1829 ship Mercury. The epic victory of the Russian brig "Mercury" or how our brig single-handedly defeated the Turkish squadron

The article uses materials from the Black Sea Fleet Museum. Photo: dag.com.ua/nikolaev/

The brig "Mercury", attacked by two Turkish ships. Ivan Aivazovsky, 1892

It has been 180 years since the unprecedented battle, in which the unbending courage of the Russian sailors of the brig "Mercury", its commander, Lieutenant Commander A.I., was demonstrated. Kazarsky, who did not bow their heads and lower the St. Andrew’s flag in front of the enemy.

Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky was born on June 16, 1798 on Belarusian soil in the town of Dubrovno, Vitebsk province, in the family of a retired provincial secretary who managed the estate of Prince Lyubomirsky. Sasha's father is Ivan Kuzmich Kazarsky, mother is Tatyana Gavrilovna. The Kazarsky family had five children: Praskovya, Ekaterina, Matryona, Alexander and Ivan.

In 1811, Alexander became a cadet at the Nikolaev Navigation School.

On August 30, 1813, volunteer Alexander Kazarsky was enrolled in the Black Sea Fleet as a midshipman, and a year later he was promoted to the first officer rank and became a midshipman. He sailed on the brigantines Desna and Cleopatra, then was transferred to the Danube flotilla and appointed commander of a detachment of small rowing vessels in Izmail.

His service in the Danube Flotilla lasted five years. In 1819, he received the rank of lieutenant and in the same year was assigned to the frigate "Eustathius", which arrived in Sevastopol.

After "Eustathius" Kazarsky sailed on the schooner "Sevastopol", the transports "Ingul" and "Rival", commanded the boat "Falcon", served on the brig "Mercury", on a battleship and again on the brig "Mercury".

On July 9, 1828, for the distinction shown during the capture of Anapa, Kazarsky was promoted to lieutenant commander. In the same year, he was awarded a golden saber for his bravery during the storming of Varna.

In 1829 Kazarsky became the commander of the 18-gun brig Mercury.

The brig "Mercury" was laid down in January 1819 at the Sevastopol Admiralty (Southern Bay, between the Minna and Telefonnaya walls). Launched on May 7(19), 1820.

This ship was built by Osminin Ivan Yakovlevich, colonel of the corps of naval engineers.

The brig was intended for patrol and reconnaissance, cruising and messenger service. To enable movement in complete calm, the brig had 14 large oars. Row with these oars while standing. The ship's crew is 115 people.

The brig's artillery armament consisted of eighteen 24-pound carronades and two long-barreled 8-pound cannons, which had a greater firing range than carronades.

There was a Russian-Turkish war.

In May 1829, three Russian ships: the 44-gun frigate "Standard" (commander-lieutenant-commander P.Ya. Sakhnovsky), the 20-gun brig "Orpheus" (commander-lieutenant-captain E.I. Koltovsky), and the 20-gun The brig "Mercury" (commanded by captain-lieutenant A.I. Kazarsky) was cruising at the exit from the Bosphorus Strait. The detachment of ships was commanded by Captain-Lieutenant Sakhnovsky.

At dawn on May 14, 1829, the Turkish fleet consisting of 6 battleships, 2 frigates, 2 corvettes, 1 brig, 3 tenders departed from the Bosphorus. The enemy squadron, noticing the Russian ships, set off in pursuit of them.

A signal was raised on the “Standard”: “Everyone should choose the course that the ship has a preferential course,” after which the faster “Standart” and “Orpheus” quickly took the lead, and the slow-moving “Mercury” began to lag behind.

By 2 p.m., the enemy ships—the 110-gun battleship Selimiye and the 74-gun battleship Real Bay—had already begun to overtake the Mercury.

Seeing the impossibility of avoiding an unequal battle, Kazarsky assembled a council of officers.

The Mercury's chances of salvation were negligible (184 guns versus 20), leaving almost no hope for a successful outcome of the battle, the inevitability of which no one doubted.

As Kazarsky writes in his report to the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral A.S. Greig dated May 14, 1829 No. 130 (KChF Museum Fund, GU-678), the first to speak was the lieutenant of the navigator corps Prokofiev, who suggested: “Blow up the brig when it is brought to the extreme.” Further, Kazansky continues: “As a result of this opinion, adopted unanimously by everyone, it was decided to defend to the last opportunity and if the spar was knocked down, or a large leak opened, then grapple with the nearest enemy ship, and the officer who remained alive should light the hook - camera, for which purpose the pistol was placed on the spire."

Kazarsky also turned to the lower ranks and explained to them “what the Emperor expects from them and what the honor of the imperial flag requires; he found the same feelings in the team as in the officers: everyone unanimously declared that they would be faithful to their duty and oath to the end.”

Calmed by such general unanimity, he orders: “Stop the action with the oars, put people at the guns, throw the yawl hanging astern into the sea, and open fire from the retreat ports.”

Kazarsky knew perfectly well the weaknesses and strengths of his ship; the brig was very heavy on the move; only skillful maneuvering and accuracy of the gunners could save it.

