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Russian Fleet wins the Battle of the Dardanelles
On May 11 (23), 1807 during the Russo-Turkish war of 1806-1812 the Russian ships commanded by Vice-admiral D. N. Senyavin won the Battle of Dardannelles.
The squadron of Vice-admiral D. N. Senyavin left its base near Ionian Islands for Dardanelles sound in order to fight Turks. Together with the English squadron of Admiral Dunckwart the Russian ships were supposed to take part in mutual attack of Constantinople (Istanbul).
However the English admiral decided to act on his own. He appeared in Istanbul roadstead and started negotiations with Turks. During the prolonged talks Turks had managed to strengthen Dardanelles and then to strike forcing Dunckwart to leave Istanbul roadstead with great losses.
In this situation Senyavin decided to blockade for long Dardanelles sound which provided to Turkey the access to the Mediterranean Sea. Basing near Tenedos Island, Senyavin’s squadron had blocked Dardanelles with a view to force the Turkish Fleet leave the sound and accept battle.
Dardanelles blockade had provoked famine and discontent of Constantinople population. The Turkish government demanded from the fleet command to remove the blockade and defeat the Russian squadron. In the middle of May 1807 Seit-Alli, the Turkish Fleet commander, decided to start acting. Having learned about it, Senyavin’s squadron moved to Imbros Island trying to decoy the enemy to Tenedos Island and cut off their path to retreat. After the squadron move Turks had tried to land troops on Tenedos Island brought on small vessels from Asia Minor shore, but were repulsed by the garrison. Due to a fresh wind and the absence of convenient anchorage near Imbros Island, Senyavin’s squadron comprised of 10 ships and 1 frigate returned to Tenedos Island.
The Turkish Fleet had no intention to attack the Russian ships, so Vice-admiral Senyavin, taking benefit from a favorable wind, up-anchored in order to assault the enemy. But the Turkish squadron, evading the battle, started to retreat towards Dardanelles. Senyavin ordered to the Russian squadron to set sail and attack ‘according to one’s own ability’.
In the evening the Russian ships catching up with the Turkish squadron, started to attack the nearest enemy’s ships. Maneuvering expertly, they entered the sound following the running enemy, and attacked the Turkish ships from the nearest distance. However the night enabled the Turks to disappear in the sound in spite the fact that the artillery fire continued until 11 p. m. After one o’clock in the morning the current brought the Russian ships out of the sound and they anchored there. There Turkish ships had run aground near the Asian coast. In the morning of May 11 (23), they were discovered and attacked by three Russian ships.
In this battle the Russians lost 27 men killed and 54 were wounded. From the Turkish side 3 ships wrecked and they lost up to 2 000 men. As a result of the Battle of the Dardanelles the Turkish squadron had been considerably weakened. For unsuccessful actions the Kaptan Pasha ordered to execute his vice-admiral together with two commanders.
Lit.: Боевая летопись русского флота: Хроника важнейших событий военной истории русского флота с IX в. по 1917 г. М., 1948; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/boevaya_letopis_flota/index.html; Броневский В. Б. Записки морского офицера. Ч. 3. СПБ, 1819; 10-11 мая 1807 г. Дарданелльское морское сражение [Электронный ресурс] // Военно-морской флот России. Б. д. URL: http://www.navy.su/daybyday/may/10/index.htm; Горяинов С. М. Босфор и Дарданеллы: Исследование вопроса о проливах по дипломатической переписке, хранящейся в Гос. и С.-Петерб. гл. арх. СПб., 1907; Золотарёв В. А., Козлов И. А. Три столетия российского флота: XIX-XX вв. М., 2004; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/zolotarev_kozlov2/index.html; Мурхед А. Борьба за Дарданеллы: Решающее сражение между Турцией и Антантой. М., 2004; Тарле Е. В. Экспедиция адмирала Д. Н. Сенявина в Средиземном море (1805-1807). М., 1954; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/tarle5/index.html; Циммерман М. А. Босфор и Дарданеллы: Историко-юридический очерк: С прил. геогр. карт и конвенции о проливах. СПб., 1912; Шигин В. Дарданелльское сражение. М., 2007; Шульц Г. К. Босфор и Дарданеллы: Историко-политический очерк (1699-1913). СПб., 1913.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials: