Who took Ishmael in 1790. The capture of the Turkish fortress Ishmael

The Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774 ended with the victory of Russia. The country finally secured access to the Black Sea. But according to the Kyuchuk-Kaynarji agreement, the powerful fortress of Izmail, located at the mouth of the Danube, remained Turkish for the time being.

Political situation

In the middle of the summer of 1787, Turkey, with the support of France, Great Britain and Prussia, demanded from Russian Empire the return of Crimea and the refusal of the Georgian authorities in their patronage. In addition, they wanted to get consent to the inspection of all Russian merchant ships moving through the straits of the Black Sea. Without waiting for a positive response to their claims, the Turkish government declared war on Russia. It happened on August 12, 1787.

The challenge was accepted. The Russian Empire, in turn, hastened to take advantage of the current situation and increase its possessions at the expense of lands in the Northern Black Sea region.

Initially, Turkey planned to capture Kherson and Kinburn, land a large number of their troops on the Crimean Peninsula, as well as the destruction of the base of the Russian Black Sea squadron in Sevastopol.

balance of power

In order to deploy full-scale military operations on the Black Sea coast of the Kuban and the Caucasus, Turkey turned its main forces in the direction of Anapa and Sukhum. She had a 200,000-strong army and a fairly strong fleet, consisting of 16 frigates, 19 ships of the line, 5 bombardment corvettes, as well as many other ships and support ships.

In response, the Russian Empire began to deploy its two armies. The first of them is Yekaterinoslavskaya. It was commanded by Field Marshal Grigory Potemkin. It numbered 82 thousand people. The second was the Ukrainian 37,000-strong army under the command of Field Marshal Pyotr Rumyantsev. In addition, two powerful military corps were stationed in the Crimea and Kuban.

As for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, then he was based in two places. The main forces, consisting of 23 warships, carrying 864 guns, were stationed in Sevastopol and were commanded by Admiral M. I. Voinovich. An interesting fact is that at the same time the future great admiral F.F. Ushakov also served here. The second place of deployment was the Dnieper-Bug Estuary. A rowing flotilla was stationed there, consisting of 20 small-tonnage vessels and ships that were only partially armed.

Allied plan

It must be said that the Russian Empire was not left alone in this war. On her side was one of the largest and strongest European countries at that time - Austria. She, like Russia, sought to expand her borders at the expense of other Balkan countries that were under the yoke of Turkey.

The plan of the new allies, Austria and the Russian Empire, was exclusively offensive. The idea was to attack Turkey from two sides at the same time. The Yekaterinoslav army was supposed to start hostilities on the Black Sea coast, capture Ochakov, then cross the Dnieper and destroy Turkish troops in the area between the Prut and Dniester rivers, and for this it was necessary to take Bendery. At the same time, the Russian flotilla, with its active actions, fettered enemy ships on the Black Sea and did not allow the Turks to land on the Crimean coast. The Austrian army, in turn, promised to launch an offensive from the west and storm Hatin.

Development of events

The beginning of hostilities for Russia was very successful. The capture of the Ochakov fortress, two victories by A. Suvorov at Rymnik and Forshany indicated that the war should end very soon. This meant that the Russian Empire would sign a peace favorable to itself. Turkey at that time did not have such forces that could give a serious rebuff to the allied armies. But politicians for some reason missed this auspicious moment and did not use it. As a result, the war dragged on, as the Turkish authorities were still able to raise a new army, as well as receive help from the West.

During the military campaign of 1790, the Russian command planned to capture the Turkish fortresses located on the left bank of the Danube, and then move their troops further.

This year, Russian sailors under the command of F. Ushakov won one brilliant victory after another. Near the island of Tendra and the Turkish fleet suffered a crushing defeat. As a result, the Russian flotilla firmly established itself in the Black Sea and provided profitable terms for the further offensive of their armies on the Danube. The fortresses of Tulcha, Kiliya and Isakcha had already been taken when Potemkin's troops approached Izmail. Here they met fierce resistance from the Turks.

impregnable citadel

The capture of Ishmael was considered impossible. Before the war, the fortress was thoroughly rebuilt and fortified. It was surrounded by a high rampart and a fairly wide moat filled with water. The fortress had 11 bastions, where 260 guns were placed. The work was supervised by German and French engineers.

Also, the capture of Ishmael was considered unrealistic, because it was located on the left bank of the Danube between two lakes - Katlabukh and Yalpukh. It towered on the slope of a sloping mountain, which at the riverbed ended in a low but steep slope. This fortress was of great strategic importance, as it was located at the intersection of roads from Khotyn, Chilia, Galati and Bendery.

The garrison of the citadel consisted of 35 thousand soldiers, commanded by Aydozle Mehmet Pasha. Some of them reported directly to Kaplan Gerai, the brother of the Crimean Khan. He was assisted by his five sons. The new decree of Sultan Selim III stated that if the capture of the Izmail fortress took place, then every warrior from the garrison would be executed, wherever he was.

Appointment of Suvorov

Russian troops camped under the citadel had a hard time. The weather was wet and cold. The soldiers warmed themselves by burning reeds in fires. Food was sorely lacking. In addition, the troops were in constant combat readiness, fearing attacks by the enemy.

Winter was just around the corner, so the Russian military leaders Ivan Gudovich, Joseph de Ribas and Potemkin's brother Pavel gathered on December 7 for a military council. On it, they decided to lift the siege and postpone the capture Turkish fortress Ishmael.

But Grigory Potemkin did not agree with this conclusion and canceled the decision of the military council. Instead, he signed an order that General-in-Chief A.V. Suvorov, who was standing with his troops at Galati, should take command of the army that was besieging the now impregnable citadel.

Preparing for the assault

The capture of the Izmail fortress by Russian troops required the most careful organization. Therefore, Suvorov sent his best Phanagoria grenadier regiment, 1 thousand Arnauts, 200 Cossacks and 150 hunters who served in the Apsheron Musketeer Regiment to the walls of the bastion. He did not forget about the marketers with a supply of food. In addition, Suvorov ordered to put together and send 30 ladders and 1 thousand fascines to Izmail, and also gave the rest of the necessary orders. He handed over the command of the remaining troops stationed near Galati to lieutenant generals Derfelden and Prince Golitsyn. The commander himself left the camp with a small convoy, consisting of only 40 Cossacks. On the way to the fortress, Suvorov met the retreating Russian troops and turned them back, as he planned to use all his forces at the moment when the capture of Ishmael began.

Upon arrival at the camp, located near the fortress, he first of all blocked the impregnable citadel from the Danube River and from land. Then Suvorov ordered the artillery to be positioned as it was done during a long siege. Thus, he managed to convince the Turks that the capture of Ishmael by the Russian troops was not planned in the near future.

Suvorov conducted a detailed acquaintance with the fortress. He and the officers accompanying him drove up to Ishmael at a distance of a rifle shot. Here he indicated the places where the columns would go, where exactly the assault would be carried out and how the troops should help each other. For six days, Suvorov prepared to take the Turkish fortress of Izmail.

