With the help of Marie Louise, Xerxes wife, Darius has recovered from the burns he received at Basque Roads when the fireship he was on exploded prematurely, although he would carry the terrible scars for the rest of his life. For challenging Lord Gambier and then having the audacity to accuse him of cowardice the admiralty has censured Darius to such an extent that he will never again be allowed to captain a British naval ship. Instead he joins the East India Company and is given the Wyndham, one of the Company’s flagships, bound for India and China. After dealing with the rebellious crew and taking on board the demanding passengers, the Wyndham sets sail for Madeira, its first port of call, and Darius thinks that the worst of his problems are over. They have, in fact, only just begun, and he finds himself having to deal with challenges which are far beyond those experienced by a naval captain.
The Battle of Oporto has ended in a victory for Sir Arthur Wellesley and the defeated French army are in full retreat. Xerxes is sent to follow them and if possible prevent them from escaping into French held Spain whilst the British army pursues them from behind. Having no force with which to achieve his objective, Xerxes enlists the local peasantry, but they are untrained and poorly armed and easily give way. His last hope of stopping Marshall Sault’s retreat is to hold them at the bridge over the Saltodar but the villagers refuse to destroy the bridge and when the French attack it is quickly overrun. Xerxes attempts to escape but is captured and taken prisoner and before he is able to free himself he is placed in front of a firing squad to be shot as a spy
Genre: Historical
The Battle of Oporto has ended in a victory for Sir Arthur Wellesley and the defeated French army are in full retreat. Xerxes is sent to follow them and if possible prevent them from escaping into French held Spain whilst the British army pursues them from behind. Having no force with which to achieve his objective, Xerxes enlists the local peasantry, but they are untrained and poorly armed and easily give way. His last hope of stopping Marshall Sault’s retreat is to hold them at the bridge over the Saltodar but the villagers refuse to destroy the bridge and when the French attack it is quickly overrun. Xerxes attempts to escape but is captured and taken prisoner and before he is able to free himself he is placed in front of a firing squad to be shot as a spy
Genre: Historical
Used availability for Clarence Cook's Heroes and Villains