1853 battle. Battle of Sinop

| Days of military glory (victory days) of Russia | December 1. Victory Day of the Russian squadron under the command of P.S. Nakhimov over the Turkish squadron at Cape Sinop (1853)

December 1

Victory Day of the Russian squadron under the command of P.S. Nakhimova
over the Turkish squadron at Cape Sinop
(1853)

Sinop naval battle

The naval battle of Sinop took place at the very beginning of the Crimean War. Starting in October 1853 between Russia and Turkey, it soon developed into an armed conflict between Russia and a strong coalition of Turkey, England, France and Sardinia. This was the last major battle of sailing ships and the first in which bomb guns (that is, fired explosive shells) were used.

On November 18 (30), 1853, the squadron of Vice Admiral P. S. Nakhimov (6 battleships and 2 frigates) in Sinop Bay launched a preemptive strike against the enemy, unexpectedly attacking the Turkish fleet, which consisted of 16 ships. The flower of the Turkish fleet (7 frigates, 3 corvettes and 1 steamship) was burned, and coastal batteries were destroyed. The Turks lost about 4 thousand people killed and wounded. About 200 more were captured. Nakhimov's squadron did not lose a single ship. The brilliant victory of the Russian fleet deprived the Turks of dominance in the Black Sea and did not allow them to land troops on the Caucasus coast.

In the Sinop battle, the effectiveness of the advanced system of training and education of Black Sea soldiers was clearly demonstrated. The high combat skill shown by the sailors was achieved through persistent study, training, campaigns, and mastery of all the intricacies of maritime affairs.

Progress of the battle

Vice Admiral Nakhimov (84-gun battleships "Empress Maria", "Chesma" and "Rostislav") was sent by Prince Menshikov to cruise to the shores of Anatolia. There was information that the Turks in Sinop were preparing forces for a landing at Sukhum and Poti.

Approaching Sinop, Nakhimov saw a detachment of Turkish ships in the bay under the protection of 6 coastal batteries and decided to closely blockade the port in order to attack the enemy with the arrival of reinforcements from Sevastopol.

On November 16 (28), 1853, Nakhimov’s detachment was joined by the squadron of Rear Admiral F. M. Novosilsky (120-gun battleships “Paris”, “ Grand Duke Constantine" and "Three Saints", frigates "Kahul" and "Kulevchi"). The Turks could be reinforced by the allied Anglo-French fleet located in Beshik-Kertez Bay (Dardanelles Strait).

It was decided to attack in 2 columns: in the 1st, closest to the enemy, the ships of Nakhimov’s detachment, in the 2nd - Novosilsky, the frigates were supposed to watch the enemy steamers under sail; It was decided to spare the consular houses and the city in general if possible, hitting only ships and batteries. For the first time it was planned to use 68-pound bomb guns.

On the morning of November 18 (November 30), it was raining with gusty winds from OSO, the most unfavorable for the capture of Turkish ships (they could easily run ashore).

At 9.30 in the morning, keeping the rowing vessels at the sides of the ships, the squadron headed for the roadstead. In the depths of the bay, 7 Turkish frigates and 3 corvettes were located moon-shaped under the cover of 4 batteries (one with 8 guns, 3 with 6 guns each); Behind the battle line there were 2 steamships and 2 transport ships.

At 12.30 p.m., on the first shot from the 44-gun frigate "Aunni-Allah", fire was opened from all Turkish ships and batteries. The battleship "Empress Maria" was bombarded with shells, most of its spar and standing rigging were broken; only one shroud of the mainmast remained intact. However, the ship moved forward non-stop and, operating with battle fire at enemy ships, dropped anchor against the frigate "Aunni-Allah"; the latter, unable to withstand half an hour of shelling, jumped ashore. Then the Russian flagship turned its fire exclusively on the 44-gun frigate Fazli-Allah, which soon caught fire and also washed ashore. After this, the Empress Maria's actions focused on Battery No. 5.

The battleship "Grand Duke Konstantin", having anchored, opened heavy fire on battery No. 4 and the 60-gun frigates "Navek-Bakhri" and "Nesimi-Zefer"; the first was exploded 20 minutes after opening fire, showering debris and the bodies of sailors on battery No. 4, which then almost ceased to function; the second was thrown ashore by the wind when its anchor chain was broken.

The battleship "Chesma" destroyed batteries No. 4 and No. 3 with its shots.

The battleship Paris, while at anchor, opened battle fire on battery No. 5, the corvette Guli-Sefid (22 guns) and the frigate Damiad (56 guns); then, having blown up the corvette and thrown the frigate ashore, he began to hit the frigate “Nizamiye” (64 guns), whose foremast and mizzen masts were shot down, and the ship itself drifted to the shore, where it soon caught fire. Then the Paris again began to fire at battery No. 5.

The battleship "Three Saints" entered into battle with the frigates "Kaidi-Zefer" (54 guns) and "Nizamiye"; the first enemy shots broke his spring, and the ship, turning to the wind, was subjected to well-aimed longitudinal fire from battery No. 6, and its mast was badly damaged. Turning the stern again, he very successfully began to act on the Kaidi-Zefer and other ships and forced them to rush to the shore.

The battleship "Rostislav", covering the "Three Saints", concentrated fire on battery No. 6 and on the corvette "Feize-Meabud" (24 guns), and threw the corvette ashore.

At 13.30, the Russian steam frigate "Odessa" appeared from behind the cape under the flag of Adjutant General Vice Admiral V. A. Kornilov, accompanied by the steam frigates "Crimea" and "Khersones". These ships immediately took part in the battle, which, however, was already nearing its end; The Turkish forces were greatly weakened. Batteries No. 5 and No. 6 continued to harass the Russian ships until 4 o'clock, but the Paris and Rostislav soon destroyed them. Meanwhile, the rest of the Turkish ships, apparently set on fire by their crews, took off one after another; This caused a fire to spread throughout the city, and there was no one to put it out.

About 2 o'clock the Turkish 22-gun steam frigate "Tayf", armament 2-10 dm bomb, 4-42 lb., 16-24 lb. guns, under the command of Yahya Bey, broke away from the line of Turkish ships, which were suffering a severe defeat, and fled. Taking advantage of the speed advantage of the Taif, Yahya Bey managed to escape from the Russian ships pursuing him (the frigates Cahul and Kulevchi, then the steam frigates of Kornilov’s detachment) and report to Istanbul about the complete destruction of the Turkish squadron. Captain Yahya Bey, who was expecting a reward for saving the ship, was dismissed from service and stripped of his rank for “inappropriate behavior.” Sultan Abdulmecid was very dissatisfied with the flight of Taif, saying: “I would prefer that he did not flee, but died in battle, like the rest.” According to the French official newspaper Le Moniteur, whose correspondent visited the Taif immediately after its return to Istanbul, there were 11 killed and 17 wounded on the frigate. Statements widespread in Russian historiography that the Turkish admiral Mushaver Pasha and the chief adviser to Osman Pasha, the Englishman Adolf Slade, were on the Taif are not true.

“By the extermination of the Turkish squadron at Sinop, you adorned the chronicle of the Russian fleet with a new victory, which will forever remain memorable in the sea.”
Emperor Nicholas
“The battle is glorious, higher than Chesma and Navarino... Hurray, Nakhimov! M.P. Lazarev rejoices at his student.”
V. A. Kornilov

December 1 is the Day of Military Glory of Russia, the day of the victory of the Russian squadron under the command of Vice Admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov over the Turkish squadron at Cape Sinop.

In March 1995, the Federal Law of the Russian Federation “On the Days of Military Glory (Victory Days) of Russia” established the Day of Military Glory of Russia - the Day of the Victory of the Russian squadron over the Turkish squadron at Cape Sinop. The date of Military Glory Day is erroneously set by law as December 1st. The battle itself took place on November 18 (30), 1853 and went down in history as the last major battle of sailing fleets.

Background

The Eastern (Crimean) War arose as a result Big Games- contradictions between England and France on the one hand and Russia on the other, during the struggle for influence in the Near and Middle East, the Balkans and the Black Sea region. The masters of the West tried to stop the advance of the Russians in the Balkans, in the Black Sea region, where Russia could gain the Bosporus and Dardanelles, and in the Caucasus with the further expansion of Russian influence in the eastern countries.

Russia was interested in expanding its sphere of influence in the Caucasus, to Balkan Peninsula. Military strategy and the development of the national economy required the occupation of the straits and Constantinople. In order to forever secure the southwestern strategic direction - to exclude the possibility of the enemy fleet passing into the Russian (Black) Sea and to gain free passage to the Mediterranean Sea.

France had its own claims to the Ottoman Empire, especially in Syria and Egypt, and acted as a rival to Russia in the Turkish possessions. London sought to include the Near and Middle East in its sphere of influence and to turn Turkey and Persia into its semi-colonies. The British did not want the Russian Empire to strengthen at the expense of the rapidly deteriorating Ottoman Empire. Moreover, the masters of England cherished plans to dismember Russia, tearing away from it the Crimea, the Caucasus regions, the Northern Black Sea region, Little Russia, the Kingdom of Poland, the Baltic states, and Finland. They wanted to cut off the Russians from the seas and push them east.

Westerners in their fight against Russia Once again made Turkey. The Turks acted as “cannon fodder” in the thousand-year confrontation between the West and Russia (Russian civilization). In order to use the Turkish armed forces as a shock vanguard in the fight against Russia, the leadership circles of England, France and Austria provided increased military support to Turkey. Long before the war, it was flooded with English, French and Austrian military advisers, who trained Turkish troops, built fortifications, and supervised the development of military plans. The Turkish troops actively used foreign military specialists, some of them converted to Islam and became “Ottomans.” Under the leadership of foreign specialists, the construction of the Ottoman navy was carried out, which was replenished with ships built in Marseille, Venice, and Livorno. Almost all the artillery of the Turkish fleet was of English origin; British advisers and instructors were at the headquarters and commanders of the Turkish formations.

Relying on the support of England and France (Austria was also afraid of strengthening Russian positions in the Balkans and supported Porto), Turkey hoped for success in the Black Sea theater. The Porte planned to return lost possessions in the Caucasus, in the Northern Black Sea region, including the Crimean Peninsula. England and France, setting Turkey against Russia, could not allow its military collapse and a radical strengthening of the position of the Russian Empire at the expense of the Ottoman Empire. Therefore, the regional conflict reached the global level - a world war with the participation of leading world powers.

