Balaklava battle happened on October 13 () and was one of the largest battles Crimean War -1856 between allied forces UK , France And Turkey on the one hand, and Russians troops on the other.

The battle took place in the valleys north of Balaclavas, bounded by the low Fedyukhin mountains, Sapun-mountain And the Black River. It was the first and only battle Crimean War, in which the Russian troops significantly prevailed in forces.

This battle, which could have remained a minor one, went down in history in connection with its three episodes: the defense of the 93rd Scottish Infantry Regiment (“ thin red line » English thin red line), an attack by a British heavy cavalry brigade, which was unexpectedly successful, and an attack by a British light cavalry brigade, undertaken by Lord Cardigan after a series of misunderstandings that resulted in heavy British casualties.

The battle was not decisive. The British were unable to take Sevastopol on the move, and the Russian troops retained their cannons and position.

The location of the allied forces in the Balaklava camp

Pavel Liprandi hussars, Ural and Don Cossack, Dnieper and Odessa infantry regiments and a number of other units and subunits. General Liprandi served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian troops in the Crimea, Prince Alexandra Menshikova.

Plans and forces of the parties

In October, Russian forces approached the allied Balaklava base.
City and port Balaklava located 15 km south of Sevastopol, was the base of the British Expeditionary Force in Crimea. The blow of Russian troops on the positions of the allies at Balaclavas could, if successful, lead to the release of the besieged Sevastopol and disruption of the supply of the British.

Russian detachment, which was under the command of an infantry general Pavel Petrovich Liprandi, numbered about 16 thousand people and included Kyiv and Ingermanland hussars , Ural and the Don Cossacks, the Dnieper and Odessa infantry regiments and a number of other units and subunits. General Liprandi served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian troops in the Crimea, Prince Alexander Sergeevich Menshikov.

The Allied forces, mostly represented by British troops, included two cavalry brigades. The heavy cavalry brigade under the command of Brigadier General James Scarlett consisted of the 4th and 5th Dragoon Guards, 1st, 2nd and 6th Dragoon Regiments (5 two-squadron regiments, 800 in total) and was located to the south, closer to Balaklava. The northern positions, closer to the Fedyukhin mountains, were occupied by a light cavalry brigade, which included the 4th, 8th, 11th, 13th hussar and 17th lancer regiments (5 regiments of two-squadron composition, a total of 700 people). Commanded the Light Brigade, Major General Lord Cardigan. The light cavalry, which was considered an elite branch of the military, served as representatives of the most famous aristocratic families of Great Britain. The overall command of the British cavalry was carried out by Major General Earl Lucan. French and Turkish units also participated in the battle, but their role was insignificant. The number of allied troops was about two thousand people.

The British Expeditionary Force was commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Raglan, French - divisional general François Canrobert.

The beginning of the battle

Monument to the fallen British in the Balaklava Valley

The battle began at about five in the morning, before dawn. The Russians with a bayonet attack knocked out the Turkish troops from redoubt No. 1, located on the southern flank, and destroyed about 170 Turks. The three remaining redoubts, located to the north and northwest, were abandoned by the Turks without a fight. The Turkish troops, who fled in panic, did not render the artillery located on the redoubts unusable, and the Russians got nine guns as a trophy. The British had to stop the retreating Turks by force of arms.
Having captured the redoubts, while trying to further develop the attack in order to reach Balaklava, the Russians ran into strong resistance from Scarlett's heavy cavalry and the 93rd Baronet's Scottish infantry regiment. Colin Campbell. In order to cover the too wide front of the attack of the Russian cavalry, Campbell ordered his soldiers to line up in a line of two, instead of the lines of four provided for by the charters in such cases. The words of Campbell's order and his response to them adjutant John Scott entered British military history:

original text(English)

Based on the Crimean war with the British against the Russians. The opening is meant to try and recreate the galloping horses in the charge of the light brigade. It's an atmospheric song.

"Hooves are pounding on the firmament,
The guns are looming in the distance
Straight to Death Valley
Six squadrons entered.

Alfred Tennyson Charge of the Light Horse.

On October 25 (13), 1854, one of the largest battles of the Crimean War took place - the Battle of Balaklava. On the one hand, the forces of France, Great Britain and Turkey took part in it, and on the other, Russia.

The port city of Balaklava, fifteen kilometers south of Sevastopol, was the base of the British expeditionary force in the Crimea. The destruction of the Allied troops near Balaklava disrupted the supply of British forces and could theoretically lead to the lifting of the siege of Sevastopol. The battle took place to the north of the city, in a valley bounded by Sapun Mountain, the low Fedyukhin Hills and the Black River. This was the only battle of the entire Crimean War in which the Russian forces were not inferior to the enemy in numbers.

By the autumn of 1854, despite the stubborn bombing of Sevastopol, it was clear to both sides that an assault would not follow in the near future. Marshal François Canrobert, the commander-in-chief of the French army, who replaced Saint-Arnaud, who died of an illness, understood well the need to hurry. With the onset of winter, it will be more difficult for transports to navigate the Black Sea, and spending the night in tents is not at all good for the health of its soldiers. However, he did not dare either to begin preparations for the assault on Sevastopol, or to attack Menshikov's army. In order to get hold of ideas and plans, he even got into the habit of visiting his colleague in Balaklava, the commander-in-chief of the English army, Lord Raglan. However, Fitzroy Raglan himself was accustomed to receiving instructions from the highly experienced French staff. Both commanders needed some kind of push - and he followed ....

Prince Menshikov, commander-in-chief of the Russian army, did not at all believe in the success of the ensuing war. However, the sovereign did not allow the thought of the loss of Sevastopol. He did not give rest to the most illustrious prince, encouraging him in his letters and expressing regret that he could not be personally with the troops, instructing him to thank the soldiers and sailors on his behalf. In order to show at least some semblance of active hostilities, Alexander Sergeevich decided to attack the Allied camp near Balaklava.

Photo by Roger Fenton. British warship at the pier in Balaklava Bay. 1855

Photo by Roger Fenton. British and Turkish military camp in the valley near Balaklava.1855

It should be noted that a small Greek village with a population of several hundred people in September 1854 turned into a bustling city. The entire coast was littered with shots, boards and various implements brought here from England. The British built here railway, embankment, camp and many warehouses, built a water supply system and several artesian wells. There were many warships in the bay, as well as several yachts of members of the high command, in particular, the "Dryyad" of the commander of the light cavalry, James Cardigan. To protect the town on low hillocks nearby, in mid-September, the Allies set up four redoubts. Three of them were armed with artillery. These redoubts covered the Chorgun-Balaklava line, and in each of them there were about two hundred and fifty Turkish soldiers. The British correctly calculated that the Turks know how to sit behind the fortifications much better than fighting in an open field. By the way, the unfortunate soldiers of Omer Pasha performed the dirtiest and hardest work in the Allied army. They were fed very poorly, they were not allowed to communicate with other soldiers and residents, they were beaten by mortal combat for infractions. Transformed into advanced fighters, they were planted on redoubts in order to protect the English camp with their breasts. The British forces in this place consisted of two cavalry brigades: the heavy cavalry of General James Scarlett and the light cavalry of Major General Cardigan. The general command of the cavalry was Major General George Bingham, aka Lord Lucan, a mediocre commander who was not particularly popular with his subordinates. Scarlett's forces were to the south of the redoubts, closer to the city, Cardigan's troops were to the north, closer to the Fedyukhin mountains. It should be noted that members of the largest aristocratic families of England served in the light cavalry, which was an elite branch of the military. The entire British expeditionary force was commanded by Lord Raglan. French units also took part in the future battle, but their role was insignificant.

On October 23, near the village of Chorgun on the Black River, under the command of General Pavel Petrovich Liprandi, who served as Menshikov’s deputy, the Chorgun detachment of about sixteen thousand people was assembled, including military personnel of the Kiev and Ingrian hussars, Don and Ural Cossacks, Odessa and Dnieper infantry regiments. The purpose of the detachment was the destruction of Turkish redoubts, access to Balaklava and artillery shelling of enemy ships in the port. To support the troops of Liprandi, a special detachment of Major General Iosif Petrovich Zhabokritsky, numbering five thousand people and with fourteen guns, was to advance to the Fedyukhin Heights.

