Crimean War
John Barham
Articles
How did the on-shore sailors manage to survive the terrible winter in so much better shape than their Army colleagues?
The Army staff looked on the Naval Brigade with amused condescention, but could have learnt much from them by taking them seriously.
As the Brigade grew in size, it gained a reputation for the cheerful lively demeanour of its members.
There was no shortage of volunteer British bluejackets to fight alongside the 'sojers' on land.
A major difficulty in visualising and evaluating historical circumstances is that our responses risk being conditioned by the contemporary attitudes which we live with.
Mary is now universally admired and her many services are much in demand, but what will fate hold in store for her once peace comes?
In spite of many setbacks, Mary's British Hotel opens and quickly becomes a constant source of comfort to all.
A role-model display of determination, resourcefulness and devotion unfolds as we follow Mary Seacole to the Crimea.
The life and work of Mary Jane Seacole has recently been under a deserved spotlight..how she would have chuckled!
The Indomitable Duberly - Part 3
There are plenty of twists of fortune ahead for Fanny before she eventually becomes part of the Crimean scenery.
The Indomitable Duberly Part 2
Having reached Varna, our heroine has to work up a plan for survival.
Fanny Duberly provided a ray of sunshine in the darkness of war in -almost- everyone's view.
To the men in the Crimea, the sudden unexpected end to the War left them wondering whether it had been worthwhile
'Official Enquiry Whitewash' was as familiar a popular accusation around Britain in the spring of 1856 as it is today.
After two years of bloody war, had anything changed?
...is give peace a chance.
Sappers, so the perceived wisdom ran, were either mad, married or methodist. But they were arguably around for the original Big Bang!
Many remembered on the war memorials had given their lives far from the battlefields.
Ignoring or ignorant of logic, every tabloid journalist that ever was has to reassure the readership that 'our lads' will be 'home by Christmas.'
With the onset of winter, comparisons with the previous year's hardships were inevitable.
The fifth of November was indeed remembered as the anniversary of Inkerman, but the gunpowder would only stake its claim ten days later.
Sardinia had joined in the war for her own ends, but would these be recognised at the conference table?
At last the little Piedmont force gets the chance to show what it can do.
The Sardinians, finally landed, are soon co-opted by Pelissier into joint operations with the Allies.
Political tug of war, inefficiency and disaster impede the expedition project.
Sardinia's entry into the War was anything but as smooth as it was made to seem.
Was relief really on the way?
The defenders fight off a determined attack.
For the moment, the conflict is entirely internal.
A diplomatic appointment would have some pretty undiplomatic consequences.
While Western eyes were fixed on the Crimea, there had been fighting of campaign proportions to the East.
In the Crimea Primary School playground, Hall and Fitzgerald tee-heed as they pulled Nightingale's plaits.
Minor successes at Eupatoria and Kinburn left them wanting more at the end of the season.
The Siege was over but some thought the price too high.
The task which had concentrated all minds for a year was finally achieved.
'Why were not our trenches pushed on within twenty yards of the Redan?' - Capt Clifford, V.C.
With unfinished business on the Redan, It was unthinkable that the British infantry should stand idle on the sidelines during a major assault.
'J'y suis, j'y reste' in General MacMahon's French. Could reality match the intention?
The Sardinian Orbat in Aug 1855
The rarely published order of battle of the Sardinian Expeditionary Force
Would this time be any different?
Inside Sevastopol they were not burning their bridges.
The Battle of the Tchernaya Part 2
Don't believe them when they tell you it was a walkover!
The Battle of the Tchernaya Part 1
Should you attack if your heart's not in it?
Was it worth trying to turn so far successful defence into highly risky attack?
French Orbat Aug 55 - Reserve Units
Too big for one Article space!
French Orbat Aug 55 - First Line Units
On the eve of a major battle, the Army was bigger than ever...
The British Army Orbat in August 1855
There had been considerable changes of late.
Could the politicians sort out the mess?
Would the allies prove more successful in the Baltic than last year?
Battle lines are drawn between rebellious nurses and the army medical establishment on the one side, and Florence, her nurses and the British public on the other.
The Grim Reaper sharpened his scythe and went for bigger game.
...had the allies met their Waterloo?
....and expletives flew...
But it was the guns which flamed....
Pélissier moves fast in the hope of presenting faits accomplis to the politicians.
The Pélissier Omelette might need a good many eggs.
