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 appearance of Ishmael is covered in legends. Historian scientists claim that the first human settlements were here already in the second millennium BC, during the Bronze Age.
There is an assumption that in the sixth millennium BC a settlement of the Gumelnitsa culture was based in the Izmail area. In 1979, during excavations, various artifacts of ancient cultures were discovered. These are amphorae and other ceramic products. The Izmail fortress did not yet exist, but in its area there were Greek, Geto-Thracian and Sarmatian settlements.
In the 11th-12th centuries AD, the Galician-Volyn principality was located here. In the 12th century, Genoese merchants built a fort that allowed them to live and protect 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 that became a checkpoint between Russia and Turkey.
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 rushed here. The Turks plundered the city and devastated it, but did not completely destroy it. The city was named Ishmasl (which translated means “hear, Lord”).
The Ottoman conquerors pursued harsh policies, and therefore the population of Budjak protested. Soon its inhabitants united with the Zaporozhye Cossacks and in 1594 attacked Ishmasl. The Sultan's troops desperately defended themselves, and soon built the Izmail fortress.
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 fortress of Ishmael, and woe to those who tried to take it by storm. 265 guns installed there shot at enemy troops. The fortress was considered impregnable for a long time.
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 under the leadership of 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 peace treaty concluded at that time.
In 1789, war broke out again between Russia and Turkey. This time Ishmael became a fortified garrison. Many believed that this fortress could not be taken. But the Russian army again tried to take possession of 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.
Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov was a weak and sickly child as a child. Everyone told him that due to his health, he was unlikely to become a military man and would not be able to handle heavy weapons. And no one knew then that this boy was the future commander Suvorov, for whom the Izmail fortress would become the most important achievement in his career.
In the winter cold, Suvorov walked down the street in a light jacket. In the spring he swam in rivers in icy water. He traveled often and rode horses well. He did all this in order to prepare for military service. As a result, he turned out to be a great commander, who gave more than fifty years to the army. At the very beginning of his service he was a soldier, and at the end he became a generalissimo and field marshal. He has more than thirty-five battles to his name.
Suvorov came to the capture of Izmail as an already experienced commander. He established himself as a good boss who treated his soldiers warmly and caringly, thanks to which he repeatedly won victories. In 1787, Russian soldiers under his leadership completely dispersed and destroyed the six-thousand-strong Turkish army, and then brilliant victories followed in Rymnik and near Focsani. The Izmail fortress, for which 1790 was a turning point, was considered invincible at that time. In addition, the Turkish Sultan gave the order to execute all his soldiers who surrendered to Russian soldiers.
In December 1790, the Supreme Council of the Russian army decided that it was better not to storm the Izmail fortress for now, and proposed moving to winter quarters. Russian troops at this time suffered greatly from hunger, cold, and illness began. The arrival of Suvorov instilled cheerfulness, 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 Izmail fortress. He decided to do this in the very near future, but first he should prepare properly.
When Suvorov appeared, the Izmail fortress looked down on the Russian soldiers. For ten days he actively prepared soldiers for the assault. On his orders, a ditch was dug, a rampart was built 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 years old, he was a very active and youthful-looking man.
On December 9, 1790, Russian troops began an assault on the Turkish fortress. Before this, on December 7, Suvorov sent an ultimatum to the Turkish Pasha, who ruled Izmail, 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 fired flares and gradually lulled the vigilance of the Turkish rank and file. The assault on the city began early in the morning, at eight o'clock, and by 11 o'clock in the afternoon it was already clear which side would win.
Before the battle, Suvorov divided his army into three parts. The Izmail fortress, the year 1790 being 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, its commanders were Orlov and Platov. The army of General Deribas took part in the battle; it consisted of 3,000 people and advanced from the Danube.
The Russian army suffered great difficulties during the battle for Izmail. The fourth column, consisting of Cossacks, commanded by the St. George commander Vasily Orlov, broke into the Izmail fortress from the Bendery Gate. The Cossacks were poorly trained in military affairs. While they were storming the fortress, the Bendery Gate opened. The Turks jumped out and began to exterminate the Cossacks with sabers.
Suvorov found out about this and sent the Voronezh hussars and the squadron of Colonel Sychov to help. A battalion of soldiers from Kutuzov also arrived. In this way, they managed to drive away the Turks, and 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. The hussar commander Volkov nevertheless organized a 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 with the Turks lasted until 16 hours, 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 assault on the Izmail fortress led to huge losses among the Turks. They killed about thirty thousand people, the Russians lost four thousand. The Russians captured 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 Russian killed were buried in cemeteries, while the Turks were thrown into the Danube, and 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 St. George's ribbon.
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. The Izmail port is operational. During the imperialist war, the city experienced famine and lack of basic necessities.
In 1918, Izmail became part of the lands of royal Romania. There he remained until 1940. Old-timers remember Izmail of that time as a well-groomed, patriarchal city. The cultural life there was very developed. Theatrical performances were constantly held. The city had 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 the best side. Before the start of the war on June 22, 1941, Soviet soldiers in Izmail had already entered combat positions. And one and a half thousand Soviet soldiers successfully defended themselves against twenty thousand Romanians for a long time. Only when the order was given to leave Ishmael and go to defend Odessa, did they leave it. But three years later, Soviet troops returned and liberated Izmail.
Twentieth century artists decided to immortalize the storming of the Izmail fortress. A diorama “The Assault on the Izmail Fortress” was created, with the help of which it was possible to disassemble it 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 the audience with the turning point of the capture of the fortress. You can see Russian soldiers crossing the moat and climbing the walls. They desperately fight the defenders of the fortress. The flag of the Russian army is already installed on the main tower. In general, the diorama depicts the city of Izmail, the fortress. Many people have taken photos of this diorama more than once.
The main gates of the fortress are already open, and the Russian grenadiers are heading into the city. On the right you can see the Russian flotilla moving along the Danube, and the Black Sea Cossacks approaching the shore. On the bank on the left is the figure of Suvorov, who is leading the battle.
Now the Izmail fortress 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 that was once taken by the commander Alexander Suvorov is destroyed. Archaeologists penetrate into the landfills created with the help of construction equipment, whose main task is not to study antiquity, but to search for treasures.
Back on December 19, 1946, by decree of the Izmail City Executive Committee, the territory of the fortress was declared a protected area. But a lot has changed since then, and now the barbaric destruction of the architectural monument is taking place. 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 were not destroyed.
Exactly 220 years ago in December 1790, during the Russian-Turkish war, the impregnable fortress of Izmail was taken.
Map of Izmail.
