The story so far

(When topics are finished and moved to the Archives, I will edit this post to change the links)

With the Army

Lisbon Harbour
(The first thread of the game)

Sharpe and Padstowe are watching the ship carrying General Sir Arthur Wellesley come up the Tagus to moor at Lisbon Harbour. They go down to the quay, and Padstowe is knocked flying by a young Rifleman, Cotton, who has been sent to find him.

Sir Arthur lands and meets his officers, before heading off to Headquarters.

A Tavern Somewhere in Lisbon
After his literal run-in with Captain Padstowe, Cotton needs a drink and wanders into the nearest tavern, where he meets Dan Hagman, Chosen Man of the 95th. Over a drink, they chat about their skill with the rifle, and arrange a shooting competition for the following day. Cotton leaves and Hagman is about to when he bumps into Private Williams of the 3/27th, who he invites along to watch.

Shooting Competition
The next day, Cotton and Hagman hold their competition, asking Williams to judge for them. It is the best of five shots, from fifty yards, and the two are neck and neck until the very last shot, when Cotton pips it, beating a Chosen Man in a straight shoot. They decide to celebrate with a drink.

Yet Another Tavern in Lisbon
Cotton, Hagman and Williams have found themselves in a tavern to celebrate Cotton's win. Over a few drinks, Cotton and Hagman discuss rifles and what it's like to have an officer from the ranks. Sergeant Hakeswill, newly landed with the 33rd, enters and tries to force his attentions on the barmaid, Maria, who Williams is sweet on. This causes tension between Hakeswill and Williams, until Cotton goes to Williams' aid and Hakeswill leaves.

Lisbon: Officers' Mess
Padstowe and Sharpe are eating dinner in the Mess. Padstowe is remembering his meeting with General Wellesley, and Sharpe enters late. He and Padstowe discuss the day and their food, and Padstowe gives Sharpe a note from the General.

Leaving the Officers' Mess
Sharpe leaves the Mess to return to his billet, but he is followed by Hakeswill and attacked. Managing to fire his rifle, he scares Hakeswill off and is helped by Private Williams. Hakeswill sneaks back and apprehends Williams, before Padstowe and some other officers arrive on the scene. Padstowe attempts to discover what has happened and both Hakeswill and Williams are placed under arrest.

With the Guard
Cotton is on guard duty, and is one of a party sent to bring Hakeswill and Williams to the guard-room. While on the way, Hakeswill threatens that Cotton is next on his list.

Williams and Hakeswill are locked up in separate cells, and Cotton tries to cheer Williams up, before Padstowe arrives to say he is Williams' defence officer. He talks with Williams and lays out a strategy for the court-martial: Williams will not accuse Hakeswill of the assault, and Padstowe will try to imply there was a third party and Williams was arrested under a case of mistaken identity.

The Day After
The day after the attack, Padstowe visits Sharpe to see how he is, and to persuade him to drop the charges against Hakeswill, so that Williams gets off as well.

The Day of the Court Martial
it is the day of the court-martial and Padstowe has overslept. Cotton is sent to find him and has to help him get ready. Williams and Hakeswill are escorted to the court-house, and Padstowe meets Sharpe by the door.

The prosecution accuse Williams of trying to kill Sharpe, but Padstowe argues that he couldn't be in two places at once, and Sharpe saw him just before the attack. He claims it was a case of mistaken identity, and it was someone else who attacked Sharpe, so there is no case to answer.

Eventually, the officers of the jury decide Williams is innocent, leaving Hakeswill furious. Cotton, Padstowe, Sharpe and Williams go to a tavern for a drink before Williams returns to his billet, leaving Sharpe and Cotton to help Padstowe back to his own billet.

Yet another posada in Lisbon
Sharpe, Padstowe, Cotton and Williams go for a friendly drink to recover from the court-martial, and Padstowe ends up getting rather drunk

Loitering at a Loose End
Cotton is not needed for anything by his officer, so is hanging around outside the Headquarters building. He sees Hakeswill go in, before Hagman sneaks up on him and suggests they go for a drink together, where they discuss the Rifles.


The Streets of Lisbon
Doctor Stephen Maturin has arrived and is looking for Headquarters. Williams sees him and takes him there.

British Army Headquarters, Lisbon
Stephen Maturin meets with Sir Arthur Wellesley to discuss his role within the Army Intelligence and how best to fulfil that role.

Meeting at Headquarters
Maturin meets again with Sir Arthur to discuss Intelligence work. He meets up with Hogan and Padstowe to discuss the presence of one Monsieur Prideaux, a French spy, as Sharpe meets Lord Pumphrey of the Foreign Office.

