Battle of the brig "Mercury" with the Turkish squadron - atsinis. Marine souvenirs history of making ships in bottles models of sailing ships master Vsevolod Gladilin
The 20-gun brig Mercury was laid down in Sevastopol on January 28 (February 9), 1819. It was built from Crimean oak and launched on May 7 (19), 1820. The ship's master, Colonel I. Ya. Osminin, conceived the Mercury as a special ship to guard the Caucasian coast and perform patrol duty. Unlike other brigs of the Russian fleet, it had a shallow draft and was equipped with oars. The Mercury's shallow draft resulted in a shallower interior depth than other brigs and worsened its performance. At the end Russian-Turkish war 1828-1829 three Russian ships: the 44-gun frigate "Standart" (commander-lieutenant-commander P. Ya. Sakhnovsky), the 20-gun brig "Orpheus" (commander-lieutenant-commander E. I. Koltovsky), and the 20-gun brig "Mercury" (commander captain-lieutenant A.I. Kazarsky) received orders to cruise at the exit from the Bosporus Strait. Overall command of the detachment was entrusted to Lieutenant-Commander Sakhnovsky. On May 12 (24), 1829, the ships weighed anchor and headed for the Bosphorus.
At dawn on May 14 (26), 13 miles from the strait, the detachment noticed a Turkish squadron, among 14 ships, sailing from the shores of Anatolia. Sakhnovsky really wanted to take a closer look at the enemy in order to determine with what forces Kapudan Pasha came out this time. A signal fluttered on the halyards of the “Standart”: “Mercury” - to drift.” Sakhnovsky Coast is the slowest ship of its squad. Having counted the Turkish pennants, “Standart” and “Orpheus” turned back. The enemy squadron rushed in pursuit of the Russian ships. Seeing the returning scouts, Kazarsky independently ordered to take off the drift and raise the sails. Very soon the high-speed "Standard" caught up with the "Mercury". A new signal went up on its mast: “Everyone should choose the course that the ship has a preferential course.”
Kazarsky chose NNW, "Standart" and "Orpheus", taking a course NW, sharply took the lead and quickly turned into two fluffy clouds on the horizon. And behind the stern of the Mercury, which carried all possible sails, a forest of masts of Turkish ships grew inexorably. The wind was WSW; the enemy was moving due north. The best Turkish walkers - the 110-gun Selimiye under the flag of Kapudan Pasha and the 74-gun Real Bey under the flag of the junior flagship - gradually overtook the Mercury. The rest of the Turkish squadron drifted, waiting for the admirals to capture or drown the obstinate Russian brig. The Mercury's chances of salvation were negligible (184 guns versus 20, not even taking into account the calibers of the guns), leaving almost no hope for a successful outcome of the battle, the inevitability of which no one doubted.
Around two o'clock in the afternoon the wind died down and the speed of the pursuing ships decreased. Taking advantage of this circumstance, Kazarsky, using the oars of the brig, wanted to increase the distance separating him from the enemy, but less than half an hour had passed when the wind freshened again and the Turkish ships began to reduce the distance. At the end of the third hour of the day, the Turks opened fire from running guns.
After the first Turkish shots, a council of war took place on the brig.
According to a long-standing military tradition, the youngest in rank had the privilege of expressing his opinion first. “We cannot escape from the enemy,” said Lieutenant of the Corps of Naval Navigators I.P. Prokofiev. “We will fight.” The Russian brig should not fall to the enemy. The last one alive will blow it up." The commander of the brig "Mercury", 28-year-old captain-lieutenant Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, who was awarded a golden saber for the battles near Varna in 1828 and was considered one of the bravest officers of the Black Sea Fleet, wrote in his report to Admiral A.S. Greig: “...We unanimously decided fight to the last extreme, and if the spar is knocked down or the water in the hold becomes impossible to pump out, then, having fallen with some ship, the one who is still alive among the officers must light the cruise chamber with a pistol shot.”
Having completed the officers' council, the brig commander addressed the sailors and gunners with an appeal not to disgrace the honor of St. Andrew's flag. Everyone unanimously declared that they would be faithful to their duty and oath to the end. The Turks faced an enemy who preferred death to surrender and battle to lowering the flag. Having stopped using the oars, the team quickly prepared the brig for battle: the gunners took their places at the guns; a sentry took up post at the flag halyard with a categorical order from Kazarsky to shoot at anyone who tried to lower the flag; the yawl hanging behind the stern was thrown into the sea and return fire was opened on the enemy from two 3-pound cannons, dragged to the retreat ports.
Kazarsky knew very well the weak and strengths his brig. Despite its nine-year age (not old, but respectable), the Mercury was strong, although a little heavy on the move. He handled the high waves perfectly, but in the calm he became completely overweight. Only the art of maneuver and the accuracy of the gunners could save him. The real battle began when the Selimiye tried to bypass the brig on the right and fired a salvo with its port side, which Kazarsky managed to successfully evade. Then, for half an hour, the Mercury, using oars and skillfully maneuvering, forced the enemy to act only with its guns, but was then placed between both ships. A dense swarm of cannonballs, nipples and firebrands flew into the Mercury. Kazarsky responded to demands to “surrender and remove sails” with volleys of carronades and friendly rifle fire.
