The Crimean War 1854-1856
How well prepared was the British Army to fight in the Crimea?
o British style of warfare had barely changed since the French Wars – wars in
India and Burma had not helped this – the Russian army was assumed to be
inferior but in reality little was known about them
o The French Minié rifle was muzzle-loading and gave the French and British an
edge
o British Navy was still the most powerful fighting force, recent successes
against China in the Opium Wars helped this. The army was made up of
Waterloo veterans – the Navy was used to supply and was modernising, if
slowly but they did have a mix of wooden steamers and sailing vessels
The Battle of Alma – 20th September 1854
o Russians led by Menshikov, the French under Saint-Arnaud and the British
under Lord Raglan
o Allies outnumbered the Russians and had naval gunfire, but the battle was
confused – troops told to lie down rather than support the French
o British objective was to take a Russian earthwork called the Great Redoubt –
they captured it, but the Russian artillery had already been moved, it was then
lost to a counterattack and then regained by the Guards Division after a fierce
fight
o Highland Brigade forced the Russians to withdraw – Raglan was indecisive
and did not pursue them
o British often mistook French for Russians, confusion amid smoke from guns,
bugle calls and officer orders were often contradictory, had little knowledge of
the terrain e.g. the river
o Captain Biddulph – wrote to his father that he was only told to go left or right
o There was good infantry discipline though
The Battle of Balaklava – 25th October 1854
o Following Alma, Ragland wanted to attack Sevastopol straightaway, but
instead commenced siege works allowing the Russians to prepare – even
scuttling their ships and taking the guns onto land
o The Thin Red Line
General Sir Colin Campbell moved 500 Highlanders onto a hilltop
lining up in two ranks, following the sight of the Russians and their
subsequent charge, standing their ground with superior Minié rifles –
the Russian cavalry could not break the line, they tried twice
William H. Russel – the thin red line became a byword for
steadfastness
o The Charge of the Heavy Brigade
General Lord Lucan moved the cavalry to support the Highlanders and
ordered one of the two brigades to charge
The 800-strong Heavy Brigade led by General Scarlett charged,
forcing the Russians to retreat
BUT – the outcome may have been different had the Russians galloped
downhill
o The Charge of the Light Brigade
Raglan saw Russian troops removing allied guns captured earlier on
the Heights – Raglan wanted Lucan to stop them – Raglan ordered
Captain Nolan to tell Lucan to send Lord Cardigan’s Light Brigade –
How well prepared was the British Army to fight in the Crimea?
o British style of warfare had barely changed since the French Wars – wars in
India and Burma had not helped this – the Russian army was assumed to be
inferior but in reality little was known about them
o The French Minié rifle was muzzle-loading and gave the French and British an
edge
o British Navy was still the most powerful fighting force, recent successes
against China in the Opium Wars helped this. The army was made up of
Waterloo veterans – the Navy was used to supply and was modernising, if
slowly but they did have a mix of wooden steamers and sailing vessels
The Battle of Alma – 20th September 1854
o Russians led by Menshikov, the French under Saint-Arnaud and the British
under Lord Raglan
o Allies outnumbered the Russians and had naval gunfire, but the battle was
confused – troops told to lie down rather than support the French
o British objective was to take a Russian earthwork called the Great Redoubt –
they captured it, but the Russian artillery had already been moved, it was then
lost to a counterattack and then regained by the Guards Division after a fierce
fight
o Highland Brigade forced the Russians to withdraw – Raglan was indecisive
and did not pursue them
o British often mistook French for Russians, confusion amid smoke from guns,
bugle calls and officer orders were often contradictory, had little knowledge of
the terrain e.g. the river
o Captain Biddulph – wrote to his father that he was only told to go left or right
o There was good infantry discipline though
The Battle of Balaklava – 25th October 1854
o Following Alma, Ragland wanted to attack Sevastopol straightaway, but
instead commenced siege works allowing the Russians to prepare – even
scuttling their ships and taking the guns onto land
o The Thin Red Line
General Sir Colin Campbell moved 500 Highlanders onto a hilltop
lining up in two ranks, following the sight of the Russians and their
subsequent charge, standing their ground with superior Minié rifles –
the Russian cavalry could not break the line, they tried twice
William H. Russel – the thin red line became a byword for
steadfastness
o The Charge of the Heavy Brigade
General Lord Lucan moved the cavalry to support the Highlanders and
ordered one of the two brigades to charge
The 800-strong Heavy Brigade led by General Scarlett charged,
forcing the Russians to retreat
BUT – the outcome may have been different had the Russians galloped
downhill
o The Charge of the Light Brigade
Raglan saw Russian troops removing allied guns captured earlier on
the Heights – Raglan wanted Lucan to stop them – Raglan ordered
Captain Nolan to tell Lucan to send Lord Cardigan’s Light Brigade –