Balaklava battle began at six o'clock in the morning. Speaking from the village of Chorgun, the Russian troops, breaking into three columns, moved to the redoubts. The central column stormed the first, second and third, the right column attacked the fourth redoubt standing aside, and the left occupied the village of Kamara on the enemy's right flank. The Turks, who had been sitting quietly for several weeks, only at the last moment, to their horror, saw how the Russians rushed at them after the artillery shelling. Taken by surprise, they did not have time to leave the first redoubt, a battle ensued in it, during which about two-thirds of the Turkish subjects were killed. At seven o'clock, Russian soldiers, having captured three guns, captured the first fortification.

From the rest of the redoubts, the Turks left with extreme speed, they were pursued by Russian cavalrymen. Among other things, eight guns, a lot of gunpowder, tents and trench tools were thrown into the rest of the fortifications. The fourth redoubt was immediately demolished, and all the guns in it were riveted and thrown off the mountain.

Curiously, the surviving Turks near the walls of the city also got from the British. One British officer recalled it this way: "The troubles here did not end with the Turks, we took them with the tip of the bayonet and did not allow them to enter, seeing how cowardly they behaved."

Lieutenant General Pavel Petrovich Liprandi.
Commander of the Russian detachment in the Battle of Balaklava

At the beginning of the ninth, Liprandi took possession of the Balaklava heights, but this was only the beginning. After a half-hour break, Pavel Petrovich sent all his cavalry into the valley. Behind the captured redoubts was the second row of Allied fortifications, and behind them stood the brigades of light and heavy cavalry of the British, which by that time had already begun to move. The French General Pierre Bosquet also sent the Vinoy brigade to the valley, followed by the African chasseurs of Alonville. Separately from the cavalry, the ninety-third Scottish regiment under the command of Colin Campbell operated. the village of Kadykovka on the path of the advancing Russian cavalry, approximately 2,000 cavalry.The Russian cavalry broke into two groups, one of which (about six hundred horsemen) rushed at the Scots.

Campbell is known to have said to his soldiers: “Boys, there will be no order to retreat. You must die where you stand." His adjutant John Scott replied: “Yes. We will do it." Realizing that the front of the Russian attack was too wide, the regiment lined up in two lines instead of four. The Scots fired three salvos: from eight hundred, five hundred and three hundred and fifty yards. Having approached, the horsemen attacked the highlanders, but the Scots did not flinch, forcing the Russian cavalry to withdraw.

The repulse of a cavalry attack by a highlander infantry regiment in the Battle of Balaklava was called "The Thin Red Line" in accordance with the color of the Scots uniforms. The expression was originally coined by a Times journalist who compared the 93rd Regiment in an article to "a thin red stripe bristling with steel." Over time, the expression "Thin Red Line" has turned into an artistic image - a symbol of self-sacrifice, resilience and composure in battles. This turnover also denotes the defense of the last forces.

At the same time, the remaining forces of the Russian cavalry under the command of General Ryzhov, who led the entire cavalry of the Chorgun detachment, entered into battle with the heavy cavalry of General Scarlett. It is curious that, noticing the slowly moving Russian cavalry on his left flank, the English general decided to prevent the blow and was the first to rush with ten squadrons into the attack. Fifty-year-old James Scarlett, who commanded the brigade, had no experience in military affairs, but he successfully used the tips of his two assistants, Colonel Beatson and Lieutenant Elliot, who distinguished themselves in India. Russian cavalrymen, who did not expect an attack, were crushed. During a terrible seven-minute felling of hussars and Cossacks with British dragoons, several of our officers were seriously wounded, General Khaletsky, in particular, had his left ear cut off.

Throughout the battle, Cardigan's light cavalry stood still. The fifty-seven-year-old lord did not participate in any military campaign before the Crimean War. Companions offered him to support the dragoons, but James flatly refused. A brave warrior and born rider, he had considered himself humiliated from the very moment he entered Lord Lucan's command.

Seeing that more and more units of the allies were hurrying to the place of battle from all sides, Lieutenant General Ryzhov gave the signal to retreat. The Russian regiments rushed into the Chorgun Gorge, and the British pursued them. A six-gun cavalry battery, which arrived in time to help the dragoons, opened fire with grapeshot at the backs of the hussars and Cossacks, inflicting significant damage on them. However, the Russian artillery did not remain in debt. Retreating, Ryzhov's troops, as if by chance, passed between the two redoubts captured in the morning (second and third), dragging the British with them. When the column of Scarlett's dragoons drew level with the fortifications, cannons rang out to the right and left. Having lost several dozen people killed and wounded, the British rushed back. At about the same time (ten o'clock in the morning), the troops of Joseph Zhabokritsky arrived on the battlefield, located on the Fedyukhin Heights.

Both sides used the ensuing lull to regroup troops and consider the future situation. It seemed that the Battle of Balaklava could have ended there, however, a successful attack by Scarlett's dragoons led Lord Raglan to repeat this maneuver in order to again take possession of the guns captured by the Russians in redoubts. François Canrobert, who was present nearby, remarked: “Why go for them? Let the Russians come at us, because we are in an excellent position, so we will not move from here. If Saint Arnaud had continued to hold the position of French commander-in-chief, perhaps Lord Raglan would have taken the advice. However, Marshal Canrobert had neither the character nor the authority of Saint-Arnaud. Since the British 1st and 4th Infantry Divisions were still quite far away, the British Commander-in-Chief ordered a cavalry attack on our positions. To this end, he sent the following order to Lucan: “The cavalry go forward and use every opportunity to master the heights. The infantry will advance in two columns and support it.” However, the cavalry commander misinterpreted the order and, instead of immediately attacking the Russians with all his strength, limited himself to moving the light brigade a short distance to the left, leaving the dragoons in place. The riders froze in anticipation of the infantry, which, according to their commander, "hadn't arrived yet." Thus, the most opportune moment for the attack was missed.

Fitzroy Raglan waited patiently for his order to be carried out. However, time passed, and Lucan's cavalry stood still. The Russians at that time slowly began to take away the captured guns, no new attacks from their side were foreseen. Not understanding what caused the inactivity of the chief of the cavalry, Raglan decided to send him another order. General Airy, who was the chief of staff of the British army, wrote the following directive under his dictation: “The cavalry must move quickly forward and not allow the enemy to take away the guns. Horse artillery can accompany her. On your left flank you have the French cavalry. Immediately". The order ended with the word "immediate". The note was given to Lord Lucan by Captain Lewis Edward Nolan.

It should be noted that by that time the Russian troops were located in a "deepened horseshoe". Liprandi's troops occupied the hills from the third redoubt to the village of Kamara, the Zhabokritsky detachment - Fedyukhina heights, and in the valley between them were Ryzhov's cavalrymen, who retreated a fairly long distance. For communication between the detachments, the Consolidated Lancers Regiment (standing at the Simferopol road) and the Don battery (located at the Fedyukhin Heights) were used. Lord Lucan, finally realizing the true order, asked Nolan how he imagined this operation, because the British cavalry, deepening between the ends of the horseshoe, would fall under the crossfire of Russian batteries and inevitably die. However, the captain only confirmed what he was told to convey. Much later, information appeared that, handing the order to Nolan, Raglan added verbally: "If possible." Lord Lucan testified under oath that the captain did not convey these words to him. It was impossible to question the English officer himself, by that time he had already died.

British cavalry commander General George Lucan

Thus, the head of the entire British cavalry found himself in a difficult position: he clearly understood all the madness of the undertaking and at the same time held in his hands a piece of paper with a clear order from the commander in chief. "Orders must be obeyed," apparently with such thoughts George Bingham set out with his staff towards Cardigan's light cavalry. Having handed over the contents of the note, he ordered him to advance. "Yes, sir," said Cardigan coldly, "however, let me say that the Russians have riflemen and batteries on both sides of the valley." “I know that,” Lucan replied, “but Lord Raglan wants it that way. We don't choose, we execute." Cardigan saluted the lord and turned to his light brigade. At that moment, there were six hundred and seventy-three people in it. The sound of a trumpet was heard and at 11:20 the cavalry moved forward at a pace. Soon the cavalrymen switched to a trot. These were the most select units, striking with the splendor and beauty of the equestrian composition. The English cavalry advanced in three lines, occupying a fifth of the width of the valley along the front. She only had to cover three kilometers. And to the right of them, also lined up in three lines, a heavy brigade was advancing, led by Lucan himself.

