The settled resolve of the Russian Government to crush the power of the
Turks, and to take possession of Constantinople, was the cause of the
declaration of war by England and France against Russia.
The war became at once popular among the British people when the news
was spread that a Russian fleet, consisting of six men-of-war and
several smaller vessels, had darted out of Sebastopol, and, taking
advantage of a dense fog, had entered the harbour of Sinope, where they
found a Turkish squadron of eight frigates, two schooners, and three
transports, totally unprepared for battle. Admiral Nachimoff, the
Russian commander, fiercely attacked them, and though the Turks fought
bravely, so great was their disadvantage, that in a few hours 5000 men
were massacred, and every ship, with the exception of two, was
destroyed. To prevent the recurrence of such an event, the allied
fleets of England and France entered the Black Sea on the 3rd of January
1854. War was not officially declared against Russia till the 28th of
March. The Guards and other regiments had, however, embarked early in
February; first to rendezvous at Malta, and subsequently at Varna, on
the Turkish shore of the Black Sea. The British troops, under Lord
Raglan, amounted to 26,800 men of all arms; that of the French, under
Marshal Saint Arnaud, to nearly the same number, 26,526; and there were
also 7000 Turks, under Selim Pasha; making in all 60,300 men, and 132
guns, 65 of which were British.
On the morning of the 14th September, the fleet conveying this
magnificent army anchored off the coast, near Old Fort, distant about
eighteen miles south of Eupatoria. The first British troops which
landed in the Crimea were the men of Number 1 company of the 23rd Welsh
Fusiliers, under Major Lystons and Lieutenant Drewe. The landing
continued during the whole day, without any casualties. The first night
on shore the rain fell in torrents, and the troops, who had landed
without tents or shelter of any sort, were drenched to the skin. On the
following morning the sun shone forth, and the disembarkation continued.
No enemy was encountered till the 19th, when two or three Russian guns
opened fire, and a body of Cossacks were seen hovering in the distance.
The Earl of Cardigan instantly charged them, and they retreated till the
British cavalry were led within range of the fire of their guns, when
four dragoons were killed and six wounded,--the first of the many
thousands who fell during the war.
The evening of the 19th closed with rain.