British Infantry Crimean War 15mm

 

Above, the Foot Guards.  Currently two battalions and all from Minifigs.  I have a third to finish from Irregular.  On their first outing the Foot Guards did not do well.  So much so that Colin Campbell opined it would have been better if they had all been shot rather than run away.  Luckily for them Campbell was ignored.  All the same we can note that they subsequently performed no better than the British Line Regiments.

We also see the Duke of Cambridge condescending to his pals. The (Irregular) British Rifles are clearing the way.  Temple Godman heard the Duke lost the run of himself after the Alma and then heard he hadn't.  Now we would call it PTSD.

I first read about the Crimean War decades ago.  Hibbert, Cecil Woodham-Smith all interesting stuff.  I like to paint and the uniforms were splendid.  Yet, I didn't make the jump.  I saw both films.  Enjoyed them too.  No change.

It was painting above that tipped the balance.  I thought I want to do that in 15mm.

Brigaded with the Guards at the Alma were the Highlanders.  Commanded by Colin Campbell.  He handled them well throughout.  It is timely for us to consider Captain Godman's account of the "Thin Red Streak" incident immortalised by WH Russell.  Godman observed the whole thing, as ever he repays our attention.

"We had no sooner formed in rear, than the enemy who had formed all along the heights sent down their cavalry in two masses into the plain, one went at full split at some Turkish infantry, but the 93rd who were lying down, jumped up and gave them such a volley that they wheeled to the left, and rode off as hard as they could go in good order, the artillery pounding them all the way. 

They never expected to meet there I am sure." 

Campbell made little of it then or subsequently.  Note he has his men lying down to preserve their lives from the Russian artillery.  Sound practice.  Standing his men up surprised the Russians, the volley more so.  The artillery then completed the job.  Workaday battle field stuff, but well executed and successful.

The Russian cavalry had their opportunity spoiled.  Note their good order in retiring. Also, that it was the Turks they were after not the Highlanders.

My first British Line Brigade.  I used Maverick Flags for my British Line Battalions.  Well worth a look and an excellent service.  First two battalions are Minifigs, the third Irregular.

The French who had a "good" Crimean War were impressed by their British comrades.  The latter were responded in the same fashion.  Both finding qualities to admire in the other. This seems true at every level of rank.  

Raglan might have been an exception. On occasions he referred to the Russians as the French.  He also defaulted on a previously agreed French battle plan at the Alma.  Even so, it might be reading to much into those things to exclude him from what was obviously a cordial relationship.

The British infantry mostly fought well in the Crimea.  The failure to press home at Sevastopol was that of exhausted and demoralised men. Simply put they had had enough.  

I'm rating them as Trained through out, same with the Russians.  The French might get a Trained Elite.  Wedded as they were to the offensive.  They wont fight any better but they will keep coming.

The British rank and file were quick to appreciate the value of the Minié. Given their heads they would stand off and shoot.  The higher ranks pretty much ignored it as a harbinger of tactical change. Partly this was their age and a reluctance to change the methods they knew.  They had worked well enough for Wellington.

Even Campbell, a diligent Brigadier, made absolutely no adjustment to his tactics in the Crimea or subsequently. Volley, and charge or volley, volley and charge as a rule. 

My second British Line Brigade.  All Minifigs this time.  Old they might be but I like them a great deal.  There are three poses of line infantry figures there should variety be an issue.  The command figures are first rate.

The War was hard on the troops, not just the fighting. Cold, hunger and disease all took there toll on officers and men alike.  The wealthier officers might recuperate on a friends yacht or even their own.  Most though relied on whatever comfort there was to be had in the lines.  Scant as it was.

Captain Godman closely tracked the officers who put in their papers. Lots did.  It was the age of purchase after all. He was keenly aware that it might have implications for him.  A duffer might get command or an opportunity might appear.

By the time of the assault on Sevastopol the British soldiers were worn out.  When the war ended in an allied victory the original British Army was effectively gone.  Some of the replacements who had arrived were 15 years of age and terrified.  Who could blame them?

There are another five posts in this Crimean War series.  The Russian Artillery, the Russian Cavalry, The British Cavalry, the British Artillery and a final post with everything else recently completed. The latter will offer concluding thoughts on the War. Then we will try a game.  

Next time we a having a Crimean War break.  I will leave it as a surprise.  If you would like a clue think of Eagle Whistles, doomed men singing Garryowen and lots of feathers.

Crimean War Russian Infantry 15mm

Look at the stirring picture above.  It is of the defence of Sebastopol.  I believe the gunners are all Sailors from the Russian Navy.  Their caps are clearly blue with a red trim.  Two of the Great Coats shown are also blue.  The other two respectively seem light brown and green to my eye.  The lad aiming the gun is wearing some sort of wrap around affair.  In a siege you wear whatever you can.

