Chesme naval battle. Battle of Chesma Battle of the Spirits of Chesma

When, in his delusion, Perun threw
Eagle, in supreme courage,
The Turkish fleet at Chesme - burned Ross in the Archipelago,
Then Orlov-Zeves, Spiridov - there was Neptune!

G. R. Derzhavin

Every year on July 7, our country celebrates the Day of Military Glory of Russia - the Day of the victory of the Russian fleet over the Turkish fleet in the Battle of Chesme in 1770. The Battle of Chesme took place on June 24-26 (July 5-7), 1770 in Chesme Bay on the western coast of Turkey. During the Russian-Turkish War, which began in 1768, ships of the Baltic Fleet went to the Mediterranean Sea to distract the enemy from the Black Sea theater of operations. Two Russian squadrons under the command of Admiral Grigory Spiridov and Rear Admiral John Elphinstone, united under the overall command of Count Alexei Orlov, discovered the Turkish fleet in the roadstead of Chesme Bay and attacked it. The victory was complete - the entire Turkish fleet was destroyed.

Background

In 1768, under the influence of the Polish question and pressure from France, the Ottoman Empire declared war on Russia. The Bar Confederation in Poland, which acted with the support of the Catholic powers - France and Austria, was losing the fight against Russian and Polish government troops. Finding themselves in a difficult situation, the Polish rebels turned to the Porte for help. Jewels were collected to bribe Ottoman dignitaries in Constantinople. Turkey was promised Podolia and Volyn for help in the war with Russia. Paris also put pressure on Istanbul. France traditionally supported the Poles against the Russians and wanted to take advantage of Turkey's war against Russia to gain Egypt into its sphere of influence. In addition, France considered itself the main power in Europe, and Russia’s desire to gain access to the southern seas was met with active resistance from the French.

By this time, the same situation in the southwestern strategic direction remained as it had been in the 17th century. Russia did not have its own fleet in the Azov and Black Seas, where Turkish naval forces reigned supreme. The Black Sea was, in fact, a “Turkish Lake”. The Northern Black Sea region, the Azov region and Crimea were under the control of the Porte and were a springboard for aggression against the Russian state. In the Northern Black Sea region there were strong Turkish fortresses that blocked the mouths of the main rivers.

In the fall of 1768, the Crimean cavalry invaded Russian territory, starting the war. The enemy was defeated and retreated, but the threat remained. The Northern Black Sea region and the Danube direction became the main theaters of military operations, where the Russian army fought for more than five years against the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean Khanate.

In order to somehow compensate for the absence of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, St. Petersburg decided to send a squadron from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean Sea and from there threaten the Ottoman Empire. The main purpose of the expedition was to support a possible uprising of the Christian peoples of the Balkan Peninsula (primarily the Greeks of the Peloponnese and the Aegean islands) and to threaten the rear communications of the Porte. Russian ships were supposed to disrupt the Ottomans' sea communications in the Mediterranean Sea and divert part of the enemy forces (especially the fleet) from the Black Sea theater of operations. If successful, the squadron was supposed to blockade the Dardanelles and capture important coastal points of Turkey. The main theater of action was in the Aegean Sea or, as they said then, in the "Greek Archipelago", hence the name "Archipelago Expedition".

For the first time, the idea of ​​​​sending Russian ships to the shores of the Aegean Sea and raising an uprising of Christian peoples against the Ottomans there was expressed by the then favorite of Empress Catherine II, Grigory Orlov. It is possible that the idea was first expressed by the future leader of the expedition, Count Alexei Orlov, Gregory’s brother, and Gregory only supported it and conveyed it to Catherine. Alexei Orlov wrote to his brother about the tasks of such an expedition and the war in general: “If we are going to go, then go to Constantinople and free all the Orthodox and pious from the heavy yoke. And I will say as Emperor Peter I said in his letter: drive their infidel Mohammedans into the sandy steppes to their former homes. And then piety will begin again, and we will say glory to our God and the Almighty.” When submitting the expedition project to the Council under the Empress, Grigory Orlov formulated his proposal as follows: “send, in the form of a voyage, several ships to the Mediterranean Sea and from there sabotage the enemy.”

Count Alexei Orlov is the inspirer and first commander of the expedition. Portrait by K. L. Khristinek

Hike

In the winter of 1769, preparations were underway for the Baltic Fleet ships in the Kronstadt harbor. Several squadrons of the Baltic Fleet were to take part in the expedition: a total of 20 battleships, 6 frigates, 1 bombardment ship, 26 auxiliary ships, over 8 thousand landing troops. In total, the expedition crew was supposed to number over 17 thousand people. In addition, they planned to buy several ships from England. The British at that time considered France their main enemy and supported Russia. Russia was a major trading partner of England. Alexey Orlov was appointed commander of the expedition in the position of general-in-chief. The squadron was led by Admiral Grigory Andreevich Spiridov, one of the most experienced Russian sailors, who began his service under Peter the Great.

In July 1769, the first squadron left under the command of Spiridov. It consisted of 7 battleships - “Saint Eustathius”, “Svyatoslav”, “Three Hierarchs”, “Three Saints”, “Saint Januarius”, “Europe” and “Northern Eagle”, 1 bombardment ship “Thunder”, 1 frigate "Nadezhda Blagopoluchiya" and 9 auxiliary vessels. Almost all battleships had 66 guns, including the flagship St. Eustathius. The most powerful ship was Svyatoslav - 86 guns. In October 1769, the second squadron left under the command of the Englishman Rear Admiral John Elphinstone, who had switched to Russian service. The second squadron included 3 battleships - the flagship "Don't touch me", "Tver" and "Saratov" (all had 66 guns), 2 frigates - "Nadezhda" and "Afrika", the ship "Chichagov" and 2 kicks. During the campaign, the composition of the squadron changed somewhat.

The Russian squadron's voyage around Europe was difficult and met with hostility from France. The news of the Russian campaign came as a complete surprise to Paris, but the French were convinced that this naval expedition, in conditions of complete separation from bases and lack of necessary experience, would end in complete failure of the Russian sailors. The British, as opposed to France, decided to support the Russians. However, even in London it was believed that the Russian fleet, which was in complete decline after Peter I, would face failure.

“The desire to bring Russia’s naval forces to a significant size,” noted the British ambassador to Russia, “can only be achieved with the help and assistance of England, and not otherwise. But it is impossible for Russia to become a rival capable of inspiring us with envy, either as a commercial or as a military maritime power. For this reason, I have always considered such types of Russia to be very happy for us, for as long as this is accomplished, she must depend on us and cling to us. If it succeeds, this success will only increase our strength, and if it fails, we will only lose what we could not have.”

In general, the assistance of England during this period was useful to Russia: it was possible to hire experienced military officers of various levels and receive extremely important support in supplying and repairing ships directly in England and in its strongholds in the Mediterranean Sea - in Gibraltar and Minorca. The Grand Duchy of Tuscany (a region of modern Italy) also provided benevolent neutrality and assistance to the Russian fleet. In the main port of this state, in Livorno, Russian ships were repaired and maintained contact with Russia through Tuscany.

It is clear that for Russian sailors the long voyage around Europe was a difficult and responsible test. Before this, Russian ships mainly stayed in the Baltic Sea, most often sailing in the Gulf of Finland. Only a few merchant ships left the Baltic. Thus, Russian ships had to withstand the elements far from their repair and supply bases, having a need for the bare necessities. And in the Mediterranean Sea they had to face an experienced enemy who relied on its territory.

The campaign of Spiridov's squadron was accompanied by difficulties. The most powerful ship, Svyatoslav, was damaged. On August 10 (21), a leak opened on the ship and he returned to Revel with difficulty. After repairs, "Svyatoslav" joined Elphinstone's second squadron and became the flagship of the second squadron. Therefore, Spiridov, by his own decision, attached the battleship Rostislav, which came from Arkhangelsk, to the squadron.

A storm broke out in the area of ​​the island of Gotland, which continued almost continuously until the squadron entered the North Sea. The Lapomink pink died off Cape Skagen. On August 30 (September 10) the squadron arrived in Copenhagen. On September 4 (15), the battleship "Three Saints" ran aground on a sandbank, it was possible to remove it, but the ship was severely damaged. There were many sick people on the ships. By the time the ships arrived in England on September 24, hundreds of people had fallen ill. A significant part of the squadron remained in England for repairs, including the Saint, under the command of Brigadier Samuel Greig.

The further journey was also difficult. There is a storm in the Bay of Biscay. Some ships were severely damaged. The ship "Northern Eagle" was forced to return to the English city of Portsmouth, where it was eventually declared unfit for service and dismantled. During the long voyage, the insufficient strength of the ships' hulls was revealed: during the rocking, the plating boards came off and leaks appeared. Poor ventilation and lack of infirmaries led to widespread illness among the teams and high mortality rates. Unsatisfactory preliminary preparation on the part of the Admiralty also had its effect. Naval officials sought to formally solve the problem in order to get rid of the troublesome matter: they somehow supplied the ships and escorted them out of Kronstadt. The crews of the ships were in great need of food, good drinking water and uniforms. To repair and eliminate damage along the way, only one shipwright was assigned to the entire squadron, which was sent on a long voyage.

