Siege of Petropavlovsk The Siege of Petropavlovsk was the main operation on the Pacific Theatre of the Crimean War . The Russian casualties are estimated at 100 soldiers ; the Allies lost five times as many . In the China and Japan seas , at the beginning of the war , the Russian Rear - Admiral Yevfimy Putyatin had under his orders the " Pallada " , 52 guns , " Aurora " , 44 , and " Dvina " , 12 . The British force on the station was under Rear - Admiral David Price ( newly promoted after serving as post captain for 39 years ) and the French under Rear - Admiral Auguste Febvrier - Despointes . In total Allied fleet had nine ships and over 200 cannons . Putyatin was , of course , helpless at sea against such a force ; and therefore he sent the " Pallada " far up the river Amur , and utilised her people in reinforcing the weak garrisons on the littoral . The " Aurora " and " Dvina " took refuge in Petropavlovsk , a post against which it was foreseen that the allies would probably attempt operations . Price and Febvrier - Despointes , after having detached the " Amphitrite " , " Artémise " , and " Trincomalee " to cruise for the protection of trade off the coasts of California , went in search of the Russians , and , on August 18 , sighted the shores of Kamchatka . The siege . The siege started on 18 August 1854 , when an Allied squadron of three British and French frigate s , one corvette , one brig and one steamship cast anchor in the Avacha Bay . The Allied forces far outnumbered the Russians , and the main Russian vessel , the 44 - gun " Pallada " , was sent far up the River Amur out of harm ' s way . " Aurora " was anchored behind a sand spit topped by a shore battery . The Allied force , commanded by Rear Admiral s Febvrier - Despointes and Price advanced to bombard Petropavlosk on 20 August 1854 . They had some 218 cannons at its disposal , as compared to 67 cannons available to the defenders of Kamchatka ' s main city under Vasily Zavoyko . Almost immediately , Price went below decks and shot himself , either on purpose or by accident . The Allies withdrew , but returned to resume the bombardment the next day , 22 August , with Captain Nicolson of HMS " Pique " in temporary command . The Petropavlovsk garrison consisted of 41 officers , 476 soldiers , 349 seamen , 18 Russian volunteers and 36 Kamchadals ( total 920 men ) . The Allied squadron re - entered Avacha Bay to storm the city . On 24 August ( 5 September in Gregorian calendar ) , after a neutralization of Russian batteries , 970 Allied troops ( with oarsmen reinforcements ) landed west of Petropavlovsk , but were repelled by 360 Russians . A Naval Brigade of around 680 British and French seamen and marines landed , under Captains Burridge and de La Grandiere , but they were ambushed and , after some heavy fighting , retreated with 107 British and 101 French dead or wounded . The commanding officer of a landing party was killed . The Russians captured a British flag , seven officers swords and a quantity of firearms , swords , and bayonets . The Allies withdrew , although " President " and " Virago " managed to capture the Russian " Anadis " , a small schooner , and the 10 - gun transport " Sitka " on 28 September 1854 . The Allies left Petropavlovsk to the Russians until April 1855 , when Nikolay Muravyov , aware of the insufficiency of troops and weapons to repel another attack on the city , had Petropavlovsk garrison evacuated under the cover of snow . Allied fleet . British . The British force on the station was under Rear - Admiral David Price , and consisted of : French . The French Rear - Admiral Auguste Febvrier - Despointes had at his disposal : In the action . From the British side - " President " , " Pique " and " Virago " . From the French side - " Forte " , " Eurydice " and " Obligado " . Total about 204 cannons .