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Battle of Cape Kaliakra

Coordinates: 43°22′27″N 28°35′51″E / 43.37411°N 28.597412°E / 43.37411; 28.597412
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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
Belligerents
 Russian Empire

Ottoman Empire

Commanders and leaders
Russian Empire Admiral Fyodor Ushakov Hussein Pasha
Said Ali
Strength
15[a] to 16 ships of the line
2 frigates
2 bomb vessels
1 schooner
1 fireship
17 sailing ships
998 cannons[1]		 18 ships of the line
10 large frigates
7 small frigates
43 to 48[b] small crafts
1,800 cannons[1]
The coastal battery[c]
Casualties and losses
17 killed and 28 wounded
1 frigate damaged[2]		 Unknown, ships sustained heavy damage[2]
Battle of Kaliakria. F.F. Ushakov 1791. Vladimir Kosov 2021.
Battle of Kaliakria. F.F. Ushakov 1791. Vladimir Kosov 2021.

The Battle of Cape Kaliakra (Kaliakria, Caliacria; Russian: Калиакрийское сражение) 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.

The Russian fleet under Counter (Rear) Admiral Fyodor Ushakov,[1] of 15 ships of the line 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 ships of the line 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 ships of the line. 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.[2]

Ships involved

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Some of the Russian vessels involved and their crew were:

Russian Empire

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Consequence

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

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

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c Военное издательство министерства вооруженных сил союза ССР (Military publishing house of the Ministry of Armed Forces of the Union of SSRs), Боевая летопись русского флота (Battle chronicle of the Russian navy), Moscow, 1948, p. 123
  2. ^ a b c Tredrea & Sozaev (2010), p. 94.

Notes

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  1. ^ The source is needed.
  2. ^ The source is needed.
  3. ^ The source is needed.

References

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  • 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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43°22′27″N 28°35′51″E / 43.37411°N 28.597412°E / 43.37411; 28.597412

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