This hope alone shows in what difficulty the French commander-in-chief found himself in mid-October. But Lord Raglan himself was accustomed to waiting for instructions from the French headquarters of the army in the field.

So eight days passed - and suddenly a push followed. The fact is that Menshikov, both before and after Alma, and before and after the first bombing, did not at all believe in the success of the ensuing gigantic struggle.

But from Petersburg they did not give him rest, and he considered it necessary to decide on some kind of appearance of active military actions. But the sovereign did not even allow the thought of surrendering Sevastopol.

Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army - His Serene Highness Prince A.S. Menshikov

In all his letters to Prince The emperor encouraged him to Menshikov, instructed him to thank the troops and sailors, expressed in the warmest terms his confidence in their valiant stamina, expressed regret that he himself was not with them ... Menshikov decided to attack the Turks guarding the approaches to Balaklava, in English camp near Balaklava.


The situation in Balaklava by the morning of October 13 (25) was like this. On the low mounds surrounding Balaklava, the Allies set up four large redoubts in mid-September, immediately after the occupation of the city - in front of the line from the village of Chorgun to Balaklava - and one smaller one.

But only three of them were armed with artillery. These redoubts covered the line Chorgun - Balaklava and were located in front, on the line from Sapun Mountain to the village of Kadikoy, and were occupied by the Turks.

The British command adopted the essentially correct view that the Turks are much more successful in hiding from the Russians behind the fortifications than they are withstanding their onslaught in the open field.

But Lord Raglan lost sight of the fact that Omer Pasha sent with his allies to the Crimea not the best, but the worst of his army, because he himself needed the good ones on the Danube, where he remained. These truly unfortunate Turks, turned into beasts of burden in Kamysheva Bay by the French, were converted by the British into advanced fighters, so to speak, and planted on redoubts to protect the English camp and warehouses in Balaklava with their chests. It was customary to feed the Turks very meagerly, to beat them with a mortal battle for faults, not to allow communication, even Turkish officers were not allowed to sit at the table with them. And in general, if at that very time in Constantinople, Sultan Abdulmejid literally did not know where to hide from the generous patron and savior of the Ottoman state, Lord Stratford-Radcliffe, then the subjects of the Sultan, suffering in Balaklava, even less hoped to find somewhere salvation from whips and sticks of their English allies.

They were put on redoubts in front of the city of Balaklava. Each of the four redoubts had 250 Turkish men and one English gunner.

The Allied forces, mostly represented by British troops, included two cavalry brigades. The heavy cavalry brigade, under the command of Brigadier General James Scarlett, consisted of the 4th and 5th Dragoon Guards, 1st, 2nd and 6th Dragoon Regiments and was located to the south, closer to Balaklava. The northern positions, closer to the Fedyukhin mountains, were occupied by a light cavalry brigade, which included the 4th, 8th, 11th and 13th hussar regiments, and the 17th lancer regiment. The light brigade was commanded by Major General Lord Cardigan. The light cavalry, which was considered an elite branch of the military, served as representatives of the most famous aristocratic families of Great Britain. The overall command of the British cavalry was Lieutenant General Bingham, 3rd Earl of Lucan. French and Turkish units also participated in the battle, but their role was insignificant. The number of allied troops was about two thousand people.

The British Expeditionary Force was commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Raglan, the French by Marshal Conbert.
In October 1854, the commander-in-chief of the Russian troops in the Crimea, A.S. Menshikov, decided to strike the allies in the most vulnerable place for them - in the Balaklava region. On October 23, near the town of Chorgun on the Black River, the so-called Chorgun detachment was assembled under the command of Lieutenant General P.P. Liprandi, numbering about 16 thousand people and included the Kyiv and Ingrian hussars, the Ural and Don Cossacks, the Dnieper and Odessa infantry regiments and a number of others units and divisions. General Liprandi served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian troops in the Crimea, Prince Alexander Sergeevich Menshikov.

The immediate task of this detachment was to capture the Turkish redoubts on the Kadyk-Koi heights, and then, if possible, reach Balaklava and fire artillery at the allied ships that had accumulated in the port. To support the troops of Liprandi, a special detachment of Major General I.P. Zhabokritsky was appointed,

Head of the 6th Infantry Division Zhabokritsky I.P.