The passage of Russian ships from the coast of England to Gibraltar lasted about a month - over 1,500 miles without a single stop at ports. In November 1769, the ship "Eustathius" under the flag of Spiridov passed Gibraltar, entered the Mediterranean Sea and arrived at Port Mahon (Minorca Island). On November 12 (23), Greig with the main part of the squadron went to Gibraltar, where he received news from Spiridov and headed to Minorca. By Christmas 1769, only 9 ships had gathered in Menorca, including 4 battleships (“Saint Eustathius”, “Three Hierarchs”, “Three Saints”, “Saint Januarius”). In February 1770, the 1st squadron reached the shores of the Morea Peninsula (Peloponnese). In March, the battleships Rostislav and Europe arrived.

With the support of the Russian squadron, the Greeks began an uprising. In order to use the Greek national liberation movement against the Turkish yoke, Empress Catherine II, even before the start of the operation, sent Count A. Orlov to Italy, who was supposed to establish contact with the rebel commanders and provide them with support. Orlov was to lead all Russian forces in the Mediterranean. The Russian squadron landed small troops, strengthening the Greek troops and began a siege of coastal fortresses on the southern coast of Greece. On April 10, the Navarin fortress capitulated, which became the base for the Russian fleet.

However, overall the uprising failed. The rebels fighting in the depths of the Morea were defeated. The Turks crushed resistance in the most brutal way. They used Albanian punitive forces. The siege of the seaside fortress of Coron, begun in March by part of the Russian squadron, did not lead to victory. It was not possible to take the Modon fortress. New troops arrived from Turkey to Greece. Soon Turkish troops besieged Navarino. Orlov, due to the military weakness of the Greek troops, problems with drinking water and the threat from the approaching Turkish army, decided to leave the fortress. On May 23 (June 3) the fortress was blown up and abandoned. Russian troops left the Morea, moving the fighting to the Aegean Sea. Thus, the Russian squadron was unable to create a stable base in Morea. The Greek uprising was crushed.

Fight at sea

Meanwhile, the Ottoman command gathered not only ground forces, but also a fleet into Greece. The Turks planned to blockade Navarino not only from land, but also from the sea. A large squadron was sent from Turkish ports. At the same time, the second squadron under the command of D. Elphinstone arrived to help Spiridov - the ships “Saratov”, “Don’t touch me” and the “Svyatoslav”, which was still lagging behind the first squadron, 2 frigates (“Nadezhda” and “Africa”), several transport and auxiliary vessels. At the beginning of May, Elphinstone's squadron approached Morea and moved along the coast. On the morning of May 16 (27), the Russians discovered the enemy near the island of La Spezia. The Ottomans had more than double superiority in forces, but did not accept the battle and hid in the port of Napoli di Romagna.

On the afternoon of May 17 (28), Russian ships attacked the enemy. The battle ended without any significant losses on both sides. The Turks believed that they were dealing with the vanguard of a sprawling Russian fleet, so they retreated under the protection of coastal batteries. Elphinstone believed that he did not have enough strength to block the Turkish fleet, and retreated.

On May 22 (June 2), Elphinston’s second squadron near the island of Tserigo merged with Spiridov’s squadron. The combined Russian forces returned to the Gulf of Napoli di Romagna, but the Ottomans were no longer there. The commander of the Turkish fleet, Hasan Bey, took the fleet towards Chios. On May 24 (June 4), near the island of La Spezia, Russian and Turkish ships were within sight. However, calm prevented the naval battle. For three days the opponents saw each other, but could not engage in battle. The Ottomans then took advantage of the favorable wind and disappeared. Russian ships continued searching for the enemy. For almost a month they plowed the waters of the Aegean Sea in pursuit of the Ottomans. In mid-June they were joined by a detachment of ships, which was the last to leave Navarino.

All Russian naval forces in the Mediterranean were united, and Orlov took overall command. It should be noted that Spiridov was dissatisfied with Elphinstone, who, in his opinion, missed the Turks at Napoli di Romagna. The admirals quarreled. By Catherine's instructions, Admiral Spiridov and Rear Admiral Elphinstone were placed in an equal position, and neither of them was subordinate to the other. Only the arrival of Orlov defused the situation and he took over the supreme command.

On June 15 (26), the Russian fleet stocked up on water on the island of Paros, where the Greeks reported that the Turkish fleet had left the island 3 days ago. The Russian command decided to go to the island of Chios, and if there was no enemy there, then to the island of Tenedos in order to block the Dardanelles. On June 23 (July 4) near the island of Chios, patrolmen on the ship "Rostislav" located in the vanguard discovered the enemy.

Battle in the Chios Strait

When the Russian ships approached the Chios Strait, which separated the island of Chios from Asia Minor, it was possible to determine the composition of the enemy fleet. It turned out that the enemy had a serious advantage. The Turkish fleet consisted of: 16 battleships (of which 5 had 80 guns each, 10 had 60-70 guns each), 6 frigates and dozens of shebeks, galleys and other small combat and auxiliary vessels. The Turkish fleet was armed with 1,430 guns, the total crew numbered 16 thousand people. Before the start of the battle, Orlov had 9 battleships, 3 frigates and 18 other ships, which had 730 guns and a crew of about 6.5 thousand people. Thus, the enemy had a double superiority in guns and men. The balance of forces was clearly not in favor of the Russian fleet.

The Turkish fleet was built in two arc-shaped lines. The first line consisted of 10 battleships, the second - 6 battleships and 6 frigates. Auxiliary vessels stood behind the second line. The formation of the fleet was extremely close (150-200 meters between ships); only the ships of the first line could fully use their artillery. A large fortified camp was set up near the shore, from where the ships replenished supplies. The commander of the Turkish fleet, Ibrahim Husameddin Pasha, watched the battle from the shore. Admiral Hassan Bey was on the flagship Real Mustafa.

Count Orlov was confused. However, the bulk of Russian sailors were ready to fight. The enthusiasm of the crews, the persistence of Spiridov and the ship commanders convinced the commander-in-chief of the need for a decisive attack. “Seeing this structure (the enemy’s battle line),” Orlov reported to St. Petersburg, “I was horrified and in the dark: what should I do? But the bravery of the troops, the zeal of everyone ... forced me to decide and, despite the superior forces (of the enemy), to dare to attack - to fall or destroy the enemy.”

Having assessed the situation and the weaknesses of the enemy fleet's combat formation, Admiral Spiridov proposed the following plan of attack. The battleships, built in a wake formation, taking advantage of the windward position, were supposed to approach the enemy at a right angle and strike at the vanguard and part of the center of the first line. After the destruction of the ships of the first line, the attack was carried out on the ships of the second line. This demonstrated Spiridov’s courage as a naval commander who violated the rules of linear tactics, according to which it was first necessary to build a line parallel to the enemy. Such a formation was associated with risk, since the Russians, approaching the enemy, were subjected to longitudinal fire from the strong artillery of the Turkish fleet. Spiridov's calculation was based on the speed and decisiveness of the attack. For Russian ships, with a large number of small-caliber guns, the shortest distance was more advantageous. In addition, the rapprochement made it possible to somewhat reduce losses, since then not all Turkish ships could fire, especially aimed fire.

On the morning of June 24 (July 5), the Russian squadron entered the Chios Strait and, at a signal from Commander-in-Chief A. Orlov, who was on the battleship Three Hierarchs, formed a wake column. The lead ship was the "Europe" under the command of Captain 1st Rank Fedot Klokachev, followed by the "Eustathius", on which the vanguard commander Admiral Spiridov held his flag, then the ship "Three Saints" under the command of Captain 1st Rank Stepan Khmetevsky. They were followed by the battleships "Yanuarius" of captain 1st rank Mikhail Borisov, "Three Hierarchs" of brigadier Samuil Greig and "Rostislav" of captain 1st rank Lupandin. Closing the battle line were the rearguard ships “Don’t touch me” - Elphinstone’s flagship, commander - captain 1st rank Beshentsev, “Svyatoslav” captain 1st rank Roxburgh and “Saratov” captain Polivanov.

At about 11 o'clock, the Russian squadron, in accordance with the previously developed plan of attack, turned left and began to descend on the enemy almost at a right angle. To speed up the approach to artillery salvo range and the deployment of forces for the attack, Russian ships sailed in close formation. Around noon, the Turkish ships opened fire. The advanced battleship "Europe" approached the battle line of the Turkish fleet within a pistol shot - 50 meters, and was the first to return fire. Captain Klokachev wanted to bring the ship even closer to the enemy, but the proximity of the rocks forced him to turn and temporarily leave the line.

