In the book, Harper instructs a few of the Irish soldiers to stay with Lynch and make sure he doesn't survive the battle. Having him turn and flee is a nice addition.
They were being faithful to the book. Sharpe could have had Girdwood thrown out of the army but kept him around because if Girdwood was gone another colonel would be transferred in to take over the regiment(Sharpe still only being a major). As you saw, Sharpe made sure Girdwood knew who was in charge of the regiment and eventually go mad.
Mmhm, bad take. He and the Countess were mismatched. Unthinkable. That was never her agenda. It's the consequences of a rigid class system that a superb woman can see a superb man go by and not be able to match on the basis of their real strength together. But Sharpe did choose wrong. He was pinned to a dangerous, manipulative (traits borne of a desperately vulnerable youth) woman by the obligation he owed her for going to bat for him at personal risk. He had no way out of the obligation or to ask if she was too hot for him to hold. He'd have been better off single or with a common law marriage to an independent fighting woman, than trying to play the rigged game of social advancement through marriage.
@@mileslong3904 yes it 100% is not only that, Jane is evil and selfish and materialistic the Countess was only avenging her husband and settling his debts/her shame . . . much better person all around
He is like d'Artagnan in that regard, he must keep allies among the High Nobility in his back, in a World very much run by the Old Regime networks and Power, however ever in need more and more, of more reliable men like him
@@paulpeterson4216 Well, she tried to be brave and help him. What would happen later, who knew? They say the actress became Bean's wife too, for a time. Who would know how that would end, too?
ONe of the greatest TV series of al time. I have dedicated the last 12 years studying Napoleonic history & uniforms, partly from watching this series as a kid. What a joy it would be to see this on a modern budget, with thousands of soldiers on screen... To do the history justice. But you'd never be able to get the perfect casting of this series. Genius, budget genius.
Correct, but I don't see this being made as well as today, to many or to much CGI used. Here you used people and location - even if the location wasn't where it was supposed to be. I still enjoyed watching this. In present day military you wouldn't see anything like this happening, mostly drones and planes would be doing the fighting and killing.
I had thought about this too, especially after the success of GoT. Watching this now, the show was almost painfully over ambitious with what it was trying to do with the budget it had and I think it suffers for it. My Dad painted collector quality Napoleonic miniatures and I have a love of history in general (medieval is my period), so I am quite aware as to how woefully inadequate the battle scenes are in showing the scope and scale. I would love to see this redone with a proper budget.
I've learned that the lower the budget, the better the programme. I, Claudius is way superior to Rome. Threads makes The Day After look like a Disney family movie. The money thrown at Star Trek the Motion Picture disguised the weakest Star Trek script in history, the weakest Cyberman Doctor Who serial was far superior.
@@themagpie_1 That's what I was talking about, today's shows on war are mostly CGI and less about on-site filming, as about today's wars, they are mostly using drones and planes not so much men as they were 100-150 years ago. Shows like Sharpe would be mostly CGI and mostly unknown actors. I prefer the original myself
I know a lot of people talk about certain things with Sharpe. Sean Bean. The show doing well on a tight budget. And, of course: Now that's soldiering. What stands out to me are certain moments. Namely, the Standard Bearers getting shot. It is not their deaths that move me. It's what happens after. Like in this clip. The British Color Bearer is shot. A member of the Rifles picks it up, and hands it to the next man. Who then immediately throws his weapon down and takes up the colors. Another episode had it, only it was a French soldier. He witnessed the man before him shot, and immediately took up the colors himself, running to the front (and most dangerous position in the unit) with a defiant cry of "Vie la France". Tell me: how is that not amazing?
That was what was expected in that era. It was critical for the linemen to know where to rally around in the confusion of the smoke and noise, when communication and visible was near impossible.
It’s funny that in the books Sharpe’s Baker rifles are valued more than his men, but in all the shows he carries his into battle, throws it on the floor and runs off to fight with his sword.
As an officer he shouldn't even be carrying a rifle (he does anyway) into battle, like Ross, D'Alembord and Girdwood here. Even the new flagbearer just tosses his rifle to carry the colors
I accidentally found this series and found it well done. Would like to see something like this that focuses on the Gurkah Regiments through the years that fought as part of the Royal Army.
as this is one of my favourite sharpe adventures i cannot possibly stop myself from visiting my favourite scenes from this exciting episode over and over again, and as this outing for sharpe is set closer to home and contains a lot of intrigue, i simply cannot enough of it, and what a hero sharpe is first of all despite horse guards no doubt fobbing him off he still tells carlin who`s charge, fends of an attack, meets his supporter the prince of wales, meets and beds a lovely posh lady, goes under cover and finds out what`s happening at foulness, and then after telling perhaps the wrong people at head quarters goes back to foulness to take command and really mess up that idiot girdwood`s day, and then take over and even gives harper a chance to have revenge on lynch, and then despite the fact that his plans are discovered and he`s in danger from it all collapsing around him, because of the beautiful lady turning up just at the right moment the day is saved, and then although he goes back to spain and has to serve under girdwood, this does not last long because as we suspected all along girdwood is insane, and he finally snaps and so who is left to lead the regiment but sharpe, what a man, what a hero, what an adventure.
