ACTION AT BALAKLAVA. 25th. October, 1854.
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The toils, difficulties, and sameness of trench life were shortly to be varied by a conflict which will ever be memorable in British military annals, occurring to, as it did, on the anniversary of one of England’s remarkable victories, that of Agincourt. The low range of heights traversing the plain at the bottom of which Balaklava is situated, was protected by four small redoubts, hastily constructed. Of these, three had guns; and on a higher hill, in front of the village of Kamara, in advance of the right flank of the British, a work of somewhat more importance was established. No other force being disposable, the several redoubts were garrisoned by Turkish troops. The only British regiment in the plain, with the exception of a portion of a battalion of detachments, composed of weakly men, and a battery of artillery belonging to the third division, was the 93rd. Highlanders. On the heights, behind the right, were placed the Marines, who had been landed from the fleet by Vice-Admiral Dundas. The whole of these, including the Turkish troops, were under the immediate orders of Major-General Sir Colin Campbell, who had been taken, with the 93rd. from the first division.
At an early hour on the morning of the 25th. of October, the enemy attacked the position in front of Balaklava. Lord 399Raglan, in consequence, withdrew from before Sebastopol the first and fourth divisions, commanded by Lieutenant-Generals His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge and the Honourable Sir George Cathcart, and brought them down into the plain. General Canrobert subsequently reinforced these troops with the first division of French infantry and the Chasseurs d’Afrique.
The first operation of the enemy was the attack on the work on the British side of the village of Kamara, which, after very little resistance, they carried; they likewise obtained possession of the three others in contiguity to it, being opposed only in one, and that but for a very short space of time. The farthest of the three they did not retain, but the immediate abandonment of the others enabled them to take possession of the guns in them, amounting in the whole to seven. Those in the three lesser forts were spiked by the one English artilleryman who was in each.
Advancing in great strength, supported by artillery, the Russian cavalry appeared on the scene. One portion of them assailed the front and right flank of the 93rd., but were instantly driven back by the vigorous and steady fire of that distinguished regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Ainslie. The other, and larger mass, turned towards the heavy cavalry, and afforded Brigadier-General the Honourable James Yorke Scarlett, under the guidance of Lieutenant-General the Earl of Lucan, the opportunity of inflicting upon them a most signal defeat. Notwithstanding that the ground was anything but favourable for the attack of the dragoons, no obstacle could check their advance, and they charged into the Russian column, which, although far superior in numbers, soon sought safety in flight.
No writer has surpassed Mr. Russell’s description of this exciting scene.[159] “As lightning flashes through a cloud, the 400Greys and Enniskilleners pierced through the dark masses of Russians. The shock was but for a moment. There was a clash of steel and a light play of sword-blades in the air, and then the Greys and the red-coats disappeared in the midst of the shaken and quivering columns. In another moment we saw them emerging with diminished numbers, and in broken order, charging against the second line. It was a terrible moment. ‘God help them! they are lost!’ was the exclamation of more than one man, and the thought of many. With unabated fire the noble hearts dashed at their enemy. It was a fight of heroes. The first line of Russians, which had been utterly smashed by our charge, and had fled off at one flank and towards the centre, were coming back to swallow up our handful of men. By sheer steel and sheer courage Enniskillener and Scot were winning their desperate way right through the enemy’s squadron, and already grey horses and red-coats had appeared right at the rear of the second mass, when, with irresistible force, like one bolt from a bow, the 4th. Dragoon Guards, riding straight at the right flank of the Russians, and the 5th. Dragoon Guards, following close after the Enniskilleners, rushed at the remnants of the first line of the enemy, went through it as though it were pasteboard, and put them to utter rout.
“This Russian horse in less than five minutes after it met our dragoons, was flying with all its speed before a force certainly not half its strength. A cheer burst from every lip; in the enthusiasm officers and men took off their caps, and shouted with delight; and thus keeping up the scenic character of their position, they clapped their hands again and again. Lord Raglan at once despatched Lieutenant Curzon, Aide-de-Camp, to convey his congratulations to Brigadier-General Scarlett, and to say ‘Well done!’”
Lord Raglan observed in his despatch, that “the charge of this brigade was one of the most successful I ever witnessed; it was never for a moment doubtful, and is in the highest degree creditable to Brigadier-General Scarlett, and the officers and men engaged in it.”
As the Russians withdrew from the ground which they had momentarily occupied, Lord Raglan directed the cavalry, 401supported by the fourth division, under Lieutenant-General Sir George Cathcart, to move forward and take advantage of any opportunity to regain the heights. Not having been able to accomplish this immediately, and it appearing that an attempt was being made to remove the captured guns, the Earl of Lucan was desired to advance rapidly, follow the enemy in their retreat, and try to prevent them from effecting their object. Meanwhile the Russians had time to re-form on their own ground, with artillery in front and upon their flanks.
From some misconception of the instruction to advance, (so runs the despatch), the Lieutenant-General considered that he was bound to attack at all hazards, and he accordingly ordered Major-General the Earl of Cardigan to move forward with the Light Brigade. This order was obeyed in the most spirited and gallant manner. Lord Cardigan charged with the utmost vigour, attacked a battery which was firing upon the advancing squadrons, and, having passed beyond it, engaged the Russian cavalry in its rear; but there his troops were assailed by artillery and infantry, as well as cavalry, and necessarily retired, after having committed much havoc upon the enemy. This movement was effected in some confusion; and the loss sustained was severe in officers, men, and horses, only counter-balanced by the brilliancy of the attack, and the gallantry, order, and discipline which distinguished it, forming a striking contrast to the conduct of the enemy’s cavalry, which had previously been engaged with the Heavy Brigade.
The casualties in killed, wounded, and missing, in what is popularly known as “the Death Ride,”[160] amounted to thirty-eight 402officers and three hundred and fifty-six non-commissioned officers and men. Three hundred and eighty-one horses were killed. The 93rd. Highlanders did not sustain any loss.
It must not be omitted that the Chasseurs d’Afrique advanced on the English left, and gallantly charging a Russian battery, checked its fire for a time, and thus rendered an essential service to the British cavalry.
After this the enemy made no further movement in advance, and at the close of the day the brigade of Guards of the first division, and the fourth division, returned to their original encampment, as did the French troops, with the exception of one brigade of the first division, which was left in support of Sir Colin Campbell by General Canrobert. The remaining regiments of the Highland brigade also continued in the valley. Sir George Cathcart, the fourth division being advanced close to the heights, caused one of the redoubts to be re-occupied by the Turks, affording them his support, and availed himself of the opportunity to assist with his riflemen in silencing two of the enemy’s guns. This redoubt had to be abandoned at nightfall, in consequence of its being so exposed, from the enemy’s retaining possession of the two others; and Lord Raglan, seeing that the means of defending the extensive position which had been occupied by the Turkish troops in the morning, had proved wholly inadequate, decided, in concurrence with General Canrobert, to withdraw from the lower range of heights, and to concentrate the force, which was subsequently increased by a considerable body of seamen. The Russians, although unsuccessful in their chief object, had by their occupation of the Turkish redoubts, obliged the British to abandon the use of the Woronzoff road for the circuitous route by the Col de Balaklava.
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