Battle of Inkerman

While often seen as a wasted sacrifice, modern historians believe the charge unnerved the Russian cavalry and contributed to their flight.

The shortage of troops prevented the Allies from following up on their victory, which led to the bloody Battle of Inkerman in November.

In that engagement, the Russians attempted to lift the siege with another attack, but were once again defeated by the Allied forces.

Winter of 1854, 1855.

For this daring act, Captain Bell received the Victoria Cross.

End of Chapter 2 chapter three of stories of the victoria cross by frank mundell this librivox recording is in the public domain heroes of inkerman during the darkness and gloom of a misty november morning about sixty thousand russians climbed the hill on the top of which was encamped the british army of eight thousand men our soldiers were scattered about the hill in small parties little dreaming of the near presence of the enemy but they were soon awakened to the stern reality and had to fight against overwhelming odds not merely for victory but for very life the battle of inkerman has been described as the bloodiest struggle ever witnessed since war cursed the earth it is said to have been a series of dreadful deeds of daring of sanguinary hand-to-hand fights of despairing rallies of desperate assaults in glens and valleys in brushwood glades and remote dells hidden from all human eyes and from which the conquerors russian or british issued only to engage fresh foes till our old supremacy so rudely assailed was triumphantly asserted and the battalions of the tsar gave way before our steady courage some of the most brilliant feats of arms were displayed at the sandbag battery which had been occupied by the russians and from which they sent a deadly fire on the british troops some of the grenadier guards were impatient to seize the battery and one of them cried if an officer will lead us we will charge captain sir charles russell heard him and waving his revolver shouted out come on my lads who will follow me several men at once sprang forward and their brave example stimulated others to join in the charge russell rushed out and encountered a russian at whom he levelled his revolver but it missed fire he pulled again and his opponent fell just then he felt a hand laid on his arm and looking round he saw one of his men who said you were near done for russell answered oh no he was some way from me to this the grenadier replied his bayonet was all but into you when i clouted him over the head it seems that one of the russians had managed to get behind the captain and was in the very act of running him through when the soldier struck him down and thereby saved his officer's life russell then asked the man what was his name and on being told anthony palmer he promised well if i live through this you shall not be forgotten in the desperate struggle which followed the russians surrounded the little band in almost overwhelming numbers and russell had more than one narrow escape in a hand-to-hand struggle with one of the enemy he though by no means a powerful man succeeded in tearing his rifle from him this trophy of his prowess sir charles carried out of the action palmer also distinguished himself by the part he took in defending the colours from falling into the hands of the enemy at length falla triumphed and the russians were beaten sir charles russell and palmer both received the victoria cross and palmer was publicly made a corporal on parade next morning we have already seen how a soldier will risk his life in defence of his country's flag now we will give an example of the gallant manner in which he protects his guns from falling into the enemy's hands during the battle of inkerman three guns under lieutenant miller were put in position on some high ground overlooking the scene of conflict scarcely had they been loaded when a small body of british soldiers were pressed back on them by a large force of russian infantry as the guns could not be removed in time lieutenant miller asked the officer in command of the soldiers to help him to defend them he however thought that it would only be a useless waste of life to face the advancing host of russians and continued the retreat miller ordered his men to fire but only one round could be discharged when the enemy were upon them they came on uttering strange joyous cries left without any support miller in despair bade his gunners draw swords and charge he himself under a shower of bullets rode straight for the russians evidently bewildered by this sudden and bold attack they paused for a moment then there followed a short sharp struggle miller and his handful of gunners laid about them furiously with swords and rammers and it is said that one of the men who was a mighty boxer scorned to make use of any other weapons than those which nature had bestowed on him and felled man after man with his fist such an unequal combat could not last and in the end the enemy obtained possession of the guns which however they did not hold for long lieutenant miller came out of the encounter without a scratch and received the victoria cross for his spirited conduct some time after this a gun in charge of sergeant-major henry was suddenly surrounded by the enemy he called upon his men to defend their gun and he and another gunner named taylor drew their swords and prepared to resist the enemy attacked them but henry's courage never forsook him he snatched a rifle out of the grasp of one of his antagonists and defended himself with great skill against several others just then taylor was slain and many of the gunners fell surrounded on all sides henry received a bayonet wound in the chest and was almost at the same time stabbed in the back he sank to the ground apparently lifeless but the russians as was their wont still continued to strike at him before he was rescued he received twelve wounds yet he lived to wear the reward of his valour an exploit of wonderful daring and brilliancy secured for lieutenant clifford the honour of the victoria cross observing that the russians had sent a strong force to take one of our regiments in the rear he determined to avert the threatened disaster knowing that there was no time to spare he took upon himself the responsibility of leading the attack calling out to those who could hear him come and charge with me he galloped off and dashed into the midst of the hostile ranks alone for his men not being mounted were some distance behind the russians were as usual bewildered evidently thinking that this single horseman was but the first of a troop of cavalry when they saw that it was not so they began to make a show of resistance but it was of no use clifford and his men were invincible with the strength of a young hercules he thrust and cut and parried and in the midst of it all even found time to save the life of one of his men At length the enemy lost heart altogether, laid down their arms, and gave themselves up as prisoners to a mere handful of men whom they could have with ease annihilated.