Numbering about 5,000 people with 14 guns. He was to advance to the right of the Vorontsovsky Highway to the Fedyukhin Heights.
The Turks sat quietly on these redoubts for several weeks, when suddenly at 6 o'clock in the morning on September 13 (25), 1854, to their indescribable horror, they saw that artillery fire was directed at them, after which all four redoubts rushed to attack cavalry,

And behind it the infantry.

From the first redoubt, the Turks did not even have time to escape in time, and about two-thirds of them were killed by the invading Russian troops, but from the second, third and fourth redoubts, the Turks fled with extreme speed, abandoning the guns that they did not have time to rivet, and leaving everything on the redoubts was. The Russian cavalry pursued and beat them during this stampede some distance beyond the redoubts. The surviving Turks were mercilessly killed and wounded by the British when they managed to reach the city.
The 3rd Don artillery battery, together with other artillery units, with their fire, contributed to the capture of the infantry regiments of four English redoubts on the Semyakin Heights. Then the 1st Ural Cossack Regiment, together with the hussar brigade, participated in an unsuccessful attack on the camp of British troops in Kadykovka.

General Liprandi occupied the heights of Kadikoy. But that was only the beginning of the matter.
Then the 1st Ural Cossack Regiment, together with the hussar brigade, participated in an unsuccessful attack on the camp of British troops in Kadykoy.

Behind the four redoubts that the Russians captured during this first attack was the second row of fortifications built by the British, starting from the village of Kadikioy, but behind the first redoubt, parallel lines of redoubts went to the spurs of Sapun Mountain.

Behind these fortifications was a brigade of light cavalry under Lord Cardigan,

And behind it was a brigade of heavy cavalry under the command of Brigadier General Scarlett.

Both were on this day under the command of Lord Lucan. The 93rd Scottish Regiment operated separately from Lord Lucan,

Tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to stop the flight of the Turks from the four advanced redoubts. This regiment was commanded by Baronet Collin Campbell.

In order to cover the too wide front of the attack of the Russian cavalry, Campbell ordered his soldiers to line up in two ranks, instead of the four ranks provided for by the charters in such cases. The words of Campbell's order and the response to them of his aide-de-camp John Scott entered British military history:

There will be no order to withdraw, boys. You must die where you stand.
Yes, Sir Colin. If necessary, we will do it.

The Times later described the Scottish regiment at this point as "a thin red streak bristling with steel." Over time, this expression turned into a stable turnover “thin red line”, denoting defense from the last forces.

Campbell managed to stop the Russian cavalrymen who were pursuing the Turks, and included some of the Turks in his detachment.

Liprandi unsuccessfully tried to overturn Campbell's Scottish regiment stationed in the Kadikoy valley.

Then the Scarlett brigade attacked the hussars and the Cossacks and threw them back to Chorgun

This went down in British history as the "Attack of the Heavy Cavalry Brigade".


Although the hussars of the 6th Light Cavalry Division crushed the units standing in front of them, more and more units of the allies were already hurrying to the rescue of the British to Balaklava and Kadikioy. The fact is that already at 8 o'clock in the morning both commanders in chief - Lord Raglan and General Canrobert - rushed to the battlefield. Of course, in this case, the main role should have belonged to Raglan, because the Russian attack was directed at the English fortifications and troops. This circumstance played a disastrous role for the British.

