The Battle of the Alma was the first engagement of the Crimean War, opening the allied advance on Sevastopol after a surprise landing in Crimea.
Key Facts
- Date
- 20 September 1854
- French casualties
- ~1,600
- British casualties
- ~2,000
- Ottoman casualties
- 503
- Russian casualties
- ~5,000
- Distance to Sevastopol
- 45 km (28 miles)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Allied French, British, and Ottoman forces made a surprise landing in Crimea on 14 September 1854 and marched toward the strategically vital port of Sevastopol. Russian commander Prince Menshikov positioned his available troops on the Alma Heights, the last natural defensive line south of the Alma River, to block the allied advance before it could reach the city.
On 20 September 1854, allied forces under Maréchal Saint-Arnaud and Lord Raglan launched a series of disjointed attacks on the Russian position. The French scaled cliffs the Russians had deemed unassailable to turn their left flank, while British infantry eventually used superior rifle fire to break the Russian right. With both flanks compromised, the Russian position collapsed and their forces withdrew in disorder.
The Russian retreat opened the road to Sevastopol to the allied army. Limited pursuit occurred due to a lack of cavalry, allowing Russian forces to regroup. The battle demonstrated the superiority of allied rifle fire over Russian muskets and set the stage for the prolonged siege of Sevastopol that would define the remainder of the Crimean War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
3 belligerents
Maréchal Jacques Leroy de Saint-Arnaud, Lord Raglan.
Side B
1 belligerent
Prince Alexander Sergeyevich Menshikov.