End of chapter 3 chapter four of stories of the victoria cross by frank mundell this librivox recording is in the public domain the noble the most brilliant episode in the crimean war was the famous charge of the light brigade at balaclava the magnificence of the feat the desperate gallantry the hopeless miracle of devotion all this is an heirloom which the british army and indeed every british citizen must continue to rate high owing to a misunderstanding of the instructions which he had received lord cardigan ordered the light brigade numbering over six hundred mounted men to charge the russian guns posted at the end of a valley about a mile away and supported by the whole army to obey the order seemed to be certain death as few of that gallant brigade could expect to return yet they advanced as calmly as if on parade for a short distance they proceeded at a trot and then the russian batteries opened fire the trot broke into a gallop and as they neared the enemy the fierce desire of the troopers could no longer be kept in check and they charged at racing speed stormed at by shot and shell while horse and hero fell a more fearful spectacle was never witnessed than that of these heroes rushing into the arms of death the russians fired with great rapidity and deadly accuracy but the horsemen did not halt or even check their speed for an instant they closed up the gaps in their ranks and pressed on with a halo of flashing steel above their heads and with a cheer which was many a noble fellow's death-cry they flew into the smoke of the batteries and went crashing through the enemy's lines then the voice of one of the officers was heard clearly above the din of battle shouting

now my brave

End of Chapter 2 Chapter 3 of Stories of the Victoria Cross by Frank Mundell This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.