Already General Ryzhov, who attacked Collin Campbell, retreated, pressed by the dragoon brigade of Scarlett's heavy cavalry, who that day commanded all of Scarlett's heavy cavalry, when Scarlett, not noticing that Ryzhov deliberately strives to pass between the two redoubts taken from the Turks in the morning, lures the British into the most dangerous position. Suddenly, Russian cannons burst right and left into Scarlett's column, which had already appeared near two redoubts (the second and third). The English dragoons, having lost several dozen men killed and wounded, rushed back. It was then that a tragic event for the British took place, about which there were so many passionate disputes throughout the entire Crimean War and long after it, an event that in English historiography and journalism gave Kadikiy the name "valley of death." The most plausible testimony paints the case like this. Lord Raglan first gave orders to Lord Lucan, the commander of all cavalry, to go forward and, with the support of the infantry, take possession of the heights where the Russians were, in order to prevent them from taking away the cannons from the redoubts taken in the morning. Lucan was waiting for the infantry, but they still did not appear. Without the support of the infantry, Lucan even, according to the order, should not and could not move without exposing his brigades (both Scarlett and Cardigan) to terrible risk. But this was not the end of the matter.
The Russians, as could be seen through spyglasses from afar from the place where Lord Raglan and General Canrobert stood surrounded by retinue, began to pull the cannons from the redoubts they had taken. The battle at that moment seemed to be over for that day, no new attacks from the Russian side were expected. Lord Raglan, pointing to the Russians to Canrobert, said with visible annoyance that it was a pity to give them these trophies after all.

Exercise 1

Complete the table using textbook materials.

Task 2.

Choose the correct answer.

1. The immediate reason for the start of the war with Turkey was:

a) Serb uprising

b) Bulgarian uprising

c) violation by the Sultan of religious tradition in Jerusalem

d) violation by the Turkish army of the Russian border in Transcaucasia

2. The ally of the Ottoman Empire in the Crimean War was: a) Sweden; b) Prussia; c) Sardinia; d) Spain.

3. The battle of Sinop took place in a bay off the coast:

b) Turkey

c) Transcaucasia

d) the Balkan Peninsula

Task 3

On the outline map, mark:

a) the direction of the main attacks of Russian and Turkish troops, as well as their allies;

b) names of cities and main battlefields.

Task 4

Underline those geographical names, events and names that are associated with the Crimean War:

Nakhimov (+), Suvorov, Paskevich, Leo Tolstoy, Kornilov (+), Pirogov, Ushakov;

Sinop battle (+), Chesme battle, Kinburn Spit, siege of Sevastopol (+), Larga, Cahul, Balaklava.

Task 5*

Prepare a report about one of the organizers or participants in the defense of Sevastopol: V. A. Kornilov, P. S. Nakhimov, P. M. Koshka and others.

Petr Koshka

The future hero of the Crimean War was born on January 10, 1828 in the village of Ometintsy, Podolsk province, in the family of a serf. At 21, Peter was appointed to the recruits.

Having got to serve in the Black Sea Fleet, he very quickly won the sympathy of his comrades, acting as an excellent storyteller and joker.

The sailor acted skillfully and decisively, he did not bow to bullets, he was ready to risk himself, but he always did it wisely.

To counter the enemy, Russian troops carried out periodic counterattacks and sorties, in which volunteers participated. Among these volunteers was Peter Koshka. People like him were called "night hunters". Having reached under the cover of darkness to other people's trenches, they captured prisoners, weapons, ammunition and food.

Pyotr Koshka became the most famous "night hunter" of Sevastopol. Fully corresponding to his surname, he knew how to get close to the enemy completely silently, appearing in front of him suddenly.

In one of the solitary sorties, he reached the enemy fire and, having only a knife in his hands, captured and delivered three French officers to the Russian camp. The French were completely discouraged by such audacity.

Petr Koshka took part in 18 night attacks, but individual sorties remained his forte. Of these, he not only brought prisoners, but also brought the latest English guns and whole bags of provisions.

But the real sensation among the defenders of the city was made by the appearance of the Cat with ... boiled beef leg. Here is how it was. During one of the sorties, the sailor approached the French, who at that moment were cooking soup. There was nothing special to profit from in this place, and there were quite a lot of enemy soldiers. But then his cheerful disposition leaped up in the Cat. Suddenly, an ominous figure with a cleaver emerged from the darkness, shouting: “Hurrah! Fight!". The French soldiers, who did not make out how many people were in front of them, were blown away by the wind. And Koshka took a beef leg out of the cauldron, turned it over onto the fire and disappeared.

Another feat of Peter Koshka had nothing to do with laughter.

