The Crimean War: 1854-1856

Question 1

When did the allied troops land in the Crimea?
When did they begin moving?

Answer 1

14th September 1854, they landed at Kalamita Bay, north of Sebastopol
–> St Arnaud wanted to march immediately on Sebastopol but Raglan insisted on rounding up wagons, baggage animals and supplies

19th September: army ( 63K strong moved south) vs Prince Menshikov who withdrew to a strong position behind the River Alma ( 33k men)

Question 2

What tactic did St Arnaud propose before attacking Alma

Answer 2

French forces attack on the right, rolling up to Russian left flank whilst British proceeded centre and right flank.
–> Raglan agreed yet believed he underestimated French troops

Question 3

Battle of Alma: 1854 what happened?

Answer 3

20th September: infantry moved forward, stopping for 90 minutes due to artillery. French then needed support so Raglan advanced his men, with the light division leading the way and capturing the Great Redoubt.
–> Light division fell back due to enemy artillery and infantry attack but a general advance resulted in the Grenadier Guards recapturing the Great Redout whilst Highland Brigade drove back 12 Russian battalions

Question 4

Battle of Alma: 1854 Results and next actions?

Answer 4

Lucan wanted to pursue the Russians but Raglan disagreed knowing that Russian men were still on the left.
–> told his men to bivouac for the night

Russians lost 5.7k men vs British 1.5k and French 1K

Question 5

Advancing to Sebastopol[ol: What happened?

Answer 5

23rd September: Allied army advanced on Sebastopol. Raglan wanted to immediately attack but Chief Engineer Sir John Burgoyne thought that Russian defences posed a serious obstacle + St Arnaud who was ill agreed.
–> Raglan who again wanted to keep allied accord, agreed with the French

Question 6

On the 26th of September, how did the two generals position themselves?

Answer 6

26th, British entered Balaclava and Raglan who was poorly advised by Admiral Lyons chose to remain at Balaclava.
–> (placed enormous strain on army as it was committed to defending allied flank from Russian attack and laying siege to Sebastopol)

–> French now led by General Canrobert went to bays further west

Question 7

What decision made it harder to invade Sebastopol?

Answer 7

Raglan pressed for an assault on Sebastopol but Canrobert insisted that city defences must first be reduced
–> due to this inaction, the Russians had time to improve defences

Question 8

Siege of Sebastopol: What happened?

Answer 8

By October 17th Allies had dragged 126 siege guns to position and cannonade began. 321 Russian guns faced them, double the number 3 weeks before.
–> allied naval bombardment + cannonade= damage to several warships and 500 allied casualties
–> land bombardment was more effective, so much so that if allies had attacked, they would have captured it. ( Canrobert again opposed the move, giving Russians to catch up with defences)

Pattern was repeated over several days: successful bombardment= failure to attack= Russians repairs at night)

Question 9

Battle of Balaclava: what happened?

Answer 9

October 25th: Russian army ( 25K infantry, 6K cavalry 78 guns) advanced towards Balaclava.
–> Ottoman outposts easily overran and then several Russians charged towards the 93rd Highland Regiment
–> The 550 men stood in 2 lines instead of squares turned aside the cavalry but could not check Russian attach single handily

800 strong Heavy Brigade led by General Scarlett charged at the enemy and the Russian cavalry fled after ( lost only 10 troops and fought uphill)

Question 10

Why was the Light brigade antagonistic towards the Heavy Brigade?

Answer 10

Earl of Cardigan was the head of the 664 strong light brigade and watched the victory of the Heavy Brigade with jealousy.
–> Brother in law to Lord Lucan

Cardigan’s officers wanted to launch themselves against the fleeing enemy but Cardigan refused.

Question 11

Charge of the Light Brigade: Raglan’s order

Answer 11

Raglan was positioned on Sapoune Heights and annoyed at the loss of initiative, sending a message to Luca, requesting him to occupy the ground the Russians were vacating
–> with no infantry to assist him, Lucan declined to regard the message as an order

–> During this, Russians removed guns from Ottoman redoubts on the Causeway Heights.

New order: to advance rapidly to the front and follow the enemy, preventing them from carrying away the guns

Question 12

Charge of the Light Brigade: Nolan’s role

Answer 12

Louis Nolan was the officer chosen to deliver this message ( seen as an excellent horseman who could ride rapidly.) But horrible messenger.
–> Lucan was given the message but Nolan told him that the enemies were down the valley with the guns

Question 13

Charge of the Light Brigade: Lucan’s role

Answer 13

Lucan could not see the guns on the far side of the Causeway Heights and his angry wave gave Lucan the impression he had been ordered to attack the mass of russian guns at the far end of the valley 2km away.
–> Lucan rode to Cardigan and ordered him to advance

Question 14

Charge of the Light Brigade: Cardigan’s role (before charge)

Answer 14

Cardigan gave the order for the light brigade to advance in 3 lines, towards the 20 attalions of Russian infatry supported by over 50 guns ( forces at both sides of the valley and the end)
–> would take light brigade several minutes to reach the end of the Valley

Nolan dashed ahead and started screaming, trying to alert them about the disastrous miscommunication but a splinter from a shell killed him

Question 15

Charge of the Light Brigade: Cardigan’s role ( during the charge)

Answer 15

Artillery and musket fire poured into the brigade whilst the cavalry hacked at the gunners after reaching Russian guns.
–> Cardigan turned and trotted back down the valley whilst his men followed, running against the same gauntlet of fire

Result: 110 killed, 130 wounded, 58 taken prisoner
–> Cardigan paid no effort to his men and went to his yacht to drink champagne

Question 16

Charge of the Light Brigade: Aftermath of the charge

Answer 16

Raglan blamed Lucan in his dispatches, believing he should have exercised his discretion
Lucan responded with how Raglan had allowed him no independence throughout the campaign and required all his orders to be followed ( talking back to superior was not allowed and in March 1855 he was called back to Britain)

Cardigan blamed Raglan and Lucan for giving him the orders and he was promoted to inspector-general of the cavalry after leaving the Crimea

Question 17

Result of the Battle of Balaclava?

Answer 17

It ensured Russian advance was halted, thus continuing the siege of Sebastopol
–> Russians however, confined British into a narrow area between Balaclava and Sebastopol, leaving them vulnerable

By November Menshikov commanded 120k men
–> Raglan only had 25k men and French had 40K

Question 18

Battle of Inkerman: what happened?

Answer 18

5th November 1854: Russians attacked Inkerman ridge, with hidden manoeuvrings (due to rain and fog)
–> fighting broke out into series of encounters which were impossible to direct ( small units of British infantry fought much larger numbers of Russians)

9am when the mist began to clear, it seemed outnumbered British forces were riven back yet once the French arrived, battle turned to allied favour.

Question 19

Battle of Inkerman: result?

Answer 19

Afternoon, Russians retreated with 11k casualties

British had 597 dead and 1860 wounded whilst French lost 130 and 750 wounded.
–> no progress on capturing Sebastopol

Raglan warned Duke of Newcastle regarding the winters but his warning was disregarded as being ‘mild’

Question 20

Winter of 1854-55: What happened?

Answer 20

Worst Crimean winter in living memory
–> cold enough to form icicles on moustaches + wet weather
–> heavy shortages of tents and lack of firewood meant men could not cook or stay dry and warm

14th Nov: Terrible storm resulted in the loss of more than 20 ships carrying stores (e.g. The Progress carried 3 weeks worth of hay)
–> Tents blown to shreds

Question 21

Winter of 1854-55: What problems occurred in Balaclava?

Answer 21

Admiral Boxer was terribly inefficient with transportation arrangements as ships arrived at Balaclava on short notice and with no certainty on supplies ( congestions occurred at the port, meaning everything was piled together with consumables rotting)

Question 22

Winter of 1854-55: Transportation problems?

Answer 22

Transporting supplies to Balaclava was easy but from Balaclava to siege lines was incredibly problematic
–> Russian control over Worontsov Road initially deprived the army of the only road up the Sapoune ridge but Russians abandoned their positions on 6th December
–> freezing and muddy tracks + lack of forage to feed pack animals meant no more animals could be rough t in
–> Commisariat highly impossible to deliver supplies in these conditions

Jan 1855: railway contractor was brought in to lay a track rom Balaclava to heights above port.

Question 23

Winter of 1854-55: Medical situation

Answer 23

More men went down with cholera, scurvy, gangrene, typhus, typhoid and dysentery
–> dire situation as little money was put into preparring medical supplies, hospital tents and medicines
–> filthy, verminous and overcrowded hospital at Balaclava
–> letters eventually reached home about the disgusting conditions which were confirmed by the newspapers

Question 24

Winter of 1854-55: Dr Blake’s record

Answer 24

surgeon of 55th battalion kept medical history:
- 640 men for fever
- 368 cases of respiratory diseases
- 1256 cases of infections of bowels and stomach
96 cases of cholera

He treated over 3025 cases of sickness compared to 564 men treated for wounds

Question 25

Winter of 1854-55: Raglan’s role

Answer 25

Deep concern for situation and worked hard to remedy matters but did not inform government or appeal for help and didn’t do much to remedy the mood ofmen
–> reluctant to even show up and say a few words to troops= damaged morale
–> manner gave impression that he was unconcerned about men’s welfare

Question 26

Winter of 1854-55: Result

Answer 26

Jan 1855, British army was only 11k strong with sick and wounded totalling 23k.
–> Britons appalled by the situation with Aberdeen being blamed and replaced as PM by Palmerston in Feb 1855.