Beginning of the war

The formal reason for the war was a dispute between Catholics and Orthodox Christians over the right to own holy places in Palestine, which was then part of the Turkish Empire. The great powers intervened in the dispute: Russia took the side of the Orthodox Christians, and France took the side of the Catholic Christians. To push Turkey to open military operations against Russia, the Anglo-French fleet in May 1853 headed to Bezique Bay, located at the entrance to the Dardanelles. There was a rupture in diplomatic relations between Turkey and Russia.

On June 14, 1853, Tsar Nicholas I gave the order to Russian troops, commanded by Prince M.D. Gorchakov, to occupy Moldavia and Wallachia (Danube principalities). Nikolai Pavlovich, who had previously quite successfully led foreign policy Russia, this time made a strategic mistake. He hoped that it would be possible to agree with England on the division of the inheritance of the Turkish “sick man.” France itself is not dangerous. And Austria and Prussia were considered close allies of St. Petersburg. It seemed that the time had come for the division of the Turkish Empire. However, the masters of the West wanted to get the whole “Turkish pie” without allowing Russia into it. Moreover, use the war with Turkey to decisively defeat and weaken Russia.

Türkiye presented an ultimatum, demanding the withdrawal of the Russian army from the Danube principalities. On October 4, the Porte declared war on Russia. Turkish troops fired at our forces on the Danube, attacked the Russian garrison of the post of St. Nicholas on the Black Sea coast between Poti and Batum. On October 20, St. Petersburg declared a state of war with Turkey. Subsequently, England, France and Sardinia entered the war against Russia. Military operations took place in the Balkans and the Caucasus, in the Black, White and Baltic Seas and in the Pacific Ocean. But the main theater of war was the Black Sea.

The plan of the Turkish command was to oust Russian troops from Moldavia and Wallachia and take up defensive positions on the Danube front until the approach of the Anglo-French troops. It was planned to conduct offensive operations in Transcaucasia.

Black Sea Fleet

The Russian Black Sea Fleet had 14 sailing battleships, 6 sailing frigates, 16 corvettes and brigs, 7 steam frigates and 138 small ships. Despite the fact that it did not have a single steam battleship, it represented a serious fighting force. Sailing ships were distinguished by their speed and strong armament. The fleet had qualified officers and well-trained enlisted personnel. The fleet was commanded by experienced and decisive commanders who were not afraid to take the initiative.

In the pre-war period, the Russian fleet on the Black Sea was led by great people - Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev, Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov, Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov, Vladimir Ivanovich Istomin. They were representatives of the advanced school of Russian naval art. Nakhimov, Kornilov and Istomin for many years were elected directors of the Sevastopol Maritime Library - one of the oldest in the country. Thanks to their educational activities, the library's book collections increased several times. Nakhimov widely popularized the Marine Collection magazine, which began publishing in 1848, among sailors. The main attention of Lazarev, Kornilov, Nakhimov and other advanced commanders - heirs of the school of Suvorov, Ushakov and Senyavin - was focused on the combat training of the fleet, training sailors in the techniques and methods of naval combat. Their activities embodied the instructions of D.N. Senyavin that commanders “communicate more often with their subordinates, know each of them and know that their service does not consist only of commanding people during work, but that they should also be included in privacy them... The chief and officer must be able to arouse competition for diligent service in their subordinates with the encouragement of the most excellent. They must know the spirit of the Russian sailor, to whom gratitude is sometimes most dear.”

“The sailor controls the sails, and he also points the gun at the enemy. The sailor rushes to board. If necessary, the sailor will do everything,” said P. S. Nakhimov. In recognizing the primary role of the ordinary sailor in ensuring victory over the enemy, Lazarev, Nakhimov and Kornilov saw the success of combat training, the basis for increasing the combat effectiveness of the fleet. They understood the sailors and instilled in them not “a serf on a ship,” but a sense of dignity and love for their native land. Kornilov and Nakhimov tried in every possible way to improve the living conditions of the sailors who had carried out hard service for 25 years. All contemporaries unanimously emphasized Pavel Stepanovich’s concern for the sailors. “Nakhimov’s concern for the sailors,” wrote one of the Black Sea residents, “reached the point of pedantry.” In return, the sailors loved their commander.

Nakhimov clearly understood that the combat training system, aimed at ostentatious brilliance, would lead to disastrous results during real combat operations. He was opposed to parade drill and taught sailors what would be required in war. He instilled initiative, determination, and endurance in the sailors, and strictly demanded that everything necessary and useful be done. Personal example Nakhimov considered commander the best method of education. As a result, Nakhimov’s authority among the Black Sea sailors was very high. Kornilov also raised sailors in the same spirit.

First half of the 19th century was an important stage in the development of technical progress in the fleet. Research in the field of naval artillery led to the creation of bomb (bomb) guns. These guns fired explosive bombs, which were extremely dangerous for wooden sailing ships. The potential of such guns was first assessed in the Black Sea Fleet. On the initiative of Lazarev, Kornilov and Nakhimov, such guns were installed on many battleships. Highest value In the development of the fleet, the use of steam power to move ships began. A revolution was taking place in shipbuilding and naval affairs. Ships with a steam engine acquired fundamentally new seaworthiness, technical and combat qualities. In 1820, the military steamer Vesuvius, built in Nikolaev, became part of the Black Sea Fleet.

Until the 1940s, many military experts still believed that the basis of military fleets would remain sailing battleships with powerful artillery - 100 - 120 guns. The first steamships had little power; only 10 - 20 guns could be installed on them. However, the development of scientific and technological progress led to the rapid improvement of steamships. Lazarev, Kornilov and Nakhimov quickly appreciated this prospect. On the initiative of Lazarev, in the late 1830s - 1840s, the first iron military steamships and the first steamship frigates in Russia were laid down and built in Nikolaev. They had both sailing equipment and a steam engine. Kornilov was an active supporter of the development of the construction of screw ships. From the very first years of his tenure as chief of staff of the fleet, he raised the question with the heads of the naval department about the rearmament of the Black Sea Fleet and the widespread introduction of the steam engine on ships. The construction of screw ships and the re-equipment of the shipbuilding base, he wrote, “in my eyes, are items of paramount importance for the Black Sea Fleet, on the thorough decisions of which its entire future depends.”

Advanced scientific and technical thought in Russia often went ahead of foreign science. However, many Russian discoveries and inventions were not found practical application in Russia (some were later successfully mastered in the West). The Russian Empire began to lag behind the advanced Western powers in technical and economic development, which could not but have a negative impact on the country’s armed forces, including the Black Sea Fleet.

The deck of the battleship "Empress Maria" during the battle of Sinope. 1853 Hood. A. D. Kivshenko

The beginning of hostilities at sea

In the strategic plans of the Turkish command, an important role was assigned to the Caucasus. 20 thousand were concentrated in Batumi. landing and a large flotilla of 250 coastal ships intended to land landing forces in the area of ​​Sukhumi, Poti, Gagra, Sochi and Tuapse. To ensure the landing of troops in Constantinople, a squadron was formed from the best ships. Vice Admiral Osman Pasha was appointed commander, and Rear Admiral Hussein Pasha was appointed as the second flagship. The reconnaissance was carried out by a detachment of three steamship frigates under the flag of Vice Admiral Mustafa Pasha. The main adviser to the Turkish command in this operation was the English captain A. Slade, who had the rank of rear admiral in the Ottoman fleet. Meanwhile, the Anglo-French fleet moved from the Dardanelles to the Bosphorus and was preparing to rush into the Black Sea.

In September 1853, the squadron under the command of Vice Admirals V.A. Kornilov and P.S. Nakhimov delivered the 13th Infantry Division (16 thousand people) with its entire convoy and a month's supply of food to the Caucasian coast. At the same time, a detachment of ships transferred the 14th Infantry Division (8 thousand people) from Odessa to Sevastopol. The fleet then began cruising operations off the Bosporus and along the entire Anatolian coast of the Turkish Empire with the task of disrupting its communications.

The fighting in the Black Sea began with two battles, the results of which clearly showed high efficiency schools of Lazarev, Kornilov and Nakhimov for combat training of personnel. The first battle took place on November 5th. The steamship-frigate "Vladimir" under the command of Lieutenant Commander G.I. Butakov searched for the enemy off the Turkish coast. On board was Vice Admiral Kornilov. Early that day, observers noticed the silhouette of an unknown ship in the northwest. Kornilov advised the commander to change course and approach. An hour later the unknown ship was overtaken. It turned out to be the Turkish military steamer Pervaz-Bahri. A two-hour battle began, during which, according to Kornilov, the commander of the frigate Butakov “gave orders as if on maneuvers.” The Pervaz-Bahri, having received significant damage and suffered casualties from the well-aimed fire of Russian sailors, lowered its flag. Thus, the first battle of steam ships in the history of wars ended in a brilliant victory for the Russian steam frigate.

On the night of November 9 (21), according to other sources, November 6 (18), the Russian sailing 44-gun frigate “Flora”, Lieutenant Commander A. N. Skorobogatov, in the area of ​​​​Cape Pitsunda, met with three Turkish steamships - “Taif” , “Fezi-Bahri” and “Saik-Ishade” under the overall command of Vice Admiral Mustafa Pasha and English military adviser A. Slade. In total, the enemy ships had 6 10-inch guns, 12 36-pounders, 44 18-pounders. The battle began at 2 a.m. and continued intermittently until 9 a.m. The frigate "Flora" skillfully maneuvered and by the end of the battle managed to inflict damage on the enemy's flagship steamer. Turkish ships hastily left to the west. The Russian frigate returned to its base in victory. The basis of this success, on the one hand, was the composure and courage of Captain Skorobogatov, who was not afraid of the superior forces of the enemy, the courage and knowledge of the sailors who skillfully maneuvered and fought. On the other hand, there are the unsatisfactory actions of enemy commanders, who were unable to take advantage of either steam ships for simultaneous attacks from different sides, or large-caliber bomb guns with which they could attack while being out of reach of the Russian frigate, as well as poor preparation Turkish artillerymen.

Sinop

At the beginning of November 1853, a Russian squadron under the command of Vice Admiral P. S. Nakhimov cruised off the coast of Turkish Anatolia. During a severe storm on November 8 - 10, the battleships of the squadron "Brave" and "Svyatoslav" and the frigate "Kovarna" were severely damaged and were sent for repairs to Sevastopol. There were 3 battleships and one brig left in Nakhimov’s squadron. Continuing the search for the enemy, on November 11 she approached Sinop Bay and discovered there an enemy squadron under the command of Osman Pasha, consisting of 7 frigates, 3 corvettes, 2 steamers, 2 brigs and 2 transports. The ships were protected by six coastal batteries. The Turkish ships were armed with 476 guns, and the coastal batteries had 44 guns.

