Russo-Austrian troops defeated the Turkish army in the Battle of Rymnik

22 September 1789

During the Russo-Turkish War (1787­–­­1791) the Russian Army won a series of significant victories, among them the victory by the river Rymnik.

In September 1789 the Turkish Army summoned its strength after the defeat in the battle of Fokschani in order to launch a new attack. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­The Grand Vizier Yusuf Pasha raised an army, numbering 100,000 soldiers and went on the offensive against the detachment of allied Austrian Army under General Prince Josias of Coburg (18,000 soldiers). Having heard about it, troops under Suvorov (7,000) covered the distance of 100 km in two and a half days and on 10 (21) September Suvorov took the commandment of the whole allied Russo-Austrian forces. Thus, his army totalled 25,000 soldiers and 103 guns. 

On the night of 11 (22) September two columns of the allied army started to move. The Russian troops crossed the river Rymna and at 6 a.m. launched an attack. They neutralized the artillery and repelled the offensive of Turkish horse cavalry and after the desperate battle the army under Suvorov took the camp Tyrgokukuli and made them retreat to the river Rymnik. Meanwhile the Austrian troops repelled the attack of the Turkish horse cavalry (15,000), which tried to separate the allied Army.

The troops under Suvorov took Turkish fortifications near the village Bogsa and united with the Austrian Army.  At 3 p.m. the Allied Army began an attack of the main Turkish camp by the forest Kryng-Malor. The Austrian troops moved directly to Turkish positions and a long battle followed. Meanwhile Suvorov’s troops outflanked the army of Yusuf Pasha and attacked the Turkish positions with horse cavalry. This caused panic among the Turkish soldiers and they started to retreat in disorder, plunged into the water and drowned. The allied Army lost 700 men, whereas the Turkish Army suffered heavy casualties 6,000 – 20,000 soldiers, unit transport and artillery.

Victory by Rymnik became one of the most glorious victories of Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov.  For this victory Catherine II awarded him a title of “Count of Rymnik” and many other service decorations.  Emperor Joseph II made him a Count of the Holy Roman Empire. And the Austrians gave him the nickname “General -forward” for his brave offensive actions against the superior enemy forces.

Lit.: Вторая турецкая война в царствование императрицы Екатерины II, 1787—1791. Т. 1—2. СПб, 1880; Реляция Суворова о сражении при Рымнике // Бумаги князя Григория Александровича Потёмкина-Таврического. 1788–1789 гг. Вып. 7. СПб., 1894; Смирнов Н. А. Россия и Турция в XVI—XVII вв. Т. 1. М., 1946; Широкорад А. Б. Русско-турецкие войны 1676–1918 гг. М., 2000; Шефов Н. Битвы России. М., 2002.

Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:

Дубровин Н. Ф. Вторая турецкая война в царствование императрицы Екатерины II (1787-1791 гг.). СПб., 1882;

Петрушевский А. Ф. Генералисимус князь Суворов. Т. 1. СПб., 1884. Гл. 11. С. 335—367.