For half an hour, "Mercury", maneuvering, skillfully dodged the volleys of enemy ships, but then was placed between both ships, and from the battleship Kapudan Pasha "Selimiye" shouted in Russian: "Surrender! And remove the sails."

The response to this from the Mercury was a salvo of all artillery and friendly rifle fire.

Both Turkish ships, surrendering to the stern of the brig, opened a continuous cannonade on it with cannonballs, cannonballs and cannonballs. A fire broke out on the Mercury, which, fortunately, was extinguished.

The well-aimed fire of the brig's gunners damaged the main spar of the stop-cannon Turkish ship "Selimiye" under the flag of Kapudan Pasha, which forced it to drift.

Another ship, the 74-gun Real Bay, flying the flag of the junior flagship, continued the battle, changing tacks under the stern of the brig, and hit it with longitudinal shots, which could not be avoided by any movements.

"Mercury" fired back, and with a lucky shot they managed to kill the enemy's knock-for-mars-yard, the fall of which carried away the foxes.

These damages deprived Real Bay of the opportunity to continue the battle and at half past six he stopped the fight.

As Kazarsky wrote in his report: “The damage to the brig’s crew consisted of four killed and six wounded lower ranks. There were 22 holes in the hull, 16 damage to the spars, 133 to the sails and 148 to the rigging; in addition, the rowing vessels were broken and the carronade was damaged.” .

Kazarsky himself received a head concussion during the battle, but despite this, he remained on the bridge and led the battle.

In conclusion, he writes that “there are no words to describe the courage, dedication and accuracy in the performance of their duties, which were shown by all officers and lower ranks during this three-hour battle, which presented absolutely no hope of salvation, and that only such a worthy Amazement to the spirit of the crew and the mercy of God must be attributed to the salvation of the ship and the flag of His Imperial Majesty."

May 14, 1829 A.I. Kazarsky and the crew of the brig forever inscribed their names in the history of the Russian fleet.

They were going to obvious death, but did not bow their heads to the enemy, as the former commander of the brig "Mercury" (1826-1828), captain 2nd rank Semyon Mikhailovich Stroynikov, did shortly before this battle.

Commanding the 36-gun frigate "Raphael", literally two days before the heroic battle of the "Mercury", finding himself in the fog in the thick of the Turkish squadron, he lowered the ship's flag and surrendered to the Turks.

For the first time since the approval of the Naval Charter by Peter I, a Russian ship lowered its flag to the enemy. The Turks renamed the frigate "Fazli-Allah" (given by God).

At the time of the battle, Stroynikov was on board the battleship Real Bay. Thus the fates of the two commanders of the brig Mercury converged. One is inglorious, and the other is immortal.

The angry Emperor Nicholas I issues a decree that says: “Trusting in the help of the Almighty, I remain in the hope that the intrepid Black Sea Fleet, eager to wash away the ignominy of the frigate Raphael, will not leave it in the hands of the enemy. But when it is returned to our power , then, considering this frigate henceforth unworthy to bear the Flag of Russia and serve along with other ships of our fleet, I command you to put it on fire.”

The emperor's will was carried out.

After the defeat of the Turkish squadron in the Battle of Sinop, when Admiral P.S. Nakhimov burned the Ottoman squadron in Sinop Bay; he began his report to the emperor with the words: “The will of Your Imperial Majesty has been fulfilled - the frigate Raphael does not exist.”

After the Battle of Sinop, the flagship of Nakhimov’s squadron, the Empress Maria, smashed the former frigate Raphael to pieces with salvos of one hundred cannons.

Even the enemy appreciated the courage of the commander and crew of the brig Mercury.

“If there are heroes in the world whose name is worthy of being inscribed in golden letters on the Temple of Glory, then it is he, and he is called Captain Kazarsky, and the brig is called Mercury. With 20 guns, no more, he fought against 220 in view of the enemy fleet , which was in his wind."

The Mercury crew was generously rewarded.

“In reward for the brilliant feat of the brig “Mercury”, which emerged victorious from the unprecedented battle on May 14 against two Turkish ships, the Sovereign Emperor most graciously deigned to greet: the commander-lieutenant Kazarsky to captain of the 2nd rank, with the appointment of aide-de-camp to His Imperial Majesty, and, in addition, a holder of the Order of St. George, 4th class; lieutenants Skoryatin and Novosilsky, midshipman Pritupov and lieutenant of the corps of naval navigators Prokofiev with the following ranks, and the first Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class, and Prokofiev, as the one who proposed courageous advice to blow up the brig, the Order of St. George. 4th class. To all lower ranks, insignia of the military order. To all in general, both officers and lower ranks, in a lifetime pension, double the salary they received until the present time. At the same time, His Imperial Majesty deigned to recognize the brig himself. with the award of the St. George flag. And in order to perpetuate in the ranks of these officers the memory of their exemplary bravery and courageous determination to obvious death, the Sovereign Emperor deigned to command that the pistol, as the weapon chosen by them for exploding into the air if it was impossible to continue the defense, was included in their coats of arms. ". (“Sea collection” No. 6-1850, pp. 493-494).