The general-in-chief personally traveled around all the regiments and talked with the soldiers about previous victories, while not hiding the difficulties that awaited them during the assault. So Suvorov prepared his troops for the day when the capture of Ishmael would finally begin.

Storm from the land

At 3 am on December 22, the first signal flare caught fire in the sky. This was symbol, along which the troops left their camp, reorganized into columns and headed to the pre-appointed locations. And by half past six in the morning they moved to take the fortress of Ishmael.

The column led by Major General P.P. Lassi was the first to approach the walls of the citadel. Half an hour after the start of the assault, under a hurricane hail of enemy bullets raining down on their heads, the rangers overcame the rampart, at the top of which a fierce battle ensued. Meanwhile, the Phanagoria grenadiers and Apsheron riflemen under the command of Major General S. L. Lvov managed to capture the first enemy batteries and the Khotyn Gate. They also managed to connect with the second column. They opened the Khotinsky gate for the entry of cavalry. This was the first major victory for the Russian troops since the capture of the Turkish fortress of Izmail by Suvorov began. Meanwhile, in other sectors, the assault continued with increasing force.

At the same time, on the opposite side of the citadel, the column of Major General M. I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov captured the bastion, located from the side of the Kiliya Gates and the rampart adjacent to it. On the day of the capture of the Izmail fortress, perhaps the most difficult task was the goal set for the commander of the third column, Major General F. I. Meknoba. She was supposed to storm the northern large bastion. The fact is that in this area the height of the shaft and the depth of the ditch were too great, so the stairs about 12 m high turned out to be short. Under heavy fire, the soldiers had to tie them up in twos. As a result, the northern bastion was taken. The rest of the ground columns also did an excellent job.

water assault

The capture of Izmail by Suvorov was thought out to the smallest detail. Therefore, it was decided to storm the fortress not only from the land side. Seeing the prearranged signal, the landing troops, led by Major General de Ribas, covered by the rowing fleet, moved towards the fortress and lined up in two lines. At 7 o'clock in the morning they began their landing on the shore. This process went very smoothly and quickly, despite the fact that they were resisted by more than 10 thousand Turkish and Tatar soldiers. This success of the landing was largely facilitated by Lvov's column, which at that time attacked the enemy coastal batteries from the flank. Also, significant forces of the Turks pulled over the ground forces operating from the eastern side.

The column under the command of Major General N. D. Arsenyev swam to the shore on 20 ships. As soon as the troops landed on the shore, they immediately divided into several groups. The Livland chasseurs were commanded by Count Roger Damas. They captured the battery enfilating the shore. The Kherson grenadiers, led by Colonel V. A. Zubov, managed to take a rather tough cavalier. On this day, the capture of Ishmael, the battalion lost two-thirds of its composition. The rest of the military units also suffered losses, but successfully captured their sections of the fortress.

Final stage

When dawn came, it turned out that the rampart had already been captured, and the enemy had been driven out of the fortress walls and was retreating deep into the city. Columns of Russian troops, located from different sides, moved towards the city center. New battles broke out.

The Turks offered especially strong resistance until 11 o'clock. The city was on fire here and there. Thousands of horses, rushing out of the burning stables in a panic, rushed through the streets, sweeping away everyone in their path. Russian troops had to fight for almost every house. Lassi and his detachment were the first to reach the city center. Here Maksud Gerai was waiting for him with the remnants of his troops. The Turkish commander stubbornly defended himself, and only when almost all of his soldiers were killed did he surrender.

The capture of Izmail by Suvorov was coming to an end. In order to support the infantry with fire, he ordered light guns firing grapeshot to be delivered to the city. Their volleys helped to clear the streets from the enemy. At one o'clock in the afternoon it became clear that the victory had actually already been won. But the fighting still continued. Kaplan Geray somehow managed to gather several thousand Turks and Tatars on foot and on horseback, whom he led against the advancing Russian detachments, but was defeated and killed. His five sons also died. At 4 p.m., the capture of the Izmail fortress by Suvorov was completed. The citadel, previously considered impregnable, fell.

Results

The capture of Izmail by the troops of the Russian Empire radically affected the entire strategic situation. The Turkish government was forced to agree to peace negotiations. A year later, both parties signed an agreement under which the Turks recognized Russia's rights to Georgia, Crimea and Kuban. In addition, Russian merchants were promised benefits and all kinds of assistance from the defeated.

On the day of the capture of the Turkish fortress of Izmail, the Russian side lost 2136 people killed. They included: soldiers - 1816, Cossacks - 158, officers - 66 and 1 foreman. There were a few more wounded - 3214 people, including 3 generals and 253 officers.

The losses on the part of the Turks seemed simply huge. More than 26,000 people were killed alone. About 9 thousand were taken prisoner, but the next day 2 thousand died from their wounds. It is believed that only one person from the entire Izmail garrison managed to escape. He was slightly wounded and, falling into the water, managed to swim across the Danube on a log.

What fortress is remembered first, one has only to mention the name of the brilliant Russian commander Alexander Suvorov? Of course, Ishmael! The assault and rapid capture of this stronghold of the Ottoman Empire, which blocked the way from the north beyond the Danube, in fact, to the interior of the Porte, became one of the peaks of his military career. And for the Russian army, the day of the capture of Ishmael forever became one of the most glorious episodes in its history. And right now, December 24 is one of the seventeen memorable dates included in the list of Days military glory Russia.

It is noteworthy that even in this list, which just closes the Ishmael anniversary, there is a curious calendar discrepancy. The solemn date falls on December 24, and December 22 is actually named the day of the assault! Where did such diversity come from?

Everything is explained simply. In all documents relating to the course Russian-Turkish war 1787-1791, the date of the assault on the fortress is December 11. Insofar as we are talking about the XVIII century, then to this date it is supposed to add another 11 days of the difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars. But since a list of the Days of Russia's military glory in the 20th century was compiled, when calculating the dates according to the old style, out of habit, they added not eleven, but thirteen days. And so it happened that the memorable date was set for December 24, and in the description it was noted that the actual day of the assault was the day of December 22, 1790 according to the new - and December 11 according to the old style.

Suvorov and Kutuzov before the assault on Izmail. Hood. O. Vereisky

Everything rests on Ishmael

In the history of the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791, the history of the capture of Ishmael takes special place. The prologue to this war was another Russian-Turkish war - 1768-1774. It ended with the actual annexation of the Crimea to Russia (formally, it ended in 1783), and the conditions of the military confrontation Kyuchuk-Kaynardzhiysky, which crowned the military confrontation, gave Russian military and merchant ships the opportunity to be based on the Black Sea and freely leave it through the straits controlled by the Port - the Bosporus and the Dardanelles. In addition, after the conclusion of this peace treaty, Russia got the opportunity to seriously influence the situation in the Caucasus, and in fact began the process of incorporating Georgia into the empire - which fully met the aspirations of the Georgian kingdom.