During the siege of Sevastopol, the French and British had a very strange habit of mocking the bodies of fallen Russian soldiers. They dug the body of the killed sapper Stepan Trofimov into the ground, standing not far from their parapet. It was, in fact, a provocation - anyone who tried to take the body of a comrade found himself in the enemy's fire zone and risked sharing his fate.

Pyotr Koshka decided on a desperate sortie. In some incredible way, he managed to get there unnoticed, dug up the body and rushed back to the Russian positions. The stunned enemy opened heavy fire on him. But the bullets intended for Koshka were taken by the body of his killed comrade.

The deceased soldier was buried with honors, and Pyotr Koshka was presented by Rear Admiral Panfilov to be awarded the Distinction of the Military Order.

After this story, Russian newspapers wrote about Petr Koshka, and, in modern terms, he became a real "star". The emperor's sons, Grand Dukes Nikolai Nikolaevich and Mikhail Nikolaevich, who arrived in Sevastopol, met him.

There are a lot of stories about Petr Koshka, and sometimes historians themselves are not completely sure which episode really took place, and which one is just a story.

One day a bomb fell under Admiral Kornilov's feet. The cat who was nearby reacted instantly, grabbing her and throwing her into a cauldron of porridge. The fuse went out, and there was no explosion. The admiral thanked the soldier, and he answered with a phrase that turned into a proverb: "A kind word is also pleasant for a cat."

In a battle in January 1855, Pyotr Koshka himself was stabbed in the chest with a bayonet, but survived and returned to duty after treatment.

In August 1855, Anglo-French troops captured Malakhov Kurgan at the cost of heavy losses. Further defense of Sevastopol became impossible. Russian troops left the city.

For soldiers and sailors who fought in Sevastopol, one month of service in the besieged city was counted as one year, and one day for twelve. For Quartermaster Koshka, this meant that he could go on indefinite leave, which is analogous to a modern-day transfer to the reserve.

At the end of 1856, Pyotr Markovich returned to his native village. The mother was no longer alive, the economy fell into decay, and the hero of Sevastopol took up its restoration. He married a widow with a little daughter, and a year later a son was born in the new family, who was named Timothy.

In August 1863, due to the uprising in Poland, it was decided to carry out a partial call-up of reserve soldiers. Among those called up was the quartermaster Pyotr Koshka. But this time he did not have a chance to participate in the battles. The legendary hero was enrolled in the honorary 8th naval crew and served in the Baltic.

He participated in the parades of the Cavaliers of St. George, visited the Winter Palace, the generals considered it an honor to get to know him. Lieutenant-General Khrulev, who fought with Cat in Sevastopol and met him at one of the parades, helped Peter Markovich to receive all the awards to which he was presented for the Crimean campaign, but which he never received due to confusion in the military department.

Koshka himself said that in St. Petersburg it was easy for him, but boring.

Having finally retired, he returned to Ometintsy. As a Knight of the Military Order, he received a very decent pension. In addition, he was accepted into the service of the forest guard as a ranger. In addition to monetary allowance, in this position he received a land plot and a small estate built at public expense for free use.

One late autumn, returning home, he saw how two girls, who had inadvertently stepped out onto the newly appeared and still very thin ice, fell through and ended up in icy water.

Without hesitation, he rushed to help and saved them. But swimming in icy water cost Peter Koshka dearly. His health was undermined, the disease followed the disease, and on February 13, 1882, Pyotr Markovich Koshka died of a fever at the age of 54.

http://www.aif.ru/society/history/vyhodyaschiy_iz_sumraka_kak_matros_petr_koshka_stal_koshmarom_okkupantov

EXAMINATION OF THE EASTERN QUESTION Eastern Question The Eastern Question is the name of a group of problems and contradictions in foreign policy associated with the weakening of Turkey, the rise of the Balkan peoples, the struggle of the great powers for the division of spheres of influence in the region. AN REASON for handing over the keys to the Temple of Bethlehem in Jerusalem to the Catholic clergy

Turkey Crimean War Nicholas I Alexander II Russia EAST no allies Abdulmecid allies: England France Sardinia

Russia and Turkey 1) contradictions between Russia and Turkey over the right of Russian military ships to pass through the Bosporus and Dardanelles 2) the struggle of European states for influence on the weakening and gripped by the national liberation movement of the Ottoman Empire Causes of the war

