ALMA, BATTLE

The first of three field battles after the Allied landing north of Sevastopol in the Crimean War. The British, French and Turkish forces defeated the Russians, but did not follow up the victory with an immediate pursuit or attack on the city.

The Russian commander, Prince A. S. Menshikov had about 35,000 troops entrenched on the ridges south of and above the Alma River, which crossed the Allied line of march from their landing sites at Evpatoria, 30 miles from Sevastopol on 14 Sept. The British army was 26,000 men under Lord Raglan. The French had 37,000 under Marshal St. Arnaud. The Turks numbered 7,000. Allied losses 2,000 British and 1,000 French Russians 6,000. We will now have the entire description written by George Kinglake shortly after the battle, chapter One, of vol III Kinglake and a section with many maps of the battle.
Battlefield Tour
Pavel Lyashuk, the curator of the Malakov Kurgan museum in Sevastopol is an expert on this battle. He guided us for several hours of driving and walking all over the battlefield pointing out the significant locations of the Russian and Allied units.
The British, French and Turkish units marched south from Evpatoria in parallel columns with the French and Turkish forces on the right, nearer to the sea coast. When they crossed the last ridge the British could first see the long ridge south of the Alma River. The Russians occupied the crest and forward slope from the Kourgane Hills on the British left front to the line of bluffs toward the right, but did not occupy the mile or so of the steepest part nearest the sea. The first set of photos, below, was taken from the general area in which the British deployed into line. Then we took photos at the approximate position occupied by Prince Napoleon, between the French and British formations. Marshal St. Armand was located 1-200 yards to the right. One can see the bluff in front of the French troops and also the semi-detached hill across the Alma River and within the Russian lines to which Lord Raglan rode on. One photo shows the Russian positions held by militia and the Taroutine Regiment, immediately to the right. There are sequential photos showing sections of the hills toward the southwest.
Meanwhile the Russians could observe the Allies deploying. We walked all over the Russian lines and took photos are from key locations in the Russian positions. On the Russian right the photos show the view the Suzdal Regiment had of the advancing Highland Brigade and also the view the Highlanders had as they approached. The photo looking west shows that from within this dip visibility of the redoubt in the Russian center is obscured. We also took photos from inside the redoubt and from the location of the Borodino Regiment which stood on the ridge just west of the north-south road before it climbed into the pass. Photos taken from the small hill on which Lord Raglan stood show its significance. From there he could see the entire Russian line to his left as far as the left flank British units, the Highland Brigade. Finally, we drove around to the seacoast and stood on the edge of the bluff overlooking the mouth of the Alma River. The photos show that this ridge is not as steep as some descriptions lead one to believe. A photo shows the draw up which the French and Turkish troops climbed. While there we found that this bluff is also the location of a Scythian city and necropolis. Several photos of the active archeological dig are presented in the section on Scythia.

These maps are reproduced from the multivolume work of George Kinglake or from Beskrovni's Atlas of Russian military history. This map shows the general positions of both sides at the opening of the battle as the British and French units begin to deploy. The Russian redoubt is shown with a star. I have indicated the locations from which most of the following photographs were taken.

Photo number

Description

View from junction of British and French troops toward Russian positions, river is right under the hill line.

View to the redoubt from directly across the Alma, it is right behind the bushes.

The view almost due west along the Alma river stream bed, toward the sea, which is just behind the bluff to the right of the large tree. The British crossed this section of the Alma.

View from road in center to east toward redoubt

View from St Armand location, SE, toward hill on which Lord Raglan stood

View from same location looking more due south

View from same looking more west

View from same looking still further west

View from initial British deployment on road to south as they crossed the final ridge and could see Kourgane Hill.

View from road junction looking south

View to right of #14

View across village looking to right of #15

View from Russian side looking west

Closeup of memorial oblisk in redoubt

View south from road

View from obelisk inside redoubt, monument to Fusiliers is on right side at forward edge of redoubt.

Close up of memorial to Royal Welsh Fuisliers

Close up of memorial

View north east from location of Borodino Regt

View from right front corner inside redoubt toward river

View from the back side of the redoubt toward river and British line

View from St Armand location, like #1

View left of 31, toward redoubt

View from redoubt back to SE toward hill

View from in front of location of Suzdal Regt on Russian right

View more to east from #34

View toward Kourgine hill - right on #34

View toward British approaching highlanders from same location #34

View west from field where Suzdal Regt and Highlanders met toward redoubt over ridge

View from Lord Raglan's position to NE

View from Lord Raglan's position east toward redoubt

View from Lord Raglan's position SE into pass

View from Lord Raglan's position NE back into village

View from Lord Raglan's position back into allied lines

View from Lord Raglan's position east to redoubt

View from location of Borodino Regt to north

View from Borodino Regt, NE, right of #86

View from Borodino Regiment, right of #87, NE

View from bluff at seacoast looking north

View along bluff toward east

View from bluff looking down to river

View toward west

View toward west from road in center

Closeup of monument

These photos were made during visits in 1992 and 1997. In some cases the photos have been digitally edited to remove modern factory or other buildings that detract from the scene as it was in 1854. To obtain prints or high quality digital versions please write to us at Xenophon or leave a note at our guestbook. Please also contact us for information about future trips to Sevastopol and Crimea. To return to the Xenophon main page please click here.