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| combatant1 = {{flagcountry|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}} <br /> {{flagcountry|Second French Empire}}
| combatant2 = {{flagcountry|Russian Empire}}
| commander1 = {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan|FitzRoy Somerset]] <br /> {{flagicon|France|1794}} [[François Certain de Canrobert|François Canrobert]]
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Russia}} [[Alexander Sergeyevich Menshikov|Alexander Menshikov]]
| strength1 = 15,700
| strength2 = 40,500
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==Battle==
{{More citations needed section|date=November 2017}}
 
===Assault===
[[File:EB1911 Inkerman, Battle of.jpg|left|thumb]]
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The Russian infantry, advancing through the fog, were met by the advancing Second Division, who opened fire with their Pattern 1851 Enfield rifles, whereas the Russians were still armed with [[smoothbore]] [[musket]]s.{{sfnp|Myatt|1979|p=50}} The Russians were forced into a bottleneck owing to the shape of the valley, and came out on the Second Division's left flank. The [[Minié ball]]s of the British rifles proved deadly accurate against the Russian attack.{{sfnp|Figes|2010|p=260}} Those Russian troops that survived were pushed back at bayonet point. Eventually, the Russian infantry were pushed all the way back to their own artillery positions. The Russians launched a second attack, also on the Second Division's left flank, but this time in much larger numbers and led by Soymonov himself. Captain Hugh Rowlands, in charge of the British pickets, reported that the Russians charged "with the most fiendish yells you can imagine."{{sfnp|Figes|2010|p=259}} At this point, after the second attack, the British position was incredibly weak. If Soymonov had known the condition of the British, he would have ordered a third attack before the British reinforcements arrived.{{sfnp|Figes|2010|p=260}} Such a third attack might well have succeeded, but Soymonov could not see in the fog and thus did not know of the desperate situation of the British. Instead, he awaited the arrival of his own reinforcements—General Pavlov's men who were making their way toward the Inkerman battlefield in four different prong attacks from the north.{{efn|See the map on page XXX of Orlando Figes, ''The Crimean War''.{{sfnp|Figes|2010|p=XXX}}}} However, the British reinforcements arrived in the form of the Light Division which came up and immediately launched a counterattack along the left flank of the Russian front, forcing the Russians back. During this fighting Soymonov was killed by a British rifleman.{{sfnp|Figes|2010|p=260}} Russian command was immediately taken up by Colonel Pristovoitov, who was himself shot a few minutes later. Colonel Uvazhnov-Aleksandrov assumed command of the Russian forces but was also killed in the withering British fire. At this point, no officer seemed keen to take up command and Captain Andrianov was sent off on his horse to consult with various generals about the problem.{{sfnp|Figes|2010|p=260}}
 
At seven o'clock, Pavlov's Okhotsky, Yakutsky and Selenginsky regiments crossed the [[Chorna (river)|Chernaia]], joining Soimonov's men. Pavlov's Tarutinsky's regiments engaged Adams' 700 men at the Sandbag Battery, forcing them retreat to Home Ridge.{{sfnp|Figes|2010|pp=260-261}}
The rest of the Russian column proceeded down to the valley where they were attacked by British artillery and pickets, eventually being driven off. The resistance of the British troops here had blunted all of the initial Russian attacks. General Paulov, leading the Russian second column of some 15,000, attacked the British positions on Sandbag Battery. As they approached, the 300 British defenders vaulted the wall and charged with the bayonet, driving off the leading Russian battalions. Five Russian battalions were assailed in the flanks by the British [[41st Regiment of Foot|41st Regiment]], who drove them back to the River Chernaya.
 
===Home HillRidge===
[[File:Crimean War 1854-56 Q71166.jpg|thumb|The Field of Inkermann, with the trenches]]
The Grenadiers under the command of the [[Prince George, Duke of Cambridge|Duke of Cambridge]] arrived and initiated a new assault on Sandbag Battery. In the words of Figes, "The fighting became increasingly frenzied and chaotic, as one side charged the other down the hill, only to be counter-attacked by another group of men from further up the hill." [[Pierre Bosquet]]'s [[Zouave]]s, called upon by Raglan earlier, then overwhelmed the Russians, driving the Tarutinsky Regiment from Sandbag Battery and onward to St. Clement's Ravine, before the Zouaves joined the British on Home Ridge. [[Peter Dannenberg (general)|Dannenberg]], leading Pavolv's Okhotsky, Yakutsky and Selenginsky regiments, with the remnants of Soimonov's, then attacked the Sandbag Battery, while [[George Cathcart]]'s 4th Division six companies attacked the ridge by Sandbag Battery. Stunned by the French arrival, the Russians retreated to Shell Hill., where they came under fire from the British two 18-pounders. Dannenberg then ordered a retreat, and the Russians fled in panic.{{sfnp|Figes|2010|pp=262-268}}
General [[Peter A Dannenberg]] took command of the Russian Army, and together with the uncommitted 9,000 men from the initial attacks, launched an assault on the British positions on Home Hill, held by the Second Division. The Guards Brigade of the First Division (The Highland Brigade was guarding [[Balaklava|Balaclava]]), and the Fourth Division were already marching to support the Second Division, but the British troops holding the Barrier withdrew, before it was re-taken by men from the [[21st Regiment of Foot|21st]], [[63rd Regiment of Foot|63rd]] Regiments and [[The Rifle Brigade]]. This position remained in British hands for the rest of the battle, despite determined attempts to take it back. The Russians launched 7,000 men against the Sandbag Battery, which was defended by 2,000 British soldiers. So began a ferocious struggle which saw the battery change hands repeatedly. The division commander [[Prince George, Duke of Cambridge]], had a horse shot under him, and he found himself with around 100 men, the rest pushing down the slope. He was nearly cut off by another advancing Russian column, but he and his aide managed to get back.
 
