Coldstream Guards by Cundall and Howlett

Joseph Cundall and Robert Howlett Crimean Braves - Men of the Trenches and Battle field in the Crimea, Coldsteam Guards Privates, 1856

Robert Howlett and Joseph Cundall

Men of the 42nd Highland Regiment

Crimean Heroes : William Gardner, Donald McKenzie and George Glen 1856

These two men, Howlett and Cundall were commissioned by Queen Victoria to capture Crimean veterans in 1856.

Durango 1865

Of course the army of Napoleon III also served in the American continent - in Mexico to be precise as I am sure you know from various Westerns such as Peckinpah's Major Dundee and many more. This image of French troops of the line is from 1865, and shows them wearing the tunic generally not worn in Europe in favour of the capote and adapted headgear.

French intervention in Mexico wiki

French Engineers - Siege of Sebastopol

These images show the unusual dress of the French engineers. Most of the Crimean War was basically siege warfare - a foretaste of the stalemate of the Great War.

Zouaves in 1859

Le 3e régiment de zouaves du colonel de Chabron à la bataile de Palestro, les 30 et 31 mai 1859
Riballier-Chouppe Henri (19e siècle)

Zouave in the Crimea

Le colonel de Bonnet de Maureilhan, baron de Polhès et son frère le capitaine de Polhès en Crimée
Description :
Prise de vue entre 1854 et 1856
Fenton Roger

1859 revisited

Il Battaglione Estense a Cavriana 2009
As I mentioned before this year has been an important anniversary in the Italian historical calendar and many battle reenactments took place this summer. This clip shows all the forces at the end

Solferino 1859

This year marks the 150th anniversary of this battle - this is an interesting film showing some of the artefacts found on the battle site.

Bivouac 1859 style

Au lendemain de la bataille de Solferino. Bivouac des grenadiers de la garde. 26 juin 1859. Journal de campagne de Charles Robert.

Photos of a recent reenactment at Solferino

Historische Darstellungsgruppe IR 30 " Graf Werder"

Prussian reenactors of 1870 here - great site with lots of information

Zouaves of the World Blog

A great blog for Zouave fans like me. Lots of interesting links to all the groups who recreate these African-inspired elite infantry and all manner of articles about the worldwide phenomenon. Did you know a Zouave invented cigarettes? Apparently during the Crimean war a Zouave soldier broke his pipe and used cartridge paper instead creating a global craze - this is why you see a Zouave on Zigzag rolling papers. Anyway check out the links - there's some interesting groups out there - the 3eme Zouaves from Germany look the business - doing the brilliant idea of doing Civil War as well. This image is from the reenactment of Thionville from the Franco-Prussian war. Not featured but of interest to me is the new US based 2nd Zouaves recreating French troops of the period 1852-1918.

The Horse Soldiers

Here's another favourite movie moment from the Civil War in John Ford's 1959 movie starring John Wayne. Based on Grierson's Raid behind Confederate lines destroying their railroad infrastructure, this is the poignant moment when a Southern military academy is asked to join the fray. A moment that genius director Ford treats with his usual amount of skill - showing humour and tragedy in equal amounts.

Ordnance wharf by Roger Fenton

At Balaclava during the Crimean War.

French in the Crimea

There seems to be a fair amount of triumphal art depicting events of the Crimea - how true to life they are is of course conjecture but they are pleasing. This one is sections from:
Episode de la guerre de Crimée - Débarquement de l'armée française à Old-Port sous le commandement des maréchaux Canrobert et Saint-Arnaud, en présence du prince Napoléon, généralissime de l'armée d'Orient, 14 septembre 1854 - Le défilé des troupes à 2 heures de l'après-midi, devant le drapeau français planté par le maréchal Canrobert dès 8 heure et demi du matin
Barrias Félix-Joseph (1822-1907)

Cold Mountain 'Battle of the Crater' 1864

I probably am guilty of annoying purists with this but this scene in the movie Cold Mountain is one of my favourite Civil War movie moments (I'll get round to posting them all eventually). Partly as it depicts military mining which I am interested in as my Grandfather did this in the Great War but also for its unusualness, if there's such a word. Can't tell you how accurate a depiction it is. Battle of the Crater wiki

Siege of Pleven

If you like Russian historical films this clip from the 2005 movie Turkish Gambit might be up your street. Based on the novels by Boris Akunen which are published in English they tell the story of a 19th century spy. This scene depicts the storming of Plevna in the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-8. Review of the book here - Review of the film
The siege of Pleven wiki

Austro-Prussian War reenactment photos

Photos of the Austro-Prussian war reenactment scene going on in the Czech republic. It's very impressive. More here

Charge of the Light Brigade (1968) Animations

All this talk of the Crimean war gives me an enother excuse to post these wonderful animations by Richard Williams at the beginning and in the middle of this film - probably my vote for the best British historical film ever. If only all history could be taught like this. More interesting stuff on the Crimean War including a FAQ here.

Crimean War photographs

One thing that's great about this period is that you don't really have to speculate on what people looked like in the Crimean war as its well documented with photos mostly by Roger Fenton. This group of redcoats is his work. See more at the Library of Congress.

Interesting article here on women in the army at the time including photos.

Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners

Depicted in working and full dress 1854.

My interest is at the moment with this unit in the Crimea who were attached to each division along with Engineers and artillery. The Royal Sappers and Miners were amalgamated with the Royal Engineers in 1856 - more information and at the RE Museum page

This is a photo taken shortly after the Crimean War is of a highly decorated sapper Kester Knight who eventually became a Yeoman warder of the Tower. Source of photo and his biography here.

Photos of RE personnel of the period here

Austro-Prussian War Slideshow

As you know I am very impressed by the Austro-Prussian war reenactment scene in Europe - it seems so well done - it's like a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of the rubbish reenactments going on - have a look at these images and judge for yourself...these pics are 2005-7 so it's probably even better now...

Charge of the Light Brigade

Short documentary on the battle of Balaclava to introduce the blog. I would also like to point out at this juncture that I'm not a nationalist or jingoistic person - this is not written from a patriotic or imperialist perspective and I won't be covering the colonial wars - mainly I will be covering the wars on the European and American continent.

Fenton's Zouave Vivandière

French Vivandieres

French camp follower in the Crimea by Roger Fenton. I wonder if anyone knows her name. Fascinating picture.

Russian Crimean War Reenactors at the Alma 1854

I have just seen these pictures of a recent reenactment in the Crimea of the battle of the Alma with mostly Russian reenactors and I am completely impressed and need to let you all in internetland know about it. The group featured is the 33rd Borodinsky Jager regt, 1854-1855 (see pic left). Now I am calling all ACW reenactors, redcoats, Zouaves, Light Dragoons and so on to get together with the aim of making this an epic period.
See more pictures and read about it here

See the Battle of the Alma in the 1960s movie classic.