Within the Russian Army at the time of the Crimean War, there were 42 Line Regiments and 42 Light Infantry (Jager) Regiments, each numbered from 1 to 42. At the Battle of Balaclava the 12th Infantry Division was composed of the 23rd (Azov) and the 24th (Dnieper) Regiments of Light Infantry.

The Russian battle tactics relied on bringing massed columns of infantry into close contact with the enemy, and to quote the 1848 officers manual, ‘the success of this was dependent on the correct stretching of the toe in the march.’ The Imperial set of figures depicts the 23rd Ukraine Regiment of the Light Infantry.

We acknowledge John Mollo Associates for uniform research.