Spiridov's flagship became the lead ship. The Russian flagship was hit by concentrated fire from several enemy ships at once. But our flagship confidently continued to move, setting an example for the entire squadron. Inspiring the sailors to fight the Ottomans, Admiral Grigory Spiridov stood on the upper deck with his sword drawn. Battle marches thundered on Russian ships. The musicians received the order “Play until the last!”

The admiral ordered to concentrate fire on the Turkish flagship Real Mustafa. Following the flagship, the rest of the ships of the Russian fleet entered the battle. By the end of the first hour the battle had become general. The battleship "Three Saints" fired exceptionally well at the enemy, causing serious damage to the Turkish ships. At the same time, the Russian ship was hit by several enemy shells, which broke the braces (rigging gear, with the help of which the yards were turned in the horizontal direction). The “Three Saints” began to drift right into the middle of the Turkish fleet, between its two battle lines. The situation became very dangerous. With the slightest mistake, the ship could collide with a Turkish ship or break on the rocks. However, Captain Khmetevsky, despite being wounded, continued to skillfully direct the ship’s actions. The Russian ship withstood powerful enemy fire. As a result of enemy shelling, underwater holes appeared on the “Three Saints” and the masts were damaged. But the Russian sailors continued to fight at close range and themselves fired hundreds of shells at the enemy. They fired at the enemy from both sides at once.

The ship "Januarius", under the command of Captain Borisov, having passed along the Ottoman line and shooting several enemy ships at once, turned and walked along the line again. Then he took a position opposite one of the ships and concentrated fire on it. The Januarius was followed by the ship Three Hierarchs. He approached another enemy ship - the flagship of Kapudan Pasha, anchored and began a fierce duel. Russian ships came almost close to enemy ships, which made it possible to use not only small-caliber artillery, but also guns. The Turkish ship could not withstand the fire and retreated, showing the stern. He was "broken beyond belief." Other Turkish ships, against which the Rostislav and Europe fought, were also seriously damaged.

The flagship of the Russian squadron fired from such a short distance that its cannonballs pierced both sides of the Turkish flagship and the crews exchanged rifle and pistol fire. Many Turks could not stand the battle and threw themselves overboard. But enemy fire also led to severe damage to the Eustathius. The masts, yards and sails of the Russian ship were badly damaged. Things got to the point where the Efstafiy got into contact with the Real Mustafa and the Russian sailors rushed to board. During the boarding battle between the Eustathius and Real Mustafa teams, the Ottoman ship caught fire, the flame spread to the Russian ship, and both of them exploded. Admiral Spiridov managed to leave the Evstafiy before the explosion. With the death of the Turkish flagship, control of the enemy fleet was disrupted. In the journal of the flagship “Three Hierarchs” it was noted: “As we passed close to the enemy fleet, we began to fire at it from cannons with cannonballs, which also happened from other ships in our fleet; and this battle took place until the end of 2 hours, and at the end of 2 hours the entire Turkish fleet weighed anchor and went to the town of Chesma, and anchored there. At 2 o’clock we tacked.”

Under heavy artillery fire from the Russian ships of the squadron, the Turks retreated in disarray to Chesme Bay. The Turks hoped that the position at Chesma would be inaccessible. The high banks of the bay protected it from the wind, and the batteries at the entrance to the bay seemed to serve as an impregnable barrier for enemy ships.

Thus, as a result of the first stage of the battle, which lasted about two hours, one ship was lost on each side, and the initiative completely passed to the Russians. The Turks retained almost the entire fleet, but were demoralized by the fearless attack of an inferior enemy. During the explosion of the battleship "St. Eustathius" killed about 500-600 people. The Turks also lost their flagship, and several Turkish ships suffered significant damage. Of the Russian ships, only the Three Saints and Europe suffered minor damage.

Chesme fight

It was necessary to complete the job and destroy the demoralized enemy. On June 25 (July 6), a military council was convened under the chairmanship of Commander-in-Chief Orlov, in which G. A. Spiridov, S. K. Greig, D. Elphinstone, Yu. V. Dolgorukov, I. A. Hannibal and other commanders took part. Orlov and Spiridov decided, using the night breeze blowing from the sea to the shore, to attack and burn the Ottoman fleet in Chesme Bay. Spiridov’s memoirs noted: “So, without hesitation at all, in agreement with Count Alexei Grigorievich, and with other flagships, with whom he always acted in agreement with everyone, he gave the disposition to burn the entire Turkish fleet.”

In order to set fire to enemy ships, a special detachment was formed under the command of junior flagship S.K. Greig, consisting of 4 battleships, 2 frigates and the bombardment ship "Thunder". Orlov ordered Greig to immediately send the Thunder to Chesme Bay and, while the Turks were confused, continuously fire at the enemy. Naval artillery brigadier I. A. Hannibal was tasked with preparing fire ships to attack the enemy. A fireship was a ship loaded with flammable or explosive substances and used to set fire to and destroy enemy ships. The next day the fireships were ready. They were equipped from small sailing schooners and filled with gunpowder and tar.

The commander of the Turkish fleet, Ibrahim Husameddin Pasha, hoped that Russian ships would not be able to attack his forces after a fierce battle and, relying on the inaccessibility of Chesma’s positions, abandoned the idea of ​​​​entering the sea in order to break away from the Russian squadron, which was possible given the best seaworthiness of the Ottoman ships. The Turkish command hastily strengthened the defense of Chesme Bay. Long-range guns were brought from ships to coastal batteries located at the entrance to the bay. As a result, coastal defenses were significantly strengthened.

On the night of June 26 (July 7), Greig's detachment entered the bay. The battleships “Europe”, “Rostislav” and “Don’t touch me” formed a line from north to south and entered into battle with the Turkish ships. The 66-gun Saratov stood in reserve, while the Thunder and the frigate Africa attacked the batteries on the west bank. Soon the first Turkish ship exploded. Burning debris fell on other ships in the bay. After the explosion of the second Turkish ship, the Russian ships ceased fire, and fire ships entered the bay. Three fireships, for various reasons, did not achieve their goal. Only one, under the command of Lieutenant D.S. Ilyin, completed the task. Under enemy fire, he approached an 84-gun Turkish ship and set it on fire. The fireship crew, together with Lieutenant Ilyin, boarded the boat and left the burning fireship. Soon there was an explosion on the Ottoman ship. Many burning debris scattered throughout Chesme Bay, spreading the fire to almost all the ships of the Turkish fleet.

Greig wrote in his “Handwritten Journal”: “The fire of the Turkish fleet became general by three o’clock in the morning. It is easier to imagine than to describe the horror and confusion that seized the enemy! The Turks stopped all resistance even on those ships that had not yet caught fire. Most of the rowing ships sank or capsized from the multitude of people rushing into them. Entire teams threw themselves into the water in fear and despair; the surface of the bay was covered with countless unfortunates who were trying to escape by drowning one another. Few reached the shore, the goal of desperate efforts. The fear of the Turks was so great that they abandoned not only the ships that had not yet caught fire and the coastal batteries, but even fled from the castle and city of Chesma, which had already been abandoned by the garrison and residents.”

By morning, 15 Turkish battleships, 6 frigates and over 40 auxiliary ships were burned and sunk. One enemy battleship "Rhodes" and 5 galleys were captured. The Turkish fleet suffered huge losses - 10-11 thousand people. Prince Yu. Dolgorukov, a participant in the events, later wrote: “The water mixed with blood and ash took on a very nasty appearance. The corpses of burnt people floated on the waves, and the port was so filled with them that it was difficult to move around in the boats.”

The Russian fleet had no losses in ships that day. 11 people died. Thus, the Russian fleet achieved brilliant success, completely destroying the enemy fleet, and with minimal losses.

After the victory, Spiridov reported to the Admiralty Board in St. Petersburg to its President, Count Chernyshov: “Glory to God and honor to the All-Russian Fleet! From the 25th to the 26th, the enemy fleet was attacked, defeated, broken, burned, sent into the sky, drowned and turned to ashes, and left in that place a terrible disgrace, and they themselves began to dominate the entire Archipelago of our Most Gracious Empress.”

Results

The Battle of Chesma was of great military and political significance. The Ottoman Empire, having lost its fleet, was forced to abandon offensive actions against the Russians in the Archipelago, concentrating its forces on the defense of the Dardanelles Strait and coastal fortresses. In Istanbul they feared that the Russians could now threaten the capital of the empire. Under the leadership of French military engineers, the Turks hastily strengthened the defenses of the Dardanelles. Part of the Turkish forces was diverted from the Black Sea theater. All this played an important role in the conclusion of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace Treaty. The battle was evidence of Russia's increased naval power. The Chesme victory caused a wide resonance in Europe and Asia. The greatest military success of the Russian sailors was so obvious that disdain and skepticism towards our fleet gave way to thoughtfulness and even apprehension. The British highly appreciated the results of Chesma: “In one blow the entire naval power of the Ottoman power was destroyed...”.

