Nairn understands that the second battalion is not sending replacements to the first battalion and assumes there is some political fiasco going on in England, yet he sends Sharpe to deal with the situation. What qualities does Nairn see in Sharpe that make him select Sharpe for this duty? Did Nairn make a wise choice? Why or why not?

Consider Fenner's grand crimping scheme—is it really bad for the nation's military as a whole? Or is it only bad for the South Essex Regiment? Discuss.

Sharpe suspects the Prince Regent is bordering on mental instability, and the narrative presentation of the Prince Regent seems to support this view. Discuss how an unbalanced (or simply ineffective) commander-in-chief can significantly and negatively impact a nation.

The narrative presents many villainous antagonists, including Fenner, Simmerson, Girdwood, and Lynch. Of the four men noted which do...