@Songsmirth "Get his pack. It's what you stopped him for, isn't it?" This is explained better in the book. The French packs were better designed and more comfortable to carry for long periods than the British packs. British veterans (according to Cornwell) ditched theirs for a French one as soon as they could. JAMES
@DrMabuse2006 No, the south Essex are a normal battalion. The reason Sharpe and others are wearing Rifle green are because they were divided from the 95th in the 1st book (and episode) and attached to the South Essex.
I know these battles are meant to have well over four hundred soldiers. But I like to think that what we're seeing is the first push. And as the battle goes on more and more reinforcements from the rest of regiments come to fill in the line gaps. It makes it more believable that when you see a hundred men on screen they can represent four hundred plus
it's interesting how Sharpe went through all that trouble to get Wellington reenforcements and once they crossed the river half of them were dead or wounded so it seemed almost a wasted effort....
Common thing people say is why do they remain in lines/squares etc instead of running in skirmish formation to avoid being shot, well two reasons, they would still get shot at, cannon fire, and most importantly lose cohesion and be run down by cavalry, so yes there are losses, but the victor is the army who doesn't break formation.
@@WhySoSerious551 The tight formation was what caused the Last charge of the Imperial Guard to fail, the first column took over 60% casualties after they reached the ridge top at Waterloo before the second and third column fully arrived. So they didn't have enough Force enough to charge, in a sudden fog of smoke not seeing clearly to where, while the closest British units did not engage in defense to repulse them nor even stood in line formation.... (stuff not done but rarely until the XX c.) avoiding any return fire, but kept shooting volleys from the ground or on the knee. And the French on regrouping back to be joined by the column following the almost decimated first column, the idiots in the second and third column of the Imperial Guard halted and the ones below them with even less sight of what was over the ridge got confused, and looking back from a higher advantage point how extensive the Prussian encircling was becoming, realized how precarious was the situation to be surrounded and squeezed in a pincer movement and slaughtered. So rather than charge through Wellington units once on the crest, those that survived (without almost officers) looked West where the roads were still open free with the Sun going down in short. They probably thought, "coming the night a battle next day or after would be better", but their hesitation and retreat, caused Panic even further down below and a rout ensued. At that moment, seeing no charge, the first lines of British and Allies Soldiers stopped their so far efficient barrage of fire (the Bess had a superior fire range than Napoleon's rifles by then) to halt or make the Imperial Guard first regiment stagger with the now known domino effect, and were told to stand up, and prepare to charge on the Guard going down. The Imperial Guard retreated, after its spearhead first 2 columns walked over the ridge into their firing squads in a triangle of crossfire left and right 40 or 60 yards away, execution style. The casualties worse than the landing in Normandy, and that without machine guns. So they were mowed down within the 2 minutes of coming over the edge off the slope not even in full halt to return fire They never faced or crossed bayonets with the Imperial Guard, but those that were shot as they marched or ran down or were caught straggling in broken small formations. Only Napoleon's Old Guard behind him by the Center remained in formation and covered his retreat. But those Allies and British that went too forward in their zeal to chase the French risked and suffered Friendly Fire, by coming across Prussians fast sweeping Cavalry units. That it was past twilight and Dusk to see well made things worst for the next few hours of Night chaos. Wellington was right, the bloody thing was very close by a matter of minutes.
And if your bowstring gets wet, it won't work. And if your bow gets wet and isn't immediately dried out, it will warp and lose power and/or break. Early crossbows had the same problems. Later crossbows, ie. arbalests, did not. Regardless, bullets are cheaper and easier to make than bolts or arrows. A musket is no more complicated than a crossbow, can be used as a spear with a bayonet, and doesn't require the years of training that a bow does.
To properly learn to use and to develop the strength needed for a bow takes years, a musket, mere days. Mass conscription and mobilization only becomes possible when the weaponry and tactics can be quickly learned. That's why firearms became adopted so quickly, even though at first they were often far inferior to existing weapons.
I'll give this to girdwood. He might have PTSD but at least he isn't as cowardly as that Lynch fellow. Lynch turned around. Girdwood collapsed but like a true english man faced toward his enemy.
I only saw the first 5 on PBS's Masterpiece Theater in the 1990s. _Sharpe's Gold_ wasn't very good so I figured that's why they ended before that one. I think I rented a couple more after that, such as _Sharpe's Waterloo_ after reading that book, and one of the movies set in India. I got the feeling the actors playing the Chosen Men wanted another paycheck so appeared in Waterloo instead of their characters staying in the U.K., thankful to be done with war.
@Angelsdownfall: because he is sean bean. sean bean dies in every single film, so Gornwell wrote Sharpe, so that Sean Bean could play him. Sharpe could beat Magneto to death with a iron pipe
klappspatenkamikaze I thought he was killed by the Uruk-hai, or was it that psychopathic bunch of Lannisters in Game of Groans? He revives wonderfully it has to be said. You can’t beat someone of that calibre, whether you’re Bonaparte or a corrupt Anglo-Irish aristocrat and it’s pointless trying. He’s the early19C equivalent of the Boy Who Lived.
