hello Mr Cornwell. I have read your Sharpe series with great admiration, but something has been niggerling at me from reading it. If the french column never worked against the British then why did the marshals continue to use it? Why not revert to line and pound the British that way? It seems the logical solution? And also, why didn’t the french generals ask for rifles, even a coupple of regiments with them would help? thank you for your time. Chris