Battle Report: 8th February 1997

Crimean Russian ~vs~ Crimean French/Turkish

(Robert Avery ~vs~ Richard Avery) .

Crimean Russian
Brigade	Unit	Fig.'s	Org.	Class	Weapons	Pts/Fig	Points
.	CinC	1	.	..	.		100
11th	2inC	1					50
(Moscva)	1st Bttn	48	4x12	LightsC	mlr		520
Infantry	2nd Bttn	48	4x12	RegB	sbm		424
Regiment	3rd Bttn	48	4x12	RegD	sbm		328
	4th Bttn	48	4x12	RegD	sbm		328
Attach-	Cossack Foot	48	4x12	MilD	sbm		280
ments	Sailors	48	4x12	MilD	sbm		376
Cavalry	2inC	1					50
Brigade	Guard Dragoons	16	2x8	RegB	s, mlc		292
	Hussars	24	4x6	RegC	s		376
	Uhlans	16	2x8	RegC	s, l, mlc		276
	Cossacks	10	2x5	RegC	s, mlc		170
Artillery	Battery A	3	3x1	RegC	light mlsb FA		237
	Battery B	2	2x1	RegC	heavy mlsb FA		237
Train	Ammo Wagon	1					50
							4089

.

Crimean French/Turkish
Brigade	Unit	Fig.'s	Org.	Class	Weapons	Pts/Fig	Points
FRENCH	CinC	1					100
1st	2inC	1					50
Brigade	1st Bttn	36	6x6	RegC	mlr		384
	2nd Bttn	36	6x6	RegC	mlr		384
	3rd Bttn	36	6x6	RegC	mlr		384
2nd	The Band	20	5x4	RegD	mlr		210
Brigade	2nd Bttn (Zouaves)	36	6x6	LightsB	mlr		492
	Ammo Wagon	1					50
Cavalry	2inC	1					50
Brigade	Cuirassiers	12	2x6	RegB	s, armour		200
	Lancers	12	2x6	RegB	s, l		200
TURKISH	CinC	1					100
Infantry	1st Bttn	20	4x5	RegC	sbm		180
	2nd Bttn	24	4x6	RegD	sbm		184
	3rd Bttn	24	4x6	RegD	sbm		184
Cavalry	Lancers	12	2x6	RegC	s, l		176
Artillery	Battery A	2	2x1	RegC	light mlsb FA		148
							3476

.

.	Crimean Russian	Crimean French/Turkish
Foot	5760	4640
Horse	1320	720
Guns	10	4

The Turkish troops guarded a fort worth 52” of heavy works on the top right of the field, supported by a French camp top left.

Report

The battle opened with the Russians advancing strongly from the bottom left corner:  sending only their heavy infantry and Don Cossacks towards the French camp. Immediately the French headed for the fort:  although attempts at doubling ended in disorder.

The Russians halted within artillery range of the fort, defending their guns with lines of infantry. The Russian cavalry headed up the left wing whilst, on the right, the heavy infantry crossed a bridge and halted: still some way from the French camp.

The Russian guns opened up on the Turks:  all parties expecting the “sick men of Asia” to flee. They did not. In fact, the whole masterplan of the Russians was held up by the steadiness of the Turkish 2nd Brigade: which refused to budge despite the guns cutting vast swathes through their ranks.

The Russian cavalry then advanced to start peppering them with carbine fire: only to rout backwards at the first shots from the fort. In fact, Pasha Avery routed both the Uhlans and the Dragoons, severely disrupting general Russian morale.

Meanwhile, the French were now in column heading right from their camp. This was the moment that the Russian commander had been waiting for. His men surged forward into position: forcing the French into an uneven firefight four battalions to three. Fire blazed from one end of the line to the other.

The French line, outnumbered 3:2, began to waver and go shaken. Desperate measures were needed: particularly as the Turkish infantry had finally succumbed to Russian artillery fire and routed back to the fort.

The French commander ordered his Zouaves to charge the Russian line. They did: driving both the 4th Moscva and the light artillery from the field. A charge at the right flank of the Russian line was, however, less successful: with the 3ieme Battalion Ligne halted before impact.

At this point, both armies began to waver: the French from the appalling casualties taken from the firefight, the Russians from the morale effect of the French charges. Independently, but simultaneously, both Commanders ordered a withdrawal.

Casualties

The Turks lost 220 infantry and 200 Lancers.  The French lost 640 infantry, with the 1ere Bttn, 1ere Ligne being very badly hit.

The Russians lost 700 infantry, 180 cavalry and 20 artillerymen.

Results

Although technically a draw, the Russians failed to capture the fort, despite outnumbering the French/Turks!

Analysis

If nothing else, the battle showed that fighting line verses line can happen: and that even the force armed with smoothbore muskets can sometimes hold its own against muzzle-loading rifles.

The luck of the battle swung this way and that: with the Turkish infantry proving impossible to shift despite being D class.

In the end, a draw had to be declared: as both sides were about to quit the field. The Russians had, however, failed to shift the Turks from the fort: so had to accept “loser” status.