Battle of Balaclava

Battle of Balaclava
Part of the Crimean War
Army camp at Balaklava
Date 25 October 1854 Location Kadikoi, near Balaklava Result Indecisive
Combatants
United Kingdom French Empire Ottoman Empire	Russian Empire
Commanders
Lord Raglan, François Certain Canrobert	Pavel Liprandi
Strength
Approx. 20,000	Approx. 23,000
Casualties
350 British, 250 French	1,000 Killed or Wounded

The Battle of Balaclava, fought on 25 October 1854, was a key battle during the Crimean War, fought between the allied forces of the United Kingdom, French Empire and the Ottoman Empire on one side and Russia on the other. It was the first of two attempts by the Russians to break the Siege of Sevastopol.

Battlefield and troop dispositions

The hilly battlefield consisted of two valleys oriented in an east-to-west direction, divided by low hills and ridges, with the terrain consisting of open grassland. The British force was divided between the two valleys. The southern plain (approximate coordinates 44°31′34″N, 33°36′23″E) was held by the British cavalry's Heavy Brigade (the Royal Dragoon Guards and the Scots Greys). The Light Brigade, consisting of the 4th and 13th Light Dragoons, 17th Lancers, and the 8th and 11th Hussars, under the command of Major-General the Earl of Cardigan, was positioned in the northern valley (approximate coordinates 44°32′49″N, 33°37′12″E). The overall command of the British cavalry was exercised by the Earl of Lucan. A French force, including the cavalry the Chasseurs d'Afrique was also present in a reserve position. The Russian force was significantly larger than that of the allies, but was hampered by poor discipline, poor leadership, and inferior weapons. Not all the Russian infantry that was present participated in the battle. Lieutenant-General the Lord Raglan commanded the British Army and General François Certain Canrobert commanded the French Army. Prince Aleksandr Sergeyevich Menshikov commanded the Russian Army, while the Russian assault on Balaclava was commanded by General Pavel Liprandi, Menshikov's second in command.

Opening of the battle

The battle started with a successful Russian attack on Ottoman positions. This led to the Russians breaking through into the valley of Balaklava (anglicised as "Balaclava"), where British forces were encamped. The port of Balaklava, a short distance to the south, was the site of a key British supply base. The Russian advance was intended to disrupt the British base and attack British positions near Sevastopol from the rear. An initial Russian advance south of the southern line of hills was repulsed by the British. A large attacking force of Russian cavalry advanced over the ridgeline, and split into two portions. One of these columns drove south towards the town of Balaklava itself, threatening the main supply of the entire British army. That drive was repulsed by the muskets of the 93rd (Highland) Regiment, which had been formed into a lone line of two rows by its commander, Sir Colin Campbell. This action became known in history as "The Thin Red Line".

Charges of the Heavy and Light Brigades

Main article: Charge of the Heavy Brigade

Main article: Charge of the Light Brigade

The second column of Russian cavalry was then met by the British Heavy Brigade, in an uphill charge that defied conventional military logic. This action by the British cavalry forced the Russians to retreat to their artillery, which was strategically positioned along the ridges above the valley. At this point, Raglan ordered the Light Brigade to "prevent the enemy carrying away the guns", in a written order delivered by Captain Nolan. Though the following events are somewhat unclear, it is generally accepted that Nolan was aware that Lord Raglan had intended for the Light Brigade to charge the captured British guns that were being carried off the redoubt by the Russians. According to contemporary accounts, Nolan delivered the written order in haste while verbally indicating to Lord Cardigan that he should direct an assault upon Russian gun battery that was down the valley. This action resulted in what would come to be known as the Charge of the Light Brigade. After its initial charge was repulsed, the Light Brigade was saved from further causalities by a supporting attack from the French 4th Chasseurs d'Afrique.

Aftermath

The battle ended inconclusively, with both sides retaining their starting positions. Aleksandr Sergeyevich Menshikov, the Russian commander, later claimed success, saying the attack was only a probe to gauge allied defense. The British suffered a total of 360 casualties, with Russian casualties unknown, but estimated at several hundred. The name of the battle Balaclava was transferred to the knitted woolen headgear, the balaclava. Numerous poems have been written about the Light Brigade, the most renowned being The Charge of The Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

See also

Military history of the Ottoman Empire Portal

• Charge of the Light Brigade
• Order of Battle at the Balaclava campaign
• Canon William Lummis Historian of the Light Brigade
• Edward James Boys Historian of the Light Brigade

References

• Sweetman, John. Balaclava 1854. London: Osprey Publishing, 1990. ISBN 0-85045-961-3