The brig "Mercury" was awarded the stern St. George flag and pennant (the second award after the battleship "Azov").

In addition to awards, the decree of Emperor Nicholas 1 commanded “... We wish that the memory of this unparalleled deed be preserved until later times, therefore we command you to order: when this brig becomes unable to continue serving at sea any longer, build according to the same drawing and perfect similar to it in everything, another similar ship, assigned to the same crew, name it “Mercury”, to which the awarded flag with a pennant will be transferred; and when this ship begins to fall into disrepair, replace it with another new one, according to the same drawing; built, continuing this way until later times. We wish that the memory of the famous merits of the crew of the brig "Mercury" and it never disappears in the fleet and, passing from generation to generation for eternal times, serves as an example to posterity."

This is where the words on the pedestal of the monument to the brig "Mercury" and its commander, performed by Bryullov, come from: "TO DESCENDANTS AS AN EXAMPLE."

The brig "Mercury" served on the Black Sea until November 9, 1857, then was dismantled due to "complete disrepair."

But the name of the brig was retained in the Russian fleet with the transfer of the stern St. George flag to the newly named ship. Three ships of the Black Sea Fleet alternately bore the name "Memory of Mercury": in 1865 - a corvette, and in 1883 and 1907 - cruisers. The Baltic brig "Kazarsky" sailed under the St. Andrew's flag.

Unfortunately, there is currently no warship with this name in the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

In 1834, on Matrossky Boulevard, on the initiative of Admiral M.P. Lazarev, with funds raised by the sailors, a monument to the brig "Mercury" was laid. It was opened in 1839. The author of the project is academician of architecture A.P. Bryullov.

The high pedestal, on which is engraved the inscription: “To the Kazars. As an example to posterity,” is crowned by a bronze trireme.

Monument to A.I. Kazarsky and the feat of the brig "Mercury" became the first monument erected in Sevastopol.

Monument to A.N. Kazarsky and the brig "Mercury" on Matrossky Boulevard in Sevastopol. (After the reconstruction of Matrossky Boulevard and the monument dedicated to the 225th anniversary of the city and the Black Sea Fleet. The reconstruction was financed by the Moscow region)

In 1831, for distinguished service, Captain 2nd Rank Kazarsky was promoted to Captain 1st Rank and came under the complete command of Nicholas I, becoming an officer in the Emperor’s retinue.

At the end of 1832, the Black Sea squadron under the command of Vice Admiral M.P. Lazareva was preparing for a trip to the Bosphorus. Russia intended to take the side of Turkey in its conflict with the Egyptian Pasha. Kazarsky was entrusted with equipping and loading a large group of troops onto landing craft, which he successfully completed.

In 1833, Kazarsky inspected the rear offices of the fleet and quartermaster warehouses in Odessa. From Odessa he moved to Nikolaev to check the quartermasters.

But on July 16, 1833, a few days after arriving in the city, the captain of the 1st rank, adjutant of the Emperor Kazarsky, suddenly died.

The investigation into the mysterious circumstances of the death was carried out for several years without success. There is reason to believe that the Mercury commander became a victim of a criminal conspiracy by thieving officials and was poisoned.

The mystery of his death has not yet been revealed.

Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky was buried in Nikolaev, in the city cemetery near the Church of All Saints.

Project of a monument at the grave of A.N. Kazarsky was designed by architect A.A. Avdeev. It was built by the forces and means of the Black Sea Fleet.

These attributes were granted to the Kazar coat of arms by the Decree of Nicholas I.

Very close to A.N. Kazarsky buried former Mercury navigator I.P. Prokofiev, but the old modest tombstone for him disappeared, and in its place was erected a pompous marble monument with an angel, which was taken from someone else’s grave. (In the photo on the left is a monument at the grave of I.P. Prokofiev) Some other members of the brig's crew are also buried at the Nikolaevskoe cemetery, who willed to be buried next to their commander. However, now traces of these burials have been lost, only a monument remains, erected in our time on the grave of Fyodor Spiridonov, who was a first-class navigator student on board the Mercury during the battle. (See photo on the right).

In addition to these memorial burials for Russian sailors, the following are buried at the Nikolaev necropolis: Admiral N.A. Arkas (Chief Commander of the Black Sea Fleet and ports in 1871-1881, military governor of Nikolaev), Admiral M.P. Manganari and many others, including the first commander of the battleship "Novorossiysk", captain 1st rank Yu.K. Zinoviev. The heroes of the First Sevastopol Defense, who died of wounds in Nikolaev hospitals, are also buried here.

But in this historical necropolis there is discord and desolation and, as the great poet said, “love for the tombs of our fathers” is clearly not visible.

But Russian national heroes and famous ancestors are buried there. Respect for their ashes should be sacred to us.

But, alas, the memory of generations is erased.

We, descendants, must remember and honor the memory and graves of our glorious ancestors.

We should be grateful descendants.

Today marks 186 years since the brilliant victory of the Russian 18-gun brig Mercury in a battle with two Turkish battleships, a victory forever inscribed in golden letters in naval and military history. A Sevastopol sailor (not even a sailor, but apparently a real “sea wolf”) told me about this battle. Therefore, in an article on history taken from here, I added a few details that were in his story and which I noticed in several others.

