Taking the fortress Ochakov. The Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1791

The history of Russia is mostly a military story. Confrontation between Russia and Turkey occurred in more than ten wars. In most of them, the then existing Russian empire emerged victorious. A truly heroic page of the military past of our Fatherland was the battle for the fortress Ochakov. The war between Russia and Turkey in 1787-1791 strengthened the position of Russians on the Black Sea and the Crimean Peninsula. The fall of the fortress was of great importance for victory in the whole war.

The causes of the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1791.

Turkey sought to take revenge from Russia for the First Turkish War and return the territories lost by the Ottoman Empire. The beginning of the war was connected with its desire to prevent the strengthening of the influence of the Russian Empire on the territory of the Transcaucasus and to return the lands of the Crimea. Relying on diplomatic relations with Austria, Russia planned to increase its possessions in the Caucasus and establish itself in the Northern Black Sea Coast. In August 1787, the Turkish government put forward an ultimatum to Russia, demanding the transfer of Crimea, the recognition of the vassal possession of the Turkish sultan of Georgia and permission to inspect Russian merchant vessels following the straits. In addition, the goal was also strengthening on the Black Sea coast and the Crimean Khanate. The Russian Empire refused to comply with the terms of the ultimatum, and Turkey declared war.

Having started military operations, Turkey violated the terms of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhy agreement. The Russian ambassador Yakov Bulgakov was captured by the Turks, whom they imprisoned in the Seven Striped Castle.

Military operations took place in the Crimea and the North Caucasus. Taking Ochakov fortress was the key battle in the war of the Russian Empire and Turkey in 1787-1792.

Ratio of military forces

Against Turkey fought Ekaterinoslav and Ukrainian armies of the Russian Empire, which had a strength of 80 thousand and 40 thousand people respectively. Turkish fortress Ochakov in the summer of 1788 Was protected by a garrison, numbering from 15 to 20 thousand military. The fortress was surrounded by a rampart and a moat and protected by 350 cannons. The Russian Black Sea Fleet also arrived in the harbor of Ochakov, in view of the fact that there were about 100 combat units of the Turkish fleet.

On the approaches to Ochakov

Taking the fortress Ochakov became The main goal of the Russian imperial army after liberation from the Turkish fleet of the Dnieper-Bug estuary and victory in the Kinburn Spit. Fortress Ochakov was within the Turkish Black Sea region near the confluence of the river Bug. The fighting for Ochakov began at sea.

About 50 thousand soldiers of the Yekaterinoslav Army began to advance to Ochakov in May 1788. This army under the command of GA Potemkin came to Ochakov. The commander made a decision about the long siege of the fortress.

Siege of the Turkish fortress

July 27, 1788 a large group of Turks undertook a sortie from the fortress. The joints of the Russian army under the command of AV Suvorov entered the fierce battle with the enemy. Reinforcements came to the aid of the group of Turks. According to the calculations of AV Suvorov, at that moment it was necessary to strike from the side of the flank that opened, and thus take the fortress. However, GA Potemkin did not show decisive action, so the favorable moment for the capture of the Turkish fortress Ochakov was missed.

Less than a month later, in August, the Turks made a repeated sally with an attempt to destroy the Russian battery, commanded by MI Golenitsev-Kutuzov. By short dashes and shelter in the girders and ditches, the Turks reached the installed guns, in view of which a heavy fight began. As a result of the counterattack, the jaegers managed to push the Turkish Janissaries back to the walls of the fortress. They wanted to enter Ochakov on their own shoulders. However, at this moment MI Kutuzov was seriously wounded. The bullet struck him on the left cheek and emerged through the back of the head when the commander held a white handkerchief to give the troops a conditional signal. This was Mikhail Illarionovich's second gravest wound, from which he nearly died.

The summer of 1788 did not bring victories to the Russian army, the generals and troops remained in tedious anticipation, which also gave no tangible results. Meanwhile, the French engineers had already bought out the city's fortification plans. Prince Potemkin still did not dare to begin storming the fortress. It was stopped by Turkish artillery, which was located on a small island of Berezan to the south of Ochakov, near the entrance to the estuary. The possibility of a successful assault was from the sea, but the artillery fire reached Kinburn and deprived him of the opportunity to begin the assault on Ochakov. Repeatedly Russian sailors tried to take "this impregnable fortress", but the guards of the fortress watched closely the actions of the Russians and raised the alarm in a timely manner, the opponents exerted fierce resistance with fire weapons.

The protracted confrontation

Autumn was approaching, Prince Potemkin continued to adhere to the tactic of waiting, the army had long been in the trenches in the rain and in the cold. Great losses were borne by the Russian army not only because of battles, but also because of a shortage of food, diseases that started because of frosts, and hunger. Rumiantsev sarcastically called the sitting under Ochakov stupid. Admiral Nassu-Siegen said in the summer that the fortress could be conquered back in April.

From summer to autumn of 1788, near their walls, Ochakov's defenders restrained the onslaught of the Russian army under the command of GA Potemkin with incredible efforts. The garrison of the fortress was exhausted, but did not give up its position.

Potemkin GA did not seek to collude with the Cossacks, remembering the rebel Pugachev, but there was no other way out. "Faithful Cossacks", the former Cossacks were famous for their ability to decide the outcome of any battle in their favor. Ochakovo fortress could be taken only with their participation. But the Cossacks could not begin the operation for a long time. Some of them went to Hajibey (Odessa), destroying supplies of equipment and food intended for Ochakov. Prince Potemkin GA decided that now the defenseless defenders of the fortress will not last long. However, the garrison did not surrender and within the next month. The difficult and tense situation, finally, spodvigla commander to move to an active offensive.