Rigging and spars are the “Achilles heel” of even such giants as these multi-gun giants. Finally, the well-aimed 24-pound cannonballs of the Mercury broke the water stay and damaged the Selimiye's main topmast, which completely destroyed the ship's main mast and forced it to drift. But before that, he sent a farewell salvo into the brig from all over the board. “Real Bey” persistently continued the fight. For an hour, changing tacks, he hit the brig with brutal longitudinal salvos. "Mercury" stubbornly fought back until another successful shot broke the left leg of the fore-mars-yard of the Turkish ship, which, falling, carried the foxes with it. These damages deprived Real Bay of the opportunity to continue the pursuit and at half past five he stopped the fight.
Since the artillery cannonade coming from the south fell silent, “Standart” and “Orpheus”, considering “Mercury” to be dead, lowered their flags as a sign of mourning for it. While the wounded brig was approaching Sizopol (Sozopol, Bulgaria), where the main forces of the Black Sea Fleet were based, shell-shocked, with a bandaged head, A. I. Kazarsky counted the losses: four killed, six wounded, 22 holes in the hull, 133 in the sails, 16 damage in the spars, 148 - in the rigging, all rowing vessels were broken.
Brig "Mercury"
Brig "Mercury" is a Russian 18-gun two-masted sailing warship. In May 1829, under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, the brig won a victory in a battle with two Turkish battleships, which perpetuated its name and for which it was awarded the stern St. George's flag.
The victory of the brig "Mercury" in a battle with two Turkish battleships is one of the most striking episodes in the history of the Russian fleet, demonstrating the fortitude, courage and skill of Russian sailors. This episode received wide publicity, the crew and the ship itself were generously awarded.
Construction and description of the ship
The brig "Mercury" was built at the Sevastopol shipyard under the direction of the later famous shipwright Ivan Yakovlevich Osminin. The brig with a displacement of 445 tons was laid down on January 28 (February 9), 1819 and launched on May 7 (19), 1820. The length of the ship on the upper deck was 29.4 m, width - 9.4 m, draft - 2.9 m.
The ship was intended specifically for protecting the Caucasian coast, performing patrol duty and reconnaissance. Crimean oak was chosen as the material for the construction of Mercury. After completion of construction, Mercury became part of the 32nd naval crew. The brig received its name in honor of the Mercury boat, which distinguished itself during Russo-Swedish War 1788-1790.
Being a brig, the Mercury had two masts (foresail and mainsail). Each mast carried four yards and, accordingly, four straight sails. There was also a gaff sail on the mainmast, which improved maneuverability. The stays and jib were located on the stays. In addition, there were foxes used in tailwinds. The total sail area is 856 m².
On the bow of the brig was the figure of the god Mercury. The figurehead was waist-length, although Osminin's original drawings suggested a full-length figure.
The brig's armament consisted of eighteen 24-pound carronades for close combat and two portable three-pounder cannons, which had a longer range. If necessary, the guns could be used both as retard guns in the tail ports and as running guns in the bow ports; thus, they could be used both during retreat and when pursuing the enemy. The carronades were installed on the upper deck, and the gun ports were not closed, since water flowing onto the deck was drained through them. The power of the Mercury's broadside was 216 pounds of cast iron.
“Mercury” differed from other brigs of the Russian fleet in having a smaller draft and being equipped with oars (seven oars on each side). Row with these oars while standing. The brig was stable and held high waves well, but in calm weather it became heavier. 
Service history
In 1820-1827, "Mercury" was on voyages in the Black Sea, engaged in combat training and carrying out individual orders from the command. In the campaign of 1827, the brig cruised off the coast of Abkhazia and successfully fought against smugglers' ships. With the beginning of the Russian-Turkish War of 1828-1829, "Mercury" took part in the capture of the fortresses of Anapa, Varna, Inada, Burgas, and Sizopol by the Black Sea Fleet. In the first half of May 1828, "Mercury" took part in the capture of two Turkish transports with landing forces. Also in 1828, the brig Mercury took part in escorting Russian transports. On May 14 (26), 1829, the brig "Mercury" under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky received unequal battle with two Turkish battleships, from which it emerged victorious - the brig managed to inflict damage on the Turkish ships, forcing them to withdraw from the battle and stop the pursuit.
Having received severe damage, the Mercury did not take part in further military campaigns of 1830-1831, and from 1832 to 1836 it was in the Sevastopol Admiralty on major renovation. In the campaigns of 1837-1839, the brig took part in landings on the Caucasian coast, and in 1840-1843 it cruised off the coast of the Caucasus.
In 1851-1852, the Mercury was on a practical voyage as part of the first squadron of the 4th naval division. In 1853, the brig again cruised off the eastern shores of the Black Sea as part of the detachment of Rear Admiral Fyodor Mikhailovich Novosilsky, who in his youth, with the rank of lieutenant, took part in the battle of the brig with Turkish ships, and from 1835 to 1838 he himself commanded the Mercury.
During the defense of Sevastopol in 1855, the hull of the Mercury was used as a pontoon to build a bridge across the Southern Bay, and in 1856 it was towed to Nikolaev, where for some time it was used as a floating warehouse. On November 9 (21), 1857, by order of Admiral General No. 180, the brig Mercury was excluded from the lists of the fleet due to extreme disrepair and was soon dismantled. 
The crew of the brig as of May 1829
As of May 1829, the crew of the brig Mercury was 115 people.