I always loved the sharp series... Sean Bean was the perfect actor to play sharp, although I thought that verne troyer would be amazing as well. The sharp series got better as bigger budgets came into play. It always seemed like they shot this series in about four days on the same 5 mile radius...Some big names though.. pete postalwaite, uncle fred from coronation street as the general...lord fenner I have seen in english television..but the rest of the actors are virtually unknown but talented
Sean Bean was perfect to play Sharpe but he wasn't first choice. He was a late replacement for Paul McGann, who broke an ankle playing football whilst waiting for filming to start.
Great series. Napoleanic Wars are interesting material. In reality, though, when they got close enough to do a bayonet charge, the other side usu. ran. Hand to hand combat in this era was rarer than we see in this series. Most wounds were by musket balls or cannon, not bayonets.
@@NamVetBuck The squirmish was over by New Orleans. The British had won this side show of the Napoleonic wars, America had been kicked out of Canada (their aim in the 'war') Britain ruled the waves and the White House was burnt to the ground after American troops had run away. But funny how the only bit of 1812 you remember is NO?
despite me not knowing if charlie wheeler is going to be a future sergeant or psychopath, this is one hell of an exciting sharpe adventure and its a crying shame that apart from a couple of more episodes and off course a couple set in india which i didn`t really get into, they stopped the series when they did.
There's something very British about rich English folk totally abusing poor young men, yet using xenophobia are still able to convince those poor young men to kill strangers because those strangers must be the enemy because they, erm, live somewhere else
It's looking a little dated now. I'd love to see someone like HBO remake this. Right from the start, from when he was a thief in London to running away to Yorkshire and joining The Havercakes, serving in India and winning his commission, right through to the Battle of Waterloo.
more to the point how would 4000 men bust through that little stage..i think we should just asume all 4000 men didnt stroll into the prince rejents grounds and hide behind a little stage.
No. For a bow to be useful in war it needs at least 90 lbs of draw. Longbows could have up to double that. You can teach anyone to use a 30 lb bow in a day or two, and make them a decent shot in a month, but it takes *years* to build the musculature to control a bow powerful enough for war. By comparison, you can train a man to use a musket in two weeks; a rifle in a month. Guns replaced bows because potential musketeers were more numerous and hence more cost effective.
Longbows recovered from the (16th century) wreck of the Mary Rose suggested a draw of 160lb...however, bows from the Agincourt (14th century) era were reputed to require a greater draw, and available evidence suggests that bowmen from that age were actually left with deformities from regular skeletal subjection to these forces...
El Mirador got no information that Simmerson betrayed Barclay,only that Simmerson tried to take Lass from the convent. Simmerson has powerful friends in the Army and at the royal court,which is why he evades punishment every time. Someone got sick of him and made him a general in the EIC, removing him fron Europe altogether
@DrMabuse2006 No, the riflemen are now part of the South Essex, but are allowed to retain their rifleman's uniform. Thus, Sharpe holds his commission with the South Essex.
If I am totally honest if I re did the entire series you would get alot more more, alot more troops and more of a charge, infantry moving that slow through water would have given the French time to reload and shoot, it be a pigeon shoot, in reality, if Wellington was going through to France and there happend to be defences, he would, strategically, make sure he had a 3-1 advantage especially on a slope, so in reality 200 men wouldnt be enough, 1000 maybe 2000 more likely
elgostine Tolkien was in the trenches in WWI, albeit briefly before being invalided out with trench fever and ‘shell shock’ (PTSD). I’ve heard about very deep relationships between officers and their batmen in action at that time, being prepared to die for someone regardless of the presence or absence of sexual tension. My grandfather was killed at the Somme. Frodo and Sam are not unlike many officer-batman relationships of the day. Sharpe and Harper are not about self-sacrifice but about mutual respect between two men who have adopted each other as brothers.
They didn't have the budget to show a full regiment. These films were made for television and although the acting and writing is better than most of Hollywood the money just wasn't there.
Yes, but basics doesn`t = effective combat. Try keeping up sustained fire as an archer without months and months or even years of doing it. It`s not easy. There`s quite a few history books on this exact subject, actually. And reloading a flintlock isn`t complicated, you can learn to do it in minutes. To be fast and steady I`d imagine would take some time, but thats the joy of repetition! And I wouldn`t want to be anywhere near a volley, ouch.
@tomwuk1 Of course we wont, no sharpe episode is complete without a moment of harper giving a grunt and then taking out a mob of displeased frenchies :D
@DrMabuse2006 No. He commanded only the 1st Battalion, not the entire Regiment. He is only a Major. A colonel would command (and legally own) the South Essex Regiment, not a Major.
Heh, I expect if American style malls or the TA existed back then that Colonel would shortly have joined up and BSed the hell out of his role of that battle...
