Crimean Battles - Depth

Question 1

When is war declared and what is the issue?

Answer 1

March 1854
Lack of prep = 6 month window where nothing happens

Question 2

Where did the British land in Crimea?

Answer 2

September 1854 - Calamita Bay

Question 3

When is the Battle of Alma?

Answer 3

20th September 1984
British Commander: Raglan
Anglo-French: 60,000 (Two pronged assault)
French Commander: St Aunaud
Lose 4000 - 1/3 British

Russian Commander: Prince Menshikov
35,000
Lose 600
5000 deaths

Britain win due to poorness of Russian Army

Question 4

What happens at the Battle of Alma?

Answer 4

Allies lands 35 miles North of Sevastopol
Russians waiting at River Alma in a superior position with heavy artillery and 2 redoubts

Britain and France launch a two pronged assault with no cohesion
F go first and are bogged down, failing to spread R out
B charge but divisions bunched together due to Sir George Brown’s shortsightedness
British attack was meant to go through the middle unnoticed
Confusion of F + R

Question 5

Impact of the change of 93rd Scottish Highlander regiment at Alma

Answer 5

Led by Sir Colin Campbell

Advanced on 10k uncommitted Russians
Fired simultaneously - skilful
Gives the illusion of many soldiers at once due to smoke
Russians turn and run
Raglan does not send Calvary = pressure at Balaclava

Question 6

Impact of the Battle of Alma

Answer 6

Showed Britain highly unorganised as divisions made their own decisions
Some retreated and some confused F & F, ceasing fire
Gaps in offensive line

Raglan chooses Balacalva Bay due to the port

Question 7

What were the weapons like in the Crimean War, particularly at Alma?

Answer 7

Russian rifles accurate to 300 places
British rifles accurate to 1200 due to minie ball
Highlanders believed to use minies (or pattern enfield - similiar)

Technology gave Britain a devastating advantage, allowing a win at Alma despite being in a vulnerable position
Allows exploitation of Russian inexperience causing Russian cowardice and inaction even though they had the best position and capability of obliterating the British at Alma - evened out the battlefield with the Russian superiority in numbers

Question 8

What are the pros/cons of Balaclava Bay being chosen by Raglan?

Answer 8

Raglan channeling his Wellington ! - chooses safer cautious option

Pros:
- Port
- Can reach weaker side of Sevastopol

Cons:
- High cliffs either side with a bay in the middle (failure of reconnaissance/topography foresight)
- French go to Kamiesh - harbour, dock, road to Sevastopol
- Choses Balaclava over harbour villages further west

Question 9

What problems arise from Balaclava Bay?

Answer 9

High cliffs
Wind funnels through and wrecks ships
No jetty to unload ships - mud bank to offload ships - difficult for soldiers, who would sink with heavy supplies
Food rotted before it reached
British on low ground
Allies spend considerable time deploying siege weapons, fortifications and heavy artillery that is useless - gives Russians time to attack

Question 10

When is the Battle of Balaclava?

Answer 10

25th October 1854

Question 11

What is the context to the Battle of Balaclava?

Answer 11

Raglan wants to take Sevastopol
French want to prepare for a siege = 1 month stall (Marshall Conrobert overrides Raglan = weakness)

Russia are able to recoup and gather supplies to alleviate pressure on the oncoming siege
Allies inactive = Menshikov seizes the Causeway Heights and the allies are forced to prepare for the attack, retreating from siege

Question 12

Battle of Balaclava stats

Answer 12

A
Lord Raglan
Marshall Conrobert
Strength
20k B
7k F
1k Ottomans
41 guns
615 k/w

R
Prince Menshikov
25k strength
78 guns
630 k/w

Question 13

What is the role of the Thin Red Line at Balaclava?

Answer 13

Ottomans setup redoubts - no Russian support = quick succumbing to the British army
Heavier, better placed artillery position of R pounds Ottomans and British defence, causing chaos
Ottomans retreat = Menshikov sends Russian calvalry charge

Met by the 93rd Highlanders under Collin Campbell who hid on the reverse slope of a hill
Campbell sees no time for squares = 2 rank lines

Opened fire on charging calvalry - devastating
Volleys of Fire at 600, 300 then 150 yards = change in warfare tactics
Superior muskets and bravery

Immortalised in Art and by Russel

Heavy brigade support them after due to their steadfastness

Question 14

What is the role of the Charge of the Scarlett’s 300?

