A Harbor and Defensive Line behind the Besieging Army
In autumn 1854, British and French forces besieged Sevastopol, while Balaklava served as the British army's port for seaborne supplies. Roads, ridges, and valleys between the port and siege positions formed a rear area the Allies had to secure. Russian forces approaching from the Chernaya River could threaten the connection.
The British established temporary redoubts on low ridges before the harbor, garrisoned by Ottoman troops with British-supplied guns and a few artillerymen. Colin Campbell commanded local defenses, including the 93rd Highlanders, detachments of men in poor health, artillery, and Royal Marines landed from the fleet. Cavalry camped on the plain. Defense involved army, navy, and allied contingents, but there were too few men to occupy the entire outer line densely.
Russian Troops Break through the Forward Redoubts
Early on October 25, Russian infantry, cavalry, and artillery advanced, first attacking works near Kamara village. Allied redoubts fell in succession, and the Russians captured seven guns, some already disabled by the defenders' artillerymen. British commander Lord Raglan called down the 1st and 4th Divisions from before Sevastopol, while French commander Canrobert also sent reinforcements.
British dispatches differed on the Ottoman defenders' conduct. Raglan described little resistance in the first works, while Campbell, directly responsible for harbor defense, reported that No. 1 Redoubt held until further resistance was impossible and suffered heavily during withdrawal. Abandonment and flight from the other redoubts did disrupt the line, but should not erase resistance at No. 1. Some retreating Ottoman soldiers subsequently reformed on the 93rd's flanks.
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Infantry Fire and a Heavy Cavalry Counterattack
Russian cavalry then advanced toward the harbor. Campbell brought the 93rd to the ridge's forward edge, using rifle volleys to turn the approaching cavalry. When the Russians attempted to move around its right, the grenadier company wheeled and fired, checking them again. William Howard Russell's battlefield account portrayed this infantry defense as a striking red line.
Another, larger Russian cavalry force turned toward the British heavy cavalry. Scarlett led the Scots Greys and Inniskilling Dragoons in the first charge, with following units joining from front and flank to drive the Russians back. This counterattack was distinct from the later Charge of the Light Brigade. The Allies had already mounted successful defense and counterattack that morning, rather than suffering complete defeat from the outset.
Orders Concerning Guns and the Light Brigade's Charge
Raglan wanted the cavalry to exploit the opportunity to regain the heights and subsequently ordered a rapid advance to prevent the Russians removing captured guns. Captain Nolan delivered the written order to cavalry commander Lucan, who then ordered Cardigan to lead the Light Brigade forward. The light cavalry charged toward distant Russian batteries through a valley exposed to artillery fire from the front and both flanks.
The British cavalry briefly reached the guns and fought Russian cavalry behind them, but withdrew under combined artillery, infantry, and cavalry attacks, suffering severe losses in men and horses. French Chasseurs d'Afrique attacked another Russian battery on the left, temporarily suppressing its fire and assisting the British. The courage displayed did not produce lasting possession of the gun position.
The Harbor Is Retained but the Outer Line Contracts
The battle did not give Russia Balaklava or end the Allied siege of Sevastopol. Later that day the sides remained facing one another. Most British troops brought down returned to their previous stations, while some Highland infantry and French reinforcements stayed near the port. The captured guns gave Russia tangible trophies of victory.
A more immediate consequence was reorganization of the defenses. Raglan and Canrobert judged the extensive outer line formerly held by Ottoman troops impossible to secure with available forces. They abandoned the lower ridges, concentrated troops before the narrow valley leading to Balaklava and on steep heights to its right, and prepared to add sailors. The harbor continued serving the Allies, but the defended perimeter shortened, with corresponding adjustments to naval-army cooperation and garrison deployment.
Dispatches Prompt a Dispute over Command Responsibility
Raglan attributed the light cavalry attack to Lucan's misunderstanding of his instructions, saying Lucan believed he had to attack at any cost. In the House of Lords debate of March 19, 1855, Lucan defended himself: from the valley he could not see the enemy and guns visible to the commander on higher ground. He understood the last order as a separate, urgent instruction and claimed Nolan had pointed toward the distant target.
Their dispute concerned terrain, visibility, transmission of orders, and whether subordinates should independently interpret a commander's intention. Recalled from the Crimea, Lucan requested a court-martial to defend himself, but military authorities did not allow that route; correspondence and orders instead entered parliamentary debate. The proceedings preserve participants' public claims, not a single finding of responsibility adjudicated by a military court. The battle thus also became an occasion for British public scrutiny of military command and accountability.