Ishmael, the stronghold of the Ottoman Porte on the banks of the Danube, was rebuilt under the leadership of French and German engineers as an army fortress: the “ordu kalesi”. It was designed to accommodate an entire army. On three sides (northern, western and eastern) the fortress was surrounded by a 6 km long rampart, up to 8 meters high, with earthen and stone bastions. In front of the shaft, a ditch was dug 12 meters wide and up to 10 meters deep, which in some places was filled with water. On the southern side, Izmail was covered by the Danube. Inside the city there were many stone buildings that could be actively used for defense. The fortress garrison numbered 35 thousand people with 265 fortress guns. The commandant of Izmail was the experienced Turkish military commander Aidos Mehmet Pasha.
Ishmael was the bone in the throat or the crown jewel. He was bothering me and couldn't be controlled. In general, the campaign, launched in 1787, was successful. Ishmael was supposed to be the decisive point, the most powerful argument in peace negotiations. And, as always happens in such cases, the matter stalled.
In November, a Russian army of 31 thousand people (including 28.5 thousand infantry and 2.5 thousand cavalry) with 500 guns besieged Izmail from land. The river flotilla under the command of General Horace de Ribas, having destroyed almost the entire Turkish river flotilla, blocked the fortress from the Danube.
Two assaults on Izmail ended in failure and the troops moved on to a systematic siege and artillery shelling of the fortress. With the onset of autumn bad weather, mass diseases began in the army, located in open areas. Having lost faith in the possibility of taking Izmail by storm, the generals leading the siege decided to withdraw the troops to winter quarters. Everyone surrendered except de Ribas. He did not even think about withdrawing his troops. The last Russian-Turkish company was happy for him.
Joseph Mikhailovich de Ribas.
Brigadier de Ribas is given command of a small flotilla of gunboats. The romantic name “gunboat” meant a deckless oared longboat, the armament of which consisted of a single bow cannon. But under the command of the active and enterprising Ribas, it was the detachment of gunboats that dispersed the force that had broken through into the Dnieper estuary Turkish fleet, thus defending the shipyards in Kherson.
In November 1788, Ribas' gunboats supported with fire the landing of the Black Sea Cossacks during the assault on fortified Berezan, the capture of which ensured a complete blockade of Ochakov, which ultimately made it possible to take it.
“To facilitate the actions of Your Imperial Majesty’s ground forces, I ordered the Grebnon Black Sea flotilla under the command of Mr. General Major Ribas, adding the boats of the faithful Black Sea Cossacks to enter the Danube... In order to take possession of the batteries at the mouth of this Girl, consisting of he sent a landing on the shore from a thousand Granoders of the Dniester seaside Granodersky Corps. As the ships approached the shore, the zeal of Your Imperial Majesty's troops was such that they, disregarding their lives, threw themselves into the water and, keeping one weapon, swam to the shore in this case, it was impossible to land more than six hundred people. The commander of the landing, Lieutenant Colonel and the Cavalier de Ribas, seeing that the enemy had already begun to open it and that the flotilla, due to the opposition of the wind, could not help him, went to attack the batteries during the march; the enemy, hiding in the reeds, fired at him with rifle fire, to which he did not respond, trying to open him, to drive him and climb the battery with him...
At dawn, Lieutenant Colonel de Ribas sent a detachment on the remaining Turkish boats; this was accomplished very quickly and successfully to occupy the western battery, for the enemy left the battery without long-range resistance and ran into the reeds. seven transport ships were captured here; there are thirteen cannons on the batteries, and six on the blown up ship; also several shells and food supplies." (From G. Potemkin’s report to Catherine II)
It is de Ribas who comes to mind brilliant idea replenish the fleet with sunken Turkish ships raised from the bottom of the estuaries. This is very important because sea ships they couldn’t drive with a deep draft fighting in the shallow coastal zone, river mouths and estuaries, and there was a catastrophic lack of galley and rowing.
In June 1789, commanding a separate detachment - the “vanguard” of Gudovich’s army, de Ribas took the fortified Gadzhubey by storm (here Odessa would later be founded through his efforts), and on November 4, already as commander of the Dnieper rowing flotilla, he took part in the capture of Bendery.
He took part in the famous battle at Cape Tendra and captured the fortresses of Tolchi and Isakchi.
“At dawn on the 7th day, the flotilla approached Tulcea. The castle was occupied by Granoders under the command of Lieutenant Colonel de Ribas. The loot here included one warship in addition to those captured yesterday, one military vessel. Thirty-eight transport and other small ones were found in the castle, ten guns, two hundred and forty barrels of gunpowder and a considerable number of different military shells. The entire coast in front of the thicket was covered with members of torn enemy ships. The Turks killed were counted as more than a hundred. We did not lose a single person." (From the report of G. Potemkin to Catherine II)
“After the defeat and destruction of enemy ships near Tulcha and after the capture of this City, Your Imperial Majesty’s flotilla, rising to Cape Chatalu, took its position there, which cut off all communication between Izmail and the right bank of the Danube. From there, Major General Ribas sent two divisions to Isakchi under the command of of the fleet of Captain Lieutenant Litke and Lieutenant Colonel Deribas. Following with great difficulty up the river against Strong Aspiration, they finally reached to Isacce 13th of this month. The enemy met them with a brutal cannonade both from the Dry Route and from the flotilla, consisting of one Saitia, one Kirlangich and thirteen 2 Lansonov. But when our detachment approached, half a cannon shot opened its cruel, continuous fire and set fire to the enemy flotilla, some of our ships bypassed the opposing ones and island, came to her rear, then the enemy, brought into complete confusion, sought salvation in flight, abandoning their ships, embankment batteries and a vast castle, which was immediately occupied by the troops landed on the embankment; twenty-two lançons were built here, while all the other ships fell into our hands, and in the castle a lot of all kinds of supplies, tools of all kinds, ropes, sheets, anchors and a significant amount of gunpowder were found." (From the report of G. Potemkin to Catherine II)
His flotilla, together with the flotilla of the Black Sea Cossacks, and also the landing troops landed on the lançons (which, by the way, were commanded by his brother Emmanuel), destroyed a significant part of the Turkish Danube fleet (about 200 ships in total), captured cannons, extensive warehouses along the banks of the Danube with food and military equipment, making it difficult to supply the besieged Ishmael. For this, he added St. George, 2nd class, to the orders he already had. The award was given by personal order of the Empress.
Ribas was approaching Ishmael. He believed in his military happiness. And suddenly the order was to go to winter quarters.
“When Ishmael was surrounded by strong troops, considering the last testimony of this man who fled from there on the 8th of NN about the number of the garrison and artillery, and moreover about the points, the defense of the excellent fortress was even more agreed upon: as there is no siege artillery, except for naval guns on the squadron and Field artillery has one set of charges, and for close-range shots, batteries located on the flanks of the fortress are unreliable, when severe winter weather approaches and the distance is not close winter apartments inflict final punishment on the designated batteries and then begin the assault. But since the success of this is doubtful, and even if it follows, there may be several thousand troops, for which sake they will be handed over to the high consideration of His Serene Highness the Commander-in-Chief. Due to these difficulties, if there is no assault, then according to military rules the obstruction must be changed into a blockade, since the garrison has food only for a month and a half; only so that the necessary parts of the troops, determined by sufficient provisions, as well as enough firewood for porridge and for heating, and other necessary benefits for standing, would have.
