Battle of the Alma River
Part of the Crimean War
The second battalion The Rifle Brigade preparing the way across the River Alma
Date September 20, 1854 Location River Alma Result Decisive Allied Victory
Combatants
French Empire United Kingdom Ottoman Empire	Russian Empire
Commanders
Jacques St. Arnaud Lord Raglan	Aleksandr Menshikov
Strength
French Empire: 28,000 infantry no cavalry 72 guns United Kingdom: 26,000 infantry 1,000 cavalry 60 guns Ottoman Empire: 7,000 infantry	33,000 infantry 3,400 cavalry 120 guns
Casualties
French: 1,340 British: 2,002 Total: 3,342	5,709

The Battle of the Alma (September 20, 1854), which is often considered the first battle of the Crimean War (1853–1856), took place in the vicinity of the River Alma in the Crimea. An Anglo-French force under General St. Arnaud and Lord Raglan defeated General Menshikov's Russian army, which lost around 6,000 troops. Combatants Allies: Second French Empire United Kingdom Ottoman Empire Kingdom of Sardinia Russian Empire Bulgarian volunteers Casualties 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 17,500 British 2,050 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of disease 256,000 killed, wounded and died of disease The Crimean War (1854–1856) was fought... Image File history File links Dhm_488_small. ... The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consorts Own) was a regiment of the British Army. ... September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Alma River may mean: Alma River (New Zealand) Alma River (Ukraine) Category: ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... Anthem: God Save the Tsar! Russian Empire in 1914 Capital Saint Petersburg Language(s) Russian Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1721-1725 Peter the Great  - 1894-1917 Nicholas II History  - Established 22 October, 1721  - February Revolution 2 March, 1917 Area  - 1897 22,400,000 km2 8,648,688 sq mi Population  - 1897... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... Armand-Jacques Leroy de Saint Arnaud (August 20, 1801-September 29, 1854), French soldier, served as a Marshal of France. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Field Marshal Lord Raglan during the Crimean War, portrait by Roger Fenton, ca. ... Prince Aleksandr Sergeyevich Menshikov (Александр Сергеевич Меншиков in Russian)(August 26, 1787 — May 1, 1869, all n. ... Combatants Allies: Second French Empire United Kingdom Ottoman Empire Kingdom of Sardinia Russian Empire Bulgarian volunteers Casualties 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 17,500 British 2,050 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of disease 256,000 killed, wounded and died of disease The Crimean War (1854–1856) was fought... The naval Battle of Sinope (or Sinop) occurred on 30 November 1853 at Sinop, a sea port in northern Turkey, when Imperial Russian battleships annihiliated a force of Ottoman Empire frigates. ... The Siege of Petropavlovsk was the main operation on the Pacific Theatre of the Crimean War. ... Combatants Great Britain France Russia Commanders General François Canrobert (later replaced by General Pélissier) Lord Raglen Admiral Kornilov (later replaced by Admiral Pavel Nakhimov) Lt. ... It has been suggested that The Thin Red Line (1854 battle) be merged into this article or section. ... Combatants United Kingdom France Russia Commanders General Pierre Bosquet Lord Raglan General Aleksandr Menshikov Strength British: 8,500 and 38 guns French: 7,500 and 18 guns 31,000 infantry 4,000 cavalry 110 guns est. ... The Storm of Eupatoria was the most important military engagement of the Crimean War during the winter of 1855. ... In the spring of 1855, British-French coalition decided to occupy the Kerch Strait and seaport on Azov Sea, undermining Russian communications and food/military supplies to Russian troops in Crimea. ... The Battle of Chernaya River (Battle of Tchernaïa, Сражение у Черной речки, Сражение у реки Черной) was a... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Battle of Malakoff was fought on September 7, 1855 and resulted in a French victory under General MacMahon against the Russians. ... The Battle of Kinburn was a naval engagement during the final stage of the Crimean War. ... September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants Allies: Second French Empire United Kingdom Ottoman Empire Kingdom of Sardinia Russian Empire Bulgarian volunteers Casualties 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 17,500 British 2,050 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of disease 256,000 killed, wounded and died of disease The Crimean War (1854–1856) was fought... The Alma is a river in the Crimea, half-way between Eupatoria and Sebastopol, where the allied English, French, and Turkish armies defeated the Russians under Prince Aleksandr Sergeevich Menshikov September 20, 1854. ... Motto: Процветание в единстве - Prosperity in unity Anthem: Нивы и горы твои волшебны, Родина - Your fields and mounts are wonderful, Motherland Capital Simferopol Largest cities Simferopol, Eupatoria, Kerch, Theodosia, Yalta Official language Ukrainian. ... Armand-Jacques Leroy de Saint Arnaud (August 20, 1801-September 29, 1854), French soldier, served as a Marshal of France. ... Field Marshal Lord Raglan during the Crimean War, portrait by Roger Fenton, ca. ... Prince Aleksandr Sergeyevich Menshikov (Александр Сергеевич Меншиков in Russian)(August 26, 1787 — May 1, 1869, all n. ...

