By October 13th the Germans had doggedly pressed forward to the Mozaisk defense line, a series of fortifications hastily constructed to cover the approaches to the Russian capital. The Germans directed their initial attacks around the flanks of these fortifications, making progress despite the efforts of General Mud and the tenacious defense of the Russian soldiers. By the end of October, a series of frontal assaults on the line and the danger of encirclement by the flanking attacks had caused the Russians to pull back to a final defensive position behind the Nara River. The German High Command ordered a halt at this point because the mud not only hampered military operations but caused severe supply shortages.

When the ground was finally frozen solid on November 15th, a new offensive was ordered. This pincer movement failed to achieve its goal of surrounding what were thought to be the remaining Russian troops defending Moscow. With the pincers stalled short of their objectives, the Germans launched a frontal assault on the defenses which also failed because General Winter had arrived on the battlefield with temperatures dropping to –20 degrees Fahrenheit. Neither the German soldiers nor their machines were prepared for such cold weather. The men suffered over 100,000 casualties due to frostbite, engine blocks cracked, and frozen grease had to be removed from shells before they could be loaded.

During the first days of December, German commanders gave up the idea of taking more ground and began to think in terms of surviving the winter. This became much more difficult when the Russians launched a counterattack using reserve troops brought in from Siberia on December 5th.

A bit of gunboat diplomacy on the part of the French resulted in the sultan confirming French and Roman Catholic authority over Catholic holy places within his empire. Having the benefit of geography, the Russians prosecuted their claim to protect Balkan Orthodox Christians by occupying Moldavia and Wallachia. In fact, the religious connotations of all these maneuvers were nothing but a pretext. Russia was intent on territorial expansion at the expense of the Ottomans and the West, led by Britain and France, opposed this.

Once war was declared, the Ottomans achieved success against the Russian in the Balkans (with some help from the Austrians) but were hard pressed in the  Caucuses and had 11 ships destroyed at the Battle of Sinope. In response, an Anglo-French fleet entered the Black Sea to support the Ottomans and demanded no Russian ship be allowed to leave the port of Sevastopol.

In September of 1854, the Allied fleets transported armies to the Crimean Peninsula, from whence the war takes its name. By this time, Russia had already evacuated Moldavia and Wallachia and the war could have been over. British and French politicians, however, were influenced by public opinion to continue punishing the Russians. The Allied armies decisively defeated the Russians at the Battle of Alma but failed to pursue them and capture Sevastopol. British and French troops then laid siege to the city.

In late October, a large Russian force attempted to destroy the Allied supply base supporting the siege at Balaclava. It was at this battle where the 95th Highlanders became immortalized as a “thin red line” by turning back a Russian cavalry charge while remaining in line formation rather than forming square. Also at Balaclava, the Light Brigade was memorialized after suffering nearly 40% casualties while charging across the length of the Balaclava Valley under fire from Russian artillery on the hills. The Russians followed up this battle with a direct assault on the besieging armies which was also defeated at the Battle of Inkerman. As the siege of Sevastopol wore on, another Russian thrust toward the Balaclava supply base was defeated by French, Sardinian, and Ottoman troops at the Battle of Chermaya. The city finally fell on September 9, 1855, after a 337-day siege.

Public opinion, especially in Britain where a “snowball riot” occurred, had turned against further conflict and peace negotiations were conducted in Paris resulting in a treaty of March 30, 1856. All the areas occupied by the Russians were returned to the Ottomans and the Crimean cities occupied by the Allies were restored to Russia. Russia agreed not to establish any naval or military bases on the Black Sea coast. Moldavia and Wallachia, which had been occupied and annexed by the Austrians in support of their Ottoman allies, were nominally returned to the Ottoman Empire. In practical terms, they became independent.

The war is also famous for Florence Nightingale’s reforms in the treatment of wounded soldiers, the use of railroads and the telegraph in its prosecution, and the advent of “instant” reports from journalists on the front lines.

During this time, drama arose in the American camp due to the rivalry between General Horatio Gates and his most effective subordinate Benedict Arnold. A series of insulting messages and orders nearly caused Arnold to leave the army. A petition from his officers succeeded in stroking his ego to the extent that this was avoided.

On October 7th, the British, now short of supplies, emerged from their fortified lines and approached the American positions. This advance was first opposed by Daniel Morgan’s riflemen and later by Major Henry Dearborn’s light infantry. Hearing the growing sounds of battle while having lunch with Gates, Arnold urged his commander to allow him to bring reinforcements into the fray. Gates hesitated, not wanting Arnold to precipitate a full-scale battle, but relented when Arnold promised not to do so.

Arnold’s arrival on the field inspired cheers from the American lines and the British advance was halted. Burgoyne fell back into his entrenchment to prepare for a defense. Arnold ordered an attack on the British fortifications, precipitating the general engagement Gates had desired to avoid. Repulsed from one British redoubt, Arnold led an assault against another which carried through, exposing the flank of the British lines. Arnold was wounded during this attack.

Burgoyne retreated during the night due to the threat of American troops on his flank, falling back to the town of Saratoga where Gates surrounded him. Ten days later, Burgoyne surrendered to Gates, giving the Americans their first real victory of the Revolutionary War.

Coming Soon from Lost Battalion Publishing

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the near future, where the government has stepped up censorship of online and broadcast media content, Jack Richards, a curmudgeon and hack writer, develops a relationship with an unusual woman named Brandy and begins to pen a dystopian novel at her prompting. Brandy wants Jack to “red pill” America about what might happen if current trends go unabated. The mysterious Brandy continually disrupts Jack’s mundane, mildly decadent existence, pushing him out of his well-established comfort zone. His writing reflects this personal struggle. In a book within the book, he tells the story of 22nd Century protagonist, Kelly Wallace who becomes embroiled in a sequence of events that force her to break away from her complacent but relatively untroubled life under the regime of the Central Authority and strike out into the unknown. Jack’s metaphysical journey toward healing his self-inflicted wounds is reflected in Kelly’s physical trek from the dystopian town of New Destiny to the promised utopia of Liberty City. Along the way both find mentors, face emotional challenges, and experience real danger.

Blood of Patriots, book one of the Dystopia Redeemed series, is now available for preorder as an Amazon Kindle e-book here. The publication date of the hardcover edition from Lost Battalion Publishing will be announced soon.