Successful measures must be taken for this. According to the force of the military regulations of the head .... point ...."
Ribas bombarded Potemkin with letters and campaign plans.
Grigory Aleksandrovich Potemkin, Field Marshal General, Commander of the Southern Army.
Maybe it wouldn’t have helped, but he had a powerful ally... Catherine the Second. She understood that if she did not end Turkey now, then in the spring the European powers would come to her side. Potemkin could not stand it - he gave up and sent a letter... to Alexander Suvorov, whose military glory shone, eclipsing the merits of others with its hot rays. The legendary defense of the Kinburg fortress, the no less legendary battle of Rymnik, the victory at Focsani - these are only the works of the last campaign.
V. Surikov. Portrait of A.V. Suvorov
“Ishmael remains a nest for the enemy and although communication is interrupted through the flotilla, he still ties his hands for further enterprises, my hope is in God and in your courage, hurry up, my gracious friend. According to my order to you, your personal presence there will connect all the parts.
There are many equal Generals, and this always results in some kind of indecisive Diet. Pisces will be to your advantage in everything, both in terms of enterprise and diligence. You will be pleased with Kutuzov too; look around and arrange it, and pray to God and take action; There are weak points, if only we could work together.
Give instructions to Prince Golitsyn when God helps you go higher, the original is signed:
most faithful friend and most humble servant Prince
Potemkin-Tavrichesky."
Grenadier (presumably the Ekaterinoslav Regiment) 1790s. From an etching by Jacquemard of the 1790s.
Potemkin abdicated responsibility. “Before my orders reached General Anshef Gudovich, General Porutchik Potemkin and Major General de Ribas about entrusting you with command over all the troops located near the Danube, and about carrying out an assault on Izmail, they decided to retreat. I receive this hour about that report, I leave it to your Siya to act here at your best discretion, whether by continuing the enterprises on Ishmael or leaving it. Your Siya, being in place and having your hands untied, of course, do not miss anything that can only contribute to the benefit of the service and the glory of the weapon. Just hasten to let me know about the measures acceptable to you and provide the aforementioned Generals with your instructions." Suvorov had to decide for himself how to proceed. What, in fact, General Forward, as his Austrian allies would later call him, could decide - of course, an assault. Although, there was certainly a risk. “You could only dare to undertake such an assault once in your life.” But Suvorov’s risk was never thoughtless. As soon as he appeared in the camp with his trusted Phanagorians and Absheronians, the mood in the troops changed. The magic of the name began to work - Suvorov is with us, which means everything will be fine. Work began to boil: weapons were checked, ladders were prepared, fascines were knitted.
A training ground was set up: walls and ramparts similar to those of Izmail, where assault techniques were practiced. "More sweat - less blood"
Soldiers of the combined grenadier battalions of the Yekaterinoslav Army, armed with cavalry carbines and bladed weapons on poles, knives on Ratovischi.
On December 7, Suvorov sent a letter from Potemkin to the commandant of Izmail with an ultimatum to surrender the fortress.
"Having brought the troops closer to Ishmael, and surrounding this city on all sides, I have already accepted drastic measures to conquer Him.
Fire and sword are already ready to destroy every living creature in it; but before these destructive means are used, following the mercy of my most merciful Monarch, who abhors the shedding of human blood, I demand from you the voluntary surrender of the city. In this case, all the inhabitants and troops of the Izmail Turks of the Tatar and others who are under the Mohammedan law will be released beyond the Danube with their property, but if you continue your useless persistence, then the fate of Ochakov will follow with the city, and then the blood of innocent wives and babies will remain on your account.
The brave general Count Alexander Suvorov of Rymniksky was appointed to carry out this."
Attached to the letter was a note from Suvorov - to Seraskir, the Chiefs and the entire society: “I arrived here with the army. 24 hours to think about surrender and freedom: my first shots are already bondage: assault death. Which I leave for you to consider.”
The Turks first asked for a day to think, and then responded no less figuratively: “The Danube would sooner stop its course and the sky bow to the ground than Ishmael would surrender.”
The assault was scheduled for December 11. Suvorov succeeded everywhere, he felt completely in his element - a worthy opponent, a completely impregnable fortress and he was finally alone. Not a single advisor-chief behind him. Under Kozludzhi, Kamensky “hung” in his arms; under Focsany and Rymnik, he had to reckon with the Prince of Coburg. He didn't miss a single detail. A detailed plan was drawn up, column leaders were appointed, and reconnaissance was carried out.
Private and chief officer of an infantry regiment in uniform 1786-1796
It was decided to attack in three detachments (three columns each). De Ribas was ordered to attack from the river side (three columns - Major General Arsenyev, Brigadier Chepega and Guard Major Markov). The right wing under the command of Lieutenant General P. S. Potemkin (7,500 people - three columns of Major Generals Lvov, Lassi and Meknob) was supposed to strike from the western part of the fortress; the left wing of Lieutenant General A.N. Samoilov (12 thousand people, three columns of brigadiers Orlov, Platov and Major General Golenishchev-Kutuzov) - from the east. Brigadier Westphalen's cavalry reserves (2,500 men) were on the land side. In total, Suvorov's army numbered 31 thousand people, including 15 thousand irregulars, poorly armed.
On December 10 (December 21), at sunrise, preparations began for an assault by fire from the flank batteries, from the island, and from the flotilla ships (about 600 guns in total).
O. Vereisky. Suvorov and Kutuzov before the assault on Izmail.
It lasted almost a day and ended 2.5 hours before the start of the assault. At 3 a.m. on December 11 (December 22), the first signal flare went up, according to which the troops left the camp and, forming columns, set out to places designated by distance.
Map of the actions of Russian troops during the assault on Izmail.
At half past five in the morning the columns moved to attack. Was there fear or excitement? Of course, but there was no panic, everyone knew where they should stand and what to do. In front were riflemen (they had to stop at the fortress moat and suppress the defenders with fire) and convoys with ladders and fascines - to fill the moat.
The Turks heard: frenzied fire opened from the bastions and ramparts - rifle bullets, buckshot, cannonballs... The rangers and grenadiers climbed across the moat under the walls of the fortress on shaky, slippery fascines. Stones and logs were flying from above, but for artillery it was a dead zone. Here, near the walls, you could catch your breath. Wait for the stairs and go up. The most experienced ones walked ahead, those who stormed Ochakov and survived. The Janachars screamed on the walls, waving short, curved sabers.
