230 years ago, the last major battle of the Russo-Turkish War of 1787–1791 took place. The Russian army under the command of Prince Repnin defeated the Turkish troops in the area of the city of Machin, on the right bank of the Danube.
General situation
The fall of Ishmael in December 1790 dealt a powerful blow to the Port. It was expected that the fall of the main Turkish fortress on the Danube would break the stubbornness of the Ottomans and Constantinople would ask for peace. However, under the influence of the Western powers hostile to Russia - England and Prussia, the Ottoman Empire decided to continue the struggle and gathered new troops.
Empress Catherine the Great rejected France's offer to mediate Russian-Turkish peace negotiations. Petersburg granted such a right to the Berlin court. However, a plan was born in Berlin that was clearly hostile to Russia. The Prussians offered to give the ally of Russia - Austria, Moldavia and Wallachia, in exchange for Galicia, which was given to Poland. And Prussia received from Poland Danzig and Thorn, part of the Poznan Voivodeship and other lands. Thus, Austria was torn away from Russia, which wanted to receive the Danube principalities itself. Poland received Galicia and became an ally of Prussia (against Russia).
Prussian activity and the promises of the British, in extreme cases, to send a fleet to the Baltic Sea, gave Turkey the hope, if not to win, then to preserve the situation that existed before the start of the war. And leave the great sacrifices of Russia and its brilliant victories without a reward. England also persistently offered its mediation in order to prevent Russia from enjoying the fruits of its victories and to prevent the Russians from strengthening their positions in the Northern Black Sea region and in the Caucasus. Seeing such support, the Sultan not only did not want to cede Bessarabia, but also retained the hope of returning Crimea. In these empty dreams, the British supported Porto, assuring her that the Russians were exhausted and they could no longer continue the war.
London twice sent its envoys to St. Petersburg demanding decisive concessions to Turkey. Catherine showed firmness and fortitude, declaring to the British Lord Whitworth:
“I know that your cabinet has determined to expel me from Europe. I hope that at least he will allow me to retire to Constantinople."
After the failure of attempts to put pressure on the Russian empress, London began to equip the fleet in the Baltic Sea. In response, Russia equipped a fleet of 32 ships of Admiral Chichagov, which stood in Reval, waiting for the European "peacekeepers".
Campaign plans of 1791
If Prince Potemkin did not waste time in 1790 and took decisive action against Ishmael much earlier (sending Suvorov), then the Russian army could cross the Danube and force the Porto to peace on the most favorable terms. But Ishmael was taken in December and it was impossible to conduct military operations further in the region, where there were no good roads, with tired and poorly equipped troops. In addition, Potemkin was not capable of such a decisive and risky decision. His Serene Highness, sick in body and tired of spirit, thought more about the appearance at court of a new favorite, Ekaterina Zubov, than about continuing the campaign. In February 1791 Potemkin left for St. Petersburg. Before his return, the army was led by General Nikolai Repnin.
Potemkin, fearing the hostility of Prussia and the unstable situation in Poland, gave instructions to act in the Prussian direction. On the Western Dvina there was a special corps made up of the troops that remained in Russia. Also, two detachments from the Kiev region and the Danube army were sent to Poland, which could oppose Prussia.
As a result, the Danube army allocated significant forces to put up strong barriers against Prussia. On the Danube, the Russians went on the defensive. They held Galati, Izmail and Ochakov, destroyed the rest of the fortresses and had to prevent the enemy from crossing the Danube.
Later it was decided to cross the Danube and look for battles with the enemy. To distract the Ottomans in the Caucasus direction, General Gudovich received the task of taking Anapa, not allowing the enemy to transfer troops from the Caucasus to the Danube Front.
The ship fleet was supposed to disrupt sea communications between the European and Asian shores of the Black Sea. Rowing flotilla - to prevent the movement of enemy ships between the mouth of the Danube and Constantinople. The Turks transported troops and supplies by sea. The enemy did not expect an attack on the Crimea, so part of the Kakhovsky Tavrichesky corps was supposed to be sent to strengthen Gudovich, and part to be put on the ships of the Sevastopol squadron.