Descriptions of what the Sanitary Commissioners discovered 'behind the scenes' at Scutari are not for the squeamish!
Order, Counter-Order, Disorder!
Whether Political or Military, April was the month for big guns.
As the distances between the front lines slowly decreased, the chances of action during trench duty grew greater.
As the horrors of winter thawed away, it was essential to enjoy leisure time to the full, as no one knew how much of life might remain to them.
The French and Turkish Orders of Battle - February 1855
A supplementary listing for reference purposes during the next stage of the campaign
The British Order of Battle in February 1855
A supplementary document for reference during the next stage of operations
If you could survive the journey to hospital, there was a good chance your original ailment wouldn't kill you, but a fresh one might.
Some would appear too bristly for comfort!
Could they sweep clean?
At Eupatoria in February a major Russian assault was soundly repulsed almost exclusively by Turkish units.
In Britain, after the public sympathy came the public indignation. Not so in France.
General Winter's Blitzkrieg Part 2
With administrative breakdown now almost total for the British, can they survive as an effective fighting force?
General Winter's Blitzkrieg Part 1
As the temperature dropped, so too did the physical resistance of the ragged besieging British army, but not their fortitude.
How were the defenders coping, faced with these stubborn enemy creeping towards their gates?
Bitterly cold wet weather and administrative breakdown threaten the existence of the ragged army helplessly exposed on the plateau.
At last Florence and her team could provide proper nursing care to the sick and wounded. But the death roll kept mounting...
The sufferings of the allies take on a Biblical flavour, as natural disaster follows plague and pestilence.
If the Great British Public thought that Florence Nightingale and her nurses would be welcomed with open arms at Scutari, they were sadly mistaken.
The Battle of Inkerman Part 4 - Allied Fireworks
The 18 pounder guns arrive and the French are at last invited to join the battle - both none too soon.
The Battle of Inkerman Part 3 - Sandbagged!
An abandoned gun emplacement of no tactical value was to wield a fatal fascination for Russians and Allies alike. It was known as the Sandbag Battery.
The Battle of Inkerman Part 2 - The Fog of War
As the conflict area remains shrouded in thick fog, Commanders on both sides commit units piecemeal with only vague notions of what is going on.
The Battle of Inkerman - Part 1
The possibility that the 26th October attack on the extreme British right might be the precursor to something bigger in the same sector does not seem to have occured to anyone who mattered.
The Orders of Battle during Inkerman
As usual before describing a battle, this is a supplementary list comprising the Russian battle groupings and all allied combat units as at 5th November 1854
Horrified reaction in Britain to the graphic reports from Scutari of the desperate plight of our wounded provokes a seemingly minor government response which would prove momentous.
A totally personal viewpoint and analysis of the Battle of Balaklava and its aftermath.
The Story of One of the Heavy Brigade
Derek Pardoe relates the experiences of his ancestor Sergeant Pardoe, 1st Royal Dragoons, on the field of Balaklava, in the Sergeant's own words.
Poem - The Charge of the Light Brigade
The complete text of Tennyson's famous poem.
The Battle of Balaklava Part 5 - The Charge of the Light Brigade
It was magnificent but it was not war - it was madness.
Artillery Ammunition in the Crimea
This extra article results from a correspondent's
sensible suggestion that a broader knowledge of the subject would help in envisaging the Light Brigade's charge.
The Battle of Balaklava Part 4 - Formula for Disaster
If the Russians were able to carry off British guns, they could claim with some justification to be the victors of Balaklava.
The Battle of Balaklava Part 3 - The Charge of the Heavy Brigade
With the Russian cavalry literally on their doorstep, would the British cavalry finally be launched into action?
The Battle of Balaklava Part 2 - The Thin Red Line
With the British outer defences overwhelmed, only a small force now stood between the Russians and complete victory.
The Battle of Balaklava Part 1 - The Redoubts
A full scale attack on the British base by the Russian Army had not been considered remotely possible.
The Orders of Battle at Balaklava
We agreed in discussion pages to update the Orders of Battle before battles, so this listing identifies the units
involved both directly and indirectly at Balaklava.
Once the defenders had been demoralised by a few hours of intense heavy gun bombardment, a determined infantry assault and quick victory would surely follow.
Their Generals having declined the option of immediate attack, the allied armies relish a breathing space in camp - though expecting to move in on Sevastopol in a matter of a few days.
Will a new French commander bring urgency and decisiveness to the Allied offensive?