I love this episode but the end of it is the only part that looks cheesy in sharpes. Is just budget. You did all that work for about 30 men to get mowed down by Canon and then seconds later are all standing back up. Is in a regiment 1000 people?
itsaguinness a regiment generally does have 1000 men. 2 battalions (500 each) make s regiment. However the South Essex(later PWOV) had a few dozen more men as it was a mix of riflemen and light infantry
SantomPh wrong a British regiment in the napoleonic period was made up of (a few had more but the exception rather than the rule) 1 field battalion of 1000 men and officers each company being 100men on paper and a holding battalion made up of 3-4 companies to train new men or in the case of of some a full battalion sent out to swap with the 1st.
They we're usually between 600-800 depending on the situation for standard regiments of line. 10 companies makes up this battalion, which is what the fighting unit was called (regiment being purely administrative). There was no "HQ Element", comparing modern structures with the ones of the early 1800s is like comparing an assault rifle with a musket... They shoot projectiles out of a barrel, and much of the terminology is the same, but the similarities stop there.
That is a myth. Colours would become soiled in battle, and often they would touch the ground. When the guards are changed at Buckingham and on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the colours for a royal salute are dipped and laid flat on the parade square, except for the jack. The national flag is the only one not dipped and the only one which is to kept off the bare ground at all times.
In the book, Harper instructs a few of the Irish soldiers to stay with Lynch and make sure he doesn't survive the battle. Having him turn and flee is a nice addition.
Actually it's Sharpe who gives Harper a special squad of Irishmen - plus Lynch.
They were being faithful to the book. Sharpe could have had Girdwood thrown out of the army but kept him around because if Girdwood was gone another colonel would be transferred in to take over the regiment(Sharpe still only being a major). As you saw, Sharpe made sure Girdwood knew who was in charge of the regiment and eventually go mad.
He should have definatly married the Countess instead... so much better looking, and she's been there for Sharpe through the episodes.
She is very crafty and is doing all that for her son- she is not really in love with him, she is more like a sister in arms
@@SantomPh still better than a backstabbing bitch lol
Mmhm, bad take. He and the Countess were mismatched. Unthinkable. That was never her agenda. It's the consequences of a rigid class system that a superb woman can see a superb man go by and not be able to match on the basis of their real strength together. But Sharpe did choose wrong. He was pinned to a dangerous, manipulative (traits borne of a desperately vulnerable youth) woman by the obligation he owed her for going to bat for him at personal risk. He had no way out of the obligation or to ask if she was too hot for him to hold. He'd have been better off single or with a common law marriage to an independent fighting woman, than trying to play the rigged game of social advancement through marriage.
Better looking isn't necessarily better.
@@mileslong3904 yes it 100% is
not only that, Jane is evil and selfish and materialistic
the Countess was only avenging her husband and settling his debts/her shame . . . much better person all around
Harris teaching young Charlie how to loot. Brilliant.
Used to watch this series with my grandparents, rest in peace love you both.
I love how even when Sharpe is just getting engaged he takes the time to make Lady Anne happy. Cracks me up.
He certainly picked the wrong one.
He is like d'Artagnan in that regard, he must keep allies among the High Nobility in his back, in a World very much run by the Old Regime networks and Power, however ever in need more and more, of more reliable men like him
aka the double sploosh!
@@paulpeterson4216 Well, she tried to be brave and help him. What would happen later, who knew? They say the actress became Bean's wife too, for a time. Who would know how that would end, too?
@@paulpeterson4216 oh yes and it cost him ..literaly
Sharpe and Hornblower. My favourites!
Exactly!!!
Could you imagine them meeting??
@@robertfeld5829 now we just need to have Iaon Gufford and Sean Bean agree to make the movie
@@mightyzekken I hope so
You only see him in this one, but in the books Charlie keeps popping up and even ends the series as a Sgt
Nice to know he wasn’t tragically killed. Thank you. That’s the kind of spoiler I actually like. :-)
thats cool
ONe of the greatest TV series of al time.
I have dedicated the last 12 years studying Napoleonic history & uniforms, partly from watching this series as a kid.
What a joy it would be to see this on a modern budget, with thousands of soldiers on screen...
To do the history justice.
But you'd never be able to get the perfect casting of this series.
Genius, budget genius.
Correct, but I don't see this being made as well as today, to many or to much CGI used. Here you used people and location - even if the location wasn't where it was supposed to be. I still enjoyed watching this. In present day military you wouldn't see anything like this happening, mostly drones and planes would be doing the fighting and killing.
I had thought about this too, especially after the success of GoT. Watching this now, the show was almost painfully over ambitious with what it was trying to do with the budget it had and I think it suffers for it. My Dad painted collector quality Napoleonic miniatures and I have a love of history in general (medieval is my period), so I am quite aware as to how woefully inadequate the battle scenes are in showing the scope and scale. I would love to see this redone with a proper budget.
I've learned that the lower the budget, the better the programme. I, Claudius is way superior to Rome. Threads makes The Day After look like a Disney family movie. The money thrown at Star Trek the Motion Picture disguised the weakest Star Trek script in history, the weakest Cyberman Doctor Who serial was far superior.
@@55Quirll what do drones & planes have to do with the Napoleonic War..? LoneStoat was talking about remaking THIS show, not Sharpe 2023..