Despite such a significant numerical superiority of the enemy, the Russian commander decided to block the Turkish fleet in the bay. The brig "Aeneas" was sent to Sevastopol for reinforcements. The Turks showed weakness and did not dare to break through the positions of the weak Russian squadron and began to wait for the approach of the Anglo-French fleet. On November 16, 3 battleships and 2 frigates from the squadron of Rear Admiral F. M. Novosilsky arrived to help Nakhimov. Now it was possible to begin the attack, although this time the tactical advantage remained with the Turkish squadron. Having armed ships, the Turks could attack Russian ships from any direction. In addition, the enemy was protected by coastal batteries. On November 17, Nakhimov convened the ship commanders and briefed them on the plan for the upcoming battle. In an order issued just before the battle, the admiral wrote that Russia expected “glorious exploits from the Black Sea Fleet. It’s up to us to live up to expectations.”

At 9:30 a.m. on November 18 (30), a signal was raised on the Russian flagship Empress Maria: “Prepare for battle and go to the Sinop roadstead.” The squadron weighed anchor. By noon, she entered the Sinop roadstead in two columns. The first was headed by the 84-gun ship "Empress Maria" under the flag of Nakhimov, and at the head of the second was the 120-gun ship "Paris" under the flag of Novosilsky. The 120-gun Grand Duke Konstantin and the 80-gun Chesma were in the wake of the Empress Maria. Novosilsky's ship was followed by the 120-gun "Three Saints" and the 80-gun "Rostislav". The Turkish fleet stood in the bay in a crescent-shaped formation, repeating the outline of the coast. The left flank of this formation rested on battery No. 4, and the right flank on battery No. 6. In the center of the battle formation, the Turks installed an 8-gun large-caliber battery No. 5. All ships closely watched the flagship, waiting for the signal to start the battle. At 12 o'clock the flag indicating noon flew on board the Empress Maria. The admiral, even at such an anxious moment before the battle, decided to observe maritime customs. This episode, which emphasized Nakhimov’s exceptional calm, made a strong impression on the crews of the ships.

At about 12 hours 30 minutes, when the Russian ships approached the designated places, the Turkish squadron and coastal batteries opened heavy fire. In the first minutes, the Russian ships were literally bombarded with a hail of cannonballs, cannonballs and grapeshot. However, the Ottoman gunners, as in the Battle of Navarino in 1827, repeated the same mistake: instead of concentrating fire on the hulls, they again hit the spars and sails. With a fair and fairly strong wind, this fire most often did not reach its target. In addition, Nakhimov foresaw in advance that the enemy would hit the spars rather than the decks. This technique was used by the Turks in the hope of incapacitating as many Russian sailors as possible when they removed the sails before anchoring. But the Russian sailors, thanks to the order of the Russian admiral, were below. Nakhimov decided to anchor without fastening the sails, thereby saving the lives and health of many sailors and preserving the combat effectiveness of Russian ships at a critical moment in the battle.

Having dropped the anchors, the Russian ships almost simultaneously entered the battle along the entire line. The Turks immediately felt the power and accuracy of the fire of the Russian ships. Within half an hour, the flagship frigate Avni-Allah, unable to withstand the fire of the Empress Maria, unfastened its anchor-chain and ran aground. Several Turkish ships and coastal batteries unleashed the power of their guns on Nakhimov’s ship: they destroyed most of the spars and standing rigging, leaving only one intact shroud at the mainmast. But the Russians continued to fight. Having dealt with the Turkish flagship, Nakhimov transferred fire to another frigate, the Fazli-Allah. Unable to withstand the fire, the Turks riveted the anchor-chain on this frigate. The current and wind quickly carried the frigate to the shore, and soon the Fazli-Allah was already burning.

The sailors of the battleship Paris under the command of Captain 1st Rank V.I. Istomin fought heroically. They defeated three enemy ships. Delighted by this success, Nakhimov ordered a signal to convey gratitude to the valiant crew. But on the Empress Maria all the signal lines were broken. Then a boat was sent to Paris. Having destroyed four frigates and one corvette, the Empress Maria and Paris transferred the fire to the most powerful battery No. 5. After some minutes, the battery was left in piles of ruins. The servants fled in panic.

The crews of other Russian ships fought no less bravely. "Grand Duke Konstantin" stood against two 60-gun frigates "Navek-Bahri" and "Nesimi-Zefer" and a 24-gun corvette "Nedzhmi-Feshan". These ships were covered by the fire of battery No. 4. At first, the entire power of the 68-pound bomb guns of the Konstantin was unleashed on the frigates. The Chesma, which soon approached, despite the shots from battery No. 3, directed the fire of its cannons at the frigate Navek-Bahri. Twenty minutes later, the Turkish frigate took off. Battery No. 4 was covered with the wreckage of the frigate. Having finished with one frigate, "Konstantin", turning to the spring, began to shoot "Nesimi-Zefer" and "Nedzhmi-Feshan", and "Chesma" turned its guns against batteries No. 3 and 4 and soon leveled them with the ground. Meanwhile, Konstantin dealt with the frigate and corvette. Engulfed in flames, both enemy ships washed ashore.

The battle on the left flank was no less fierce. On the ship "Three Saints" at the very beginning of the battle, the Turks killed the spring. The ship, remaining at one anchor, turned its stern towards battery No. 6. The Turks, however, only managed to fire a few salvos. “Rostislav” came to the rescue of the “Three Saints”, transferring the fire to the battery. Meanwhile, with the help of the longboat, the ship's position was restored. Through the joint efforts of “Rostislav” and “Three Saints”, the frigate “Kaidi-Zefer” and the corvette “Feize-Meabur” were first destroyed, and then battery No. 6. In the shootout, the enemy cannonball hit directly the battery of “Rostislav”: the powder box caught fire, fire began to spread towards the cruise chamber. "Rostislav" was in danger: he could fly into the air. But the brave midshipman Nikolai Kolokoltsev saved his ship from destruction. He received the rank of lieutenant and the Order of St. George, 4th degree. In the same year he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree, and for his participation in the defense of Sevastopol - a golden weapon.

The close firing range, excellent artillery preparation, and the courage and heroism of the squadron sailors quickly decided the outcome of the battle. Under their fire, Turkish ships ran aground, burned and flew into the air. By 16 o'clock the battle was over. 15 Turkish ships and coastal batteries were destroyed. Only one steamship, the Taif, was saved, on which was the chief adviser to the Turkish admiral, the Englishman A. Slade. Having rushed to his heels at the most critical moment, he brought to Constantinople the news of the complete defeat of the Turkish squadron.

Results

In the Battle of Sinop, the Turks lost 3 thousand people killed and drowned. Several hundred sailors and officers were taken prisoner, including the commander of the squadron, Osman Pasha. The Russian fleet did not lose a single ship. The personnel losses were: killed - 38 people and wounded - 233.

The Battle of Sinop was the last major battle of sailing ships. The actions of the Russian squadron were an outstanding example of active offensive tactics. Nakhimov seized the initiative at the very beginning of the battle and held it until the last moment. Used effectively naval artillery. A carefully developed artillery attack plan by Nakhimov was carried out with the maximum use of bomb guns, which played important role in defeating the enemy. The decisive force that determined the defeat of the Turkish fleet in the Battle of Sinop was the Russian sailors and officers, their excellent training, high morale and self-control.

The Sinop victory of the Russian fleet had great political and military significance. The defeat of the Turkish squadron in Sinop significantly weakened Turkey's naval forces and thwarted its plans to land troops on the Caucasus coast. After the battle, the Russian fleet was able to assist the coastal flanks of the ground forces in the Danube and Caucasus theaters. Turkish troops on the Danube and the Caucasus were deprived of the support of their fleet.

The Sinop defeat meant the failure of the traditional English policy of waging war by proxy. The mask was torn off from the true organizers of the Eastern War. Türkiye suffered a decisive defeat at the very beginning of the war. To save it from collapse, England and France entered into open war. On December 23, 1853, the English and French squadrons entered the Black Sea. On March 15, 1854, England and France declared war on Russia. The precursor to the world war began, where the main enemy of the collective West was Russia.

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150 years ago, at the very beginning of the Crimean War, the attention of the whole world was attracted by the glorious feat of Russian sailors, which became one of the brightest pages in the naval chronicle of Russia.

In October 1853, Turkey, incited by England and France, opened military operations in the Caucasus and the Danube. Thus began the Crimean War of 1853-1856.

In November 1853, a Turkish squadron under the command of Osman Pasha left Istanbul and embarked on a raid in the Black Sea port of Sinop. She had to cover the movement of 250 ships with troops assembled in Batum for landing in the area of ​​Sukhum-Kale (Sukhumi) and Poti. The squadron consisted of 7 high-speed frigates, 3 corvettes, 2 steam frigates, 2 brigs and 2 military transports, which carried a total of 510 guns. The parking lot of Osman Pasha's ships in Sinop Bay was protected by coastal batteries (44 guns) equipped with earthen parapets. The cannons installed behind them could fire hot cannonballs, which were extremely dangerous for ships built entirely of wood. Easily breaking through the sides, they instantly caused a fire. It was very difficult to destroy coastal batteries with naval artillery fire; from the point of view of European maritime experts, it was almost impossible. Osman Pasha was assured of this by the chief English adviser Adolf Slade, who arrived at his squadron and received the rank of admiral and the title of Mushaver Pasha from the Sultan.

After the aggravation of relations with Turkey, but even before the outbreak of hostilities, a Russian squadron under the flag of Vice Admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov left Sevastopol for cruising in the eastern part of the Black Sea. The purpose of cruising, as stated in the instructions, was only to observe the Turkish fleet in anticipation of a break with Turkey. Nakhimov was strictly punished “without a special order - not to start a battle,” since at the time the Russian ships went to sea, the command of the Black Sea Fleet had not yet received news of the Turkish attack. The squadron that left Sevastopol included the battleships Empress Maria, Chesma, Brave, Yagudil, the frigate Cahul and the brig Jason. Two days later, the steamship Bessarabia joined the squadron. Russian ships arrived in the designated cruising area on October 13.