The commander-in-chief of the British, Fitzroy Raglan, who lost his right hand in the battle of Waterloo, was never a military general and, according to many historians, was an incompetent commander and leader. There is evidence that when the English cavalry charged at full speed against the Russian troops, Raglan noted with visible pleasure the magnificent spectacle of the orderly orders of his elite troops. And only real military men, like Canrobert and his staff officers, not knowing about the content of the order, belatedly (by their own admission) began to understand what was happening in front of them.

As soon as our troops saw the movement of the enemy cavalry, the Odessa Chasseurs retreated to the second redoubt and lined up in a square, and rifle battalions armed with rifles, together with batteries from the Fedyukhin and Balaklava heights, opened crossfire at the British. Grenades and cannonballs flew at the enemy, and as the horsemen approached, buckshot was also used. One of the grenades exploded next to Captain Nolan, riddling the Englishman's chest and killing him on the spot. However, Cardigan's horsemen continued to advance, galloping under a hail of shells, breaking their formation. Got it from Russian artillerymen and heavy cavalry. Lord Lucan was wounded in the leg, and his nephew and adjutant Captain Charteris was killed. Finally, unable to withstand the heavy fire, the commander of the entire cavalry stopped Scarlett's brigade, ordering it to retreat to its original positions.

Robert Gibbs. The Thin Red Line (1881). Scottish National War Museum at Edinburgh Castle

After that, Cardigan's cavalry became the main object of marksmanship by Russian riflemen and artillerymen. By that time, they had already reached the Russian heavy Don battery of six guns located across the valley. The riders, who were circling the battalions of the Odessa Jaeger Regiment, were met from there with shots, and then the battery fired a final volley of buckshot at point-blank range, but could not stop the British. A short and fierce battle began on the battery. As a cover, forty paces behind her stood six hundred soldiers of the first Ural Cossack regiment, who had not yet taken part in the battle and had not suffered losses. And behind them, at a distance of forty meters, two regiments of hussars were lined up in two lines, commanded by Colonel Voynilovich after Khaletsky was wounded.

Photo by Roger Fenton. Chorgunsky (Traktirny) bridge (1855)

The lancers of the seventeenth regiment broke through the defenses of the battery and attacked the Cossacks. Clouds of dust and smoke hid from them the true forces of the attackers, and suddenly the Urals, seeing the flying lancers, panicked and began to retreat, crushing the hussar regiments. Only separate groups of soldiers who remained steadfast rushed to the rescue of the artillerymen. Among them was Colonel Voinilovich, who, having rallied several privates around him, rushed at the British. In the fight, he was struck down by two shots to the chest. The hussars and Cossacks, mixed into a crowd, together with a light horse battery and the remnants of the personnel of the temporarily captured Don battery, retreated to the Chorgun bridge, luring the enemy behind them. When the enemy cavalry was already near the bridge, General Liprandi, who foresaw such a development of events, struck the final blow. Six squadrons of the Combined Lancers, stationed near the second and third redoubts, attacked the British. At the same moment, the Russian artillery again opened fire, from which the enemy cavalry suffered significant damage, and our horsemen also fell. By this time, the hussars had regrouped, the Cossacks of the fifty-third Don regiment arrived in time.

Richard Woodville. Attack of the Light Brigade. (1855)

The Russian uhlans pursued Cardigan's brigade to the fourth redoubt and, undoubtedly, would have exterminated everyone to the last man, if help had not approached. The French, led by Francois Canrobert, fully comprehended what was happening only when, after the artillery shelling, the Russian cavalry, together with the infantry, rushed to finish off the British. One of the best French generals, Pierre Bosquet, shouted indignantly at the British staff: “This is not a war! This is madness!". Canrobert's order to save what was left of the English light cavalry thundered deafeningly. The first to rush to the rescue of Cardigan was the illustrious fourth regiment of the African horse rangers of General d "Alonville. They collided with the plastun battalion of the Black Sea Cossacks. the cavalry flew past, they got up and shot in the back. Now the French side also suffered significant losses. And the light brigade of the British at that time, on wounded, tired horses, showered with bullets and buckshot, scattered into single horsemen and small groups, slowly left up the valley "The pursuit of them by the Russians was not active, although later it was called "hunting for hares". In total, the tragic attack of the British lasted twenty minutes. The battlefield was littered with the corpses of people and horses, more than three hundred people of the English brigade were killed or maimed. Only on their own positions, the remnants of the once glorious English regiments again saw the brigade commander, about which they knew nothing from the moment the battle began on the Russian battery.

The further battle was limited to a skirmish between the Allied troops, who occupied the fourth redoubt, and the nearest Odessa battalions. At four o'clock in the evening the cannonade ceased, and the battle was over. The commanders-in-chief of the allied forces decided to leave all the trophies and fortifications in the hands of the Russians, concentrating troops at Balaklava. General Liprandi, satisfied with the successes achieved, deployed troops: in the village of Kamara, at the bridge on the Black River, in the first, second, third redoubts and near them. The detachment of Zhabokritsky still stood on the Fedyukhin mountains, and the cavalry settled in the valley.

On the fiftieth anniversary of the Sevastopol defense in 1904, a monument to the heroes of the Balaklava battle was erected near the Sevastopol-Yalta road, where the fourth Turkish redoubt was located. The project was developed by Lieutenant Colonel Yerantsev, and the architect Permyakov made some changes to it. During the Great Patriotic War, the monument was destroyed and only in 2004, military builders, according to the project of the architect Sheffer, restored the monument.

Paul Philippoteaux. Attack of the Light Brigade led by General Allonville

The battle of Balaklava left two impressions. On the one hand, it was not in the least a victory for the Allies, on the other hand, it was not a complete victory for the Russian army. The capture of the city - the base of the British - would put the Allied forces in an almost hopeless situation. Many of the British military leaders later admitted that the loss of Balaklava would have forced the Allied forces to leave Sevastopol, radically changing the entire Crimean War. Tactically, the battle of Balaklava was successful: the Russian troops captured the heights surrounding the city and several guns, the enemy suffered significant damage and restricted the circle of his actions, limiting himself to the direct cover of the city. However, the capture of the redoubts and the extermination of the English cavalry did not bring any significant strategic consequences. On the contrary, the battle showed the allies their weakest point, forcing them to take measures to repel a new blow. Our command also did not support the courage of the Russian soldiers, showing amazing indecision. After some time, the captured redoubts were abandoned, almost nullifying the results of the battle.

Drawing by Roger Fenton. Charge of the Light Horse Brigade, October 25, 1854, under the command of Major General Cardigan (1855)

The only positive factor was that after the news of the Battle of Balaklava, both in Sevastopol and in our entire army, there was an extraordinary rise in morale. Stories about the taken trophies and the fallen English cavalrymen, exactly as well as about the extraordinary courage with which the Russian soldiers fought, were passed from mouth to mouth. Here is what Liprandi wrote about the behavior of his troops after the battle: “The detachments, realizing their high mission to defend their native land, were eager to fight the enemy. The whole battle is one heroic feat, and it is very difficult to give someone an advantage over others.

The Cossacks participating in the defeat of the English cavalry caught after the battle the horses, in their own words, "crazy cavalry" and sold expensive blood trotters at a price of fifteen to twenty rubles (while the true cost of horses was estimated at three hundred to four hundred rubles).

