1855 in History

Becomes Tsar after the death of Nicholas I during the Crimean War.

Sends 10,000 Piedmontese troops to assist the Allies.

Part of the Russian outer defences are seized, there are 8,500 Russian casualties.

Lincoln receives support for the United States Senate from anti slavery legislators in Illinois

Lincoln withdraws from the Senate contest to help prevent a pro slavery Democrat from winning

Destroys a pontoon link on the Arabat route used to move Russian supplies toward Crimea.

Oversees French armoured floating batteries whose heavy fire demonstrates the value of protected steam warships.

Arrives at Kars as Russian forces approach and inspects the garrison and defensive works.

Commands a French division during the unsuccessful June assault against Sevastopol's defences.

Leads a French division in the June assault on Russian works and is killed during the attack.

Commands HMS Miranda during the Allied attack on Fort Arabat at the entrance to the Sea of Azov.

Presses Russia to accept Allied peace terms.

Demands that Russia accept Allied peace terms, including Black Sea neutralisation and territorial concessions.

Supports Allied naval pressure in the Baltic.

Begins the Bang Council Presidency in Copenhagen and serves as Council President of Denmark.

Commands British naval forces during the bombardment of Sveaborg.

Bombards Russian defences and dockyard installations at Sveaborg.

Participates in British naval operations against the Russian fortress and dockyard at Sveaborg.

Commands French naval forces cooperating with Dundas in the bombardment of Sveaborg.

Succeeds James Simpson as commander of the British army in Crimea after the fall of southern Sevastopol.

Succeeds Raglan in command of the British army.

Takes part in the Allied seizure of Kerch that opens the Sea of Azov to naval operations.

Clears the Sea of Azov and severs Russian communications with the interior.

Takes Kerch and threatens Russian supply through the Sea of Azov.

French victory at the Battle of Malakoff brings about the capture of Sevastopol, and closes the Crimean War.

Promulgates the Civil Code prepared under the leadership of Andres Bello.

Appointed Commander of the British Field Force

Appointed Commander of the British Field Force.

Workers complete the railway linking the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the isthmus.

Commands an important sector of the Kars defences after entering Ottoman service.

Serves with the Ottoman command responsible for holding Kars through the prolonged siege.

Commands Ottoman troops in the fortified defence of Kars during the Russian blockade.

Serves among the senior Ottoman officers defending Kars under Williams's reorganized command.

Commands the Russian garrison at Kinburn during the Allied naval and amphibious attack.

Commands Cossack forces resisting Allied landing parties around Taganrog.

Assists the Russian defence and civil response during the Allied attack on Taganrog.

Directs local Russian resistance during the Allied attack on Taganrog.

Discovers the Victoria Falls

The Bang Premiership ends in Copenhagen, concluding this term as Prime Minister of Denmark.

The Henri de Brouckere Government ends in Brussels, concluding this period as head of the Belgian government.

Withdraws Russian forces to the north side of Sevastopol.

Continues defensive work before Russia abandons the south side.

Receives news of the fall of southern Sevastopol.

Repels an early Russian attack on Kars using the reorganized Ottoman garrison and fortress artillery.

Replaces Canrobert as commander of French forces in Crimea.

Leads one of the boats sent under fire to destroy the floating bridge at Genitchi.

Orders a boat attack that destroys the floating bridge linking Genitchi with the Arabat supply route.

Commands a boat supporting the successful demolition of the Genitchi floating bridge.

Lands under fire and helps destroy Russian stores and vessels supplying the Crimean army.

Joins a hazardous landing party that burns Russian stores at Genitchi.

Helps fire Russian supply stores at Genitchi while Cossacks threaten the landing party.

Forms a new Government

Commands the British Light Division during the final assault on the Great Redan.

Commands the Second Division involved in the final British assault on the Great Redan.

Directs British attacks against the Great Redan.

Orders the British assault on the Great Redan during the June attacks on Sevastopol.

Orders an attack on the Great Redan that fails.

Leads troops during the British assault on the Great Redan and gains prominence for his conduct.

Maintains discipline as food shortages, cold and disease steadily weaken the besieged garrison.

Improves defensive works at Kars and helps prepare the garrison for Russian siege operations.

Assists Williams and Lake in organizing the defences and garrison of Kars.

Treats soldiers and civilians as famine, wounds and disease intensify during the siege of Kars.

Abandons and destroys HMS Jasper after the gunboat grounds during Sea of Azov operations.

Commands French troops involved in the successful assault on Russian outworks before Sevastopol.

Demands Russia agree Allied demands for neutralization of the Black Sea.

The first through train operates between Colon and Panama City.

Russia accepts Austria's ultimatum to negotiate with the Allies.

Directs attacks that destroy Russian barracks and stores near Petrushena.

Begins the Pieter de Decker Government in Brussels and serves as head of the Belgian government.