There was another Russian-Turkish war. The Russian detachment, consisting of the frigate "Standard" and the brigs "Orpheus" and "Mercury", was cruising abeam Penderaklia when a vastly superior Turkish squadron appeared on the horizon. This was our sea patrol. The commander of the Shtandart and the entire detachment, Lieutenant-Commander Pavel Yakovlevich Sakhnovsky, gave the signal to escape pursuit, and the Russian ships headed towards Sevastopol. This was not a flight - the ships were carrying out a combat mission: to look, observe, and if the enemy was detected, retreat and notify the command. The slower-moving Mercury lagged behind, despite the fact that bombsails, staysails, foxes were installed and oars were used. The brig had been on a voyage for a long time, without repairs, and had “grown a beard” - it was overgrown with algae, shells and other marine debris. He was overtaken by the two largest and fastest Turkish ships - the 110-gun Selimiye and the 74-gun Real Bey. On one ship there was an admiral (kapudan pasha) of the Turkish fleet, and the other was sailing under the pennant of the rear admiral.
The commander of the Mercury, captain-lieutenant Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, having gathered a council of officers, became convinced of their unanimous desire to take the fight, as required by the Naval Regulations and naval traditions. The sailors had no illusions about their chances of survival and it was decided that after the brig was deprived of the ability to resist due to damage or lack of cores, the Mercury would engage with one of the enemy ships and the one who remained alive would blow up the remaining one. gunpowder shot from a pistol, which Kazarsky placed on the spire at the entrance to the cruise chamber. According to naval tradition, the youngest in rank, navigator lieutenant (midshipman) I. Prokofiev, spoke first; it was he who proposed this - and the whole team supported this proposal. The stern flag was nailed into the gaff so that it would not be lowered under any circumstances.

At half past two in the afternoon, Turkish cannonballs began to hit the sails and rigging of the Russian brig, and one shell hit the oars, knocking the oarsmen off the boats. At the same time, Kazarsky forbade shooting so as not to waste charges, because the brig was armed with carronades suitable only for close combat - for their successful use it was necessary to bring the Turks closer. The prohibition to open fire caused confusion among the crew, but the captain calmed the sailors with the words: “What are you guys? It’s okay, let them scare us - they’re bringing us Georgiy...”

Then Kazarsky, together with other officers, in order not to remove the oars and not to distract the sailors from work, opened fire from the rear (stern) gun.

The three-deck, 110-gun Selimiye was the first to attack. The ship tried to enter the stern of the brig to fire a longitudinal salvo. Only then did Kazarsky sound the combat alarm and the Mercury, dodging the first salvo, itself fired a full salvo with its starboard side at the enemy.

Tkachenko, Mikhail Stepanovich. Battle of the brig "Mercury" with two Turkish ships. May 14, 1829. 1907.

A few minutes later, the two-deck Real Bay approached the port side of the Mercury, and the brig found itself sandwiched between two enemy ships. Then the Selimiye crew shouted in Russian: “Surrender, remove the sails!” The answer was a resounding “hurray!” commands and fire from all guns and rifles. In one gulp, like the wind, the Turkish boarding teams were blown away, who had already settled on the tops and yards in anticipation of easy prey - after all, a couple of days before, they had captured the Russian frigate "Raphael", whose crew, by the way, was on one of the ships attacking the "Mercury" "

In addition to the cannonballs, nipples (two cannonballs connected by a chain - to destroy the spar (in other words, masts) and rigging) and firebrands (incendiary cannonballs) were thrown into the brig. They also fired red-hot cannonballs - an ordinary cast-iron cannonball was heated white in a special furnace. However, the masts remained intact and the Mercury remained mobile. By bringing the ships within close range, Kazarsky not only ensured the effectiveness of his short-barreled carronades, but also made it impossible for the Turks to use all of their guns: due to the high sides, the guns on the upper decks simply did not hit the low brig. And with skillful maneuvering, the Mercury tried not to fall under a broadside salvo, which made it possible for the Turks to conduct effective fire only from guns installed in the bows of the ships.

However, the remaining number of guns was more than enough to thoroughly batter the Russian brig. Three times there was a fire on it, which had to be extinguished, being distracted from the main work.

At the beginning of the sixth hour, gunner Ivan Lisenko with a successful shot broke the waterstay and mainsail mainsail (these are the tackles that hold the mast in a vertical position) of the Selimiye, after which its topsail and topsail washed and hung. The ship fell behind a little and was brought to the wind for repairs, but fired a full salvo at the Mercury, knocking one of the guns off the machine.

About six o'clock, serious damage was inflicted on the second enemy ship, the Real Bey - its fore-frame and fore-mars-yard were destroyed (the yards are the transverse beams to which the sails are actually attached), which, falling, he carried the fox with him. Having fallen, the foxes closed the ports of the bow guns, and the collapse of the topsail deprived the ship of the ability to maneuver. "Real Bay" came into close-hauled position and began to drift.

