On the 5th November 1854 a smaller British and (yes) French army beat off an assault by the Russians at Inkerman in the Crimea. It was known as “The Soldier’s Battle” as men fought small engagements due to poor visibility in dense fog.
The Russians had massed 32000 men on the Allied flank and headed for the 2700 man 2nd Division, commanded today by the aggressive Pennefather. Instead of falling back in the face of superior numbers, he advanced. The British had their rifles to thank this day as they took a terrible toll on the musket armed Russian Infantry, who were hemmed in by the valley’s bottle neck shape. The British 2nd Division pushed the Russians back onto their reinforcements and should have been routed by the Russians’ numbers, but the fog and the British Light Division saved them. Three successive Russian commanders were killed in this engagement.
The Russians other 15000 men approached and assailed the Sandbag Battery, but they were routed by 300 British defenders vaulting the wall, blunting the lead Battalions, who were then attacked in the flank. More Russian attacks ensured the Battery exchanged hands several times.
The British 4th Division was not as lucky. Arriving on the field, its flanking move was itself flanked and its commander, Cathcart, killed. This enabled the Russians to advance, but not for long. They were soon driven off by French units arriving from their camps and made no more headway.
The battle was lost and they had to withdraw.
This was the last time the Russians tried to defeat the Allied troops in the field. Despite this reverse, however, the Russian attack had seriously stalled the Allies from capturing Sevastopol. They had to instead, spend one harsh winter on the heights overlooking the city, before it fell in September of 1855.
The British suffered 2573 casualties, the French 1800 and the Russians 11959.
Anniversary of Manassas today in 1861.
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Today, the 21st July, in 1861 saw the biggest battle to date in the American Civil War. It was fought in Virginia and was as a consequence of Lincoln’s prodding of his most important army commander, Brigadier Irvin McDowell. Lincoln wanted the rebellion putting down quickly and ordered McDowell to march South on the confederate capital of Richmond.
McDowell took 32000 Infantry in 4 Divisions(11 Brigades) and marched on the smaller Southern army waiting at Manassas, blocking the way to the Capital.
The Southern commander was a Louisianan, with the splendid name, Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. He had 7 1/2 Brigades, totalling over 20000 from all over the South. The Confederates realised they needed reinforcing, so called on the 4 Brigades of Infantry in the Shenandoah Valley.
As luck would have it, these 10000 men under General Joseph Johnston, a Virginian, arrived on the battlefield in time to tip the scales against McDowell.
It was a close run thing as the Southern commander, Beauregard, did not realise that McDowell’s clever flanking move with most of his force was the real threat and did not counter it properly. It took the brave stand of a drunken South Carolinian former Indian fighter to hold them long enough until further units arrived to halt the tired and green Union troops.
One man who made a name for himself this day was a former West Point instructor of Artillery and Mathematics, Brigadier Thomas Jonathan Jackson, forever known as Stonewall.
Many men who commanded Regiments and Brigades this day would go on to lead Divisions, Corps and even Armies. On the Northern side commanding a Brigade was an Ohioan who would later become infamous. His name was William T. Sherman.
The South won the battle. Total casualties were approximately 5000. North Virginia would see many more, much bloodier, encounters over the next 3 summers. Many of the commanders’ names would change, the bravery and resilience shown by both sides would not. -
A buddy and I went to the 150th anniversary reenactment back in 2011. There were over 10,000 reenactors total (about 5,000 per side) and the temp was in the low 100’s. Just thinking about those temps and wearing wool makes me sweat. It was alot of fun though, we got to form an infantry and get charged by cavalry (like 60 guys!) it was well worth the near heat stroke. :-D
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Morning Clyde. That sounds excellent. 10000 people, wow!
Fighting in the heat, needing water, must be unbearable.
With which unit did you fight(and die) or are reenactments not that complicated? -
The Union Army’s disorganized retreat to Washington after First Manassas / First Bull Run came to be known as “The Great Skedaddle”.
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And set the scene for defeat after defeat for the Union armies.
Perhaps Lincoln should not have rushed the otherwise capable McDowell. -
@wittmann:
Morning Clyde. That sounds excellent. 10000 people, wow!
Fighting in the heat, needing water, must be unbearable.
With which unit did you fight(and die) or are reenactments not that complicated?I was part of the USV’s Regular Army corps. I fell in with a group called the 6th New Hampshire, my home unit being the 12th Mass I Co. Despite this we were used to represent the first corp of the Regular Army.
It was a lot of fun, and while I like to say in period while out at events, even I was convinced to leave at go sit in the AC of a local Hooters restaurant (you know, and the great “wings” too :-) ).
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I’ve always found it interesting that the confederate army at Manassas was the Army of the Potomac, while the Union army was the Army of Northeastern Virginia. It’s like afterwards, both commanders decided to switch names. :-)
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I desire to reenact later in life.
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I’ve always found it interesting that the confederate army at Manassas was the Army of the Potomac, while the Union army was the Army of Northeastern Virginia. It’s like afterwards, both commanders decided to switch names.Â
And on a similar note: “Many [Confederate volunteers] were from state militia outfits which had their own state-issued uniforms, and in the early battles some Confederate units who wore dark blue uniforms were often mistaken on the field of battle for the enemy. Conversely, many Union units which were originally militia units went to war wearing grey.”
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