The campaign of Nakhimov’s squadron did not go unnoticed by the enemy. The sea was empty - all Turkish ships took refuge in their ports, navigation off the Anatolian coast temporarily stopped. Plans to transfer Ottoman troops by sea to the Caucasus were thwarted, but the Turkish command hoped to implement them later, after Nakhimov’s squadron had left for Sevastopol. At the same time, Istanbul was counting on the approaching time of autumn storms, which were extremely dangerous for sailing ships. But, contrary to the expectations of the enemy, the Russian squadron continued cruising. On October 26, a messenger ship (the corvette Calypso) that arrived at Nakhimov delivered the long-awaited permission from the commander-in-chief of the Russian troops and fleet in Crimea, Alexander Sergeevich Menshikov, to begin military operations against the enemy at sea. A few days later, the squadron commander received accurate information about the results of reconnaissance carried out by the chief of staff of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov, near the Bosporus. At the same time, he was delivered the text of the manifesto of Emperor Nicholas I on the beginning of the war with Turkey. Turning to Nakhimov, Kornilov informed him of the enemy’s intention to send a flotilla to the Caucasus coast to land troops there. In this regard, on November 3, 1853, Nakhimov transmitted the following order to the ships of the squadron: “I have news that the Turkish fleet has gone to sea with the intention of occupying the port of Sukhum-Kale, which belongs to us, and that the adjutant general has been sent from Sevastopol with six ships to find the enemy fleet Kornilov. The enemy can only fulfill his intentions by passing us by or by giving us battle. In the first case, I hope for the vigilant supervision of the commanders and officers; in the second, with God's help and confidence in my officers and commands, I hope with honor accept the battle. Without expounding on instructions, I will express my idea that in naval affairs close distance from the enemy and mutual assistance to each other is the best tactic." Further, in another order of the same date, Nakhimov informed his subordinates: “Having received the order to begin military operations against Turkish military ships, I consider it necessary to notify the commanders of the ships of the detachment entrusted to me that in the event of meeting with an enemy exceeding us in strength, I will attack him, being absolutely sure that each of us will do his part."

On November 4, the steamship Bessarabia, sent by Nakhimov on reconnaissance to Cape Kerempe off the coast of Turkey, captured the enemy transport Medjari-Tejaret. From a survey of prisoners, previously received information was confirmed that the Turkish squadron of Osman Pasha was gathering in Sinop, intended to carry out a large landing operation off the Russian coast.

In addition to Nakhimov’s squadron, which blocked the coast of Eastern Anatolia, Kornilov’s squadron, cruising off the western coast of Turkey, went to sea. She failed to detect enemy warships, but from a survey of the crews of merchant ships it turned out that the Anglo-French squadron continued to stand in Bezik Bay (Beshik-Kerfez), in the Dardanelles Strait, and that on October 31, three large steamships with troops left Constantinople for Trebizond. Kornilov went to Sevastopol on the ship "Vladimir", ordering Rear Admiral Fyodor Mikhailovich Novosilsky to follow the squadron to Nakhimov and tell him this news. On the morning of November 6, Novosilsky reported to Nakhimov about the results of cruising in the western part of the Black Sea.

After this, Novosilsky's squadron, leaving Nakhimov with the battleships "Rostislav" and "Svyatoslav", the brig "Aeneas" and taking with it the battleship "Yagudiil" and the brig "Yazon" from Nakhimov's squadron, headed for Sevastopol. Vice Admiral Nakhimov, seeking a decisive meeting with the Turkish fleet, decided to check the information received. On November 6, despite the beginning of the excitement, his ships headed for Sinop Bay. On November 8, a strong storm began. However, the squadron did not lose its course, thanks to the skill of the flagship navigator I.M. Nekrasova. Nevertheless, after the end of the storm, the admiral was forced to send two ships to Sevastopol for corrections - “Brave” and “Svyatoslav”. On November 11, Nakhimov, with only three 84-gun ships ("Empress Maria", "Chesma" and "Rostislav"), approached two miles to Sinop Bay. There, Russian sailors actually discovered enemy ships anchored, but due to the advancing darkness could not determine the composition of the Turkish squadron.

Sinop Bay is a very convenient harbor, well protected from northern winds by the high Bostepe-Burun peninsula, connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. Before the start of the Crimean War, 10-12 thousand people lived in Sinop, mostly Turks and Greeks. On the shore of the bay there was an admiralty with good shipyards, port facilities, warehouses, and barracks. The Turks, being under the cover of coastal batteries and having a double superiority in forces, considered themselves safe and did not believe in the seriousness of the threat from a small Russian squadron. In addition, from hour to hour they expected the blockade to be broken from outside by the forces of a huge Anglo-French fleet.

On the night of November 8-9, a severe storm began, because of which Nakhimov was unable to carry out a detailed reconnaissance of the Sinop Bay the next day.

On November 10, the storm subsided, but on all ships many of the sails were torn by the wind, and on the battleships Svyatoslav and Brave and on the frigate Cahul the damage was so serious that urgent repairs were required at the base. On the evening of November 10, the damaged ships left for Sevastopol for repairs, and the Bessarabia steamer went for coal.

The next day, the Russian squadron consisting of the battleships "Empress Maria", "Chesma", "Rostislav" and the brig "Aeneas" again approached Sinop Bay and discovered a Turkish squadron consisting of seven frigates anchored in the roadstead under the protection of six coastal batteries. three corvettes, two steamships, two military transports and several merchant ships. The Turkish forces clearly outnumbered the Russian squadron, which had 252 cannons (the Turks had 476 cannons on ships and 44 on coastal batteries). These were the ships of the Turkish squadron of Osman Pasha, sheltered from the storm, heading to the Caucasian coast to participate in the landing in the Sukhum area; in mid-November, the landings, according to Turkish calculations, were supposed to facilitate the offensive of Turkish ground forces in the Caucasus. In addition to Osman himself, his chief adviser, the Englishman A. Slade, and the second flagship, Rear Admiral Hussein Pasha, were on the squadron.

Nakhimov established a blockade of Sinop Bay and sent a messenger ship, the brig Aeneas, to Sevastopol with a report of the detection and blocking of the enemy. In it, he wrote to Menshikov: “According to the review of a detachment of Turkish ships located in Sinop under the protection of 6 coastal batteries, I decided with the 84-gun ships “Empress Maria”, “Chesma” and “Rostislav” to closely blockade this port, waiting for ships from Sevastopol.” Svyatoslav" and "Brave"<...>in order to attack the enemy together with them." The 84-gun battleships "Empress Maria", "Chesma", "Rostislav" stood at the entrance to the bay, blocking the exit from it. The frigate "Kahul" took up an observation post a few miles from the bay .

On November 16, Nakhimov was joined by the squadron F.M. Novosilsky (battleships "Paris", "Grand Duke Constantine", "Three Saints"), and a little later the frigates "Kahul" and "Kulevchi" arrived. Now Nakhimov had at his disposal a squadron of eight warships with 720 guns on board. Thus, in terms of the number of guns, the Russian squadron surpassed the enemy squadron.

Since the Turkish squadron on the high seas could be reinforced by ships of the allied Anglo-French fleet, Nakhimov decided to attack and defeat it directly at the base.

His plan was to quickly (in a two-wake column) bring his ships into the Sinop roadstead, anchor them and resolutely attack the enemy from a short distance of 1-2 cables.

The day before the Sinop battle, Nakhimov gathered all the ship commanders and discussed the action plan with them. Let's quote him.

“Designing, at the first opportunity, to attack the enemy stationed in Sinop among 7 frigates, 2 corvettes, one sloop, two steamships and two transports, I have drawn up a disposition for attacking them and ask the commanders to anchor there and keep in mind the following:

1. When entering the roadstead, throw lots, because it may happen that the enemy will cross into shallow water, and then stand as close as possible to him, but at a depth of at least 10 fathoms.

2. Have a spring on both anchors; if, during an attack by the enemy, the wind N is the most favorable, then etch out 60 fathoms of chains, and have the same amount of springa previously laid on the bitenge; when sailing in a gybe in wind O or ONO, in order to avoid dropping the anchor from the stern, also stand on the spring, having it up to 30 fathoms, and when the chain, etched up to 60 fathoms, pulls, then veer out another 10 fathoms; in this case, the chain will weaken, and the ships will stand with their stern to the wind, on the cable; In general, be extremely careful with springs, because they often remain invalid due to the slightest inattention and delay of time.

3. Before entering the Gulf of Sinop, if the weather permits, in order to save the rowing ships on the rostra, I will make a signal to lower them at the side on the opposite side of the enemy, having on one of them, just in case, cables and a rope.

4. When attacking, be careful not to fire in vain at those ships that lower their flags; to send to take possession of them no other than on a signal from the admiral, trying to better use the time to defeat opposing ships or batteries, which, no doubt, would not stop firing if the matter with the enemy ships was over.

5. Now inspect the rivets of the chains; in case of need, rivet them

6. Open fire on the enemy at the second admiral’s shot, if before that there is no resistance from the enemy to our attack on them; otherwise, fire as best you can, taking into account the distance to enemy ships.

7. Having anchored and settled the spring, the first shots must be aimed; at the same time, it is good to note the position of the cannon wedge on the chalk cushion so that afterward the enemy will not be visible in the smoke, but you need to maintain rapid battle fire. It goes without saying that it should be aimed at the same position of the gun as during the first shots.

8. When attacking the enemy at anchor, it is good to have, as under sail, one officer on the main top or salinga to observe the direction of his shots during battle fire, and if they do not reach their target, the officer reports this to the quarterdeck for direction springa.

9. The frigates “Kahul” and “Kulevchi” will remain under sail during the operation to observe enemy steamers, which, without a doubt, will come under steam and harm our ships at their own discretion.

10. Having started business with enemy ships, try, if possible, not to harm the consular houses on which their consular flags will be raised.

In conclusion, I will express my idea that all preliminary instructions under changed circumstances can make it difficult for a commander who knows his business, and therefore I suggest that everyone completely independently act at their own discretion, but will certainly fulfill their duty. The Sovereign Emperor and Russia expect glorious exploits from the Black Sea Fleet. It's up to us to live up to expectations."

On the night of November 17-18, preparations began on the squadron for the upcoming battle. They ended at dawn. Despite the extremely unfavorable weather - rain and strong south-east wind, Nakhimov did not change his decision to attack the enemy in his harbor. At half past nine, a signal was raised on the flagship Empress Maria: “Prepare for battle and go to the Sinop roadstead.”

The battle itself began on November 30 (November 18), 1853, at 12:30 p.m. and lasted until 5:00 p.m. His squadron moved in two wake columns. The windward column included the battleships "Empress Maria" (84-gun) under the flag of Nakhimov, "Grand Duke Konstantin" (120-gun), "Chesma" (84-gun), in the leeward - the battleship "Paris" (120- cannon) under the flag of Novosilsky, "Three Saints" (120-gun), "Rostislav" (84-gun). Turkish naval artillery and coastal batteries subjected the attacking Russian squadron, which was entering the Sinop roadstead, to heavy fire. The enemy fired from a distance of 300 fathoms or less, but Nakhimov’s ships responded to the fierce enemy fire only by occupying advantageous positions. It was then that the complete superiority of Russian artillery became clear.

