Bernard Cornwell · 1984 · overland

Bernard Cornwell's novel of Christmas 1812. A band of deserters from every army in the Peninsula has taken a village in the frontier hills and is holding hostages - among them an English lady of rank. Sharpe is sent to buy them back, and finds the whole thing is a French device to draw the army into a pass and destroy it.

1. 1
   Frenada

   At winter quarters the army learns that deserters have taken hostages in the hills, including the wife of an English peer - and Sharpe is given a chest of gold, a company of riflemen and instructions to negotiate rather than fight.

2. 2
   Adrados

   The village of Adrados is held by several hundred deserters under Obadiah Hakeswill, and the hostages are alive - and Sharpe takes the place back by assault rather than by payment, which is not what he was sent to do.

3. 3
   The Gateway of God

   The whole hostage business turns out to be French bait to draw a British force into the pass above the village - and Sharpe holds the watchtower and the Gateway against a division, with rockets, in the snow.