Mr Cornwell – I don’t like to contradict you since Richard Sharpe is after all your creation, but I’m fairly sure his captaincy wasn’t brevet. After Badjoz, he gives the Colonel back his miniature of Jessica (the colonel’s wife) and the Colonel thanks Sharpe, tells him he’s a brave man and says the Light Company is his if he wants it. I presume that means he has the captaincy as regimental rank. In a later book (possibly Sharpe’s Honour), Sharpe also serves as a major under Leroy I think.. Would that not be regimental rank too? Jane