The battleship "Empress Maria" was bombarded with cannonballs - a significant part of its mast and rigging was destroyed, but the flagship went ahead, firing at the enemy and dragging the rest of the ships of the squadron with it. Directly opposite the Turkish flagship 44-gun frigate "Auni-Allah", at a distance of about 200 fathoms from it, the ship "Empress Maria" anchored and increased fire. The battle between the admiral's ships lasted for half an hour. Osman Pasha could not stand it: "Auni-Allah", having riveted the anchor chain, drifted to the western part of Sinop Bay and ran aground near coastal battery No. 6. The crew from the Turkish flagship fled to the shore. With the failure of the flagship frigate, the enemy squadron lost control.

After the defeat of the frigate "Auni-Allah", the flagship transferred its fire to the 44-gun Turkish frigate "Fazli-Allah" ("Given by Allah" - the Russian frigate "Raphael" captured in 1829). Soon this ship also caught fire and washed ashore not far from the central coastal battery No. 5. The Empress Maria turned around on the spring and began to fire at other Turkish ships that were fiercely resisting the Russian squadron.

On the battery decks of Russian ships, artillerymen acted harmoniously and skillfully, accurately hitting enemy ships. “The thunder of shots, the roar of cannonballs, the rollback of guns, the noise of people, the groans of the wounded,” recalled one of the participants in the battle, “everything mixed into one common hellish hubbub. The battle was in full swing.” The battleship "Grand Duke Konstantin", showered with a hail of cannonballs and grapeshot, anchored and, turning on the spring, opened strong fire on two 60-gun Turkish frigates "Navek-Bahri" and "Nesimi-Zefer". 20 minutes later the first frigate was blown up, and a friendly Russian “hurray” thundered over the bay. Once again turning around on the spring, the Grand Duke Konstantin opened fire on the Nesimi-Zefer and the 24-gun corvette Najimi-Feshan, and both of these ships, engulfed in flames, rushed ashore.

The battleship Chesma fired mainly at coastal batteries No. 3 and 4, which covered the left flank of the Turkish battle line. The gunners of the Russian ship accurately covered the targets and, one after another, disabled the guns on these batteries. Soon, an artillery duel between a Russian battleship and two Turkish coastal batteries ended in the complete defeat of the enemy: both batteries were destroyed, and some of their personnel were destroyed, and some fled to the mountains. The ships of the left column of the Russian squadron stood on the spring, matching the flagship and the battleship Paris. The commander of "Paris" is captain 1st rank Vladimir Ivanovich. Immediately after setting up the spring, Istomin opened heavy fire on the central coastal battery No. 5, on the 22-gun corvette Guli-Sefid and the 56-gun frigate Damiad. At 1 p.m. 15 minutes. As a result of well-aimed hits from Russian shells, the Turkish corvette took off into the air. The frigate Damiad, unable to withstand a fierce firefight with the battleship Paris, ran ashore. A long artillery duel took place between the gunners of the Paris and the gunners of the Turkish 64-gun, two-deck frigate Nizamiye, on which Rear Admiral Hussein Pasha, the second flagship of the enemy squadron, was located. At 2 p.m., the foremast and mizzen masts of the Nizamiye were shot down. Having lost many guns, the Turkish frigate left the battle line and stopped resistance.

Admiral Nakhimov closely monitored the actions of his ships. Observing the excellent combat work of the personnel of the battleship Paris, the admiral ordered a signal to be raised to express gratitude. However, it turned out to be impossible to carry out the order, since all the halyards on the flagship were broken. Then Nakhimov sent a boat with an adjutant under enemy fire. The battleship Rostislav, having taken a favorable position, opened fire on coastal battery No. 6, as well as on the frigate Nizamiye and the 24-gun corvette Feyzi-Meabud. After a heavy firefight, the Turkish corvette ran ashore, and the enemy battery was destroyed. The Three Saints fought with the 54-gun frigate Kaidi-Zefer, but in the midst of the battle on the Russian ship, one of the enemy shells broke the spring and the Three Saints began to turn into the wind with its stern towards the enemy. At this time, the enemy coastal battery intensified its fire, causing serious damage to the battleship. It was necessary to restore the spring at all costs. Midshipman Varnitsky rushed into the boat to repair the damage, but the boat was smashed by an enemy cannonball. The midshipman and the sailors jumped into another boat and, under continuous enemy artillery fire, corrected the spring and returned to the ship.

On the battleship Rostislav, one of the enemy shells hit the battery deck, tore apart the gun and caused a fire. The fire gradually approached the crew chamber, where the ammunition was stored. It was impossible to lose a single second, since the battleship was in danger of an explosion. At that moment, Lieutenant Nikolai Kolokoltsev rushed into the crew chamber, quickly closed the doors and, disregarding the danger, began to extinguish the fire of the curtain covering the hatches of the crew chamber exit. Kolokoltsev’s dedication saved the ship. Not only the gunners, but also all the other sailors of the Russian squadron played a huge role in achieving victory. Observers who were on the mars monitored the adjustment of fire, the hold workers and carpenters quickly and promptly sealed holes and corrected damage, shell carriers ensured an uninterrupted supply of ammunition to the guns, doctors bandaged the wounded on the battery decks, etc. The inspiration of all sailors during the battle was extremely great. The wounded refused to leave their combat posts.

The warships of the Turkish squadron stubbornly resisted, but not one of them could withstand the blow of the Russian squadron. Many Turkish officers shamefully fled from their ships during the battle (commander of the steamship Erekli Izmail Bey, commander of the corvette Feyzi-Meabud Itset Bey, etc.). An example was given to them by the chief adviser to Osman Pasha, the Englishman Adolph Slade. At about 2 p.m., the Turkish 22-gun steamer Taif, on which Mushaver Pasha was, broke away from the line of Turkish ships, which were suffering a severe defeat, and fled. Meanwhile, in the Turkish squadron, only this ship had 2 ten-inch bomb guns. Taking advantage of the Taif's speed advantage, Slade managed to escape the Russian ships and report to Istanbul about the complete destruction of the Turkish squadron. At 15 o'clock the battle ended. “The enemy ships thrown ashore were in the most disastrous condition,” reported Nakhimov. “I ordered to stop firing at them, although they did not lower their flags, as it turned out, from panic fear, which enveloped the crews"

In this battle, the Turks lost 15 of 16 ships and over 3 thousand people killed and wounded (out of 4,500 who took part in the battle); About 200 people were captured, including Osman Pasha, who was wounded in the leg, and the commanders of two ships. Admiral Nakhimov sent a truce to the shore to announce to the governor of Sinop that the Russian squadron had no hostile intentions towards the city, but the governor and the entire administration had long fled from the city. The losses of the Russian squadron amounted to 37 people killed and 233 wounded, 13 guns on the ships were hit and disabled, and there was serious damage to the hull, rigging and sails. "Empress Maria" received 60 holes, "Rostislav" - 45, "Three Saints" - 48, "Grand Duke Constantine" - 44, "Chesma" - 27, "Paris" -26.

After 16 hours, a detachment of steamers under the command of Vice Admiral Kornilov entered the bay. When approaching Sinop, Kornilov noticed the departing steamship Taif and ordered it to be intercepted. The steamship "Odessa" lay at the intersection of the "Taifa" course, but the latter did not accept the battle, despite the overwhelming superiority in artillery. Russian steamships entered the Sinop roadstead; their crews were entrusted with the task of towing Russian sailing ships away from the burning Turkish ships. The defeat of the Turkish squadron in the Battle of Sinop significantly weakened Turkey's naval forces and thwarted its plans to land its troops on the Caucasus coast.

Congratulating the squadron personnel on their victory, Admiral Nakhimov wrote in his order:

“The extermination of the Turkish fleet in Sinop by the squadron under my command cannot but leave a glorious page in the history of the Black Sea Fleet. I express my sincere gratitude to the second flagship, the commanders of the ships for the composure and precise ordering of their ships according to this disposition during strong enemy fire, and and for their unshakable courage in continuing the work itself. I address my gratitude to the officers for the undaunted and accurate performance of their duty, I thank the teams who fought like lions."

Having repaired the damage, the victors left deserted Sinop and headed for their native shores. However, some of the ships participating in the battle had to be towed all the way to Sevastopol by steamships that were part of Kornilov’s squadron. On November 2, 1853, the heroes were solemnly greeted by Sevastopol. The Nakhimov sailors were honored on the square near the Grafskaya pier, and the officers were honored at the Maritime Club. “The battle is glorious, higher than Chesma and Navarino... Hurray, Nakhimov! M.P. Lazarev rejoices at his student!” - another Lazarev student, Kornilov, wrote enthusiastically in those days. For the Sinop victory, Emperor Nicholas I awarded Vice Admiral Nakhimov the Order of St. George, 2nd degree, writing in a personal rescript: “By the extermination of the Turkish squadron, you adorned the chronicle of the Russian fleet with a new victory, which will forever remain memorable in naval history.”

Sinopskoe naval battle became the last major battle of the era in history sailing fleet. Sailing ships began to be replaced by ships with steam engines. In the Battle of Sinop, the naval leadership talent of the outstanding Russian naval commander Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov clearly manifested itself. This is evidenced by the decisive actions of his squadron in destroying the enemy fleet in his base, the skillful deployment of ships and their use of 68-pound “bomb” guns installed on the lower battery decks of Russian battleships. The high moral and combat qualities of Russian sailors and the skillful management of combat operations by ship commanders are also indicative. The greater efficiency of "bomb" guns subsequently accelerated the transition to the creation of an armored fleet.

With the glorious victory in the Battle of Sinop, another heroic page was inscribed in the history of the famous victories of the Russian fleet won at Gangut, Ezel, Grengam, Chesma, Kaliakria, Corfu, Navarino. After this victory, the name of the outstanding Russian naval commander Nakhimov became known not only in our country, but also far beyond the borders of Russia.

Kabeltov - one tenth of a nautical mile, 185.2 m.

Spring is a device consisting of a rope (“cable”), the running end is inserted into the anchor chain, and the root end is fixed to a thick stern beam. Used to hold the ship in a certain position in relation to the wind or current.

Verp is an auxiliary anchor located in the stern of the ship.

