Yes, the Holy, 44 years had served the Fatherland. A righteous warrior, whose assets 43 military campaign and all victorious! “Thanks be to God, for all the aforesaid battle with the enemy and during the entire stay of the fleet under my command at sea, saving Semisocial goodness, no vessel was lost and captured no one of our Ministers, the enemy has not got”, writes Admiral Ushakov in 1804. “RG” remember three episodes from the life of the righteous warrior.
Symbolically, the first award of Ushakov, the order of St. Vladimir, received in battle. Although the plague in the XVIII century in the number of losses was more terrible than the bloodiest of the war.
1783. In Kherson, which has become the most important shipyard in the emerging black sea fleet, arrives the captain of the 2nd rank of Fyodor Ushakov. Under his command 700 sailors and 3000 workmen. And in the city of the plague, imported from the Ottoman Anatolia. In June-July, the statement “the number of deaths infection,” reports of the death of 385 military. Only the plague has carried away lives more than 10 thousand people. Among them, hero of the battle of Chesma, the first commander of the black sea fleet Fedot Klokachev. Kherson close to panic, the doctors are demoralized. Ushakov instantly takes the right decision – brings his men to the steppe. During the night developing a plan of the strictest quarantine. Later his friend, doctor Daniel Samoylovich, founder of epidemiology in Russia, will wonder where a sailor could accurately “foresee” what to do? Intuition?
Quarantine, fumigation of housing with smoke from constantly burning fires with herbs, roasting it in the fire garment, daily wash with vinegar, rigorous boiling water, garlic… And pestilence gave up. Retreated. “4 th of November last, 1783 more never came” – reports Ushakov. Four months before around. Even in the peak of the epidemic in a crowded city hospital from Ushakova has not received any patient. Oh Yes, forgot to say: training sailors, and also construction work at the shipyard during the plague did not stop. And how! Ushakov was appointed commander built during the rampant “black death” 66-gun battleship “St. Paul”.
the Famous ship took part in many campaigns Ushakov, and in the most brilliant battle, the battle of Cape Kaliakra.
1791. The black sea fleet matured, wybuchowa the victories of our old enemy – the Ottoman Empire, who considered the Black sea “Lake of the Turkish sultans”. Calling on Algerians, the Great Port of Russian is preparing to inflict a final blow. Leads the Armada of ships the storm of the Mediterranean, the Algerian Admiral said Ali. He promises to Sultan Selim III to deliver Ushakov to Constantinople in chains, in shackles.
came Out differently. On the morning of 31 July 1791 our ships find the Turkish fleet at Cape Kaliakra. As usual, the forces are not��avnue. The Turks have 2000 guns against our 1000 and 20 000 9500 Ottomans against the Russians. From the shore their squadron covers the battery.
on that day, the Ottomans celebrated the Ramadan Bairam, and part of the crew, even his-and celebrated – on the beach. Ushakov, paid great attention to intelligence, instantly takes a brilliant solution. And making the maneuver, which will be included in all textbooks of military art. Wasting no time to rebuild “line battles” and breaking all the rules of warfare, he rushes into the gap between the Turkish fleet and the shore. And then under the fire of shore batteries to attack the enemy. Moreover, the Ottomans did not expect the Russians, so they also did not understand the maneuver. The disastrous confusion of the Turks allows our ships to tie melee, taking time “ally” of the coastal battery, which, while not recovered, thrashed and yours, and ours. Despite the seeming simplicity, maneuver, and Ushakov was as daring, as dangerous – not to pop up to shallow, not to rush into enemy guns, not to linger when turning… as for violation of Ushakov rules “before the battle to readjust the line of battle”, then it should say that in 1757, for such was executed by the English Admiral Byng, and for good reason. Rules in the military – the result of years of experience, paid many lives. To be broken, winning, and not dying, audacity Yes good luck little. Bravery of Ushakov was based on the belief that he and each of his crew of 20 ships one. Yeah, that’s years of training. But not only that. Listen to the observation of Greeks, samlewis unity of the Russian soldiers. Wondering religiosity Ushakov, the merchant Nicholas Paschalis wrote: “Amazing piety Ushakov, as well as other Russian. Incredibly, every Sunday, all the soldiers wish to attend the divine Liturgy, they allocated six churches. Similarly, he and the other goes to mass to St. Spyridon or the monastery of the virgin”. For the unity of the one drill a little, and caring for each may not be enough. There is work and skill of common prayer.
But back to the Turks. The next morning, the capital of the sublime Porte remembered for a long time. The first rays of sunlight dispersed the darkness, lit up the end battle of the campaign, gilding the rubble of the once great fleet. “Frightened at the sight of their ships, their masts and completely broken, will write later on Selim III to Catherine II, he immediately gave the order to cum (peace talks) as soon as possible… and his Highness, sanosukes 24 hours ago, became soft and pliant, like a calf.”
“Ought also to grow such monsters as the French, to produce the thing which I am not only his Ministry, but in his lifetime to see not looked for, ie: our Union with Portou and the transition of our fleet through the canal,” wrote the Chancellor of the Russian Empire, Oleksandr Bezborodko about our Union �� the Turks.
it was in 1798, when Napoleon rapidly conquered Egypt, then a province of the Ottoman Empire. Selim III was so alarmed that he “with joy, admiration and gratitude” took the suggestion of Paul I “against the malicious intentions of France.” Newfound allies decided to free from the power of the Directory, Ionian Islands strategically important point of the Mediterranean sea. The command of the expedition was entrusted to the distinguished uşak Pasha. I won’t mention how, going along with the Turks over the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles squadron allies liberated the Ionian Islands. Including the forbidding of Corfu – with this victory Ushakov congratulated even Admiral Nelson. Not going to tell you that acquiring statehood, the Republic of the Seven Islands received, with the participation of Ushakov, and the Constitution. The most democratic in Europe of the XIX century. I will mention one detail: after the capitulation of the French Ushakov put the entire French garrison on the barge and sent home, put one condition – no more war against the Russians. Mercy to the enemy, to the one who an hour ago was aiming at you, not just humanity, is the quality of a genuine Christian.
P. S. For his exploits Feodor Feodorovich Ushakov was favored by the powers that be – awards, money, jewels, land. Only here to eternity he went with prayer and light, leaving all others. The famous benefactor of the last eight years of his life were spent in seclusion, not far from the Sanaksar monastery, where he was buried next to his uncle, also a Holy Theodore Sanaksar, a monk.