Attackers and defenders of Sevastopol bump into each other whilst stealthily moving away from the city. Had Punch Magazine written the script?
It looked tempting to advance into Sevastopol from the line of march. But there were other factors which would influence the allies' choice.
Already stretched to the limit by disease epidemics, the fragile allied medical administation would now have to deal with a mass of battle casualties.
Battle of the Alma Part 3 - The Winning of the Day
A combination of French flair and British stubborn courage produces victory on the day. Would pursuit of the fleeing Russians wrap up the Campaign?
Battle of the Alma Part 2 - The British Attack
The British have the toughest task - a frontal attack uphill over open ground against the most strongly defended positions.
Battle of the Alma Part 1 - The French Attack
After not much discussion and much misunderstanding, the allies get off to a late start with a French attack on the right.
The Russian Order of Battle at the Alma
A list of the Units and Key Commanders for reference when following the course of the Alma Battle
The Allies at last make contact with the Russian Army lying in wait for them on the heights south of the River Alma
They could just about march, but would they be able to fight?
The first high risk bet of the great gamble had paid off, but the odds on success were not going to shorten yet.
Would the task of successfully landing such a massive military force in the Crimea prove one voyage too far?
The Allies decide to seek out the Russians on their home territory and recklessly gamble on an ill-prepared invasion.
Before even firing a shot, allied troops are mown down in their thousands.
Expectations of moving against the Russians are high, but would they ever be satisfied?
Although known as the Crimean War, the naval action was far from confined to that theatre.
Amongst the many 'firsts' of the War, the first War Correspondent was to make the most impact.
The Allies decide that their initial positions are too far back, and they move closer to the fighting.
From all major ports in Britain and France, the Armies set sail for the war zone.
The French Order of Battle and their Senior Commanders
As in the the previous article on the British Army, we now list the French order of battle, with a quick look at their senior commanders
The British Order of Battle and their Senior Commanders
A straightforward listing of Regiments by Division, with short biographical notes on senior commanders. It is hoped this article will be helpful in following the course of the campaign.
The Lords Lucan and Cardigan held key commands in the British Cavalry and both were destined to play pivotal roles in the mismanagement which led to the Charge of the Light Brigade. We examine their eventful pre-war lives, and the development of their sworn emnity.
The Young Florence Nightingale - Part 2
The tension grows as Florence arrives at the crossroads of her destiny. This article has been substantially revised and developed following review in October 2001.
The Young Florence Nightingale - Part 1
How significant was the course of Florence Nightingale's early life in determining her meteoric rise to fame in the Crimea?
Thumbnail Sketches of Omar Pasha and Prince Menschikov - their careers and personal characteristics.
Thumbnail Sketches of Lord Raglan and Marshal Saint-Arnaud - Their careers and personal characteristics.
The Russian Army in 1854 - Part 2
We examine tactical doctrine, training, and the organisation and potential of the other fighting arms.
The Russian Army in 1854 - Part 1
On paper at least, a huge army stood ready to confront the Allies. We examine the facts, together with the lives and characteristics of the Officers and Men.
With the power of the Janissaries shattered, the Army had undergone a radical shake-up. But had it been enough to make it a force to be reckoned with?
Unquestionably the most highly trained, best organised and best equipped army in Europe - how would it perform in combat against a major world power?
The British Army in 1854 - Part 2
An introduction to the main elements of the Army, their functions, tactics and weaponry.
The British Army in 1854 - Part 1
The prestige of the Army that had been victorious at Waterloo was second to none, but what had been happening during the following 40 years?
The Drift to War Pt 2 - Sinope and After
Although the Turks give a good account of themselves, they meet their match in the naval battle at Sinope, which drags the allies towards the War
The Drift to War - The Vienna Note
The Powers feel that they are getting enmeshed in a web from which there is no escape. Decisive action finally comes from an unexpected quarter.
Causes of the War - When Monks Collide part 2
Russia is determined that Orthodox monks will control the Holy Places, and pressures the Sultan accordingly. British and French local diplomats decide strong action is called for, with differing results.
Causes of the War - When Monks Collide (part 1)
Surely a war wasn't going to break out because a few men of the cloth were brawling in the Holy Land?
Causes of the War - The Eastern Question
This article sets out to explain the rise and decline of the Ottoman empire, how it set it on a collision course with the emerging Power of Russia, and the reason why Western Powers were sure to get involved at some stage.