I think another reason Wellington was so outraged at Simmerson was that Simmerson tried to pass all the blame to a dead man whom nearly everyone regarded as a good soldier. Pinning the blame on a dead man who couldn't defend himself was a terribly dishonorable thing to do.
There is so much to be mad about Simmerson. The death of Lennox, the deaths of so many soldiers for a small scouting party, leaving troops to die, blaming all the faults of himself on a dead man who died in vain, and losing the colors that is held proudly by the British. Simmerson needed to be revoked and disgraced at that point.
I love the way in the debrief scene at 7:30 you can actually see the actor who plays Captain Leroy is totally gripped by the powerful acting of David Troughton when he shows his anger and disgust as Simmerson tries to pass the blame. Honestly one of my favourite scenes in any programme or film, acting at its finest.
@@Hyporama Totally agree with you, it was excellent. Writing, directing and acting were awesome, like in this scene, acting that makes you feel you're there. It got alot of stick for the fight scenes looking a bit amateur but I thought they were great, always tense and had me on edge, I mean ok you can see that there was no blood and alot of swords that clearly don't make contact but it never takes away from the overall energy and drama of the scene for me.
"Major Hogan's coat buttons up tight over a number of other duties, Sir Henry." I love this line. God, this series was brilliantly written, but this episode in particular had great dialogue. "Major Lennox answered with his life! Which you should have done if you had any sense of honour!"
Hogan is an intelligence officer - an occupation (and character trait) deeply despised by the "gentlemen officers" of Simmersons' ilk. Wellington is basically telling him "If you think an engineer is all that Hogan is, you're a bigger donkey than even i had thought." Even more poignant is the reason Wellington even sent Simmerson there in the first place - he wanted him to fail, and suspected that he would, to have leverage over him and the establishment in London - "Horseguards" - that sent Simmerson to Spain. That's the entire reason Hogan was even there in the first place.
One of mine is when Wellington asks Sharpe to swear there was no promise. And Sharpe swears no one heard and promise. (Wellington respected the honor involved)
@@davecrupel2817 Continuity of command. If Sharpe is going to Captain the Light Company, then he needs to actually command that company in an engagement. If he abandons his post to pursue an Eagle, there's a risk of his command collapsing. While Major Leroy (and Lt. Col. Lawford in the book) are at hand to hold the unit together, the show's budget unfortunately makes the units look much smaller than they should be, in reality the Light Company of a unit like the South Essex would have been spread out in front of the Regiment to screen French Voltigeurs (light infantry) and Chasseurs (sharpshooters similar to British Rifles, but using muskets). For the Light Company to competently do its job of screening the enemy's skirmishers, you would need all 100 soldiers (ideal number at full strength) in the Light Company in pairs thinning out French skirmishers and also harassing the main column as it marched towards the British line. And this would also mean the company Captain would need to be present directing his men on when/where to harass the enemy by dictating to his lieutenants, ensigns and sergeants. Sharpe ends up lucky. He was able to abandon his post and get the Eagle. And there's a roughly happy ending to the story. But the reality of Talavera was that Wellington didn't get a real victory that gained the British Army anything except halting the French center advance to Portugal, because Joseph Bonaparte got skittish. The French were able to withdraw in order, and the fight cost Wellesley (not yet Wellington) time. As he finds out that Marshal Soult was marching South from Galicia to link up with Victor, Jourdan and Joseph. If a Light Company Captain actually did what Sharpe did at the climax of the episode to get the Eagle, there's a very real chance that the rake-and-fire tactic employed by the British on François Ruffin's division would have failed and the British left would have instead collapsed against the French division.
This is the episode that hooked me on the Sharpe series. I was bit underwhelmed by Sharpe's Rifles and as a result almost passed on continuing with watching the other episodes. However, I took another shot with Sharpe's Eagle and am glad I did. Terrific. I especially loved Wellington ripping into Simmerson at the end of htis clip. Simmerson was such a great villain.
"You've lost the colours, the King's Colours, touched by his own hand. Take my advice, and a pistol, and go behind yer tent and blow out what's left of yer brains" If I may be so bold, I would call that 'Owned'.
