Hi Mr Cornwell, I have just finished reading Max Hastings book ‘Warriors’ which devotes a chapter to rifleman Harry Smith and his devoted wife Juana. I was just wandering if Sharpe was in some way based on /modelled on / influenced/ inspired by Smith’s story? – there are lots of parallels in Smith’s adventures and character. I was unaware of Smith’s story (as I had no interest in the Napoleonic wars before your wonderful stories)and as I was reading about Smith it brought back to me a lot of Sharpe’s adventures and made me want to reread them all. Many Thanks, Steve Barry