Battle of Balaclava

British soldiers of the 93rd Highlander Regiment were the first res-ponders to the Russian attacks on the British and Ottoman redoubts. The leading attack elements of the Russian force was Russian Cossack's, Ulhans, the Dnieper Regiment, followed by the Russian Artillery.

The 93rd was the first to meet the oncoming Russians and they were able to hold their ground, but with high cost, they became known after the battle as "The Thin Red Line." The next available British troops was their Cavalry. The Cavalry commander decided it would be best to use the Heavy Brigade of Cavalry to make a show of force and discourage the Russians from making any further assaults. But alas it did not work and the Heavy Brigade was forced to retire from the field.

With that the Russians attacked redoubt No.1 wihich was occupied by Ottomans and overwhelmed it. Upon seeing the capture of redoubt No.1, redoubts No.2, 3, and 4 were all abandoned. Meanwhile Russian elements were moving on the British flanks to avoid being hit by fire from the Royal Artillery Batteries.

After British officers later in the day observed what appeared to be the Russian taking captured guns from the British redoubts, they ordered the British Cavalry to attack and recapture the guns. However the place that the Light Brigade as well as the Heavy Brigade were ordered to attack was not the captured guns, but a valley in which Russian cavalry commander Ryzhov had placed his artillery to protect the flanks of his regiments of the11th Kiev Hussars, six of the 12th Ingermanland Hussars, three of 53 Don Cossack Regiment, and the 1st Ural Cossacks.

The Light Brigade Comprised of 13th Light Dragoons, the 17th Lancers, the 11th Hussars, the 4th Light Dragoons, and the 8th Hussars. Behind the Light Brigade was the remnants of the Heavy Brigade which was comprised of the Scots Greys, the 6th Dragoons, 4th Dragoon Guards, the 5th Dragoon Guards; and the 1st Royal Dragoons.

A soldier from the 11th Hussars.

The two Brigades charged down the valley into the face of Ryzhov's guns and were cut to pieces, but they still managed to make it through and engage with the Russian Cavalry behind the guns, in the end they were forced to retreat, this fatal blunder had demoralized the two Brigades as well as badly injured Ryzohv's men.

Soldiers of the 11th Hussars and the 17th Lancers attacking the Russian Batteries.

After the attack, neither side was in much of any shape to continue the fight and were both forced to retire making the battle somewhat of a stalemate.

Pictures from Wikipedia