F.M. Novosiltsev

After the Ottoman Empire declared war on Russia, London warned the Russian ambassador that if Turkish ports were attacked, Allied ships would intercede on their behalf. At that time, the Anglo-French squadron was based in the Sea of ​​Marmara. Nakhimov left Sevastopol to cruise off the Turkish coast and prevent the supply of weapons and ammunition. Soon the vice admiral received news of the beginning of the war and of the Turkish ships stationed in Sinop. According to information from the Minister of Naval Affairs, Prince Menshikov, the Turks planned to land troops near Sukhum and Poti. Nakhimov moved there, at the same time a detachment of Vice Admiral Osman Pasha was heading to Sinop. He managed to miss the Russian squadron and move unhindered to the city. When the ships of the Black Sea Fleet approached Sinop, they discovered much larger forces there than expected - 7 frigates, 2 corvettes, 1 sloop and 2 steamers, which covered five of the six coastal batteries. Pavel Nakhimov decided to block the port until reinforcements arrived. A squadron of Rear Admiral Fyodor Novosilsky was sent from Sevastopol to help him, which joined the Nakhimov ships, doubling their strength.

Vice Admiral Pavel Nakhimov

Thus, Nakhimov had the 84-gun battleships “Empress Maria”, “Chesma”, “Rostislav” and the 120-gun “Paris”, “Grand Duke Konstantin”, “Three Saints”, frigates “Kahul” and "Kulevchi". The Turks had 7 frigates, including the Fazli Allah, the former Russian ship Rafail, which surrendered to the enemy without a fight in 1829, 3 corvettes, the steam frigate Taif and the steamer Erkile. From the shore they were covered by five batteries, which cost an entire battleship. In addition, the Turks could count on the help of French and English ships that were stationed in the Dardanelles Strait. The Turks stood in a crescent formation, which ensured cross-fire of any squadron entering the roadstead. Ottoman Pasha had orders to remain in the bay until good weather returned.

On November 29, Nakhimov received an order from Menshikov to spare the city if possible, so as not to give the European powers a reason to enter into conflict. The vice admiral, fearing that reinforcements would arrive to the Turks, decided to fight the next day. At 10 a.m. he held a meeting of the command staff on the flagship Empress Maria. It was decided to attack in two columns: the first was commanded by Nakhimov, the second by Novosilsky. They decided to protect the city and attack only ships and batteries. It was intended to use bombing guns for the first time. On the same day, three steamships “Odessa”, “Krym” and “Khersones” left Sevastopol for Sinop, but arrived at the site only towards the end of the battle.

Sinop battle

On the morning of November 30, the weather was not on the side of the Russian fleet: there was fog, it was drizzling, which turned into downpour by 4 p.m., and the gusty east-south-east wind prevented the capture of enemy ships, which could easily have washed ashore. At 9:30 the squadron headed for the roadstead. At 12:30 the first shot was fired by the 44-gun frigate Aunni-Allah, after which fire was opened from all Turkish ships and batteries. The Empress Maria was bombarded with shells, the spar and standing rigging were broken, but the ship continued to move forward. The squadron followed him unquestioningly until both frigates anchored. “Empress Maria” stood up against “Aunni Allah” and sprayed him for half an hour. Unable to withstand such fire, the Turkish frigate ran ashore. Then the Russian flagship set to work on the Fazli Allah. It, too, soon caught fire and washed ashore; the remains of the “treacherous” ship, as ordered by the emperor, were burned. Nakhimov later reported to Nicholas: “The will of Your Imperial Majesty has been fulfilled - the frigate Raphael does not exist.” Now the flagship's actions focused on battery No. 5.

Battle Map

At this time, "Chesma" dealt with batteries No. 3 and No. 4. "Grand Duke Konstantin" after 20 minutes of battle blew up the frigate "Navek-Bahri", showering debris and the bodies of sailors on battery No. 4. The second frigate "Nesimi-Zefer", which was fired upon by a Russian battleship and was thrown ashore by the wind. The Paris, under the command of Captain 1st Rank Vladimir Istomin, brought down the dangerous battery No. 5 in just 4.5 minutes. After this, shelling began on the corvette Guli-Sefid and the frigate Damiad. At 13:05 the corvette exploded and the Damiad washed ashore. After the shelling, the 64-gun Turkish frigate Nizamiye lost two masts and also ran ashore. Then the Paris began to finish off battery No. 5. Nakhimov, speaking about the Paris, noted that “it was impossible to stop admiring the beautiful and calmly calculated actions of the ship.”

Russian ships in the Battle of Sinop

The battleship "Three Saints" entered into battle with the "Kaidi-Zefer", but Turkish shots broke its spring, and fire from battery No. 6 damaged the mast. Turning around, he again began firing at the enemy frigate and forced it and other ships to rush to the shore. "Rostislav", covering the "Three Saints", opened fire on battery No. 6 and the corvette "Feize-Meabud", throwing it ashore.

At 13:30, Russian steamships appeared to help. The battle was already nearing completion, the Turks were greatly weakened, but the ships immediately entered the battle. "Paris" and "Rostislav" finally destroyed batteries No. 5 and No. 6. Here and there Turkish ships, probably set on fire by their crews, caught fire and flew into the air. Burning debris fell on the city, and a strong fire began. Before the battle, the Turks left their part of Sinop, leaving only the Greeks in the city, who considered the Russians friends. When the fire started, the Greeks quickly put out the fires in their part of the city, but the Turkish half suffered greatly.

At about 2 p.m., the enemy frigate Taif broke out of the line of defeated Turkish ships and headed towards Istanbul. The ship fleeing from the theater of military operations was pursued by the Kagul and Kulevchi, but they did not have enough speed, then the Russian steamers followed the fugitive. The captain of the Taif, Yahya Bey, arrived in Istanbul and reported the death of the Turkish squadron; his ship was the only one to survive. The Ottoman government fired the captain for “misbehavior,” and the Sultan was furious at the Taif’s flight. Meanwhile the battle continued. By 15 o'clock the Turkish ships ceased fire, and by 16 o'clock all coastal batteries were suppressed. The Turkish ships were burning, ammunition was flying into the air, the guns of the burning frigates were dangerous, and at 20 o'clock Nakhimov ordered his ships to be withdrawn from the shore. During the inspection of enemy ships, 180 people were captured. Among them was Osman Pasha, wounded, robbed and half-naked by his own sailors. The Turkish vice admiral himself handed Nakhimov his broadsword. For a couple of days, Russian sailors repaired their ships, and on December 2 they moved to Sevastopol. Amid general rejoicing, two days later they entered the bay.

The night after the battle

Nakhimov was awarded the Order of St. George, II degree, but Menshikov refused to promote him to admiral. The Sinop victory, which the British called a "massacre", especially due to the devastating fire in the city, provoked the entry of Great Britain and France into the war, which the Minister of the Navy had tried to avoid. Nakhimov understood this very well and said: “The British will see that we are really dangerous to them at sea, and believe me, they will use every effort to destroy the Black Sea Fleet.” Captain "Paris" Istomin was promoted to rear admiral. The Emperor granted 250 St. George's Crosses to the heroes of the battle. Since there were more sailors proposed for the award than crosses, they were distributed by lot. It was not for nothing that the fleet leadership feared the entry of European powers into the war. In September 1854, the Anglo-French army landed in Crimea. The defense of Sevastopol began. Nakhimov took it seriously, considered himself guilty and knew that this was revenge for Sinop.

“By the extermination of the Turkish squadron, you adorned the chronicle of the Russian fleet with a new victory, which will forever remain memorable in the sea.”
Emperor Nicholas I

“The destruction of the Turkish fleet in Sinop by a squadron under my command cannot but leave a glorious page in the history of the Black Sea Fleet.”

P. S. Nakhimov

December 1 is the Day of Military Glory of Russia. This is the day of the victory of the Russian squadron under the command of Vice Admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov over the Turkish squadron at Cape Sinop.

The battle took place in the harbor of the city of Sinop on the Black Sea coast of Turkey on November 18 (30), 1853. The Turkish squadron was defeated within a few hours. The Battle of Cape Sinop was one of the major battles of the Crimean (Eastern) War, which began as a conflict between Russia and Turkey. Moreover, it went down in history as the last major battle of sailing fleets. Russia gained a serious advantage over the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire and dominance in the Black Sea (before the intervention of the great Western powers).

This naval battle became an example of the brilliant preparation of the Black Sea Fleet, led by one of best representatives schools of Russian military art. Sinop amazed all of Europe with the perfection of the Russian fleet and fully justified the many years of hard educational work of admirals Lazarev and Nakhimov.

A. P. Bogolyubov. Destruction of the Turkish fleet in the Battle of Sinop

Background

In 1853, another war between Russia and Turkey began. It led to a global conflict involving the world's leading powers. The Anglo-French squadron entered the Dardanelles. Fronts were opened on the Danube and in Transcaucasia. Petersburg, which counted on quick victory over the Porte, the decisive promotion of Russian interests in the Balkans and the successful solution of the problem of the Bosporus and Dardanelles, received the threat of war with the great powers, with vague prospects. There was a threat that the Ottomans, followed by the British and French, would be able to provide effective assistance to the Shamil mountaineers. This led to a new large-scale war in the Caucasus and a serious threat to Russia from the south.

In the Caucasus, Russia did not have sufficient quantity troops to simultaneously hold back the advance of the Turkish army and fight the mountaineers. In addition, the Turkish squadron supplied the troops on the Caucasian coast with ammunition. Therefore, the Black Sea Fleet received two main tasks: 1) quickly transport reinforcements from Crimea to the Caucasus; 2) strike at the enemy’s sea communications. Prevent the Ottomans from landing a large landing force on the eastern coast of the Black Sea in the Sukhum-Kale (Sukhumi) and Poti area to help the highlanders. Pavel Stepanovich completed both tasks.

On September 13, an emergency order was received in Sevastopol to transfer an infantry division with artillery to Anakria (Anaklia). The Black Sea Fleet was in turmoil at that time. There were rumors about an Anglo-French squadron acting on the side of the Ottomans. Nakhimov immediately took over the operation. In four days he prepared the ships and in perfect order placed troops on them: 16 battalions with two batteries (more than 16 thousand people), and all the necessary weapons and property. On September 17, the squadron went to sea and on the morning of September 24 arrived in Anakria. By evening the unloading was completed. The operation was considered brilliant; there were only a few sick people among the sailors and soldiers.

