Tippoo.

Sharpe feels that he owes Lawford a debt of honour and gratitude for teaching him to write his own name. Lawford, recognising Sharpe as the superior soldier, wants to see his friend do well, and is always trying to help in some small way.

Lawford loses an arm during the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, it was Sharpe himself who hacked it off to save Lawford's life. Lawford was repatriated back to England and Sharpe lost an influential patron. Sharpe did not see Lawford again until he became embroiled in Fenner's crimping operation in Sharpe's Regiment. Again, with a mind to his own political future, Lawford tried to extricate Richard as gently from the situation as he thought he could.

Sharpe could not help feeling a sense of betrayal, however, as Lawford's backroom deals nearly backfired as Fenner decided to dispense with Sharpe more cheaply than Lawford's suggestion of an overseas posting. He never considered that Sharpe's loyalty to the soldiers of the South Essex would never allow him to abandon his regiment.


Name:
Lebecque
Occupation:
Mercenary and looter
Rank:
Corporal
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe's Revenge (Book)
Sharpe's Ransom (Short Story)
Quote:
"I Remember you."
Story Contribution
A Dragoon hired by Ducos to guard the treasure that Sharpe managed to steal back. Lebecque has another try for the fortune after Waterloo, thinking Sharpe must have squirreled away at least some of the gold.


Major Lennox

Name:
Lennox
Occupation:
British officer
Rank:
Major (TV)
Captain (Book)
Place of Origin:
Scotland
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Eagle
Quotes:
"This is a fool's mission. Watch my flank Sharpe."
"I want an Eagle, an Imperial Eagle touched by the hand of Bonapart himself."
Story Contribution
Once a Highlander and something of a hero while fighting in India, the recently retired Lennox now finds himself in the worst Regiment he’s ever seen. Stranded on the wrong side of the river by Simmerson’s blowing up of the bridge, Lennox and Sharpe are attacked by the French, and lose the King’s Colours. Dying in disgrace, Lennox asks Sharpe to get him a French Eagle, to wipe away the stain.


Name:
Phillipe Leroux
Occupation:
Spy
Rank:
Colonel
Place of Origin:
Paris, France
Appearances:
Sharpe's Sword
Quote:
"Ah, my favourite English spy."
Story Contribution
Leroux is the man with the sword Sharpe wants. Supposedly the brother of Helene, in the film Leroux appears dark and swarthy. In both he is a spy, and a cruel one at that. Leroux has a nasty reputation for torturing his victims by peeling their skin off and it is by this method that Leroux broke Jack Spears. In the film Spears says Leroux saved his life by deciding to cut his arm off at the last moment, before Spears could die of his injuries. In the book, Leroux fires the shot that nearly kills Sharpe, and certainly sends him down to the dying room, so serious is the gunshot wound to his stomach. Harper finds Sharpe and helps Lass and Ramona nurse him back to health. Sharpe, still healing from his wounds, finally catches up with Leroux (after a great chase across the battlefield in the book, by calling him out in the film), and challenges him to a duel. Sharpe wins the Kliegenthal sword he has coveted, but, for all it's fine craftsmanship, it is nothing compared to the crude sword Harper has made for him out of love. So, following a fine Celtic tradition, Sharpe throws the Kliegenthal sword into the river.


Thomas Leroy Name:
Thomas Leroy
Occupation:
Officer in British Army, formerly Virginia plantation owner
Rank:
Captain (Sharpe's Eagle)
Major (Sharpe's Enemy)
Lt. Colonel (Sharpe's Honour Book)
Place of Origin:
Virginia, the former British colonies of America
Appearances:
Sharpe's Eagle (TV)
Sharpe's Eagle, Company, Honour (Book)
Quote:
"Money talks, merit walks."
"Slaves, cotton, and molasses"
"You and the young lord twins or what?"
Story Contribution
A tall, lanky American who is rarely seen without his ever present cigar clenched between his teeth. Leroy's family made their fortune in cotton, slaves and molasses, but lost it all by choosing the British side during the revolutionary war. Leroy is now a political refugee and serves in the South Essex, his only home.
As an American, Leroy is expected to be more egalitarian than the other officers in the South Essex, and indeed, he is more respectful to Sharpe than most. Lennox also accredited Leroy with being one of the few good officers in the South Essex when it first arrived in Spain.
Leroy was horribly scarred in the siege of Badajoz and had to wear a glove on one hand afterwards to cover the disfigurement. He was killed during the battle of Vitoria.


Name:
Lossow
Occupation:
Calvary Officer serving under the British Crown
Rank:
Captain, Kings German Legion
Place of Origin:
Germany
Appearances:
Sharpe's Gold, Sword (Book)
Story Contribution
Kind hearted, dedicated to his job and loyal, Lossow takes an instant liking to Sharpe and will do as much as he can to help save his friend's neck from the French and Partisans who are after the Spanish gold Sharpe is carrying. Lossow's calvary charge saves Sharpe from the French lancers in Gold, and Lossow's Germans manage to break the French square that is hiding Leroux in the book version of Sword, allowing Sharpe to capture the spy. Sharpe is inspired by the memory of Lossow's charge while taking the forts in Sharpe's Devil.


Name:
Guy Loup
Occupation:
Officer and terrorist
Rank:
Brigadier General
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe's Battle
Story Contribution
Wolf by name and nature, Loup dresses himself and his pack/unit in wolf grey with wolf pelts and they mark their territory with wolf's heads. Loup's territory is the Franco-Spanish border and he is involved in a bitter and bloody battle of terrorism with the local Partisans. Loup is determined to be the most feared bully on the block and it is into the resultant horror that Sharpe stumbles. He dispenses instant justice by executing two of Loup's men, thus causing an instant blood feud between Loup and himself. Loup takes his promise to protect his men very seriously, and, ignoring the greater machinations against the British, attacks Sharpe's men in two violent and bloody counters that almost cost Sharpe his life as well as his career. Sharpe pays forfeit in the life of a friend; Perkins on TV and Tom Garrard in the book.
Sharpe at last confronts Loup in a creek between the French and British armies, neither of whom interfere in the two officers swinging at each other. Sharpe, weak with blood loss, finally manages to trap Loup under the water and drowns him. On TV Sharpe just shoots him.
Loup is blind in one eye and speaks English with a Scots accent, having being interred in Edinburgh as a prisoner of war for a time.


Name:
John Lynch
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Sergeant
Place of Origin:
Ireland
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Regiment
Story Contribution
In spite of being born there, or maybe because of it, Lynch despises everything Irish, including his own name, Sean, which he changed to John. An absolute bastard to any Irish under his command, Sharpe assigns Lynch to a unit made up entirely of Irish when they reach France, and doesn’t seem surprised that Lynch meets a messy end.
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Characters: M

Name:
Hector McCandless
Occupation:
Officer of the East India Company
Rank:
Colonel
Place of Origin:
Scotland
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Tiger, Triumph (Books)
Story Contribution
A Calvinist and a workaholic, McCandless cannot return to Scotland while he feels he still has work to do in India. While furthering British interests in India he is caught by the Tippoo and held in the dungeons. The only one to know the best way to attack the city, McCandless rescue becomes a matter of importance to the British. Baird suggests they send McCandless’ own nephew, William Lawford, into Mysore to free him. Lawford won’t go without Sharpe, who is busy being flogged at the time.
Lawford and Sharpe end up sharing a cell with McCandless, but they escape as the British attack and Sharpe manages to set off the Tippoo’s traps too early.
In Triumph, McCandless chaperones Sharpe through India, protecting him from Hakeswill and engineering his promotion to Ensign after the battle of Assaye. Unfortunately, Sharpe's patron is shot dead by Hakeswill minutes later.