Naturally I painted a Naval unit for my Crimean War Russians.  Predictably I did the gun and crew too.  I may have painted the legend so far as coat colours go.  Russian topcoats seem to have shaded from brown to grey.  Anyhow, here they are.

The figures are from Irregular and the flag from David at Not By Appointment.  He tells me I have it upside down.  I must see to that. It looks splendid all the same.

The rest of this post is something of a Crimean War Russian Infantry parade.  The British and the French had a good opinion of the Russian infantry.

I have a fair few units so we are going to show them by brigade.  The flags are from Maverick Models.  You cannot go wrong with Maverick.

The figures are from Irregular and Minifigs.  Mostly in separate units.  Although they are mixable at a push.

There is a perception that Russian infantry did not do much shooting.  in fact they did and to some good effect too.  They were of course badly outranged by the Minié rifle and such like.

I also have some Circassian rifle armed troops.  

A couple of units.  Here I have used both Minifigs and Irregular on the same bases.

There were other rifle armed Russian troops-just not many of them.  Often found in penny packets alongside the musket armed battalions.  A bit like how the British Rifles were often deployed.  Captain Godman reports the Light Brigade coming under Minié fire.  I can only presume he was using Minié as a generic.

I may add another base to each of the grenadier battalions.  Otherwise, that is the Russian infantry done. 

 

Two Letters from Balaclava -Part 3

 

We have established what happened in this part of the Battle of Balaclava.  Now,  I want to look at the respective decisions of the contesting Brigade Commanders.

Before we get into it recall that the whole incident probably took less than 15 minutes from start to finish.  Things happened very quickly. 

Scarlett found himself standing between a strong force of Russian Light Cavalry and the interior of the British lines.  Had the Russians not been stopped they could have caused much damage.  He needed to take the correct decisions to prevent this occurrence.  

Here are the key orders Scarlett gave.

First he divided his command into two lines.  This is the correct formation when facing greater numbers of light cavalry. 

Any Byzantine Commander would have done the same.  Had Scarlett read the Byzantine Military Manuals.   I don't know- but he might as well have.  He did everything right.

The reason being that superior numbers of Light cavalry would immediately envelop their inferior number of heavier cavalry opponents.  

By ordering a second line Scarlett could hope to envelop the envelopers.

The two front opposing lines were too close together to allow charges.  Scarlett, and he led from the front, walked his men into the Russian Hussars and Cossacks.  

In doing so he pinned the Russian front line Light Cavalry in position ensuring they did not evade.

As expected Scarlett and his front line were then enveloped by a superior number of Russian Light Cavalry.  A precarious position for Heavy Cavalry.

Now, here is the clever part.  

Once the British second line charged home the position was reversed.  Scarlett now achieved near local parity or even superiority of numbers . The Russian front line was defeated.

This success brought the now combined British Heavy Brigade up against the Russian supporting Light Cavalry Column. 

Here both sides fought again and the British were stopped.  

The Russians now disengaged.

The British pursued.

Scarlett and his officers then made strenuous and successful efforts to bring the Brigade back into order.  

The British Heavy Cavalry Brigade then was ready for any further action required of them.

General Scarlett had seen off a threat to the interior lines of his Army, handily defeated a numerically superior force and suffered few casualties.  Seven men dead.

He heartily deserved the thanks he received from Raglan.

Alas, I do not have the letters of a Russian Captain Godman.  Such a memoir may exist and would surely be equally fascinating.  We lack it.  All the same decisions were made on the Russian side and I think we can discern them.

Let us start with the Russian intention.  The British were moving their camp.  That involves hard work and disruption.  For ease of reading I'm going to call the Russian Commander General Ryzhov.

Ryzhov had intended to swoop through the British Camp while it was in the process of moving.  From there other opportunities for disruption should present.  His command of Hussars and Cossacks were just the fellows for that sort of enterprise.  

First, Ryzhov was surprised by the appearance of the British heavy cavalry.  Light Cavalry were held to be inferior to Heavy cavalry in close combat.  The reason being the heavies were bigger men on bigger horses. The lights smaller men on smaller horses.

His Brigade was deployed as a front line and a strong supporting column.

Instead of swooping down on a disordered camp Ryzhov's Light Cavalry were facing a brigade of British Heavy Cavalry.

As was the case for Scarlett, space did not permit a charge.  

Ryzhov ordered his front line to receive the British at a halt.  We may ask why he did this?  The advantage was that this formation allowed good order be more easily maintained.  It was a recognised military tactic. 

