Sergeant Richard Sharpe and a small detachment arrive at an isolated East India Company fort to transport 80,000 recovered rounds of stolen ammunition to the armory at Seringapatam.

Sharpe is wounded and feigns death, allowing him to escape Dodd's determination to leave no witnesses.

Dodd deserted the East India Company, taking with him his sepoys, and McCandless has been tasked with bringing him to justice, lest it give others similar ideas.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill correctly guesses that Sharpe killed the Tippoo Sultan four years earlier at Seringapatam and looted the corpse.

Sharpe and McCandless travel to the British army, escorted by Syud Sevajee, the Maratha leader of a band of mercenary cavalrymen working for the East India Company.

Upon arrival at Ahmednuggur, Wellesley quickly launches a risky escalade without the usual days-long artillery bombardment, in a bid to take the enemy by surprise.

In the chaos of the battle, Sharpe rescues Simone Joubert, the wife of a French captain in Dodd's regiment.

Under the pretext of returning Madame Joubert to her husband, McCandless hopes to be able to reconnoitre the Maratha army.

After weeks of aimless marching, the Maratha leaders meet and finally decide to engage the British near Assaye.

Wellesley discovers that the enemy is closer than he thought and fully aware of the situation, but is still determined to attack.

Using this ford, Wellesley crosses the river to try to launch a flank attack, but Pohlmann redeploys to face him.

On the British left, the 78th Highland Regiment and the sepoys advance through heavy artillery fire and rout much of the Pohlmann's infantry.

On the right, however, the 74th and some picquets advance too far towards the village of Assaye and are forced to form square against attack from Maratha light cavalry.