Name:
Macduff
Occupation:
2nd Brigade of Guards (Scots Guards)
Place of Origin:
Scotland
Appearance: Sharpe's Waterloo
Distinguising Features:
He was saved by Sharpe when a French sapper attacked him at La Haye Sainte during the battle of Waterloo. He was also the only other witness, other than Harper, who saw Sharpe trying to assassinate the Prince of Orange.


Name:
Maillot
Occupation:
French Officer
Rank:
Colonel
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Revenge (Book)
Story Contribution
Maillott (no relation) was an elderly Colonel who served in an administrative capacity as a yes man to the Emperor. Ducos shot him in the head after Maillot handed over the wagons of treasure.


Name:
Jacques Malan
Occupation:
Sometime labourer
Rank:
Sergeant of the French Imperial Guard
Place of Origin:
Normandy, France
Appearances:
Sharpe's Ransom (Short Story)
Story Contribution
An ex-soldier, now a lazy drunkard with a hatred for all things English, especially Sharpe. Doubly so as Malan was a one time admirer of Lucille. Malan resents Sharpe's presence in the village but decides, grudglingly, to help Sharpe see off Challon and his toadies if only for Lucille's sake.


Name:
Compte de Maquerre
Occupation:
Aristocrat and spy
Rank:
Count
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Siege
Quote:
"It doesn't do to duel with your new commanding officer"
Story Contribution
A foppish dandy to whom Sharpe takes an instant dislike and suspects of duplicity. The Marquerre feeds the British false information. First about the political sentiments of the local population, then he convinces Bamflyde that Sharpe has been killed and that retreat is the best option. Sharpe kills the Maquerre in a savage duel for is treachery.
In the TV version Marquerre was less of a fop, Sharpe actually liked him for a bit and Hagman shot him from a distance.


Name:
Catherine, Comptess de Maquerre
Occupation:
None
Rank:
None
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe’s siege (TV)
Quote:
"I cannot offer you silver or gold, but I can offer you my virtue."
Story Contribution
The sister of the French traitor and the second women ever to be turned down by Sharpe. Sharpe, having suffered the guilt of adultery once, is trying his best to remain faithful to Jane. She calls him a monster for refusing the offer of her virtue in exchange for his assistance and protection, but she forgives him enough to tell him to make lime by burning oyster shells as a defence against the French. She does not forgive her brother for lying to her family throughout the war.


Name:
Marquese de Casares el Grande y Melida Sadaba
Occupation:
Spanish Officer
Rank:
Not known
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Honour
Story Contribution
The husband of Helene. Fat, rich, an excellent swordsman and not without some influence, the Marquese is easily talked into duelling with Sharpe over the matter of Helene’s adultery. He is a far more skilled opponent than Sharpe, but skill is nothing compared to the full force of an angry Sharpe, but the duel is broken up before Sharpe can land the killing blow. The Marquese is killed in his bed that night by El Matarife and Father Hacha, and Sharpe is accused of the murder.


Name:
Marquinez
Occupation:
Officer of the Spainish Colony of Chile
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Devil
Story Contribution
Tall, handsome. Lover of Bautista.


Name:
Giles Marriott
Occupation:
Army recruit
Rank:
Recruit
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Regiment
Story Contribution
Young and tragically romantic. Marriott has joined the army to escape a broken heart, having been rejected in love. Sharpe tries to advise the love lorn Marriott (much to Harper’s amusement), but Marriott finds the harsh realities and cruelties of the camp too hard for his poetic soul to bear. When he hears that his sweetheart may have reconsidered, he deserts. He flees across the marshes and into the sea where the tide is coming in. In spite of Sharpe trying to help save him, Marriott is shot dead, and Sharpe is forced to bury him in the thick mud.


Name:
La Marquesa Helene Mendora
aka La Marquesa de Cassares el Grande y Melida Sabada
aka La Puta Dorada (The Golden Whore)
Occupation:
Spy
Rank:
Unknown if she had any official status
Place of Origin:
France. Half English, half French, she married her Spanish husband on the orders of the Emperor.
Appearances:
Sharpe's Honour (TV)
Sharpe's Sword, Honour (Books)
Quote:
"I'm off to commit adultery...LOTS of it!"
"Make sure you will come soon." (And to herself:) "But then - you always do!"
Story Contribution
Golden haired, pale of skin, mysterious, beautiful, treacherous, deadly, she is a siren to Sharpe's hormones. She is what he lusts after in Sword, and she is what he risks his neck for in Honour. But like most of Sharpe's women, he is more in love with the idea of her, than Helene herself, and he demonstrates this by being unable to betray his own ideal, his honour, to follow her to France and live out the war in luxury, but haunted by his conscience. Sharpe's honour means more to him than anything, because certainly Helene can coax Sharpe into betraying his marriage, his friends, his orders and even himself, as he dreams of and is tempted by a life he could never have.
Sharpe first meets Helene in Sword (book only), suspecting, but a little too driven by an organ other than his brain to care, that she is spying for the French in the town. She even has a telescope turned towards the fort, but easily distracts Sharpe from such concerns with a few soft words and touches. As it happens, Helene is communicating with her brother in the fort, the master spy Leroux, who also possess the other thing Sharpe wants, the Kligenthal sword.
Once introduced to Helene, Sharpe becomes obsessed with her, ignoring Harper, Jack and his duties to lie with his golden mistress.
In the meantime, the British attack the forts in Salamanca. Sharpe is gravely wounded in his pursuit of Leroux, and ironically nursed back to health by Helene in her expensive residence. Sharpe is just beginning to develop a taste for luxury when duty calls and he must drag himself back to the battle field.
Helene shows up again as part of a plot by Ducos to rid himself of Sharpe, Helene, the British and make a tidy profit on the side. He instructs Helene to embroil Sharpe in a duel with her husband, and when that doesn't work, has the Marquesse murdered and Sharpe fingered for the job. Sharpe escapes the noose with a little help from Hogan (Nairn on TV) and hunts down Helene, who is now, thanks to the Spanish Inquisition, locked up in a nunnery. Sharpe, little heathen that he is, breaks into the nunnery to rescue Helene from a life of poverty and virtue. Their reunion is warm, to say the least, but they are caught by the French and soon Helene is asking Sharpe to bargain away his honour for his life.
Sharpe remains stubborn, and is taken to Santa Maria and tortured by Ducos. Helene enlists her General Verigny to rescue Sharpe from Ducos, and they wine and dine him to make up for his rough treatment. Helene again asks Sharpe to sign Parole, but he delays his decision by drinking himself into unconsciousness. He manages to escape the next day, somewhat the worse for wear, due to a fortuitous accident with some gunpowder in the fort, with his honour intact.
Helene tries to escape the on coming British at Vitoria in her wagons laden with her fortune, but she is caught up in the crush and Sharpe is compelled to rescue her once more. Harper, far more practical, starts filling his pack and Sharpe's with tangible wealth.
Helene has her freedom, but she has no money and no country. And no Sharpe, as he decides she is not worth the price and accepts only a new telescope as a gift from her. A gift that will later nearly get him courtmartialled and shot.