The British, on the contrary, after the battle had a painful feeling of defeat and loss. There was talk about the military ignorance and mediocrity of the high command, which led to completely senseless losses. In one English pamphlet of the period of the Crimean War it is written: "Balaklava" - this word will be recorded in the annals of England and France, as a place memorable for acts of heroism and misfortune that happened there, unsurpassed until then in history. October 25, 1854 will forever remain a date of mourning in the history of England. Only twelve days later, a message about the fateful event, sent by the famous hater of Russia, Lord Radcliffe, arrived in London from Constantinople. The light cavalry, which fell down near Balaklava, consisted of representatives English aristocracy. The impression of this news in the British capital was overwhelming. Until the war of 1914, pilgrims traveled from there to inspect the “valley of death”, where the color of their nation died. Dozens of books and poems have been written about the disastrous attack, many films have been made, and researchers of the past are still arguing who is really to blame for the death of English aristocrats.

Photo by Roger Fenton. Council at Raglan Headquarters
(the general is sitting on the left in a white hat and without right hand) (1855)

By the way, following the results of the incident, a special commission was created. Commander-in-Chief Fitzroy Raglan tried to shift all the blame on Lucan and Cardigan, telling them at meetings: “You ruined the brigade” (to Lucan) and “How could you attack the battery from the front against all military rules?” (to Cardigan). The Commander-in-Chief created a whole charge against George Bingham, who, in his opinion, missed the opportunity. The press and the government supported Raglan so as not to undermine the prestige of the high command. Under public pressure against the cavalry generals, Lucan asked for a more thorough investigation of his actions in the battle, and Cardigan started a lengthy litigation with Lieutenant Colonel Kalthorpe, who claimed that the commander of the light brigade had fled the field before his subordinates reached the Russian guns.

According to the order of the Russian Emperor, it was decided to perpetuate the memory of all the troops that took part in the defense of Sevastopol from 1854 to 1855. Under the leadership of a member of the State Council, Pyotr Fedorovich Rerberg, a lot of materials were collected on the wounded and dead Russian soldiers in the key battles on Alma, Inkerman, on the Black River and near Balaklava. In the materials presented to the sovereign, Pyotr Fedorovich mentioned four officers who died in the Battle of Balaklava:

Captain of the Dnieper Infantry Regiment Dzhebko Yakov Anufrievich, who was killed by a cannonball in the head during the capture of the village of Kamara;

Captain of the Hussar Saxe-Weimar (Ingermanlad) regiment Khitrovo Semyon Vasilyevich, seriously wounded during a fight with Scarlett's dragoons, captured and died in it;

Cornet of the Saxe-Weimar Hussar Regiment Gorelov Konstantin Vasilievich, who was killed by buckshot during the retreat of the regiment after a fight with Scarlett's cavalrymen;

Colonel of the hussar regiment Voynilovich Joseph Ferdinandovich, who was killed during the attack of the English light brigade on the Don battery.

According to the British command, the losses of the light brigade amounted to more than a hundred killed (including nine officers), one and a half hundred wounded (of which eleven officers) and about sixty people captured (including two officers). Many of the crippled people later died. More than three hundred and fifty horses were also lost. The total damage inflicted on the allies that day amounted to about nine hundred people. According to later estimates, the losses reached a thousand soldiers, and some historians even claim that one and a half thousand soldiers died. The losses of the Russian troops amounted to six hundred twenty-seven people, of which two hundred and fifty-seven were among the hussars, who suffered the most from the English cavalry. In February 1945, after the Yalta Conference, Winston Churchill visited the Balaklava Valley. One of his Marlborough ancestors died in the battle. And in 2001, the brother of the Queen of Great Britain, Prince Michael of Kent, visited the memorable place.

Years between the allied forces of Great Britain, France and Turkey on the one hand, and Russia on the other.

History

The laying of Sevastopol from the south side was completed, and from October 5 to 8, the Allies carried out the first bombardment, which convinced them of the need for a proper siege. The 1st and 2nd divisions with the d'Allonville cavalry brigade, under the command of General Bosque, made up the siege observation corps and stood on the southern part of the Sapun Mountain, with the front to the southeast to the Balaklava passage.

To secure the base of the British-Balaklava, near the latter, the English detachment of General Kalin-Kembel (about 6 thousand people) was located, bivouacking to the west of the village of Kadykia.

The French base - Kamyshovaya Bay was occupied by a detachment of Lieutenant Colonel Reil (4 battalions). Thus, from the location of the parties it is clear that Balaklava was a very important point for the British.

Commander-in-Chief Menshikov, waiting for reinforcements from Russia, decided to prepare for the already proposed transition to the offensive.

To this end, he instructed Lieutenant-General Liprandi, who had just arrived in Bakhchisaray with his 12th Infantry Division, to inspect the enemy’s location and present an idea regarding the enemy’s attack from Balaklava. The consideration of General Liprandi boiled down: in view of the stretched location of the allies, from Balaklava to the Inkerman bridge, to direct a blow from Chorgun and cut off Balaklava, for which purpose appoint the 12th Infantry Division and the 10th and 11th Infantry Divisions expected to arrive, a total of 65 battalions , 70 squadrons and hundreds and 200 guns; then, having occupied the enemy fortification near Kadykiya with one division, attack Sapun Mountain and the enemy observation corps with the rest, and send part of the forces to the rear of the enemy's siege lines.

This plan, based on the properties of rough terrain, which made it difficult for the Allies to communicate and mutual support in operations against us on Sapun Mountain, if successful, led to the breaking of the enemy in parts and placing him in a critical position, and if unsuccessful, our troops could freely retreat back , since the barrier left against Kadykioy and Balaklava fully ensured this retreat. These considerations, although they were fully approved by Prince. Menshikov, in view of the unceasing heavy bombardment of Sevastopol and the garrison already feeling a shortage of gunpowder, but the commander-in-chief, in order to divert the attention of the enemy from the city, decided, without waiting for the arrival of two divisions, to attack with one 12th division and for the first time limit himself to taking redoubts built in front of Kadikioy. For this purpose, the commander-in-chief provided the 12th infantry division with its artillery, the 4th rifle battalion, the 2nd brigade of the 6th cavalry division, the consolidated lancer regiment and 7 hundred Cossacks, a total of 17 battalions, 28 squadrons and hundreds, 48 foot and 16 horse guns.

In vain General Liprandi objected to such a decision, pointing out that this attack would be premature, that the available forces were not enough, that the capture of the redoubts would only arouse the attention of the enemy and reveal to him our intention and his only weak point. Prince Menshikov, however, did not pay due attention to these arguments.

The troops of the Chorgun detachment, since October 11, have been concentrating on a bivouac near the village of Chorgun. On the morning of the 12th, General Liprandi arrived there and made a reconnaissance of the enemy positions from a height in front of Chorgun. Balaklava with a harbor is located between the slopes of the Spilia and Poilerahi mountains, steeply, and in some places steeply falling to the seashore. To the north of Balaklava, the slopes of these mountains form a gorge, about 1 verst long, at the northern end of which lies the village of Kadykioi.

To the north of Kadykioy is a hilly plain, having about 6 versts from east to west, and about 4 versts from north to south. From the west, the plain is limited by the rather steep slopes of Sapun Mountain, from the north by the Fedyukhin Heights, and from the east and south by the slopes of Kayades, Spilia and Poilerakhi. The plain is crossed by numerous roads quite good quality and is covered with arable land and meadows, and near Kadikioy - gardens and vineyards. The approaches to Balaklava from Chorgun were blocked by a double row of fortifications. To the north-east of Kadykioy, on the ridge, four redoubts were built by the allies, of which the right one, bearing number 1, is located 2 versts north-west of the village of Kamara. To the left of redoubt No. 1, on both sides of the road leading from Balaklava across the Traktirny bridge to Bakhchisaray, redoubts No. 2 and 3 are located, and at a distance of 1 verst to the west of No. 3 - redoubt No. 4. Redoubts No. 1, 3 and 4 each armed with 3, and redoubt No. 2 with two large-caliber guns and occupied by 3 Turkish batteries. A separate height near the eastern outskirts of vil. Kadikioy is reinforced by a closed fortification and is occupied by the 93rd Scottish Regiment. To the south of the village of Kadikioy, on the slopes of the Spilia and Poilerahi mountains, there is the 2nd line of fortifications, which consisted of batteries connected by a continuous trench.