Up until that point he had to be polite because Simmerson was his superior officer with friends in high places, but once the colours were lost he could tell him what he really thought.
@@breacat yep. Just biding his time. Kinda like life in the workplace these days, wait until your colleague is totally discredited before administering the kicking. 🤣
Just wanted to say - I love the expression on Leroy's face when Simmerson's giving his little speech. You can see him thinking 'God help me if I get asked whether this is true or not...' especially towards the end. Awesome :)
I wish they had kept this Wellington. David Troughton looked more like Wellington and in my opinion had much more screen presence than Hugh Fraser. Was just more believable. Unfortunately, David was quite ill before filming Sharpe's Company and so they gave the role to Fraser. In addition, I wish they had kept Hogan too. However. Brian Cox refused to film anymore Sharpe's due to the poor conditions in the Ukraine. Was a real shame as he was much better than the subsequent spymasters.
Its amazing you can do with next to no budget and a few guys trained to fall off a horse. Although the bridge blowing up must have eaten into their chips n beer money.
See, that's why I prefer this Wellington over the one from episode 3 onward. Damn shame. Not to mention Brian Cox getting ill, which caused all those changes of intelligence officers.
the sentiments expressed in this scene over the king's colors illustrates how, during that age, human nature was bound by reverence for perceived divinity
@Songsmirth He said he had a cousin in Horse Guards, which was basically the Pentagon for that time. It does indeed imply his connections are extremely influential.
@@boyscouts83712not that far from the truth, I’ve said this elsewhere in this thread, Simmerson had the financial clout to raise a regiment privately, for this he was made a colonel and knighted, the system at the time allowed this to happen and wasn’t dependant on military experience as is evident with Simmerson. The South Essex is essentially a vanity project for Simmerson who truly believed himself to be a gifted commander which of course he wasn’t.
Leroy, for being an American (As he says, he's not.. he's Virginian), really does know how to act and when to turn a deaf ear. Saying he heard Sharpe say nothing about any Eagle (which is technically true) means there will be no true way for Sharpe to lie about a fools mission that would for most part be completely impossible. Sharpe may not have made any promise, but his reverence for Major Lennox shone through and told Leroy that he would indeed do his best to fulfill a dying man's wish. So Leroy told the Ensign/Lieutenant to stay away from Sharpe.. which he was proven right about. Leroy is the true Captain of South Essex. A far superior officer than even many Colonels (Simmerson included, naturally.. but he's worth no more to Wellington than a deserting Private). Leroy should be left in charge of every day-to-day maintaining of the Regiment and he'd win the loyalty of most soldiers doing so.
Being English myself, technically speaking we are descended from Northern peoples just like the Germans. The King's German Legion of Wellington's army was one of its finest as well, King George being from Hanover.
5:39 Notice how Wellesley stopped for second when Simmerson said:"Major Lennox panicked," He knew full well that was NOT Major Lennox's style, but more of Simmerson's!
"Sharpe. I can make you a captain, but I cannot keep you a captain. There is talk, Sharpe. There is talk of an imperial eagle. There is talk of a promise made to the late Major Hogan. Swear an oath to me that it is just talk, Sharpe, or by God you will walk out of this room a lieutenant." "I swear on oath that nobody heard me make any promise in respect to an imperial eagle, sir." "Colonel Lawson - you may escort Captain Sharpe to the door."
Though Major Lennox would know to form square to recieve cavalry green troops in their first action would scatter and not do so or not respond quickly enough
I wonder why the French cavalry are always pictured in blue, they wore green for Chasseurs and dragoons and these horsemen are obvioustly not lancers or cuirassers.
In Sharpe's Rifles the question is asked why fight for a bloody rag referring to the Standard of St. James. Until the middle of WWI the flag was the guide of where one was supposed to be in the battle. It was then, and is now, also the symbol, the emblem the heart of the unit. The King's Colours were presented to the unit and become the unit in many ways. It makes no difference what nation, your flag deserves honor and respect and to lose the Colours in battle in a disgrace to the unit.
this is a good point but ide say WWII's purpose was more directed so that future generations could create countless amounts of games such as call of duty and medal of honor etc.
"Take a pistol, go behind that tent, and blow out what's left of your brains...!" I know a lot of people you could say that to these days. A little while ago I felt I had done something I should not have done, so I took full responsibility, and apologised to all concerned. Some of my friends & colleagues said I had actually done little wrong, but felt it right and proper to do the decent thing. I have a personal code of honour which I adhere to, and I always will do. I never intend to break it.
Some of those barrels of powder were still intact. I'd recover them after the area has simmered down... edit: Where can I get a stunning outfit like Hogan's at the debrief? He always manages to look so fashionably outstanding.
Cheveaux Legers do stand for Light Cavalry, but during the Napoleonic Wars and as always, these units utilized spears and were the equivalent of lancers in other armies. I don't know what they are, but not Legers.
I don't get why Sharpe is so uneasy. Hogan was there and he saw everything, his name is clear and it was demonstrably Simmerson's fault. Edit: Nvm based Hogan.
Yes but Sharpe was a nobody with little influence, Hogan was Irish (at this time the Irish regardless of social standing were viewed by other English officers with suspicion and dislike) who relied on Wellesley (who was also Irish) for his standing. Simmerson had "friends at horse guards", little good it did him in the end though. When shit starts to flow, it usually flows downhill. Shape was the lowest ranked officer in the room, hence his nervousness I would imagine.
i´ll stick my neck out here and say the only soldiers i can imagine in uniforms like that are lancers (wearing the typical polish czapka cap). chevaux-légers regiments in the french army did indeed carry the lance and at least one regiment (i can´t remember which one) wore a uniform similar to this - but not in 1809. lanceless poles?
happiness". In the U.S. Civil War both sides thought they were, one was truly right though. In the case of the Sharpe series, what were Europeans squabbling over, who had the right to rule over you, a king or an emperor?
Although it may seem rational and logical to see it this way, it is absolutely obvious that never Europe could have done it at that time for the simple reason that pretty much every 500km, people speak a completely different language. A group that cannot understand another one will hardly like it. Look how difficult it is for the EU to take coherent decisions nowadays... More than anything else (religion, nobility..), the language barrier was and is a real problem.
It’s also a direct insult to Simmerson, there was a system where a person who had the money could raise a regiment and be awarded a colonelcy and a knighthood even with no military experience. The South Essex was a vanity project to Simmerson who fancied himself a skilled military commander when he was anything but. Lennox and LeRoy were the only decent officers with any experience, the two lieutenants (Gibbons and Berry) were his nephews and referred to by Wellington as “coffee house fops”. Simmerson is being cashiered in all but name.
Alright, then I absolutely agree with you. Napoleonic wars are totally meaningless on the philosophical point of view.I understand why the french followed him though: 10 years after the humiliation that was the invation of the country by allied European forces, they had a revenge to take (irrational but human); and basically, Napoleon was at war against the same countries (+ some others that his ego really wanted). This word surely sums it all up: ego. Maybe you're right. Sharpe should have left
Yet they made a very rational mistake if I understood your last comment correctly: they thought their way of life was the best and wanted to give it to all Europe by force. What led us, once again to war, waste of life and desolation. So I don't think irrationality is the key problem here. (And I think that the US did the same when they tried to invade Canada isn't it ?(I'm asking))
Don't get me wrong, the U.S. has made many irrational choices about war (WWI, Spanish-American War, Vietnam, Iraq). What I was trying to contrast in my original statement on this video, was the clear reasons why Europeans went to war at this time and for centuries previously and why the Americans did. The two most interesting wars in history were the American Revolution and the Civil War, both of which people were dying for the principles of the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of...
Now I have... Oh well... I'm sorry I missed that, and so, for the fact it made me look like I was considering you an idiot (which I wasn't). It is an interesting point you make. I'm afraid my English level isn't good enough for me to understand exactly what you said, so please, forgive my possible misunderstandings. The french revolution normally put that in place, since the government of 1798 was quite similar to the american government.
well I believe so: I don't see any kind of link between the first ww and the Jews, and Jews were unliked also in France at the beginning of the second ww, yet, we didn't have a civil war about them; the war was against Germany, which speaks german. I believe that we can try to find many difficult reasons as to why people hate each other, but every reason has the same simple root: we don't like what is different; and a different language is something very easy to point out.
