Dear Mr Cornwell Another Sharpe Brevet question which, you’re probably sick of them now. Sharpe’s Regimental rank towards the end of the series was Captain and he was an Army Major by account of his brevetting by the Prince Regent. My question is: Why did Sharpe never become a Major in the S. Essex? He achieved his Regimental Captaincy (following his Lt->Capt->Lt Gazetting debacle) in Company by process of dead men’s shoes. He could have achieved the rank of Major in the same way, or failing that bought the commission as he was a rich man by this point. Regards Richard