Officers - 5
Quartermasters - 5
Sailors 1 article - 24
Sailors 2 articles - 12
Senior cabin boys - 43
Drummers - 2
Flute player - 1
Bombers and gunners - 9
The rest - 14
Full list of brig officers:
Captain - Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, captain-lieutenant
Fedor Mikhailovich Novosilsky, lieutenant
Sergei Iosifovich Skaryatin, lieutenant
Dmitry Petrovich Pritupov, midshipman
Ivan Petrovich Prokofiev, lieutenant of the navigator corps
Chronology of the battle
Three Russian warships - the frigate "Standard" and the brigs "Orpheus" and "Mercury" - were cruising abeam Penderaklia when they saw a Turkish squadron approaching them on the horizon, significantly superior in strength. Since there was no need to accept an unequal battle, the commander of the Shtandart, Lieutenant Commander P.Ya. Sakhnovsky gave the signal to go towards Sevastopol. However, that day at sea the low wind was weak, and therefore the Mercury, which had the worst sailing performance, was unable to escape pursuit: despite the fact that all the sails were set and the oars were used, it was overtaken by two of the largest and high-speed ships in the Turkish squadron - the 110-gun Selimiye and the 74-gun Real Bey (10-fold superiority in artillery over the Mercury!). On one ship there was an admiral (kapudan pasha) of the Turkish fleet, and the other was sailing under the pennant of the rear admiral.
The Mercury commander, having gone through all the officers in turn, became convinced of their unanimous desire to take the fight, despite the obvious inequality of forces. According to tradition, the first to speak was the youngest in rank - navigator lieutenant I. Prokofiev. He proposed to engage in battle with the enemy, and when the brig was deprived of the opportunity to resist, to blow up the Mercury, grappling with one of the enemy ships. As a result, all officers unanimously accepted this proposal. To carry out this decision, the captain of the brig, Kazarsky, placed a loaded pistol on the capstan in front of the entrance to the kruyt chamber (powder warehouse), so that the last surviving officer would destroy the ship with a pistol shot.
At half past two in the afternoon the Turks approached within shooting distance, and their shells began to hit the Mercury's sails and rigging, and one hit the oars, knocking the oarsmen off the cans. At this time, Kazarsky still did not allow shooting, so as not to waste charges. This caused confusion for the team. Kazarsky, seeing this, said encouraging words to the sailors: “What are you guys? It’s okay, let them scare us - they are bringing us Georgiy...” Then the captain ordered the retreat ports to be opened and he himself, together with other officers, so as not to remove the oars and not distract the sailors from work, opened fire from the retreat gun.
The first to attack was the three-deck Selimiye, which had 110 guns. The Turkish ship tried to enter the stern of the brig to fire a longitudinal salvo. Only then did Kazarsky sound the combat alarm and the Mercury, dodging the first salvo, itself fired a full salvo with its starboard side at the enemy.
A few minutes later, the two-deck Real Bay approached the port side of the Mercury, and the Russian brig found itself sandwiched between two enemy ships. Then the Selimiye crew shouted in Russian: “Surrender, remove the sails!” In response to this, the brig shouted “hurray” and opened fire from all guns and rifles. As a result of Russian fire, the Turks had to remove ready-made boarding teams from the tops and yards. In addition to the cannonballs, knipples and firebrands flew into the brig. However, the masts remained intact and the Mercury remained mobile. Due to the shelling, fires periodically broke out on the brig, which, however, were quickly extinguished by the sailors.
At the beginning of the sixth hour, the successful shots of gunner Ivan Lisenko managed to damage the water stay and the mainsail mainsail of the Selimiye, after which its topsail and topsail were washed out and hung. Thanks to this hit, the enemy ship drifted for repairs. However, a full salvo was fired after the Mercury, knocking one of the cannons off the machine. At about six o'clock, serious damage was inflicted on the second enemy ship - the Mercury managed to destroy its fore-frame and fore-mars-yard, which, falling, carried away the foxes with it. Having fallen, the foxes closed the ports of the bow guns, and the collapse of the topsail made it impossible for the ship to maneuver. “Real Bay” was brought into close-hauled position and began to drift.
"Mercury", which received very serious damage, continued its voyage and at about 17:00 the next day joined the fleet that left Sizopol.
Loss and damage
According to Kazarsky’s report, as a result of the battle, “Mercury” lost 4 people killed, 6 lower ranks wounded, and Kazarsky himself received a head concussion.
The ship received the following damage:
22 holes in the hull
133 holes in the sails
16 damage to spar
148 damage to rigging
all rowing ships on the rostra were broken
one carronade was damaged.
According to official data, there were no casualties on the Turkish side - the Mercury team set as its main goal damage to the enemy's mast and rigging, where the shots were aimed.
Reaction to the feat
Victory of a small ship in a battle with two big ships seemed so fantastic that some naval experts refused to believe in it. The English historian F. Jane, for example, said: “It is absolutely impossible to allow such a small ship as the Mercury to put two battleships out of action.”
The newspaper “Odessa Herald” wrote about the battle:
This feat is such that there is no other similar to it in the history of navigation; he is so amazing that one can hardly believe him. The courage, fearlessness and self-sacrifice shown by the commander and crew of the Mercury are more glorious than a thousand ordinary victories.