Undermine the international authority of Russia weaken its position in the Middle East wrest from it the territories of Poland, the Caucasus, Crimea, Finland The goals of the war participants England France strengthen their positions in the Middle East, using it as a sales market war

Forces of the sides Allies Russian Shotguns Rifled percussion, firing at steps Smooth-bore flintlock, firing at 300 steps Battle tactics Loose formation Closed formation

In 1853, he negotiated with Turkey, which ended in a break in relations and the beginning of the Crimean War. From the autumn of 1853 - commander in chief of land and sea forces in the Crimea. In February 1855, he was removed from the post of commander-in-chief "due to illness." Menshikov Alexander Sergeevich (1787-1869) Most Serene Prince, statesman and military leader.

Stages of the Crimean War Stages of the war Enemies of Russia Main events From April 1854 to February 1856 Turkey, France, England, the Kingdom of Sardinia Allied attack on Odessa Aland Islands Solovetsky Monastery Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky landing of allies in Crimea heroic defense of Sevastopol Sevastopol 2 STAGE

Naval commander, vice admiral (since 1852). Member of the Battle of Navarino in 1827, from 1849 - Chief of Staff of the Black Sea Fleet, from 1851 actually commanded the fleet. In 1854, being the chief of staff of the garrison, he led the defense of Sevastopol. Killed while driving around positions on Malakhov Kurgan. Kornilov Vladimir Alekseevich (1806–1854) (1806–1854)

Totleben Eduard Ivanovich (1818–1884) Russian general engineer (since 1869), count (since 1879). Supervised engineering work during the defense of Sevastopol in 1854–1855. In 1863–1877 actually headed the military engineering department. In the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. led the siege of Plevna.

The spirit in the troops is beyond description. In the days of ancient Greece, there was not so much heroism. I have not been able to be in business a single time, but I thank God that I have seen these people and live in this glorious time.

Lev Tolstoy

The wars of the Russian and Ottoman empires were a common occurrence in the international politics of the 18th-19th centuries. In 1853, the Russian Empire of Nicholas 1 entered another war, which went down in history as the Crimean War of 1853-1856, and ended with the defeat of Russia. In addition, this war showed the strong resistance of the leading countries of Western Europe (France and Great Britain) to the strengthening of the role of Russia in Eastern Europe, in particular in the Balkans. The lost war also showed Russia itself problems in domestic politics, which led to many problems. Despite victories at the initial stage of 1853-1854, as well as the capture of the key Turkish fortress of Kars in 1855, Russia lost the most important battles on the territory of the Crimean peninsula. This article describes the causes, course, main results and historical significance in a short story about the Crimean War of 1853-1856.

Causes of the aggravation of the Eastern question

Under the eastern question, historians understand a number of controversial issues in Russian-Turkish relations, which at any moment could lead to conflict. The main problems of the Eastern question, which became the main one for the future war, are as follows:

• The loss of the Crimea and the northern Black Sea region by the Ottoman Empire at the end of the 18th century constantly stimulated Turkey to start a war in the hope of regaining the territories. Thus began the wars of 1806-1812 and 1828-1829. However, as a result of them, Turkey lost Bessarabia and part of the territory in the Caucasus, which further strengthened the desire for revenge.
• Belonging to the Bosphorus and Dardanelles. Russia demanded that these straits be opened for the Black Sea Fleet, while the Ottoman Empire (under pressure from the countries of Western Europe) ignored these demands of Russia.
• The presence in the Balkans, as part of the Ottoman Empire, Slavic Christian peoples who fought for their independence. Russia supported them, thereby causing a wave of indignation among the Turks about Russia's interference in the internal affairs of another state.

An additional factor that intensified the conflict was the desire of the countries of Western Europe (Britain, France, and Austria) not to let Russia into the Balkans, as well as close its access to the straits. For the sake of this, the countries were ready to support Turkey in a potential war with Russia.

