LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive

IN PROGRESS - NOT FOR PUBLICATION

The Affair of the Bulganak

Also referred to as "Bulganek", "Bouljanak" eyc

(19th September 1854)

The first skirmish on Crimean soil. Much of the British Army having landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea on the 16th of September, on the 18th of September troops of the [8th, 11th and 13th ?] was sent on a short march into the country for a reconnaissance prior to the main march south towards Sebastopol.

On reaching the valley of the River Bulganak on the afternoon of the 19th September Cardigan sent the 11th and the 13th Hussars [check] to ascertain the strength of the enemy in that direction. Going forward, they were fired on by a large force of some two thousand Russian cavalry supported by six thousand infantry and some artillery.

In bringing up other troops Lord Raglan now had the task of retiring without provoking an action and the probable loss of his valuable cavalry troops. This was carried out at a walk, two squadrons facing and always showing a front to the enemy.

The enemy guns firing over the heads of the cavalry at the British horse artillery caused Pte. William Pennington to remark later, "I recall how some of us more nervous fellows were bowing our heads over our horses' manes" and how angry and indignant was the tone of Major Peel's remonstrance, "What the hell are you bobbing your heads at ?"

The battle of the Alma took place on the following day, 20th September.

"The Cavalry Affair of the Heights of Bulganak - The First Gun", visualised by William Simpson

(Click on image to enlarge)

1609 James Williamson, 11th Hussars, has been described as the first British soldier to have been injured in the Crimea, at the Bulganak, as has Sergeant Joseph Priestley of the 13th Light Dragoons.

In his "Memoirs", 1131 James Doyle, 8th Hussars describes the experiences of 765 Private Samuel Nicholls, 8th Hussars, at the Bulganak:

"A private named Samuel Nicholson [sic] had his horse blown out of the ranks; as the horse turned the saddle slipped round, off came the hussar, and away went the horse with his saddle and cloak. Poor fellow! he had to do without a cloak till the next man died."

According to the Regimental History of the 13th Light Dragoons, four men of the 13th were injured at this time:

• 1545 Private George Badger, 13th Light Dragoons
• 1416 Private James Kay, 13th Light Dragoons
• 1176 Sergeant Joseph Priestley, 13th Hussars
• 596 Private James Shaw, 13th Light Dragoons, whose horse was shot under him

It was at the Bulganak that Captain Cresswell died of cholera, having been taken ill whilst on piquet on the night of the 18th of September and was buried in the regiment's bivouac area before the action took place.

The artist William Simpson included a panoramic view of the Affair in his collection of 81 lithographs published as "The Seat of War in the East" (1855).

Key

See also Wikipedia:William Simpson (artist) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Simpson_(artist) (accessed 30.7.2013).

PB: There is a fine tinted lithograph, after William Simpson in the NAM: 'The Cavalry Affair of the Heights of Bulganak - the First Gun. 19th Sepr 1854'.

Albert Mitchell on GWM

[PB: See also Albert Mitchell's fine account of the night before the Affair.]

That night I made myself a nice bed of oat straw behind my horse, making up my mind for a good night's rest, if not turned out. I had slept about three hours, when I was awakened by a shout, "Turn out the inlying picket." I jumped up, and was unfastening my horse, when a bullet whistled close by, and friendly fire the report of firearms was heard all around the camp. The night was very dark, so we could see the flashes quite plainly.

As we were falling in several bullets whistled by us, but luckily no one was hit in the camp, except one, and he, I believe, was a private servant to an officer of the 17th Lancers. He was shot in the leg.

We were moved out in front to the support of the outlying picket, which was, as we believed, engaged with the enemy; but the night was so dark, and the firing appeared to be all round the camp, so that no one knew where to march us.

Luckily the brigade-major, Colonel Mayhow [sic], seeing how matters stood, rode to the front, shouting, "Cease firing" as loud as he was able, and riding around the whole line of vedettes [mounted sentry], succeeded in stopping the firing. After all it proved to be a false alarm.

One of the vedettes lost his front, and hearing something, as he thought, in his front, but which was really in his rear, fired, and so raised the false alarm. It was very annoying, as the whole camp was roused full three hours before they otherwise would have been. I am glad to say that it was not my regiment that furnished the outlying picket that night, for, to say the least of it, it was a clumsy piece of business.

[CWRS edition, pp.47-8]