Russian ship Vsevolod (1796)
Encyclopedia
The Russian ship Vsevolod (1796) (also Sewolod; ) was a 74-gun ship of the line
launched in 1796. She served in the North Sea and the Baltic until the British 74-gun third rates Implacable
and Centaur
destroyed her in 1808 during the Anglo-Russian War (1807-1812)
.
on 8 August and operated in the North Sea and off the Texel for almost three years. She returned to Kronstadt
on 21 July 1800. She then carried supplies to Revel’
. She then served in the Baltic before undergoing repairs in 1804. In September 1805 she transported troops to Pomerania.
in response to Sweden's refusal to bow to Russian pressure to join the anti-British alliance. Russia captured Finland and made it a Grand Duchy under the Russian Empire
. The British decided to take counter-measures and in May sent a fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir James Saumarez
to the Baltic.
On 9 July, the Russian fleet, under Admiral Peter Khanykov, came out from Kronstadt
. The Swedes massed a fleet under Swedish Admiral Cederstrom, consisting of 11 line-of-battle ships and 5 frigates at Örö
and Jungfrusund to oppose them. On 16 August, Saumarez then sent Centaur, Captain William Henry Webley, and Implacable, Captain Thomas Byam Martin
, to join the Swedish fleet. They chased two Russian frigates on 19 July and joined the Swedes the following day.
On 22 August, the Russian fleet, consisting of nine ships of the line, five large frigates and six smaller ones, moved from Hango to threaten the Swedes. The Swedes, with the two British ships, grouped at Örö, and three days later sailed to meet the Russians.
The Russians and the Anglo-Swedish force were fairly evenly matched, but the Russians retreated and the Allied ships followed them. Centaur and Implacable were better vessels than the Swedish ships and slowly pulled ahead, with Implacable catching up with Vsevolod, which was straggling.
On Vsevolod, under Captain Rudno (or Rudnew or Roodneff) exchanged fire with Implacable, with the Russian suffering heavy casualties before running aground. During this exchange three nearby Russian ships failed to render assistance. Vsevolod hauled down her colors, but Hood recalled Implacable because the Russian fleet was approaching. During the fight Implacable lost six men killed and twenty-six wounded, including two who did not recover and three who had limbs amputated.; Vsevolod lost some 48 dead and 80 wounded.
The Russian frigate Poluks then towed Vsevolod towards Rager Vik
(Ragerswik or Rogerswick or Russian: Baltiyskiy) where the Russian fleet was sheltering. However, Vsevolod grounded some six miles from the port.
On Centaur came up and was able to drive off the boats that were attempting to get the disabled ship into harbor. Seamen from Centaur were able to lash her mizzen to the Russian bowsprit before Centaur opened fire. Both vessels grounded, and both sides attempted to board the other vessel. However, Implacable came up and fired into Vsevolod for about 10 minutes, forcing the Russian to strike again.
Implacable hauled Centaur off. The battle had cost Centaur three killed and 27 wounded. Vsevolod, which had received about 100 men as reinforcements after her initial battle with Implacable, lost another 124 men killed and wounded in the battle with Centaur; 56 Russians swam ashore and so escaped being taken prisoner.
Their prize was so firmly aground that Sir Samuel Hood, in Centaur, ordered Vsevolod burnt. On the British removed their prisoners, including the wounded, and then set fire to Vsevolod, which blew up some hours later. The cutter Baltic
would later land the prisoners.
The Russian government court-martialed Admiral Khanykov for what the British Admiralty would have labeled as “failure to do his utmost”. The court martial ordered Khanykov demoted to the rank of Ordinary Seaman for one day and dismissed from the service. What saved Khanykov from a more severe sentence was his earlier distinguished service. His Swedish Majesty Gustaf IV Adolf conferred upon Captain Martin of Implacable the Cross of the Order of the Sword
. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasps "IMPLACABLE 26 AUGT. 1808" and "CENTAUR 26 AUGT. 1808" to all surviving claimants from the action. Hood took Vsevolods flag as a trophy and it ended up hanging in the main hall of the Hood family home "St. Audries".
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
launched in 1796. She served in the North Sea and the Baltic until the British 74-gun third rates Implacable
HMS Implacable (1805)
HMS Implacable was a 74-gun third rate of the Royal Navy. She was originally the French Navy's Téméraire-class ship of the line Duguay-Trouin, launched in 1800....
and Centaur
HMS Centaur
Eight ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Centaur, after the half-human, half horse Centaur of Greek mythology: was a 24-gun sixth rate launched in 1746 and sold in 1761. was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line, formerly the French ship Centaure. She was captured at the Battle of...
destroyed her in 1808 during the Anglo-Russian War (1807-1812)
Anglo-Russian War (1807-1812)
The Anglo-Russian War occurred during the Napoleonic Wars. Hostilities were limited primarily to a small number of naval actions in the Baltic, though there were also attacks in the Barents Sea...
.
Service
On 3 July 1798 Vsevolod was at Arkhangel’sk, serving as flaghip for Vice-Adm. Thate, who commanded the 2nd Division of the Imperial Russian Navy. She then arrived at the NoreNore
The Nore is a sandbank at the mouth of the Thames Estuary, England. It marks the point where the River Thames meets the North Sea, roughly halfway between Havengore Creek in Essex and Warden Point in Kent....
on 8 August and operated in the North Sea and off the Texel for almost three years. She returned to Kronstadt
Kronstadt
Kronstadt , also spelled Kronshtadt, Cronstadt |crown]]" and Stadt for "city"); is a municipal town in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia, located on Kotlin Island, west of Saint Petersburg proper near the head of the Gulf of Finland. Population: It is also...
on 21 July 1800. She then carried supplies to Revel’
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
. She then served in the Baltic before undergoing repairs in 1804. In September 1805 she transported troops to Pomerania.