Empress Catherine II generously awarded all those who distinguished themselves: Admiral Spiridov was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, Count Fyodor Orlov and Commander Greig received the Order of St. George, 2nd class, 3rd class of the Order of St. George were awarded to captains Fedot Klokachev and Stepan Khmetevsky, a number of officers, including the commanders of all fire ships, received the cross of the Order of St. George, 4th class. From that moment on, the commander-in-chief of all Russian forces in the Mediterranean, Alexei Orlov, received an honorary addition to his surname - “Chesmensky”, and for “brave and reasonable leadership of the fleet and winning the famous victory on the shores of Assia over the Turkish fleet and completely destroying it” he was awarded the highest degree Order of St. George. In addition, the count was given the rank of general-in-chief and granted the right to raise the Kaiser flag and include it in the coat of arms.

By order of Catherine II, the Chesme Column was erected in Tsarskoe Selo (1778) to glorify the victory, as well as the Chesme Palace (1774-1777) and the Chesme Church of St. John the Baptist (1777-1780) in St. Petersburg. In memory of the Chesme victory, gold and silver medals were cast. The name "Chesma" was borne by a squadron battleship of the Russian navy.

In July 2012, President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin signed amendments to the law “On days of military glory and memorable dates in Russia”, which supplement the list of days of military glory with the date July 7 - the Day of the victory of the Russian fleet over the Turkish fleet in the Battle of Chesme. The Chesma victory is one of the most brilliant victories of the Russian fleet in the naval chronicle of Russia.

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Do you know when the Chesma naval battle took place? 1770 is still celebrated in Russia today. The Battle of Chesme took place in Chesme Bay in 1770, July 24-26 (July 5-7), in the area between the island of Chios and the western tip of Anatolia. It is known that in this area numerous previous battles took place between the Venetian Republic and the Ottoman Empire, and between the Turkish and Russian fleets. The battle was part of the Second Peloponnesian Revolt of 1769 and a precursor to the coming Greek War of Sovereignty (1821-1829).

Today, the Day of Military Glory of Russia is celebrated on July 7 - this is the day of the victory of the Russian flotilla over the Turkish in the Battle of Chesme.

Background

Many people are familiar with the number 1770. The Battle of Chesma took place exactly this year. After the war between the Russians and the Turks began in 1768, Russia sent a couple of squadrons to the Mediterranean Sea from the Baltic. She wanted to divert the attention of the Ottomans from the First Archipelago Expedition (Black Sea Fleet), which then consisted of only six

The two Russian squadrons were commanded by Admiral Grigory Spiridov and the English adviser, Rear Admiral Elphinstone John, and they were led by Count Alexey Orlov. As a result, experienced sailors managed to discover the Ottoman flotilla in the roadstead in Chesme Bay (western Riviera of Turkey).

Under pressure from France and the influence of the Polish problem, in 1768 the Ottoman Empire declared war on Russia. By this time, the same situation as in the 17th century remained on the southern strategic line. The Russian Empire did not have its own fleet in the Black and Azov Seas, where the naval forces of the Porte dominated. In fact, the Black Sea was a “Turkish Lake”. The Azov region, the Northern Black Sea region and Crimea were controlled by the Ottoman Empire - these lands were a springboard for militarism against Russia.

Invasion

The year is 1770... The Battle of Chesma... Why did it happen? In 1768, in the fall, the Crimean cavalry invaded Russian territory, starting a war. The enemy was defeated and retreated, but the threat remained. The Northern Black Sea region turned into the main theater of military operations, where the Russian army fought for more than five years with the armed forces of the Ottoman Porte and the Crimean Khanate.

Tasks

Remember the number 1770. It means the Battle of Chesma. On the Black Sea, the lack of a fleet had to be compensated. That is why St. Petersburg decided to send a squadron from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean Sea and threaten Turkey from there. The basic purpose of the expedition was to support the likely uprising of the Christian inhabitants of the Balkan Peninsula (primarily the islands of the Aegean Sea and the Greek Peloponnese) and threaten the Turks from the rear.

What tasks was the Russian squadron supposed to perform? She needed to destroy the enemy's sea communications in the Mediterranean Sea and remove some of his forces (mainly the fleet) from the Black Sea combat area. If successful, the squadron was supposed to capture the most important coastal points of Turkey and blockade the Dardanelles. The main scene of action was located in the Aegean Sea or, as it was stated then, in the “Archipelago of Greece”. This is where the name “Greek Expedition” came from.

Idea

The year 1770 has long passed. People still remember the Battle of Chesma. Who came up with the idea of ​​sending Russian ships to the coast of the Aegean Sea, awakening and supporting the uprising of the Christian population living there against the Ottomans? This idea was first expressed by the then favorite of Empress Catherine II, Grigory Orlov. Probably, this idea was first reported by the future leader of the expedition, Count Orlov Alexey, Gregory’s brother, and he only approved it and conveyed it to Catherine.

It is known that he wrote to his brother about the problems of such a campaign and the war in general: “We need to go to Constantinople and free all the pious and Orthodox from the heavy yoke. And I will say as Emperor Peter I said in his letter: drive them, the infidel Mohammedans, into the sandy steppes to their former homes. And here piety will appear again, and let us glorify our Almighty God.” At the time the project for the campaign was submitted to the Council under the Empress, Grigory Orlov formulated his proposal this way: “Send a couple of ships in the form of a cruise to the Mediterranean Sea and from there sabotage the enemy.”

Some experts argue that the Battle of Chesma in 1770 occurred due to Russia’s desire to have an independent outlet from the Black Sea to the vastness of the world’s oceans. And then there was no need for a reason.

Fleets

Now let’s take a closer look at the year 1770, the Battle of Chesma (Russian-Turkish battle). The Russian flotilla consisted of nine three frigates (one 36-gun and a pair of 32-guns), 17-19 auxiliary ships and the bombardment ship "Grom" (10-gun).

Noticing on June 23 the enemy fleet anchored behind the island of Chios, our armada at dawn on June 24 (July 5), 1770, entered the Chios Canal, separating the named island from the Anatolian Riviera, from the north with a fair wind. Along this coast, from the Chesme Bay to the north, the Ottoman armada was anchored in two lines.

It contained 16 ships (of which six were 90- or 80-gun, and the others, like the Russian ones, were equipped with 66 guns), 60 small ships and 6 frigates. The commander was Hassan-ed-Din - captain-pasha. At that moment he was in a camp on the shore, and he was replaced by Ghassan Bey (a brave Algerian), who reasoned that it was necessary to engage with enemy ships and fly into the air with them. However, his corvettes could not follow this rule, since they were at anchor. As a result, the Russians, with their sails raised, took the initiative in the battle.

Orlov's tactics

In the year 1770, the Battle of Chesma (Russian-Turkish battle) greatly influenced the course of subsequent history. It is known that the impressive forces of the enemy first struck Count Orlov. But, firmly relying on the courage of his soldiers and on God, he, after consulting with the captains and flagships, decided to attack the Turkish fleet. Orlov ordered the creation of springs (cables connected by anchors that hold the ship in the desired position) in case he had to anchor against the enemy. The count lined up the battle and moved towards the Turks in this order:

• Rearguard: ships "Svyatoslav" (Admiral Elphinstone, skipper Roxburgh), "Don't Touch Me" (skipper Beshentsov), "Saratov" (captain Polivanov).
• Vanguard: “Eustathius” (Admiral Spiridov, Captain Cruz), “Europe” (Captain Klokachev), “Three Saints” (skipper Khmetevsky).
• Cordebatalia: “Three Hierarchs” (Count Orlov Alexey, brigadier Greig), “Januarius” (skipper Borisov), “Rostislav” (captain Lupandin).

Battle in the Chios Strait

The Battle of Chesma (1770, July 7) turned history back. First, let's look at the battle in the Chios Strait, which took place on June 24 (July 5). The Russian fleet agreed on a plan of action and approached the southern border of the Turkish line. After that, he turned around and began to position himself against enemy ships. The Turkish fleet began firing from a distance of 3 cables (560 m) at 11:30-11:45. The Russian ships did not fire back until they approached the enemy to a range of 80 battles (170 m) for close combat at 12:00.

The maneuver did not work out for three Russian ships: “St. Januariy" was forced to turn around before he got into line, "Europe" missed her place, was damaged, which is why she turned around and left the formation, ending up behind "Rostislav", and "Three Saints" from the rear area rounded the second enemy ship before she could stand in line, as a result of which he was mistakenly attacked by the corvette "Three Hierarchs".