William Mathews

Name:
William Matthews
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Ensign
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Company
Story Contribution
16 years old with weeks of experience, young Matthews follows Sharpe and Price around like a puppy. Unfortunately, following Sharpe has its price. When Sharpe decides to ignore his orders and have a go at the French, his pride gets Matthews killed, even though it was Hakeswill, and not the French, who fired the lethal bullet.


Name:
Miranda
Occupation:
None
Rank:
None
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Battle
Story Contribution
Rescued from being pack raped by French soldiers, Miranda decides on Perkins for her protector in much the way Isabella did with Patrick in Badajoz. She becomes the young Pekin’s first love. In the TV version Miranda is killed to keep her silence by Juanita.


Antonia Moreno Sharpe

Name:
Antonia Moreno
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe's Company, Enemy (TV and Book)
Story Contribution
Born 1810. Sharpe's daughter by Teresa, and legitimised by virtue of Sharpe's marriage to Teresa in Badajoz (Book). Sharpe had little to do with the raising of his daughter as he was a fighting soldier, and, after Teresa's death, he left his daughter in the care of her Spanish relatives, with what money he had, and never saw her again.




Caesar Moreno

Name:
Cesar Moreno
Occupation:
Partisan
Rank:
Not known
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Gold (Book)
Story Contribution
Father of Teresa.


Lady Kiely Name:
Teresa Moreno
aka La Aguja (The Needle)
Occupation:
Partisan and Assassin
Rank:
Comandante
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifles, Eagle, Company, Enemy (TV)
Sharpe's Gold, Company, Sword, Enemy (Books)
Quote:
"All men should have daughters. It puts honey on their tongues."
Story Contribution
Proud, clever and ruthless. In the books, Teresa escaped an arranged marriage with a Partisan leader, El Catolico, to run off with Sharpe. In the series, Teresa's love is equally hard won, as after having watched the French rape and murder her mother she had dedicated her life to killing French, and nothing more, until she meets Richard Sharpe. It is a difficult relationship, with Teresa torn between her duty to herself, her promise and Spain, and her love for Sharpe. In Eagle (TV), she tells Sharpe she wants things to be simple, without him, but she knows she cannot live happily without him, either. He has forced her to admit she would care if he lived or died in battle, and she realises she would.
In Company, Teresa reveals to Sharpe she has given birth to their daughter, and while Sharpe is digesting that bit of news, tells him their daughter is in the town the British army is about to lay Siege to. Sharpe nearly goes insane trying to get to Teresa through the breach before Hakeswill does, and only Harper can stop him killing everything in sight. In the ruins of the chapel in Badajoz, Sharpe makes his daughter legitimate by marrying her mother.
In spite of his love for Teresa, Sharpe is unable to stay faithful, falling for the rich charms of Helene in Sword (Book) and nearly allowing himself to be seduced by Josefina in Enemy (Book, as he does fail in the episode). It is Sharpe's guilt over his infidelities that make Teresa's death so much harder to bear.


Name:
Morillo
Occupation:
Officer
Rank: Captain
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe's Devil (Book)
Story Contribution
The man who saved Sharpe from one of Bautistas assassination attempts. Bautista discovers this and demotes Morillo to private and sends him to the mines.


Name:
Morris
Occupation:
Officer and drunkard
Rank: Captain (Sharpe's Tiger)
Major (Sharpe's Company)
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Tiger, Triumph (Books)
Quote:
"It is a flogging offence."
Story Contribution
Well on the way to letting drink ruin his looks and career, Morris compensates by being cruel and dishonourable. Giving in all too easily to the perverted whims of his Sergeant, Hakeswill, Morris agrees to set up Sharpe for a well deserved flogging.
Morris was last heard of as serving in Dublin when Hakeswill remembers him to Sharpe in Company.


Name:
Mungo Munro
Occupation:
Spymaster
Rank:
Major
Place of Origin:
Scotland
Appearances:
Sharpe's Gold, Battle and Sword (TV)
Quotes:
"Which would you rather me do Sharpe...play Bialach Na Brugar, the Munro March, or send you on a dangerous mission?"
"Don't lick me laddie!"
"Washed in the blood of the Lamb ye should be, not just in the blood of the French."
Story Contribution
Scottish, sprightly and with a wicked sense of humour, Munro might have been the most dangerous spymaster to ever order him into the field, as Sharpe discovered in Battle and Sword. Unable to play the bagpipes to save his life, Munro can play Sharpe like a violin though, sending the lad off on the most perilous missions and setting him up several times in order to flush out spies and traitors. Munro demonstrates he has no misgivings about sacrificing Sharpe if it was expedient to do so.


Captain Murray Name:
John Murray
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Rifles
Story Contribution
Sharpe’s immediate superior. He is gravely wounded while retreating from a French attack. Before he dies, he gives Sharpe his heavy calvary sword. His death leaves Sharpe in command as an officer for the first time in his career, and it creates a power vacuum. Murray gave Sharpe one good piece of advice though, to win over Harper. After quite a few fights Sharpe and uneasy alliances manages to do this , so much so that Harper becomes his best friend. Harper replaces the sword Murray gave Sharpe with one he has made himself.





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Characters: N

Name:
Nairn
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Major (TV)
Major General (Books)
Place of Origin:
Scotland
Appearances:
Sharpe's Company, Enemy, Honour (TV)
Sharpe's Enemy and Revenge (Books)
Quote:
"It is bloody soldiering!"
Story Contribution
Dour, Scottish and secretive, another one of Wellington's spymasters. It is Nairn (in the series) who sends Teresa on her fateful mission to spy on the French in Enemy, and Nairn who arranges Sharpe's fake execution in Honour.
In the books, Sharpe grew to genuinely like Nairn, and was quite upset when the bagpipes heralded Nairn's death in Revenge (Book).


Name:
Napoleon Bonaparte
Occupation:
Emperor of France
Rank:
Commander of France's armed Forces
Place of Origin:
Corsica
Appearances:
Sharpe's Waterloo (TV)
Sharpe's Waterloo, Devil (Books)
Story Contribution
Napoleon is a real historical figure who rose through the ranks to declare himself Emperor of France. He is most famous his defeat at the battle of Waterloo. If you want to know more, go read a book at your local library.
In the books he is glimpsed at a distance in Waterloo, and has tea with Sharpe in Devil.


Name:
Charles Nicholls
Occupation:
Officer
Rank:
Ensign
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Christmas (Short Story)
Story Contribution
Just 17 years old but looking 14, Nicholls dashed about the army in a uniform made for him by his mother, only to be shot, under a flag of truce, on Christmas Eve in his first ever encounter with the French.


Name:
Nosey
Occupation:
Faithful dog to Sharpe in peacetime France.
Rank:
Sharpe's equal.
Place of Origin:
Normandy, France
Appearances:
Sharpe's Waterloo (Book)
Sharpe's Ransom (Short Story)

Story Contribution
Big, fierce and unkempt, the dog was named Nosey on the grounds that the Duke of Wellington, 'Nosey' to his men, had spent 20 years giving Sharpe orders , so when Sharpe found the dog in peacetime, he decided to return the compliment. Nosey doesn't have a huge part to play in the Sharpe saga, but he is a valuable ally when Sharpe is out scouting in Northern France in his capacity as Lieutenant Colonel of the Belgian Light Dragoons and as a member of the Prince of Orange's staff. During this scouting expedition Sharpe is first alerted to a group of French Dragoons by Nosey, who spies them and starts barking. Later Sharpe is attacked by two of these Dragoons and is nobley helped by Nosey, who at his command, leaps at one of the men and fends him away from Sharpe. Fortunately some Prussians are in the vicinity and come to assist. Sharpe is unharmed.

Aware that this could be the start of an invasion prompted by Napoleon's return from exile, Sharpe goes off report what he has seen. While Sharpe is talking to his superior officers, Nosey is put under the charge of a young officer called Doggett, who has the job of stopping the dog eating all the chickens in the yard outside the inn which is being used as a base for the Prince of Orange's headquarters.

Sharpe should be making his way to the Duchess of Richmond's Ball in Brussels but instead he takes Doggett and Nosey to the village of Frasnes, and there he spies a whole battalion of Voltigeurs, at least 600 of them. Doggett and Nosey are sent back to the crossroads of Quatre Bras to wait for Prince Bernhard and pass on the news of the French troops. Doggett is given permission to give Nosey a good kicking, if he gives him any trouble.

After a scuffle between French troops and Prince Bernhard's troops at Quatre Bras, Sharpe and Nosey head off to Brussels to find the Duke of Wellington, who is attending the Ball, to tell him that the invasion of France has truly begun and that Napoleon is gaining ground. Nosey was last seen hunting foxes with Sharpe when C
hallon decided to pay a visit. Alas, Nosey was not of great use in seeing off those Frenchmen.


Name:
Bess Nugent
Occupation:
None
Place of Origin:
Dublin, Ireland
Appearances:
Sharpe's Gold (TV)
Quotes:
"There's enough black sheep in our family to fill a field!"
Story Contribution
Bess Nugent is the 48 year old cousin of Wellington and has come to Spain to find her missing husband Will. When Wellington refuses to mount a search she attaches herself to Sharpe and his men who are on a secret mission to trade rifles for deserters. As Sharpe plans to return to camp at the conclusion of his business with the partisans holding the captured deserters, she and her daughter Ellie leave to carry on the search themselves. She is shot and killed while trying to evade El Casco's partisans.


Name:
Ellie Nugent
Occupation:
None
Place of Origin:
Dublin, Ireland
Appearances:
Sharpe's Gold (TV)
Story Contribution
Ellie is the neice of Wellington and on a mission to a find her father, a relative Wellington had been forced to find a post for. Sent up to the hills to make maps, Ellie's father has disappeared.
Ellie arrives in the British camp with her obnoxious mother who demands that a search be conducted for her husband. When that request is refused, the women strike out on their own, causing Sharpe, with a mission of his own to deal with, no end of trouble.
Ellie, quite taken with Sharpe, flirts with him, and, upset over killing a Frenchman, manages some more substantial comfort from Sharpe.
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Characters: O

Name:
Prince William
HRH Prince of Orange
Occupation:
Heir to the throne of the Netherlands
Rank:
Prince.
Place of Origin:
Netherlands
Appearances:
Sharpe's Waterloo
Quote:
"They should form square."
Story Contribution
Neither bright nor handsome, the young Prince spent more time whoring than studying at Oxford. Equally incompetent on the cricket pitch and the battlefield, the Prince is responsible for the slaughter of most of the men under his command (including Harris and Hagman in the TV version).

Enraged at the Prince's cowardice and poor leadership, Sharpe decides to do the world a favour and attempts an assassination of the Prince under the cover of battle. However, in the book, Sharpe only wounds the Prince and Harper mocks him for being a lousy shot.



Characters: P

Name:
Palmer
Occupation:
Royal Marine
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Siege
Story Contribution
Palmer is sent out to patrol the roads near the Teste de Buch fort with Sharpe. Their orders are to disrupt any passing French traffic, which they do. But upon returning, they find the fort deserted and are forced to defend the fort against a much larger and better armed French force before escaping with the help of Killick.

In the TV version, Palmer was one of the wounded soldiers left behind when Bamfylde abandoned the fort. He was adept at reading maps and found a shortcut back to the British lines that allowed them to arrive just as Bamfylde was giving his treacherous report to Wellington and for Palmer to confront him and charge him with treason.


Louisa ParkerName:
Louisa Parker (Sharpe's Rifles)
Dona Louisa Vivar Countess Mouromorto (Sharpe's Devil)
Occupation:
Missionary
Place of Origin:
Godalming, England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifles (TV)
Sharpe's Rifles, Devil (Books)
Story Contribution
Louisa Parker crosses paths with Sharpe while he's on the run from the French, and when Louisa defies her missionary relatives and runs away with Sharpe on his adventure, Sharpe thinks he's in with a chance and becomes quite besotted with her, to the amusement of Harper and the gang. Unfortunately for Sharpe, Louisa falls under the spell of the messianic Blas Vivar and chooses to stay in Spain and marry the Count, rather than a penniless Lieutenant.
Louise still feels she can call upon Sharpe for favours many years later when she enlists his help to track down her husband who has gone missing in Chile. Sharpe, as always, is unable to refuse her.



Name:
Ben Perkins
Occupation:
Rifleman
Rank:
Drummer Boy (Sharpe's Rifles TV), then Chosen Man (Sharpe's Rifles TV) by way of shooting the Chassuer who was trying to shoot Sharpe.
Place of Origin:
Not stated, though Harper says Perkins is an orphan in Eagle (TV).
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifles to Battle (TV), whereupon poor wee Perkins is bayoneted.
Sharpe's Battle (Book)
Story Contribution
The youngest of the Chosen Men, Perkins is recruited by way of being one of the only survivors of a French calvary charge upon the 95th Rifles. Perkins earns his stripe shooting a Chasseur who had Sharpe dead to rights. Sharpe is very grateful and makes Perkins a Chosen Man. Hogan advises Perkins to give the white cord back. But Perkins decides to follow his hero and, emulating Sharpe's reckless bravado, is sadly killed by some treacherous Irishmen in Sharpe's Battle (TV only as Perkins lives in the book). Poor Perkins' time had come because he had just found his first love, Miranda, and that's always a sign an offing is in the offing.