The navigator of the Real Bey, in his letter sent from Biyuliman on May 27, 1829, described the battle as follows:
On Tuesday at dawn, approaching the Bosphorus, we noticed three Russian ships. We chased them, but we could only catch up with one brig. Kapudan Pasha's ship and ours then opened strong fire... An unheard of thing! We couldn't make him give up. He fought, retreating and maneuvering according to all the rules of naval science so skillfully that it is shameful to say: we stopped the battle, and he continued his path with glory. If in the great deeds of ancient and modern times there are feats of courage, then this act should darken all of them, and the name of this hero is worthy of being inscribed in gold letters on the Temple of Glory: he is called captain-lieutenant Kazarsky, and the brig is “Mercury”.
Admiral Istomin said about the Mercury sailors: “Let them look for such selflessness, such heroic fortitude in other nations with a candle...”
Awards
The brig "Mercury", the second, after the battleship "Azov", was awarded the stern St. George's flag and pennant. In addition, the emperor's decree required that the Black Sea Fleet always have a brig built according to the drawings of the Mercury.
Captain Kazarsky and Lieutenant Prokofiev received the Order of St. George, IV class, the rest of the officers received the Order of St. Vladimir, IV class with a bow, and the lower ranks received insignia of the military order. All officers were promoted to the following ranks and received the right to add to their family coats of arms the image of a Tula pistol, the shot of which was supposed to explode the gunpowder in the cruise chamber in the event that the brig lost the ability to resist.
According to the emperor's resolution, Lieutenant Commander Kazarsky, among other things, was promoted to captain of the 2nd rank and appointed aide-de-camp.
Reasons for Mercury's victory
When comparing the military power of the Turkish ships and the Russian brig numerically - 184 guns versus 20, not even counting the difference in calibers - the victory of the Mercury seems completely impossible; however, with detailed analysis Given the conditions of the battle, we can conclude that the victory of the brig is not an incredible event. Compared to Turkish ships, taking into account the battle conditions, the Mercury had the following advantages:
Each of the Turkish ships could fire only on one side, while the Mercury, having an enemy on both sides, could use all available guns. The carronades that the brig had in service were effective in close combat; being smaller, they allowed firing at a higher rate due to the relative ease of reloading.
Throughout the entire battle, the Turkish ships could not take a position abeam relative to the Mercury, both due to the brig’s competent maneuvering and because of the short distance - in order to avoid the cannonballs of one Turkish ship hitting another. In addition, at close combat range, Turkish ships could hit the lower side of the Mercury only with shots from the lower decks; all other guns could only fire at the sails and masts of the Mercury.
Perpetuation of memory
The commander of the Black Sea squadron, Admiral M.P. Lazarev, was the first to propose perpetuating the brig’s feat. On his initiative, funds were collected for the construction of the monument. The monument was founded on Matrossky Boulevard in 1834, on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the feat, and opened in 1839. The author of the project is academician of architecture A.P. Bryullov, brother of the famous artist. The monument to A.I. Kazarsky and the feat of the brig "Mercury" became the first monument erected in Sevastopol. Its total height is 5.5 m. The pedestal is built from local Krymbal stone. The laconic inscription made on the pedestal reads: “To the Kazar. An example for posterity."
The monument looks like this. On a high rectangular pedestal, slightly tapering at the top, there is a symbolic warship of antiquity cast from metal - a trireme. Upper part the pedestals are decorated with bronze staffs of the god Mercury, after whom the brig is named. The cast-iron plinth is decorated with reliefs depicting in an allegorical form the event to which the monument is dedicated. On three sides of the plinth are depicted the god of the seas Neptune, the patron saint of navigation and trade Mercury, the winged goddess of victory Nike; on west side a bas-relief portrait of the captain of the Mercury, Kazarsky, was made.
May 14 (26), 1829 - heroic battle of the brig "Mercury", the crew of which, led by Lieutenant Commander A.I. Kazarsky accomplished a truly unique feat in the history of the Russian fleet. Unique in heroism, military skill, dedication and fortitude of the crew. It is also unique because almost two centuries have passed, and the glory of the brig “Mercury” and its crew does not fade and invariably serves as an example of military valor.
The victory of a small brig in a battle with two large ships seemed so fantastic that some naval experts refused to believe in it. The English naval historian F. Jane, for example, said: “It is absolutely impossible to allow such a small ship as "Mercury", disabled two battleships."
Blockade of the Bosphorus
At the end of the Russian-Turkish War of 1828-1829, the Black Sea Fleet established a tight blockade of the Bosporus. Based on Sizopol (read the article for details about the assault on this fortress), detachments of Russian ships were constantly on duty at the entrance to this strait in order to promptly detect any attempt by the Turkish fleet to go to sea. In May 1829, a detachment of ships under the command of Lieutenant Commander P.Ya. was assigned to cruise at the entrance to the Bosphorus. Sakhnovsky. The detachment included the 44-gun frigate "Standart", the 20-gun brig "Orpheus" and the 18-gun brig "Mercury" under the command of Lieutenant Commander A.I. Kazarsky. The ships left Sizopol on May 12 and headed for the Bosphorus.
Kazarsky was already an experienced naval officer. For his distinction during the capture of Anapa, he was promoted ahead of schedule to captain-lieutenant, and then again committed heroic act during the siege of Varna, for which he was awarded a golden saber with the inscription “For bravery!” After this, he was appointed commander of the brig Mercury.
