Sharpe's Eagle: Richard Sharpe and the Talavera Campaign, July 1809 Free Audiobook Download by Bernard Cornwell

Lieutenant Richard Sharpe and his men are ordered to the defense of a Spanish fort in the town of Talavera. Richard is given two missions: guard the fort against Spanish attacks while awaiting reinforcements from General Sir Arthur Wellesley's army, and retrieve a valuable treasure. Lieutenant Juneau is placed in charge as Sharpe's second-in-command.

Richard Sharpe and the others are sent to Talavera in order to keep French forces from capturing it. The battle goes on for three days with skirmishes on the field and constant cannon fire. In the end, Richard Sharpe is only able to save one of his men, not including himself. Although he's been wounded, Richard and two others still manage to escape with their lives by jumping off the mountain that they crossed hours ago.

In 1808, Sharpe is a veteran sergeant in the British army being made a captain in a new unit. This unit is sent to Spain to capture the French army commander, Jean commandant Pichegru, but they're caught up in a battle with the Spanish army at Talavera where they meet their commanding general, Wellington. Despite their close call with death and having to retreat from the battlefield, Sharpe's Eagle begins his journey from an inexperienced soldier to one of Wellington's most trusted advisers.

Sharpe is the son of a wealthy landowner with a wife and two children, who died in 1806. His father's death leaves him with a lot of money, but no way to spend it without drawing the attention of the taxing authorities. When he gets involved with a smuggling ring, he learns about an opportunity for military campaigning in Spain. He quickly rises from private to lieutenant colonel and eventually becomes one of the most famous soldiers of his time.

The British are using cavalry tactics to fight against the French on the plains of Talavera. The British line is holding strong and the French are making no progress against them. Sharpe and Harper are at a crossroad when they see that their right flank is being attacked by a large force and they must mount a counterattack.

British Major Richard Sharpe has an aversion to the whole idea of being given a job. He states that he doesn't want to be sent to India and placed in charge of some garrison, where he will have to make do with the normal life of a soldier. Captain Patrick Harper, who is his superior officer, tasks Sharpe with a mission: transport supplies from Lisbon to Talavera de la Reina.