The Russian army consisted of three corps. The main forces under the command of Count Repnin - 27 infantry and 38 cavalry regiments, 160 guns. Headquarters in Galati. Kakhovsky's Tauride Corps - 9 infantry and 9 cavalry regiments, 50 guns. Gudovich's Kuban corps - 11 infantry and 15 cavalry regiments, 32 guns. Also, part of the Russian army under the command of General Krechetnikov was located in Little Russia near Kiev and on the border of the Mogilev province.
After the failures of 1790, the Grand Vizier Sheriff Hasan Pasha fell out of favor with the Sultan and the new vizier, Yusuf Pasha, headed the Turkish army. The new vizier believed that the Russians would march to Silistria during the new campaign. Therefore, it was decided to gather all the forces in the Machin area and close the path to Silistria.
The beginning of hostilities. Isakchi's case and the capture of Machin
The Russian commander, having learned about the accumulation of enemy forces near Machin, decided to postpone military operations across the Danube in order to prevent the Turks from launching an offensive in Wallachia. On March 24, 1791, a detachment of Lieutenant General S. Golitsyn (2 thousand infantry, 600 Don Cossacks and 600 Arnauts) sailed on the ships of the Danube Flotilla de Ribas from Galati. Golitsyn descended to Isakche, where he was supposed to join up with a detachment of Lieutenant General Golenishchev-Kutuzov (3 thousand infantry, 1300 Don and Black Sea Cossacks). Kutuzov's detachment went from Izmail. The combined forces of the two detachments were to operate beyond the Danube, on Machin.
On March 25, Golitsyn's detachment arrived at the mouth of the river. Prut and continued to move along the Danube. To ensure the landing at Isakchi, the fortifications of which were destroyed last year, but now a Turkish detachment was standing there, the general landed at the mouth of the river. Colonel Bardakov's Cahul with the Uglitsky Regiment, reinforced by Cossacks and Arnauts (Greeks and Orthodox Albanians who fought for Russia).
On the morning of March 26, Bardakov shot down the enemy's forward posts and took up positions near Isakchi. Under his cover, Golitsyn's flotilla also approached Isakche. Golitsyn's troops landed on the coast, and Ribas's flotilla stood at Isakchi in order to be able to shell the city and its environs. The Turks fled almost without resistance.
On March 26, Kutuzov's detachment crossed the Danube at Cape Chatala. Since the Turks fled from Isakchi partly to Machin, and partly on the way to Babadag, it was decided that Kutuzov would pursue the enemy fleeing to Babadag. Kutuzov defeated and scattered the enemy and on the same day, March 27, came to Isakche, where he joined up with Golitsyn. On March 28, Russian forces marched towards Machin. The Danube flotilla returned to Galatz, and from there set out for Brailov.
On the way to Machin, the vanguard of Brigadier Orlov defeated the Turkish detachment in a defile (a narrow passage in difficult terrain) near the village of Lunkavitsy. The Cossacks drove the Turks (up to 700 people) out of the defile, captured 4 banners and captured the head of the detachment, Ibrahim Pasha.
The remnants of the fleeing Turks met at the village of Vikoreni reinforcements - 1,500 people. The Ottomans again fortified themselves and gave battle. Golitsyn sent reinforcements from the Cossacks and Arnauts to Orlov. Orlov, leaving part of the vanguard in front of the enemy, with part of the troops bypassed the right wing of the Turks. The Russians struck from the front and flank. The Ottomans fled to Machin, having lost 7 banners and many killed.
Golitsyn's troops reached Machin. Up to 2 thousand cavalry left the fortress to meet the Russian vanguard. Golitsyn again reinforced the advance detachment of Brigadier Orlov and ordered him to attack. Orlov's attack was swift, the enemy fled. The remaining Turkish troops (about 2 thousand Janissaries), seeing the rapid advance of the Russians, boarded ships and fled to Brailov.
