Battle of Cape Kaliakra

The Battle of Cape Kaliakra was the last naval battle of the Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792). It took place on 11 August 1791 off the coast of Cape Kaliakra, Bulgaria, in the Black Sea. Neither side lost a ship, but the Ottomans retreated to Istanbul afterward.

This article is about the events of 1791. For the battle of the First Balkan War, see Battle of Kaliakra (1912).

Battle of Cape Kaliakra
Part of the Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792)

Bulgarian sailors at the monument to Admiral Ushakov on Cape Kaliakra
Date11 August 1791
Location
Cape Kaliakra off the coast of northern Bulgaria in the Black Sea
Result Russian Victory
End of the 1787-92 Russo-Turkish War
Treaty of Jassy signed afterwards
Belligerents
 Russian Empire

Ottoman Empire

Commanders and leaders
Admiral Fyodor Ushakov Hussein Pasha
Said Ali
Strength
15 battleships
2 frigates,
19 small crafts		 18 battleships
10 frigates,
7 small frigates,
48 small crafts,
The coastal battery
Casualties and losses
17 killed and 28 wounded
1 frigate damaged[1]		 Unknown, ships sustained heavy damage[1]

The Russian fleet under Admiral Fyodor Ushakov, of 15 battleships and two frigates (990 guns), and several small craft sailed from Sevastopol on 8 August, and at midday on 11 August encountered the Ottoman–Algerian fleet under Hussein Pasha of 18 battleships and 17 frigates (1,500–1,600 guns) and some smaller craft at anchor just south of Cape Kaliakra. Ushakov sailed, in three columns, from the northeast, between the Ottomans and the cape, despite the presence on the cape of several guns.

Admiral Said Ali, the commander of the Algerian ships, weighed anchor and sailed east, followed by Hussein Pasha with the 18 battleships. The Russians then turned around south to a parallel east-south-east course and formed up mostly into one line, with Ushakov in third position and one ship out of line on the off-battle side. Said Ali, leading the line, turned north to try to double the Russian van, but Ushakov sailed out of the line and attacked him, as the rest of the Russian fleet approached. This was at 16:45 (4:45 p.m.). Gradually the Turks turned to the south and when darkness put an end to fighting at 20:30 (8:30 p.m.) they were in full retreat to Istanbul. Russian casualties were 17 killed and 28 wounded, and the frigate Alexander Nevsky was damaged. Ottoman casualty figures are unknown, but their ships were heavily damaged aloft.[1]

Ships involved

Some of the Russian vessels involved and their crew were:

Russian Empire


Consequence

The battle occurred near the end of the Russian-Turkish war, which ended with the signing of the Jassy peace treaty.

The tactics used by Ushakov were a new innovation in the theory of sea warfare. After that, a similar maneuver was used by Admiral Nelson in the Battle of Aboukir in 1798 and the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

For the victory at Cape Kaliakra, the Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky was awarded to Admiral Ushakov.

Citations
  1. Tredrea & Sozaev (2010), p. 94.

References
  • Tredrea, John; Sozaev, Eduard (2010). Russian Warships in the Age of Sail 1696–1860. Seaforth. ISBN 978-1-84832-058-1.

Sources

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