I think another reason Wellington was so outraged at Simmerson was that Simmerson tried to pass all the blame to a dead man whom nearly everyone regarded as a good soldier. Pinning the blame on a dead man who couldn't defend himself was a terribly dishonorable thing to do.
There is so much to be mad about Simmerson. The death of Lennox, the deaths of so many soldiers for a small scouting party, leaving troops to die, blaming all the faults of himself on a dead man who died in vain, and losing the colors that is held proudly by the British. Simmerson needed to be revoked and disgraced at that point.
Wellington was angry that simmersons stupidity killed lennox. "major lennox was a damn fine officer"
Happens in a corporate environment all the time. You always blame the guy who already quit or retired if a system, project, program isnt working :)
Not only on a dead man and a "damn fine officer" but also the man who saved Wellsley's army at Assaye
@@Irishcrossing don't forget tried to profit off his death; recommending his own pocket/kin be promoted in his stead for action he didn't see!
I love the way in the debrief scene at 7:30 you can actually see the actor who plays Captain Leroy is totally gripped by the powerful acting of David Troughton when he shows his anger and disgust as Simmerson tries to pass the blame. Honestly one of my favourite scenes in any programme or film, acting at its finest.
this show has an amazing amount of perceptive writing, analysis of historical fact and portrayal of character. Criminally underrated.
@@Hyporama Totally agree with you, it was excellent. Writing, directing and acting were awesome, like in this scene, acting that makes you feel you're there. It got alot of stick for the fight scenes looking a bit amateur but I thought they were great, always tense and had me on edge, I mean ok you can see that there was no blood and alot of swords that clearly don't make contact but it never takes away from the overall energy and drama of the scene for me.
"Major Hogan's coat buttons up tight over a number of other duties, Sir Henry." I love this line. God, this series was brilliantly written, but this episode in particular had great dialogue.
"Major Lennox answered with his life! Which you should have done if you had any sense of honour!"
“You disgraced us, sir! You shamed us, sir! And you will answer! You shall be the first to see a French column, Sir Henry, it is NOT a pretty sight!”
Agreed!!
Indeed it’s odd to see Sean Bean so young and scrawny
Hogan is an intelligence officer - an occupation (and character trait) deeply despised by the "gentlemen officers" of Simmersons' ilk.
Wellington is basically telling him "If you think an engineer is all that Hogan is, you're a bigger donkey than even i had thought."
Even more poignant is the reason Wellington even sent Simmerson there in the first place - he wanted him to fail, and suspected that he would, to have leverage over him and the establishment in London - "Horseguards" - that sent Simmerson to Spain. That's the entire reason Hogan was even there in the first place.
One my favourite moments of the series is Wellington verbally destroying Simmerson. His fury is palpable
One of mine is when Wellington asks Sharpe to swear there was no promise. And Sharpe swears no one heard and promise. (Wellington respected the honor involved)
@@daveyb454 i don't understand why such things had to be off-record.
@@davecrupel2817 Continuity of command. If Sharpe is going to Captain the Light Company, then he needs to actually command that company in an engagement. If he abandons his post to pursue an Eagle, there's a risk of his command collapsing. While Major Leroy (and Lt. Col. Lawford in the book) are at hand to hold the unit together, the show's budget unfortunately makes the units look much smaller than they should be, in reality the Light Company of a unit like the South Essex would have been spread out in front of the Regiment to screen French Voltigeurs (light infantry) and Chasseurs (sharpshooters similar to British Rifles, but using muskets).
For the Light Company to competently do its job of screening the enemy's skirmishers, you would need all 100 soldiers (ideal number at full strength) in the Light Company in pairs thinning out French skirmishers and also harassing the main column as it marched towards the British line. And this would also mean the company Captain would need to be present directing his men on when/where to harass the enemy by dictating to his lieutenants, ensigns and sergeants.
