Battle of Inkerman
Inkerman, Taurida Governorate, Russia
What happened
Lord Raglan's British army and General Pierre Bosquet's French troops fought a Russian army under Prince Alexander Menshikov, with Generals Soimonov and Pavlov. During the Crimean War, British and French armies had landed near the Russian naval base of Sevastopol and were digging siege lines around it. Menshikov's Russian army attacked across the Tchernaya River, where the British lines were thinly held. Thick fog hid the armies from each other, so small groups of soldiers fought on their own, and French reinforcements, including Bosquet's Zouaves, finally turned back the Russians.
Why it matters
Result: Anglo-French victory. Leaders: FitzRoy Somerset / François Canrobert against Alexander Menshikov. Why it matters: The allied victory ended Russian hopes of beating the allies in open battle, and the siege of Sevastopol went on.
What came next
The siege of Sevastopol lasted until September 1855, when the Malakoff fell and the Russians left the southern part of the city.
Did you know?
Because the fog left soldiers fighting in small groups without orders from their generals, Inkerman became known as 'the Soldier's Battle'.
Timeline
- 25 October 1854The Battle of Balaclava is fought.
- 5 November 1854The allies defeat the Russian attack at Inkerman.
- September 1855Sevastopol falls to the allies.