The course of the first Russian-Turkish war, waged by Empress Catherine the Great, was so unsuccessful for the Turks that when signing the Kyuchuk-Kainarji peace, they, despite the active intervention and support of England and France, did not dare to seriously argue with the conditions of the Russians. But as soon as the memory of the catastrophic defeats inflicted on the Ottoman troops by the Russians under the command of the commanders Peter Rumyantsev and Alexander Suvorov began to fade, Istanbul, which was very actively hinted at the unfairness of the terms of the agreement London and Paris, immediately wanted to revise the humiliating, in his opinion, agreement.

First of all, the Ottomans demanded that Russia return the Crimea to them, completely stop all actions to expand influence in the Caucasus and agree that all Russian ships passing through the straits were subjected to mandatory inspection. Petersburg, which remembered the recently ended war very well, could not accept such humiliating conditions. And he unequivocally rejected all the claims of Istanbul, after which the Turkish government on August 13, 1787 declared war on Russia.

But the course of hostilities turned out to be completely different from what it was seen in the Ottoman Empire. The Russians, contrary to the expectations of Istanbul and the complimentary reports of the spies of London and Paris, turned out to be much better prepared for the war than the Turks. Which they began to demonstrate, gaining victories one after another. First, in the very first major battle on the Kinburn Spit, the detachment of General Suvorov, in which there were only one and a half thousand fighters, utterly defeated the Turkish landing force three times superior in number: out of five thousand Turks, only about seven hundred people escaped. Seeing that they could not count on success in an offensive campaign, and that they could not defeat the Russian army in field battles, the Turks switched to passive defense, relying on their Danube fortresses. But even here they miscalculated: in September 1788, the troops under the command of Peter Rumyantsev took Khotyn, and on December 17, 1788, the army under the command of Potemkin and Kutuzov took Ochakov (by the way, Captain Mikhail Barclay de Tolly, unknown at that time, distinguished himself in that battle). In an effort to take revenge for these defeats, the Turkish vizier Hassan Pasha at the end of August 1789 crossed the Danube with a 100,000-strong army and moved to the Rymnik River, where on September 11 he suffered a crushing defeat from the troops of Suvorov. And in the next year, in 1790, under the onslaught of the Russian troops, the fortresses of Kiliya, Tulcha and Isakcha successively fell.

But even these defeats did not force Porto to seek reconciliation with Russia. The remnants of the garrisons of the fallen fortresses gathered in Izmail - the Danube fortress, which in Istanbul was considered invincible. And the first unsuccessful attempt by Russian troops under the command of Prince Nikolai Repnin to take Izmail in September 1789 only confirmed this opinion. In the meantime, the enemy did not climb the Izmail walls, in Istanbul they did not even think about peace, believing that this time Russia would break its teeth on this tough nut.

Storming of Ishmael, 18th century engraving. Photo: wikipedia.org

"My hope is in God and in your courage"

The irony of fate was that the unsuccessful assault undertaken by Prince Repnin in 1789 became a kind of compensation to the Turks for losing the battle for Izmail in the late summer of 1770. And then the troops that still managed to take the obstinate fortress were commanded by the same Nikolai Repnin! But in 1774, under the terms of the same Kyuchuk-Kaynarji peace, Izmail was returned to Turkey, which tried to take into account the mistakes of the first defense and strengthen the defense of the fortress.

Ishmael resisted very actively. Neither the attempt of Prince Nikolai Repnin, nor the efforts of Count Ivan Gudovich and Count Pavel Potemkin, who laid siege to the fortress in the autumn of 1790, were successful. It got to the point that on November 26, the military council, in which Gudovich, Potemkin and the commander of the Black Sea rowing flotilla that entered the Danube, Major General Osip de Ribas (the same legendary founder of Odessa), decided to lift the siege and command the retreat.

This decision was categorically rejected by the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Prince Grigory Potemkin-Tavrichesky. But realizing that the generals, who once already signed their inability to take the fortress, are unlikely to do so even after a new formidable order, he placed the responsibility to capture Izmail on Alexander Suvorov.

In fact, the future generalissimo was ordered to do the impossible: it is not for nothing that some researchers believe that Potemkin, who was dissatisfied with the rapid advance of the new commander, threw him under Ishmael, hoping that he would be completely embarrassed. This was also hinted at by the unusually mild tone of Potemkin's letter, despite the rather tense relations between the military leaders: “My hope is in God and in your courage, hurry up, my dear friend. By my order to you, your personal presence there will connect all the parts. There are many generals of equal rank, and from that there always comes a kind of indecisive diet ... Look around everything and arrange it, and praying to God, take it! There are weak spots just to go together. Most faithful friend and most obedient servant Prince Potemkin-Tavrichesky.

Meanwhile, the forces of the Russians, even after Suvorov brought with him only six months ago the Phanagoria Grenadier Regiment, which he personally formed, as well as 200 Cossacks, 1000 Arnauts (volunteers from among the Moldavians, Vlachs and other peoples of the Balkan Peninsula who were hired into the Russian service ) and 150 hunters of the Apsheron Musketeer Regiment, its forces were significantly inferior to those of the Turks. IN total By the beginning of the assault, Suvorov had thirty-one thousand active bayonets and sabers. At the same time, Ishmael's garrison outnumbered the Russian troops by at least 4,000 men. And what! Here is how General Orlov writes about this: “The garrison has recently become very strong, because troops from the fortresses that have already been taken by the Russians have also gathered here. ... In general, there is no data for a reliable and accurate determination of the size of the Ishmael garrison. The Sultan was very angry with the troops for all the previous capitulations, and in the event of the fall of Ishmael, he ordered to execute everyone from his garrison wherever he was found. ... The determination to defend Ishmael or die was shared by many of the other three- and two-bunch pashas. Few faint-hearted did not dare to reveal their weakness.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich. Photo: wikipedia.org

The fate of the fallen fortress

When Suvorov, who arrived near Izmail on December 2 (13), incognito examined the fortress in a circle, his verdict was disappointing: “A fortress without weaknesses". But such a weak point was nevertheless found: it was the inability of the Turkish garrison to repel the simultaneous assault launched by Suvorov from three directions, including from a completely unexpected one - from the Danube. It also had an effect that for five days before the start of the assault, the Suvorov troops, in full accordance with the plan of the commander, built, and then learned to storm the mock-up of the Izmail walls, and therefore perfectly imagined how to act during the actual assault.

After a thirteen-hour battle, the fortress fell. The losses of the Turkish side were catastrophic: 29 thousand people died immediately, another two thousand died of wounds during the first day, 9000 were captured and were forced to take the bodies of their fallen comrades out of the fortress and dump them into the Danube. The Russian troops, although it is believed that during such operations the losses of the attackers are an order of magnitude higher than the losses of the defenders, escaped with much less blood. Nikolai Orlov cites the following data in his monograph: “Russian losses are shown in the report: killed - 64 officers and 1,815 lower ranks; wounded - 253 officers and 2,450 lower ranks; the entire loss is 4,582 people. There is news that determines the number of killed up to 4 thousand and wounded up to 6 thousand, a total of 10 thousand, including 400 officers (out of 650). But even if the last figures are correct, the result is still amazing: with the superiority of the enemy in the position of the fortress and manpower, defeat him, exchanging losses one to two!