Sharpe ends up lucky. He was able to abandon his post and get the Eagle. And there's a roughly happy ending to the story. But the reality of Talavera was that Wellington didn't get a real victory that gained the British Army anything except halting the French center advance to Portugal, because Joseph Bonaparte got skittish. The French were able to withdraw in order, and the fight cost Wellesley (not yet Wellington) time. As he finds out that Marshal Soult was marching South from Galicia to link up with Victor, Jourdan and Joseph. If a Light Company Captain actually did what Sharpe did at the climax of the episode to get the Eagle, there's a very real chance that the rake-and-fire tactic employed by the British on François Ruffin's division would have failed and the British left would have instead collapsed against the French division.
@@GenOberst Fair enough. Thanks for the explanation. (:
@@GenOberst The scale - or lack of - is one reason I would like to see it redone today. CGI could easily manage the scale.
This is the episode that hooked me on the Sharpe series. I was bit underwhelmed by Sharpe's Rifles and as a result almost passed on continuing with watching the other episodes. However, I took another shot with Sharpe's Eagle and am glad I did. Terrific. I especially loved Wellington ripping into Simmerson at the end of htis clip. Simmerson was such a great villain.
Yes, and a villain all the way through. Did you know that in the Downton Abbey series the same actor played a pastor?
@@PipeSergeant54 I can remember watching that episode and just faintly hearing Wellington roaring at him!
"You've lost the colours, the King's Colours, touched by his own hand. Take my advice, and a pistol, and go behind yer tent and blow out what's left of yer brains"
If I may be so bold, I would call that 'Owned'.
Up until that point he had to be polite because Simmerson was his superior officer with friends in high places, but once the colours were lost he could tell him what he really thought.
@@breacat Right down to letting his accent full-tilt.
Life would have been so much easier if Simmerson had taken his advice
Leroy has that classic wide-eyed look every kid has had while being yelled at by a parent. And he's not even the one being yelled at!
"Take my advice and a pistol.
Go behind this tent and blow out the rest what is left of your brain."
I love that major!
And it's only after Simmerson loses the King's colors that he can drop all the formality and politeness.
@@breacat lol 11year comment
Striker
@@breacat yep. Just biding his time. Kinda like life in the workplace these days, wait until your colleague is totally discredited before administering the kicking. 🤣
Just wanted to say - I love the expression on Leroy's face when Simmerson's giving his little speech. You can see him thinking 'God help me if I get asked whether this is true or not...' especially towards the end. Awesome :)
I wish they had kept this Wellington. David Troughton looked more like Wellington and in my opinion had much more screen presence than Hugh Fraser. Was just more believable. Unfortunately, David was quite ill before filming Sharpe's Company and so they gave the role to Fraser.
In addition, I wish they had kept Hogan too. However. Brian Cox refused to film anymore Sharpe's due to the poor conditions in the Ukraine. Was a real shame as he was much better than the subsequent spymasters.
I like Hugh Fraser, but he was a hit distracting as Wellington. I kept half expecting Poirot to rush in "Hastings! Hastings!"
My favourite was always Nairn.
Its amazing you can do with next to no budget and a few guys trained to fall off a horse. Although the bridge blowing up must have eaten into their chips n beer money.
Sean Bean surviving the whole series, thats soldiering.
especially with having been shot as many times as he was
@@Hyporama And slashed, and stabbed, and punched and kicked, and that time sharpe/sean bean got trampled by a horse whilst hiding
See, that's why I prefer this Wellington over the one from episode 3 onward. Damn shame.
Not to mention Brian Cox getting ill, which caused all those changes of intelligence officers.
Sharpe led the Rifles across the bridge in a rescue attempt. Leroy went over the bridge to help rescue as well. Leroy was a damn fine officer.
I love how Leroy shifts his gaze towards Simmerson when he said that Lieutenant Gibbons led the advance 😂
"i lost the kings colours sharpe i lost the colour" man that makes me wanna cry when that happens
Haha,love seeing Simmerson getting a bollocking!
Thought Brian Cox was brilliant, he had some great lines.
the british headquarters at talavera there, looking suspiciusly like birmingham
the sentiments expressed in this scene over the king's colors illustrates how, during that age, human nature was bound by reverence for perceived divinity
I love the quill scratching - an irritating and ominous sound. A herald of the upcoming cold stare of death from Wellesley.
it's an easy sound to remember if you've ever scratched with a quill. Quite evocative.
