The Battle of Inkerman, a battle of the Crimean War, was fought on November 5, 1854 and resulted in a British and French victory under General Bosquet against the Russian forces under General Menshikov. In this battle British soldiers fought bravely despite the hapless leadership of Lord Raglan. The battle was eventually won by a counter-offensive by the French soldiers under General Bosquet. Combatants United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Second French Empire, Ottoman Empire, Kingdom of Sardinia Imperial Russia Strength 250,000 British 400,000 French 10,000 Sardinian 1,200,000 Russian Casualties 17,500 British 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 2,050 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of... November 5 is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 56 days remaining. ... 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Inkerman (Inkermann) is a small town in Crimea, an eastern suburb of Sevastopol. ... Inkerman (Inkermann) is a small town in Crimea, an eastern suburb of Sevastopol. ... Pierre François Joseph Bosquet ( 1810- 1861) was 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. ... Combatants United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Second French Empire, Ottoman Empire, Kingdom of Sardinia Imperial Russia Strength 250,000 British 400,000 French 10,000 Sardinian 1,200,000 Russian Casualties 17,500 British 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 2,050 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of... 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. ... Template:Infobox Military Conflict General The Battle of Alma (September 20, 1854), the first battle of the Crimean War (1854–1856), took place in the vicinity of the River Alma in the Crimea. ... Army camp at Balaklava The Battle of Balaclava, fought on 25 October 1854, was a key battle during the Crimean War, fought between the allied forces of Britain, France and the Ottoman Empire on one side and Russia on the other. ... 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. ... The Battle of Eupatoria was an action with far reaching strategic significance. ... 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 battle fought during the Crimean War on August 16, 1855 between Russia and a coalition of French and Piedmontese troops. ... 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. ... Combatants United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Second French Empire, Ottoman Empire, Kingdom of Sardinia Imperial Russia Strength 250,000 British 400,000 French 10,000 Sardinian 1,200,000 Russian Casualties 17,500 British 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 2,050 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of... November 5 is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 56 days remaining. ... 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Pierre François Joseph Bosquet (1810-1861) was a Marshal of France. ... Prince Aleksandr Sergeyevich Menshikov (Александр Сергеевич Меншиков in Russian)(August 26, 1787 — May 1, 1869, all n. ... Field Marshal Lord Raglan during the Crimean War, portrait by Roger Fenton, ca. ...

George B. McClellan wrote in "Armies of Europe" 1861: George McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was a major general, second commander of the Army of the Potomac, and the General-in-Chief of the Union Army during the first years of the American Civil War. ...

"As things went at Inkermann, the result, as far as the English were concerned, appears to have been due to that steady and magnificent courage of their races, which has so often palliated or overbalanced the follies and unskillfulness of there commanders, whether in victory or defeat. Their conduct on that day was worthy of the nation which gained credit alike at Malplaquet and Landen, Blenheim and Fontenoy, Waterloo and Corunna.

The position of Inkermann is the key point of the northeastern angle of the plateau of the Chersonese; it commands the road ascending the plateau by Cathcart's ravine, the only approach from the north side, and the road which follows the Careening Bay ravine, the only approach from the city in that vicinity; it is the most elevated ground in the neighborhood, and is susceptible of strong defense from whatever direction it may be attacked. Were it occupied by the Russians, the siege of the Karabelnaia became impossible, and the position of the allies dangerous in the extreme; if strongly occupied by the allies, the right became perfectly secure.

Could the Russians have anticipated a siege of Sebastopol, it would have been an unpardonable error not to have occupied the Inkermann by a small permanent work. How little they were prepared for an attack by land will probably be shown in the sequel; but, as things were, it appears to be a grave error not to have entrenched the position from the beginning. It was still more inexcusable on the part of the allies to have omitted the occupation of the position in force; nor, with proper field works, would a very large force have been necessary.

The Russian plan for the battle of November 5 was most excellent in conception; and, as far as mere orders can go, nothing seemed wanting to insure success, and drive the English partly over the steep borders of the plateau into the open arms of Gorchakov, partly into the sea, and the rest to Kamiesch. It must be kept in view that the principal object of the Russians in giving battle at the Inkermann was to prevent an assault upon the town, then regarded as to weak to resist it: in this respect, although at a heavy cost, they gained their point, for they effectually rendered an assault impossible for many months thereafter. In considering the plan of attack, the Russian general rejected the idea of a movement on the Allied centre, (by the ravine of the inner harbor,) because it was to effectually defended by the siege batteries of the allies; the attack upon their rear was rejected because the plateau was very difficult of access, strongly guarded, and the affair of Balaklava had induced the allies to throw up works in that direction. It was therefore determined to attack the English right and centre, making false attacks on the French left and towards Balaklava.

The spirit of the orders issued was as follows: General Soimonov with 16,200 infantry and 38 guns, to march up the Careening Bay ravine, ascend its western slope near the Victoria redoubt, and attack the English centre. General Pauloff, with 13,500 Infantry and 28 guns, to march from the north side, descend into and cross the Tchernaya valley at the head of the Bay, ascend by Cathcart's ravine, and attack the English right; the attack of these two commands to be simultaneous. General Gorchakov, with about 15,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalry, and 40 guns, to make a false attack upon Balaklava and the roads leading thence to the plateau. General Timofeyev, with some 2,500 men and 4 guns, to make a false attack upon the French left, carrying their batteries, if any confusion were observed among them. The batteries in the town to keep up a warm fire.

A close examination of the ground would indicate propriety of this plan of attack; the difficulty arose in the execution. It would appear that in the orders the expression left of the Careening Bay ravine was used for western; Soimonov improperly interpreted this as meaning his own left, and thus brought his own and Pauloff's column into the state of confusion which paralyzed the efforts of both, so that but a portion of either command was at any one time engaged.

As it was, the Russians were undoubtedly driving the exhausted English before them when Bosquet came up. Had the false attack towards Balaklava been properly conducted, Bosquet would have been unable to assist the English; but, soon perceiving that the operations of Gorchakov were confined to a simple cannonade at long-range, he readily divined the true to true state of affairs, and by his prompt action saved the army.

Timofeyev succeeded in spiking 15 guns, and paralyzed the French left.

It would thus seem that the result of the action was due partly to the courage of the English, partly to the mistake of Soimonov, who expiated his error with his life, partly to the prompt and correct judgment of Bosquet, and mainly to the fact that Gorchakov did not conduct his false attack with sufficient energy and decision. Coat of arms of the Gorchakov family Gorchakov, or Gortchakoff (Russian: Горчаков) is a Russian princely family of Rurikid stock, descended from Michael Vsevolodovich, prince of Chernigov, who, in 1246, was assassinated by the Mongols in Karakorum. ...

The desperate courage of the Russians in this affair was fully acknowledged by all who participated in it."

See also

• John Prettyjohns