Having solved the first problem, Pavel Stepanovich proceeded to the second. It was necessary to disrupt the enemy landing operation. A 20 thousand Turkish corps was concentrated in Batumi, which was supposed to be transported by a large transport flotilla (up to 250 ships). The landing was to be covered by Osman Pasha's squadron.

At this time, the commander of the Crimean Army and the Black Sea Fleet was Prince Alexander Menshikov. He sent a squadron of Nakhimov and Kornilov to search for the enemy. On November 5 (17), V. A. Kornilov met the Ottoman 10-gun steamer Pervaz-Bahre, coming from Sinop. The steam frigate "Vladimir" (11 guns) under the flag of the Chief of Staff of the Black Sea Fleet Kornilov attacked the enemy. The battle was directly led by the commander of the Vladimir, Lieutenant Commander Grigory Butakov. He used the high maneuverability of his ship and noticed the weakness of the enemy - the absence of guns at the stern of the Turkish steamer. Throughout the battle I tried to stay in such a way as not to fall under Ottoman fire. The three-hour battle ended in Russian victory. This was the first battle of steam ships in history. Then Vladimir Kornilov returned to Sevastopol and ordered Rear Admiral F. M. Novosilsky to find Nakhimov and reinforce him with the battleships Rostislav and Svyatoslav, and the brig Aeneas. Novosilsky met with Nakhimov and, having completed the assignment, returned to Sevastopol.

Nakhimov and his detachment had been cruising between Sukhum and part of the Anatolian coast since the end of October, where the main port was Sinop. The vice admiral, after meeting with Novosiltsev, had five 84-gun ships: Empress Maria, Chesma, Rostislav, Svyatoslav and Brave, as well as the frigate Kovarna and the brig Aeneas. On November 2 (14), Nakhimov issued an order for the squadron, where he notified the commanders that in the event of a meeting with an enemy “superior to us in strength, I will attack him, being completely confident that each of us will do his job.”

Every day we waited for the enemy to appear. In addition, there was the possibility of meeting with British ships. But there was no Ottoman squadron. We only met Novosilsky, who brought two ships, replacing those battered by the storm and sent to Sevastopol. On November 8, a severe storm broke out, and the vice admiral was forced to send 4 more ships for repairs. The situation was critical. Strong winds continued after the storm on November 8th.

On November 11, Nakhimov approached Sinop and immediately sent a brig with the news that an Ottoman squadron was stationed in the bay. Despite significant enemy forces standing under the protection of 6 coastal batteries, Nakhimov decided to block Sinop Bay and wait for reinforcements. He asked Menshikov to send the ships “Svyatoslav” and “Brave”, the frigate “Kovarna” and the steamer “Bessarabia” sent for repairs. The admiral also expressed bewilderment why he was not sent the frigate "Kulevchi", which is idle in Sevastopol, and sent two more additional ships necessary for cruising. Nakhimov was ready to fight if the Turks made a breakthrough. However, the Turkish command, although at that time had an advantage in strength, did not dare to engage in a general battle or simply make a breakthrough. When Nakhimov reported that the Ottoman forces in Sinop, according to his observations, were higher than previously thought, Menshikov sent reinforcements - Novosilsky's squadron, and then a detachment of Kornilov's steamers.

Strengths of the parties

Reinforcements arrived on time. On November 16 (28), 1853, Nakhimov’s detachment was reinforced by the squadron of Rear Admiral Fyodor Novosilsky: 120-gun battleships “Paris”, “Grand Duke Konstantin” and “Three Saints”, frigates “Kahul” and “Kulevchi”. As a result, under the command of Nakhimov there were already 6 battleships: the 84-gun “Empress Maria”, “Chesma” and “Rostislav”, the 120-gun “Paris”, “Grand Duke Constantine” and “Three Saints”, the 60-gun frigate “ Kulevchi" and the 44-gun "Kahul". Nakhimov had 716 guns; from each side the squadron could fire a salvo weighing 378 pounds 13 pounds. 76 guns were bomb guns, firing explosive bombs that had great destructive power. Thus, the Russian fleet had the advantage. In addition, Kornilov rushed to Nakhimov’s aid with three steam frigates.

The Turkish squadron included: 7 frigates, 3 corvettes, several auxiliary ships and a detachment of 3 steam frigates. In total, the Turks had 476 naval guns, supported by 44 coastal guns. The Ottoman squadron was led by the Turkish Vice Admiral Osman Pasha. The second flagship was Rear Admiral Hussein Pasha. There was an English adviser with the squadron - Captain A. Slade. The steamship detachment was commanded by Vice Admiral Mustafa Pasha. The Turks had their advantages, the main ones being parking in a fortified base and the presence of steamships, while the Russians only had sailing ships.

Admiral Osman Pasha, knowing that the Russian squadron was guarding him at the exit from the bay, sent an alarming message to Istanbul, asking for help, significantly exaggerating Nakhimov’s forces. However, the Turks were late; the message was transmitted to the British on November 17 (29), a day before the attack of the Russian fleet. Even if Lord Stratford-Radcliffe, who at that time actually led the policy of the Porte, gave the order to the British squadron to go to the aid of Osman Pasha, help would still be late. Moreover, the British ambassador in Istanbul did not have the right to start a war with Russian Empire, the admiral could refuse.

Nakhimov's plan

The Russian admiral, as soon as reinforcements arrived, decided not to wait, to immediately enter Sinop Bay and attack the enemy. In essence, Nakhimov was taking a risk, albeit a well calculated one. The Ottomans had good naval and coastal guns, and with appropriate leadership, the Turkish forces could inflict serious damage on the Russian squadron. However, the once formidable Ottoman navy was in decline, both in terms of combat training and leadership.

The Turkish command itself played along with Nakhimov, positioning the ships extremely inconveniently for defense. Firstly, the Ottoman squadron was positioned like a fan, a concave arc. As a result, the ships blocked the firing sector of part of the coastal batteries. Secondly, the ships were located right next to the embankment, which did not give them the opportunity to maneuver and fire on both sides. Thus, the Turkish squadron and coastal batteries could not fully resist the Russian fleet.

Nakhimov's plan was imbued with determination and initiative. The Russian squadron, in the formation of two wake columns (the ships followed one after another along the course line), received the order to break through to the Sinop roadstead and deliver a fire strike on the enemy ships and batteries. The first column was commanded by Nakhimov. It included the ships “Empress Maria” (flagship), “Grand Duke Konstantin” and “Chesma”. The second column was led by Novosilsky. It included “Paris” (2nd flagship), “Three Saints” and “Rostislav”. The movement in two columns was supposed to reduce the time it took for ships to pass under the fire of the Turkish squadron and coastal batteries. In addition, it was easier to deploy Russian ships into battle formation when anchored. In the rearguard were frigates, which were supposed to stop the enemy’s attempts to escape. The targets of all ships were distributed in advance.

At the same time, ship commanders had a certain independence in choosing targets, depending on the specific situation, while implementing the principle of mutual support. “In conclusion, I will express the idea,” Nakhimov wrote in the order, “that all preliminary instructions under changed circumstances can make it difficult for a commander who knows his business, and therefore I allow everyone to act completely independently at their own discretion, but will certainly fulfill their duty.”

Battle

At dawn on November 18 (30), Russian ships entered Sinop Bay. At the head of the right column was Pavel Nakhimov's flagship "Empress Maria", at the head of the left - "Paris" of Fyodor Novosilsky. The weather was unfavorable. At 12:30 p.m., the Ottoman flagship, the 44-gun Avni-Allah, opened fire, followed by guns from other ships and coastal batteries. The Turkish command hoped that strong barrage fire from naval and coastal batteries would not allow the Russian squadron to break through to close range and would force the Russians to retreat. Possibly will cause severe damage to some ships that can be captured. Nakhimov's ship went ahead and stood closest to the Ottoman ships. The admiral stood on the captain's cabin and watched the fierce artillery battle unfold.

The victory of the Russian fleet became apparent after just over two hours. Turkish artillery showered shells on the Russian squadron and was able to cause significant damage to some ships, but failed to sink a single one. The Russian admiral, knowing the techniques of the Ottoman commanders, foresaw that the main enemy fire would initially be concentrated on the mast (above-deck parts of the ship's equipment), and not on the decks. The Turks wanted to incapacitate as many Russian sailors as possible when they removed the sails before anchoring the ships, as well as disrupt the controllability of the ships and worsen their ability to maneuver. And so it happened, Turkish shells broke the yards, topmasts, and made holes in the sails. The Russian flagship took on a significant part of the enemy attack, most of its spar and standing rigging were broken, only one shroud of the mainmast remained intact. After the battle, 60 holes were counted in one side. However, the Russian sailors were below, Pavel Stepanovich ordered the ships to be anchored without removing the sails. All Nakhimov’s orders were carried out exactly. The frigate "Avni-Allah" ("Aunni-Allah") could not withstand the confrontation with the Russian flagship and washed ashore after half an hour. The Turkish squadron lost its control center. Then the Empress Maria bombarded the 44-gun frigate Fazli-Allah with shells, which also could not withstand the duel and ran ashore. The admiral transferred the fire of the battleship to battery No. 5.

The ship "Grand Duke Konstantin" fired at the 60-gun frigates "Navek-Bakhri" and "Nesimi-Zefer", the 24-gun corvette "Nedjmi Fishan", and at battery No. 4. “Navek-Bakhri” took off within 20 minutes. One of the Russian shells hit the powder magazine. This explosion also disabled battery No. 4. Corpses and shipwrecks littered the battery. Later the battery resumed fire, but it was weaker than before. The second frigate, after its anchor chain was broken, washed ashore. The Turkish corvette could not stand the duel and ran ashore. “Grand Duke Constantine” received 30 holes and damage to all masts in the Battle of Sinop.

The battleship "Chesma", under the command of Viktor Mikryukov, fired at batteries No. 4 and No. 3. Russian sailors strictly followed Nakhimov’s instructions on mutual support. The ship "Konstantin" was forced to fight three enemy ships and a Turkish battery at once. Therefore, the Chesma stopped firing at the batteries and concentrated all its fire on the Turkish frigate Navek-Bahri. The Turkish ship, hit by fire from two Russian ships, took off into the air. Then "Chesma" suppressed the enemy batteries. The ship received 20 holes, damage to the mainmast and bowsprit.

