On the 5th November 1854 a smaller British and (yes) French army beat off an assault by the Russians at Inkerman in the Crimea. It was known as “The Soldier’s Battle” as men fought small engagements due to poor visibility in dense fog.
The Russians had massed 32000 men on the Allied flank and headed for the 2700 man 2nd Division, commanded today by the aggressive Pennefather. Instead of falling back in the face of superior numbers, he advanced. The British had their rifles to thank this day as they took a terrible toll on the musket armed Russian Infantry, who were hemmed in by the valley’s bottle neck shape. The British 2nd Division pushed the Russians back onto their reinforcements and should have been routed by the Russians’ numbers, but the fog and the British Light Division saved them. Three successive Russian commanders were killed in this engagement.
The Russians other 15000 men approached and assailed the Sandbag Battery, but they were routed by 300 British defenders vaulting the wall, blunting the lead Battalions, who were then attacked in the flank. More Russian attacks ensured the Battery exchanged hands several times.
The British 4th Division was not as lucky. Arriving on the field, its flanking move was itself flanked and its commander, Cathcart, killed. This enabled the Russians to advance, but not for long. They were soon driven off by French units arriving from their camps and made no more headway.
The battle was lost and they had to withdraw.
This was the last time the Russians tried to defeat the Allied troops in the field. Despite this reverse, however, the Russian attack had seriously stalled the Allies from capturing Sevastopol. They had to instead, spend one harsh winter on the heights overlooking the city, before it fell in September of 1855.
The British suffered 2573 casualties, the French 1800 and the Russians 11959.
Salamis fought today in 480BC
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23rd September 480BC was a very significant day for Western civilisation, as it saw the naval battle of Salamis and Greek victory over the Persian King Xerxes, safeguard its existence.
The Persian King had long wanted to subjugate the Greek States and his 200000 man army was ready to do just that. A month ago a small force under the Spartan king Leonidas had halted his overland advance at Thermopylae. Now the Athenian Themistocles saw an opportunity to do the same at sea. Although outnumbered perhaps two to one, he knew his Triremes, with their lower centre of gravity, would fare better in the breezy waters between the island of Salamis and the port of Piraeus. The Persians, with their king watching on his golden throne from a cliff above, fell into his trap. Many of his higher, open seas combat unwieldy ships being taken in flank as they sailed up the Strait chasing a small number of seemingly fleeing ships.
Xerxes lost 200 of his 400 ships and the Greeks about 40. He had no choice but to retreat or risk losing his bridges over the Hellespont and supply route back to Persia.
Another land battle won at Plataea signalled the end of Persian expansion and ensured its safety for a long time to come. -
I always enjoy reading your factoids!
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Glad the Greeks stomped those Persians.
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Greeks got stomped by the Romans.
Romans got stomped by the Germans.
Germans got stomped by the Americans.
What’s the next line?
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Americans got stomped by the Americans……
Watching MSNBC then FOX I sometimes wonder…
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Americans get stomped by the Chinese.
It’s all our fault for being from the same race of people who stomped them in the Boxer Rebellion.
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It is remarkable how many sea battles have proved more important and lasting than land ones.
Unlike you Cromwell, I have always favoured the Infantry slogging it out.
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