@Songsmirth
He said he had a cousin in Horse Guards, which was basically the Pentagon for that time.
It does indeed imply his connections are extremely influential.
Translation: he has money to buy whatever he fucking wants.
@@boyscouts83712not that far from the truth, I’ve said this elsewhere in this thread, Simmerson had the financial clout to raise a regiment privately, for this he was made a colonel and knighted, the system at the time allowed this to happen and wasn’t dependant on military experience as is evident with Simmerson.
The South Essex is essentially a vanity project for Simmerson who truly believed himself to be a gifted commander which of course he wasn’t.
Not the pentagon. That's an inferior Seppo thing.
Hogan rarely does the badass thing, but when he does...
A Frenchman carrying the Union Jack?
That will not do sir, that will not do
wellington's rage is wonderful. so is simmersons hair.
"If i wipe the name, i may wipe the shame..."
Hahahaha, feel the fucking burn.
“MAJOR LENNOX ANSWERED WITH HIS LIFE! AS YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE IF YOU HAD ANY SENSE OF HONOR!” Fucking awesome
"For the love of Jesus, would you stand still, sir"
“I ran and pissed my pants, that’s my style sah!”
Michael Cochrane. What A Great Villain!
Simmerson: Major Lennox panicked.
Wellington: *pauses writing* So you want to go down that road?
Everyone watching: grab some popcorn 🍿 and sodas 🥤 people, we bout to witness an ass whipping!
@@boyscouts83712 Leroy: Should I send for the cleaners or...nevermind, it's too late
@@SouthernFriedCyanide should we feel bad? Yeah.
Are we going too? Nope!
@@boyscouts83712 Should we feel bad?
Everyone in the room: Shush lad, he's getting to the best part! *munches 🍿*
Leroy, for being an American (As he says, he's not.. he's Virginian), really does know how to act and when to turn a deaf ear. Saying he heard Sharpe say nothing about any Eagle (which is technically true) means there will be no true way for Sharpe to lie about a fools mission that would for most part be completely impossible. Sharpe may not have made any promise, but his reverence for Major Lennox shone through and told Leroy that he would indeed do his best to fulfill a dying man's wish. So Leroy told the Ensign/Lieutenant to stay away from Sharpe.. which he was proven right about.
Leroy is the true Captain of South Essex. A far superior officer than even many Colonels (Simmerson included, naturally.. but he's worth no more to Wellington than a deserting Private). Leroy should be left in charge of every day-to-day maintaining of the Regiment and he'd win the loyalty of most soldiers doing so.
3:56 My god, I remember laughing my head off at that line! Great shtuff.
Being English myself, technically speaking we are descended from Northern peoples just like the Germans. The King's German Legion of Wellington's army was one of its finest as well, King George being from Hanover.
" Ill do what I always do stand and fight "
5:39 Notice how Wellesley stopped for second when Simmerson said:"Major Lennox panicked," He knew full well that was NOT Major Lennox's style, but more of Simmerson's!
Hogan calls his horse Jeremiah even thou it’s a mare 😂😂😂 now that’s soldering
Class acting and great writing.
he lost the imperial flag, many brave young men and a man who makes me proud to be scottish. the crime is cowerdice and the verdict is vengeance.
Im glad those gunpowder kegs on the bridge debris are still intact...
Thanks for posting these
It's really weird Leroy seems to both respect and despise Sharpe
"Sharpe. I can make you a captain, but I cannot keep you a captain. There is talk, Sharpe. There is talk of an imperial eagle. There is talk of a promise made to the late Major Hogan. Swear an oath to me that it is just talk, Sharpe, or by God you will walk out of this room a lieutenant."
"I swear on oath that nobody heard me make any promise in respect to an imperial eagle, sir."
"Colonel Lawson - you may escort Captain Sharpe to the door."
Best part of the whole scene was when Hogan, told Simmerson, "Go behind the tent and blow what's left of your brains out"....