According to the disposition given by General Liprandi on the evening of October 12, the offensive to the enemy position should be carried out in 3 columns. Right, Colonel Scuderi (4 ½ battalions, 3 hundreds of cavalry and 8 guns) must cross the river. Chernaya along the Traktirny Bridge and advance along high road to Balaklava. Behind this column, the rest of the cavalry (16 squadrons, 6 hundreds and 16 horse guns) was to move, under the general command of Lieutenant General Ryzhov, and, having formed up on the plain in columns to attack, act on the instructions of General Liprandi himself.

The middle column - Major General Semyakin, who had the task of advancing on Balaklava by a direct road from Chorgun and attacking redoubts Nos. 1 and 2, should be divided into 2 echelons and a reserve. The first or left echelon of General Semyakin is a battalion and 6 guns, the 2nd or right echelon is 2 battalions and 4 guns and the reserve of Major General Levutsky is 4 ¼ battalions and 8 guns. The left column of Major General Gribbe - 3 ¼ battalions, 4 squadrons, 1 hundred and 10 guns - should, having come out of Chorgun by a gorge leading to the Baidar Valley, then turn to the village of Kamara, take possession of this village and go around the redoubts on the left.

To assist the troops of the Chorgun detachment and ensure their right flank from the side of Sapun Mountain, a detachment of Major General Zhabokritsky was assigned - 7 ¾ battalions, 2 squadrons, 2 hundreds and 14 guns. When advancing to enemy fortifications, the infantry was ordered, scattering in front of the chokers, to move in company columns at intervals of 100 steps. The reserve, built in columns for the attack, is ordered to follow in the 2nd line at a distance not closer than 200 paces from the first. At 5 am on October 13, the troops moved from the bivouac near the village of Chorgun and moved in complete silence for about half an hour.

The column General Gribbe entered the battle first. A hundred Cossacks, who were in a column, supported by a squadron of lancers, pushed back the enemy picket standing at the chapel of Iona Postnoy and occupied the road leading to Balaklava. The infantry of the column occupied the village of Kamara, and the artillery, having taken off on the ridge, opened fire on redoubt No. 1. Following that, Major General Levutsky, who commanded, in addition to the reserve, and the right echelon, having reached the foot of the Kadykioi Heights and pushing the artillery forward, opened fire along redoubts No. 1 and 2. Under the cover of artillery fire, General Semyakin’s battalions moved to the left in line with the troops of the right echelon, and to the right, the troops of the column of Colonel Scuderi, having behind them the cavalry of General Ryzhov in the column to attack.

With the appearance of our troops in front of the fortifications, the Turks, who occupied the redoubts, opened fire from all 11 guns located in the fortifications, but the well-aimed fire of our artillery was soon forced to fall silent. Meanwhile, General Liprandi, having traveled around the troops and finding all the units in place, ordered General Ryzhov to push the Don No. 3 battery forward and open fire on redoubt No. 3.

At about 7 a.m., General Semyakin moved to attack redoubts Nos. 1 and 2 and, having reached 150 steps, ordered the Azov regiment to seize redoubt No. 1. Despite the fire put forward by the British between redoubts Nos. 1 and 2 of six guns and strong rifle fire from the Turks , Azov at 7 ½ o'clock in the morning the redoubt was taken. Seeing the fall of redoubt No. 1 and the advance of General Levutsky with the Ukrainian regiment, the defenders of redoubts No. 2 and 3 did not wait for the blow and retreated from the fortifications, throwing their 5 guns at them. He also left the fortification and garrison of redoubt No. 4, seeing a harmonious offensive against him by the Odessa regiment from the column and Colonel Scuderi. After we occupied the redoubts, Colonel Scuderi stationed himself with the Odessa regiment on the right flank in the bushes.

To the right of him is General Ryzhov's cavalry, and even more to the right, on the southwestern slope of the Fedyukhin Mountains, is the Zhabokritsky detachment. The cannonade at the redoubts raised the enemy's alarm. From Balaklava, the British and Turkish troops moved forward and lined up north of the village of Kadikioy. The allied commanders-in-chief personally arrived at the battlefield and quickly assessed the danger that threatened Balaklava, which is why they sent significant reinforcements to the battlefield. Meanwhile, even before the arrival of these reinforcements, after occupying the redoubts, General Liprandi advanced artillery between them and, firing at the position occupied by the allies north of the village of Kadykioya, ordered General Ryzhov with all the cavalry to attack the enemy’s left flank and destroy the allied park, supposed near the village of Kadykioy.

The Kyiv hussar regiment took part in the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855: in the Alma, Balaklava and Inkerman battles. The hussars especially distinguished themselves in the Battle of Balaklava on October 13, 1854. It was on the site of this battle that a monument was erected, unveiled on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the defense of Sevastopol.

In 1932, the monument was demolished "as unimportant" (according to other sources, the monument was destroyed during the Great Patriotic War).

In 2002, during excavations, a part of the foundation, fragments of blocks and an iron eagle were discovered. The monument was restored in September 2004, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the defense of Sevastopol in Crimean War. The author of the restoration project is the Kyiv architect Yu. G. Lissitzky. Money for the reconstruction was allocated by the Kyiv City Council.

The 1st line swept through the former bivouac of the English cavalry and hit Brigadier Skerlet's cavalry and, after hand-to-hand combat, forced them to retreat. The 2nd line attacked the 93rd Scottish Foot. Frustrated by the fire and having suffered huge losses, she was forced to retreat to her original place, soon her right flank was covered by a detachment of General Zhabokritsky. By 10 am, reinforcements gradually began to approach the enemy: the division of the Duke of Cambridge and the French cavalry, then the division of General Cathcart approached. However, the arrival of fresh forces not only did not contribute to vigorous action, but there was a break in the battle for more than an hour. Our cavalry continued to settle behind the right flank of the infantry, and the squadrons of the combined uhlan regiment were drawn here from the column of General Gribbe. Meanwhile, Lord Raglan was informed that the Russians were retreating and taking away the guns taken in the redoubts. As a result, he sends an order to the head of all the English cavalry, Earl Lucan, to move the whole cavalry forward and, with the assistance of Cathcart's division, take the heights. Not seeing, however, the abandonment of the Russian positions, Lucan hesitated to execute and only after a categorically confirmed order instructed Cardigan to attack the right flank of General Liprandi's troops. Coming out from behind the top, on which redoubt No. 4 was located, the English cavalry rushed to our cavalry. The Scuderi infantry rolled up in a square and met the attack with heavy fire. Artillery opened frequent and cross fire. However, the movement of the British was so fast that our buckshot was carried over their heads, and they flew into the Don battery. The limbers and charging boxes of the latter, as well as the horse-light No. 12 battery, quickly began to retreat, which is why the Ural regiment stationed in the 1st line was extremely cramped and could not acquire the proper swiftness for the attack. Frustrated by the horsemen, charging boxes and limbers that passed through him, he took a hit on the spot, was overturned, crushed during the retreat of the Leuchtenberg hussars, and with them the hussars of the Duke of Saxe-Weimar, who were in the third line, and in great disorder all our cavalry began to retreat to the water canal located in the rear of her. The British pursued relentlessly, and at the bridge over the canal there was a general, decisive squabble. Seeing the critical position of our cavalry, General Liprandi ordered 3 squadrons of the combined lancers regiment, who were secretly in the bushes, to attack the enemy in the flank. Exhausted by heavy losses from fire and hand-to-hand combat, it was difficult for the English cavalry to withstand a new blow, and, seeing the enemy move to the flank, General Cardigan decided to retreat. Closing ranks, the British in exemplary order began to retreat in two lines. However, the 1st line was almost destroyed by an attack on the flank of the lancers. The 2nd managed to break through, but, in general, Cardigan's brigade ceased to exist: out of 700 riders who rushed to the attack, no more than 200 returned. Wanting to rescue Cardigan's retreating brigade, General d "Allonville sent 4 squadrons of African horse rangers from Sapun Mountain attack on the left flank of the Zhabokritsky detachment. This attack, which broke through the choke chains and ran into the battery, was, however, repulsed by the battalions of the Vladimir regiment curled up in a square. After this dashing, but achieving only insignificant results, the cavalry attack, the allies opened increased fire along the entire line and again began to bring fresh troops to their left flank.Continue the offensive, however, the allies did not dare, especially since General Liprandi, foreseeing the intention of the allies, also began to strengthen his right flank.This ended the battle of Balaklava.