The damage to Europa meant that St. Eustathius" became the lead ship of the Russian armada. The fire of three Turkish battleships (including the flagship of the Ottoman flotilla Burj u Zafer, commanded by Hassan Pasha) was directed at this ship. "St. Eustathius" began boarding the flagship of the Ottoman armada before he saw a fire on it. After the flaming mainmast of the Burj u Zafera fell onto the deck of the corvette St. Eustathius,” he exploded. After 10-15 minutes, the Burj-u-Zafer took off. Elphinstone assured that the Russians were virtually ineffective, and Spiridov and Count Orlov Fedor (the leader’s brother) left “St. Eustathius" even before the start of close combat. In the same way, the skipper of the St. Eustathia" Cruz. Spiridov resumed command of the battle from the corvette “Three Saints”.

By 14:00 the Turks cut the anchor ropes and retreated under the cover of coastal batteries to the Chesme harbor.

Fight in the bay

Many soldiers died in 1770. The Battle of Chesma was one of the most fierce. On June 25-26 (July 6-7) a battle took place in Chesme Bay. It was in it that the Turkish fire ships created two rows of 7- and 8-line corvettes, and the rest of the ships were placed between these rows and the coast.

All day on June 25 (July 6), Russian ships fired at the Turkish flotilla and coastal positions. Fireships were made from four auxiliary vessels. At 17:00, the bombardment ship "Grom" anchored in front of the entrance to the Chesme Bay and began to fire at the Turkish fleet. At 00:30 it was joined by the linear ship "Europe", and by 01:00 - by "Rostislav", in the wake of which fire ships arrived.

"Rostislav", "Europe" and the granted "Don't touch me" formed a line from north to south, starting a battle with the Turkish armada. At this time, "Saratov" was in reserve, and the frigate "Africa" ​​and "Grom" attacked the batteries on the western coast of the gulf.

At 01:30 or a little earlier (according to Elphinstone, at midnight), as a result of the firing of “Don’t touch me” and “Thunder”, one of the Turkish battleships exploded: the fire spread to the hull from the burning sails. The flames quickly spread to other ships in the harbor.

So, we continue the story about the event that took place on July 7, 1770. Everyone should study the Battle of Chesma. After the second Turkish ship exploded at 02:00, the Russian ships stopped firing and the fire ships entered the bay. Two of them, under the command of captains Dugdale and Gagarin, were shot by the Turks. By the way, Elphinstone claims that only Captain Dugdale’s fireship was lost, and Gagarin’s ship refused to go into battle. Next, one ship, commanded by Mackenzie, grappled with an already burning ship, and one (under the control of Lieutenant D. Ilyin) attached itself to an 84-gun linear corvette.

It is known that Ilyin set fire to the fire ship and left it on a boat with the crew. The ship exploded and set fire to most of the other Ottoman corvettes. By 02:30, three more battleships exploded.

At approximately 04:00, Russian ships sent boats, wanting to save two large ships that were not yet burning. However, they were able to take out only one of them - the 60-gun Rhodes. From 04:00 to 05:30, six more warships took off, and at 7 o’clock four more took off simultaneously. By 08:00 the battle in Chesme Bay was over.

Consequences of the battle

Why is 1770 good for Russian history? What benefits did the Battle of Chesma bring to Russia? After this battle, the Russian fleet was able to thoroughly disrupt Turkish communications in the Aegean Sea and isolate the Dardanelles. All these nuances played an important role in the signing of the Kyuchuk-Kainardzhi peace agreement.

At the direction of Catherine II, to praise the victory in the Great Peterhof Palace, the memorial Chesme Hall (1774-1777) was made, two monuments were erected for this event: the Chesme pilaster in Tsarskoye Selo (1778) and the Chesme monument in Gatchina (1775) , and also the Chesme Palace (1774-1777) and the Chesme Church of St. John the Baptist (1777-1780) were erected in St. Petersburg.

The Battle of Chesma in 1770 was immortalized in cast gold and silver medals, which were made by order of Empress Catherine Alekseevna. Count Alexey Orlov was allowed to add the name, as they said then, “Chesmensky” to his surname.

Names

It is known that the name “Chesma” was borne by the battleship of the armada of the Russian military flotilla. By order of Nicholas II, Chesma named the settlement, which today is a village in the Chelyabinsk region.

And there is also Cape Chesma - that’s what the expedition on the clipper “Vsadnik” named it in 1876.

In July 2012, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin signed with his signature amendments to the law “On memorable dates of Russia and days of military glory.” As a result, the Day of Victory of the Russian flotilla over the Turkish in the Battle of Chesme appeared, which is celebrated on July 7.

Reports

Historians are still studying the year 1770: the Battle of Chesma, the cause of which is already known, glorified Russia throughout the world. It is known that Spiridov reported to the President of the Admiralty Collegium in St. Petersburg, Count Chernyshov: “Thanks to God and honor to the All-Russian Flotilla! From the 25th to the 26th, the enemy fleet was attacked, broken, smashed, burned, sunk, sent into the sky and turned into ashes, and left a terrible dishonor in that place, while they themselves began to dominate the entire Archipelago of our All-Merciful Queen.”

A.G. Orlov brilliantly expressed the feelings inspired by the Chesma victory in a letter to his brother: “Hello, sir, brother! I’ll tell you a little about our journey: having lit a fire everywhere, we were forced to leave the sea. They followed the enemy with a fleet, approached him, fought, captured him, defeated him, won, destroyed him, sent him to the bottom and incinerated him.”

Battle of Chesma 1770

During the Russian-Turkish War, the Russian fleet defeated the Turkish fleet in Chesme Bay. The Chesma naval battle took place on June 24-26 (July 5-7), 1770. It went down in history as one of the best naval battles of the 18th century.

How it all began

There was a Russian-Turkish war. 1768 - Russia sent several squadrons from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean to divert the attention of the Turks from the Azov flotilla (which then consisted of only 6 battleships) - the so-called First Archipelago Expedition.

Two Russian squadrons (under the command of Admiral Grigory Spiridov and the English adviser Rear Admiral John Elphinstone, united under the general command of Count Alexei Orlov, discovered the enemy fleet in the roadstead of Chesme Bay (west coast of Turkey).

Strengths of the parties. Arrangement

The Turkish fleet, under the command of Ibrahim Pasha, had a double numerical advantage over the Russian fleet.

Russian fleet: 9 battleships; 3 frigates; 1 bombardment ship; 17-19 auxiliary vessels; 6500 people. The total armament is 740 guns.

Turkish fleet: 16 battleships; 6 frigates; 6 shebek; 13 galleys; 32 small vessels; 15,000 people. The total number of guns is more than 1400.

The Turks lined up their ships in two arched lines. The first line had 10 battleships, the second - 6 battleships and 6 frigates. Small vessels were located behind the second line. The deployment of the fleet was extremely close; only the ships of the first line could fully use their artillery. Although there are different opinions about whether the ships of the second line could fire through the gaps between the ships of the first or not.

Battle of Chesma. (Jacob Philipp Hackert)

Battle plan

Admiral G. Spiridov proposed the following plan of attack. The battleships, lined up in a wake formation, taking advantage of the windward position, were supposed to approach the Turkish ships at right angles and strike at the vanguard and part of the center of the first line. After the destruction of the ships of the first line, the attack was intended to hit the ships of the second line. Thus, the plan proposed by the admiral was based on principles that had nothing to do with the linear tactics of Western European fleets.

Instead of distributing forces evenly along the entire line, Spiridov proposed concentrating all the ships of the Russian squadron against part of the enemy forces. This made it possible for the Russians to equalize their forces with the numerically superior Turkish fleet in the direction of the main attack. At the same time, the implementation of this plan was associated with a certain risk; the whole point is that when approaching the enemy at a right angle, the Russian lead ship, before reaching artillery salvo range, came under longitudinal fire from the entire line of the Turkish fleet. But Spiridov, taking into account the high training of the Russians and the poor training of the Turks, believed that the Turkish fleet would not be able to cause serious harm to the Russian squadron at the time of its approach.

Progress of the battle

Battle of the Chios Strait

June 24, morning - the Russian fleet entered the Chios Strait. The lead ship was the Europe, followed by the Eustathius, on which was the flag of the vanguard commander, Admiral Spiridov. At approximately 11 o'clock, the Russian squadron, in accordance with the previously planned attack plan, approached the southern edge of the Turkish line under full sail, and then, turning around, began to take up positions against the Turkish ships.
To quickly reach artillery salvo range and deploy forces for an attack, the Russian fleet marched in close formation.

The Turkish ships opened fire at about 11:30, from a distance of 3 cables (560 m), the Russian fleet did not respond until they approached the Turks for close combat at a distance of 80 fathoms (170 m) at 12:00 and, turning to the left, fired a powerful salvo from all guns at predetermined targets.