At the top, bayonets were used.
Russians infantrymen during hand-to-hand combat
Suvorov himself was on the northern side, not far from the third column.
Casket. Lacquer miniature. N.M. Zinoviev. Capture of Izmail by Suvorov.
At 6 o'clock in the morning, under a hail of enemy bullets, Lassi's rangers overcame the rampart, and a fierce battle ensued at the top. The Absheron riflemen and Phanagorian grenadiers of the 1st column of Major General S. L. Lvov overthrew the enemy and, having captured the first batteries and the Khotyn gates, united with the 2nd column. The Khotyn gates were open to the cavalry.
Engraving by S. Shiflyar “Storm of Izmail December 11 (22), 1790.” Made according to a watercolor drawing by the famous battle painter M.M. Ivanova The drawing was based on full-scale sketches made by the artist during the battle.
At the same time, at the opposite end of the fortress, the 6th column of Major General M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov captured the bastion at the Kiliya Gate and occupied the rampart up to the neighboring bastions. The 4th and 5th columns were not so lucky, they consisted of dismounted Cossacks with shortened pikes, and the fifth exclusively of Cossack recruits; both columns were subordinate to Major General Bezborodko. The peaks were easily cut by Turkish sabers, and the Cossacks found themselves practically unarmed in front of the enemy. Taking advantage of the confusion, the Turks opened the Kilik Gate and attacked the attacking flank. And if it weren’t for help from the reserves, the Cossacks would have had a very hard time.
Fragment of the diorama “Storm of Ishmael”. Izmail Historical Museum of A.V. Suvorov
Difficulties also arose for the 3rd column of Meknob: it stormed the large northern bastion, adjacent to it to the east, and the curtain wall between them. In this place, the depth of the ditch and the height of the rampart were so great that the ladders of 5.5 fathoms (about 11.7 m) turned out to be short, and they had to be tied together two at a time under fire. The main bastion was taken. The fourth and fifth columns (Colonel V.P. Orlov and Brigadier M.I. Platov, respectively) also completed the tasks assigned to them, overcoming the rampart in their sectors.
What about de Ribas? His landing troops landed ashore around 7 am.
The rapid and successful progress of the attack was facilitated at the very beginning by the first assault ground column, which captured several Danube batteries and thereby facilitated the landing of troops.
The Turks were shot down from the river side as successfully as from the land side, and Ribas entered into contact with the columns of Lvov and Kutuzov.
Assault on Ishmael.
By 11 am, Russian flags were flying over almost all the bastions and curtains. The worst thing began - fighting in the city. For every street, for every house. Cruel, bloody, merciless. Several thousand horses broke out of the stables and rushed around the city in horror, increasing the general confusion. General Lassi was the first to reach the middle 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 himself stubbornly, and only when most of his detachment was killed, he surrendered with 300 soldiers remaining alive. Behind Lassi, others began to gradually approach the center. To support the infantry and ensure success, Suvorov ordered the introduction of 20 light guns into the city to clear the streets of the Turks with grapeshot. By one o'clock in the afternoon the entire city was occupied; The Turks continued to defend themselves only in the mosque, two khans and the Tabiy redoubt, but could not hold out for long and were partly knocked out and partly surrendered.
Suvorov ordered the cavalry to finally clear the streets. It took time to carry out this order; Individuals and small crowds defended themselves like mad, while others hid, so that it was necessary to dismount to find them. An attempt to snatch Izmail back was made by Kaplan Giray, the brother of the Crimean Khan. He gathered several thousand horse and foot Tatars and Turks and led them towards the advancing Russians. But this attempt failed, he fell, and more than 4 thousand Turks were killed, including the five sons of Kaplan Giray. At two o'clock in the afternoon all columns penetrated into the city center. At 4 o'clock the victory was finally won. Ishmael fell. The fortress was taken by an army that was inferior in number to its garrison. The case is extremely rare in the history of military art.
A. Rusin. Entry A.V. Suvorov to Izmail.
“...there is no stronger fortress, no more desperate defense, like Ishmael, who fell before the highest throne of Her Imperial Majesty in a bloody assault. I sincerely congratulate your lordship" (From the report of A.V. Suvorov to G.A. Potemkin)
R. Volkov. Portrait of M.I. Kutuzova
According to the promise given in advance by Suvorov, the city, according to the custom of that time, was given over to the power of the victors for three days. They got rich trophies. Suvorov, as always, did not touch anything. He even refused the magnificent horse in luxurious attire that was brought to him. “The Don horse brought me here, and I’ll leave here on it.” At the same time, Suvorov took measures to ensure order. Kutuzov, who was appointed commandant of Izmail at the height of the battle (in this way Suvorov “stimulated” the 6th column to perform feats), placed guards in the most important places. A huge hospital was opened inside the city. The bodies of the killed Russians were taken out of town and buried in church rite. There were so many Turkish corpses that the 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 Cossacks.
Medal for lower ranks take Ishmael.
The rewards “for the cause” were distributed in a whimsical manner, as always. Suvorov expected to receive the rank of field marshal general for the assault on Izmail, but Potemkin, petitioning the empress for his award, proposed awarding him with a medal and the rank of guard lieutenant colonel or adjutant general.
Officer's Cross for take Ishmael.
The medal was knocked out, and Suvorov was appointed lieutenant colonel of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. There were already ten such lieutenant colonels; Suvorov became eleventh. Obviously, Grigory Alexandrovich did not forgive Alexander Vasilyevich either his military talent or his daring phrase. In response to Potemkin’s question: “How can I reward you, Alexander Vasilyevich?” Suvorov replied: “I am not a merchant and did not come here to bargain; no one except God and the Empress can reward me.” The commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Prince G.A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky, having arrived in St. Petersburg, received as a reward a field marshal's uniform, embroidered with diamonds, worth 200 thousand rubles. Tauride Palace; In Tsarskoe Selo, it was planned to build an obelisk for the prince depicting his victories and conquests. Oval silver medals were distributed to the lower ranks; a gold badge was installed for officers; Based on Suvorov’s very detailed and fair report, the commanders received orders or golden swords, some received ranks.
8 - Officer's cross and soldier's medal for participation in the storming of Izmail in December 1790
9 - Breastplate officer badge of the Phanagorian Grenadier Regiment with the image of the Ishmael Cross. 19th century
The conquest of Ishmael had a great impact political significance. It influenced the further course of the war and the conclusion of the Treaty of Iasi between Russia and Turkey in 1791, 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.
Portrait of A.V. Suvorov. Hood. Yu.H. Sadilenko
Vesuvius spews flames,
A pillar of fire stands in the darkness,
The crimson glow gapes,
Black smoke flies upward in a cloud.