Name:
Pope
Rank:
Sergeant
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Mission
Quote:
"I'd love to lay an egg in your nest."
Story Contribution
Colonel Brand's sergeant, Pope murders, steals and spies for the French. He flirts with Romona and attempts to rape her and when Harper intervenes he beats him down. He is caught by Sharpe and Harper when he attempts to murder the gypsy girl Zara. He confesses all when Pyecroft ties him to a tree and rigs him with explosives. He takes Sharpe's offer to go off and fight Harper and is killed.


Name:
Pot-au-Feu
Sergeant Deron
Occupation:
Deserter and gourmand
Rank:
Marshal
Place of Origin:
France
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Enemy
Story Contribution
A man who loves good food more than anything else. Leading the deserters with Hakeswill, Pot-au-Feu would rather discuss chicken recipes than fight.


Harry Price

Name:
Harold Price aka Harry
Occupation:
Officer
Rank:
Lieutenant (Sharpe's Eagle Book)
Captain (Sharpe's Regiment Book)
Place of Origin:
Hampshire, England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Company, Waterloo (TV)
Sharpe's Eagle, Battle, Company, Sword, Enemy, Honour, Regiment, Revenge, Waterloo (Books)
Story Contribution
Harry is young, charming, bored and a drunkard. Not entirely cut out for army life, Harry survives in a blur of wine, women and song and pure luck. Harry manages to be amusing and sort of makes himself the regimental mascot. Even Sharpe grew terribly fond of the lad and indulged him.
The youngest son of a strict religious family, Harry is a rebel without a pause in his single minded pursuit of debauchery. It was the gambling debts and unwanted bastards that urged Harry's father to first purchase his son a commission as Ensign, then, four years later, another as Lieutenant. The rest of the Company think Harry isn't long for the world, if not from a French bullet, then from drink, the pox, a jealous husband or sheer exhaustion.
Harry manages to survive the war, in spite of serving under Sharpe. Sharpe came to consider Harry a friend as well as a subordinate officer, and trusted Harry enough to take him back to England in search of recruits in Regiment.
The war was never able to rub the youthful shine or silliness from Harry. Even under withering French fire during the battle of Waterloo, he trips over wearing some fancy gold spurs he'd picked up off a dead calvary officer.


Name:
Septimus Pycroft
Occupation:
Demolitions
Rank:
Major
Place of Origin:
Britain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Mission
Quote:
"I'm going to take you into the woods laddie, you'll go in a man, how you come out is entirely up to you."
Story Contribution
Horribly disfigured, Pycroft wears a leather hood and is a law to himself travelling the French frontier. Once a friend of Major Ross, the friendship is now strained as Pycroft blames Ross for his injuries. Ross needs Pycroft’s skills however to blow up the French powder depot and Pycroft reluctantly agrees. On the way he picks up a gypsy, the sole survivor of an attack by Brand’s Boys. Protecting her, he finds himself with a companion, and a witness against Brand. Pycroft succeeds in blowing up the French depot and heals his rift with Ross.
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Characters: Q

Characters: R

Name:
Appah Rao
Occupation:
Commander of the Tippoo’s soldiers
Rank:
General
Place of Origin:
India
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Tiger
Story Contribution
Loyal to the traditional Hindu rulers of Mysore, Rao chooses to side with the British on the promise that they will restore the rightful heir to the throne.


Name:
Sergeant Rodd

Occupation:
Deserter

Place of Origin:
London, England

Appearances:
Sharpe's Gold

Quote:
"So, no more orders.  Not from you Sharpe, nor no bugger else.
Bugger the King and his shilling!"

Story Contribution
A Sergeant in the South Essex,  Rodd sees the opportunity to become a rich man in the French retreat from Spain.  Holding back from Sharpe's ambush of a French column, Rodd and his men arrive in time to loot the dead.  He refuses Sharpe's orders, and leadsthe deserters off into the hills where, he asserts, the "Wild Men" will sell them wine, women and food.  Unfortunately for them the wild men turn out to be idol-worshipping Aztecs.  Rodd and his compatriots are lucky to escape with their skins intact when Wellington, desperate for troops,  agrees to an exchange of deserters for Baker Rifles.


Name:
Hector Ross
Occupation:
British Officer and spymaster
Rank:
Major General
Place of Origin:
Scotland, as the French recognise Ross from the tune bagpipes play to announce his prescence on field.
Appearances:
Sharpe's Regiment, Siege, Mission, Revenge (TV)
Story Contribution
Yet another Scottish spymaster, this one is friendlier than most, letting Sharpe get away with being cheeky, duelling and generally disregarding orders as he saw fit. Ross was also the best man at Sharpe's ill fated wedding to Jane Gibbons. Ross was last seen being carried wounded from the field after the battle of Toulouse.


Name:
Lord John Rossendale
Occupation:
Calvary Officer
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Revenge, Justice, Waterloo (TV)
Sharpe's Regiment, Revenge, Waterloo (Books)
Story Contribution
Tall, dark and handsome, Rossendale lived the highlife in London society, and not without cost, as his gambling debts outstripped his not inconsiderable income. Rossendale had never been tested in battle, having been kept on the Prince of Wales' staff, because he amused the Prince Regent.

Originally a friend of Sharpe's, he befriended and helped Richard in the hunt for the missing regiment. However, calling upon Jane to deliver news of her husband's imprisonment, he soon forgot that friendship as he took Sharpe's wife to bed and used Sharpe's money to pay off his debts.

Rossendale uses his influence to make Sharpe's life difficult in the peace of 1814 at Jane's behest, and finds himself unable to return either Jane or the money.

Needing some battle glory so he may feel equal to Sharpe, whom Rossendale knows is the better soldier, Rossendale pulls strings to get himself posted to Brussels, without realising Sharpe is there, also. The foolish boy didn't bother to check the Prince of Orange staff lists. Sharpe and Rossendale cross paths at the ball, Rossendale fleeing an insanely angry Sharpe who pursues him across tabletops and nearly kills Rossendale and his friends there and then, and would have, if not dragged off by Dally.

Rossendale agrees to return what's left of the money to Sharpe and Jane curses him for his cowardice. She makes him promise to kill Sharpe on the battlefield, as it is the only way they will be left alone.

As the battle begins, Rossendale's horse is spooked by some rockets and Sharpe follows him into the trees. Rossendale pulls his pistol on Sharpe, but is unable to fire. Sharpe snatches away the pistol and breaks it, and then breaks Rossendale's sword, as well. He tosses Rossendale a length of rope in exchange for the promissory note, telling him he has bought Jane now, so he can keep her.

Rossendale is deeply shamed by his broken sword and lies about being attacked by French Hussars. He resolves to kill Sharpe, but is cut down on the battlefield before being given the chance, and dies, with Jane's name on his lips.