French handled it much more efficiently

Question 27

Spring of 1855: what was happening?

Answer 27

As spring approached, provisions were located in separate deports, railway was completed, more ottoman labour was recruited and confusion in Balaclava lessened
–> 3rd week of Feb, decline in deaths of soldiers at hospitals (3168 in Jan, 582 in April)
–> March 1855: troops received plentiful supplies of food and clothing + morale boosted ( only 1409 died in March)

Question 28

Diplomatic situation by 1855

Answer 28

Dec 1854, Austria signed a treaty with Britain and France
Jan 1855: Piedmont allied with Britain and France
March 1855: Death of Tsar Nicholas + successor wanted to not continue with the war

Question 29

Sebastopol 1855 what problems did both forces face?

Answer 29

Late spring, there were 175k allied troops in Crimea ( only 32k British). 20k ottomans and 15 Piedmontese + 10k French mercenaries
However allies faced 2 problems: Sebastopol was not encircled and could be easily reinforced + defence remained strong

Russian problems were worse: no railway lines, corrupt administrative system, failure to concentrate its military effort in the Crimea thus stationing troops on Austrian border to guard

Question 30

2nd siege of Sebastopol: what happened?

Answer 30

9th April 1855: 520 guns poured 165k rounds into town and continued for 10 days.
—> Russians suffered heavy casualties but maintained their defences
—> Raglan was keen to attack but french were sceptical

Question 31

Death of Raglan

Answer 31

May 1855: Canrobert was replaced by General Pelissier.
June 7: French captured Mameloj fortress while British took quarries
June 18: British attacked Redan while french attacked men Shiloh fortifications but both failed
—> french lost 3500 men whilst British lost 1500

28th June : raglan died of dysentery with Sir James Simpson replaced him (resigned later)

Question 32

Capture of Sebastopol

Answer 32

Aug 16: attack by 60k Russians across river Chernya was defeated by French and Piedmontese troops
Sep 8: French forced captured Malakhov fortifications whilst losing 7.5k troops

British attack on the Redan failed, with a loss of 2.5K casualties
- Russians had now abandoned Sebastopol

Question 33

War in the Baltic: how had Britain engaged in a wider naval war with Russia?

Answer 33

1854, Sir Charles Napier was given command of a Baltic fleet
- despite initial smaller fleet size, he successfully blockaded Russian coast until end of October 1854

Question 34

Was Sir Charles Napier successful in his actions? Who replaced him after?

Answer 34

He was remarkably successful bottling up the Russian fleet and tying down 30K Russians and capturing fortress of Bomarsund

• replaced by Admiral Dundas in 1855 ( kept up the good work y blockading Russia’s ports and destroying forts at Svastholm and Fredrikshamn

Question 35

End of the Crimean war: After Sebastopol fell, how did the campaign progress?

Answer 35

During winter of 1855-56, British soldiers learnt, being better supplied
- French suffered by disease

Question 36

End of the Crimean war: Who wanted an end to the war?

Answer 36

Napoleon III felt that after Sebastopol, he wanted the war to end.
1855 Dec, Austria issued an ultimatum threatening Russia with war if it did not negotiate on the basis of the 4 points.

Question 37

End of the Crimean war: Did the Russian’s believe the ultimatum? What was their primary concern?

Answer 37

they knew it was a bluff as Austria was demobilising instead

Baltic was area of main concern: blockades were damaging Russia’s economy and threatening St Ptersberg
–> resulted in Tsar Alexander II agreeing to peace talk

Question 38

End of the Crimean war: when was the armistice signed?

Answer 38

Feb 1856,

March 1856 was the Treaty of Paris which confirmed the 4 points)

Question 39

End of the Crimean war: What were the military implications?

Answer 39

War emphasised the importance of logistics, entrenchments and firepower
- soldiers still wore Napoleonic uniforms and used napoleonic tactics yet had more developed weapons

Heavier casualties than any other war between 1815-1914
- 22K British soldiers died compared to a total 98K who fought
- France lost 95K, Ottoman lost 150K and Russian/s lost 500K minimum