Pontus turns pale, furious thunder roars,
The blows are followed by blows,
The earth is shaking, sparks are raining,
Rivers of red lava are bubbling, -
Oh Ross! This is your image of glory,
That light was brewing under Ishmael.
G. Derzhavin. "Ode to the Capture of Ishmael"
Materials from Wikipedia and websites were used.
You can only decide to storm Ishmael once in your life; fortunately, no one can repeat this experience again...
Suvorov
The capture of Izmail took place on December 11, 1790. During the battle, the Russian army, under the command of Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, won a brilliant victory, capturing a fortress with smaller forces, which was considered impregnable by many. As a result of this victory, a radical change was made in the Russian-Turkish war, as well as in strengthening Russia’s positions in the Black Sea and the Balkans.
We can briefly highlight 4 main reasons that led to the need to capture Ishmael:
In fact, Ismail was an impregnable fortress, the possession of which provided significant advantages in military operations.
In the second half of 1790, the Russian army won a number of major victories, but a very difficult situation arose. After the fall of the Turkish fortresses of Sulin, Isakcha, Tulcha and Kiliya, the garrisons that were forced to retreat took refuge in Izmail. A very strong garrison was formed in the fortress, which, using the favorable geographical location of the fortress, created significant advantages for the Turkish side.
In November 1790, the efforts of almost all countries interested in one way or another in the war focused on Ishmael. Catherine 2 gives the order to Field Marshal Potemkin to take possession of the fortress by the end of the year by any means necessary. Potemkin, in turn, gave the order to generals Gudovich, Pavel Potemkin and Deribas to take possession of the city. The generals could not do this; I am increasingly inclined to think that Ishmael is impregnable.
The state of the Russian army near Izmail before the arrival of Suvorov can be described as decadent. The soldiers were tired big amount transitions, poor camp organization, food shortages and constant clashes with the Turks. In fact, the army was under open air, without organizing huts or other shelters. It rained constantly in November, so the soldiers did not even have time to dry their clothes. This led to a large number of illnesses and loosening of discipline. The situation was complicated by the fact that the hospitals were poorly organized. Doctors lacked even the most basic medicines and dressing materials.
The Russian generals, who actually accepted the idea that Izmail was an impregnable fortress, did not act. They understood that they would not be able to storm the fortress on their own. As a result, the poor conditions for the army were aggravated by the delay of the command, which caused grumbling among the troops.
On November 28, 1790, the military council decided to lift the siege of Izmail. The army command was guided by the fact that there were not enough people to wage a siege, there were not enough assault guns, there was not enough artillery, ammunition and everything else necessary. As a result, approximately half of the troops were withdrawn from the fortress.
On November 25, 1790, Potemkin gave the order to Chief General Suvorov to immediately report to Izmail. The order was received on November 28 and Suvorov set off for the fortress from Galati, taking with him the troops he had previously trained: the Phanagorian Grenadier Regiment, the hunters of the Acheron Regiment (150 people) and the Arnauts (1000 people). Together with the troops, Suvorov sent food, 30 ladders for the assault and 1000 fascines (bundles of rods that were used to overcome ditches).
Early in the morning of December 2, Alexander Suvorov arrived near Izmail and took command of the garrison. The general immediately began training the army. First of all, Suvorov organized reconnaissance and positioned the troops in a semicircle around the fortress, forming a dense ring on land and an equally dense ring along the Danube, creating an element of complete siege of the garrison. Suvorov's main idea at Izmail was to convince the enemy that there would be no assault, but that all preparations were being made for a systematic and long-term siege of the fortress.
On the night of December 7, 2 batteries were erected on the eastern and western outskirts of the fortress, at a distance of up to 400 m, each containing 10 guns. On the same day, these guns began shelling the fortress.
Deep in his rear, out of sight of the Turkish army, Suvorov ordered the construction of an exact copy of Ismail. We are not talking about completely copying the fortress, but about recreating its moat, rampart and walls. Right here on clear example the general trained his troops, honing their actions to the point of automaticity, so that in the future, during a real assault on the fortress, each person knew what he needed to do and understood how to behave in front of this or that fortification system. All training took place exclusively at night. This is not due to the specifics of preparations for the capture of Izmail, but to the specifics of Suvorov’s training of his armies. Alexander Vasilyevich liked to repeat that it was night exercises and night battles that provide the basis for victory.
To give the Turkish army the impression of preparing a long siege, Suvorov ordered:
These actions led to the fact that the Turkish side greatly overestimated the size of the Russian army. If in reality Suvorov had 31,000 people at his disposal, then the Turks were sure that he had about 80,000 people at his disposal.
Catherine 2 insisted on the rapid capture of the fortress, so on December 7 at 14:00 Suvorov conveyed to the commandant of Izmail (Aydozli-Mehmet Pasha) a proposal to surrender the fortress, but was refused. After this, envoys were sent to the fortress, through whom the general conveyed a message that later became popular.
I came here with the troops. 24 hours for reflection - will. My first shot is bondage. Assault is death. Which I leave for your consideration.
Suvorov
Seraskir responded to this famous phrase by Suvorov with a phrase that is also widely known today: “It would be more likely for the Danube to stop its flow and the sky to bow to the ground than for Ishmael to fall.”
On December 8, Aidozli Mehmed Pasha sent Suvorov a proposal to give 10 days to think about his message about surrender. Thus, the Turks were playing for time, waiting for reinforcements. Suvorov refused, saying that if the white banner was not displayed immediately, the assault would begin. The Turks did not surrender.
On December 9, 1790, at a meeting of the military council, a decision was made to storm Izmail. I consider it necessary to dwell on the main aspects of Suvorov’s combat order, since it clearly describes the disposition of Russian troops and the offensive plan. The capture was planned to be carried out in three directions:
The cavalry, which numbered 2,500 people, was supplied as a reserve.
Map of the assault on the Izmail fortress with a detailed examination of the actions of the Russian army.
In the combat order, Suvorov demanded that each detachment allocate at least 2 battalions to its personal reserve. The reserve in the form of cavalry is a combined arms reserve and is divided between three detachments. The assault on the fortress is planned for December 11, 2-3 hours before dawn. All commanders must act coherently and not deviate from orders. Artillery preparation should begin on December 10 and be conducted from all guns with a firing depth of up to 1 km. The Russian army prohibits touching old people, women, children and civilians during battle.
Suvorov planned to begin the assault on Izmail 3 hours before dawn, since this allowed him to be near the walls of the fortress with the onset of daylight.
By order of Suvorov, all ships were loaded from one side. This made it possible to tilt the ships upward, as a result of which it was possible to use naval guns to conduct mounted fire on the fortress. This was extremely important, since the Russian army did not have enough field guns. Moreover, this was a new technique that had not been used by generals before Ishmael.