James Rothchild Name:
James Rothchild
aka: Agatha Parker
Occupation:
Banker (TV)
Rank:
Civilian
Place of Origin:
Britain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Rifles
Story Contribution
Incredibly gutsy and crafty, especially with disguises, James is a banker of the legendary Rothchild banking family. He has set up a banking system for the war effort, servicing Wellington's Army from Vienna, often making the runs with the bank drafts personally. Sharpe's first mission as a commissioned officer is as part of a search party sent out to find him when he's gone missing on one of these runs.


Name:
Runciman
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Colonel
Wagon Master General
Place of Origin:
Britain
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Battle
Story Contribution
Overweight and prone to impressive flatulence. Runciman is Sharpe’s nominal commander, nominal because everyone but Runciman knows Sharpe is really in command. Poor Runciman is made the fall guy for the enquiry into the French attack on the fort.


Captain Rymer Name:
Rymer
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
Waltham Cross, England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Company
Story Contribution
Blonde, handsome and green, 25 years old, and rich, Rymer bought Sharpe's command of the South Essex's Light Company, and therefore pushed Sharpe back down to the rank of Lieutenant. An easy mark for Hakeswill's deceitful influence, Rymer had the Chosen Men digging trenches when the French attacked the British lines, unable to defend themselves with anything but trenching tools. He is sympathetic to Sharpe's plight, but having purchased his command, he is trying to be a good officer.

Rymer is killed during the siege of Badajoz. Sharpe, watching it all happen, took command of the Light Company and led them through the breach. After the battle, Colonel Wyndham asks Sharpe to command the South Essex Light Company, raising him once again to Captain by virtue of a legitimate vacancy within the regiment.
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Characters: S

Name:
Sarsfield
Occupation:
Priest, spy and saboteur
Rank:
Father
Place of Origin:
Ireland
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Battle (Book)
Story Contribution
Seemingly kind and knowledgeable, appearances can be deceiving. Sharpe takes quite a liking to the Father, but is ordered by Hogan to execute the priest at a secret meeting when it is discovered it was Father Sarsfield who was distributing the fake American newspapers amongst the Irish.


Name:
Richard Sharpe, named after the owner of the Foundling House he was raised in.
aka Dick Vaughn
Occupation:
Formerly a thief, now a Rifleman. Sharpe joined the army to escape being hung for murder and saw his first battle in Flanders at the age of 16. Sharpe then served in India and the Peninsular War.
Rank:
Private (Sharpe's Tiger - Book)
Sergeant (Sharpe's Tiger - Book)
Ensign (Sharpe's Triumph - Book)
Lieutenant (Sharpe's Rifles -TV)
Captain (Sharpe's Eagle)
Major (Sharpe's Enemy)
Lt. Colonel (Sharpe's Waterloo)
Place of Origin:
Originally, St Giles Rookery, London, England, but lately, due to Sean Bean's accent, Sharpe's origins have been wandering farther and farther north both in Sharpe's Justice (TV) and Sharpe's Tiger (Book) so that now the lad has some South Yorkshire roots as well.
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifles, Eagle, Company, Enemy, Honour, Gold, Battle, Sword, Regiment, Siege, Mission, Revenge, Justice, Waterloo (TV)
Sharpe's Tiger, Triumph, Rifles, Eagle, Gold, Battle, Company, Sword, Enemy, Honour, Regiment, Siege, Revenge, Waterloo, Devil (Books)
Sharpe's Christmas, Ransom (Short Stories)
Quote:
"Your mind moves like a rocket, Theresa. I'll never know where you'll land."
"It's either that or wear a dress, Rocketman."
"Would you look at that--Perkins put a bullet straight through the same hole made by Taylor."
"Begging yer pardon, Ma'am, but yer door was locked."
"Could you just wave in the general direction of the French, Sir."
"What's it matter whether they piss the pox as long as they can fight"
Story Contribution
Born to an alcholic whore who leaves him a Foundling Home, Sharpe grinds bones and picks apart tarred ropes for a living until sold as a sweep, when he runs away. Found and cared for by Maggie Joyce, Sharpe embarks on his second career as a young theif, pickpocket, house breaker and highway man. On the run from the law for knifing one of Maggie's clients who'd gotten a bit aggro, Sharpe is recruited into the 33rd by one Sergeant Hakeswill. Sharpe sees his first action at the age of 16 in Flanders. Sharpe then serves in India where he earns his Sergeant's stripes, killing the Tippoo of Mysore, and the lift to Lieutenant for saving Wellesley's life at Assaye.

Sharpe then serves in the Penisular Wars in Portugal, Spain and France. He earns his Captiancy by capturing a French Eagle at Talavera, only to lose the rank due to army bureaucracy. He wins his rank back again by leading the charge through the breach in Badajoz. Sharpe is made a Major by his greatest fan, the Prince Regent, and finally makes Lieutenant Colonel by joining the Prince of Orange's staff at Waterloo.

Sharpe is a serial monogamist, first considering an offer of marriage from Mary Bickerstaff in Tiger, then setting his cap at Louisa in Rifles. Sharpe recovers from his disappointment to play hero and protector to Josefina, who dumps him for a wealthier officer. Then he meets, has a daughter by, marries and then loses Teresa, the Spanish partisan. Sharpe also has an adulterous affair with Helene, who tends the near fatal wounds inflicted upon Sharpe by her brother Leroux, but manages to resist the returning charms of Josefina by Teresa'a timely arrival. After Teresa's death by Hakeswill, Sharpe is reunited with Helene, but quickly rolls out of her bed and into that of Lady Anne. Lady Anne is not in luck, however, and loses her bedmate to Jane Gibbons, whose portrait Sharpe had admired and carried since taking the locket from her dead brother. Sharpe refuses to cheat on Jane and this time is rewarded for his fidelity by Jane, who runs off to London with all his money and takes a lover. Sharpe consoles himself in the arms of Lucille, who, after having shot him, nurses him back to health. Sharpe's meeting with Lucille coicides with the end of the war and so, after fighting so long against the French, he settles down in Normandy with Lucille and produces two more children.

In the books, until Sharpe's Battle and Tiger, our hero is a tall, dark, dead ringer for James Bond with a sardonic scar on his cheek. In the films our Sharpie is an incredibly handsome blonde northerner with a good number of interchangeable scars, bar the one above his left eye which is real (and put there by Harrison Ford during the making of Patriot Games). Notable battle scars and wounds which can be seen in various episodes include the infamous flogging scars (initially received in India as result of complaining about Hakeswill's cruelty to the natives but now as the result of hitting Hakeswill because he called him Lawford's toy boy), a slice across the shoulder received from Leroux in Sword (TV), a bullet wound to the abdomen (Sword), a gash to the knee (Eagle), a slash across the back from a mounted Frog (Rifles - twice!), a scar that covers up the words '100% Blade' (Sean's tattoo) and the obligatory "scratch" to the arm that has to be held while bleeding heroically and shrugging off all offers of first aid.