Several Turkish ships were seriously damaged. The Russian ships “Europe”, “St. Eustathius”, “Three Hierarchs”, that is, the ships that were part of the vanguard and the first to start the battle. After the vanguard, the ships of the center also entered the battle. The battle began to become extremely intense. The enemy's flagships were especially heavily hit. The battle was fought with one of them, the flagship of the Ottoman fleet Burj u Zafer. Eustathius." The Russian ship caused a number of serious damage to the Turkish one, and then went on board.

In hand-to-hand combat on the deck of a Turkish ship, Russian sailors showed courage and heroism. A fierce boarding battle on the deck of the Burj u Zafera ended in Russian victory. Soon after the capture of the Turkish flagship, a fire broke out on it. After the burning mainmast of the Burj u Zafera fell onto the deck of the St. Eustathius,” he exploded. After 10-15 minutes. The Turkish flagship also exploded.

Before the explosion, Admiral Spiridov managed to leave the burning ship and move to another. The death of the flagship Burj u Zafera completely disrupted the control of the Turkish fleet. At 13 o'clock the Turks, unable to withstand the Russian attack and fearing the fire would spread to other ships, hastily began to cut the anchor ropes and retreat to Chesme Bay under the protection of coastal batteries, where they were blocked by the Russian squadron.

As a result of the first stage of the battle, which lasted about 2 hours, one ship was lost on each side; the initiative completely passed to the Russians.

Battle of Chesme Bay

June 25 - at the military council of Count Orlov, Spiridov’s plan was adopted, which consisted in the destruction of enemy ships in his own base. Considering the crowding of Turkish ships, which excluded them from the possibility of maneuver, Spiridov proposed destroying the enemy fleet with a combined strike of naval artillery and fire ships, with the main blow to be delivered by artillery.

To attack the enemy on June 25, 4 fire ships were equipped and a special detachment was created under the command of the junior flagship S.K. Greig, consisting of 4 battleships, 2 frigates and the bombardment ship "Thunder". The attack plan developed by Spiridov was as follows: the ships allocated for the attack, taking advantage of the darkness, were to secretly approach the enemy at a distance of 2-3 cabs on the night of June 26. and, having anchored, open sudden fire: battleships and the bombardment ship "Grom" - on the ships, frigates - on the Turkish coastal battery.

Having completed all preparations for the battle, at midnight, at a signal from the flagship, the ships designated for the attack weighed anchor and headed to the places indicated for them. Approaching a distance of two cables, the ships of the Russian squadron took places according to the disposition established for them and opened fire on the Turkish fleet and coastal batteries. "Thunder" and some battleships fired mainly with guns. Four fireships were deployed behind the battleships and frigates in anticipation of an attack.

At the beginning of the second hour, a fire broke out on one of the Turkish ships from a hit firebrand, which quickly engulfed the entire ship and began to spread to neighboring enemy ships. The Turks were confused and weakened their fire. This created favorable conditions for attacking the fireships. At 1:15 a.m., four fireships, under the cover of fire from battleships, began to move towards the enemy. Each of the fireships was assigned a specific ship with which it should engage in battle.

Three fireships, for various reasons, were unable to achieve their goal, and only one, under the command of Lieutenant Ilyin, completed the task. Under enemy fire, he approached an 84-gun Turkish ship and set it on fire. The crew of the fireship, together with Lieutenant Ilyin, boarded the boats and left the burning fireship. Soon the Turkish ship exploded. Thousands of burning debris scattered throughout Chesme Bay, spreading the fire to almost all Turkish ships.

At this time, the bay looked like a huge flaming torch. One after another, enemy ships exploded and flew into the air. At four o'clock, the Russian ships ceased fire. By that time, almost the entire enemy fleet was destroyed.

Chesme Column

Consequences

After this battle, the Russian fleet was able to seriously disrupt Turkish communications in the Aegean Sea and establish a blockade of the Dardanelles. As a result, this played an important role during the signing of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi peace agreement.

By decree, to glorify the victory, the memorial Chesme Hall (1774-1777) was created in the Great Peterhof Palace, and 2 monuments were erected in honor of this event: the Chesme pilaster in Tsarskoe Selo (1778) and the Chesme monument in Gatchina (1775). ), and also the Chesme Palace (1774-1777) and the Chesme Church of St. John the Baptist (1777-1780) were built in St. Petersburg. The Battle of Chesma in 1770 was immortalized in cast gold and silver medals made at the behest of the Empress. Count Orlov was awarded the Order of St. George, 1st degree, and received the honorary addition of Chesmensky to his surname; Admiral Spiridov received the highest order of the Russian Empire - St. Andrew the First-Called; Rear Admiral Greig was awarded the Order of St. George, 2nd degree, which gave him the right to hereditary Russian nobility.

The Battle of Chesma is a striking example of the destruction of an enemy fleet at the location of its base. The victory of the Russian fleet over twice the enemy's strength was achieved thanks to the correct choice of moment to deliver a decisive blow, a sudden night attack and the unexpected use of fire ships and incendiary shells by the enemy, well-organized interaction of forces, as well as the high morale and combat qualities of the personnel and the naval skill of the admiral Spiridov, who boldly abandoned the formulaic linear tactics that dominated the Western European fleets of that era. On the initiative of Spiridov, such combat techniques were used as concentrating all the forces of the fleet against part of the enemy forces and conducting combat at extremely short distances.

,
G. A. Spiridov,
D. Elphinstone

Two Russian squadrons (under the command of Admiral Grigory Spiridov and Rear Admiral John Elphinstone (commanded the trailing division of 3 ships)), united under the overall command of Count Alexei Orlov, discovered the Turkish fleet in the roadstead of Chesme Bay (west coast of Turkey).

Russian fleet

The Russian fleet included 9 battleships, 3 frigates, the bombardment ship "Grom", 17-19 auxiliary ships and transports.

Turkish fleet

At 17:00 on July 6, the bombardment ship Thunder anchored in front of the entrance to Chesme Bay and began shelling Turkish ships. At 0:30 he was joined by a battleship Europe, and by 1:00 - Rostislav, in whose wake the fireships came.

Europe, Rostislav and came up Dont touch me formed a line from north to south, engaging in battle with Turkish ships, Saratov stood in reserve, and Thunder and frigate Africa attacked the batteries on the western shore of the bay. At 1:30 or a little earlier (midnight, according to Elphinstone), the resulting fire Thunder and/or Dont touch me one of the Turkish battleships exploded due to the transfer of flame from the burning sails to the hull. Burning debris from this explosion scattered other ships in the bay.

After the explosion of the second Turkish ship at 2:00, the Russian ships ceased fire, and fire ships entered the bay. Two of them are under the command of captains Gagarin and Dugdale. Dugdale) the Turks managed to shoot (according to Elphinstone, only Captain Dugdale's fire-ship was shot, and Captain Gagarin's fire-ship refused to go into battle), one under the command of Mackenzie (eng. Mackenzie) grappled with an already burning ship, and one under the command of Lieutenant D. Ilyin grappled with an 84-gun battleship. Ilyin set fire to the fireship, and he and his crew left it on a boat. The ship exploded and set fire to most of the remaining Turkish ships. By 2:30, 3 more battleships exploded.

At about 4:00, Russian ships sent boats to save two large ships that were not yet burning, but only one of them was taken out - a 60-gun Rhodes. From 4:00 to 5:30, 6 more battleships exploded, and in the 7th hour, 4 exploded simultaneously. By 8:00, the battle in Chesme Bay was over.

Consequences of the battle

After the Battle of Chesme, the Russian fleet managed to seriously disrupt the communications of the Turks in the Aegean Sea and establish a blockade of the Dardanelles.

All this played an important role in the conclusion of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace Treaty.

In memory of the Chesme victory, gold and silver medals were cast. The medals were made by “decree of Her Imperial Majesty Empress Catherine Aleksevna”: “We bestow this medal on all those who were in this fleet during this Chesme happy incident, both naval and land lower ranks, and allow them to wear them in memory on a blue ribbon in the buttonhole." Catherine.

There is Cape Chesma in the Gulf of Anadyr, named in 1876 by an expedition on the clipper “Vsadnik”.

In July 2012, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed amendments to the law “On days of military glory and memorable dates in Russia,” which supplement the list of days of military glory with the date July 7 - the Day of the victory of the Russian fleet over the Turkish fleet in the Battle of Chesme.

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Notes

Literature

• Lovyagin R. M.// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
• Marine encyclopedic dictionary. T. 3. St. Petersburg: Shipbuilding, p. 389-390.
• Tarle E. V. Chesme battle and the first Russian expedition to the Archipelago. 1769-1774 / Academy of Sciences of the USSR. - M.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1945. - 110 p. - 15,000 copies.(region)
• Tarle E., acad. Chesma // Ogonyok, No. 6-7, February 20, 1945. P. 13-14.
• Krinitsyn F. S. Battle of Chesme. - M.: Military Publishing House, 1962. - 64 p. - (The heroic past of our Motherland).
• Lebedev A.A. Chios and Chesma in the light of data from the logbooks of Russian battleships // Gangut. 2014. No. 81.