Cordova succeeds Belzu and begins a constitutional presidential term.

Begins a one-year term as President of the Swiss Confederation.

Appointed Prime Minister of Great Britain, 1st term

Reconnoitres the Russian camp outside Kars before the first major attack.

The War Office asks Brunel to design a prefabricated military hospital for the Crimean War.

Brunel completes his modular hospital design six days after receiving the commission.

The prefabricated Renkioi Hospital is assembled and prepared to receive British military patients.

Resigns command after disputes over operational direction.

The Government is defeated over conditions facing the troops in the Crimea

Sends Sardinian troops to support the Allies.

Takes over a Sardinian divisional command after Alessandro La Marmora dies of cholera.

Arrives in Crimea to command a Sardinian division during the Allied campaign.

Commands Sardinian troops in Crimea.

Supports operations disrupting Russian supplies through the Sea of Azov.

Supports French participation in the Allied naval campaign against Russian supply ports in the Sea of Azov.

Commands a gunboat flotilla destroying Russian supply depots and transport links around the Sea of Azov.

Commands Russian forces besieging Kars.

The French capture of the Malakoff forces Russia to evacuate the southern side of Sevastopol.

Serves with the Naval Brigade and helps operate heavy guns during the siege of Sevastopol.

Commands British forces during the unsuccessful assault on the Great Redan on 18 June.

Commands British forces as the Allies renew their bombardment of Sevastopol in April.

Accepts the surrender of the starving Ottoman garrison after a prolonged siege.

Surrenders Kars after the garrison is exhausted by famine, disease and prolonged siege.

Commands French naval forces participating in the Allied attack on Taganrog.

Returns to Taganrog with the Azov flotilla and captures Russian guns during renewed operations.

Repeatedly lands during the bombardment of Taganrog and sets fire to Russian government stores.

Lands with Buckley under fire and helps destroy government buildings and military stores at Taganrog.

Takes charge at the Tahmasp batteries and works continuously to strengthen the defence of Kars.

Dost Mohammad signs a treaty of peace and friendship with British India.

Arrives in Dover to begin a state visit of Britain.

Wins a vote of confidence in Parliament for pulling out of the Vienna Peace talks

Birth of John Moses Browning

Dies of cholera shortly after arriving in Crimea with the Sardinian expeditionary corps.

Death of Charlotte Bronte

Dies during the siege after the failed June assaults.

Dies after being wounded during the siege of Sevastopol.

Is killed by artillery fire while directing the defence of the Malakoff sector.

Commands Sardinian troops that help defeat the Russian attack at the Chernaya River.

Commands French cavalry supporting the Allied victory over the Russian attack at the Chernaya River.

Leads Sardinian forces contributing to the Allied victory at the Chernaya River.

Commands a Sardinian brigade during the successful defence against the Russian attack at the Chernaya.

Orders the Russian attempt to break the siege at the Chernaya River, which ends in defeat.

Fails in the last major attempt to relieve Sevastopol.

Helps defeat the Russian attack at the Chernaya River.

Commands Russian troops during the failed attempt to relieve Sevastopol at the Chernaya River.

Commands Russian troops during the unsuccessful attack on Allied positions at the Chernaya River.

Participates in the Russian attempt to relieve pressure on Sevastopol at the Chernaya River.

Commands a Sardinian brigade at the Chernaya and is mortally wounded during the Allied victory.

Commands a Russian corps in the attack at the Chernaya River and is killed during the fighting.

Defeated by the Turks and the Allied siege line draw closer.

Defeats Russian forces near Eupatoria.

Defeats Russian forces near the Ingur River during his Caucasus expedition.

Helps repel the major Russian assault on Kars from the Tahmasp defensive sector.

Launches a major assault on the defences of Kars but suffers heavy losses.

Takes part in the Ottoman command that repels the large Russian assault on Kars.

Commands Ottoman troops during the successful defence against the major Russian assault on Kars.

Distinguishes himself in the defence of Kars during the major Russian assault.

Helps direct the Ottoman defence during the major Russian assault on Kars.

Directs the defence that repels a major Russian assault on Kars.

Uses armored floating batteries during the attack on Kinburn.

Supports Allied naval operations at Kinburn.

Helps command French naval forces during the attack on the Russian fortress at Kinburn.

Commands French formations during the final operations that result in the capture of the Malakoff.

Commands Russian troops during the final Allied assault period around the Malakoff.

Commands the French assault that captures the Malakoff, making the Russian position in southern Sevastopol untenable.

Captures the Malakoff Redoubt during the final assault.

Commands French troops during the successful assault on the Malakoff.

Leads French troops during the final assault period around the Malakoff and adjacent Russian defences.

Storms the Malakoff Redoubt.

Ends in Russian defeat and the last hope for relieving Sevastopol.