Bernard, you may just recall that a few years back we spent a week in Spain/Portugal together – you to lecture a group visiting the sites of Peninsular battles, I to describe the party for,I believe The Times? I much enjoyed our several chats about the getting the history right. I have just completed your exercise in practicing what you preached – I absolutely adored “The Fort” it holds top spot in my experience of historical/military novels… a stupendous work. If you have a lunch-hour spare on your next UK trip please allow me to REALLY embarrass you with praise. I was reared on the Sharpe tales…but have done any others which capture an event and its principles with such vivid certainty? Warmest… Brian James