Charge of the Heavy Cavalry at Balaklava

Description

The Battle of Balaklava, which took place on 25 October 1854, was a major engagement during the Crimean War, fought to protect the British and French lines supporting the siege of Sevastopol. The battle took place around the port of Balaklava and is remembered particularly for two famous charges by British cavalry: the successful Charge of the Heavy Brigade, and the Charge of the Light Brigade, in which the British cavalry suffered heavy losses. The scene depicted in the engraving is the morning attack of the Heavy Brigade, under the command of General Sir James Yorke Scarlett, against the numerically superior Russian cavalry. The Heavy Brigade, consisting of 300-400 men, charged upwards on a slope against a force of approximately 2,000-3,000 Russian light and medium cavalry (a highly unusual and courageous decision in military history). Despite their superior numbers, the Russian cavalry was surprised by this unexpected attack and retreated in disorder. In the centre of the engraving, the English cavalry, with their distinctive helmets and shields, charge furiously into the Russian lines. Fallen horses and corpses of soldiers illustrate the violence and deadly nature of the fighting.