Chase
Early in the morning of May 14, a Turkish squadron appeared on the horizon, sailing from the shores of Anatolia (the southern coast of the Black Sea) to the Bosporus. "Mercury" began to drift, and the frigate "Standard" and the brig "Orpheus" approached the enemy to determine the composition of the Turkish squadron. They counted 18 ships, among which were 6 battleships and 2 frigates. Soon the Turks discovered the Russian ships and gave chase. Sakhnovsky ordered each of our ships to evade pursuit independently. "Standart" and "Orpheus" set all sails and quickly disappeared over the horizon. "Mercury" also left with full sail, but two Turkish ships began to catch up with it. These were the 110-gun Selimiye under the flag of Kapudan Pasha and the 74-gun Real Bey under the flag of the junior flagship. The rest of the Turkish ships drifted, watching as the admirals amused themselves with the hunt for the small Russian brig.
Around two o'clock in the afternoon the wind died down. Kazarsky ordered to go with oars; the ship was small, and oars were his standard means of transportation. But less than half an hour had passed before the wind freshened again, and the chase resumed. Soon the Turks opened fire with running guns (guns designed to fire straight ahead). Kazarsky invited the officers to a military council. The situation was extremely difficult. The two Turkish ships were 10 times larger than the Mercury in the number of guns, and 30 times larger in the weight of the broadside.
Brig Mercury attacked by two Turkish ships
From a painting by I.K. Aivazovsky.
According to a long-standing naval tradition, the youngest in rank spoke first. On the Mercury he was Lieutenant of the Corps of Navigators I.P. Prokofiev. He offered to fight. The council unanimously decided to fight to the last extremity, and then fall with one of the Turkish ships and blow up both ships. Encouraged by this decision of the officers, Kazarsky appealed to the sailors not to disgrace the honor of St. Andrew's flag. All as one declared that they would be faithful to their duty and oath to the end.
The team quickly prepared the brig for battle. The gunners took their places at the guns, the yawl hanging behind the stern was thrown into the sea, two 3-pound cannons were placed in the stern ports, which immediately returned fire at the enemy. A loaded pistol was placed on the capstan near the cruise chamber in order to blow up the brig at the right moment. The Mercury was built using the most modern technology for that time, so it was strong and had good seaworthiness, but its shallow draft made it slow-moving. In this situation, only the maneuver and accuracy of the gunners could save him.
Brig "Mercury" enters battle
The real battle began when the Selimiye tried to go around the brig on the right and fired a salvo with its entire side. However, Kazarsky managed to evade. Then, for half an hour, using oars and sails, the Mercury avoided the enemy's broadsides. But then the Turks managed to get around it on both sides, and each of the Turkish ships fired two broadside salvos at the brig. A hail of cannonballs, cannonballs (two cannonballs connected by a chain or rod, used to disable the rigging of a ship) and firebrands (an incendiary projectile) rained down on him. After this, the Turks offered to surrender and drift. The brig responded with a volley of caronades and friendly fire from rifles. (Read the article about the effectiveness of these weapons in close combat). Kazarsky was wounded in the head, but continued to lead the battle. He understood perfectly well that his main task was to deprive the Turkish ships of their speed, and ordered the gunners to aim at the rigging and spars of the Turkish ships.
Brig "Mercury"
From a painting by V.M. Ivanova
This tactic of the Russian brig was fully justified when several cannonballs from the Mercury damaged the rigging and mainmast of the Selimiye, and it was forced to withdraw from the battle. But Real Bey continued to attack with even greater persistence. For an hour, changing tacks, he hit the brig with hard longitudinal salvos. Then Kazarsky decided on a desperate maneuver. The brig abruptly changed course and approached the Turkish ship. Panic began on the Real Bay, as the Turks decided that the Russians would blow up both ships. Having approached the shortest distance, Kazarsky allowed his gunners to maximum efficiency hit the rigging of a Turkish ship.
The risk was very great, because the Turks could now shoot point-blank at the Mercury from their huge guns. But our artillerymen did not disappoint. On the Real Bay, several yards were immediately broken, the sails began to fall on the deck, and the Turkish ship could not maneuver. "Mercury" fired another salvo at it and began to leave. This unequal battle, which lasted more than three hours, ended ingloriously for the Turks. It was time to count the losses: the Mercury had four killed, six wounded, 22 holes in the hull, 16 damage to the mast, 148 in the rigging and 133 in the sails.
Brig "Mercury". Damage diagram.
Meanwhile, “Standard” and “Orpheus” arrived in Sizopol on the same day with their flags at half-mast. They reported the appearance of the Turkish fleet and the death of the Mercury. Fleet Commander Vice Admiral A.S. Greig ordered to immediately go to sea to cut off the Turkish fleet's path to the Bosphorus. The next day, on the way to the Bosphorus, the Russian squadron met the brig Mercury. The appearance of the ship spoke better than any words about the kind of battle it had to endure. The entire wounded brig proudly marched to join its squadron. Kazarsky boarded the flagship and reported on the heroic actions of the officers and crew. Vice Admiral A.S. Greig, in a detailed report to Emperor Nicholas I, emphasized that the crew of the brig accomplished “a feat that has no parallel in the annals of sea powers.” After this, “Mercury” continued its journey to Sevastopol, where a solemn meeting awaited it.
