It’s always a pleasure to congregate at John’s house for a battle, and this was a particular treat. John has been working furiously to extend his already impressive Crimean War collection, adding French and Turkish allies to the Thin Red Line. We arrived to find the table set up with a substantial Russian force of infantry, cavalry and artillery, surprising a vastly outnumbered Turkish and French screening force, and the British reinforcements well back along the opposite long table edge. After agreeing who would take command of which brigades, John outlined the scenario.
The Russians, under the unusually bold General Astikov, had pushed forward a force to capture a vital signalling station in the centre of the battlefield, and currently defended by a mix of French and Turkish forces. Gallopers had been sent for help, and a large British column was marching up to relieve them. Could the Russians drive past the French and Turkish blocking troops and capture the signalling station and hold it from the British? Would the famously fussy Raglan instill the necessary urgency in his troops? Would he remember the French were allies this time? Only generalship and the fortunes of war could answer.
The Russian Infantry attack columns wasted no time and with vigour and with Vodka-fuelled courage bravely charged the artillery positions hastily set up by the French enemies as first line of defence. With the Artillery position swiftly dispatched, the supporting French Line infantry were a tougher nut to crack, but eventually buckled under the fury of Mother Russia’s sons. With the first hill secured and in their hands, these columns marched on to take the Signal tower.
Situated ahead of the British lines stood the sacrificial lambs of the Ottoman army. Within sight of a thunderous stampede of Russian horses bearing down on them, the plucky Turkish infantry held their nerve and formed square in an effort to disrupt and impede the enemies charge towards the intended prize.
With clattering hooves, swirling sabres and Cyrillic insults bombarding them from all sides, the surrounded Nizam infantry succeeded in stinging, pecking and generally annoying their foes to distraction, and succeeded in holding up the Russian right flank. Their cavalry even managed to charge and destroy a battery of Russian guns!
From over the hills and far away the sound of the pipes and drums could be heard. The Highland brigade advanced over the hill with batteries from the Royal Artillery and Royal Horse Artillery.
The Royal Artillery pushed forward quickly to set up a firing line at the top of the hill near the signal tower. After laying down some heavy fire, a Russian battalion managed to slip through the cannon smoke and charge the Royal Horse Artillery battery in the center, forcing the battery to abandon the position and fall back to the rear. By this time the Highlanders had made it up to support the gun position. The Highlanders arranged into their famous thin red line and with supporting fire from the Royal Artillery blew the Russian battalion away.
The Royal Artillery kept laying down fire to support their Turkish allies on their left flank and the British advanced to their right. In the maelstrom of fire, smoke and fighting another Russian battalion made a rush for the signal tower on the hill. But either confused by the chaos around them or blinded by their allegiance to the Czar, the officer leading the battalion led his men into a trap. As the Russians advanced on the Highlanders in the center, the British guns on the flanks wheeled round to encircle the enemy battalion. The British then unleashed absolute hellfire on the unsuspecting Russians, completely annihilating them down to a single man.
Twice the brave Russians soldiers managed to reach the Signalling Station objective, but despite their defiance succumbed to the hail of fire from the incoming Highlanders and their guns. The exemplary conduct of these brave men will always remain as a testament of Russian determination and heroism, but in vain – the British Highlanders and Gunners held the hill, winning the day.
As is the custom, the opposing generals were invited by John to present their dispatches to the assembled company. Omer Pasha could be proud of his brave Turkish troops and the French infantry had shown a measure of backbone. Raglan’s Highlanders, always doughty in defence, had shown plenty of initiative in advancing to retake the signal tower. General Astikov’s gamble had been exposed as folly however, and would have to use all his power of persuasion to evade the firing squad!
Note: While the scenario wasn’t one of the many in the excellent Into the Valley of Death, the book was certainly an inspiration for the battle. You can purchase it here along with a free exclusive miniature.