In a similar situation, when the principle of mutual support was fulfilled, half an hour later the ship “Three Saints” found itself. The battleship under the command of K. S. Kutrov fought with the 54-gun frigate "Kaidi-Zefer" and the 62-gun "Nizamiye". Enemy shots broke the spring of the Russian ship (the cable to the anchor holding the ship in a given position), and the “Three Saints” began to turn into the wind with its stern towards the enemy. The ship was subjected to longitudinal fire from battery No. 6, and its mast was seriously damaged. Immediately, “Rostislav”, under the command of Captain 1st Rank A.D. Kuznetsov, who himself was under heavy fire, stopped returning fire and focused all his attention on battery No. 6. As a result, the Turkish battery was razed to the ground. The Rostislav also forced the 24-gun corvette Feyze-Meabud to beach itself. When midshipman Varnitsky was able to repair the damage on the Svyatitel, the ship began to successfully fire at the Kaidi-Zefer and other ships, forcing them to run ashore. "Three Saints" received 48 holes, as well as damage to the stern, all masts and bowsprit. The help did not come cheap for the Rostislav either; the ship almost blew up, a fire started on it, the fire approached the cruise chamber, but the fire was extinguished. "Rostislav" received 25 holes, as well as damage to all masts and bowsprit. More than 100 people from his team were wounded.

The second Russian flagship "Paris" fought an artillery duel with the 56-gun frigate "Damiad", the 22-gun corvette "Gyuli Sefid" and the central coastal battery No. 5. The corvette caught fire and took off. The battleship concentrated its fire on the frigate. The Damiad could not withstand the heavy fire, the Turkish crew cut off the anchor rope, and the frigate was thrown ashore. Then the Paris attacked the 62-gun Nizamiye, on which Admiral Hussein Pasha was holding the flag. The Ottoman ship lost two masts - the fore and mizzen masts, and a fire started on it. The Nizamiye washed ashore. The commander of the ship, Vladimir Istomin, showed “fearlessness and fortitude” in this battle and made “prudent, skillful and quick orders.” After the defeat of Nizamiye, Paris concentrated on the central coastal battery, which provided great opposition to the Russian squadron. The Turkish battery was suppressed. The battleship received 16 holes, as well as damage to the stern and gondeck.

Thus, by 17:00, Russian sailors destroyed 15 out of 16 enemy ships with artillery fire and suppressed all of their coastal batteries. Random cannonballs also set fire to city buildings located in close proximity to the coastal batteries, which led to the spread of fire and caused panic among the population.

Of the entire Turkish squadron, only one high-speed 20-gun steamer Taif managed to escape, on board of which was the chief adviser to the Turks on maritime issues, the Englishman Slade, who, having arrived in Istanbul, reported on the destruction of Turkish ships in Sinop.

It is worth noting that the presence of two steam frigates in the Turkish squadron seriously puzzled the Russian admiral. Admiral Nakhimov did not have steamers at the beginning of the battle; they arrived only at the very end of the battle. A fast enemy ship, under the command of a British captain, could perform well in a battle when Russian ships were engaged in battle and their sails were damaged. Sailing ships could not maneuver easily and quickly in these conditions. Nakhimov took this threat into account so much that he dedicated an entire paragraph of his disposition to it (No. 9). Two frigates were left in reserve and were given the task of neutralizing the actions of enemy steam frigates.

However, this reasonable precaution was not justified. The Russian admiral assessed the possible actions of the enemy on his own. He was ready to fight even in conditions of complete enemy superiority; enemy commanders thought differently. Taif's captain Slade was an experienced commander, but he was not going to fight to the last drop of blood. Seeing that the Turkish squadron was in danger of destruction, the British captain skillfully maneuvered between the Rostislav and battery No. 6, and fled towards Constantinople. The frigates "Kulevchi" and "Kahul" tried to intercept the enemy, but they were unable to keep up with the fast steamer. Breaking away from the Russian frigates, the Taif almost fell into the hands of Kornilov. A detachment of Kornilov's steam frigates hurried to the aid of Nakhimov's squadron and collided with the Taif. However, Slade was able to escape from Kornilov's steamships.

Towards the end of the battle, a detachment of ships approached Sinop under the command of Vice Admiral V.A. Kornilov, who was rushing to the aid of Nakhimov from Sevastopol. A participant in these events, B.I. Baryatinsky, who was in Kornilov’s squadron, wrote: “Approaching the ship “Maria” (Nakhimov’s flagship), we board the boat of our steamer and go to the ship, which is all pierced by cannonballs, almost all the shrouds are broken, and when Quite a strong swell caused the masts to sway so much that they threatened to fall. We board the ship, and both admirals rush into each other’s arms, we all also congratulate Nakhimov. He was magnificent, his cap on the back of his head, his face stained with blood, new epaulettes, his nose - everything was red with blood, sailors and officers... all black with gunpowder smoke... It turned out that on the "Maria" there were the most killed and wounded, as Nakhimov was walking the lead in the squadron and from the very beginning of the battle became closest to the Turkish firing sides. Nakhimov’s coat, which he took off before the battle and immediately hung on a nail, was torn by a Turkish cannonball.”

Results

The Ottoman squadron was almost completely destroyed. During the three-hour battle, the Turks were defeated, their resistance was broken. A little later, they suppressed the remaining coastal fortifications and batteries and finished off the remnants of the squadron. One after another, Turkish ships took off. Russian bombs fell into powder magazines, or fire reached them; often the Turks themselves set fire to the ships, leaving them. Three frigates and one corvette were set on fire by the Turks themselves. “The battle is glorious, higher than Chesma and Navarino!” - this is how Vice Admiral V.A. Kornilov assessed the battle.

The Turks lost about 3 thousand people, the British reported 4 thousand. Just before the battle, the Ottomans prepared for boardings and put additional soldiers on the ships. Explosions at batteries, fires and explosions of beached ships led to a strong fire in the city. Sinop suffered greatly. The population, authorities and garrison of Sinop fled to the mountains. The British later accused the Russians of deliberate cruelty towards the townspeople. 200 people were captured by the Russians. Among the prisoners was the commander of the Turkish squadron, Vice Admiral Osman Pasha (his leg was broken in the battle) and two ship commanders.

Russian ships fired about 17 thousand shells in four hours. The Battle of Sinop showed the importance of bombing guns for the future development of the fleet. Wooden ships could not withstand the fire of such cannons. It was necessary to develop armor protection for ships. The Rostislav gunners showed the highest rate of fire. 75-100 rounds were fired from each gun on the operational side of the battleship. On other ships of the squadron, 30-70 shots were fired from each gun on the active side. Russian commanders and sailors, according to Nakhimov, showed “truly Russian courage.” The advanced system of educating the Russian sailor, developed and implemented by Lazarev and Nakhimov, proved its superiority in battle. Hard training and sea voyages led to the fact that the Black Sea Fleet passed the Sinop exam with excellent marks.

Some Russian ships received significant damage, they were then towed by steamers, but all remained afloat. Russian losses amounted to 37 killed and 233 wounded. Everyone noted the highest skill of the Russian admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov, he correctly took into account his own strengths and the enemy’s forces, took reasonable risks, leading the squadron under fire from coastal batteries and the Omani squadron, worked out the battle plan in detail, and showed determination in achieving the goal. The absence of dead ships and relatively low losses in manpower confirm the reasonableness of Nakhimov’s decisions and naval leadership. Nakhimov himself was, as always, modest and said that all the credit belongs to Mikhail Lazarev. The Sinop battle became a brilliant point in the long history of the development of the sailing fleet. It should be noted that Lazarev, Nakhimov and Kornilov understood this very well, being supporters of the rapid development of the steam fleet.

At the end of the battle, the ships carried out the necessary repairs and weighed anchor on November 20 (December 2), moving to Sevastopol. On the 22nd (December 4), the Russian fleet entered the Sevastopol roadstead with general jubilation. The entire population of Sevastopol greeted the victorious squadron. It was a great day. Endless “Hurray, Nakhimov!” rushed from all sides. News of the crushing victory of the Black Sea Fleet rushed to the Caucasus, the Danube, Moscow and St. Petersburg. Emperor Nicholas awarded Nakhimov the Order of St. George, 2nd degree.

Pavel Stepanovich himself was concerned. The Russian admiral was pleased with the purely military results of the Battle of Sinop. The Black Sea Fleet brilliantly solved the main problem: it eliminated the possibility of a Turkish landing on the Caucasian coast and destroyed the Ottoman squadron, gaining complete dominance in the Black Sea. The colossal success was achieved with little blood and material losses. After a difficult search, battle and passage across the sea, all ships successfully returned to Sevastopol. Nakhimov was pleased with the sailors and commanders; they behaved superbly in the hot battle. However, Nakhimov had strategic thinking and understood that the main battles were still ahead. The Sinop victory will cause the appearance of Anglo-French forces in the Black Sea, which will use every effort to destroy the combat-ready Black Sea Fleet. The real war was just beginning.

The Battle of Sinop caused panic in Constantinople, where they were afraid of the appearance of the Russian fleet near the Ottoman capital. In Paris and London, at first they tried to belittle and belittle the significance of the feat of the Nakhimov squadron, and then, when this became useless, as the details of the Battle of Sinop appeared, envy and hatred arose. As Count Alexei Orlov wrote, “we are not forgiven for either skillful orders or the courage to carry them out.” A wave of Russophobia is rising in Western Europe. Westerners did not expect such brilliant actions on the part of the Russian naval forces. England and France are beginning to take retaliatory steps. The English and French squadrons, which were already stationed in the Bosphorus, on December 3 sent 2 ships to Sinop and 2 to Varna for reconnaissance. Paris and London immediately gave Turkey credit for the war. The Turks had been asking for money for a long time without success. Sinop changed everything. France and England were preparing to go to war, and the Battle of Sinop could force Constantinople to agree to a truce; the Ottomans suffered defeats on land and sea. It was necessary to encourage an ally. The largest bank in Paris immediately set about organizing the matter. The Ottoman Empire was given a loan of 2 million pounds sterling in gold. Moreover, half of the subscription for this amount was supposed to be covered by Paris, and the other by London. On the night of December 21-22, 1853 (January 3-4, 1854), the English and French squadrons, together with a division of the Ottoman fleet, entered the Black Sea.

During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. The Soviet government established an order and medal in honor of Nakhimov. The Order was received by officers of the Navy for outstanding success in the development, conduct and support of naval operations, as a result of which an offensive operation of the enemy was repelled or active operations of the fleet were ensured, significant damage was inflicted on the enemy and their forces were preserved. The medal was awarded to sailors and foremen for military merits.

Day of Military Glory of Russia - Victory Day of the Russian squadron under the command of P.S. Nakhimov over the Turkish squadron at Cape Sinop (1853) - celebrated in accordance with the Federal Law of March 13, 1995 “On the days of military glory (victory days) of Russia.”