The further fate of Ishmael was bizarre. Lost to Turkey after Suvorov's success, he returned to her under the terms of the Iasi Peace: moreover, all parties to the conflict were clearly aware that it was the fall of the fortress that accelerated his conclusion. In 1809, the Russian troops under the command of Lieutenant General Andrei Zass will take it again, and the fortress will remain Russian for a long half century. Only after the defeat of Russia in the Crimean War, in 1856, Ishmael will be given to Moldavia - a vassal of the Ottoman Empire, and the new owners, according to the terms of the transfer, will blow up the fortifications and tear down earthen ramparts. And eleven years later, Russian troops will enter Ishmael for the last time in order to free it forever from the Turkish presence. Moreover, they will enter without a fight: Romania, which at that time will be the mistress of the former fortress, will betray Turkey and open the way for the Russian army ...

The Day of Military Glory of Russia, celebrated today, was established in honor of the Day of the capture of the Turkish fortress Izmail by Russian troops under the command of A.V. Suvorov in 1790. The holiday was established by Federal Law No. 32-FZ of March 13, 1995 "On the days of military glory (victory days) of Russia."

Of particular importance during the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791 was the capture of Izmail, the citadel of Turkish rule on the Danube. The fortress was built under the direction of German and French engineers in accordance with latest requirements fortifications. From the south, it was protected by the Danube, which here has a width of half a kilometer. A ditch 12 meters wide and 6 to 10 meters deep was dug around the fortress walls, in some places of the ditch there was water up to 2 meters deep. Inside the city there were many stone buildings, convenient for defense. The garrison of the fortress consisted of 35 thousand people and 265 guns.

Brief information

The assault on Izmail in 1790 was undertaken during the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1792. by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Army, Field Marshal G. A. Potemkin. Neither N. V. Repnin (1789), nor I. V. Gudovich and P. S. Potemkin (1790) could solve this problem, after which G. A. Potemkin entrusted the operation to A. V. Suvorov. Arriving near Izmail on December 2, Suvorov spent six days preparing for the assault, including training troops to storm mock-ups of the high fortress walls of Izmail. The commandant of Ishmael was asked to capitulate, but in response he ordered to report that "the sky would sooner fall to earth than Ishmael would be taken."
For two days, Suvorov conducted artillery preparation, and on December 11, at 5:30 am, the assault on the fortress began. By 8 a.m. all the fortifications were occupied, but resistance on the streets of the city continued until 4 p.m. Turkish losses amounted to 26 thousand people. killed and 9 thousand captured. The losses of the Russian army amounted to 4 thousand people. killed and 6 thousand wounded. All the guns, 400 banners, huge stocks of provisions and jewelry worth 10 million piastres were captured. M. I. Kutuzov was appointed commandant of the fortress.

Today Izmail with a population of 92 thousand people is a city of regional subordination in the Odessa region

background

Not wanting to come to terms with the results of the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774, Turkey in July 1787 demanded from Russia the return of the Crimea, the renunciation of the patronage of Georgia and consent to the inspection of Russian merchant ships passing through the straits. Having not received a satisfactory answer, the Turkish government on August 12, 1787 declared war on Russia. In turn, Russia decided to take advantage of the situation in order to expand its possessions in the Northern Black Sea region by completely ousting the Turkish invaders from there.

In October 1787, Russian troops under the command of A.V. Suvorov was almost completely destroyed by the 6,000th landing of the Turks, who intended to capture the mouth of the Dnieper, on the Kinburg Spit. Despite the brilliant victories of the Russian army near Ochakovo (1788), near Focsani (1789) and on the Rymnik River (1789), the enemy did not agree to accept the peace conditions that Russia insisted on, and dragged out the negotiations in every possible way. Russian military leaders and diplomats were aware that the successful completion of peace negotiations with Turkey would greatly contribute to the capture of Ishmael.

The Izmail fortress lay on the left bank of the Kiliya branch of the Danube between the lakes Yalpukh and Katlabukh, on a slope of a gentle height, ending at the Danube bed with a low, but rather steep slope. The strategic importance of Ishmael was very great: the paths from Galati, Khotyn, Bendery and Kili converged here; here was the most convenient place for an invasion from the north across the Danube into Dobruja. By the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1792, the Turks, under the leadership of German and French engineers, turned Izmail into a powerful fortress with a high rampart and a wide moat 3 to 5 fathoms (6.4-10.7 m) deep, filled with water in places. There were 260 guns on 11 bastions. Ishmael's garrison consisted of 35 thousand people under the command of Aydozle Mehmet Pasha. Part of the garrison was commanded by Kaplan-girey, the brother of the Crimean Khan, who was assisted by his five sons. The Sultan was very angry with his troops for all the previous capitulations, and in the event of the fall of Ishmael, he ordered that everyone from his garrison be executed wherever he was found.

Siege and assault on Ishmael

In 1790, after capturing the fortresses of Kiliya, Tulcha and Isakcha, the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Prince G.A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky gave an order to the detachments of generals I.V. Gudovich, P.S. Potemkin and the flotilla of General de Ribas to capture Izmail. However, their actions were indecisive. On November 26, the military council decided to lift the siege of the fortress in view of the approach of winter. The Commander-in-Chief did not approve this decision and ordered General-in-Chief A.V. Suvorov, whose troops were stationed at Galati, to take command of the units besieging Izmail. Taking command on December 2, Suvorov returned to Izmail the troops retreating from the fortress, and blockaded it from land and from the Danube River. Having completed the preparation of the assault in 6 days, Suvorov on December 7, 1790 sent an ultimatum to the commandant Ishmael demanding to surrender the fortress no later than 24 hours from the moment the ultimatum was delivered. The ultimatum was rejected. On December 9, the military council assembled by Suvorov decided to immediately begin the assault, which was scheduled for December 11. The attacking troops were divided into 3 detachments (wings) of 3 columns each. The detachment of Major General de Ribas (9 thousand people) attacked from the river side; the right wing under the command of Lieutenant General P.S. Potemkin (7,500 people) was to strike from the western part of the fortress; the left wing of Lieutenant General A.N. Samoilov (12 thousand people) - from the east. Brigadier Westfalen's cavalry reserves (2,500 men) were on the land side. In total, Suvorov's army numbered 31 thousand people, including 15 thousand - irregular, poorly armed. (Orlov N. Storming of Izmail by Suvorov in 1790, St. Petersburg, 1890, p. 52.) Suvorov planned to start the assault at 5 o'clock in the morning, about 2 hours before dawn. Darkness was needed for the surprise of the first blow and the mastery of the rampart; then it was unprofitable to fight in the dark, since it made it difficult to control the troops. Anticipating stubborn resistance, Suvorov wanted to have at his disposal as much daylight hours as possible.

