The history of Russia is primarily a military history. The confrontation between Russia and Turkey took place in more than ten wars. In most of them, the then existing Russian Empire came out victorious. A truly heroic page in the military past of our Fatherland was the battle for Ochakov fortress. The war of Russia and Turkey of 1787-1791 strengthened the position of Russians in the Black Sea and the Crimean peninsula. The fall of the fortress was of great importance for victory in the entire war.
The reasons for the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791
Turkey sought to take revenge from Russia for the First Turkish War and regain the territories lost by the Ottoman Empire. The outbreak of the war was connected with its desire to prevent the strengthening of the influence of the Russian Empire in the territory of Transcaucasia and return the lands of Crimea. Relying on diplomatic relations with Austria, Russia planned to increase ownership in the Caucasus and establish itself in the Northern Black Sea region. In August 1787, the Turkish government put forward an ultimatum to Russia, demanding the transfer of Crimea, recognition as the vassal possession of the Turkish Sultan of Georgia and permission to inspect Russian merchant ships crossing the straits. In addition, the goal was also to strengthen the Black Sea coast and the Crimean Khanate. The Russian Empire refused to comply with the ultimatum, and Turkey declared war.
Starting military operations, Turkey violated the terms of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi agreement. The Russian ambassador Yakov Bulgakov, whom they imprisoned in the Seven-tower castle, was captured by the Turks.
Military operations took place in the Crimea and the North Caucasus. The capture of the Ochakov fortress was a key battle in the war of the Russian Empire and Turkey of 1787-1792.
The ratio of military forces
Yekaterinoslav and Ukrainian armies of the Russian Empire fought against Turkey, having a strength of 80 thousand and 40 thousand, respectively. Turkish fortress Ochakov in the summer of 1788 was protected by a garrison, numbering from 15 to 20 thousand military. The fortress was surrounded by a rampart and a moat and protected by 350 cannons. The Russian Black Sea Fleet arrived in Ochakovo harbor due to the fact that there were about 100 combat units of the Turkish fleet.
On the outskirts of Ochakov
The capture of the fortress Ochakov became the main goal of the Russian imperial army after the liberation of the Dnieper-Bug estuary from the Turkish fleet and victory on the Kinburn Spit. Ochakov fortress was located within the borders of the Turkish territory of the Black Sea near the confluence of the Bug River. The fighting for Ochakov began at sea.
About 50 thousand soldiers of the Yekaterinoslav Army began their advance to Ochakov in May 1788. This army, under the command of G. A. Potemkin, approached Ochakov. The commander decided on a long siege of the fortress.
The siege of the Turkish fortress
On July 27, 1788, a large detachment of Turks made a sortie from the fortress. Units of the Russian army under the command of A.V. Suvorov entered into a tough battle with the enemy. Reinforcements came to the aid of the Turks. According to A.V. Suvorov’s calculation, at that moment, it was necessary to strike from the side of the opened flank and thus take the fortress. However, G. A. Potemkin did not take decisive action, so the favorable moment for the capture of the Turkish fortress Ochakov was missed.
Less than a month later, in August, the Turks made another sortie with an attempt to destroy the Russian battery, commanded by M.I. Golenitsev-Kutuzov. By short dashes and shelter in beams and ditches, the Turks reached the established guns, as a result of which a heavy battle began. As a result of the counterattack undertaken, the rangers managed to push the Turkish Janissaries back to the walls of the fortress. They wanted to enter Ochakov on their shoulders. However, at this moment M.I. Kutuzov was seriously injured. A bullet hit him on the left cheek and came out through the back of his head when the commander held a white handkerchief to give the troops a conditional signal. This was the second most serious injury to Mikhail Illarionovich, from which he almost died.
The summer of 1788 did not bring victories to the Russian army, commanders and troops were in a languid expectation, which also did not produce any tangible results. Meanwhile, the city’s fortification plans had already been bought from French engineers. Prince Potemkin still did not dare to begin the assault on the fortress. He was stopped by Turkish artillery, which was located on the small island of Berezan south of Ochakovo, near the entrance to the estuary. The possibility of a successful assault was from the sea, but artillery fire reached Kinburn and made it impossible to launch an assault on Ochakov. Repeatedly, Russian sailors tried to take this “impregnable fortification”, however, the fortress guards vigilantly followed the actions of the Russians and raised the alarm in a timely manner, the opponents offered fierce resistance with fire weapons.
Protracted confrontation
Autumn was approaching, Prince Potemkin continued to adhere to waiting tactics, the army had long been in the trenches in the rain and in the cold. The Russian army suffered enormous losses not only due to battles, but also due to food shortages, diseases that began as a result of frost, and hunger. Rumyantsev sarcastically called the seat under Ochakov stupid. Admiral Nassu-Siegen in the summer expressed the opinion that the fortress could be conquered back in April.
From the summer until the fall of 1788, Ochakov’s defenders restrained the onslaught of the Russian army under the command of G. A. Potemkin by incredible efforts near their walls. The garrison of the fortress was greatly exhausted, but did not give up its positions.
G. Potemkin did not seek to conspire with the Cossacks, recalling the rebel Pugachev, but there was no other way. “Faithful Cossacks”, former Cossacks were famous for their ability to decide the outcome of any battle in their favor. Ochakov fortress could be taken only with their participation. But the Cossacks for a long time could not start the operation. Some of them went to Hajibey (Odessa), destroying stocks of equipment and food intended for Ochakov. Prince G. Potemkin decided that now the exhausted defenders of the fortress would not last long. However, the garrison did not surrender over the next month. The difficult and tense situation finally prompted the commander to proceed with an active offensive.