For this battle, Kazarsky was promoted to captain of the 2nd rank, awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree, and received the rank of aide-de-camp. All the officers of the brig were promoted to rank and awarded orders, and the sailors were awarded the insignia of a military order. All officers and sailors were assigned a lifelong pension in the amount of double salary. The brig "Mercury" became a guards brig (read about the history of the naval guard) and was awarded the St. George flag and pennant. The stern St. George flag is the highest military award in the navy. During the 98 years of the flag's existence, only two ships were awarded it. Their merits were so high that no other emperor made such an award. However, these flags were inherited by successor ships named after those ships.
“We wish that the memory of the famous merits of the crew of the brig “Mercury” never disappear in the fleet and, passing from generation to generation for eternity, serve as an example to posterity,” Emperor Nicholas I commanded. “This feat is such that there is no other like it.” in the history of navigation; he is so amazing that one can hardly believe him. The courage, fearlessness and self-sacrifice shown by the commander and crew of the Mercury are more glorious than a thousand ordinary victories,” wrote the Odessky Vestnik newspaper.
"Mercury" served in the Black Sea Fleet until November 9, 1857. After this, three ships alternately bore the name "Memory of Mercury", accepting and passing on his St. George's flag. Kazarsky died suddenly in 1833 in Nikolaev, when he was less than 36 years old. There is reason to believe that he was poisoned by port officials to hide traces of his crimes. On next year on the initiative of the commander of the Black Sea squadron M.P. A monument was erected to Lazarev on Michmansky Boulevard in Sevastopol. The author of the project was famous architect A.P. Bryullov. On the granite pedestal of the monument there is a very brief, but very meaningful inscription carved: “To the Kazar. An example for posterity."
The following materials were used when writing this article:
- Nekrasov O.I. Brig "Mercury". Moscow. 1992
- Shigin V.V. An example for posterity. “Sea collection” No. 7 and 8 for 2005.
- Mamyshev V. Aide-de-camp to His Imperial Majesty, Captain 1st Rank Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky. St. Petersburg 1904
- Melikhov V.I. Description of the actions of the Black Sea Fleet in the continuation of the war with Turkey of 1828-1829. St. Petersburg 1850
- Russian biographical dictionary. St. Petersburg 1897
The feat of the brig "Mercury" is quite widely covered in our literature. Perhaps you, dear reader, have formed your own opinion on this issue. Share it in the comments to this article. This will be interesting to everyone!
One of the most interesting episodes in the history of the sailing fleet is the battle of the Russian brig Mercury against the Turkish battleships Selimiye and Real Bay. Any theoretical analysis of the situation puts victory in the hands of the Turks, without any serious chance of saving the Russian ship. But reality often makes its own adjustments to theoretical scenarios.
The brig "Mercury" became part of the Black Sea Fleet in 1820. Built specifically for patrol duty, the ship was a typical representative of its class, except for two distinctive features- low draft and equipped with oars (7 on each side). The displacement was 445 tons; length 29.5 m, width 9.4. The crew consisted of 115 people (including 5 officers). The two-masted brig was armed with 18 24-pound caronades - smooth-bore guns adapted for short-range combat. In addition, the ship had 2 long-barreled 3-pounder cannons. “Mercury” was an ordinary patrol ship and it is unlikely that its creator, the famous shipwright I. Ya. Osminin, envisaged that his creation would have to withstand a serious battle against the most powerful ships of the sailing fleet.
On May 12, 1829, a detachment of Russian ships, consisting of the frigate "Standart" and the brigs "Orpheus" and "Mercury", went to sea to conduct patrol duty. Two days later, on May 14, the formation discovered a large Turkish squadron (18 ships, including six battleships). Seeing the disproportionate superiority of the Turks, the Russian ships began to retreat. "Standard" and "Orpheus" managed to quickly escape, but "Mercury" could not break away from the pursuit of two Turkish battleships. "Selimiye" (110 guns) under the flag of Kapudan Pasha and "Real Bay" (74 guns) under the rear admiral's flag began to quickly catch up with the brig. The wind died down for a while and the Mercury tried to evade pursuit with oars, but the calm was short-lived - the Turks again began to close the distance.
Seeing the inevitability of battle, the officers gathered for a council and unanimously approved that the ship would not be surrendered to the enemy. Captain Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, with the support of the entire team, decided to accept an unequal battle. A loaded pistol was left at the entrance to the cruise chamber so that the last survivor would blow up the ship.
By that time, the inspired Turks had already opened fire from the bow guns. Thanks to the oars, the brig skillfully maneuvered, preventing the Turks from taking an advantageous position. But after some time, the enemy flagships managed to enter from the opposite sides of the Mercury, putting the Russian ship under crossfire. An offer to surrender was made from the Turkish flagship, which was met with a friendly volley of cannons and rifles from the Mercury. Realizing that these crazy Russians would not surrender, both battleships began to frantically fire at the brig. The battle lasted for four hours, with every minute the Mercury received more and more hits. A fire broke out several times, but the well-coordinated work of the team made it possible to maintain the survivability of the ship at the highest level. The brig's constant maneuvers made it very difficult for the enemy to fire. Captain Kazarsky, who received a shell shock, inspired the team and did not leave command for a minute. Russian gunners fired aimed fire at the rigging and sails of the Turkish ships. And now “Selimiye” leaves the battle, having received critical damage to the mainsail gear. "Real Bay" fights desperately, but the skillful actions of the brig's crew take him out of the battle. "Mercury" triumphantly leaves the battlefield.
