GRAVÜR DÜNYASI
Digital Engraving Library
| Artist | William Simpson (1823-1899) |
| Engraver | Robert Kent Thomas (1816-1884) |
| Date | 1856 |
| Technique | Lithography, Sepia-toned |
| Category | Military |
| Source | The Campaign in the Crimea: An Historical Sketch by George Brackenbury, London, Published Oct. 1, 1856 by Paul & Dominic Colnaghi & Co., Day & Son Lithographers to the Queen |
The cavalry engagement at the Bulganak Hills on September 19, 1854, marked the first major armed contact between the Allied forces and the Russian army during the land phase of the Crimean War. In this clash, British, French, and Ottoman cavalry encountered advancing Russian troops on the Crimean Peninsula, and the first cannon shot of the war was fired here. Although brief, this early confrontation in the Bulganak Valley provided the Allied armies with valuable intelligence on Russian defensive arrangements and military strength, setting the strategic groundwork for the subsequent Battle of Alma. This event is considered the beginning of the land battles of the Crimean War. The engraving prominently features cavalry units arranged in orderly lines across the vast Crimean steppe, with smoke from artillery fire visible in the distance. In the foreground, the hierarchical organization and movement of the soldiers are emphasized, while the background depicts the natural landscape and the wide scale of the conflict. The engraving serves as a visual record of military tactics, discipline, and the period’s approach to warfare, while also reflecting the historical and strategic significance of the Crimean War. William Simpson, who painted this engraving, was a painter and engraver sent to the war zones for The Illustrated London News during the Crimean War.
