Alma, a small river in the Crimea, running from the high ground in the neighborhood of Bakhtchisarai in a westerly direction to Kala-mita bay, between Eupatoria (or Kozlov) and Sebastopol. The southern bank of this river was selected during the Crimean war by Prince Mentchikoff, the Russian commander, as a defensive position in which to receive the onset of the allied armies just landed in the peninsula. The battle was fought Sept. 20, 1854, and resulted in a victory of the allies and the opening of the road to Sebastopol. The Russian force numbered 35,000 men with 96 guns; the English, under Lord Raglan, 28,000 men with 24 guns; the French, under St. Arnaud, 28,-000 men and 72 guns; and the Turks, 6,000 men.