The success of the battle was ensured by competent maneuvering - the Turkish ships could not catch the light and maneuverable brig, and it, turning first one side or the other, successfully resisted the enemy ten times superior in number of guns. The skill and courage of the Russian sailors and officers reduced this tenfold superiority of the Turkish ships to nothing.

"Mercury", which received very serious damage and the loss of 115 crew members (4 people killed and 6 wounded), the next day joined the fleet that left Sizopol. During the battle, the Mercury received 22 holes in the hull, 133 holes in the sails, 16 damage to the mast and 148 damage to the rigging. The victory of the small brig seemed so incredible that many refused to believe in it, and some still doubt it and consider this story a propaganda technique. However, even the Real Bey navigator refutes these doubts in his letter: “Unheard of! We couldn't make him give up. He fought, retreating and maneuvering according to all the rules of naval science so skillfully that it is a shame to say: we stopped the battle, and he continued his path with glory... If in the great deeds of ancient and modern times there are feats of courage, then this act should all of them darken, and the name of this hero is worthy to be inscribed in gold letters on the Temple of Glory: it is called captain-lieutenant Kazarsky, and the brig is “Mercury.”

Aivazovsky, Ivan Konstantinovich. Meeting of the brig "Mercury" with the Russian squadron after the defeat of two Turkish ships. 1848.

For its outstanding feat, which showed the whole world the fortitude, courage and skill of Russian sailors, the brig "Mercury", second after the battleship "Azov", was awarded the stern St. George's flag and pennant. The emperor's decree required that the Black Sea Fleet always have a brig built according to the drawings of the Mercury.

Captain Kazarsky and Lieutenant Prokofiev (who was the first to speak out at the council of officers and suggested blowing up the brig if there was no way to resist further) received the Order of St. George, IV class, the rest of the officers received the Order of St. Vladimir, IV class with a bow, and the lower ranks received insignia of a military order. All officers were promoted to the following ranks and received the right to add to their family coats of arms the image of a Tula pistol, the shot of which was supposed to explode gunpowder in the kruyt chamber. A.I. Kazarsky, among other things, was promoted to captain of the 2nd rank and appointed aide-de-camp.

In his report to Admiral Greig, Kazarsky wrote:

... We unanimously decided to fight to the last extreme, and if the spar is knocked down or the water in the hold becomes impossible to pump out, then, having fallen with some ship, the one who is still alive among the officers must light the hook chamber with a pistol shot.

At 2 hours 30 minutes the Turks approached within shooting distance, and their shells began to hit the sails and rigging of the Mercury, and one hit the oars, knocking the rowers out of the cans. At this time, Kazarsky was sitting on the poop for observation, not allowing shooting, so as not to waste charges, which caused confusion for the crew. Seeing this, he immediately calmed the sailors, saying: “What are you guys? It’s okay, let them scare you - they are bringing us George...” Then the captain ordered the retreat ports to be opened and he, along with other officers, so as not to remove the oars and not distract the sailors from work, opened fire from the retreat gun.

The first to attack was the three-deck Selimiye, which had 110 guns. The Turkish ship wanted to go astern in order to decide the outcome of the battle with a single longitudinal salvo. Only then did Kazarsky sound the combat alarm and the Mercury, skillfully maneuvering, dodged the first salvo and itself fired a full salvo with its starboard side at the enemy.

A few minutes later, the two-deck Real Bay approached the port side of the Mercury, and the Russian brig found itself sandwiched between two enemy ships. Then the Selimiye crew shouted in Russian: “Surrender, remove the sails!” In response to this, the brig with a loud “hurray” opened fire from all guns and rifles.

As a result, the Turks had to remove ready-made boarding teams from the tops and yards. In addition to the cannonballs, knipples and firebrands flew into the brig. However, the masts remained intact and the Mercury remained mobile. Due to the shelling, fires periodically broke out on the brig, but the sailors, without stopping the shooting for a minute, doused them with water in a matter of minutes.

At the beginning of the sixth hour, the successful shots of gunner Ivan Lisenko managed to damage the water stay and the main-topsail of the Selimiye, after which its topsail and topsail were washed out and hung helplessly. Thanks to this hit, the enemy ship fell a little behind and was brought to the wind for repairs. Nevertheless, a full salvo was fired after the Mercury, knocking one of the cannons off the machine.

About six o'clock, serious damage was inflicted on the second ship - the Mercury managed to destroy its fore-frame and the fore-top yard, which, falling, carried the foxes with it. Having fallen, the foxes closed the ports of the bow guns, and the collapse of the topsail deprived the ship of the ability to maneuver. "Real Bay" came into close-hauled position and began to drift.

"Mercury", having received very serious damage and having lost 10 crew members (out of 115) killed and wounded, at about 17:00 the next day joined the fleet that left Sizopol.