Sharpe is a fiercely ambitious man, rising from the ranks by reckless bravery, stubbornness and luck. He is most comfortable on the battle field. the soldier's life is the only life he's really know, his friends the only family he's ever had. On the battlefield he is confident, cocky, able to devious ingenious escapes from French traps at the last moment. Off the battle field he is lost and insecure, never belonging to the world of the officers with money, privilege and higher learning to which he has risen. Poor Sharpe is trapped by his own career path, because he can never really belong to his mates back in the ranks, either. Hated by most, respected by those he has served with, Sharpe is his own worst enemy when it comes to love. Harper remarks on this in the books Rifles and Regiment, and Hogan tells Sharpe his romantic heart will be the end of him in the film Rifles. Naive and inexperienced in affection, Sharpe can be easily led into trouble by more sophisticated women like the Marquesa, the spy, and Jane, his faithless second wife who runs off with his fortune.

Sharpe is a classic hero. He's sent out on his missions, which, after a few serious setbacks he succeeds in, but he doesn't necessarily always win the girl, and the motives of his controllers are always hidden behind politics and shadowy backroom deals.


Name:
John Shee
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Major
Place of Origin:
Ireland
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Tiger
Story Contribution
Commander of the 33rd and an alcoholic. He sentences Sharpe to 2,000 lashes for striking Hakeswill. This is a death sentence but Sharpe is spared after 202, the army having further need of him.


Name:
Percy Shellington
Occupation:
Hack
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Mission (TV)
Quote:
"Goodnight dear Prince."
Story Contribution
Failed poet and plagiarist, the sleazy Shellington, unable to stomach life at the front, proceeds to make a move on a bored Jane Sharpe. Jane responds, delighting in the novelty of discussing poetry, something she cannot do with Sharpe, who only learned to read in his twenties.
Harris is on hand to show Shellington up for the fake that he is and that is that.


Sir Henry Simmerson Name:
Sir Henry Simmerson
Occupation:
Officer, Entrepreneur and Politician
Rank:
Lt. Colonel
Place of Origin:
Essex, England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Eagle, Sword, Regiment, Challenge, Peril (TV)
Sharpe's Eagle, Regiment (Books)
Quote:
"I always find a flogging brings on a spleen."
Story Contribution
With more money than sense or taste and completely lacking in humanity, honour and decency, Sir Henry is the epitome of the British upper classes. He has neither morals nor backbone, his chief weapons are blackmail and backstabbing.

Sir Henry decides that a bit of battlefield glory will add a shine to his political ambitions, so he raises his own Regiment, the South Essex, with his own money and sets off for Spain. Wellesley wants rid of him and fortunately Simmerson obliges by turning tail and running at the first sign of the French, forfeiting his command to Lawford.

On TV Simmerson shows up to cause more trouble for Sharpe by betraying his night attack to the French in Sword and trying to rape Sharpe's woman at the time.

In the book Regiment, it is Simmerson running the recruiting scam with Fenner, funnelling recruits for the South Essex into other less popular regiments for cold hard cash. Simmerson's plans are foiled but he is never punished, always squirming out of justice's reach like any wealthy man whose corrupt business deals have been exposed. How very true to life and wonderfully observed by Mr Cornwall.

Simmerson is also the Uncle to the evil Christian Gibbons and his wicked sister Jane. He turns up in India as a General in the East India Company where Sharpe finds him when he goes looking for Patrick Harper. He is his usual pompous self and manages to show his true cowardly colours once again.

In Peril, Simmerson once again stumbles into trouble where he is rescued by Sharpe. He remains in less than total control of his faculties, becoming a rather tolerable person for most of the episode and shows Sharpe his gratitude and finally his acceptance when all is said and done.


Name:
Kunwar Singh
Occupation:
Commander of Rao’s body guard
Rank:
Commander
Place of Origin:
India
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Tiger
Story Contribution
In disgrace because of an indiscretion by his father, Kunwar Singh steals Sharpe’s girl while the British are besieging the city.


Name:
Skillicorn
Occupation:
British rifleman
Rank:
Private
Appearances:
Sharpe's Gold (TV)
Quote:
"It's a wild chicken!"
Story Contribution
Sharpe's private, he was caught in a deserted village while stealing a chicken. The provost Ayres wants to hang him on the spot but is prevented from doing so by Sharpe. Sharpe punishes him with a blow to the chest but upon their return to camp he is hung by the provosts for looting.


Name:
Lord Jack Spears
Occupation:
Exploring Officer
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Sword (TV and Book)
Quote:
"As I seem to have the most unfortunate habit of loosing things, I think I'll hold on to me one good hand."
"I could betray my country, but I could never betray my friend."
Story Contribution
Handsome, devil-may-care reckless fool, Jack Spears is one of the few officers who genuinely befriends Sharpe as an equal. Spears has a title, but no money, so he does not see himself as any better than Sharpe, and Sharpe respects Jack's bravery as an Exploring Officer, riding behind enemy lines in full uniform so as not to be mistaken as a spy.
But a spy Jack is. In the series this is telegraphed by the fact that Jack has a disability, having lost one arm (though in the book it is merely in a sling), as though indicating Jack has been compromised emotionally as well as physically. Though amusing Sharpe when he isn't engaged with Helene (in the book) by dragging him to parties, Jack hides a dark secret. He has been forced to betray England to France under hideous torture by Leroux. It is Sharpe who uncovers this treachery, via a confession from Jack.
In the book, Jack, dying from his wounds, is left among the battlefield's honoured dead by Sharpe. In the episode, Sharpe sends Jack off to a hero's death, leading the attack against the French held fort.


Name:
Lady Juliet Spindacre (Book)
Lady Molly Spindacre (TV)
Occupation:
Professional Widow
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Revenge
Story Contribution
A recently widowed social climber, it is she who convinces Jane to leave Sharpe and take the money and she who helps Jane spend it. Of course, once the money is gone, so is Lady Spinacre.


Name:
Sycorax
Occupation:
Transportation
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Regiment, Revenge (Books)
Story Contribution
Sharpe's horse was a present from Jane. The poor horse had it's head blown off by a cannon ball during the battle of Toulouse.
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Characters: T

Name:
Thomas Taylor
Occupation:
Rifleman, 60th Royal American Rifles
Rank:
Private
Place of Origin:
Tennessee, America
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Enemy, Siege (Books)
Story Contribution
The only real American left in the Royal American Rifles, Taylor is also the best shot in the unit. When rescued by the American privateers from the fort, Taylor decides to stay on board and serve with his countrymen. Sharpe and Frederickson cover for him by recording him missing in action.


Name:
Tippoo
Occupation:
Ruler of Mysore
Rank:
Sultan
Place of Origin:
Mysore, India
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Tiger
Story Contribution
Fat, intelligent and ruthless, the Tippoo is the Muslim ruler of the Hindu city of Mysore. Mindful of the sectarianism within the city, he rules with his army, his jettis, whom can be called upon to torture and murder prisoners, and his pet tigers, who then eat said prisoners. Amongst his vast array of possessions, the Tippoo owned a wind up clock that featured a wooden tiger mauling a wooden British soldier, and a large ruby, which Sharpe stole when he killed the Tippoo.