Though Major Lennox would know to form square to recieve cavalry green troops in their first action would scatter and not do so or not respond quickly enough
I wonder why the French cavalry are always pictured in blue, they wore green for Chasseurs and dragoons and these horsemen are obvioustly not lancers or cuirassers.
Budget restraints. These are lancers uniforms btw.
@@SP-2317 Polish Czapka hats the square tops. Poles were the lancers. Also French tend to wear the hat dust covers all the time also.
Well at this particular time, the Brits were actually losing in Spain.
too bad david troughton did not continue wellington role for the rest of the series.
Major Lennox was a great Officer.
3:35
Some of the powder kegs are still there! IT'S GONNA BLOW!
Oh wait...
MAJOR LENNOX ANSWERED WITH HIS LIFE!!!
I love how he said you lost your head.
0:03 i bet that was dobbs that took down that fenchie.... pwned!!!!
Leroy is trying to go to a happy place
If only Simmerson listened to Major Hogan’s advice. So many people wouldn’t have suffered.
Simmerson was more interested in 💷💷💷💰💰 than people
@@boyscouts83712:Ego, you go, we all go!
True but it's not the English royal family, it's the British royal family.
In Sharpe's Rifles the question is asked why fight for a bloody rag referring to the Standard of St. James. Until the middle of WWI the flag was the guide of where one was supposed to be in the battle. It was then, and is now, also the symbol, the emblem the heart of the unit. The King's Colours were presented to the unit and become the unit in many ways. It makes no difference what nation, your flag deserves honor and respect and to lose the Colours in battle in a disgrace to the unit.
This Arthur does a very good angry Arthur
Leroy had to learn that Sharpe is honorable and true.
this is a good point but ide say WWII's purpose was more directed so that future generations could create countless amounts of games such as call of duty and medal of honor etc.
@otherjr Exactly, this is an incredible performance.
These are either Horse Grenadiers although they're wearing here a diamond shako, some polish regiment or Régiment de la Vistule Uhlans
"Take a pistol, go behind that tent, and blow out what's left of your brains...!" I know a lot of people you could say that to these days. A little while ago I felt I had done something I should not have done, so I took full responsibility, and apologised to all concerned. Some of my friends & colleagues said I had actually done little wrong, but felt it right and proper to do the decent thing. I have a personal code of honour which I adhere to, and I always will do. I never intend to break it.
Some of those barrels of powder were still intact. I'd recover them after the area has simmered down...
edit: Where can I get a stunning outfit like Hogan's at the debrief? He always manages to look so fashionably outstanding.
Captain Leroy is a man burner and a horse thief! (Lonesome Dove)
Cheveaux Legers do stand for Light Cavalry, but during the Napoleonic Wars and as always, these units utilized spears and were the equivalent of lancers in other armies. I don't know what they are, but not Legers.
7:44 That's THE owned! 150 slashes for him...
sharpes eagle was the first written, he made a bunch of prequals to it
5:38 Lying! Now that's soldiering.
Major Hogan and Wellington planned that flawlessly, albeit the death of Major Lennox.
Simmerson is awesome! How shitey would sharpe be without characters like Simmerson.
Though Major Lennox would know to form square to recieve cavalry green troops in their first action would scatter and not do so
Simmerson at 3:43 wondering how he’s going to spin this
I don't get why Sharpe is so uneasy. Hogan was there and he saw everything, his name is clear and it was demonstrably Simmerson's fault.
Edit: Nvm based Hogan.
Yes but Sharpe was a nobody with little influence, Hogan was Irish (at this time the Irish regardless of social standing were viewed by other English officers with suspicion and dislike) who relied on Wellesley (who was also Irish) for his standing. Simmerson had "friends at horse guards", little good it did him in the end though. When shit starts to flow, it usually flows downhill. Shape was the lowest ranked officer in the room, hence his nervousness I would imagine.