The first clash near the village of Burliuk. On September 13, 1854, the commander of the Russian troops in the Crimea, Menshikov, received news of the enemy fleet approaching Sevastopol. The commander, as usual, did not take any action to prevent the landing near Evpatoria. Having completed the landing, the allies moved to Sevastopol on September 16. The first clash between the Russians and the Allied army took place on September 20 near the village of Burliuk near the Alma River. The allied troops, which included British, French and Turkish troops, numbered 55 thousand people, the Russian army - 33 thousand fighters. In addition, the allies had a significant advantage in artillery, which predetermined the outcome of the battle in their favor, despite the stamina of the Russian soldiers. The losses of the Russian army amounted to about 5 thousand people, the allies lost 4500 people. The commanders of the allied forces, French Marshal A. Saint-Arnaud and English Field Marshal F. Raglan, hardly surpassed the mediocre Menshikov in their military talents, although they were not inferior to him in arrogance. But in the very first hours of the battle, as throughout the war, the overwhelming military-technical advantage of the Anglo-French troops in firearms and artillery had an effect.

Sevastopol issue. After the retreat of the Russian army from Alma, the question of Sevastopol immediately arose. Menshikov actually abandoned the city to its fate and, without notifying the defenders of the besieged fortress, led the army to Bakhchisarai. The role of commander of all troops in Sevastopol was assumed by Vice Admiral V.A. Kornilov. He did not show himself to be such a brilliant naval commander as Nakhimov, but he had great administrative skills and organizational skills. Therefore, it was he who actually led the defense of Sevastopol. Even before the siege of Sevastopol began, Kornilov made every effort to strengthen the weak defenses of the city. On the south side, Sevastopol was reliably covered by coastal fortifications and the Black Sea Fleet, which was on the roadstead. But the northern side was the most vulnerable point of defense and, despite the efforts of V.A. Kornilov, his assistants Nakhimov, V.I. Istomin and military engineer E.I. Totleben, there was a real threat of breaking through the defense of the city from this side. The situation was saved by the inexplicable refusal of the enemy command to storm Sevastopol from the north side.

IN AND. Istomin

This gave the defenders of the Russian fortress time to strengthen the defenses in this area, but another question arose: what to do with the Black Sea Fleet? Menshikov ordered the fleet to be flooded, and the crew to be transferred to land to defend the city. Kornilov, at a military council on September 21, proposed to go to sea to meet the allied squadron and take the last battle, inflicting as much damage on the enemy as possible. The proposal was rejected and the flooding of the Russian Black Sea Fleet began. In an order dated September 23, Kornilov addressed the sailors with a speech: “Comrades! Our troops, after a bloody battle with an excellent enemy, withdrew to Sevastopol in order to defend it with their breasts. Have you tried the enemy steamers and seen his ships that do not need sails? He brought a double number of them to attack us from the sea. We need to abandon the beloved idea of ​​\u200b\u200bdestroying the enemy on the water! Five old ships were sunk, blocking the fairway (in total, the Black Sea Fleet had 14 ships, 7 frigates, 1 corvette, 2 brigs and 11 steamships). The remaining ships were withdrawn from the South Bay and before last day rendered all possible assistance to the besieged city.

"We have nowhere to go." While the allied troops were preparing for the assault, limiting themselves to shelling the city, the 35,000-strong garrison under the command of Kornilov and Nakhimov erected fortifications day and night, preparing for a long defense. Evidence of the determination to defend Sevastopol was Kornilov's speech on September 27, addressed to the defenders of the city: “Comrades, we have the honor of defending Sevastopol, defending our native fleet! We will fight to the last! We have nowhere to retreat, the sea is behind us.”

The first mass shootings. The death of Kornilov. On October 5, 1854, the Allies launched the first massive shelling of the city's bastions. 1340 guns were concentrated against Sevastopol, firing 150 thousand shells at the city. All day Kornilov, despite the arguments of those accompanying him to take care of himself, appeared in the most dangerous places. While on the Malakhov Kurgan, the commander was mortally wounded and died a few hours later.

The allied troops were amazed, realizing that Sevastopol was not going to surrender. Moreover, the Russians responded to the massive shelling of the bastions with their own marksmanship and daring sorties. “The picture was amazing. The Russians strongly responded to attacks from land and sea, ”the English officer mournfully stated. “The indefatigability and stubborn resistance of the Russians proved that it was not as easy to triumph over them as some newspapermen predicted to us,” the French officers confirmed. Forced to postpone the assault indefinitely, the Allies shelled Sevastopol around the clock, trying to force the city to surrender.

Battle at Balaklava. The resilience of the defenders of Sevastopol plunged the allies into confusion and gave rise to the hope of the Russian command to oust the enemy from the Crimea. The first attempt to organize a counteroffensive on the positions of the allied forces was the battle at Balaklava. The approaches to Balaklava were covered by redoubts with Turkish troops. “These truly unfortunate Turks, turned into beasts of burden by the French in Kamysheva Bay, by the British, on the contrary, were converted into advanced, so to speak, fighters and planted on redoubts to protect the English camp and warehouses in Balaklava with their chest. It was customary to feed the Turks very poorly, to beat them with a mortal battle for faults, not to allow communication, even Turkish officers were not put at the table. It is not surprising that on September 25 the artillery bombardment and the subsequent attack of the Russian infantry and cavalry turned the Turkish army into a panic and runaway flight. The Turks who survived and reached the city were mercilessly beaten for cowardice by the British.

Having occupied all four redoubts defended by the Turkish troops, the Russians ran into the second line of defense, where the English and Scottish units were located. A fight ensued, which gradually began to subside. Russian troops were entrenched on the redoubts taken, the British were waiting for further orders. And then Field Marshal Raglan unexpectedly ordered the cavalry to attack the Russians and prevent them from picking up the guns abandoned by the Turks. Selected British cavalry, to the horror of looking at what was happening to the English officers, rushed in full steam into the deepening of the location of the Russian troops, substituting both flanks and forward detachments for the murderous fire of buckshot. In the very first minutes, the English cavalrymen were crushed by fire and almost half destroyed, the Russian dragoons and Cossacks, who rushed at the stunned and demoralized enemy, completed the complete rout. With great difficulty, the allied command managed to save the remnants of the elite English cavalry.

"Valley of Death" The news of the battle in the "valley of death" caused a shock in the British Isles: the offspring of the most aristocratic families of England served in the units destroyed by the Russians. Until the First World War, "pilgrims" from England visited the "valley of death" to lay flowers at the place of death of representatives of the best English families. On the contrary, in the Russian camp the news of the "case near Balaklava" caused enthusiasm and enthusiasm. But joyful expectations were not destined to come true.

Battle of Inkerman. Forced by the tsar, Menshikov decided on a big battle near Inkerman, but in advance he transferred command to General P.A. Dannenberg, no more militarily smart than himself. On the eve of the battle, a terrible confusion reigned in the command and control of the troops, moreover, they were divided into several detachments, without any coordination of actions between them. A situation arose, about which at one time Napoleon half-jokingly remarked: "Better one bad commander than two good ones." On the eve of the battle of Inkerman, the Russians had no time for jokes: they turned out to have two extremely stupid commanders. Suffice it to say that the Russian headquarters did not have a map of the area where they were to act, and “they started the battle, relying on General P.A. Dannenberg, who declared that he knew the area “like his pockets.” As the battle progressed, to Dannenberg's surprise, where he expected to meet heights, there were hollows and vice versa.

Despite the confused orders of the authorities, the Russian troops excellently began the battle of Inkerman. The detachments of Soymonov and Pavlov, with the support of artillery, pushed back the desperately fighting British. By ten o'clock in the morning, after a three-hour battle, the British troops were forced to randomly retreat (during the retreat, British General D. Cathcart was killed).