During the battle on the brig, four crew members were killed and six were wounded. We counted 22 holes in the ship's hull, more than 280 in the rigging and sails, and 16 in the mast. With difficulty, the Mercury reached the Bulgarian port of Sizopol, where the main forces of the Black Sea Fleet were based.
The feat of the sailors was appreciated, including by the Turks themselves: “If in the great deeds of ancient and modern times there are feats of courage, then this act should eclipse all others, and the name of the hero is worthy of being inscribed in golden letters in the temple of glory” - the words of one from the Real Bay navigators.
Emperor Nicholas I, by his decree of July 28, 1829, awarded the brig with the memorable St. George flag. Officers and soldiers were awarded orders and medals, and cash bonuses.
After repairs, the Mercury actively participated in cruising operations on the Black Sea and landing troops on the Turkish coast. The ship ended its glorious military career in 1857, when it was dismantled due to its extreme disrepair. But in memory of the brig’s feat, his name was preserved and several ships of the Black Sea Fleet at different times bore the proud name “Memory of Mercury”.
Krasovsky, Nikolai Pavlovich. Battle of the brig "Mercury" with two Turkish ships, 1829. 1867. The picture frame is made from the wood of the Mercury body
From a letter from the navigator of the Turkish battleship Real Bey:
“On Tuesday at dawn, approaching the Bosphorus, we noticed three Russian ships. We chased them, but we could only catch up with one brig. Kapudan Pasha's ship and ours then opened strong fire... An unheard of thing! We couldn't make him give up. He fought, retreating and maneuvering according to all the rules of naval science so skillfully that it is shameful to say: we stopped the battle, and he continued his path with glory. During the battle, we realized that the captain of this brig would never surrender and would rather blow himself up into the air. If any name is worthy to be inscribed in letters of gold on the temple of glory, it is the name of the captain of this brig. It is called captain-lieutenant Kazarsky, and the brig is called “Mercury”. With no more than 20 guns, he fought against 220 in view of the enemy fleet, which was in his wind.»
Three Russian warships - the frigate "Standard" and the brigs "Orpheus" and "Mercury" - were cruising abeam Penderaklia when they saw a Turkish squadron approaching them on the horizon, significantly superior in strength. Since there was no need to accept an unequal battle, the commander of the Shtandart, Lieutenant-Commander Pavel Yakovlevich Sakhnovsky, gave the signal “Take the course at which the ship has the best speed.” The Russian ships turned towards Sevastopol. However, that day at sea the downwind was weak, and therefore the Mercury, which had the worst driving performance, was unable to escape pursuit: despite the fact that bombs, staysails, and foxes were set and oars were used, it was overtaken by the two largest and fastest ships in the Turkish squadron - the 110-gun Selimiye and the 74-gun Real Bey. On one ship there was an admiral (kapudan pasha) of the Turkish fleet, and the other was sailing under the pennant of the rear admiral.
I. Aivazovsky “The brig “Mercury” is fighting with two Turkish ships”
The Mercury commander, having gone through all the officers in turn, became convinced of their unanimous desire to take the fight, despite the obvious inequality of forces. According to naval tradition, the youngest in rank, navigator lieutenant I. Prokofiev, spoke first. He spoke out in favor of engaging in battle with the enemy, and when the spar was knocked down, a strong leak would open or the brig would be deprived of the opportunity to resist and blow it up by engaging with one of the enemy ships. As a result, all officers unanimously accepted this proposal. To carry out this decision, the captain of the brig Kazarsky placed a loaded pistol on the spire in front of the entrance to the gunpowder warehouse.
Later, in his report to Admiral Greig, Kazarsky wrote:
... We unanimously decided to fight to the last extreme, and if the spar is knocked down or the water in the hold becomes impossible to pump out, then, having fallen with some ship, the one who is still alive among the officers must light the hook chamber with a pistol shot.
I. Aivazovsky Brig "Mercury", attacked by two Turkish ships, 1892
At 2 hours 30 minutes the Turks approached within shooting distance, and their shells began to hit the sails and rigging of the Mercury, and one hit the oars, knocking the rowers out of the cans. At this time, Kazarsky was sitting on the poop for observation, not allowing shooting, so as not to waste charges, which caused confusion for the crew. Seeing this, he immediately calmed the sailors, saying: “What are you guys? It’s okay, let them scare us - they are bringing us Georgiy...” Then the captain ordered the retreat ports to be opened and he himself, together with other officers, so as not to remove the oars and not distract the sailors from work, opened fire from the retreat gun.
The first to attack was the three-deck Selimiye, which had 110 guns. The Turkish ship wanted to go astern in order to decide the outcome of the battle with a single longitudinal salvo. Only then did Kazarsky sound the combat alarm and the Mercury, skillfully maneuvering, dodged the first salvo and itself fired a full salvo with its starboard side at the enemy.
A few minutes later, the two-deck Real Bay approached the port side of the Mercury, and the Russian brig found itself sandwiched between two enemy ships. Then the Selimiye crew shouted in Russian: “Surrender, remove the sails!” In response to this, the brig with a loud “hurray” opened fire from all guns and rifles. As a result, the Turks had to remove ready-made boarding teams from the tops and yards. In addition to the cannonballs, knipples and firebrands flew into the brig. However, the masts remained intact and the Mercury remained mobile. Due to the shelling, fires periodically broke out on the brig, but the sailors, without stopping the shooting for a minute, doused them with water in a matter of minutes.