Isiah Tongue Name:
Isiah Tongue
Occupation:
Never actually elaborated upon, though he has some religious teaching prior to becoming a rifleman.
Rank:
Corporal (Sharpe's Rifles, Eagle TV)
Place of Origin:
England. In Rifles (TV) he states that he doesn't know his family or origins.
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifles to Eagle (TV)
Sharpe's Rifles to Gold (Books)
Story Contribution
Steady, dependable and quiet, tall, dour and humourless and forever quoting the bible, he's known nothing but a foundling home and the Army. Tongue disappears after season one.





Mathew Truman Name:
Matthew Truman
Occupation:
Rebellious spokesman for the mill workers.
Place of Origin:
Yorkshire, England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Justice 1814(TV)
Quote:
"Maybe fate threw us together, but you were no friend of mine. You were some troublesome runt then, same as you are now!"
Story Contribution
Matt Truman appears in Justice as the rebellious spokesman of the downtrodden mill workers of Yorkshire. He holds meetings in secret and is considered an 'outlaw'. He even has a 'price on his head'. With the war over Richard Sharpe is ordered to his native Yorkshire to lead a private milita, to keep the mill workers in line.

Fair, bad tempered, stubborn, reckless and quick to a fight, Truman is Sharpe's childhood rival and friend. Now actively opposing the near martial law imposed on the mill workers, he and Sharpe come to instant blows, being caught on opposite sides of the conflict.

Sally Bunting tries to organise a reconciliation between the two men, revealing that Truman is also a bastard child of Lizzie Sharpe.

Sharpe and Truman grew up together in the Workhouse not knowing they were brothers. As children they always fought. Truman tries to get rid of Sharpe, seeing his role in Yorkshire as a betrayal of the people he grew up with.

Eventually Sharpe discovers that Truman is his brother and that the Mill owner he's working for is greedy and corrupt. He decides to change sides and join Truman.

Sharpe and Truman meet at their mother's grave to talk, but Truman is killed almost immediately after this revelation, by the other members of the Militia. Sharpe takes on the corrupt mill owner, gaining his release from the militia as a result and is free to return to Normandy.



Characters: U

Name:
Earl of Uxbridge
Occupation:
Second-in-command to Lord Wellington at Waterloo, also commander of the Allied cavalry at Waterloo
Rank:
Lieutenant-General
Place of Origin:
England
Appearance:
Sharpe's Waterloo
Quote:
"Gentlemen, I give you today's fox."
Story Contribution
The officer whom Rossendale served under.



Characters: V

Don Blas Vivar Name:
Don Blas Vivar
Count of Mouromorto
Occupation:
Spanish Officer, later Colonial Governor
Rank:
Major (Sharpe's Rifles)
Capitan General (Sharpe's Devil)
Place of Origin:
Spain
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifles (TV)
Sharpe's Rifles, Devil (Books)

Story Contribution
Enigmatica, deeply religious and deeply loyal to Spain, Vivar continues to fight the French after the defeat of Spain as a partisan. In the books he woos Louisa Parker as well as undertaking his mission to fly the gonfalon of Saint James in defiance of France. In the TV version Vivar fights alongside Teresa, and while heartened to see the budding romance between Sharpe and Teresa, also warns Sharpe not to break her heart.
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Characters: W

Name:
Charlie Weller
Occupation:
Soldier
Rank:
Private
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Regiment (TV)
Sharpe’s Regiment, Waterloo (Books)
Quote:
“Can I bring my dog?”
Story Contribution
Young, keen and a dog fancier. Charlie is recruited into the South Essex’s second battalion by Horatio Havercamp, but finds army life is not how expected it to be, especially as he finds himself in a secret camp run by Simmerson. Fortunately Sharpe has been similiarly recruited and he can see in Charlie the makings of a good soldier, and tries his best to look out for the lad.
Charlie’s dog, Buttons, is shot by Colonel Girdwood who hates and fears the creatures. When Sharpe takes Charlie and the best of the recruits back with him to Spain, they all adopt dogs as pets to upset the Colonel. Charlie survives the Battle of Waterloo, although Hagman and Clayton, standing beside him, fall.


Name:
Sir Arthur Wellesley
aka Lord Wellington
Viscount Wellington of Talavera
Marquess of Wellington
Grandee of Spain
Duque de Ciudad Rogrigo
Occupation:
Commander of the British and Portuguese forces in Spain
Rank:
General/Generalissimo
Field Marshall
Place of Origin:
Dublin, Ireland.
Appearances:
Sharpe's Rifles, Eagle, Company, Enemy, Honour, Gold, Battle, Siege, Mission, Waterloo (TV)
Sharpe's Tiger, Triumph, Eagle, Gold, Battle, Company, Honour, Siege, Waterloo (Books)
Quotes:
"You've just done me a damn good turn, Sharpe. Now I'm going to do you a damn bad one."
"We can't have two geniuses in the Peninsula."
Story Contribution
Played by two different actors in the series (David Troughton series one, Hugh Fraser thereafter), Wellington is cold, haughty, imperious and impatient. Sharpe's reluctant patron, having risen Sharpe from the ranks in gratitude for Sharpe saving his life (in Spain on TV and in India in the books), Wellington is uncomfortable with the ruffian but not above using Sharpe as a weapon against the French, counting on Sharpe's stubbornness, recklessness and cleverness to get the job done, as well as occasionally approving the pimping of Sharpe for information from glamorous spies like the Marquesa.


Name:
Wickham
Occupation:
Yeoman
Rank:
Captain
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Justice (TV)
Story Contribution
A smarmy little yes man and thug for hire, Wickham sat out the war practising his fencing skills and polishing his uniform. When Sharpe arrives to take up his post in the yeomanry, Wickham humiliates the hero of Talavera with a show of fancy fencing. Wickham is also being employed to stir up the local population and engage in industrial espionage, disguising it as luddism, and setting up Truman to take the blame. Wickham and his cronies hunt and kill Truman, and would like to do the same to Sharpe. Only Sharpe shows Wickham how to win a real sword fight.


Name:
Wigram
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Lt Colonel
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe’s Revenge
Story Contribution
Wigram oversees Sharpe’s courtmartial for the crime of stealing the Emperor’s treasure. In the TV version, it was Wigram who called Sharpe out in a duel, and escaped with a bullet wound to his behind. He is also courting Jane’s fair weather friend, Lady Spindacre.


Brian Wyndham

Name:
Brian Wyndham
Occupation:
British Officer
Rank:
Lt. Colonel
Place of Origin:
England
Appearances:
Sharpe's Company (TV)
Sharpe's Company, Sword (Books)
Quote:
"So Sharpe it's back to Lieutenant ye are."
Story Contribution
Lawford's replacement as colonel of the South Essex after the siege of Cuidad Rodrigo. A kindly man, obsessed with hunting and the kind regard of his wife Jessica. Wyndham sends Sharpe back to quartermaster duties, unable to find any other use for him. When the Colonel's wife's portrait is stolen by Hakeswill, Harper is blamed and flogged. Wyndham is overjoyed when Harper returns the painting, but saddened at the loss of his friend Jack Collett during the siege of Badajoz.
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