The losses of the Ottomans were significant - only up to 2 thousand people were killed. Our losses are about 70 people. Russian trophies were 7 banners and 11 cannons, fortress reserves. 73 people were taken prisoner, including the commandant of the fortress, the three-bunchuzhny pasha Arslan. Golitsyn ordered to destroy all the fortifications of Machin, to resettle all local Christians to the left bank of the Danube.
Battle of Brailov
After the destruction of Machin, something had to be done against Brailov.
Brailovskaya fortress was stronger than Machin. The fortress was reinforced with new fortifications. Brailov was a fortified pentagon, the tops of which were strong bastions. Three bastions were facing the river, two - in the field. The heights at which the fortress stood fell steeply towards the Danube, being separated from it by a marshy lowland. The heights of the fortress and the fortress itself were reinforced with field fortifications. On the island closest to Brailov there was a strong redoubt with a separate garrison (2,000 men and 20 cannons). There was also a coastal battery (7 cannons), which fired at the Danube downstream from Brailov. It was here that a part of the Danube flotilla approached under the command of Captain Poskochin, and then the rest of Ribas's ships.
On March 28, 1791, Captain Poskochin landed the Dnieper Grenadier Regiment on the Kuntsefan Peninsula in order to capture the Turkish battery. On March 29, the flotilla headed for the coast of the peninsula to support the attack on the enemy battery. The Turks did not dare to accept the battle, threw 5 guns into the water, took two with them and sailed to the fortress. The Russians set up their battery on the peninsula. Then the ships of our flotilla went to the island where the Turkish redoubt was located.
On March 30, the Dnieper regiment crossed from Kunzefan to the island to attack the redoubt. Turkish ships tried to interfere with the crossing, but were forced to leave for Brailov due to the actions of the Russian flotilla. The Turks set up a new battery near Brailov and opened fire on Kunzefan and the ships of our flotilla. However, the fire from our ships and from the battery on the peninsula silenced the enemy battery.
Meanwhile, the ships of the flotilla transferred troops from Machin to Brailov. Golitsyn sent the Vitebsk infantry regiment and the Black Sea Cossacks to help the Dnieper. On the morning of March 31, the ships of the de Ribas' flotilla and the battery from Kunzefan opened heavy fire on the enemy redoubt. The troops were divided into four columns and attacked. The Turks made a sortie, but it was repulsed by advanced units. Our soldiers pursued the enemy to the very redoubt. The Turks fired heavy fire from the Brailov fortress and from their ships. But despite this, two columns of the right flank broke into the redoubt. The Turks tried to transfer reinforcements from the fortress to the island. The Russians placed 6 guns and four companies of infantry on the shore of the island. Rifle and cannon fire stopped the enemy. 3 gunboats were sunk, the Ottomans lost many people.
The Turkish garrison in the redoubt made a sortie against the two left columns. To restrain the enemy, they used the entire reserve and the Black Sea Cossacks. A new blow with a bayonet knocked over the enemy. Two left-flank columns, pursuing the enemy, descended into the ditch and burst into the redoubt. In the course of the fierce hand-to-hand combat, almost the entire Turkish detachment was killed. The battle was so fierce that only two people were taken prisoner. Of the 2 thousand Turkish soldiers, 15 people escaped, who rushed into the Danube and swam across it. The rest were killed in battle or drowned. Among those killed was the commander of the garrison, Hussein Pasha. 17 guns were captured intact, 3 were damaged, and 16 banners. Our losses are more than 300 killed and wounded.
After the capture of the redoubt, Golitsyn ordered to open fire on the Brailov fortress and the Turkish flotilla. During the shelling, 4 bombardment ships, 8 gunboats and a large number of small ships were sunk. The city itself has suffered significant damage.
On April 1, our troops were embarked on ships and returned to Galati.
During this campaign, the enemy suffered great damage, only killed and drowned Turks lost about 4 thousand people.