Light Cavalry Doctrine then called for the Russian Light Cavalry to find the flanks and rear of the attacking British front line.  Russian superior numbers duly allowed the British to be surrounded. 

Ryzhov may have been hoping for the best here.  War is inherently unpredictable.  Had his Lights prevailed a new set of potential decisions would present.

The British second line then charged the surrounding Russian Light Cavalry of the first line.  With that the local numbers advantage swung favourably to the British Heavy Brigade.

I note that Ryzhov did not try to redress the numerical balance by feeding more squadrons into the melee.  He clearly had that option as his front line were still fighting.

He chose not too.  Instead he maintained his supporting squadrons in column.  Presumably, once again, to maximise good order.

Consequently his front line was beaten and retreated.  I almost said routed but Godman tells us the Russians were well disciplined.  

Also a rout would have disordered Ryzhov's supporting column.  We know that did not happen.

Scarlett's Brigade then engaged the Russian Light Cavalry Column.  The British were initially held.  

Then the entire Russian column disengaged or as Godman tells us "ran for it".

What was going on?  

My guess is that Ryzhov decided to extract his Brigade from an unfavourable position with the minimum possible casualties.

He may have taken that decision immediately when Scarlett and the Heavy Brigade appeared a short distance from his front.  Or, because I cannot know, when it became clear his front line was not going to be lucky.

If that was Ryzhov's aim he succeeded. 

Ryzhov lost 40 to 50 men dead from a command either 1500 or 2000 strong.  If not inspiring it was hardly a disaster.  His Brigade remained fit for combat.

More optimistically, Ryzhov may have hoped to lure the British onto more suitable ground, catch them strung out in pursuit and pounce. 

That would be the Light Cavalry thing to do.  Recall even after losing 40 men killed Ryzhov had the numbers to do so.

Were that Ryzhov's plan, and we really don't know, it was stymied by Scarlett putting his men back into good order after a short pursuit of 300 yards.  

The Heavy Brigade then stood holding the ground it had won. This denied Ryzhov any further opportunities.  Accordingly, he went back to his starting line. 

What the Czar made of it I don't know.  Forty dead probably didn't even warrant a raised eye brow.  The big news from Balaclava was the loss of the British Light Brigade.

Most secondary accounts of the "Charge of the Heavy Brigade" obscure more than they reveal of the encounter.  With Captain Godman's Letters we are now better informed by a man who fought there.  

For me this was an interesting exercise. I hope you found it so too.

A Crimean War Turkish Contingent in 15mm

 

The Crimean War was all about supporting the Ottoman Empire.  Or superficially so.  Fittingly, here is my Turkish Contingent for the conflict. 

Apart from the Bashi-Bazouks all of my figures are from Minifigs.  We start with the cavalry.  Three squadrons of regulars.

Captain Nolan thought the Turks had over Westernised their cavalry.  Thus, losing their edge.  

Back in the day Turkish cavalry had been absolute terrors.  The best way to deal with them was to wear lots of armour, get behind a barricade and shoot them down.  I'm talking about Western cavalry there, not infantry.  The latter did the same without the armour.

Nolan predicted the Russian cavalry would beat their Turkish counterparts.  This they duly did.  I'm minded to rate these lads as Trained or perhaps Raw Elite.

Now, to the infantry.  Normally good enough troops. Musket armed. In the Crimea their morale sagged.

Their Allies often left them unsupported in exposed positions.

They were badly supplied even by the standards of the rest of the cold and often hungry Allied troops.

Worst of all they were treated as second class soldiers.  If anyone wanted huts constructed or digging done they had the Turks do it.  I have a memory of reading of their being made to pull transport carts for other Allied contingents.

Captain Godman thought they did fine behind entrenchments.  He did not think they could be trusted to join an an assault.  Unsurprising really.

Turkish Artillery could be very good, or very bad.  Opinions vary.  Of course our sources are not talking about the same batteries.  

I have two Turkish Batteries. One will be Trained Elite and the other Raw.  For added drama I won't determine which is which until their first fire. I'll use a dice.

I'd like to say that's my Crimean War Turks done. But, of course it isn't. I have another battalion, skirmishers, Lancers and a battery to do,  Also a couple of Brigadiers.

All the same progress has been made. 

Next week we will see the concluding part of Two Letters from Balaclava.

Two Letters From Balaclava Part 2

 

Previously, we saw that the British Cavalry had inflicted 40 to 50 fatal casualties on the Russian Light Cavalry for a cost of 7 of their own dead.  This inequality of punishment requires further exposition. 

First remember that Captain Godman, our informant, was in the front rank of the second British line. He had a good view.