On December 10, at sunrise, preparations began for an assault by fire from the flank batteries, from the island and from the ships of the flotilla (about 600 guns in total). It lasted almost a day and ended 2.5 hours before the start of the assault. On this day, the Russians lost 3 officers and 155 lower ranks killed, 6 officers and 224 lower ranks wounded. The assault did not come as a surprise to the Turks. Every night they were ready for a Russian attack; in addition, several defectors revealed Suvorov's plan to them.

At 3 o'clock in the morning on December 11, 1790, the first signal flare went up, according to which the troops left the camp and, reorganizing into columns, marched to the places designated by distance. At half past six in the morning, the columns moved to attack. Before others, the 2nd column of Major General B.P. approached the fortress. Lassi. At 6 o'clock in the morning, under a hail of enemy bullets, the huntsmen Lassi overcame the rampart, and a fierce battle ensued above. Apsheron Riflemen and Phanagoria Grenadiers of the 1st Column Major General S.L. Lvov overturned the enemy and, having captured the first batteries and the Khotyn Gate, joined with the 2nd column. Khotyn gates were open to cavalry. At the same time, at the opposite end of the fortress, the 6th column of Major General M.I. Golenishcheva-Kutuzova took possession of the bastion at the Kiliya Gate and occupied the rampart up to the neighboring bastions. The greatest difficulties were given to the share of the 3rd column of Meknob. She stormed the great northern bastion, next to it to the east, and the curtain wall between them. In this place, the depth of the ditch and the height of the shaft were so great that the ladders of 5.5 fathoms (about 11.7 m) turned out to be short, and it was necessary to tie them two together under fire. The main bastion was taken. The fourth and fifth columns (colonel V.P. Orlov and foreman M.I. Platov, respectively) also completed their tasks, overcoming the rampart in their areas.

The landing troops of Major General de Ribas in three columns, under the cover of the rowing fleet, moved on a signal to the fortress and lined up in battle order in two lines. The landing began at about 7 am. It was carried out quickly and accurately, despite the resistance of more than 10 thousand Turks and Tatars. The success of the landing was greatly facilitated by Lvov's column, which attacked the Danube coastal batteries in the flank, and the actions of the ground forces from the eastern side of the fortress. The first column of Major General N.D. Arsenyeva, sailing on 20 ships, landed on the shore and was divided into several parts. Battalion of Kherson grenadiers under the command of Colonel V.A. Zubova mastered a very tough cavalier, losing 2/3 of his people. The battalion of Livonian chasseurs, Colonel Count Roger Damas, occupied the battery that enfiladed the shore. Other units also took possession of the fortifications lying in front of them. The third column of foreman E.I. Markova landed at the western end of the fortress under canister fire from the Tabiya redoubt.

In the coming daylight, it became clear that the rampart had been taken, the enemy had been driven out of the fortifications and was retreating into the inner part of the city. Russian columns moved from different sides to the center of the city - Potemkin on the right, Cossacks from the north, Kutuzov on the left, de Ribas from the river side. A new fight has begun. Particularly fierce resistance continued until 11 am. Several thousand horses, rushing out of the burning stables, raced furiously through the streets and added to the confusion. Almost every house had to be taken with a fight. Around noon, Lassi, the first to climb the ramparts, was the first to reach the center of the city. Here he met a thousand Tatars under the command of Maksud-Giray, the prince of Genghis Khan's blood. Maksud-Giray defended stubbornly, and only when most of his detachment was killed, he surrendered with 300 soldiers who survived.

To support the infantry and ensure success, Suvorov ordered 20 light guns to be brought into the city in order to clear the streets of the Turks with grapeshot. At one o'clock in the afternoon, in essence, the victory was won. However, the battle was not over yet. The enemy tried to attack not separate Russian detachments or sat down in strong buildings like in citadels. An attempt to wrest back Ishmael was made by Kaplan-Girey, the brother of the Crimean Khan. He gathered several thousand cavalry and foot Tatars and Turks and led them to meet the advancing Russians. In a desperate battle in which more than 4,000 Muslims were killed, he fell along with his five sons. At two o'clock in the afternoon all the columns entered the city center. At 4 o'clock the victory was finally won. Ishmael fell.

The results of the assault

The losses of the Turks were huge, more than 26 thousand people were killed alone. 9 thousand were taken prisoner, of which 2 thousand died of wounds the next day. (N. Orlov, op. cit., p. 80.) Of the entire garrison, only one man escaped. Slightly wounded, he fell into the water and swam across the Danube on a log. In Izmail, 265 guns were taken, up to 3,000 poods of gunpowder, 20,000 cannonballs and many other ammunition, up to 400 banners stained with the blood of the defenders, 8 lansons, 12 ferries, 22 light ships and a lot of rich booty that went to the army, in total up to 10 million piastres (over 1 million rubles). The Russians had 64 officers killed (1 brigadier, 17 staff officers, 46 chief officers) and 1816 privates; 253 officers were wounded (including three major generals) and 2450 lower ranks. total figure losses amounted to 4582 people. Some authors estimate the number of killed up to 4 thousand, and wounded up to 6 thousand, a total of 10 thousand, including 400 officers (out of 650). (Orlov N. Dec. cit., pp. 80-81, 149.)

According to the promise given in advance by Suvorov, the city, according to the custom of that time, was given to the power of the soldiers. At the same time, Suvorov took measures to ensure order. Kutuzov, appointed commandant of Ishmael, posted guards in the most important places. A huge hospital was opened inside the city. The bodies of the killed Russians were taken out of the city and buried according to the church rite. There were so many Turkish corpses that an order was given to throw the bodies into the Danube, and prisoners were assigned to this work, divided into queues. But even with this method, Ishmael was cleared of corpses only after 6 days. The prisoners were sent in batches to Nikolaev under the escort of the Cossacks.

Suvorov expected to receive the rank of field marshal for the assault on Izmail, but Potemkin, petitioning the empress for his award, offered to award him a medal and the rank of lieutenant colonel or adjutant general of the guard. The medal was knocked out, and Suvorov was appointed lieutenant colonel of the Preobrazhensky regiment. There were already ten such lieutenant colonels; Suvorov became the eleventh. The commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Prince G.A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky, having arrived in St. Petersburg, received as a reward a field marshad's uniform, embroidered with diamonds, at a cost of 200 thousand rubles. Tauride Palace; in Tsarskoye Selo, it was planned to build an obelisk to the prince depicting his victories and conquests. The lower ranks were given oval silver medals; a gold badge was installed for officers; chiefs received orders or golden swords, some - ranks.

The conquest of Ishmael had great political significance. It influenced the further course of the war and the conclusion in 1792 of the Iasi peace between Russia and Turkey, which confirmed the annexation of Crimea to Russia and established the Russian-Turkish border along the river. Dniester. Thus, the entire northern Black Sea region from the Dniester to the Kuban was assigned to Russia.