Waiting to Enter Obidos
Maturin and Padstowe are on a spyhatty mission to Obidos to capture French Intelligence papers and, hopefully, Monsieur Prideaux, a French spy operating in Portugal. Unfortunately, they end up killing Prideaux, although they get the papers, but are both injured in the process; Padstowe getting shot in the shoulder and Maturin . They make it back to their base, where they meet up with Sharpe and his Chosen Men. Their companion, a Portuguese man by the name of Calderon, has not been warned about this escort, and threatens Sharpe's men before they can explain things.

On The Road to Lisbon
Maturin and Padstowe have met up with Sharpe and his men and are now on the road back to Lisbon, with their precious papers safe. They are being chased by a group of French cavalry, who eventually catch them up and demand they surrender themselves and the papers they are carrying. Sharpe knows that Hogan needs the papers and turns the tables by attacking the Frenchmen. They fight to a standstill and the French are told that there are Portuguese irregulars nearby, so it is in their best interests to surrender. Some of the French don't wish to, but des Sablieres surrenders himself and his wounded into Sharpe's care, and the rest of the journey is uneventful.

Running an Errand
Cotton is on an errand for Captain Vickery, and meets up with Private Williams. They go for a farewell drink together and talk about riflemen, redcoats and different approaches to discipline.

British Army Headquarters – Some Time Later
Edrington, Colonel of the 62nd Foot, had finally arrived in Lisbon to take command of his regiment. He meets up with Sir Arthur Wellesley to discuss his regiment's readiness and the use of Riflemen in modern warfare.

With the Navy

Setting Sail – Berry
The Berry, under Commander Dwerry is on her way to Lisbon, sailing in company with Sparrow under Commander Bolitho. She is carrying two senior Army officers; General Paget, who will be taking command of the cavalry, and Colonel Edrington, who is in command of the 62nd Regiment of Foot. During the voyage, the two Army officers decide to go bird-shooting and in the course of this, Paget is shot in the leg.

Lord Paget's cabin on the Berry
Edrington and Paget have a conversation about the Austrian Girandoni air rifle

Setting Sail – Sparrow
The Sparrow is sailing in company with the Berry. The Captain and the Lieutenant talk about various things, Midshipman Yates goes up to the top to learn how to use his telescope and sees unusual behaviour on the Berry, which he reports to the captain. He has a conversation with one of the sailors, Jacob Chase, who takes him up to the royal yard, where they spy a strange sail on the horizon.

Threads Still in Progress

Dinner Party on the Berry
The Commander of the Berry has invited his fellow commander, Bolitho, their two lieutenants, Leat and Bush, and a couple of midshipmen, as well as the Army Colonel, Edrington, to dinner. The awkward meal is interrupted by news that the Sparrow has sighted a strange sail

Below Decks on the Berry
Two Marines, Branning and Thompson, are off duty, discussing life at sea, before they have to go on deck to be part of the welcoming committee for Commander Bolitho and Lieutenant Bush, who have been invited to dinner with Commander Dwerry. The two Marines are joined by the ship's cat, Emily, who they fuss over before leaving to do their duty.

When they return, Emily finds Corporal Johnson's coat folded up on his sea-chest, and curls up on it before being chased away by the Corporal, who then finds himself in trouble with Lieutenant Leat, who has adopted Emily.

Clearing for Action
Action Stations! The fight with the French as seen by the crew and passengers on the Berry

Sparrow in Action
The Sparrow's part in the battle with the French

Reporting In
Padstowe and Sharpe make their reports to Major Hogan, and Sharpe goes to see General Wellesley, to be told about being attached to the 62nd.

With the 62nd
Captain Vickery and Lieutenant Sharpe report to Colonel Edrington to discuss the roles of them and their men, and how the attachment of the riflemen to the 62nd will work

NB: this thread is open for all interactions with the 62nd that do not take place in an otherwise stated place such as Army HQ

With the Chosen Men
Sharpe and the Chosen Men discuss their new role with the 62nd.

NB: this thread is open for all interactions the the Chosen Men that do not take place in an otherwise stated place.

With 3 Coy 5/60th Rifles
Padstowe speaks to Vickery about Hakeswill.

NB. This thread is open for all interactions with Vickery and his men that do not take place in an otherwise stated place.

Dinner at Vickery's
Captain Padstowe and Captain Vickery enjoy a private dinner before the 2nd Division leave Lisbon

A 'Tavern' in Oporto
The French in Oporto are set on enjoying themselves

South of Oporto
A French patrol encounter a band of Portuguese irregulars

Thanks for this!!!

Sorry to be a pain, but if you're planning to go back and edit you might wish to include 'Yet Another Posada in Lisbon' and the two or three French threads.

Ta,

Latin (temporarily possessing Padstowe's consciousness). xx.

Knew I'd forgotten something...

Sharpie (as Sharpe)