 

He and his comrades initially charged into the backs of the Russian Light Cavalry surrounding Scarlett and the first British line.  

Subsequently he came up against the supporting Russian cavalry column.

As we shall see Godman is in little doubt of the reason the British killed more.  

Before we look at that here are his qualifications as our narrator.

"I had one or two shaves for it during the day, my coat sleeve was cut through and my wrist bruised, but not cut, as I had on some very thick Jersies. My coat was torn in the back, which was not done in the morning, I think it must have been a lance thrust that tore it." 

He had, to put it plain, been in the thick of it.  We should heed him. Godman's explanation is straight forward.

"our men made fearful havoc among them with their long straight swords." 

Simply put the British swords outreached the Russian sabres and the British Heavy troopers relied on the point.  All things being equal, the British trooper should be able to strike first.  Of course, as we will see, not all Russian troopers relied only on swords.

A sword thrust that contacts has a higher chance of causing fatality than a sword cut.

In a close press melee, which is what we are studying, the British troopers could thrust with great facility.

Godman, in the second line must have been able to thrust at the backs of some of the Russian Hussars surrounding the Greys of the first line. His comrades must of necessity of have enjoyed that same combat advantage.  

Remember too, uniquely in the fight, that the second British line arrived at charge speed. 

It is these factors that I think explains the disparity in casualties.

Godman notes "We killed more of the 12th Hussars than anything". 

My guess is that the 12th Hussars formed part of the Russian front line.  That line that was caught in the rear (while surrounding the British first line) by Godman and the rest of the British second line. 

When both combined British lines fought with the Russian front line the latter's numerical advantage was either greatly reduced or was reversed.  

Either 800 British troopers fought 700 Russian troopers, or 800 British troopers fought 1,000 Russian troopers. We don't know the actual number of Russians in the front line.

We can also note that this was Heavy cavalry close fighting with Light cavalry. Bigger men on bigger horses fighting smaller men on smaller horses. Sometimes this offered no advantage.  In a close melee-it probably did.

The Russian front line then was clearly defeated.  

It seems to me that the maximum point of British advantage was the successful charge of their second line.  I'd suggest that is when the British inflicted the most casualties.

This brought the combined British lines into contact with the Russian " very strong" supporting column.  

Here Godman tells us "their column was so deep we could not cut through it."  The Russians disengaged as we saw in part 1.

Now we must turn to the Russian Light Cavalry.  Godman notes that:

"The Russians seemed very steady and well disciplined,".

He observes:

"The Russian swords were much more curved than ours and very sharp." 

This is standard for most Light Cavalry. The Russian Hussars and Cossacks were  Light Cavalry.  To labour the point the Russians sabres were optimised for cutting rather than thrusting.  

Here is Godman again writing to his brother.

"We lost a corporal, quite hacked to pieces."  

Shades of the Anglo-Sikh War there. If the combat was brief it was also fierce.

There is more. 

" Scarlett was wounded in the bridle hand, but not much, he and Elliot were in the thickest, and his helmet was battered in, and the skirt of his frock-coat sliced down."

Elliot was Scarlett's ADC.  He had a rough time. 

"Poor Elliot did not escape so well, he got a bad cut in the face, and a very severe one in the back of the head, having lost his hat." 

Let me add an aside. 

"a very brave fellow (Elliot)and fought very hard — so did Scarlett who is as blind as a bat ".  

Imagine that, being "blind as a bat" in a close melee.  A bit more on Scarlett before we turn again to our narrative.

"Our Brigadier(Scarlett) behaved most pluckily, went right in, got his helmet smashed, hand cut, clothes cut through, and horse much cut, and a spent ball on the arm, he is all right."

Sharp sabres were not the whole picture.  The Cossacks and some Hussars carried lances that outreached the British swords. Pistols and Carbines, witness Scarlett, were also available.

Nolan goes as far to say that lances should be thrown away or left stuck in the enemy after the initial onset.  Godman offers no evidence of charging Russian lancers-their optimum circumstance. 

All the same Russian lances made an impression on Godman as we shall shortly see.

"I don’t fear their swords at all, but don’t like their lances." 

"My coat was torn in the back, which was not done in the morning, I think it must have been a lance thrust that tore it."

Simply put Godman's sword outreached the Russian Hussar sabres. The Russian lances outreached Godman's sword.  He is sensible of this.

Godman wrote, again to his brother, anticipating future cavalry clashes. 

"I feel sure we must have another row, and I may not get so well out next time, but unless a bullet takes me off I think I shall be able to do something with them first. We have so few cavalry and they so many, it will be a hard fight if we meet."

Next time I want to look at the command decisions of the contending Brigade Commanders.

 We may see some more toys in the interim.