Anglo-Russian War and loss
In early 1808 Russia initiated the Finnish WarFinnish War
The Finnish War was fought between Sweden and the Russian Empire from February 1808 to September 1809. As a result of the war, the eastern third of Sweden was established as the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire...
in response to Sweden's refusal to bow to Russian pressure to join the anti-British alliance. Russia captured Finland and made it a Grand Duchy under the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. The British decided to take counter-measures and in May sent a fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir James Saumarez
James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez
Admiral James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez , GCB was an admiral of the British Royal Navy, notable for his victory at the Battle of Algeciras.-Early life:...
to the Baltic.
On 9 July, the Russian fleet, under Admiral Peter Khanykov, came out from Kronstadt
Kronstadt
Kronstadt , also spelled Kronshtadt, Cronstadt |crown]]" and Stadt for "city"); is a municipal town in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia, located on Kotlin Island, west of Saint Petersburg proper near the head of the Gulf of Finland. Population: It is also...
. The Swedes massed a fleet under Swedish Admiral Cederstrom, consisting of 11 line-of-battle ships and 5 frigates at Örö
Oro
Oro means gold in Italian and Spanish.Oro may refer to:Places* Oro, Estonia, a village in Estonia* Orø, an island in DenmarkIn music:*"Oro" , the Serbian entry in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest...
and Jungfrusund to oppose them. On 16 August, Saumarez then sent Centaur, Captain William Henry Webley, and Implacable, Captain Thomas Byam Martin
Thomas Byam Martin
Admiral Sir Thomas Byam Martin, GCB was a highly influential British Royal Navy officer who served at sea during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and then as a naval administrator until his death in 1854...
, to join the Swedish fleet. They chased two Russian frigates on 19 July and joined the Swedes the following day.
On 22 August, the Russian fleet, consisting of nine ships of the line, five large frigates and six smaller ones, moved from Hango to threaten the Swedes. The Swedes, with the two British ships, grouped at Örö, and three days later sailed to meet the Russians.
The Russians and the Anglo-Swedish force were fairly evenly matched, but the Russians retreated and the Allied ships followed them. Centaur and Implacable were better vessels than the Swedish ships and slowly pulled ahead, with Implacable catching up with Vsevolod, which was straggling.
On Vsevolod, under Captain Rudno (or Rudnew or Roodneff) exchanged fire with Implacable, with the Russian suffering heavy casualties before running aground. During this exchange three nearby Russian ships failed to render assistance. Vsevolod hauled down her colors, but Hood recalled Implacable because the Russian fleet was approaching. During the fight Implacable lost six men killed and twenty-six wounded, including two who did not recover and three who had limbs amputated.; Vsevolod lost some 48 dead and 80 wounded.
The Russian frigate Poluks then towed Vsevolod towards Rager Vik
Paldiski
Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port situated on the Pakri peninsula of north-western Estonia. Originally a Swedish settlement known as Rågervik, it became a Russian naval base in the 18th century. The Russians renamed it Балтийский Порт Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port situated on the...
(Ragerswik or Rogerswick or Russian: Baltiyskiy) where the Russian fleet was sheltering. However, Vsevolod grounded some six miles from the port.
On Centaur came up and was able to drive off the boats that were attempting to get the disabled ship into harbor. Seamen from Centaur were able to lash her mizzen to the Russian bowsprit before Centaur opened fire. Both vessels grounded, and both sides attempted to board the other vessel. However, Implacable came up and fired into Vsevolod for about 10 minutes, forcing the Russian to strike again.
Implacable hauled Centaur off. The battle had cost Centaur three killed and 27 wounded. Vsevolod, which had received about 100 men as reinforcements after her initial battle with Implacable, lost another 124 men killed and wounded in the battle with Centaur; 56 Russians swam ashore and so escaped being taken prisoner.
Their prize was so firmly aground that Sir Samuel Hood, in Centaur, ordered Vsevolod burnt. On the British removed their prisoners, including the wounded, and then set fire to Vsevolod, which blew up some hours later. The cutter Baltic
Russian cutter Opyt (1806)
The Russian cutter Opyt was launched in 1806. The British 44-gun frigate Salsette captured Opyt in 1808 in the Baltic during the Anglo-Russian War after her captain and crew put up a heroic resistance. The Admiralty took her into service as HMS Baltic...
would later land the prisoners.
Aftermath
Vice-Admiral Saumerez with his entire squadron joined the Anglo-Swedish squadron the next day. They then blockaded Khanykov's squadron at (Baltiyskiy). for some months. After the British and the Swedes abandoned the blockade, the Russian fleet was able to return to Kronstadt.The Russian government court-martialed Admiral Khanykov for what the British Admiralty would have labeled as “failure to do his utmost”. The court martial ordered Khanykov demoted to the rank of Ordinary Seaman for one day and dismissed from the service. What saved Khanykov from a more severe sentence was his earlier distinguished service. His Swedish Majesty Gustaf IV Adolf conferred upon Captain Martin of Implacable the Cross of the Order of the Sword
Order of the Sword
The Order of the Sword is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on February 23, 1748, together with the Order of the Seraphim and the Order of the Polar Star.Awarded to officers, and originally intended as an award for bravery and particularly long or useful service, it...
. In 1847 the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasps "IMPLACABLE 26 AUGT. 1808" and "CENTAUR 26 AUGT. 1808" to all surviving claimants from the action. Hood took Vsevolods flag as a trophy and it ended up hanging in the main hall of the Hood family home "St. Audries".