Beards, Smoking and the Crimean War

Russia and the Ottoman Empire had been officially at war since October 4, when the Ottoman Sultan had given into the pressures of opinion and declared war. The Russians had begun their move, and on November 30, 1853, at the port of Sinop on the Black Sea coast of northern Turkey, the Russians approached a small fleet of Ottoman warships and transports which had chosen to remain at port under the protection of shore batteries. The small fleet was ordered to fight to the last man. The Russians attacked, and the wooden Turkish ships burned. Of the 4,400 Turkish seamen, 3,000 were killed. Then the guns of the Russian ships destroyed the port and its defensive installations. The Russians had performed an efficient naval operation, but British newspapers screamed of atrocities and a massacre.