Sharpes Company

Sharpe's Company - Spain 1812
It was a hard winter. For Richard Sharpe it was the worse he could remember. He has lost his command to a wealthy man - a man with money to buy the promotion Sharpe coverted. The Duke of Wellington plans to lay siege to Badajoz. A murderous figure from Sharpe's past uses a beautiful woman to revenge himself on Sharpe, now the father of her child. Sharpe has reason to be happy, he holds his daughter for the first time and is given command of the Light Company again, together with his captaincy. But will his happiness be short lived? But Sharpe is determined to change his luck. And the surest way is to lead the bloody attack on the impregnable fortress town of Badajoz, a road to almost certain death - or unimagined glory

I think you're a rogue, Sharpe. But you're one of my rogues and you're on my side. I don't want you dead!

- Lord Wellington (Sharpe's Company)

It is 1812. General Wellesley (Hugh Fraser) is ready to invade Spain from Portugal. But two formidable fortresses stand in the way. When the first, Ciudad Rodrigo, is taken, Colonel Lawford is severely wounded and forced to relinquish command of the South Essex Regiment, depriving Captain Sharpe (Sean Bean) of an influential friend.

Colonel Windham (Clive Francis), the new commander, brings his own officers, so Sharpe is demoted to lieutenant and is humiliated by being put in charge of the baggage and losing command of his "chosen men" to an aristocratic officer (Marc Warren) who purchased the commission of the South Essex's Light Company. Worse, one of the reinforcements is Sergeant Obidiah Hakeswill (Pete Postlethwaite), an old enemy from Sharpe's days in India.

Meanwhile, Sharpe's lover, Teresa (Assumpta Serna), tells him that he has a baby daughter living with her family in Badajoz, the second fortress town. Not knowing who she is, Hakeswill tries to rape her, but proves no match for her. Teresa then slips into Badajoz to spy on the French and to see her baby.

To cause trouble for Sharpe, Hakeswill steals from the officers and plants a picture frame belonging to Windham in the kit of Sharpe's right hand man, Sergeant Harper (Daragh O'Malley). When it is found, the colonel has Harper flogged. Later, during a night skirmish, Hakeswill tries to shoot Sharpe in the confusion, but kills a young ensign (William Mannering) who has the misfortune to step in front of him at that exact moment.

A turncoat Frenchman escapes the besieged town during the fighting, bearing a dispatch and a letter from Teresa. Sharpe gets the letter, which contains a map showing where she is staying, but Hakeswill later steals it.

Eventually, the walls of Badajoz are breached, but the first assault falters. Sharpe rallies the men and leads them into the town. Hakeswill gets to Teresa first, but Sharpe is not far behind and foils his evil plans. However, Hakeswill manages to get away.