@@themagpie_1 That's what I was talking about, today's shows on war are mostly CGI and less about on-site filming, as about today's wars, they are mostly using drones and planes not so much men as they were 100-150 years ago. Shows like Sharpe would be mostly CGI and mostly unknown actors. I prefer the original myself
I'm shure plenty of recreationist societys would of loved to of volunteered to be extras on this, shame no one thought to ask around.
12 years later but mostly shot in crimea, don't think those recreationist societes would fly and lodge themselves in crimea for free
@@VuNguyen-wo8bp Not today, unless they were ready for some real fighting.
The worst mistake he made dammit he should have gone for Anne
If I was Sharpe I would of taken Anne's offer for a ride back in her carriage lol
The actors got married IRL though
Then got divorced 3 years later
with his record shes good as dead
He actually married Jane in real life
Eric J but how did that end up 😂😂
I know a lot of people talk about certain things with Sharpe. Sean Bean. The show doing well on a tight budget. And, of course: Now that's soldiering.
What stands out to me are certain moments. Namely, the Standard Bearers getting shot. It is not their deaths that move me. It's what happens after. Like in this clip. The British Color Bearer is shot. A member of the Rifles picks it up, and hands it to the next man. Who then immediately throws his weapon down and takes up the colors. Another episode had it, only it was a French soldier. He witnessed the man before him shot, and immediately took up the colors himself, running to the front (and most dangerous position in the unit) with a defiant cry of "Vie la France".
Tell me: how is that not amazing?
Takes a certain amount of courage to grab the colours.
That was what was expected in that era. It was critical for the linemen to know where to rally around in the confusion of the smoke and noise, when communication and visible was near impossible.
@@grindstone4910 yeah some battles had the colours go through the hands of over a dozen men
Love the way the riflemen look after the "newbies"
It’s funny that in the books Sharpe’s Baker rifles are valued more than his men, but in all the shows he carries his into battle, throws it on the floor and runs off to fight with his sword.
As an officer he shouldn't even be carrying a rifle (he does anyway) into battle, like Ross, D'Alembord and Girdwood here. Even the new flagbearer just tosses his rifle to carry the colors
@@SantomPh The new flag bearer wears a red coat, what he threw away was probably a musket, not a rifle.
@@SantomPh The flag bearer has a redcoat, meaning he probably isn’t part of the Rifle company, so he probably threw down a musket, not a rifle.
I accidentally found this series and found it well done. Would like to see something like this that focuses on the Gurkah Regiments through the years that fought as part of the Royal Army.
"Say it! GOD SAVES IRELAND! GOD SAVES IRELAND!" Amazing they added that little gem into the charge scene 😂😂😂
Say it! GOD SAVE IRELAND! Say it! GOD SAVE IRELAND!
FILTH!!
God save Ireland!
@@patmorrow6872 Indeed!
@@patmorrow6872 LOUDER
@@davecrupel2817 LOOOOOOUDER!!
in case anyone's wondering, Caroline Langrishe, who plays lady anne camoynes, is still quite the cutie at age 66.
Also plays Charlotte in Lovejoy, good looking woman.
as this is one of my favourite sharpe adventures i cannot possibly stop myself from visiting my favourite scenes from this exciting episode over and over again, and as this outing for sharpe is set closer to home and contains a lot of intrigue, i simply cannot enough of it, and what a hero sharpe is first of all despite horse guards no doubt fobbing him off he still tells carlin who`s charge, fends of an attack, meets his supporter the prince of wales, meets and beds a lovely posh lady, goes under cover and finds out what`s happening at foulness, and then after telling perhaps the wrong people at head quarters goes back to foulness to take command and really mess up that idiot girdwood`s day, and then take over and even gives harper a chance to have revenge on lynch, and then despite the fact that his plans are discovered and he`s in danger from it all collapsing around him, because of the beautiful lady turning up just at the right moment the day is saved, and then although he goes back to spain and has to serve under girdwood, this does not last long because as we suspected all along girdwood is insane, and he finally snaps and so who is left to lead the regiment but sharpe, what a man, what a hero, what an adventure.
4:06
Looting the dead before the battle is over. That's soldiering!
Prince Regent writes Downton Abbey - now that's soldering!
@Songsmirth
"Get his pack. It's what you stopped him for, isn't it?"
This is explained better in the book. The French packs were better designed and more comfortable to carry for long periods than the British packs. British veterans (according to Cornwell) ditched theirs for a French one as soon as they could.
JAMES
Thanks for that. I rewound the video 3 times wondering what he meant.
Got to love taking better equipment from the enemy.
@@justinvanvolkenburg5298 now that's soldiering
Glad you commented on that. I was a bit confused as to why he said that. Thanks for clearing that up!!😊
Is it Pack.? i think he says `patch` as in his colours..?
*stab stab stab* "filth"
"UUUUgh me wiife's dead." "Oh dear, might it help terribly if I were to touch it, Major Sharpe?" "That might work lass, aye." Works every time.
Love it how they were a couple months in England and the army still hasn't taken that river crossing when they get back.
He needed the second batallion because the first one was depleted.
Wellington wanted to cross all at once.