The Russian army consisted of 31,000 people, 607 guns (40 field and 567 on ships).
The Turkish army consisted of 43,000 people and 300 guns (excluding guns on ships, since there is no data on them).
We see that all the advantages and superiority were on the Turkish side. They were in a well-fortified fortress and had an army that was approximately 1.5 times larger than the enemy army. Any military expert, seeing these numbers, will say that the assault is suicide and an almost impossible task. And it is no coincidence that Suvorov wrote in his autobiography that the capture of Izmail is an event that happens only once in a lifetime, and it is impossible to repeat it. This is true, since there are simply no historical analogues of such victories in the modern history of mankind.
The Izmail fortress had a favorable geographical location. It rose to a height in the Danube, which acted as a natural barrier on the southern side. On the western side, the fortress was surrounded by two lakes Kuchurluy and Alapukh. From the east the fortress was surrounded by Lake Kalabukh. The natural defense of Ishmael on three sides significantly limited the room for maneuver of enemy armies. A wide ravine ran along the fortress, which divided the city into two parts: the old fortress (western part of the city) and the new fortress (eastern part of the city).
In 1790, the Izmail fortress included the following defensive structures:
The southern side, to which the Danube adjoined, was the least fortified. The fact is that the Turks considered the river to be a strong obstacle, and also relied on their fleet, which was always supposed to hold back the enemy.
The city itself was in great danger during the assault on Izmail. Almost all the buildings in the city were made of stone with thick walls and a large number of towers. Therefore, in fact, each building represented a strong point from which defense could be launched.
On December 10, artillery preparation for the attack began. All 607 guns fired non-stop, increasing in intensity as night approached. Turkish artillery also responded, but towards the end of the day its salvoes practically ceased. By the end of December 10, the Turkish side had practically no artillery pieces left.
On December 11, at 3:00 a.m., a rocket was launched, signaling the Russian army to move into its original attack position. At 4:00 a.m. the second rocket was launched, at the signal of which the troops began to form into battle formation. At 5:30 on December 11, 1790, the third rocket was launched, which signaled the beginning of the assault on the Izmail fortress. It took several attacks to break into the city. The Turks often launched counterattacks that drove back the Russian army, after which it again went on the offensive, trying to take advantageous positions.
Already at 8:00 Russian troops captured all the walls of the fortress. From that moment on, Izmail’s attack was virtually over; the Turkish army retreated into the depths of the city, and Russian soldiers closed a circle inside Izmail, creating an encirclement. The complete unification of the Russian army and the completion of the encirclement occurred at 10 am. Until about 11, fighting continued for the outskirts of the city. Each house had to be taken with a fight, but due to the courageous actions of the Russian soldiers, the ring was getting tighter and tighter. Suvorov ordered the introduction of light cannons, which fired grapeshot into the city streets. It was important point, since the Turks at that moment no longer had artillery and could not respond in a similar way.
The last center of resistance to the Turkish army in Izmail was formed in the city square, where 5,000 Janissaries, led by Kaplan-Girey, defended. Russian soldiers, trained by Suvorov to use bayonets, pressed back the enemy. In order to win the final victory, Suvorov gave the order to the cavalry, who were in reserve, to attack the city square. After this, resistance was completely broken. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon the assault on Izmail was over. The fortress fell. Nevertheless, even before the end of December 12, rare shooting continued in the city, as isolated Turkish soldiers took refuge in basements and mosques, continuing to defend. But ultimately these resistances were suppressed.
Only one Turk managed to escape alive. At the beginning of the battle, he was slightly wounded and fell from the fortress wall, after which he fled. The rest of the troops were mostly killed, a smaller part was taken prisoner. Suvorov sent a message to the empress - “The Russian flag on the walls of Izmail.”
The Turkish army lost 33,000 people killed and wounded, and 10,000 prisoners. Among the dead were: commandant Izmail Aydozli Mehmet Pasha, 12 pashas (generals), 51 senior officers.
The Russian army lost 1830 people killed and 2933 people wounded. During the assault, 2 generals and 65 officers were killed. These figures were in Suvorov's report. Later historians said that during the capture of the Izmail fortress, 4 thousand people died and 6 thousand were wounded.
As trophies, Suvorov's army captured: up to 300 guns (in different sources the figure ranges from 265 to 300), 345 banners, 42 ships, 50 tons of gunpowder, 20,000 cannonballs, 15,000 horses, jewelry and food supplies for the garrison and the city for six months.
Suvorov's victory at Izmail was of great significance for the Russian-Turkish war. Many Turkish fortresses, whose garrisons considered Izmail impregnable, began to surrender Russian army without a fight. As a result, a radical change was made in the war.
The capture of Izmail also had important political significance. On December 11, a meeting of representatives of England, Austria, Prussia, France and Poland was held in the city of Sistav (Balkans). They were developing a plan to help Turkey in the war against Russia. The arriving news of the fall of Ishmael caused a real shock, as a result of which the meeting was interrupted for 2 days. It never ended in anything, since it became clear that Turkey lost the war.
The capture of the Izmailov fortress 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 complete loss of statehood. As a result, she was forced in 1791 to sign a peace treaty in Iasi, which meant her defeat.
Dedicated to the capture of the Turkish fortress Izmail by Russian troops under the command of Suvorov. Although, to be fair, it was taken not on December 24, but on December 22, 1790, if you count according to the new style. We don’t know why this was so, but the operation itself became the pinnacle of military art and courage of that time. As is customary in such cases, there is an extremely fascinating story behind this event.
The assault on Izmail took place at the final stage of the Russian-Turkish War of 1787-1791. The war itself began because of Turkey’s desire to regain territories lost in past conflicts, including Crimea. It did not go very well for the Sultan, and by the time Izmail was captured, the Turkish army had suffered many defeats, and also lost several fortresses near Izmail, where the remnants of the garrisons that had escaped flocked.
Ishmael himself did not have “fortress walls” in our understanding. It was built by French engineers according to last word engineering thought of that time, so the basis of its fortifications were earthen ramparts with a huge ditch, on which numerous cannons were installed. This was done in order to protect against modern artillery, for which it was not difficult to break the vertically standing ancient walls.
By the time Suvorov arrived near Izmail, Russian troops had already tried more than once to take the fortress by storm, but failed. This happened, among other things, due to the indecisiveness of the command, which had already given the order to withdraw the troops, and they began to close the camp under the jubilant glances of the besieged Turks.
At this moment, the commander, Prince Potemkin, trying to shift responsibility to Suvorov, gave him a real carte blanche, giving the following order:
“I leave it to Your Excellency to act here at your best discretion, whether by continuing the enterprises in Izmail or leaving it. Your Excellency, being in place and having your hands untied, of course, do not miss anything that can only contribute to the benefit of the service and the glory of the weapon.”