Meanwhile, the Light Division occupied Victoria Ridge throughout the day. Its commander, Sir [[George Brown (British Army officer)|George Brown]] was wounded, so General [[William Codrington (British Army officer)|William Codrington]] took command. He refused the help of other troops, perpetually sending them back to the battle.
 
===Fourth Division in action===
When the British Fourth Division arrived under General [[George Cathcart]], they were finally able to go on the offensive, but confusion reigned. The Duke requested him to fill the 'gap' on the left of the Guards, to prevent them from being isolated; when Cathcart asked Pennefather where to help, Pennefather replied "Everywhere.", so Cathcart dispersed his men in different directions, until about 400 men were left. Quartermaster general [[Richard Airey, 1st Baron Airey]] told to "Support the Brigade of Guards. Do not descend or leave the plateau... Those are Lord Raglan's orders." Cathcart moved his men to the right. The courage of Cathcart and his men had the unexpected effect of encouraging other British units to charge the Russians. However, the flanking troops were caught in the rear by an unexpected Russian counter-attack, during which Cathcart, believing that the Guards had mistaken them for Russians, ordered his men to remove their greatcoats, but the firing intensified, and Cathcart was shot from his horse and killed as he led 50 men of the [[20th Regiment of Foot]] up a hill ([[:commons:Category:Cathcart's Hill, Crimea|Cathcart's Hill]]), leaving his troops disorganized and the attack was broken up. This gave the Russian army an opportunity to gain a crest on the ridge. However, as the Russian troops were coming up, they were attacked and driven off by newly arrived soldiers from the French camps. The French, with marvelous rapidity, brought up a division from five miles away and poured reinforcements into the entire line, reducing the Russians' advantage in numbers.{{sfnp|Porter|1889|p=433}}
 
[[File:Adolphe Bayot - Bataille d'Inkerman - Arrivée de la division Bosquet.jpg|thumb|Arrival of Bosquet's division]]
[[File:British General Cathcart death at Inkerman.jpg|thumb|Death of general Cathcart]]
 
===Defence of Home Hill by the British and French forces===
At this point in the battle the Russians launched another assault on the Second Division's positions on Home Hill, but the timely arrival of the French Army under [[Pierre Bosquet]] and further reinforcements from the British Army repelled the Russian attacks. The Russians had now committed all of their troops and had no fresh reserves with which to act. Two British 18-pounder guns along with field artillery bombarded the 100-gun strong Russian positions on Shell Hill in counter-battery fire. With their batteries on Shell Hill taking withering fire from the British guns, their attacks rebuffed at all points, and lacking fresh infantry, the Russians began to withdraw. The allies made no attempt to pursue them. Following the battle, the allied regiments stood down and returned to their siege positions.
 
==Aftermath==
The dense fog precluded effective control by senior commanders, leading to fighting amongst units smaller than a company in size. Figes called it a 'soldier's battle'. Though still in control of the heights around Sevastopol, the British and French casualties were such that any further attack on Sevastopol would require reinforcements.{{sfnp|Figes|2010|pp=258,272}}
Despite being severely outnumbered, the allied troops held their ground in a marvelous display of discipline and tenacity. The amount of fog during the battle led to many of the troops on both sides being cut off, in battalion-sized groups or less. Thus, the battle became known as "The Soldier's Battle". The Russian attack, although unsuccessful, had denied the allies any attempt at gaining a quick victory in the siege of Sevastopol. Following this battle, the Russians made no further large-scale attempts to defeat the allies in the field.
 
[[Alexander Kinglake]] obtained the official casualty returns for the battle. By his account allied casualties were: 2,573 British, of whom 635 were killed, and 1,800 French, of whom 175 were killed. Russia lost 3,286 killed within a total (including men taken prisoner) of 11,959 casualties.{{efn|From the general engagement of the 5th November, including the fight on Mount Inkerman, there resulted, it seems, to the Russians a loss of 9,845 in killed, wounded, and prisoners [of which 3,286 killed]; to the English a loss of 2,573, of whom 635 were killed...Official return[s].{{sfnp|Kinglake|1863|p=458}}}}
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