When Sharpe rises from the ranks to take command, he finds himself with an unexpected ally in the war against Napoleon.

It's 1809, and the powerful French juggernaut is sweeping across Spain. Lieutenant Richard Sharpe is newly in command of the demoralized, distrustful men of the Ninety-fifth Rifles. He must lead them to safety, and the only means of escape is a treacherous trek through the enemy-infested mountains of Spain.

Blas Vivar and his band of intrepid Spanish soldiers may prove to be their salvation. But Vivar is transporting a mysterious chest that he claims can shift the tides of war, and the French are determined to get it—no matter what the cost.