It must be said that Alexander Vasilyevich immediately responded to the call of the commander-in-chief and began to act, realizing that his hands were untied by the order. He immediately went to Ishmael, calling for reinforcements, and turning back the troops already leaving the fortress.
He himself was so impatient that a few kilometers before the goal he left his guard and set off on horseback, accompanied only by one Cossack, who was carrying the commander’s personal belongings.
Turkish warriors of the 18th century.
Arriving at the place, the active Suvorov immediately ordered not only to besiege the city from all sides, but also to build a copy of their ramparts and a ditch at a distance from the Turks, on which Turkish dolls were made from fascines (bundles of rods). After this, night training of soldiers began to take these fortifications, led by the commander himself. Together they crossed the ditch, climbed the rampart, stabbed with bayonets and chopped down these fascines with sabers.
The appearance of the famous commander, who at that time was over sixty, unusually inspired the soldiers, because among them there were veterans who fought with him shoulder to shoulder, and youngsters who had heard from their comrades about the living legend.
And Alexander Vasilyevich himself actively began raising morale, walking around the soldiers’ fires and simply communicating with the soldiers, not hiding the fact that the assault would be difficult and remembering with them the feats that they had already accomplished.
Balkan irregulars troops XVIII century.
In raising morale, there was also a bait - according to the tradition of that time, the city was promised to the soldiers for plunder for three days. Having encouraged the most indecisive and interested the most greedy, Suvorov developed a plan for an unexpected assault.
Since the garrison was not going to surrender, and protracted urban battles were expected, it was decided to go from three sides two hours before dawn, at 5.30 in the morning. In this case, the attack was supposed to begin with the launch of a signal flare. However, so that the Turks did not understand exactly when the assault would take place, signal flares began to be fired every night.
The most curious thing is that many titled foreigners took part in the assault, who, having learned about such an enterprise, arrived to join the Russian troops. For example, among the foreigners we will mention Langeron, Roger Damas, Prince Charles de Ligne and the inseparable Duke of Fronsac, who later became famous in the public sphere under the name of Duke Richelieu, and the Prince of Hesse-Philippsthal. It also needs to be said that the flotilla blocking Ishmael from the water was commanded by the Spaniard José de Ribas. All of them showed themselves to be brave warriors and military leaders and received various awards.
Having made all the preparations, Suvorov delivered an ultimatum to the great serasker Aidozle-Mehmet Pasha, who was defending the city, with the following words:
“I arrived here with the troops. Twenty-four hours for reflection - and freedom. My first shot is already bondage. Assault is death."
But the Turks were preparing for a mortal battle, and even, according to some data, trained seven-year-old boys to hold weapons. In addition, the Sultan, angry at the failures, issued an order that anyone who escaped from Izmail would face death. And the ratio of sides was in their favor - 31,000 (of which 15 thousand were irregular) in the Russian army and 35,000 (15 thousand regular troops, 20 thousand militia) in the Turks.
It is not surprising that the serasker refused: “It would be more likely for the Danube to flow backward and the sky to fall to the ground than for Ishmael to surrender.” True, according to other sources, these were the words of one of the highest dignitaries who conveyed the response of the Turkish commander to the Russian envoys.
After a daily shelling, the assault on the city began.
On the morning of December 11, old style (that is, December 22, new style), Russian troops at three o'clock in the morning began preparing for an assault using a signal flare. True, the completely unexpected attack did not happen, since the Turks were not only constantly on duty on the ramparts, but also the Cossack defectors told them about the date of the attack. However, after the third rocket, at 5.30 am, the assault columns went forward.
Taking advantage of the fact that the Turks knew Suvorov’s own habits very well, he resorted to a trick. Previously, he himself always led the assault columns in the most important area, but now he stood at the head of the detachment opposite the most fortified part of the walls - and did not go anywhere. The Turks fell for it and left numerous troops in this direction. And the attackers stormed the city from three other sides, in those places where the fortifications were weakest.
The battles on the ramparts were bloody, the Turks bravely defended themselves, and the Russian troops advanced. There was a place for both unparalleled courage and terrifying cowardice. For example, the Polotsk regiment, which was under the command of Colonel Yatsunsky, rushed into the bayonet line, but at the very beginning of the attack, Yatsunsky was mortally wounded, and the soldiers began to hesitate; Seeing this, the regimental priest raised high the cross with the image of Christ, inspired the soldiers and rushed with them to the Turks. Later, it was he who would serve a prayer service in honor of the capture of the city.
Or another legendary story: during a protracted attack, hearing loud cries of “Allah” and the noise of battle to their right, Platov’s Cossacks, seeing many killed and wounded comrades (the columns were subjected to crossfire from the two nearest bastions), hesitated somewhat, but Platov carried them away behind them shouting: “God and Catherine are with us! Brothers, follow me!”
True, there were other examples: Lanzheron in his memoirs claims that General Lvov, Prince Potemkin’s favorite, pretended to be wounded during the attack. One of the officers unbuttoned his uniform and looked for the wound. A soldier running past in the dark mistook Lvov for a Turk who was being robbed and hit the general with a bayonet, but only tore his shirt. After this, Lvov took refuge in one of the cellars. Subsequently, surgeon Massot found no signs of wounds on Lvov.
In less than an hour, the outer fortifications were captured, and the gates were opened and through them the cavalry rode into the city and field guns were brought in. And then the bloodiest thing began - urban battles.
The Turks turned every large house into a small fortress, from every window they fired at the advancing troops. Women with knives rushed at the soldiers, and men desperately attacked the columns moving towards the city center.
During the battle, thousands of horses escaped from the burning stables, and for some time the battle had to be stopped, since the mad horses rushing around the city trampled many Turks and Russians. Kaplan-Girey, the brother of the Tatar Khan, with two thousand Tatars and Turks tried to escape from the city, but, encountering resistance, died along with his five sons.
Serasker Aidozla-Mehmet himself, with the best warriors, desperately defended himself in a large house. And only when the gates were knocked down with the help of artillery, and the bursting grenadiers bayoneted most of the resisters, the rest surrendered. And then it happened unpleasant incident- during the surrender of weapons by Mehmet Pasha himself, one of the Janissaries shot at a Russian officer. The enraged soldiers killed most of the Turks and only the intervention of other officers saved several of the prisoners.
True, there is another version of these events, according to which, when the Turks were disarmed, a passing huntsman tried to take away an expensive dagger from Aidozli-Meghmet. Outraged by this treatment, the Janissaries shot at him, hitting the officer, which provoked the retaliatory cruelty of the soldiers.
Despite the heroism of the defenders, the city was taken by eleven o'clock. And then the worst thing began - Suvorov kept his promise, giving Izmail to the soldiers for plunder. According to foreigners, they walked ankle-deep in bloody mud, the corpses of the Turks were then thrown into the Danube for six days, and many prisoners who watched this died of fear. The entire city was plundered and many residents were killed.
