In 1812, after a successful British assault on Ciudad Rodrigo, Captain Richard Sharpe is dismayed to learn that his longtime friend, Colonel William Lawford, is severely injured. Meanwhile, Sharpe's longtime nemesis, Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill, joins the unit with diabolical intentions. To make matters worse, Sharpe is simultaneously demoted to lieutenant by his new commander. As the Battle of Badajoz looms, Sharpe must overcome personal strife for...