The reason for the war and its beginning

These troubled moments brewed throughout the late 1840s and early 1850s. In 1853, the Turkish Sultan transferred the Bethlehem Temple of Jerusalem (then the territory of the Ottoman Empire) to the control of the Catholic Church. This caused a wave of indignation of the highest Orthodox hierarchy. Nicholas 1 decided to take advantage of this, using the religious conflict as a pretext for attacking Turkey. Russia demanded that the temple be handed over to the Orthodox Church, and at the same time also open the straits for the Black Sea Fleet. Turkey refused. In June 1853, Russian troops crossed the border of the Ottoman Empire and entered the territory of the Danubian principalities dependent on it.

Nicholas 1 hoped that France was too weak after the revolution of 1848, and that Britain could be appeased by transferring Cyprus and Egypt to it in the future. However, the plan did not work, European countries called the Ottoman Empire to action, promising her financial and military assistance. In October 1853, Turkey declared war on Russia. Thus began, to put it briefly, the Crimean War of 1853-1856. In the history of Western Europe, this war is called Eastern.

The course of the war and the main stages

The Crimean War can be divided into 2 stages according to the number of participants in the events of those years. Here are the steps:

1. October 1853 - April 1854. During these six months the war was between the Ottoman Empire and Russia (without the direct intervention of other states). There were three fronts: Crimean (Black Sea), Danube and Caucasian.
2. April 1854 - February 1856. British and French troops enter the war, which expands the theater of operations, as well as a turning point in the course of the war. The allied troops were superior to the Russian ones from the technical side, which was the reason for the changes in the course of the war.

As for specific battles, the following key battles can be distinguished: for Sinop, for Odessa, for the Danube, for the Caucasus, for Sevastopol. There were other battles, but those listed above are the main ones. Let's consider them in more detail.

Battle of Sinop (November 1853)

The battle took place in the harbor of the city of Sinop in the Crimea. The Russian fleet under the command of Nakhimov completely defeated the Turkish fleet of Osman Pasha. This is a battle was perhaps the last major world battle on sailing ships. This victory significantly raised the morale of the Russian army and gave hope for an early victory in the war.

Map of the Sinopo naval battle November 18, 1853

Bombing of Odessa (April 1854)

In early April 1854, the Ottoman Empire launched a squadron of the Franco-British fleet through its straits, which swiftly headed for Russian port and shipbuilding cities: Odessa, Ochakov and Nikolaev.

On April 10, 1854, the bombardment of Odessa, the main southern port of the Russian Empire, began. After a rapid and intense bombardment, it was planned to land troops in the northern Black Sea region, which would force the withdrawal of troops from the Danubian principalities, as well as weaken the defense of the Crimea. However, the city withstood several days of shelling. Moreover, the defenders of Odessa were able to deliver accurate strikes against the Allied fleet. The plan of the Anglo-French troops failed. The allies were forced to retreat towards the Crimea and begin battles for the peninsula.

Fights on the Danube (1853-1856)

It was with the entry of Russian troops into this region that the Crimean War of 1853-1856 began. After the success in the Battle of Sinop, another success awaited Russia: the troops completely crossed to the right bank of the Danube, an attack was opened on Silistria and further on Bucharest. However, the entry into the war of England and France complicated the offensive of Russia. On June 9, 1854, the siege of Silistria was lifted and the Russian troops returned to the left bank of the Danube. By the way, on this front, Austria also entered the war against Russia, which was worried about the rapid advance of the Romanov Empire into Wallachia and Moldavia.

In July 1854, near the city of Varna (modern Bulgaria), a huge landing of the British and French armies landed (according to various sources, from 30 to 50 thousand). The troops were supposed to enter the territory of Bessarabia, ousting Russia from this region. However, a cholera epidemic broke out in the French army, and the British public demanded that the leadership of the army first strike at the Black Sea fleet in the Crimea.

Fights in the Caucasus (1853-1856)

An important battle took place in July 1854 near the village of Kyuruk-Dara (Western Armenia). The combined Turkish-British forces were defeated. At this stage, the Crimean War was still successful for Russia.

