The Capitulation of Kars, 26 November 1855

Oil on canvas, by Thomas Jones Barker (1815-1882), 1860 (c).

In June 1855, Kars, a city in north-eastern Turkey, was besieged by a Russian army of 25,000 men. Demoralised by their defeats at the hands of the Russians, the Turks left the defence of Kars to Brevet Colonel (later General Sir) William Fenwick Williams who was the British commissioner with the Ottoman Army in Anatolia. Through his brilliant organisation, the garrison was able to repulse three major Russian attacks, but eventually cold, famine and an outbreak of cholera forced it to surrender on 26 November 1855. In recognition of their heroism, the defenders were allowed to march out of the city with the honours of war and into captivity.