Looked like the same day, too
@DrMabuse2006 No, the south Essex are a normal battalion. The reason Sharpe and others are wearing Rifle green are because they were divided from the 95th in the 1st book (and episode) and attached to the South Essex.
I know these battles are meant to have well over four hundred soldiers. But I like to think that what we're seeing is the first push. And as the battle goes on more and more reinforcements from the rest of regiments come to fill in the line gaps. It makes it more believable that when you see a hundred men on screen they can represent four hundred plus
it's interesting how Sharpe went through all that trouble to get Wellington reenforcements and once they crossed the river half of them were dead or wounded so it seemed almost a wasted effort....
hollywoodwerewolf Why didn’t they use helicopters?
Common thing people say is why do they remain in lines/squares etc instead of running in skirmish formation to avoid being shot, well two reasons, they would still get shot at, cannon fire, and most importantly lose cohesion and be run down by cavalry, so yes there are losses, but the victor is the army who doesn't break formation.
@@aislingmichaelaoneill1028 helicopters only came about in 1827 sadly
@@WhySoSerious551 The tight formation was what caused the Last charge of the Imperial Guard to fail, the first column took over 60% casualties after they reached the ridge top at Waterloo before the second and third column fully arrived. So they didn't have enough Force enough to charge, in a sudden fog of smoke not seeing clearly to where, while the closest British units did not engage in defense to repulse them nor even stood in line formation.... (stuff not done but rarely until the XX c.) avoiding any return fire, but kept shooting volleys from the ground or on the knee. And the French on regrouping back to be joined by the column following the almost decimated first column, the idiots in the second and third column of the Imperial Guard halted and the ones below them with even less sight of what was over the ridge got confused, and looking back from a higher advantage point how extensive the Prussian encircling was becoming, realized how precarious was the situation to be surrounded and squeezed in a pincer movement and slaughtered. So rather than charge through Wellington units once on the crest, those that survived (without almost officers) looked West where the roads were still open free with the Sun going down in short. They probably thought, "coming the night a battle next day or after would be better", but their hesitation and retreat, caused Panic even further down below and a rout ensued. At that moment, seeing no charge, the first lines of British and Allies Soldiers stopped their so far efficient barrage of fire (the Bess had a superior fire range than Napoleon's rifles by then) to halt or make the Imperial Guard first regiment stagger with the now known domino effect, and were told to stand up, and prepare to charge on the Guard going down. The Imperial Guard retreated, after its spearhead first 2 columns walked over the ridge into their firing squads in a triangle of crossfire left and right 40 or 60 yards away, execution style. The casualties worse than the landing in Normandy, and that without machine guns. So they were mowed down within the 2 minutes of coming over the edge off the slope not even in full halt to return fire
They never faced or crossed bayonets with the Imperial Guard, but those that were shot as they marched or ran down or were caught straggling in broken small formations. Only Napoleon's Old Guard behind him by the Center remained in formation and covered his retreat. But those Allies and British that went too forward in their zeal to chase the French risked and suffered Friendly Fire, by coming across Prussians fast sweeping Cavalry units. That it was past twilight and Dusk to see well made things worst for the next few hours of Night chaos.
Wellington was right, the bloody thing was very close by a matter of minutes.
@@JohnsonTheSecond ah yes, the great helicopter wars of 1827.
Joining two pieces of wire with molten tin? That's soldering
this show feels authentic in a way others don't
this is my favorite episode. SAY IT LYNCH God save ierland God save ierland!!!!
One simply doesn't walk into France
Mais oui
Now that's soldiering!
I agree, but read all the novels. I love it. Still stands up after all these years.
And if your bowstring gets wet, it won't work. And if your bow gets wet and isn't immediately dried out, it will warp and lose power and/or break.
Early crossbows had the same problems. Later crossbows, ie. arbalests, did not.
Regardless, bullets are cheaper and easier to make than bolts or arrows. A musket is no more complicated than a crossbow, can be used as a spear with a bayonet, and doesn't require the years of training that a bow does.
plus accuracy,range,drills and penetration with fire arms improved
Companyyyyy!.. jump to the left!.. a little step to the right!.. put your hands on your hips!..
just discovered this and love it !
@LordWellington15 Well only Shapre and Patrick went to England - the rest were lurking in Spain singing "Over the Hills" and reading Descartes..
andy7666 I stink therefore I am.
Sharpe certainly picked the wrong girl here.
To properly learn to use and to develop the strength needed for a bow takes years, a musket, mere days.
Mass conscription and mobilization only becomes possible when the weaponry and tactics can be quickly learned. That's why firearms became adopted so quickly, even though at first they were often far inferior to existing weapons.
Ok
Yari and teppo of the ashigaru. Oda Nobunaga-san saw this centuries before the round-eyes.
'God made all men.....Sam Colt made them all equal.'
Truth be told, I would be an extra for free for any Sharpe movie. Most of the fans would love to be an extra here.
I'll give this to girdwood. He might have PTSD but at least he isn't as cowardly as that Lynch fellow. Lynch turned around. Girdwood collapsed but like a true english man faced toward his enemy.