Prelude

The Anglo-French forces landed on the western coast of the Crimean peninsula some 35 miles north of Sevastopol, on the 13th September 1854, at Calamity Bay. Although disorganised and weakened by disease (mostly cholera and dysentery), the lack of opposition these landings met allowed a beachhead of four miles inland to be made. Six days later the two armies headed south. The march involved crossing three rivers. It was at the second of these, the River Alma, that the Russians decided to stand. The Russian Army was numerically superior to the combined Anglo-French army and occupied a natural defensive position. The British and French bivouacked on the northern bank, where the ground sloped gently down to the river. Running along the Russian southern bank of the river were precipitous cliffs, 350 feet high, continuing inland from the river's mouth for almost two miles where they met a less steep, but equally high hill known as Telegraph Hill across the river from the village of Bourliouk. To its east lay Kourgane Hill, a natural strongpoint with fields of fire covering most approaches, and the key to the whole position. Two redoubts had been constructed to protect Kourgane Hill from infantry assault; the Lesser Redoubt on the eastern slope and the Greater Redoubt on the west. The road to Sevastopol ran between Telegraph and Kourgane Hill, covered by Russian batteries sited on the hills and in the narrow valley between them. now. ... (Redirected from 13th September) September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Cholera (frequently called Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera) is a severe diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. ... Dysentery is an illness (formerly known as the bloody flux or simply flux) involving severe diarrhea that is often associated with blood in the feces. ... A beachhead is a military term used to describe the line created when a unit (by sea) reaches a beach, and begins to defend that area of beach, while other reinforcements (hopefully) help out, until a unit large enough to begin advancing has arrived. ... The Alma is a river in the Crimea, half-way between Eupatoria and Sebastopol, where the allied English, French, and Turkish armies defeated the Russians under Prince Aleksandr Sergeevich Menshikov September 20, 1854. ... In russian, word army means armed forces in general. ... A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort. ...

Plan

The Russians had only to hold their ground and keep the pass closed to achieve victory. The French, however, had a plan. Positioned on the allies' right (the western section of allied line, nearest the sea) they would assault the cliffs across the river. In theory, such an obvious attempt to turn the Russian flank would so concern the Russians that they would fail to notice a British attack on their centre and left.

Attack at the Greater Redoubt

On the far right, General Bousquet's division, supported by the guns of the French fleet, crossed the river, scaled the cliffs and were able to expel the Russian infantry and artillery stationed there. Bousquet could not continue the advance without reinforcements, reinforcements that would not arrive quickly. On Bousquet's left, French troops under General Canrobert crossed the river but were unable to move their guns up the steep cliffs. To Canrobert's left Prince Napoleon's division were not even able to cross the river. In the face of heavy fire from Telegraph Hill their advance stalled and the troops took shelter in the vineyards outside the village of Bourliouk. Napoléon Joseph Charles Paul Bonaparte (Trieste, Italy, September 9, 1822-Rome, Italy March 17, 1891) was the son of Jerome Bonaparte and Catharina of Württemberg. ...

Meanwhile, the British had moved forward. The army was arranged in two lines; the first had the Light Division on the left under Sir George Brown and the 2nd Division under Sir George de Lacy Evans on the right. Behind them on the right of the second line, Sir Richard England led his 3rd Division while on his left the Duke of Cambridge commanded the 1st Division. The 4th division under Sir George Cathcart and the cavalry under Lord Lucan were held in reserve. Unfortunately, the Light Division had not extended its line far enough to the left and as it advanced it did so at a slight angle. Sir George Brown was extremely shortsighted and he failed to notice that this had occurred. Soon the troops on the right of the Light Division and the left of the 2nd Division were merging. The parade ground precision with which the British had set off had now been lost. The Russians were now faced, not with a disciplined British formation, but by something with the outward appearance of a mob. The Light Division is a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for the current light infantry and rifles regiments. ... Sir George Brown (1790-1865) was a British soldier notable for commands in the Peninsular War and the Crimean War. ... Prince George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge Prince George, Duke of Cambridge (26 March 1819 – 17 March 1904), was a member of the British Royal Family, a male-line grandson of King George III. The Duke was an army officer and served as commander-in-chief of the British Army from... George Charles Bingham, 3rd Earl of Lucan (April 16, 1800 - November 10, 1888) was a British soldier, remembered for his part in the Crimean War. ...

Unable to reorganise their men into anything like their original makeup, British officers finally ordered their men to charge as they were. The men charged, and as they struggled up the slope a densely-packed mass of Russian infantry came towards them. The British troops stopped and opened fire on the Russians. The skill of the British as professional rifleman forced the Russians back. As the red-coated line started back up the hill, the Russian guns opened up. Scrambling up the slopes of Kourgane Hill in the face of determined artillery fire, the British line was no solid mass of troops, more a thick skirmishing line leaving the Russian guns unable to stop the attack, only hurt it.

The British continued upward and on until they finally tumbled over the walls of the Greater Redoubt, as the Russians were trying to move their guns. As some of the men celebrated from the redoubt, carving their initials on captured Russian guns and marvelling at their achievement, the lack of reinforcements soon made itself clear. The First Division, consisting of the Guards and Highland Brigades, was still crossing the river and a great Russian column was moving straight for the Greater redoubt in counterattack. For the Indian Army unit, please see Brigade of the Guards. ... The Highland Brigade is a historical unit of the British Army, which has been formed a number of times. ...

As the British prepared to meet the Russian attack an unknown officer shouted "Do not fire! They are French." Other officers shouted the order to fire and in the confusion the British troops began to withdraw from the Redoubt.

Retreat and second attack

As the Russians column marched down to the Greater Redoubt, an astonishing fact became apparent. Earlier in the day, Menshikov had left Kourgane Hill and proceeded to view the action on the far left of the Russian army where the French had seemed to be initially, causing a danger. Now his second in command, watching his men push the British down the hill, looked westward for a sign of Menshikov. Instead he saw the cocked hats and white plumes of British staff officers atop a spur of Telegraph Hill calmly watching the battle. Lord Raglan had wanted a better view of the proceedings and followed by his staff had ridden past the French skirmishers on the left of Prince Napoleon's division and through the Russian skirmishers facing them. The Right Honourable FitzRoy James Henry Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (September 30, 1788 – June 28, 1855), was a British military leader. ...

Sutherland Highlanders in the Battle of Alma.

Stumbling across an upward path, he finally found himself on a ridge jutting out from Telegraph Hill, overlooking Kourgane Hill and the valley between. Suggesting to his staff that it might be a good idea to have some guns in such a commanding position, the thought was taken as an order and soon two nine-pounders were firing from the ridge. The Russian batteries in the valley were forced to withdraw by fire from these guns, and a few shots fired in their direction persuaded the Russians pursuing the retreating British down the hill that this was unwise. Image File history File links Sutherlandhighlanders-400. ... Image File history File links Sutherlandhighlanders-400. ...