Links

• A. Ya. Glotov. “Domestic Notes”, Part 3. No. 5 and 6. 1820

An excerpt characterizing the Battle of Chesma

On the evening of September 1, after his meeting with Kutuzov, Count Rastopchin, upset and offended by the fact that he was not invited to the military council, that Kutuzov did not pay any attention to his proposal to take part in the defense of the capital, and surprised by the new look that opened up to him in the camp , in which the question of the calm of the capital and its patriotic mood turned out to be not only secondary, but completely unnecessary and insignificant - upset, offended and surprised by all this, Count Rostopchin returned to Moscow. After dinner, the count, without undressing, lay down on the sofa and at one o'clock was awakened by a courier who brought him a letter from Kutuzov. The letter said that since the troops were retreating to the Ryazan road outside Moscow, would the count like to send police officials to lead the troops through the city. This news was not news to Rostopchin. Not only from yesterday’s meeting with Kutuzov on Poklonnaya Hill, but also from the Battle of Borodino itself, when all the generals who came to Moscow unanimously said that another battle could not be fought, and when, with the count’s permission, every night government property and residents were already removing up to half let's leave - Count Rastopchin knew that Moscow would be abandoned; but nevertheless, this news, communicated in the form of a simple note with an order from Kutuzov and received at night, during his first sleep, surprised and irritated the count.
Subsequently, explaining his activities during this time, Count Rastopchin wrote several times in his notes that he then had two important goals: De maintenir la tranquillite a Moscow et d "en faire partir les habitants. [Keep calm in Moscow and escort out her inhabitants.] If we assume this double goal, every action of Rostopchin turns out to be impeccable. Why were the Moscow shrine, weapons, cartridges, gunpowder, grain supplies not taken out, why were thousands of residents deceived by the fact that Moscow would not be surrendered, and ruined? - For this ", in order to maintain calm in the capital, Count Rostopchin's explanation answers. Why were piles of unnecessary papers removed from public places and Leppich's ball and other objects? - In order to leave the city empty, Count Rostopchin's explanation answers. One has only to assume that something threatened national tranquility, and every action becomes justified.
All the horrors of terror were based only on concern for public peace.
What was Count Rastopchin’s fear of public peace in Moscow based on in 1812? What reason was there for supposing there was a tendency towards indignation in the city? Residents left, troops, retreating, filled Moscow. Why should the people rebel as a result of this?
Not only in Moscow, but throughout Russia, upon the entry of the enemy, nothing resembling indignation occurred. On September 1st and 2nd, more than ten thousand people remained in Moscow, and, apart from the crowd that had gathered in the courtyard of the commander-in-chief and attracted by him, there was nothing. Obviously, it was even less necessary to expect unrest among the people if after the Battle of Borodino, when the abandonment of Moscow became obvious, or, at least, probably, if then, instead of agitating the people with the distribution of weapons and posters, Rostopchin took measures to the removal of all sacred objects, gunpowder, charges and money, and would directly announce to the people that the city was being abandoned.
Rastopchin, an ardent, sanguine man who always moved in the highest circles of the administration, although with a patriotic feeling, did not have the slightest idea about the people he thought of governing. From the very beginning of the enemy’s entry into Smolensk, Rostopchin envisioned for himself the role of leader of the people’s feelings—the heart of Russia. It not only seemed to him (as it seems to every administrator) that he controlled the external actions of the inhabitants of Moscow, but it seemed to him that he controlled their mood through his proclamations and posters, written in that ironic language that the people in their midst despise and which they do not understands when he hears it from above. Rostopchin liked the beautiful role of the leader of popular feeling so much, he got used to it so much that the need to get out of this role, the need to leave Moscow without any heroic effect, took him by surprise, and he suddenly lost from under his feet the ground on which he stood, he absolutely did not know what should he do? Although he knew, he did not believe with all his soul in leaving Moscow until the last minute and did nothing for this purpose. Residents moved out against his wishes. If public places were removed, it was only at the request of officials, with whom the count reluctantly agreed. He himself was occupied only with the role that he made for himself. As often happens with people gifted with an ardent imagination, he knew for a long time that Moscow would be abandoned, but he knew only by reasoning, but with all his soul he did not believe in it, and was not transported by his imagination to this new situation.
All his activities, diligent and energetic (how useful it was and reflected on the people is another question), all his activities were aimed only at arousing in the residents the feeling that he himself experienced - patriotic hatred of the French and confidence in itself.
But when the event took on its real, historical dimensions, when it turned out to be insufficient to express one’s hatred of the French in words alone, when it was impossible even to express this hatred through battle, when self-confidence turned out to be useless in relation to one issue of Moscow, when the entire population, like one person, , abandoning their property, flowed out of Moscow, showing with this negative action the full strength of their national feeling - then the role chosen by Rostopchin suddenly turned out to be meaningless. He suddenly felt lonely, weak and ridiculous, without any ground under his feet.
Having received, awakened from sleep, a cold and commanding note from Kutuzov, Rastopchin felt the more irritated, the more guilty he felt. In Moscow there remained everything that had been entrusted to him, everything that was government property that he was supposed to take out. It was not possible to take everything out.
“Who is to blame for this, who allowed this to happen? - he thought. - Of course, not me. I had everything ready, I held Moscow like this! And this is what they have brought it to! Scoundrels, traitors! - he thought, not clearly defining who these scoundrels and traitors were, but feeling the need to hate these traitors who were to blame for the false and ridiculous situation in which he found himself.
All that night Count Rastopchin gave orders, for which people came to him from all sides of Moscow. Those close to him had never seen the count so gloomy and irritated.
“Your Excellency, they came from the patrimonial department, from the director for orders... From the consistory, from the Senate, from the university, from the orphanage, the vicar sent... asks... What do you order about the fire brigade? The warden from the prison... the warden from the yellow house..." - they reported to the count all night, without stopping.
To all these questions the count gave short and angry answers, showing that his orders were no longer needed, that all the work he had carefully prepared had now been ruined by someone, and that this someone would bear full responsibility for everything that would happen now.
“Well, tell this idiot,” he answered a request from the patrimonial department, “so that he remains guarding his papers.” Why are you asking nonsense about the fire brigade? If there are horses, let them go to Vladimir. Don't leave it to the French.
- Your Excellency, the warden from the insane asylum has arrived, as you order?
- How will I order? Let everyone go, that’s all... And let the crazy people out in the city. When we have crazy armies commanding them, that’s what God ordered.
When asked about the convicts who were sitting in the pit, the count angrily shouted at the caretaker:
- Well, should I give you two battalions of a convoy that doesn’t exist? Let them in, and that’s it!
– Your Excellency, there are political ones: Meshkov, Vereshchagin.
- Vereshchagin! Is he not hanged yet? - shouted Rastopchin. - Bring him to me.

By nine o'clock in the morning, when the troops had already moved through Moscow, no one else came to ask the count's orders. Everyone who could go did so of their own accord; those who remained decided with themselves what they had to do.
The count ordered the horses to be brought in to go to Sokolniki, and, frowning, yellow and silent, with folded hands, he sat in his office.
In calm, not stormy times, it seems to every administrator that it is only through his efforts that the entire population under his control moves, and in this consciousness of his necessity, every administrator feels the main reward for his labors and efforts. It is clear that as long as the historical sea is calm, the ruler-administrator, with his fragile boat resting his pole against the ship of the people and himself moving, must seem to him that through his efforts the ship he is resting against is moving. But as soon as a storm arises, the sea becomes agitated and the ship itself moves, then delusion is impossible. The ship moves with its enormous, independent speed, the pole does not reach the moving ship, and the ruler suddenly goes from the position of a ruler, a source of strength, into an insignificant, useless and weak person.
Rastopchin felt this, and it irritated him. The police chief, who was stopped by the crowd, together with the adjutant, who came to report that the horses were ready, entered the count. Both were pale, and the police chief, reporting the execution of his assignment, said that in the count’s courtyard there was a huge crowd of people who wanted to see him.
Rastopchin, without answering a word, stood up and quickly walked into his luxurious, bright living room, walked up to the balcony door, grabbed the handle, left it and moved to the window, from which the whole crowd could be seen more clearly. A tall fellow stood in the front rows and with a stern face, waving his hand, said something. The bloody blacksmith stood next to him with a gloomy look. The hum of voices could be heard through the closed windows.
- Is the crew ready? - said Rastopchin, moving away from the window.
“Ready, your Excellency,” said the adjutant.
Rastopchin again approached the balcony door.
- What do they want? – he asked the police chief.
- Your Excellency, they say that they were going to go against the French on your orders, they shouted something about treason. But a violent crowd, your Excellency. I left by force. Your Excellency, I dare to suggest...
“If you please, go, I know what to do without you,” Rostopchin shouted angrily. He stood at the balcony door, looking out at the crowd. “This is what they did to Russia! This is what they did to me!” - thought Rostopchin, feeling an uncontrollable anger rising in his soul against someone who could be attributed to the cause of everything that happened. As often happens with hot-tempered people, anger was already possessing him, but he was looking for another subject for it. “La voila la populace, la lie du peuple,” he thought, looking at the crowd, “la plebe qu"ils ont soulevee par leur sottise. Il leur faut une victime, [“Here he is, people, these scum of the population, the plebeians, whom they raised with their stupidity! They need a victim."] - it occurred to him, looking at the tall fellow waving his hand. And for the same reason it came to his mind that he himself needed this victim, this object for his anger.
- Is the crew ready? – he asked another time.
- Ready, Your Excellency. What do you order about Vereshchagin? “He’s waiting at the porch,” answered the adjutant.
- A! - Rostopchin cried out, as if struck by some unexpected memory.
And, quickly opening the door, he stepped out onto the balcony with decisive steps. The conversation suddenly stopped, hats and caps were taken off, and all eyes rose to the count who had come out.
- Hello guys! - the count said quickly and loudly. - Thank you for coming. I’ll come out to you now, but first of all we need to deal with the villain. We need to punish the villain who killed Moscow. Wait for me! “And the count just as quickly returned to his chambers, slamming the door firmly.
A murmur of pleasure ran through the crowd. “That means he will control all the villains! And you say French... he’ll give you the whole distance!” - people said, as if reproaching each other for their lack of faith.