What a bizarre read of the mental breakdown of a cowardly bigot, left rambling to himself, playing with his stick.
Girdwood wanted to resign (again) before Sharpe made Fenner disallow it.
i would have enjoyed another series . fantastic .
I only saw the first 5 on PBS's Masterpiece Theater in the 1990s. _Sharpe's Gold_ wasn't very good so I figured that's why they ended before that one. I think I rented a couple more after that, such as _Sharpe's Waterloo_ after reading that book, and one of the movies set in India. I got the feeling the actors playing the Chosen Men wanted another paycheck so appeared in Waterloo instead of their characters staying in the U.K., thankful to be done with war.
extras cost money, jut be glad the series exists.
@Angelsdownfall: because he is sean bean. sean bean dies in every single film, so Gornwell wrote Sharpe, so that Sean Bean could play him. Sharpe could beat Magneto to death with a iron pipe
klappspatenkamikaze I thought he was killed by the Uruk-hai, or was it that psychopathic bunch of Lannisters in Game of Groans? He revives wonderfully it has to be said. You can’t beat someone of that calibre, whether you’re Bonaparte or a corrupt Anglo-Irish aristocrat and it’s pointless trying. He’s the early19C equivalent of the Boy Who Lived.
He's also the same guy in every film he plays, except the field where he was Irish but he didn't have to say much.
I always loved the sharp series... Sean Bean was the perfect actor to play sharp, although I thought that verne troyer would be amazing as well. The sharp series got better as bigger budgets came into play. It always seemed like they shot this series in about four days on the same 5 mile radius...Some big names though.. pete postalwaite, uncle fred from coronation street as the general...lord fenner I have seen in english television..but the rest of the actors are virtually unknown but talented
Verne Troyer? Is that a joke? 🤣
Sean Bean was perfect to play Sharpe but he wasn't first choice. He was a late replacement for Paul McGann, who broke an ankle playing football whilst waiting for filming to start.
Marrying her was Sharpe's worst mistake of his career.
one of my favorite episodes
For a rifleman Sharpe certainly wets his prime enough....
Great series. Napoleanic Wars are interesting material. In reality, though, when they got close enough to do a bayonet charge, the other side usu. ran. Hand to hand combat in this era was rarer than we see in this series. Most wounds were by musket balls or cannon, not bayonets.
Nobody ran at New Orleans except the British !
@@NamVetBuck The squirmish was over by New Orleans. The British had won this side show of the Napoleonic wars, America had been kicked out of Canada (their aim in the 'war') Britain ruled the waves and the White House was burnt to the ground after American troops had run away. But funny how the only bit of 1812 you remember is NO?
They need to remake this with bigger budget.
With today's hollywood/entertainmen industry, it'd end poorly.
Haha was Lynch the sergeant screamin God save Ireland?
*cannonball hits* Colonel turns around to desert, immediately stabbed - "Filth!"
funniest moment in Sharpe hands down
I assume you mean Sgt Lynch. The colonel was sitting in the river.
Paul Kline having what appears to be a PTSD attack
take 2 paces back-takes 3 pases forwards
That's a boss you can get behind, someone that won't throw you under the bus.
good to see hagman and harris at the end
despite me not knowing if charlie wheeler is going to be a future sergeant or psychopath, this is one hell of an exciting sharpe adventure and its a crying shame that apart from a couple of more episodes and off course a couple set in india which i didn`t really get into, they stopped the series when they did.
There's something very British about rich English folk totally abusing poor young men, yet using xenophobia are still able to convince those poor young men to kill strangers because those strangers must be the enemy because they, erm, live somewhere else
I'm sure he thought about, but he is a common man made officer. She's a Countess. High society would shit themselves.
It's looking a little dated now. I'd love to see someone like HBO remake this. Right from the start, from when he was a thief in London to running away to Yorkshire and joining The Havercakes, serving in India and winning his commission, right through to the Battle of Waterloo.
Pity they didn’t have the budget to do the real numbers required
If this doesn’t tear you up you’re not a gentleman. I said what I said.
the mf charging across the river shouting “GOD SAVE IRELAND” had me dying
O'er the hills and far away. Even today.
Released in 1996 and still thrills! 10.17.2022
god save ireland xD
Absolutely Kino
I didn't like that episode as much. But I still got the others to get through I love this show man!
more to the point how would 4000 men bust through that little stage..i think we should just asume all 4000 men didnt stroll into the prince rejents grounds and hide behind a little stage.
In sharps rifles it looks like tallevera was fought between a few hundred troops. In reality there were more than 70 thousand combatants. !!!
But you got to love the way Sean Bean says Tallevera, almost as good as bastard's!
@@cambs0181 th-cam.com/video/tE8d-uGmIWk/w-d-xo.html 😂
Then they must be quakin in terror
Oh they are charlie
No. For a bow to be useful in war it needs at least 90 lbs of draw. Longbows could have up to double that. You can teach anyone to use a 30 lb bow in a day or two, and make them a decent shot in a month, but it takes *years* to build the musculature to control a bow powerful enough for war.
By comparison, you can train a man to use a musket in two weeks; a rifle in a month. Guns replaced bows because potential musketeers were more numerous and hence more cost effective.
