Ironclads developed during the Crimean War to use against the Baltic forts like Kronstadt. Their development partly caused the Russians to sue for peace.
THE DANGERS OF PLAYING AT WAR, (From Punch vols 28-9)
War is not a thing to be trifled with, and its horrors are much too real to be the legitimate subjects of burlesque, or any other kind of mockery. The nearer the imitation approaches to the real thing, where an imitation of war is concerned, the more distasteful it must be to all persons of common sense, and common humanity. The mania for converting Ithe horrors of war into a subject of amusement for the million, has received a somewhat sad lesson in the accident that has lately happened at Cremorne Gardens; where, for the benefit of some charity, there was to be a mock representation of the Battle of Inkermann. There was all the usual pride, pomp, and circumstance of in-glorious (theatrical) war; and, to give reality " to the business, a dreadful reality it turned out, some of the Guards were " allowed by the authorities" to take part in the spectacle. Of coarse, the only real element in the business was incompatible with all the shams of which it was made up; and, amidst the sham fortifications, the sham defences, the sham barricades, and all the other gim-crack appurtenances of a sham-fight, the real soldiers tumbled to the ground from a height of some twenty feet with terrible reality.
Of course, when it is too late, everybody is exclaiming against the impropriety of allowing the Guards to take a part in these caricature copies of the horrors of war; in which everything is purposely made to yield, from the pasteboard ramparts, to theshilling-a-night supernumerary Russians. The sort of enthusiasm that is excited among the soldiers, by an imitation attack on an imitation enemy, in the teeth of imitation fire from imitation batteries, is not likely to be of much service in the hour of real battle, when there is no stage-director ordering the enemy where to fall back, and leading on the British troops to the point where, by previous arrangement, they are destined to be victorious. A panorama of Sevastopol is all well enough, and a pictorial representation of the siege may be made a matter of interest; but an attempt to show the actual storming of a place with real troops, must always be • melancholy, and, indeed, a feeble spectacle. Nothing can be better than the picture now being exhibited at the Surrey Zoological Gardens; but the moment the action begins, and the firing of the gunssets the ducks quacking in the lake, while the playing of the band drowns, on the whole, the occasionally heard cries of—" Now Dick, set fire to that tow," " Ready there with them red- lights P " " Off with them fireworks," and other stage-directions of a kindred character, the whole affair becomes ridiculous.
This is another great image from the below exhibition. My translator doesn't help but I think its a planned submarine. See it here
From the same exhibition this image's caption translated is
This page has some interesting pictures relating to the Russian aspect of the Crimea - this one is of Militia I think from the St Petersburg region.
An 1871 book written by an Englishman, Joseph Powell, who served in this famous unit. This blog has an interesting intoduction to the nationalities in this Papal unit. 
Thanks to Boris for finding more from this Romanian photographer - some from the 1877-8 Russo-Turkish war. The portraits are interesting as he captures peasants and ordinary people as well as dignitaries.
Had some more images of Chasseurs sent by André - I am impressed - hope you all are enjoying this thread: 1st image is Chasseurs of the Garde 1854.
I have another chasseur uniform, model of 1860 of the battalions of the line (1st battalion). Very similar to the one worn by Montellier; in fact it was based on the uniform of the chasseurs à pied de la garde adopted in 1854, which in 1860 got yellow “ brandenbourgs” added to differentiate it. Yellow can barely be seen on these old pictures, however. André
Not sure if this is an accurate representation but it's a pleasant picture.F. Gleason, 1854
Did you know there was a museum of the Chasseurs a pied at Vincennes? The Chasseurs as far as I know were briefly called Chasseurs de Vincennes before going to Africa and then being renamed Chasseurs d'Afrique for a while.
Thanks Andre for sending theseMore chasseurs, but this time paper ones: a few chasseurs d’Orléans (name of the chasseurs à pied from 1842 to 1848), soldiers, trumpeters and officers.
These are not from Epinal but from Strasbourg (made by an artist called Silbermann). These soldiers were made to be cut up, glued to wooden bases and displayed erect, so they are in fact toy soldiers. Enjoy!
I have been trying to find - for no reason - a place where you might be able to source a decent Chechia and came across what seems an interesting thing - you buy a hat shape - and then mould your own from felt presumably - this one is a Civil War 'fez' but all sorts of hat shapes are there.
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