In total, about 26 thousand Turks died during the assault and after it, and 9 thousand were captured. The Russians lost a little more than five thousand killed and wounded, although according to other sources the losses were about ten thousand.
The capture of Izmail shocked Europe, and real panic began in Turkey. It was so strong that the population fled from nearby cities, and in Brailov, a fortress with a garrison of twelve thousand, the population begged the local pasha to surrender as soon as the Russian troops arrived, so that they would not suffer the fate of Ishmael.
Be that as it may, the capture of Izmail is a glorious milestone in Russian military history, worthy of its own day of military glory.
December 11 (22), 1790 during the Russian-Turkish war 1787-1791 gg. troops of A.V. Suvorov took the impregnable fortress of Izmail.
Victory in the Russian-Turkish War 1768-1774gg. provided Russia with access to the Black Sea. But according to the terms of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Treaty, the strong fortress of Izmail, from 1711the city, which served as the base of the Russian Danube flotilla, remained with Turkey.
In 1787 Turkey, supported by England and France, demanded that Russia revise the treaty: the return of Crimea and the Caucasus, invalidation of subsequent agreements. Having been refused, she began military operations.
Despite the brilliant victories of the Russian army underOchakov (1788), at Focsani (1789) and on the river Rymnik (1789), the enemy did not agree to accept the peace terms that Russia insisted on, and in every possible way delayed the negotiations.
In 1790 g., after unsuccessful attempts by generals I. V. Gudovich, P.S. Potemkin and the flotillaRibas to capture Izmail, the Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Army, Field Marshal G.A. Potemkin ordered the General-in-ChiefA. V. Suvorov, whose troops stood at Galati, take command of the units besieging Izmail. Taking command 2(13) December, Suvorov returned to Izmail the troops retreating from the fortress, and blocked it from land and from the Danube River.
The Izmail fortress was considered impregnable. It had the shape of an irregular triangle, with its apex facing north. From the south it was covered by the Danube River, from the west, north and east - by an earthen rampart with a length of over 6 km, height 6-8 m, with 7 earthen and stone bastions, as well as a fortress moat 12 wide m, depth 6-10 m, filled in some places with water up to 2 deepm. The garrison numbered 35 thousand people and 265 guns The commandant of the fortress was one of the most experienced Turkish military leaders, Aidos Mehmet Pasha. Russian troops numbered 31thousand people and over 500 guns
Finished at 6 days of preparation for the assault, Suvorov 7(18) December 1790 Mr. sent an ultimatum to the commandant of Izmail demanding the surrender of the fortress; The commander attached a note to the official letter: “To Seraskir, the Chiefs and the whole society: I arrived here with the troops. 24an hour of reflection for surrender and will; My first shots are already in captivity; assault - death. Which I leave for you to consider.” The ultimatum was rejected.
9 (20) December, the military council assembled by Suvorov decided to immediately begin the assault on the fortress, which was scheduled for 11(22) December. At the council, Suvorov stated: “The Russian army besieged Izmail twice and retreated twice; All that remains for us, for the third time, is either to win or to die with glory.”
10 (21) December, at sunrise, preparations began for an assault by fire from flank batteries, from the island and from flotilla ships (about 600 in totalguns). Artillery preparation lasted almost a day and ended in 2.5hours before the start of the assault.
December 11 (22), 1790 at 3 at about midnight the first signal flare was launched, according to which the troops formed into columns and moved to their designated places, at 5 h 30 min. the columns went to storm the fortress. The river flotilla approached the shore and, under the cover of artillery fire, landed troops. By eight o’clock in the morning, after a stubborn battle, Russian troops had occupied all the most important fortifications, after which fierce street battles broke out inside the city: “the narrow streets were full of defenders, shooting was carried out from all the houses... There are so many separate detachments and battles…” Already at two o'clock in the afternoon all the columns penetrated into the city center; at four o'clock the victory was finally won. Ishmael fell. During the assault on Izmail, the column of General M.I. Kutuzov especially distinguished itself by taking the Kiliya Gate. For his skillful leadership of the battle and personal courage, Suvorov appointed him commandant of the city.
The Turkish losses were enormous: more than 26thousand people were killed, 9thousand were captured. 265 were taken in Izmail guns, up to 3 thousand poods of gunpowder, 20thousand cores and many other ammunition, up to 400 banners, 8 lançons, 12 ferries, 22 light ships and a lot of rich booty that went to the army. The Russians had 64 killed officer (1 brigadier, 17 staff officers, 46 chief officers) and 1 thousand 816 privates; injured 253officers (three of them major generals) and 2 thousand 450 lower ranks. The total number of losses was 4 thousand 583 people. Some authors put the number of killed at 4thousand, and wounded up to 6 thousand
Izmail was taken by an army that was inferior in number to the garrison of the fortress - an extremely rare case in the history of military art. Success was ensured by the thoroughness and secrecy of preparation, the simultaneous attack of all columns, and the clear and precise setting of goals.
For the assault and capture of Izmail, Suvorov was appointed lieutenant colonel of the Preobrazhensky regiment. The lower ranks were awarded oval silver medals, with the empress’s monogram on one side and with the inscription “For excellent bravery for the capture of Ishmael on December 11,1790" to the other. A gold badge was installed for the officers with the inscriptions “For excellent courage” and “Ishmael was taken on December 11, 1790".
The capture of Izmail contributed to the quick and successful end of the war with Ottoman Empire. 29 December 1791 (January 9, 1792) was concluded Treaty of Jassy between Russia and Turkey, which confirmed the annexation of Crimea to Russia and established the Russian-Turkish border along the river.Dniester. According to the Treaty of Yassy, Izmail was returned to Turkey. For the third time, Izmail was taken by Russian troops 14(26) September 1809 during the Russian-Turkish war 1806-1812 gg. and by Treaty of Bucharest (1812) remained with Russia.
Lit.: Rakovsky L. I. Kutuzov. L., 1971. Ch.5. The day of Ishmael is fatal; The same [Electronic resource]. URL: http://militera. lib. ru/bio/rakovsky/05. html; Elchaninov A. G. Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov // History of the Russian army from the birth of Rus' to the war of 1812 St. Petersburg, 2003. P. 350; The same [Electronic resource]. URL: http://militera. lib. ru/ h/ sb_ istoria_ russkoy_ armii/27. html; On the southern borders // Astapenko M., Levchenko V. All of Russia will remember. M., 1986. S. 16; The same [Electronic resource]. URL: http://militera. lib. ru/bio/astapenko/02. html; Report of Chief General A. IN. Suvorov to Prince G. A. Potemkin about the assault // Military-historical magazine. 1941. No. 4. pp. 127-132.
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