Longbows recovered from the (16th century) wreck of the Mary Rose suggested a draw of 160lb...however, bows from the Agincourt (14th century) era were reputed to require a greater draw, and available evidence suggests that bowmen from that age were actually left with deformities from regular skeletal subjection to these forces...
@DearGirlMoonLoon LOLZ! That was the best bit of this episode
lmao, true that - forget France, their won't be many men left in England once Sharpe is through with them.
should have destroed simmerson there and then and surely the priest agent proved him to be a traitor?
El Mirador got no information that Simmerson betrayed Barclay,only that Simmerson tried to take Lass from the convent.
Simmerson has powerful friends in the Army and at the royal court,which is why he evades punishment every time. Someone got sick of him and made him a general in the EIC, removing him fron Europe altogether
ya seriously lol there's like 100 men there representing like 4000
@DrMabuse2006 No, the riflemen are now part of the South Essex, but are allowed to retain their rifleman's uniform. Thus, Sharpe holds his commission with the South Essex.
Now you've mentioned it, it really does! Oh, and the English don't say mom, they say "mum".
Come on ya buggers! let em hear ya! Quality line!!!
If I am totally honest if I re did the entire series you would get alot more more, alot more troops and more of a charge, infantry moving that slow through water would have given the French time to reload and shoot, it be a pigeon shoot, in reality, if Wellington was going through to France and there happend to be defences, he would, strategically, make sure he had a 3-1 advantage especially on a slope, so in reality 200 men wouldnt be enough, 1000 maybe 2000 more likely
one of the best!
one of the best TV/ movie mateships id reckon, without the insinuations of gayness attributed to sam and frodo
elgostine Tolkien was in the trenches in WWI, albeit briefly before being invalided out with trench fever and ‘shell shock’ (PTSD). I’ve heard about very deep relationships between officers and their batmen in action at that time, being prepared to die for someone regardless of the presence or absence of sexual tension. My grandfather was killed at the Somme. Frodo and Sam are not unlike many officer-batman relationships of the day. Sharpe and Harper are not about self-sacrifice but about mutual respect between two men who have adopted each other as brothers.
what're you waiting for? It's France! France!
4:20 is hilarious
They didn't have the budget to show a full regiment. These films were made for television and although the acting and writing is better than most of Hollywood the money just wasn't there.
Yes, but basics doesn`t = effective combat. Try keeping up sustained fire as an archer without months and months or even years of doing it. It`s not easy. There`s quite a few history books on this exact subject, actually.
And reloading a flintlock isn`t complicated, you can learn to do it in minutes. To be fast and steady I`d imagine would take some time, but thats the joy of repetition!
And I wouldn`t want to be anywhere near a volley, ouch.
They need the budget first sadly...:(
@tomwuk1 Of course we wont, no sharpe episode is complete without a moment of harper giving a grunt and then taking out a mob of displeased frenchies :D
The killing
why they never show the whole battalion lined up? that seems to be a companyor less..
Don't do it Sharpe, nooooooo{
A good Sharpe's movie would do the trick! And Sharpe didn't get shot or stabbed once in this episode which is a travesty.
@DrMabuse2006 No. He commanded only the 1st Battalion, not the entire Regiment. He is only a Major. A colonel would command (and legally own) the South Essex Regiment, not a Major.
I loved most episodes of Sharpe's, but the entire dialogue and such of this one just felt so cringe.
Heh, I expect if American style malls or the TA existed back then that Colonel would shortly have joined up and BSed the hell out of his role of that battle...
No Hagman or Harris in the book and why did they have to change Harpers' wife's name from Isabella to Ramona?
Hagman and Harris are in the book
I love this episode but the end of it is the only part that looks cheesy in sharpes. Is just budget. You did all that work for about 30 men to get mowed down by Canon and then seconds later are all standing back up. Is in a regiment 1000 people?
itsaguinness a regiment generally does have 1000 men. 2 battalions (500 each) make s regiment. However the South Essex(later PWOV) had a few dozen more men as it was a mix of riflemen and light infantry
SantomPh wrong a British regiment in the napoleonic period was made up of (a few had more but the exception rather than the rule) 1 field battalion of 1000 men and officers each company being 100men on paper and a holding battalion made up of 3-4 companies to train new men or in the case of of some a full battalion sent out to swap with the 1st.
They we're usually between 600-800 depending on the situation for standard regiments of line. 10 companies makes up this battalion, which is what the fighting unit was called (regiment being purely administrative). There was no "HQ Element", comparing modern structures with the ones of the early 1800s is like comparing an assault rifle with a musket... They shoot projectiles out of a barrel, and much of the terminology is the same, but the similarities stop there.
Filth allways gets bayonetted!
I wondered what happened to Charlie. Did he see the war through?
Retired from Waterloo as a sergeant.
That is a myth. Colours would become soiled in battle, and often they would touch the ground. When the guards are changed at Buckingham and on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the colours for a royal salute are dipped and laid flat on the parade square, except for the jack. The national flag is the only one not dipped and the only one which is to kept off the bare ground at all times.