Used materials from the book: "One Hundred Great Battles", M. "Veche", 2002

In the era of the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791. Izmail was a powerful, modern Turkish fortress. The capture of Izmail by the Russian army took place on December 11 (22), 1790. One of the significant victories of A. V. Suvorov was the capture, which was considered an impregnable fortress, in an open attack by forces smaller than that of the enemy. The capture of Ishmael finally decided the outcome of the Russian-Turkish war in favor of Russia.

background

1787, summer - Turkey, supported by France, Great Britain and Prussia, demanded from Russia the return of the Crimea and the refusal of Georgia in its patronage. In addition, they wanted to obtain consent to the inspection of all Russian merchant ships moving through the straits of the Black Sea. Without waiting for an answer to their claims, the Turks declared war on the Russian Empire.

The victories of 1789 at Focsani and Rymnik, which Suvorov won, were in themselves a serious blow to the military might of the Turkish army. But Russian army won other victories in this war. The Russians were able to capture Bendery, Akkerman and the small fortress of Hadji Bey on the sea coast. Ushakov's fleet operated perfectly on the Black Sea. But these successes were not fully used, and the Turks were able to recover from the defeats.

Fortress Izmail. Location. fortifications

The center of the Turkish defense on the Danube was the powerful fortress of Izmail. The Turks called it "Ordukalesi" - an army fortress. 1774 - it was rebuilt according to the project of French and German engineers in accordance with all modern requirements for military construction. The fortress was located on the left bank of the Kiliya branch of the Danube between the lakes Yalpukh and Katlabukh, on a slope of a sloping height, ending at the Danube bed with a low but steep slope.

The fortress was surrounded by a large shaft, reaching a height of up to eight meters. The shaft was 6 km long, 7 earthen and stone bastions were built on it, the passage was provided by four gates. The rampart encircled the city from three sides - north, west and east. From the south, the city was protected by the Danube, which has a width of half a kilometer there. In front of the rampart there was a ditch 12 meters wide and 6-10 meters deep, filled in some places with water. Stone buildings inside the fortress made it possible to conduct effective fight with the attackers in case they can get into the city. He commanded the garrison of Aydozli-Mehmet Pasha. Part of the garrison was commanded by Kaplan-girey, the brother of the Crimean Khan. The fortress had more than 200 large guns and a garrison of 35 thousand people. Russian troops near Izmail numbered 31 thousand people.

Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (Artist J. Kreuzinger 1799)

Meaning

The end of the Russian-Turkish war depended on the capture of this fortress. (Russia's ally Austria had already concluded a separate peace with the Porte.) The fortress played an important role: it not only seriously impeded the liberation of Dobruja by the Russian army, but was also a wonderful refuge for the remnants of the Sultan's army, who fled from the fortresses Ackerman, Bendery and Khotin, defeated by Russian troops. In those days, not only fugitives from these fortresses, but also the most prosperous Muslim population of the region with their families took refuge behind the ramparts of the fortress.

Development of events

The Russian army besieged Izmail, but could not take it. Neither Repnin in 1789, nor I. V. Gudovich and P. S. Potemkin in 1790 could solve this problem. Therefore, on November 25, 1790, the commander-in-chief G. A. Potemkin sent a messenger to Suvorov with an order to leave Galati and lead the Russian army near Izmail. The next day, a meeting of the military council took place near the city, recognizing the impossibility of active actions against the impregnable citadel. Some units began to move away from Izmail, and the commander of the flotilla, de Ribas, decided to head for Galati to Suvorov.

Arrival of Suvorov

On December 2, the commander who arrived near Ishmael had a different opinion than the council regarding the possibility of an assault. He wanted to attack the fortress. Leaving his horse at the foot of the Scythian mound, Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov climbed to its top. From here one could clearly see through the telescope the bastions and ramparts, behind which the spiers of pointed mosques and minarets rested against the sky, one could see the red roofs of shops and warehouses. “A fortress without weaknesses,” after inspecting the structure, Suvorov informed the commander-in-chief on the second day. “On this date, we started preparing siege materials, which were not for the batteries, and we will try to make them for the next assault in 5 days ... "

Fragment of the diorama "Assault on the fortress of Izmail by Russian troops in 1790"

Preparing for the assault

The assault was preceded by extensive engineering training (70 assault ladders and 1200 fascines were delivered from Galati), and then training of soldiers in handling ladders and engineering tools. By order of the commander, ramparts and ditches of the same type as those of Ishmael were built near the village of Safyany; it was there that the soldiers learned to storm the city.

Ultimatum

The commander of the Turkish troops in the city of Suvorov presented an ultimatum: “I arrived here with the troops. 24 hours for reflection - will; my first shot is already bondage; storm - death.

Aidozli-Mehmet Pasha refused to accept the ultimatum, saying that the Danube would soon stop in its course and the sky would fall to the ground, than Ishmael would surrender. The commander convened a military council and gave the order to storm the fortress.

Assault plan

The assault was scheduled for December 11th. Suvorov planned to attack the fortress simultaneously in several places: with six columns (19,500 people) from the land side and three columns under the command of de Ribas from the Danube (9 thousand people). The main blow was inflicted on the riverine part of the city, where two-thirds of the forces were concentrated (parts of de Ribas, columns of Kutuzov, Lvov, Lassi). Three columns were to advance from the east (the Kiliya gates of the new fortress) under the command of A.N. Samoilov, three - from the west (Bros Gates) under the command of P.S. Potemkin. Brigadier Westfalen's cavalry reserves (2,500 men) were on the land side.

The front line of the Russian battle order consisted of shooters. They were followed by sapper teams armed with axes, picks and shovels. Then followed the infantry columns, behind which was placed a reserve built in a square to repel cavalry attacks from the fortress.

The flotilla was built in two lines. 145 light ships and Cossack boats with landing troops were in the first line, and 58 large ships in the second. Large ships were supposed to cover the landing of troops on the shore with heavy artillery fire.

On December 10, artillery preparation began, using field and naval artillery (up to 600 guns were fired). The bombardment of the fortress continued throughout the day. On December 11, at three o'clock, at the signal of the rockets, the troops began to concentrate at the indicated points. At 5.30 the assault began. The attacking troops were met with fire from 250 enemy guns.

The battle for the capture of the bastions and the entire rampart continued until 8 o'clock in the morning. The first to approach the fortress was the 2nd column of Major General B.P. Lassi. At 6 o'clock in the morning, the rangers of Lassi overcame the rampart, and a fierce battle ensued above.

The most powerful western bastion - Tabiya - was attacked by the column of S.M. Lvov. The seriously wounded General Lvov was replaced by a loyal associate of Suvorov, Colonel V.I. Zolotukhin. He involved the grenadiers of the Apsheron regiment into battle, captured the coastal enemy battery, bypassed Tabiya from the rear and opened the Brossky Gate - the key to the entire fortress.

Assault on Ishmael (Engraving by S. Shiflyar)

On the other side of the fortress, in the area of ​​the granite Kiliya redoubts, the soldiers of M.I. attacked twice. Kutuzov and twice retreated under the onslaught of the enemy. Taking the Kherson regiment from the reserve, Kutuzov led his grenadiers to storm for the third time and was able to capture the bastion.