In the era of sailing ships, the battle between the Russian and Turkish fleets at the Chesma fortress became one of the largest at that time. The victory in this battle served as an advantage for the Russian Empire in concluding the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Treaty at the end of the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774. The Battle of Chesma is a real triumph of the Russian fleet.

The beginning of the great battle was the collision of the Russian squadron under the command of Admiral Spiridov with the twice superior Turkish fleet in the Chios Strait. The composition of the Russian troops was not large: one bombardment ship, 9 battleships, only 3 frigates, and 17 auxiliary ships. However, the position of the Turkish ships was such that only half of them could attack at the same time, and the space for maneuver was limited by the coastline. The admiral decided to attack.

Spiridov developed an action plan. According to it, Russian ships had to approach the enemy fleet at a right angle at a distance sufficient for a salvo, inflicting the maximum possible damage on the first line ships, especially the flagship ones, in order to disrupt the control of the Turkish fleet. The enemy could not be allowed to take advantage of the numerical advantage.

On the morning of June 24 (July 7), 1770, Russian ships quickly entered the Chios Strait and were formed into a wake column, an order-battle. “Europe” was ahead, and “Eustathius” was right behind it.

At 11:30, the Turkish squadron attacked the Russian ships, but failed to inflict significant damage. Half an hour later, the maneuver of the Russian fleet was close to completion, and the armies began firing fiercely at each other with cannon salvoes at close range. Only three Russian ships failed to take their places in the general formation. "Europe", at the insistence of the pilot, was taken out of the line, later she took a position behind "Rostislav", "Three Saints" was carried into the very center of the Turkish formation due to damaged rigging. "St. Januarius failed because he fell behind the squadron. After the "Europe" left the battle, the main target of the Turks was the flagship "Eustathius", where the admiral was located. The Russian flagship approached the Turkish 90-gun Real Mustafa at gunshot distance, and due to the impossibility of maneuver, a boarding battle began. The unicorn attacks led to a fire on the Real Mustafa. As a result, both flagships died from the explosion. The commanders of the Russian squadron, Admiral Spiridov and Count F.G. Orlov were saved.

At 14:00 the Turkish fleet began a retreat that looked like a flight. Many ships collided and approached Chesme Bay without bowsprits. The behavior of the crew of the huge 100-gun Turkish ship Kapudan Pasha became a vivid example of the confusion and panic that reigned among Turkish sailors. Cutting off the anchor chain, the crew forgot about the spring, which led to the ship turning its stern towards the Russian “Three Hierarchs” so that the “Kapudan Pasha” did not have the opportunity to respond to the enemy’s heavy fire for a quarter of an hour with a single shot.

As a result of the first stage of the Battle of Chesme, and a short battle in the Chios Strait, both squadrons lost only one ship, but the morale and initiative of the Turkish fleet was broken. The Turkish ships found themselves in an extremely inconvenient and unfavorable position in Chesme Bay; they could not get out of there due to weak winds.

Despite the fact that the Turkish fleet was blocked in Chesme Bay, it retained a numerical advantage and still remained a dangerous enemy. The Russian squadron did not have the capabilities for a long siege. There were no supply bases nearby, and reinforcements from Istanbul could approach the enemy at any moment. In view of these circumstances, the Russian military council on June 25 (July 8) decided to immediately destroy the Turkish fleet. A special detachment was organized from 4 battleships, 2 frigates and the bombardment ship “Grom” under the command of S.K. Greig. He was supposed to attack the Turks in Chesme Bay.

In the evening at 17:00, the Thunder began shelling the enemy fleet and coastal fortifications, which allowed all other ships of the group to complete the maneuver by midnight. According to the plan, the shelling was to be carried out from a distance of about 370 meters (2 cables). The frigates' task was to suppress coastal batteries, and the battleships' task was to fire at the densely lined Turkish fleet in the bay; the Thunder supported the battleships. After the shelling, the fireships entered the battle. The command plan was implemented exactly.

An hour after the massive shelling began, the Turkish ship caught fire from an incendiary shell, and the fire spread to nearby ships. Trying to save the fleet from the fire, the crews of the Turkish ships weakened the artillery fire, which allowed the fireships to successfully bypass the battleships and engage in battle. Within 15 minutes, 4 fire ships approached the previously planned targets, but only one managed to complete the task and set fire to a large 84-gun ship - the fire ship of Lieutenant Ilyin. After which the crew and captain left the burning ship. And the Turkish ship exploded some time later. Its burning wreckage spread fire to many Turkish ships.

Within just a few hours, fire and Russian cannons killed a significant part of the Turkish squadron, including 15 battleships, 6 frigates and about 50 small auxiliary ships. Early in the morning, around 4 o'clock, the shelling of Chesme Bay and the destruction of Turkish ships stopped. By this point, the Turkish squadron was practically wiped off the face of the earth. At 9 o'clock in the morning, the Russians landed troops ashore to capture the fortifications of the northern cape.

Explosions in Chesme Bay were heard for another hour after the troops landed on the shore. From the large fleet there was only one 60-gun ship "Rhodes" and 5 galleys left, they surrendered. The rest of the flotilla turned into a terrifying mixture of ash, ship debris and human blood.

There was no longer any Turkish fleet left in the Aegean Sea, which was a huge loss for Turkey and a strategic advantage for the Russian Empire. Thus, the Russian fleet established dominance in the archipelago, and Turkish communications were disrupted. The Battle of Chesma significantly accelerated the Russian victory in the war of 1768-1774.

The great Russian naval commanders forged this victory with their talent, experience and ability to make non-standard decisions, despite the almost disastrous start to the campaign. Of the 15 ships that left Kronstadt, only 8 reached Livorno in the Mediterranean Sea. According to Count Orlov himself in a letter to Catherine II, if the war had not been with Turkey, but with any other country, with a stronger and more skilled fleet, “they would have easily crushed everyone.” But the low quality of the enemy fleet was more than compensated for by the double advantage, so the Russian sailors can rightfully be proud of the great victory.

Such a desired victory became possible after abandoning the canons of linear tactics, so popular at that time among Western European admirals. The decisive role in the battle was played by the skillful use of the enemy’s weaknesses, the concentration of ships in the main direction and the ability to accurately choose the moment to attack. The most important thing for defeating the enemy was the decision and ability to drive the Turkish fleet into the bay. Even under the cover of coastal batteries, the Turkish fleet was vulnerable in the cramped bay, which predetermined the success of the incendiary shelling and firewall attack.

The command of the Russian fleet in the Aegean Sea celebrated a triumph. Count Orlov received the Order of St. George, 1st degree, as a reward, and also received the right to add the honorary “Chesmensky” to his surname. Admiral Spiridov was presented with the highest military award in the Russian Empire - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. S. Greig was promoted to rear admiral and was awarded the Order of St. George, 2nd degree, which gave the right to hereditary nobility.

In honor of the Chesma victory and those people who achieved it with minimal human losses among their soldiers, an obelisk was erected in Gatchina. 8 years after the battle, the Chesme Column was installed in Tsarskoe Selo. The Chesme Palace and the Chesme Church were built in St. Petersburg. The name “Chesma” was given to two ships in the Russian fleet at once - a battleship and a squadron battleship. Also, the name “Chesma” was given to a cape discovered in 1876 in the Gulf of Anadyr. The Battle of Chesme became proof of the exceptional talent of Russian commanders and the courage of Russian sailors, capable of operating even in the most unfavorable conditions and winning.