By now, the First Division had finally crossed the river and the Russians by the Greater Redoubt saw approaching below them the Grenadier Guards on the right of the British line, the Royal Scots Fusilier Guards in the centre and the Coldstream Guards on the left. Out of sight on the far left was the Highland Brigade. Below the Greater Redoubt, however, a group of Royal Welch Fusiliers had held their ground when their comrades had retreated and were firing up at the redoubt. Suddenly the Russians unleashed hundreds of soldiers, who swarmed over the parapets of the retaken redoubt and poured a shattering volley of musket fire downwards. The Royal Welch Fusiliers were smashed and rushed down the hill, crashing into the advancing Scots Guards with such force that the line was broken in many places. The Scots Guards faltered, and when they were 40 yards from the redoubt the Russians mounted a massive bayonet charge. The Scots Guards were forced to retreat and they did so stopping only when they reached the river. Almost 200 of them lay dead on the slope. The Grenadier Guards is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. ... The Royal Scots Fusiliers is a Regiment of the British army. ... The Coldstream Guards is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division. ... The Royal Welch Fusiliers was a regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales Division. ... Scots Guards drummer, piper, bugler and bandsman, about 1891 Pre-Napoleonic Wars History See Scots Guards. ...

Captain Lindsay of the Scots Guards advancing with the colours which were shot through and staff broken.

A large gap now existed between the Grenadiers and the Coldstream Guards. The Russian generals saw their chance and pushed two battalions into the gap. As the Grenadiers prepared to meet this charge, again strange orders were given, as had occurred earlier in the Greater Redoubt. An unknown officer told the Grenadiers to retire. The colonel commanding the left-wing company of the Grenadiers, however, felt this order to be foolish and instead ordered his company to form a right angle with the rest of the battalion which thus now assumed an 'L' shape, with the base of the 'L' pointing back down to the river. As the Russians moved into the gap, his men were able to pour deadly accurate fire into their flank. The recently invented Minié ball bullet combined with this well executed manouevre caused the Russians to hesitate in their attack. Seeing this, the British advanced and soon the Russians themselves retreated. The Greater Redoubt was again in British hands and the defences on the left of the Russian centre were shattered. Image File history File links Dhm048. ... Scots Guards drummer, piper, bugler and bandsman, about 1891 Pre-Napoleonic Wars History See Scots Guards. ... 1855 minie ball design from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia The Minié ball (or minie ball) is a type of muzzle-loading rifle ordnance named after its main co-developer, Claude-Étienne Minié. It came to prominence in the Crimean War and American Civil War. ...

Final stage

The last act came on the far right of the Russian line where 10,000 troops were still unused and uncommitted. They were faced by the advancing Highland Brigade; a mere three battalions. Led by Sir Colin Campbell, the 93rd (Highland) Regiment, the Cameron Highlanders and the Black Watch were advancing in a dangerously thin line extended for almost 2,000 yards although in the smoke and confusion of battle the Russians were unable to see that it was only two ranks deep. The highly disciplined Highland Brigade advanced firing, a task difficult to accomplish in those days. For the Russians it proved too much and they fell back. The Battle of the Alma was effectively over and a British victory. On the right of the Allied line, Canrobert had finally got his guns up the cliffs and his Zouaves seized Telegraph Hill. The ridge Lord Raglan had so dramatically made his own was now swarming with red-coated troops. The Russian right was fleeing before the Highland Brigade, the Greater Redoubt was taken and the road to Sevastopol was now open. Colin Campbell with William Mansfield, 1st Viscount Sandhurst Field Marshal Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde, GCB, KCSI (October 20, 1792–August 24, 1863) was a Scottish soldier. ... The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division. ... RasputinAXP 15:55, 4 August 2005 (UTC) Categories: Possible copyright violations ... The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. ... A zouave from 1886. ...

The Russian retreat became a rout and Lord Raglan sought permission to pursue the Russians, but General St. Arnaud decided this was impossible for his French troops had left their packs at their start points across the river and would have to go back for them before further advances. Raglan was unwilling to pursue the enemy without French support and the broken Russian army was able to escape unmolested. Armand-Jacques Leroy de Saint Arnaud (August 20, 1801-September 29, 1854), French soldier, served as a Marshal of France. ...

Aftermath

During the battle, the First battalion of Zouaves lost 222 men, the Second battalion 74 men and the Third battalion 63 men.

In the United Kingdom "Alma", as a girls name, became popular as a result of the victory. Also numerous public houses and streets bear the name. In Paris, Pont de l'Alma is a bridge over the River Seine and other French streets are named after the battle. This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Paris Eiffel tower as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... redirect List_of_stations_of_the_Paris_M�tro ... This article is about the river in France; it should not be confused with the Senne, a much smaller river that flows through Brussels. ...

External links

• Battle of Alma
• British serviceman's journal