Another important battle in this region took place in June-November 1855. The Russian troops decided to attack the eastern part of the Ottoman Empire, the fortress of Karsu, so that the allies would send part of the troops to this region, thereby slightly weakening the siege of Sevastopol. Russia won the battle of Kars, but this happened after the news of the fall of Sevastopol, so this battle had little effect on the outcome of the war. Moreover, according to the results of the "peace" signed later, the fortress of Kars returned to the Ottoman Empire. However, as the peace talks showed, the capture of Kars still played a role. But more on that later.

Defense of Sevastopol (1854-1855)

The most heroic and tragic event of the Crimean War is, of course, the battle for Sevastopol. In September 1855, Franco-British troops captured the last point of the city's defense - Malakhov Kurgan. The city survived 11 months of siege, however, as a result, it was surrendered to the allied forces (among which the Sardinian kingdom appeared). This defeat became a key one and served as an impetus for the end of the war. From the end of 1855, intensified negotiations began, in which Russia had practically no strong arguments. It was clear that the war was lost.

Other battles in the Crimea (1854-1856)

In addition to the siege of Sevastopol on the territory of Crimea in 1854-1855, several more battles took place, which were aimed at "unblocking" Sevastopol:

1. Battle of the Alma (September 1854).
2. Battle of Balaklava (October 1854).
3. Battle of Inkerman (November 1854).
4. An attempt to liberate Evpatoria (February 1855).
5. Battle on the Chernaya River (August 1855).

All these battles ended in unsuccessful attempts to lift the siege of Sevastopol.

"Distant" battles

The main fighting of the war took place near the Crimean peninsula, which gave the name to the war. There were also battles in the Caucasus, on the territory of modern Moldova, as well as in the Balkans. However, not many people know that battles between rivals also took place in remote regions of the Russian Empire. Here are some examples:

1. Peter and Paul Defense. The battle that took place on the territory of the Kamchatka Peninsula between the combined Franco-British troops on the one hand and Russian on the other. The battle took place in August 1854. This battle was the result of the victory of Britain over China during the Opium Wars. As a result, Britain wanted to increase its influence in the east of Asia, ousting Russia from here. In total, the Allied troops made two assaults, both ended in failure for them. Russia withstood the Peter and Paul defense.
2. Arctic Company. The operation of the British fleet to attempt to blockade or capture Arkhangelsk, carried out in 1854-1855. The main battles took place in the Barents Sea. The British also undertook the bombardment of the Solovetsky fortress, as well as the robbery of Russian merchant ships in the White and Barents Seas.

Results and historical significance of the war

In February 1855, Nicholas 1 died. The task of the new emperor, Alexander 2, was to end the war, and with minimal damage to Russia. In February 1856, the Paris Congress began its work. Russia was represented by Alexei Orlov and Philip Brunnov. Since neither side saw the point in continuing the war, already on March 6, 1856, the Paris Peace Treaty was signed, as a result of which the Crimean War was completed.

The main terms of the Treaty of Paris 6 were as follows:

1. Russia returned the Karsu fortress to Turkey in exchange for Sevastopol and other captured cities of the Crimean peninsula.
2. Russia was forbidden to have a Black Sea fleet. The Black Sea was declared neutral.
3. The Bosporus and Dardanelles were declared closed to the Russian Empire.
4. Part of Russian Bessarabia was transferred to the Moldavian Principality, the Danube ceased to be a border river, so navigation was declared free.
5. On the Allada Islands (an archipelago in the Baltic Sea), Russia was forbidden to build military and (or) defensive fortifications.

As for losses, the number of Russian citizens who died in the war is 47.5 thousand people. Britain lost 2.8 thousand, France - 10.2, the Ottoman Empire - more than 10 thousand. The Sardinian kingdom lost 12 thousand soldiers. Austrian casualties are unknown, possibly because Austria was not officially at war with Russia.

In general, the war showed the backwardness of Russia, compared with the states of Europe, especially in terms of the economy (the completion of the industrial revolution, the construction of railways, the use of steamships). After this defeat, the reforms of Alexander 2 began. In addition, a desire for revenge was brewing in Russia for a long time, which resulted in another war with Turkey in 1877-1878. But this is a completely different story, and the Crimean War of 1853-1856 was completed and Russia was defeated in it.