Heroes of Inkerman during the darkness and gloom of a misty november morning about sixty thousand russians climbed the hill on the top of which was encamped the british army of eight thousand men our soldiers were scattered about the hill in small parties little dreaming of the near presence of the enemy but they were soon awakened to the stern reality and had to fight against overwhelming odds not merely for victory but for very life the battle of inkerman has been described as the bloodiest struggle ever witnessed since war cursed the earth it is said to have been a series of dreadful deeds of daring of sanguinary hand-to-hand fights of despairing rallies of desperate assaults in glens and valleys in brushwood glades and remote dells hidden from all human eyes and from which the conquerors russian or british issued only to engage fresh foes till our old supremacy so rudely assailed was triumphantly asserted and the battalions of the tsar gave way before our steady courage some of the most brilliant feats of arms were displayed at the sandbag battery which had been occupied by the russians and from which they sent a deadly fire on the british troops some of the grenadier guards were impatient to seize the battery and one of them cried if an officer will lead us we will charge captain sir charles russell heard him and waving his revolver shouted out come on my lads who will follow me several men at once sprang forward and their brave example stimulated others to join in the charge russell rushed out and encountered a russian at whom he levelled his revolver but it missed fire he pulled again and his opponent fell just then he felt a hand laid on his arm and looking round he saw one of his men who said you were near done for russell answered oh no he was some way from me to this the grenadier replied his bayonet was all but into you when i clouted him over the head it seems that one of the russians had managed to get behind the captain and was in the very act of running him through when the soldier struck him down and thereby saved his officer's life russell then asked the man what was his name and on being told anthony palmer he promised well if i live through this you shall not be forgotten in the desperate struggle which followed the russians surrounded the little band in almost overwhelming numbers and russell had more than one narrow escape in a hand-to-hand struggle with one of the enemy he though by no means a powerful man succeeded in tearing his rifle from him this trophy of his prowess sir charles carried out of the action palmer also distinguished himself by the part he took in defending the colours from falling into the hands of the enemy at length falla triumphed and the russians were beaten sir charles russell and palmer both received the victoria cross and palmer was publicly made a corporal on parade next morning we have already seen how a soldier will risk his life in defence of his country's flag now we will give an example of the gallant manner in which he protects his guns from falling into the enemy's hands during the battle of inkerman three guns under lieutenant miller were put in position on some high ground overlooking the scene of conflict scarcely had they been loaded when a small body of british soldiers were pressed back on them by a large force of russian infantry as the guns could not be removed in time lieutenant miller asked the officer in command of the soldiers to help him to defend them he however thought that it would only be a useless waste of life to face the advancing host of russians and continued the retreat miller ordered his men to fire but only one round could be discharged when the enemy were upon them they came on uttering strange joyous cries left without any support miller in despair bade his gunners draw swords and charge he himself under a shower of bullets rode straight for the russians evidently bewildered by this sudden and bold attack they paused for a moment then there followed a short sharp struggle miller and his handful of gunners laid about them furiously with swords and rammers and it is said that one of the men who was a mighty boxer scorned to make use of any other weapons than those which nature had bestowed on him and felled man after man with his fist such an unequal combat could not last and in the end the enemy obtained possession of the guns which however they did not hold for long lieutenant miller came out of the encounter without a scratch and received the victoria cross for his spirited conduct some time after this a gun in charge of sergeant major henry was suddenly surrounded by the enemy he called upon his men to defend their gun and he and another gunner named taylor drew their swords and prepared to resist the enemy attacked them but henry's courage never forsook him he snatched a rifle out of the grasp of one of his antagonists and defended himself with great skill against several others just then taylor was slain and many of the gunners fell surrounded on all sides henry received a bayonet wound in the chest and was almost at the same time stabbed in the back he sank to the ground apparently lifeless but the russians as was their wont still continued to strike at him before he was rescued he received twelve wounds yet he lived to wear the reward of his valour an exploit of wonderful daring and brilliancy secured for lieutenant clifford the honour of the victoria cross observing that the russians had sent a strong force to take one of our regiments in the rear he determined to avert the threatened disaster knowing that there was no time to spare he took upon himself the responsibility of leading the attack calling out to those who could hear him come and charge with me he galloped off and dashed into the midst of the hostile ranks alone for his men not being mounted were some distance behind the russians were as usual bewildered evidently thinking that this single horseman was but the first of a troop of cavalry when they saw that it was not so they began to make a show of resistance but it was of no use clifford and his men were invincible with the strength of a young hercules he thrust and cut and parried and in the midst of it all even found time to save the life of one of his men At length the enemy lost heart altogether, laid down their arms, and gave themselves up as prisoners to a mere handful of men, whom they could have with ease annihilated.

chapter four of stories of the victoria cross by frank mundell this librivox recording is in the public domain the noble six hundred the most brilliant episode in the crimean war was the famous charge of the light brigade at balaclava the magnificence of the feat the desperate gallantry the hopeless miracle of devotion all this is an heirloom which the british army and indeed every british citizen must continue to rate high owing to a misunderstanding of the instructions which he had received lord cardigan ordered the light brigade numbering over six hundred mounted men to charge the russian guns posted at the end of a valley about a mile away and supported by the whole army to obey the order seemed to be certain death as few of that gallant brigade could expect to return yet they advanced as calmly as if on parade for a short distance they proceeded at a trot and then the russian batteries opened fire the trot broke into a gallop and as they neared the enemy the fierce desire of the troopers could no longer be kept in check and they charged at racing speed stormed at by shot and shell while horse and hero fell a more fearful spectacle was never witnessed than that of these heroes rushing into the arms of death the russians fired with great rapidity and deadly accuracy but the horsemen did not halt or even check their speed for an instant they closed up the gaps in their ranks and pressed on with a halo of flashing steel above their heads and with a cheer which was many a noble fellow's death-cry they flew into the smoke of the batteries and went crashing through the enemy's lines then the voice of one of the officers was heard clearly above the din of battle shouting

now my brave