The commander of the Black Sea squadron, Admiral Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev, was the first to propose perpetuating the brig’s feat (it was he who commanded the ship “Azov” in the Battle of Navarino and is generally considered one of the “fathers” of the Russian Black Sea Fleet). On his initiative, funds were collected for the construction of the monument. The monument to Kazarsky and “Mercury” was the first monument erected in Sevastopol; it was founded in 1834 and opened in 1838. A metal trireme is mounted on a high rectangular pedestal, slightly tapering at the top. The upper part of the pedestal is decorated with bronze staffs of the god Mercury, after whom the brig is named. The cast-iron plinth is decorated with reliefs depicting in an allegorical form the event to which the monument is dedicated. On three sides of the plinth are depicted the god of the seas Neptune, the patron saint of navigation and trade Mercury, the winged goddess of victory Nike; on the western side there is a bas-relief portrait of Captain Kazarsky. The inscription on the pedestal reads: “To Kazar. An example for posterity."

This monument-monument is one of the first of the many monuments of Sevastopol, standing on a hill from which the city center and bays are in full view. Thus, the monument is clearly visible to all ships entering Sevastopol:

Actually, from this staircase I watched the parade on May 9th. In the photo it is empty. And then there was no place for the apple or cherry to fall - there were so many people.

Many ships were named after the two-masted Mercury, and they are still called that way today. This is also a naval tradition, continuity. The courage of the team and its glorious commander will forever remain in Russian history. Navigator Ivan Petrovich Prokofiev was in charge of the Sevastopol telegraph in 1830, then participated in the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855. Only in 1860 did Prokofiev retire. The monument to the brave navigator was erected after his death in 1865. Fedor Mikhailovich Novosilsky, who participated in the May battle on the Mercury as a lieutenant, continued to serve in the navy to the rank of vice admiral, and earned many orders, a golden saber with diamonds and other awards for courage. Skaryatin Sergei Iosifovich, still a lieutenant on the Mercury, later commanded other ships, awarded the Order of St. George. He retired from service with the rank of captain 1st rank in 1842. Pritupov Dmitry Petrovich - midshipman of the brave brig, who during the battle eliminated up to 20 holes in the hull, later left service due to illness with the rank of lieutenant in 1837, providing himself with double pay until his last days.

Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky

The 20-gun brig Mercury was laid down in Sevastopol on January 28 (February 9), 1819. It was built from Crimean oak and launched on May 7 (19), 1820. The ship's master, Colonel I. Ya. Osminin, conceived the Mercury as a special ship to guard the Caucasian coast and perform patrol duty. Unlike other brigs of the Russian fleet, it had a shallow draft and was equipped with oars. The Mercury's shallow draft resulted in a shallower interior depth than other brigs and worsened its performance. At the end of the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-1829. three Russian ships: the 44-gun frigate "Standart" (commander-lieutenant-commander P. Ya. Sakhnovsky), the 20-gun brig "Orpheus" (commander-lieutenant-commander E. I. Koltovsky), and the 20-gun brig "Mercury" (commander captain-lieutenant A.I. Kazarsky) received orders to cruise at the exit from the Bosporus Strait. The overall command of the detachment was entrusted to Lieutenant-Commander Sakhnovsky. On May 12 (24), 1829, the ships weighed anchor and headed for the Bosphorus.

Painting by Nikolai Krasovsky

At dawn on May 14 (26), 13 miles from the strait, the detachment noticed a Turkish squadron, among 14 ships, sailing from the shores of Anatolia. Sakhnovsky really wanted to take a closer look at the enemy in order to determine with what forces Kapudan Pasha came out this time. A signal fluttered on the halyards of the “Standard”: “Mercury” - to drift.” Sakhnovsky Coast is the slowest ship of its squadron. Having counted the Turkish pennants, “Standart” and “Orpheus” turned back. The enemy squadron rushed in pursuit of the Russian ships. Seeing the returning scouts, Kazarsky independently ordered to take off the drift and raise the sails. Very soon the high-speed "Standart" caught up with the "Mercury". A new signal went up on its mast: “Everyone should choose the course that the ship has a preferential course.” Kazarsky chose NNW, "Standard" and "Orpheus", taking a course NW, sharply took the lead and quickly turned into two fluffy clouds on the horizon. And behind the stern of the Mercury, which carried all possible sails, a forest of masts of Turkish ships grew inexorably. The wind was WSW; the enemy was moving due north. The best Turkish walkers - the 110-gun Selimiye under the flag of Kapudan Pasha and the 74-gun Real Bey under the flag of the junior flagship - gradually overtook the Mercury. The rest of the Turkish squadron drifted, waiting for the admirals to capture or drown the obstinate Russian brig. The Mercury's chances of salvation were negligible (184 guns versus 20, not even taking into account the calibers of the guns), leaving almost no hope for a successful outcome of the battle, the inevitability of which no one doubted. Around two o'clock in the afternoon the wind died down and the speed of the pursuing ships decreased. Taking advantage of this circumstance, Kazarsky, using the oars of the brig, wanted to increase the distance separating him from the enemy, but less than half an hour had passed before the wind freshened again and the Turkish ships began to reduce the distance. At the end of the third hour of the day, the Turks opened fire from running cannons.