The northern Bendery bastion, which was stormed by the 3rd column under the command of Meknob, turned out to be difficult. His own detachment stormed the adjacent Bendery bastion and the gap between them. There, the depth of the ditch and the height of the shaft turned out to be so great that the ladders had to be connected in pairs. Many soldiers and officers perished on the ramparts, wet and slippery with blood. The Turks made several sorties and counterattacked the Russians, but the bastions were taken. The columns of Colonel V.P. were able to complete their tasks. Orlov and foreman M.I. Platov.

The attack was successfully carried out from the Danube, where three columns of Russians were able to overturn the Turks and gain a foothold in the city. The disembarkation began at about 7 am. Here, more than 10 thousand Turks and Tatars resisted the Russian landing. Zinoviy Chepega, the brigadier of the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks, commanding the 2nd column of river landings, rushed to the shore with the Cossacks and occupied the redoubts along the Danube. The success of the landing was facilitated by the column of Lvov, which attacked the Danube coastal batteries on the flank, and the actions of the ground forces from the eastern side of Izmail. Zaporizhian Cossacks led by ataman A.A. Golovaty dealt a bold and crushing blow from the north to the very middle of the fortress. Meanwhile, other units moved towards the center - Potemkin on the right, Kutuzov on the left.

Fierce street battles continued until 16.00. Part of the Russian field artillery was introduced into the city. The Turks stubbornly defended every square and every house. For their complete defeat at a critical moment, Suvorov's reserve entered Izmail.

In his report, Alexander Vasilyevich wrote: “There was no stronger fortress, there was no more desperate defense of Ishmael, but Ishmael was taken”, “My soldiers showed mass heroism, forgetting the feeling of fear and self-preservation.”

The results of the assault

Losses

Thus, the city, considered impregnable by the Turks, was taken during one Suvorov assault. The losses of the garrison amounted to 26 thousand killed and about 9 thousand prisoners - evidence of stubborn resistance to the Russians. The Turks lost all artillery, ammunition, 42 ships. The Russians lost 10 thousand people - 4 thousand killed and 6 thousand wounded. The prisoners were sent under escort to Nikolaev, the corpses were dumped into the Danube for another six days.

Awards

Distinguished by the skillful leadership of his column and showing an example of personal courage, Major General M.I. Kutuzov was appointed the new commandant of the city. Suvorov, on the other hand, was not awarded the rank of Field Marshal, which he counted on. The Empress, at the insistence of G.A. Potemkin limited herself to a medal and the honorary rank of lieutenant colonel of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, there were already 10 such lieutenant colonels, and Suvorov became the eleventh. Potemkin himself received a field marshal's uniform embroidered with diamonds, another palace, etc.

The lower ranks received oval silver medals; for officers who did not receive the Order of St. George or Vladimir, they installed a golden cross on the St. George ribbon; the chiefs received orders or golden swords, some were awarded ranks.

Results

It is believed that, using the example of Ishmael, Suvorov was able to prove the fallacy of Western European ideas about the capture of fortresses, based on the need for long and methodical engineering training. The great Russian commander went on an open attack, which, moreover, was carried out by forces smaller than those of the enemy (the case is unique, because usually, on the contrary, smaller forces settled in a fortified fortress could repel the huge armies of the advancing enemy).

The capture of Izmail and the victory of the Russian fleet at sea decided the outcome of the Russian-Turkish war in favor of Russia. This victory made it possible to open a direct road for the Russian army to Constantinople. This was a direct blow to the sovereignty of Turkey, which for the first time faced the threat of a complete loss of statehood. 1791 - the Treaty of Jassy was concluded, according to which Turkey recognized the accession to Russia of the Crimea, the Black Sea coast from the Southern Bug to the Dniester and lands along the river. Kuban. The Port also pledged not to interfere in the affairs of Georgia.

Izmail is a fortress where everything that remains of the ancient city is located, the history of which has not yet been fully explored.

The emergence of Ishmael, his early history

The appearance of Ishmael is covered with legends. Historians claim that the first human settlements were here already in the second millennium BC, in the Bronze Age.

There is an assumption that in the sixth millennium BC, a settlement of the Gumelnitsky culture was based in the Izmail region. In 1979, during excavations, various artifacts of ancient cultures were discovered. These are amphorae and others ceramic products. The fortress of Izmail did not yet exist, but there were Greek, Geto-Thracian and Sarmatian settlements in its area.

In the 11th-12th centuries AD, there was Galicia-Volyn principality. In the 12th century, Genoese merchants built a fort that allowed them to live and defend themselves from attacks by nomadic tribes. In the 15th century, the Turks captured the fort, began to rebuild it, and thus created a defensive structure, which became a checkpoint between Russia and Turkey.

Turkish troops in Izmail

The thirteenth century for the Smil fortress was marked by the fact that it was almost completely destroyed by the troops of the Golden Horde. A hundred years later, the city of Sinil appeared on this site, and in 1538 the troops of the Turkish Sultan broke into this place. The Turks plundered the city and devastated it, but did not completely destroy it. The city was named Ishmasl (which means "hear, Lord").

The Ottoman conquerors pursued a tough policy, and therefore the population of Budzhak protested. Soon, its inhabitants united with the Zaporizhian Cossacks and in 1594 attacked Ishmasl. The troops of the Sultan defended themselves desperately, and soon built the fortress of Izmail.

The fortress was built with the help of specialists who were invited from Europe. They created massive stone walls, up to ten meters high. Deep ditches were dug around the fortress, and water was immediately poured into them. Thirty thousand Janissaries occupied the Izmail fortress, and woe was to those who tried to take it by storm. 265 guns installed there, shot at the enemy troops. Fortress long time was considered unapproachable.

Attempts to storm the fortress

The end of the eighteenth century for the history of Russia is marked by constant conflicts with Turkey. The war of 1768-1774 did not end the dispute between the two states. The Izmail fortress was taken on July 26, 1770 by troops led by Prince N. Repnin, and in 1771 the Russian Danube flotilla was even formed here, but in 1774 the fortress was returned back to the Turks. These were the terms of the then peace treaty.

In 1789 war broke out again between Russia and Turkey. This time Ishmael became a fortified garrison. Many believed that this fortress was impossible to take. But the Russian army again tried to capture this stronghold.

In 1790, the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, General Potemkin, gave the order to take Izmail. The Russians moved forward reluctantly, and there was little success. Then it was decided to use Suvorov's troops.

Commander Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov

Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov in childhood was a weak and sickly child. Everyone told him that because of his health, he was unlikely to be able to become a military man, and he would not be able to hold heavy weapons. And no one then knew that this boy was the future commander Suvorov, for whom the Izmail fortress would be the most important achievement in his career.

In the winter cold, Suvorov walked down the street in a light jacket. In the spring, he bathed in rivers in icy water. He traveled frequently and was an excellent horse rider. He did all this in preparation for military service. As a result, he turned out to be a great commander who gave the army more than fifty years. At the very beginning of his service, he was a soldier, and at its end he became a generalissimo and field marshal. He has more than thirty-five battles to his credit.