Answer 14

800 B heavy calvalry v. 3000 R light calvalry but they took advantage of the weak/vulnerable position
Devastating damages to R = retreat

Display of the superiority of the British calvalry - armour + training

Turning point = Russian retreat

Hacked 50, wounded 100
10 S300 die

Question 15

What miscommunication occurred after the Charge of the Scarlet’s 300?

Answer 15

Lord Cardigan’s light Brigade were only 500ft away and should have charged, capitalising on Russian retreat
Blame game and confusion of contrasting orders

Question 16

What is the context for the Charge of the Light brigade?

Answer 16

Lord Raglan’s rosy position = sees Turkish guns being stolen from previous redoubt

Question 17

What are the events of the Charge of the Light Brigade?

Answer 17

Frontal assault on a dug-in Russian position with incredible sight and heavy artillery (30-40 guns) to retrieve Russian guns instead of Turkish guns

Raglan
Initial order to capture guns given through Nolan
Lucan denied without infantry support
Sends note through Nolan - vague (with immediacy)
Pressure on Raglan to do a light calvalry charge

Lucan
Calvalry commander
Did not question Nolan further to not talk to him - aristocratic pride
Low point - cannot see the stolen guns (Raglan’s utter stupidity with topography)

Cardigan
Lucan’s deputy leading Light Brigade
Lucan’s Brother in Law who hated him = no communication or showing eachother doubt
Reportedly had a bath, dined, drank and slept after the Charge

Captain Nolan
Raglan’s Staff Officer - given hasty order
Horseman
Misconstrues the order to Lucan and urges the charge
Scapegoated in parliament by Lucan
“There is your enemy, there are your guns!”

Light Brigade cannot deny another Calvalry attack (3rd or 4th time) and they continue the march out of duty
Heavy fire from 3 sides

Question 18

Charge of the Light brigade stats

Answer 18

Over half killed or incapacitated by the time they reached the guns

670 total
110 killed, 101 wounded
195 still with horses
Issue of principle
Decimated British morale = outrage
Tennyson’s poem

Still destroyed some guns
Infamous ill-fated charge
Symbolises everything wrong with the British Army - no planning, communication, conflicting orders, vague distant general

Lucan replaced
Raglan heavy blame

Question 19

How does the battle of Balaclava end?

Answer 19

Russians cannot penetrate British position in Balaclava and retreat though undefeated

Question 20

What issue arrises out of the end of the Battle of Balaclava?

Answer 20

Russians occupy Causeway Heights
Main supply route cut off into Balaclava to the plateau via Woronzow road
British forced to use another route - the Col
Eventually inaccessible due to weather
Most supplies rotted and never made it

Question 21

When is the Battle of Inkerman?

Answer 21

5th Novembre 1854

Question 22

Stats for the Battle of Inkerman

Answer 22

Allies
Raglan
Conrobert
15,700 men
4,400 casualties

Russians
Menshikoc
40,500 men
12k casualties (x3 B)

Question 23

Battle of Inkerman events

Answer 23

River Tcherneya, Inkerman Bridge

Russians noticed they dont have enough troops to appropriately defend the siege lines
Use foggy atmosphere to creep up on the right flank of B army
Strike and weaken the army but cannot see enough to advance or see the damage they had caused
Opportunity lost due to Russian weakness and organisation and weaponry (waited for own reinforcements)

British sharpshooters (Enfield Rifle) killed 3 Russian generals in 15 minutes
Chaos in the Russian army
Allies win but siege is delayed as they recooperate

British resilience despite being outnumbered

Menshikov better general/topographer

B charged rather than retreating to draw R to artillery

Question 24

What is the impact of Inkerman?

Answer 24

British army hold the position until the French arrive at the end, defending well

The siege is now delayed and the wintertime and storm is about to set in, making the siege much more intensely difficult in a manner the British had not anticipated

Question 25

What happened to British command at Inkerman?

Answer 25

Chaos because Commander De Lacy Evans fell off horse
Replaced by Major General Pennefeather = aggressive (commands charge rather than tactical retreat) who had no experience with Russian army size

Question 26

What nickname is given to the Battle of Inkerman?

Answer 26

The Soldiers Battle = individual battalions cut off and made own decisions

Question 27

French role at Inkerman

Answer 27

Battle closer to French base
French key role as reinforcements in defence
Help British regain control over situation

Question 28

Impact of Coldstream Guards

Answer 28

Fought incredibly well at Inkerman under own command - awarded