The assault on the Ochakov fortress
For six months, the Russian troops unsuccessfully tried to take the Turkish fortress, after which it was decided to follow the plan of A.V. Suvorov and take Ochakov by storm. The onset of colds and frosts affected the departure of the Turkish fleet from Ochakov to the sea. Given the difficult situation of the Russian forces, G. A. Potemkin decided to begin the capture of the fortress Ochakov. date The battle fell on December 6, 1788.
The conditions of severe mark and severe frost did not prevent the six columns of the Russian army from simultaneously launching the assault on Ochakov from two sides - western and eastern. The earthworks between the castle of Gassan Pasha and Ochakov were captured by the first major general, Palen. After that, he directed Colonel F. Meknob to the castle of Gassan Pasha, and along the trench - Colonel Platov. The troops successfully occupied the trench, which allowed F. Meknob to enter the castle, and almost three hundred Turks remaining in it laid down their arms. The central earthen fortifications were attacked by a third column, its commander - Major General Volkonsky - was killed, after which Colonel Yurgenets took command and reached the walls of the fortress. Lieutenant General Prince Dolgorukov with the fourth column occupied the Turkish fortifications and went to the gates of the fortress. Through the earthen fortifications, the fifth and sixth columns approached the Ochakov bastions. The sixth column of Lieutenant Colonel Zubin proceeded to the south side of the fortress, dragging guns across the ice. This allowed the troops to approach the bastions and gates of the Turkish fortress. Under cover of heavy fire from artillery, the grenadiers overcame an impregnable wall and entered the fortress.
Military losses of Russia and Turkey
According to various sources, a bloody, fierce battle continued for one or two hours. Ochakov was taken. According to some reports, the losses of the Russian army amounted to about 5 thousand people. According to researchers, it was the long siege of Ochakovo that led to the death of a large number of soldiers of the Russian army. 180 Turkish banners and 310 guns became trophies. About 4 thousand Turkish soldiers were captured. Historians believe that the rest of the Turkish garrison and a significant part of the urban population were destroyed during the assault. The news of the assault on Ochakov came as a shock to Sultan Abdul-Hamid I, as a result of which he died of a heart attack.
The fall of Ochakovo: meaning
The capture of the Ochakov fortress opened up the possibility for Russia of access to the Danube and helped establish control over the Dnieper estuary, a shallow bay of strategic importance. Ochakov was annexed to the Russian Empire in 1791 when the warring parties signed the Iasi Peace Treaty. These military victories gave Russia the right to establish itself and take its position on the Dnieper estuary. The security of Kherson and Crimea from Turkey was finally ensured.
Awards and honors for the winners
For the victory over Ochakov, Empress Catherine the Second granted G.A. Potemkin a field marshal's commanding wand decorated with laurels and diamonds. A.V. Suvorov was presented with a diamond feather for a hat worth 4450 rubles. M. I. Kutuzov, also distinguished himself in the battles of the Russian-Turkish war, was awarded the orders of St. Anna of the I degree and St. Vladimir of the II degree. To the officers of the Russian army who showed outstanding abilities during the battles at Ochakov, the empress granted the Order of St. Vladimir and St. George of the fourth degrees. The rest were awarded with gold badges intended to be worn on a ribbon in a buttonhole with stripes of black and yellow. The signs had the shape of a cross with rounded ends, being a cross between award medals and orders. The lower ranks for the victory over the Turkish fortress received silver medals "For Courage".
Significant victories of 1788
The capture of the fortress Ochakov was not the only successful battle of the Russian army in the war of Russia and Turkey of 1787-1791. A year earlier, the Kinburn battle took place. The battles of 1788 were also won at Khotyn and Fidonisi. In the summer and autumn of 1789, the Russian army won at Fokshany and at Rymnik, in 1790 - at the Kerch Strait. A significant event in the history of the Russian-Turkish war was the storming of another fortress - Ishmael - also in 1790. The last battle in the military confrontation of the two great empires was the battle of Kaliakria on July 31, 1791.
The participation of Austria in the battles of 1787-1791
During the Russo-Turkish War in 1788, the Austro-Turkish War began, which was due to contractual obligations of Austria and Russia in 1781. With the entry into the war, Austria failed, and only with the first victories of the Russian imperial army did the Austrian troops manage to occupy Bucharest, Belgrade and Craiova in the autumn of 1789. In Sistovo (Bulgaria) in August 1791, Austria and Turkey signed a separate peace treaty. Under the influence of Prussia and England, who were interested in weakening the Russian Empire, Austria emerged from the war and returned to Turkey almost all the occupied territories.
The outcome of the war
Turkey was again defeated in the war of 1787-1791. She did not have strong allies who were able to ensure the confrontation between Russia and Austria. In addition, Turkey was not able to fully restore military forces and combat effectiveness after the First Turkish War. In the battles, the Turks did not adhere to a specific strategy and tried to crush the enemy in numbers, and not competent tactics of warfare. Not a single victory was won at sea or on land during the war years. Turkey not only lost its territory, but also was obliged to pay indemnity to Russia in the amount of 7 million rubles.
The memory of the descendants of the victorious battle
The Russian poet G.R.Derzhavin wrote an ode on the occasion of the victorious capture of Ochakov. A year after the battle, A. I. Bukharsky dedicated his work to Empress Catherine II "... On the capture of Ochakov."
In July 1972, in the building of the former Turkish mosque in Ochakovo, the Military History Museum named after A.V. Suvorov. The main attraction of the museum was the diorama "Storming Ochakov Fortress by Russian Forces in 1788", which was written by artist M. I. Samsonov in 1971.