Preparations for the capture of Ishmael under the leadership of Suvorov

Suvorov came to the capture of Ishmael already an experienced commander. He established himself as a good leader, who warmly and caringly treated the soldiers, thanks to which he repeatedly won victories. In 1787, Russian soldiers under his leadership completely dispersed and destroyed the six thousandth army of the Turks, and then brilliant victories followed in Rymnik and near Focsani. The fortress of Izmail, for which 1790 became a turning point, was considered invincible at that time. In addition, the Turkish Sultan gave the order to execute all his soldiers who would surrender to the Russian soldiers.

In December 1790, the Supreme Council in the Russian army decided that it was better not to storm the Izmail fortress yet, and suggested switching to winter quarters. Russian troops at that time suffered greatly from hunger, cold, illness began. Suvorov, who arrived, inspired courage, because everyone in the Russian army knew that this commander did not like to wait long. And so it turned out. It was Suvorov who took the fortress of Izmail. He decided to do it in the very near future, but first, how to prepare.

When Suvorov appeared, the fortress of Izmail looked down on the Russian soldiers. For ten days he spent active training soldier to attack. On his orders, a ditch was dug, a shaft was poured next to it, and now the troops began to train. Suvorov himself showed the soldiers how to climb the walls and stab the Turks (they were represented by stuffed animals). At sixty, he was a very active and youthful person.

The beginning of the assault on Ishmael

On December 9, 1790, Russian troops began an assault on the Turkish fortress. Prior to this, on December 7, Suvorov sent an ultimatum to the Turkish pasha, who ruled Ishmael, with a proposal to surrender. Pasha flatly refused and replied that the sky would sooner fall to the ground than Ishmael would succumb to the onslaught of foreign troops.

Then Suvorov decided that Izmail was a Turkish fortress that thought a lot about itself, and began to carefully prepare the offensive. The Russians constantly launched signal rockets and gradually lulled the vigilance of the Turkish privates. The assault on the city began early in the morning, at eight o'clock, and by 11 o'clock in the afternoon it became clear which side would win.

Before the battle, Suvorov divided his army into three parts. The fortress of Izmail, the year 1790 was a turning point in its history, was attacked from three sides. The troops of Pavel Potemkin were advancing from the west and north, the army of General Kutuzov was advancing from the east, the commanders in it were Orlov and Platov. The army of General Deribas took part in the battle, consisting of 3000 people, it was advancing from the Danube.

The culmination of the battle for Ishmael

The Russian army in the process of the battle for Izmail suffered great difficulties. The fourth column, consisting of Cossacks, commanded by the commander of St. George Vasily Orlov, broke into the Izmail fortress from the side of the Bendery Gates. The Cossacks were poorly trained in military affairs. While they were storming the fortress, the Bendery gates opened. The Turks jumped out and began to exterminate the Cossacks with sabers.

Suvorov found out about this and sent Voronezh hussars and a squadron of Colonel Sychov to help. A battalion of soldiers from Kutuzov arrived in time. Thus it was possible to drive away the Turks, they were partially destroyed.

At this time, the commandant of the fortress, Izmail, decided to blow up the bridge in front of it in order to prevent the Russians from entering there. At the same time, the commander of the hussars, Volkov, nevertheless organized the crossing, three of his squadrons broke into the city and captured eight hundred people. Soon, the city fortifications were captured, and fighting began in the city itself. The fight against the Turks lasted until 16:00, then the Russian army finally took possession of it.

The brother of the Crimean Khan Kaplan Giray made an attempt to recapture the city from the Russians. He gathered a detachment of several thousand Tatars who went to attack. They did not succeed, since Suvorov sent a detachment of rangers to meet them, and they led the Tatars into the coastal floodplains. Kaplan Giray and his sons were killed.

The end of the battle for Ishmael

The assault on the fortress of Izmail led to huge losses at the Turks. They killed about thirty thousand people, the Russians lost four thousand. The Russians seized all the guns, as well as jewelry worth 10 million francs. Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov became the commandant of the captured fortress.

The bodies of the dead Russians were buried in cemeteries, while the Turks were thrown into the Danube, the prisoners did this. A hospital was opened in the city itself.

For the capture of Izmail, Suvorov received the rank of lieutenant colonel of the Preobrazhensky regiment. The soldiers who took part in the assault were awarded silver medals, the officers who led the battles were awarded gold crosses with a St. George ribbon.

Ishmael in the twentieth century

In the twentieth century, Ishmael is experiencing an era of rapid development. This time is marked by the creation of the Russian-Danube Shipping Company. Izmail port works. During the imperialist war, the city is experiencing hunger and lack of the most necessary.

In 1918, Ishmael became part of the lands of royal Romania. There he remained until 1940. Old-timers remember Ishmael of that time as a well-groomed, patriarchal city. The cultural life in it was very developed. Theatrical performances were constantly arranged. In the city there were women's and men's gymnasiums, in which various subjects were studied.

In the history of the Great Patriotic War The Danube Flotilla showed itself with better side. Before the start of the war on June 22, 1941 soviet soldiers in Izmail have already taken up combat positions. And one and a half thousand Soviet soldiers for a long time successfully defended themselves from twenty thousand Romanians. Only when the order was given to leave Ishmael and go to defend Odessa, they left him. But after three years Soviet troops returned and freed Ishmael.

Diorama of the Izmail fortress

The storming of the fortress of Izmail decided to perpetuate the artists of the twentieth century. The diorama "Storming the fortress of Izmail" was created, with the help of which it was possible to disassemble in all details. The diorama was installed in 1973 in the building of a Turkish mosque. It was created by military artists E. Danilevsky and V. Sibirsky. The diorama presents viewers with a turning point in the capture of the fortress. You can see Russian soldiers crossing the ditch and climbing the walls. They are desperately fighting the defenders of the fortress. On the main tower the flag of the Russian army has already been set. In general, the diorama depicts the city of Izmail, the fortress. Many people took photos of this diorama more than once.

The main gates of the fortress are already open, and the Russian grenadiers are moving into the city. On the right, you can see how the Russian flotilla is moving along the Danube, and the Black Sea Cossacks are approaching the shore. On the bank on the left is the figure of Suvorov, who leads the battle.

Izmail fortress in the modern era

Now the fortress of Izmail is not in the best condition. Work is underway to create new buildings and an arboretum in its place. At the same time, the fortress, which was once taken by the commander Alexander Suvorov, is destroyed. Into the heaps of earth created with construction equipment, archaeologists penetrate, whose main task is not to study antiquities, but to search for jewelry.

As early as December 19, 1946, by a decree of the Izmail City Executive Committee, the territory of the fortress was declared a protected area. But since then, much has changed, and now there is a barbaric destruction of the architectural monument. Employees of the department for the protection of monuments in the Odessa region believe that the city authorities should do everything to preserve ancient artifacts that have not been destroyed.