Dear Mr Cornwell, I have just started reading your Sharpe novels, beginning with Sharpe’s Tiger. I hadn’t read novels for several years until I read a number of George Fraser MacDonald’s Flashman novels. These novels pointed to yours, bringing the early imperial era alive. Though I enjoy the obvious authenticity of your historical novels, I was a little troubled by the arbitrary sentence of 2000 lashes passed on him for assaulting his Sergeant, particularly as it was pronounced so casually by a single officer without any advice or discussion. I researched and found that regimental court martials were made up of 3-5 officers, or on occasion a Sergeant, corporal and three privates, according to GA Steppler, English Historical Review, October, 1987. The average of the judges’ proposed numbers of lashes was then pronounced as the sentence, part of which was often remitted. Sentences for striking an NCO averaged 244.4 lashes in the 44th Regiment of Foot, while on average, 187.1 were inflicted. The most severe sentence I have discovered was 1500 lashes, inflicted on a Revolutionary soldier in the American War of Independence. It also seemed fanciful that Sharpe was able to walk all through the night immediately after receiving his punishment, and then unhorse two Mysorean horsemen, admirable as they were for their military bearing. Yet one reason flagellation was not more frequent was that those who so suffered were incapacitated for several weeks, if not maimed for life. While Sharpe actually received a number of lashes close to the average, the sentence and the way it was reached seemed to be for dramatic effect and to inspire outrage at British military injustice, rather than being based on historical veracity. I am sorry to quibble, but I expect many of your loyal readers are as annoyingly fussy. Yours sincerely, Greg Deane