It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Battle of Balaclava. (Discuss)

The Thin Red Line (part of the Battle of Balaclava)
Part of Crimean War
1881 painting of the Thin Red Line by Robert Gibb
Date October 25, 1854 Location Balaklava, Russia (Balaklava, Ukraine) Result Decisive British Victory - Russian Cavalry Repelled
Combatants
93rd Regiment of Foot (United Kingdom)	Ingermanlandsky Hussars (Russian Empire)
Commanders
Sir Colin Campbell (subordinate to Lord Raglan)	General Rijov (subordinate to General Pavel Liprandi)
Strength
several hundred infantrymen	400 cavalrymen
Casualties
Unknown	Unknown

The Thin Red Line was a famous military action by the British Army's 93rd (Highland) Regiment at the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854, during the Crimean War. In this incident the 93rd and two other Highland regiments, led by Sir Colin Campbell, routed a Russian cavalry charge. Previously Campbell’s Highland Brigade had taken part in actions at Alma and Sevastopol. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... It has been suggested that The Thin Red Line (1854 battle) be merged into this article or section. ... 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... from http://images. ... Robert Gibb RSA (28 October 1845 - 11 February 1932) was a Scottish painter. ... October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Balaklava (Ukrainian: , Russian: , Crimean Tatar: ) is a town in the Crimea, Ukraine which has an official status of a district of the city of Sevastopol. ... Balaklava (Ukrainian: , Russian: , Crimean Tatar: ) is a town in the Crimea, Ukraine which has an official status of a district of the city of Sevastopol. ... 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... 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. ... Field Marshal Lord Raglan during the Crimean War, portrait by Roger Fenton, ca. ... 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 France United Kingdom Russia Commanders General St. ... 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. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The 93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment of Foot was a Line Infantry Regiment of the British Army . ... It has been suggested that The Thin Red Line (1854 battle) be merged into this article or section. ... October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 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... 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. ... Soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat are commonly known as cavalry (from French cavalerie). ... The Highland Brigade is a historical unit of the British Army, which has been formed a number of times. ... Combatants France United Kingdom Russia Commanders General St. ... Combatants United Kingdom France Russia Commanders General François Canrobert (later replaced by General Pélissier) Lord Raglen Admiral Kornilov (later replaced by Admiral Pavel Nakhimov) Lt. ...

The Russian cavalry force of 2,500 rode down the road to Balaklava^[1]. It was early morning and the sole force that lay between the oncoming cavalry and the disorganized and vulnerable British camp was the 93rd regiment.^[2]

Campbell is said to have told his men, "There is no retreat from here, men. You must die where you stand." Sir Colin's aide John Scott is said to have replied, "Aye, Sir Colin. If needs be, we'll do that." Campbell formed the 93rd into a line two deep — the "thin red line". Convention dictated that the line should be four deep, but the line had to be stretched. Campbell had the regiment wait until very close quarters before the first line fired. The Russians continued to advance, and Campbell had his men wait until no more than 50 yards lay between the Highlanders and the charging Russians to fire the second volley. This broke the Russian charge. At that, some of the Highlanders started forward for a counter-charge, but Sir Colin stopped them with a cry of "93rd, damn all that eagerness!"

It was The Times correspondent, William H. Russell, who wrote that he could see nothing between the charging Russians and the British base of operations at Balaklava but the "thin red streak tipped with a line of steel" of the 93rd. Popularly condensed into "the thin red line", the phrase became a symbol for British sangfroid in battle. The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom since 1785, and under its current name since 1788. ... Sangfroid-an angry westerner political junkie who frequents forums and analysis each politicial situation with distaste. ...

The battle is fictionally characterized in Robert Gibb's 1881 painting of the same name, which is housed at the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders regimental museum at Stirling Castle, in Stirling, Scotland. Robert Gibb RSA (28 October 1845 - 11 February 1932) was a Scottish painter. ... Year 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division. ... Stirling Castle (southwest aspect) For ships named after the castle, see Stirling Castle (disambiguation) Stirling Castle is a castle in Stirling, one of the largest and most important, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland and indeed Western Europe. ... Broad St at the heart of Stirlings Old Town area (called Top of the Town by locals) on a rare snowy day Stirling Castle (Southwest aspect) The main courtyard inside Stirling Castle. ... Motto: (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots2 Government  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - UK Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I 843  Area    - Total 78,772 km...

Rudyard Kipling wrote the poem 'Tommy' that has the lines: Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an` Tommy, 'ow's yer soul? / But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.; Tommy Atkins being the popular slang for a British Army Private soldier. This may also be the source for the title of James Jones' book, 'The Thin Red Line'. This article is about the British author. ... Tommies from the Royal Irish Rifles in the trenches during the First World War. ...

Author James Jones used the phrase "The Thin Red Line" as the title for a novel about American soldiers fighting in Guadalcanal during World War II. The book was subsequently adapted into two feature films, one in 1964 and most recently, in 1998. James Jones (November 6, 1921 – May 9, 1977) is an American author most famous for his explorations of World War II and its aftermath. ... Guadalcanal, position (inset) and main towns Guadalcanal is a 2,510 square mile (6 500 km²) island in the Pacific Ocean and a province of the Solomon Islands. ... Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000,000 Total dead: 50,000,000 Military dead: 8,000,000 Civilian dead: 4,000,000 Total dead 12,000,000 World War II (abbreviated WWII), or the Second World War, was a worldwide conflict... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Thin Red Line is a 1998 war film which tells the story of United States forces during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II. It was directed by Terrence Malick, who adapted the screenplay himself from the James Jones novel of the same name, which had previously been...

George MacDonald Fraser describes both this battle and the Charge of the Light Brigade in his fictional book Flashman at the Charge, with his usual attention to historical accuracy. George MacDonald Fraser (born 1926 in Carlisle, England) is a writer of Scottish descent. ... Charge of the Light Brigade, Painting by Richard Caton Woodville (1825-1855) The Charge of the Light Brigade was an ill-advised cavalry charge, led by Lord Cardigan, which occurred during the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854 during the Crimean War. ... Flashman at the Charge is a 1973 novel by George MacDonald Fraser. ...

The deriving term The Thin Blue Line is sometimes used to denote police officers. There are three things named The Thin Blue Line: The Thin Blue Line (television) is a British sitcom set in a police station in London. ...

Is also the basis for the famous Scottish war song Scottish Soldier (the Green Hills of Tyrol) by Andy Stewart. Andy Stewart is the name of several famous people: Andy Stewart (musician) (1933–1993), Scottish musician and entertainer Andy M. Stewart, Scottish musician and songwriter, best known for fronting the Scottish folk band Silly Wizard Andy Stewart (athlete) (born 1980), Canadian olympic baseball and former major league catcher Andy Stewart...

See also

• Charge of the Heavy Brigade
• Charge of the Light Brigade

Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Charge of the Heavy Brigade The rather more successful action of the Heavy Brigade that happened on the same day as the Charge of the Light Brigade (October 25, 1854) was also commemorated by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in The Charge of... Charge of the Light Brigade, Painting by Richard Caton Woodville (1825-1855) The Charge of the Light Brigade was an ill-advised cavalry charge, led by Lord Cardigan, which occurred during the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854 during the Crimean War. ...

External link

http://www.oed.com/learning/word-stories/red-line.html Note that if this is correct, the original quote is "The Russians on their left drew breath for moment, and then in one grand line dashed at the Highlanders. The ground flies beneath their horses' feet; gathering speed at every stride, they dash on towards that thin red streak topped with a line of steel." From 1854 Times 14 Nov.

The first documented written use of thin red line was "1877 W. H. RUSSELL Brit. Exped. Crimea (new & rev. ed.) III. 156 156 The ground flew beneath their horses feet; gathering speed at every stride, they dashed on towards that thin red line tipped with steel."

Notes