Ivan Aivazovsky. The brig Mercury, attacked by two Turkish ships. 1892

After the first Turkish shots, a council of war took place on the brig. According to a long-standing military tradition, the youngest in rank had the privilege of expressing his opinion first. “We cannot escape the enemy,” said Lieutenant of the Corps of Navigators I.P. Prokofiev. “We will fight.” The Russian brig should not fall to the enemy. The last one alive will blow it up." The commander of the brig "Mercury", 28-year-old captain-lieutenant Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, who was awarded a golden saber for the battles near Varna in 1828 and was considered one of the bravest officers of the Black Sea Fleet, wrote in his report to Admiral A.S. Greig: “...We unanimously decided fight to the last extreme, and if the spar is knocked down or the water in the hold becomes impossible to pump out, then, having fallen with some ship, the one who is still alive among the officers must light the cruise chamber with a pistol shot.” Having completed the officers' council, the brig commander addressed the sailors and gunners with an appeal not to disgrace the honor of St. Andrew's flag. Everyone unanimously declared that they would be faithful to their duty and oath to the end. The Turks faced an enemy who preferred death to surrender and battle to lowering the flag. Having stopped using the oars, the team quickly prepared the brig for battle: the gunners took their places at the guns; a sentry took up post at the flag halyard with a categorical order from Kazarsky to shoot at anyone who tried to lower the flag; the yawl hanging behind the stern was thrown into the sea and return fire was opened on the enemy from two 3-pound cannons, dragged to the retreat ports. Kazarsky knew perfectly well the strengths and weaknesses of his brig. Despite its nine-year age (not old, but respectable), the Mercury was strong, although a little heavy when moving. He handled the high waves perfectly, but in the calm he became completely overweight. Only the art of maneuver and the accuracy of the gunners could save him. The real battle began when the Selimiye tried to bypass the brig on the right and fired a salvo with its port side, which Kazarsky managed to successfully evade. Then, for half an hour, the Mercury, using oars and skillfully maneuvering, forced the enemy to act only with its guns, but was then placed between both ships. A dense swarm of cannonballs, nipples and firebrands flew into the Mercury. Kazarsky responded to demands to “surrender and remove sails” with volleys of carronades and friendly rifle fire. Rigging and spars are the “Achilles heel” of even such giants as these multi-gun giants. Finally, the well-aimed 24-pound cannonballs of the Mercury broke the water stay and damaged the Selimiye's main topmast, which completely destroyed the ship's main mast and forced it to drift. But before that, he sent a farewell salvo into the brig from all over the board. “Real Bey” persistently continued the fight. For an hour, changing tacks, he hit the brig with brutal longitudinal salvos. "Mercury" stubbornly fought back until another successful shot broke the left leg of the fore-mars-yard of the Turkish ship, which, falling, carried the foxes with it. These damages deprived Real Bay of the opportunity to continue the pursuit and at half past six he stopped the fight. Since the artillery cannonade coming from the south fell silent, “Standart” and “Orpheus”, considering “Mercury” to be dead, lowered their flags as a sign of mourning for it. While the wounded brig was approaching Sizopol (Sozopol, Bulgaria), where the main forces of the Black Sea Fleet were based, shell-shocked, with a bandaged head, A. I. Kazarsky counted the losses: four killed, six wounded, 22 holes in the hull, 133 in the sails, 16 damage in the spars, 148 - in the rigging, all rowing ships were broken.

Painting by Mikhail Tkachenko, 1907.

The next day, May 15, "Mercury" joined the fleet, which, notified by the "Standart", went to sea in full force at 14:30.

The brig's feat was highly praised by the enemy. After the battle, one of the navigators of the Turkish ship Real Bay noted: “If in the great deeds of ancient and modern times there are feats of courage, then this act should eclipse all others, and the name of the hero is worthy of being inscribed in golden letters in the temple of glory: this captain was Kazarsky, and the name of the brig is “Mercury”. The Mercury crew, who wrote a new page in the book of Russian naval glory, were generously rewarded and treated kindly. A. I. Kazarsky and I. P. Prokofiev received IV degree each, the remaining officers received the Order of Vladimir IV degree with a bow, all sailors received insignia of the military order. The officers were promoted to the following ranks, and Kazarsky also received the rank of aide-de-camp. All officers and sailors were assigned a lifelong pension in the amount of double salary. The Department of Heraldry of the Senate included an image of a Tula pistol in the officers' coats of arms, the same one that lay on the spire of the brig in front of the hatch of the cruise chamber, and sailor fines were excluded from the formal lists. The brig was the second of the Russian ships to receive the commemorative St. George flag and pennant.

Ivan Aivazovsky. The brig Mercury, after defeating two Turkish ships, meets with the Russian squadron (1848)

“Mercury” served on the Black Sea until November 9, 1857, when an order was received “to dismantle it due to complete disrepair.” However, his name was ordered to be retained in the Russian fleet with the transfer of the St. George flag to the corresponding ship. Three ships of the Black Sea Fleet alternately bore the name “Memory of Mercury”: in 1865 - a corvette, and in 1883 and 1907 - cruisers. The Baltic brig “Kazarsky” and the Black Sea mine cruiser of the same name sailed under the St. Andrew’s flag.

