"Time to earn yer shilling a day lads, move out!"Both sides moved forward, Major Harpe sent Lt. Twizzle with two men, right to cover the larger of the bridges. Confident of their superior range and accuracy of their rifles, cover was disdained in the eagerness to engage the Frenchies crossing the bridge...
A devastating volley from the Dragoons put paid to Twizzle and his Corporal! The only survivor of the group, Rifleman Bowlby dives for cover, as the French Dragoons move over the bridge.
Major Harpe and Sergeant Sharper's group fare no better at the other bridge as their lead scout gets one through the canister from a sharpshooting Dragoon.
Sharper's volley gun drops the gloating Dragoon...
Thoughts of the strongbox are lost as a general firefight breaks out...
What followed next was a perfect example of why the French have no conception of cricket and playing up and playing the game. A Dragoon sneaks furtively through the back door of the church, opens the front door a smidge, and shoots Major Harpe in the back!!!
In a dastardly that puts even this to shame a Dragoon finds a discarded British uniform in the building he searched. Donning it, he waves to a Rifleman who runs up, and is bayoneted to death!!!
The vile French turncoat!
Over on the right Rifleman Bowlby makes a fine lone stand, he's spotted the strongbox through the cottage window and breaks cover. In a flash Captain DeBarkel and his flagman fall upon Bowlby, in an epic struggle the Rifleman falls, but not before wounding both his adversaries. The strongbox has fallen to the French...
Even with Sharper adding his weight to the fight the two Veteran Riflemen are forced back into the church. Powerless to stop the strongbox being carried off.
The Good Father tends the two wounded Riflemen. It will be some time till they are both fit to fight again...
Captain DeBarkel and his scurvy crew march off in triumph. He's not lost a single Dragoon, dispatched six of Wellington's elite Rifleman, and gleaned a strongbox of gold coin for Marshal Ney!
A week later, almost recovered from their wounds, Harpe and Sharper bid farewell to the Good Father...
As they march back over the bridge Major Harpe gives vent to his feelings with a terrible insult pertaining to Debarkel's parentage...
"I'll meet that Captain DeBarkel again, and when I do Patrick... !"
"Aye 'an it's probably Major deBarkel by now, so it is."Replied Sergeant Sharper... helpfully.
Moderator
Will there be more of a sparkle from Captain DeBarkel in a Part 2 ?