Robert Barry "Battle of the brig Mercury with two Turkish ships"
At the beginning of the sixth hour, the successful shots of gunner Ivan Lisenko managed to damage the water stay and the mainsail mainsail of the Selimiye, after which its topsail and topsail were washed out and hung. Thanks to this hit, the enemy ship fell a little behind and was brought to the wind for repairs. However, a full salvo was fired after the Mercury, knocking one of the cannons off the machine.
At about six o'clock, serious damage was caused to the second ship - the Mercury managed to destroy its fore-frame and fore-top yard, which, falling, carried the foxes with it. Having fallen, the foxes closed the ports of the bow guns, and the collapse of the topsail made it impossible for the ship to maneuver. “Real Bay” was brought into close-hauled position and began to drift.
"Mercury", which received very serious damage and lost 10 of the 115 crew members killed and wounded, at about 17:00 the next day joined the fleet that left Sizopol.
As a result of the battle, Mercury lost 4 people killed and 6 wounded (some sources say eight wounded). According to Kazarsky’s report, six lower ranks were wounded, while Kazarsky himself received a head concussion.
The ship received the following damage:
- 22 holes in the hull
- 133 holes in the sails
- 16 damage to spar
- 148 damage to rigging
- all rowing ships on the rostra were broken
- one carronade was damaged.
According to official data, there were no casualties on the Turkish side - the Mercury team set as its main goal damage to the enemy's mast and rigging, where the shots were aimed.
Beggrov Alexander Karlovich. Frigate "Mercury". 1878.
It is noteworthy that during the battle, the previous commander of the Mercury, the captured captain 2nd rank Stroynikov, who surrendered the frigate Raphael several days earlier without a fight, was on the Real Bay with his team.
The Mercury's victory seemed so fantastic that some experts in naval art refused to believe in it. The English historian F. Jane, for example, said: “It is absolutely impossible to allow such a small ship as the Mercury to put two battleships out of action.”
The newspaper “Odessa Herald” wrote about the battle:
This feat is such that there is no other similar to it in the history of navigation; he is so amazing that one can hardly believe him. The courage, fearlessness and self-sacrifice shown by the commander and crew of the Mercury are more glorious than a thousand ordinary victories.
Partisan poet, hero Patriotic War In 1812, Denis Davydov dedicated sublime lines to Kazarsky:
Take heart! - Kazarsky, living Leonid,
Waiting for a friend for a new feast of glory...
Oh, be both of you a shield of the fatherland,
Perun eternal power!
And hymns of victory from the flocked rooks
Let sparks fly from inspired strings!
Admiral Istomin succinctly said about the Mercury sailors: “ Let them look for such selflessness, such heroic fortitude in other nations with a candle... »
The brig "Mercury" was awarded the stern St. George flag and a pennant - the second, after the battleship "Azov". In addition, the emperor's decree required that the Black Sea Fleet always have a brig built according to the drawings of the Mercury.
Captain Kazarsky and Lieutenant Prokofiev received the Order of St. George, IV class, the rest of the officers received the Order of St. Vladimir, IV class with a bow, and the lower ranks received insignia of the military order. All officers were promoted to the following ranks and received the right to add to their family coats of arms the image of a Tula pistol, which Kazarsky placed on the spire near the cruise chamber.
According to the emperor's resolution, Lieutenant Commander Kazarsky, among other things, was promoted to captain of the 2nd rank and appointed aide-de-camp.
The commander of the Black Sea squadron, Admiral M.P. Lazarev, was the first to propose perpetuating the brig’s feat. On his initiative, funds were collected for the construction of the monument.
The monument looks like this. On a high rectangular pedestal, slightly tapering at the top, there is a symbolic warship of antiquity cast from metal - a trireme. The upper part of the pedestal is decorated with bronze staffs of the god Mercury, after whom the brig is named. The cast-iron plinth is decorated with reliefs depicting in an allegorical form the event to which the monument is dedicated. On three sides of the plinth are depicted the god of the seas Neptune, the patron saint of navigation and trade Mercury, the winged goddess of victory Nike; on the western side there is a bas-relief portrait of the captain of the Mercury, Kazarsky.
The monument was founded on Matrossky Boulevard in 1834, on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the feat, and opened in 1839. The author of the project is academician of architecture A.P. Bryullov, brother of the famous artist.
The monument to A.I. Kazarsky and the feat of the brig "Mercury" became the first monument erected in Sevastopol.
The monument has been restored several times, but its current appearance is almost no different from the original. The total height of the monument is 5.5 m. The pedestal is built from local Krymbal stone. The laconic inscription made on the pedestal reads: “To the Kazar. An example for posterity."
The decree of Nicholas I ordered that the Black Sea Fleet always have a brig similar to the Mercury with its flag and crew:
We wish that the memory of this unparalleled deed be preserved until later times, therefore we command you to order: when this brig becomes unable to continue serving at sea, build according to the same drawing and perfect similarity with it in everything, another similar vessel, naming his “Mercury” was assigned to the same crew, to which the awarded flag and pennant was transferred; when this ship begins to fall into disrepair, replace it with another new one, built according to the same drawing, continuing this way until later times. We wish that the memory of the famous merits of the crew of the brig "Mercury" and it never disappear in the fleet and, passing from generation to generation for eternity, serve as an example to posterity .