Sharpe has no idea that Hogan and Wellesley dislike Simmerson. He also doesn't trust Hogan.
i´ll stick my neck out here and say the only soldiers i can imagine in uniforms like that are lancers (wearing the typical polish czapka cap). chevaux-légers regiments in the french army did indeed carry the lance and at least one regiment (i can´t remember which one) wore a uniform similar to this - but not in 1809.
lanceless poles?
damn i think micheal bay had a hand in that explosion
i would agree with you,sir
Put another shrimp on the barbie?
happiness". In the U.S. Civil War both sides thought they were, one was truly right though. In the case of the Sharpe series, what were Europeans squabbling over, who had the right to rule over you, a king or an emperor?
Although it may seem rational and logical to see it this way, it is absolutely obvious that never Europe could have done it at that time for the simple reason that pretty much every 500km, people speak a completely different language. A group that cannot understand another one will hardly like it. Look how difficult it is for the EU to take coherent decisions nowadays... More than anything else (religion, nobility..), the language barrier was and is a real problem.
Hey, at 3:34 there are still a few kegs of powder still unburnt!!
Just like the bridge at Remargen (sp) cheep explosives not military grade.
Or it could be just a way to save money to make a good TV series...
Can anybody explain to me what does it mean when Wellington says that "the south Essex is stood down in name"?
Losing the Kings colors is symbolic of losing the regiment.
@Zanius Maximus: you mean like it's status as a regiment? As in it is now disbanded?
He means that the South Essex is renamed so nobody would know they're the battalion who lost the King's Colours.
He means the regiment is disgraced for losing the Colours. So the name is associated with shame.
It’s also a direct insult to Simmerson, there was a system where a person who had the money could raise a regiment and be awarded a colonelcy and a knighthood even with no military experience.
The South Essex was a vanity project to Simmerson who fancied himself a skilled military commander when he was anything but.
Lennox and LeRoy were the only decent officers with any experience, the two lieutenants (Gibbons and Berry) were his nephews and referred to by Wellington as “coffee house fops”.
Simmerson is being cashiered in all but name.
@JVoH4god 3 things I hate:
Snobs
Townies
and, in Teresas words 'Bastado!'
Wayment, I'm American. I want the French to win AYYY
Alright, then I absolutely agree with you. Napoleonic wars are totally meaningless on the philosophical point of view.I understand why the french followed him though: 10 years after the humiliation that was the invation of the country by allied European forces, they had a revenge to take (irrational but human); and basically, Napoleon was at war against the same countries (+ some others that his ego really wanted). This word surely sums it all up: ego. Maybe you're right. Sharpe should have left
Are those Polish cavalry?
So battle back in the day was a big capture that flag game then?
Flags scored HUGE points. The soul of the regiment.
That was Hussers Dragons used speers.
Dragoons used carbines and sabres. Lancers used Lance's. Cuirassiers used heavy broadswords. Hussars used sabres.
LOL leroy at 7:41
Yet they made a very rational mistake if I understood your last comment correctly: they thought their way of life was the best and wanted to give it to all Europe by force. What led us, once again to war, waste of life and desolation. So I don't think irrationality is the key problem here. (And I think that the US did the same when they tried to invade Canada isn't it ?(I'm asking))
@LordWellington15 Good point!
why is Sharpe allways out of breath?
I only came here for 3:45
Honor
Don't get me wrong, the U.S. has made many irrational choices about war (WWI, Spanish-American War, Vietnam, Iraq). What I was trying to contrast in my original statement on this video, was the clear reasons why Europeans went to war at this time and for centuries previously and why the Americans did. The two most interesting wars in history were the American Revolution and the Civil War, both of which people were dying for the principles of the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of...
Why where flags (colors) so important? Was it for bragging rights?
Now I have... Oh well... I'm sorry I missed that, and so, for the fact it made me look like I was considering you an idiot (which I wasn't).
It is an interesting point you make. I'm afraid my English level isn't good enough for me to understand exactly what you said, so please, forgive my possible misunderstandings.
The french revolution normally put that in place, since the government of 1798 was quite similar to the american government.
5:24 to 8:03 BEST PART
well I believe so: I don't see any kind of link between the first ww and the Jews, and Jews were unliked also in France at the beginning of the second ww, yet, we didn't have a civil war about them; the war was against Germany, which speaks german. I believe that we can try to find many difficult reasons as to why people hate each other, but every reason has the same simple root: we don't like what is different; and a different language is something very easy to point out.