Fyodor Ushakov in the spotlight of the Presidential Library

24 February 2020

February 24, 2020 marks the 276th anniversary of the birth of Fyodor Ushakov (1744–1817), the illustrious Russian naval commander, admiral, one of the founders of the Black Sea Fleet. He developed and applied maneuverable tactics, won a number of major victories over the Turkish fleet, and successfully conducted the Mediterranean campaign of the Russian fleet during the war against France. 

The Presidential Library features rare books that reveal the history of victorious naval battles of an outstanding naval commander.

The son of the sergeant of the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment Fyodor Ushakov, a contemporary of Suvorov, has come a long way to the pinnacle of fame from the cadet of the Naval Corps in St. Petersburg to the admiral.

The V. Antsiferov’s book Admiral Ushakov (1940), features severe and ascetic youth of the future admiral in the Naval Cadet Corps was.

From the Baltic, the sailor was transferred to the south, where he was directly involved in the construction of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, in the arrangement of Sevastopol, according to the book of the historian V. Golovachev History of Sevastopol as a Russian port (1872).

Ushakov, who served during the three reigns, was destined to become an active participant in several wars: Russian-Turkish (1768–1774 years and 1787–1791 years), the capture of Ochakov. Admiral quickly won victories one after another. Throughout his military career, he did not know a single defeat. “Victory at any cost, under any conditions” - that was his motto. The book “Admiral Ushakov” says: “The invincible admiral was called by Turks Ushak Pasha, his name inspired an irresistible fear. Ushakov was a thunderstorm across the Turkish coast”.

When Ochakov was captured, the initiative to conduct the battle was completely assigned to the fleet commander Voinovich to the younger flagship Ushakov. Fyodor Ushakov was not at a loss, but showed all his best qualities: bravery, decisiveness, courage.

On February 18, 1799, the operation to capture the fortress of Corfu was carried out by Russia together with Turkey. Russian sailors were fired by five French batteries. Our ships returned fire and led the French out of battle. By 10 o’clock the artillerymen of two enemy batteries left their positions. The path to the Russian landing was open. 1,500 Russian soldiers entered the battle, as well as a detachment of the Turkish army. The French surrendered the fortress, although recently European newspapers wrote that it was impossible to take Corfu from the sea...

In his book Admiral Ushakov V. Antsiferov writes: “Each ship of Ushakov fought against 3-4 Turkish, inflicting enormous damage to the enemy with well-aimed and strong fire. Their fire was deadly. After a three-hour battle, the Turkish ships began to leave the battle line. And when the flagship failed, the general exodus of the Turkish fleet began”.

So skillful leadership, correct tactical calculation, skillful team actions ensured the victory of the Russian fleet. After this battle, Voinovich sent a note to Ushakov, in which he wrote: “Congratulations to you, Father Fyodor Fyodorovich; You gave Kapudan Pasha a decent dinner, I could see everything”. 

In 1791, Fyodor Ushakov was appointed head of the Black Sea Maritime Administration. Along with military training and the construction of the fleet, he still cared for the improvement of Sevastopol. In the book of the historian V. Golovachev The history of Sevastopol as a Russian port (1872) it is said: “The base of the Black Sea Fleet - Sevastopol during the command of Ushakov’s fleet and port was unrecognizably transformed. The city was growing and improving rapidly”.

Over the last years of his life, while on his estate, Ushakov devoted himself to prayer and wide charity work. His death, which occurred in October 1817, went almost unnoticed. Only a brief note flickered in the St. Petersburg newspaper Severnaya Pochta, and that’s all. No one else responded to the death of a brave sailor who did not lose a single battle. And only in 2001, the Russian Orthodox Church ranked Admiral Fyodor Ushakov to the list of saints as a righteous warrior.