French troops came to the aid of the allies, but, fearing a new Russian attack near Balaklava, they could not transfer large reserves to Sapun Mountain, where the battle was unfolding. Russian troops, suffering heavy losses, also needed reinforcements. The 22,000th detachment of M.D. Gorchakov was near Chorgun. Gorchakov, of course, heard the thunder of the cannonade, but did nothing. Dannenberg, at the head of a 12,000-strong detachment, did not show any signs of anxiety. Dannenberg's only specific order was to retreat. The Russian regiments retreated under heavy enemy artillery fire, suffering heavy losses. All eyewitnesses and military historians agree that the Inkerman battle was not won by the Russians only because of the mistakes and criminal inertia of the Russian command. During the battle, the Russians lost at least 10 thousand people, the losses of the allies amounted to at least 7-8 thousand people.

Harsh winter 1854-1855 After Inkerman, the authority of Prince Menshikov, referred to by the soldiers as "Izmenshchikov", came to naught. Unable to do anything, he did nothing. The War Department was also inactive. Sevastopol experienced a severe cold winter. There was not enough ammunition, gunpowder, food. Fantastic proportions reached theft. The besieged garrison of Sevastopol was completely robbed by all sorts of quartermasters, confirming the correctness of the aphorism of the great A.V. Suvorov: "Our quartermasters should be given special insignia to distinguish this bastard from the honest Russian army." The garrison was starving, and millions of fortunes were made on stolen supplies to Sevastopol. At the same time, the allies received by sea in abundance everything they needed to continue the war. But Sevastopol was not going to give up.

Heroism of the defenders of Sevastopol. In Paris and London, receiving reports from Russia, they could not understand how and with what the exhausted Russian city was holding up, under the continuous bombardment of allied artillery. The nearly 170,000-strong Allied army tried in vain to break the resistance of the 35,000-strong garrison. Exceptional heroism was shown by the entire population of Sevastopol, from experienced soldiers to teenagers, arousing the admiration of the enemy. Sailor Petr Koshka became famous for his repeated sorties into the enemy camp, capturing six enemy soldiers from all armies (English, French, Turkish and Sardinian). Soldiers Eliseev, Dymchenko, sailors Zaika, Rybakov, dozens and hundreds of other defenders of Sevastopol were not inferior to him in courage and courage. The world's first sister of mercy Daria Sevastopolskaya became especially famous. The founder of military field surgery N.I. Pirogov, who saved the wounded soldiers day and night. The commander of one of the batteries was the genius of Russian literature L.N. Tolstoy.

On February 17, Russian troops attempted to go on the offensive, but the assault on Evpatoria was stopped due to a lack of gunpowder. In early March, a few days before his death, Nicholas I appointed M.D. Gorchakov. This absolutely did not change anything in the position of the besieged, who fought in inhuman conditions, with complete inactivity of both the new commander and Minister of War V.A. Dolgorukov.

160 years ago, on October 25, 1854, the Battle of Balaklava took place between the allied forces of England, France and Turkey, and the Russian troops. This battle went down in history in connection with several memorable moments. So, in this battle, thanks to the mistakes of the British command, the color of the English aristocracy (light cavalry brigade) perished. The battle was not decisive. Russian troops were unable to defeat the British camp and disrupt the supply of the allied army. The allies were forced to finally abandon the assault on Sevastopol, and moved on to a long-term siege.

background

After the first bombardment of Sevastopol on October 5 (17), 1854 (the first bombardment of Sevastopol), the allied command was indecisive for some time. The allies continued, sparing no shells, to shell the Sevastopol fortifications, but they did this already without a clear readiness to launch an assault by a certain date.
The French commander Francois Canrobert understood that there was no time to waste. On the one hand, winter was approaching, when the army would have to take the issue of life in the field more seriously and the problem of supplying troops by sea would arise. On the other hand, it was easy in Paris to make plans over a cup of tea or a glass of wine. The Battle of Alma (Battle on the Alma) and the first bombardment of Sevastopol showed that the magnificent Russian warriors would not even have an easy walk in the Crimea. What to decide?

Canrobert did not know what to do. Go to storm Sevastopol or go in search of Menshikov's army. He even went to Balaklava, where the British camp was, to consult with the English commander, Lord Raglan, who was even less of a strategist than the French general. Lord Raglan had already become accustomed to obeying Sainte-Arnaud (the former Allied commander) and showed no initiative.

Meanwhile, both armies were reinforced. Even before the bombardment of Sevastopol, the French army was reinforced by the 5th infantry division of Lavalian, transferred by sea, and the cavalry brigade of d "Alonville. On October 18, the Bazin brigade arrived. As a result, the number French army increased to 50 bayonets and sabers. The British also received reinforcements, and the size of their expeditionary army grew to 35 thousand people.

The Russian army also strengthened significantly. From September 19 to October 9 (October 1-21) arrived: 12th Infantry Division under the command of Lieutenant General Liprandi with 4 artillery batteries; Butyrsky infantry regiment from the 17th division with one battery; reserve battalions of the Minsk and Volyn regiments, 4th rifle battalion; 2nd line reserve Black Sea battalion; Consolidated brigade of General Ryzhov (2nd Hussars and 2nd Lancers marching regiments); Don No. 53 and Ural Cossack regiments. A total of 24 battalions arrived, 12 squadrons and 12 hundreds with 56 guns. In addition, a reserve uhlan division of Lieutenant General Korf was sent to Evpatoria, with two horse batteries. As a result, the forces of the Russian army grew to 65 thousand bayonets and sabers. The arrival of the 10th and 11th divisions was also expected, which increased the Russian forces to 85-90 thousand soldiers.

This could lead to the parity of the armies of Menshikov and Canrobert with Raglan, or even some superiority of the Russian troops. In addition, the allies could find themselves between two fires - the garrison of Sevastopol and Menshikov's seriously fortified army. The allied army, besieging Sevastopol, significantly stretched its orders. It was especially convenient for the Russian troops to operate from Chorgun in the direction of Balaklava, where the Turkish and British troops were located. The benefits of such a strike prompted the Russian commander Alexander Menshikov to launch an attack on Balaklava without waiting for the arrival of new divisions.

Enemy camp. Allied forces

If the "capital" of the French army in the Crimea was the town of Kamysh, built on the banks of the Kamysh Bay, then the main base of the British was in Balaklava. A small, predominantly Greek settlement, during the war turned into a bustling European city. Guns, ammunition, tools and even wood were delivered from England (firewood was also supplied to the French from Varna). Huge warehouses-shops appeared in the city, an embankment was built, and even a railway was built to the port. Artesian wells were dug to supply the troops, and a water supply system was equipped. Warships and transport ships were constantly stationed in the bay. The aristocrats did not forget about small joys - there were several yachts in the bay, where the officers could relax and drink wine. Among them was the Dryad yacht of Lord James Cardigan, commander of the light cavalry.

Balaklava was protected by a double line of fortifications. The inner line of defense (closest to the city) consisted of several artillery batteries. They were connected to each other by a continuous trench. The right flank of the line rested on the impregnable Mount Spilia, and the line itself extended to the road that led from Balaklava through Traktirny Bridge to Simferopol. The outer line of defense went along the heights that separated the Balaklava Valley from the Black River Valley. Six redoubts were equipped here (according to other sources, five redoubts). The right-flank redoubt No. 1 was located at a height, at a distance of about two versts to the north-west of the village of Komary. The remaining redoubts were located to the left of the first, along the heights, partly along the Vorontsov road, partly in front of the village of Kadikioy (Kadykioy). Redoubt No. 1 was armed with three fortress guns, No. 2 - 2 guns, No. 3 and 4 - 3 guns each, No. 5 - 5 guns. These fortifications were small and did not create an interconnected defense. At the forefront of the Russian offensive were four redoubts No. 1-4.

The garrison of Balaklava and two lines of fortifications amounted to 4.5 thousand detachments (about 1 thousand Turks and 3.5 thousand British). More than 1 thousand British sailors occupied Balaklava and the near line of fortifications. The 93rd Scottish Infantry Regiment (650 soldiers) and an invalid team (100 people) in front of the village of Kadikioy, to the left of the Simferopol road. The British cavalry was located to the left of Kadikioy. The cavalry was commanded by Major General Count George Lucan. The British cavalry (1.5 thousand sabers) included the heavy brigade of Brigadier General James Scarlett (Skerlett) - the 4th and 5th guards regiments, the 1st, 2nd and 6th dragoon regiments (total 10 squadrons , about 800 people). The heavy brigade was located closer to the village of Kadikioy. Next was the Light Brigade under Major General Lord James Cardigan. It consisted of: 4th, 8th, 11th, 13th Hussars and 17th Lancers (10 squadrons, about 700 people). The light cavalry was considered the elite part of the army, the offspring of the most noble families of England served in it.

The advanced redoubts were occupied by Turkish troops (more than 1 thousand people). In each redoubt there were approximately 200-250 Turks and several English gunners. The British commanders were contemptuous of the Turks, in fact, they also treated their ordinary soldiers. In the English army, officers were a special caste, arrogant, arrogant and unimaginative, poorly mastering new combat techniques (which is why the French officers did not respect the British). The British used Turkish soldiers as laborers, porters, and placed them in dangerous areas. The British assessed their combat effectiveness as very low, so the task of the Ottomans was to take the first blow and stay in redoubts until help arrived.

However, the British did not take into account the fact that the Turkish command was not going to send the most combat-ready units to the Crimea. The best forces of the Turkish army were concentrated on the Danube direction under the command of Omer Pasha. And if the French turned the Ottomans into pack animals, then the British also wanted them to defend the most dangerous areas well, they were cannon fodder. The Turks were turned into an advanced detachment, which was supposed to stop the Russians with their breasts and protect the English camp and warehouses in Balaklava. At the same time, the Turks were fed according to the residual principle, they were beaten with mortal combat for the slightest offense (the system of savage punishments in the British army and navy was very developed), they did not communicate with them, and even their officers were despised, they were not put at the common table. The Ottomans for the British were second-class people. They handled them with whips and sticks.

Russian forces. Operation plan

Menshikov did not believe in the possibility of saving Sevastopol, but under pressure from the high command, he decided to hold a demonstration, trying to disrupt enemy communications at Balaklava. Petersburg closely followed the situation in the Crimea. Sovereign Nicholas did not even allow the thought of surrendering Sevastopol, encouraged Menshikov in his letters, instructed him to maintain morale in the troops.

In early October, Russian troops began to concentrate on the Chorgun direction. At dawn on October 2 (14), a detachment of Lieutenant Colonel Rakovich (3 battalions, two hundred Cossacks, 4 guns) occupied the village of Chorgun. The next day, Rakovich's detachment established contact with the Consolidated Lancers Regiment under the command of Colonel Eropkin, who was sent to observe the enemy in the Baidar Valley. Then the 1st brigade of the 12th infantry division arrived at Chorgun with the 1st Ural Cossack regiment under the command of Major General Semyakin 6-7 (18-19), reconnaissance of enemy positions was carried out.

On October 11 (23) in Chorgun, 16,000 troops were formed. a detachment under the command of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian troops in the Crimea, Lieutenant General Pavel Liprandi. The Chorgun detachment included: 17 battalions, 20 squadrons, 10 hundreds and 64 guns.

The British decided to attack at dawn on October 13 (25), 1853. Russian troops were to attack the enemy in three columns. On the left flank, a column was advancing under the command of Major General Gribbe - three reinforced battalions, 6 squadrons, one hundred and 10 guns. The left wing was supposed to pass through the gorge that led to the Baidar valley, and then turn onto the road to Komary and occupy this village. The middle column was led by Major General Semyakin. It consisted of two separate groups. The left group under the command of Semyakin himself consisted of 5 battalions with 10 guns. The right group under the command of Major General Levutsky, it consisted of 3 battalions with 8 guns. In general, the middle column advanced in the general direction of Kadikioy. A column under the command of Colonel Scuderi advanced on the right flank. It consisted of 4 battalions, 4 hundreds and 8 guns. The right flank was to advance in the direction of the third redoubt.

The cavalry under the command of Lieutenant General Ryzhov - 14 squadrons and 6 hundreds, 2 horse batteries, was supposed to force the Black River, line up in columns and wait for Liprandi's command. One battalion and one battery remained in reserve. In addition, 5,000 men could provide assistance to the Liprandi detachment. detachment under the command of Major General Zhabokritsky. It consisted of about 8 battalions, 2 squadrons, 2 hundreds and 14 guns. The detachment of Zhabokritsky was sent to assist Liprandi and cover him from the side facing the French army, where the troops of General Pierre Bosquet were stationed. The detachment of Zhabokritsky was sent to the right of the Vorontsov road, to the Fedyukhin Heights.

The beginning of the battle

The battle began early in the morning. Even at night, Russian columns began to move. The British noticed the movement of Russian troops and advanced the entire cavalry to redoubt No. 4. However, they did not attack the Russian troops, but only limited themselves to a demonstration.

The Turks, sitting in their redoubts, did not expect a blow and could not offer serious resistance. At six o'clock, Levutsky's detachment went to the Kadikioy heights and opened artillery fire on redoubts No. 2 and 3. At the same time, General Gribbe, having forced out enemy posts from the village of Komary, opened artillery fire on redoubt No. 1. Under the cover of artillery fire and riflemen, General Semyakin launched an attack Azov regiment. The company columns of the first line, on the orders of the regimental commander Kridener, launched a bayonet attack and, despite the stubborn resistance of the Turks, took redoubt No. 1. Most of the redoubt garrison was killed, the rest fled in panic. Three guns were captured.

At this time, the huntsmen of the Odessa and Ukrainian regiments attacked redoubts No. 2, 3 and 4. The Ottomans faltered and fled, leaving guns, ammunition, trench tools, all the property that was in the redoubts. The Russian cavalry pursued the enemy and some of the Turks were killed during the flight, and the rest carried off their feet in complete horror. Redoubt No. 4 was at a considerable distance from the Russian positions, so the guns that were there were riveted, the gun carriages were damaged, the guns themselves were thrown down the mountain, and the fortifications were torn down.

I must say that the troubles for the Turks did not end there. When they ran to the city, the British literally took them on bayonets. The Ottomans were not allowed to enter the city and they began to beat them, accusing them of cowardice. Some of the Ottomans were killed or beaten by the British, the other part was included in the 93rd Scottish Infantry Regiment.

Shooting at the Balaklava heights alarmed the allied command. The French General Pierre Bosquet, who had previously distinguished himself in battles in Algiers and in the battle of Alma, immediately sent the Vinua brigade from the 1st division to the Balaklava Valley, followed by a brigade of African horse rangers under the command of General d "Alonville, who distinguished themselves in the fight with the Algerian tribes. For his part, the British commander, Lord Raglan, sent for the 1st and 4th divisions. At this time, while the reinforcements were coming, the 93 on the right, several hundred surviving Ottomans.The British cavalry took up positions to the left, behind redoubt No. 4.

After occupying the redoubts, at about ten o'clock in the morning, General Liprandi ordered Ryzhov, with a hussar brigade and a Ural regiment with 16 guns, to descend into the valley and attack the English artillery park near the village of Kadikioy. Apparently, during the reconnaissance, part of the field camp of the English light cavalry brigade was mistaken for the enemy artillery park. Coming to the object of attack, the Russian cavalry found, instead of the cavalry park, units of the heavy cavalry brigade of James Scarlett. This meeting, as noted by contemporaries of this battle and researchers, was a surprise for the Russians and the British. Since the rugged nature of the terrain hid the movement of the cavalry. During a short but fierce battle, the British retreated. After the war, Lieutenant-General Ryzhov and a participant in this cavalry battle, an officer of the Ingermanland Hussar Regiment, Staff Captain Arbuzov, noted the uniqueness of this cavalry clash: rarely such masses of cavalry were cut with equal ferocity on the battlefields.

However, General Ryzhov, considering that his task was completed, did not develop success, and withdrew his forces to their original positions. The English dragoons tried to pursue the Russian cavalry, but were met by friendly volleys of Russian riflemen and retreated. The results of this cavalry battle remained uncertain, so each side attributed the victory to itself.