Storm of Ochakiv fortress

For half a year the Russian troops unsuccessfully tried to take the Turkish fortress, after which it was decided to follow the plan of AV Suvorov and take Ochakov by storm. The coming frosts and frosts influenced the departure of the Turkish fleet from Ochakov to the sea. Given the plight of the Russian forces, GA Potemkin decided to begin the capture of the fortress Ochakov. date The battle took place on December 6, 1788.

The conditions of strong barking and strong frost did not prevent the six columns of the Russian army from simultaneously launching the assault of Ochakov from two sides, western and eastern. Earthen fortifications between the castle of Ghassan Pasha and Ochakov were captured by the first Major-General Palen. After this, he sent Colonel F. Meknoba to the castle of Hassan Pasha, and along the trench - Colonel Platov. The troops successfully occupied the trench, which allowed F. Meknoba to enter the castle, and almost three hundred of the remaining Turks lay down their arms. The central earthen fortifications were attacked by the third column, its commander, Major-General Volkonsky, was killed, after which Colonel Jurgenets took over the command and reached the fortress walls. Lieutenant-General Prince Dolgorukov with the fourth column occupied the Turkish fortifications and went to the gates of the fortress. Through the earthworks, the fifth and sixth columns approached the bastions of Ochakov. The sixth column of Lieutenant Colonel Zubin proceeded to the south side of the fortress, dragging guns along the ice. This allowed the troops to approach the bastions and gates of the Turkish fortress. Under the cover of heavy fire from artillery guns, the grenadiers overcame the impenetrable wall and entered the fortress.

Military losses of Russia and Turkey

According to various sources, a bloody, fierce battle continued for one or two hours. Ochakov was taken. According to some reports, the losses of the Russian army amounted to about 5 thousand people. According to the researchers, it was the prolonged siege of Ochakov that led to the death of a large number of soldiers of the Russian army. 180 Turkish banners and 310 guns became trophies. Approximately 4,000 Turkish soldiers were captured in Russian captivity. Historians believe that the remainder of the Turkish garrison and a significant part of the urban population was destroyed during the assault. The news of the storming of Ochakov turned into a shock for Sultan Abdul-Hamid I, so he died of a heart attack.

Fall of Ochakov: value

The capture of the Ochakov fortress opened Russia the possibility of reaching the Danube and helped establish control over the Dnieper estuary, a shallow gulf that was of strategic importance. Ochakov was annexed to the Russian Empire in 1791, when the warring parties signed the Treaty of Yass. These military victories gave Russia the right to establish itself and take its positions on the Dnieper estuary. The security of Kherson and Crimea from Turkey was finally secured.

Awards and honors for the winners

For the victory over Ochakov, Empress Catherine II was granted to GA Potemkin by a field-marshal's imperative baton, adorned with laurels and diamonds. AV Suvorov was presented with a diamond feather for a hat worth 4450 rubles. MI Kutuzov, also distinguished himself in the battles of the Russo-Turkish War, was awarded the Order of St. Anne I degree and St. Vladimir II degree. Officers of the Russian army, who displayed outstanding abilities during the battles at Ochakov, the empress granted the Order of St. Vladimir and St. George of the fourth degree. The rest were awarded with gold badges designed for wearing on a ribbon in a buttonhole with stripes of black and yellow. The signs had the shape of a cross with rounded ends, were something middle between award medals and orders. The lower ranks for the victory over the Turkish fortress received silver medals "For Bravery".

Significant victories of 1788

Taking Ochakov fortress was not the only successful battle of the Russian army in the war between Russia and Turkey in 1787-1791. A year earlier the Kinburn battle took place. The battles of 1788 were also won under Khotin and Fidonisi. In the summer and autumn of 1789, the Russian army triumphed under the Focsani and under Rymnik, in 1790 - near the Kerch Strait. A significant event in the history of the Russo-Turkish war was the storming of another fortress - Izmail - also in 1790. The last battle in the military confrontation between the two great empires was the battle of Kaliakria on July 31, 1791.

Participation of Austria in the battles of 1787-1791

During the Russo-Turkish War in 1788, the Austro-Turkish War began, Which was due to contractual obligations of Austria and Russia in 1781. With the entry into the war, Austria failed, and only with the first victories of the Russian imperial army, the Austrian troops were able to occupy Bucharest, Belgrade and Craiova in the autumn of 1789. In Sistovo (Bulgaria) in August 1791, Austria and Turkey signed a separate peace treaty. Under the influence of Prussia and England, who were interested in weakening the Russian Empire, Austria withdrew from the war and returned to Turkey almost all the captured territories.

The outcome of the war

Turkey was again defeated in the war of 1787-1791. She did not have strong allies who could ensure the confrontation between Russia and Austria. In addition, Turkey was not able to fully restore military forces and combat capability after the First Turkish War. In the battles, the Turks did not adhere to a specific strategy and tried to crush the enemy by the number, not by the competent tactics of conducting the battle. None of the victories in the sea or on land could be gained during the war years. Turkey not only lost territory, but also had to pay Russia an indemnity of 7 million rubles.

Memory of the descendants of the victorious battle

The Russian poet GR Derzhavin wrote an ode on the occasion of the victorious capture of Ochakov. A year after the battle, AI Bukharsky dedicated his work to Empress Catherine II "... On the capture of Ochakov".

In July 1972, in the building of the former Turkish mosque in Ochakov, the Military History Museum was opened. AV Suvorov. The main attraction of the museum was the diorama "Storm of Ochakov fortress by Russian troops in 1788", which was painted by artist M. I. Samsonov in 1971.