Battle of Cape Kaliakra

Battle of Cape Kaliakra
Part of the Russo-Turkish War, 1787-1792
Date August 11, 1791 Location Cape Kaliakra off the coast of northern Bulgaria in the Black Sea Result Inconclusive Russian victory
Belligerents
Russia	Ottoman Empire/Algeria
Commanders and leaders
Admiral Fyodor Ushakov	Hussein Pasha Said Ali
Strength
15 battleships 2 frigates	18 battleships 17 frigates
Casualties and losses
17 killed and 28 wounded, and 1 ship damaged	Unknown

The Battle of Cape Kaliakra was the last naval battle of the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1792. It took place on 11 August 1791 off the coast of northern Bulgaria in the Black Sea. Neither side lost a ship, but the Ottomans retreated to Istanbul afterwards.

The Russian fleet under Ushakov of 15 battleships and 2 frigates (990 guns) and some small craft sailed from Sevastopol on 8 August, and at midday on August 11 encountered the Ottoman-Algerian fleet under Hussein Pasha of 18 battleships and 17 frigates (1,500–1,600 guns) and some smaller craft at anchor just south of Cape Kaliakra. Ushakov sailed, in 3 columns, from the north-east, between the Ottomans and the cape, despite the presence on the cape of several guns. Said Ali, the commander of the Algerian ships, weighed anchor and sailed east, followed by Hussein Pasha with the 18 battleships. The Russians then turned around south to a parallel east-south-east course and formed up mostly into 1 line, with Ushakov in 3rd position and one ship out of line on the off-battle side. Said Ali, leading the line, turned north to try to double the Russian van, but Ushakov sailed out of the line and attacked him, as the rest of the Russian fleet approached. This was at 4.45 pm. Gradually the Turks turned to the south and when darkness put an end to fighting at 8.30 pm they were in full retreat to Istanbul. Russian casualties were 17 killed and 28 wounded, and Sv. Aleksandr Nevskii was damaged.

Ships involved:

Russia (Ushakov)

Rozhdestvo Christovo 84 (flag)
Ioann Predtecha 74
Maria Magdalina 66
Preobrazhenie Gospodne 66
Sv. Pavel 66
Sv. Vladimir 66
Leontii Mutchenik 62
Sv. Aleksandr Nevskii 50
Sv. Andrei Pervozvannyi 50
Sv. Nikolai 50
Feodor Stratilat 46
Ioann Bogoslov 46
Navarchia Vosnesenie Gospodne 46
Sv. Petr Apostol 46
Tsar Konstantin 46
Fanagoria 40
Makropolea Sv. Mark Evangelist 36
Rozhdestvo Christovo (bomb)
Sv. Ieronim (bomb)
? (fireship)
? (repeater ship)
Panagia Apotumengana (privateer) 14
16 privateers

Ottoman/Algeria/Tripoli (Hussein Pasha)

18 battleships
10 large frigates
7 smaller frigates
43 small

References

• Naval wars in the Levant 1559-1853 - R. C. Anderson ISBN 0878397990