The small port town of Balaclava on the Crimean Peninsula became a focal point in the Crimean War due to its proximity to Russia’s principal naval base on the Black Sea at Sevastopol. By the end of September the Allied forces had laid siege to the fortress city, leading the Russians to mount an attempt to disrupt the siege by attacking their main supply port at Balaclava.
Just before 5am on 25 October, Russian troops under General Pavel Liprandi moved on the Allied positions. Cavalry and artillery attacked the Ottoman and British forces, the latter forming a "thin red line" along the heights above Balaclava that withstood the Russian assaults with remarkable discipline and repelled the enemy, earning praise for their bravery.
Later in the morning, Russian cavalry launched another assault, this time against the British Heavy Brigade under the command of Major General James Scarlett. The Heavy Brigade counter-charged, inflicting significant casualties on the Russians and driving them back.
The famous Charge of the Light Brigade occurred in the early afternoon. Due to miscommunication and a lack of clear orders Lord Cardigan led the Light Brigade, a cavalry unit consisting of approximately 670 horsemen, in a frontal assault against a fortified Russian artillery position at the end of the valley. Made famous by Tennyson’s poem, the charge resulted in heavy British casualties.
The battle was not a decisive victory for either side, although the Allies successfully repelled the attack on Balaclava while the Russians celebrated the capture of a number of Allied defensive positions.
On 25 October 1854 the ill-fated Charge of the Light Brigade was undertaken by British
forces during the Battle of Balaclava.
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The small port town of Balaclava on the Crimean Peninsula became a focal point in the Crimean
War due to its proximity to Russia’s principal naval base on the Black Sea at Sevastopol.
By the end of September the Allied forces had laid siege to the fortress city, leading
the Russians to mount an attempt to disrupt the siege by attacking their main supply port
at Balaclava.
Just before 5am on 25 October, Russian troops under General Pavel Liprandi moved on the
Allied positions.
Cavalry and artillery attacked the Ottoman and British forces, the latter forming a "thin
red line" along the heights above Balaclava that withstood the Russian assaults with remarkable
discipline and repelled the enemy, earning praise for their bravery.
Later in the morning, Russian cavalry launched another assault, this time against the British
Heavy Brigade under the command of Major General James Scarlett.
The Heavy Brigade counter-charged, inflicting significant casualties on the Russians and
driving them back.
The famous Charge of the Light Brigade occurred in the early afternoon.
Due to miscommunication and a lack of clear orders Lord Cardigan led the Light Brigade,
a cavalry unit consisting of approximately 670 horsemen, in a frontal assault against
a fortified Russian artillery position at the end of the valley.
Made famous by Tennyson’s poem, the charge resulted in heavy British casualties.
The battle was not a decisive victory for either side, although the Allies successfully
repelled the attack on Balaclava while the Russians celebrated the capture of a number
of Allied defensive positions.