In 1834, in Sevastopol, on the initiative of the commander of the Black Sea squadron M.P. Lazarev, with funds raised by the sailors, a monument was erected, designed by the architect A.P. Bryullov. A high pedestal on which is engraved the inscription: “To Kazar. An example for posterity,” is crowned with a bronze trireme.

The monument to A.I. Kazarsky and the feat of the brig "Mercury" is the first monument erected in Sevastopol.

May 14 (26), 1829 - heroic battle of the brig "Mercury", the crew of which, led by Lieutenant Commander A.I. Kazarsky accomplished a truly unique feat in the history of the Russian fleet. Unique in heroism, military skill, dedication and fortitude of the crew. It is also unique because almost two centuries have passed, and the glory of the brig “Mercury” and its crew does not fade and invariably serves as an example of military valor.

The victory of a small brig in a battle with two large ships seemed so fantastic that some naval experts refused to believe in it. The English naval historian F. Jane, for example, said: “It is absolutely impossible to allow such a small ship as "Mercury", disabled two battleships."

Blockade of the Bosphorus

At the end of the Russian-Turkish War of 1828-1829, the Black Sea Fleet established a tight blockade of the Bosphorus. Based on Sizopol (read the article for details about the assault on this fortress), detachments of Russian ships were constantly on duty at the entrance to this strait in order to promptly detect any attempt by the Turkish fleet to go to sea. In May 1829, a detachment of ships under the command of Lieutenant Commander P.Ya. was assigned to cruise at the entrance to the Bosphorus. Sakhnovsky. The detachment included the 44-gun frigate "Standart", the 20-gun brig "Orpheus" and the 18-gun brig "Mercury" under the command of Lieutenant Commander A.I. Kazarsky. The ships left Sizopol on May 12 and headed for the Bosphorus.

Kazarsky was already an experienced naval officer. For his distinction during the capture of Anapa, he was prematurely promoted to captain-lieutenant, and then again committed a heroic act during the siege of Varna, for which he was awarded a golden saber with the inscription “For bravery!” After this, he was appointed commander of the brig Mercury.

Chase

Early in the morning of May 14, a Turkish squadron appeared on the horizon, sailing from the shores of Anatolia (the southern coast of the Black Sea) to the Bosphorus. "Mercury" began to drift, and the frigate "Standard" and the brig "Orpheus" approached the enemy to determine the composition of the Turkish squadron. They counted 18 ships, among which were 6 battleships and 2 frigates. Soon the Turks discovered the Russian ships and gave chase. Sakhnovsky ordered each of our ships to evade pursuit independently. "Standart" and "Orpheus" set all sails and quickly disappeared over the horizon. "Mercury" also left with full sail, but two Turkish ships began to catch up with it. These were the 110-gun Selimiye under the flag of Kapudan Pasha and the 74-gun Real Bey under the flag of the junior flagship. The rest of the Turkish ships drifted, watching as the admirals amused themselves with the hunt for the small Russian brig.

Around two o'clock in the afternoon the wind died down. Kazarsky ordered to go with oars; the ship was small, and oars were his standard means of transportation. But less than half an hour had passed before the wind freshened again, and the chase resumed. Soon the Turks opened fire with running guns (guns designed to fire straight ahead). Kazarsky invited the officers to a military council. The situation was extremely difficult. The two Turkish ships were 10 times larger than the Mercury in the number of guns, and 30 times larger in the weight of the broadside.

Brig Mercury attacked by two Turkish ships
From a painting by I.K. Aivazovsky.

According to a long-standing naval tradition, the youngest in rank spoke first. On the Mercury he was Lieutenant of the Corps of Navigators I.P. Prokofiev. He offered to fight. The council unanimously decided to fight to the last extremity, and then fall with one of the Turkish ships and blow up both ships. Encouraged by this decision of the officers, Kazarsky appealed to the sailors not to disgrace the honor of St. Andrew's flag. All as one declared that they would be faithful to their duty and oath to the end.

The team quickly prepared the brig for battle. The gunners took their places at the guns, the yawl hanging behind the stern was thrown into the sea, and two 3-pound cannons were placed in the stern ports, which immediately returned fire at the enemy. A loaded pistol was placed on the capstan near the cruise chamber in order to blow up the brig at the right moment. The Mercury was built using the most modern technology for that time, so it was strong and had good seaworthiness, but its shallow draft made it slow-moving. In this situation, only the maneuver and accuracy of the gunners could save him.

Brig "Mercury" enters battle

The real battle began when the Selimiye tried to go around the brig on the right and fired a salvo with its entire side. However, Kazarsky managed to evade. Then, for half an hour, using oars and sails, the Mercury avoided the enemy's broadsides. But then the Turks managed to get around it on both sides, and each of the Turkish ships fired two broadside salvos at the brig. A hail of cannonballs, cannonballs (two cannonballs connected by a chain or rod, used to disable the rigging of a ship) and firebrands (an incendiary projectile) rained down on him. After this, the Turks offered to surrender and drift. The brig responded with a volley of caronades and friendly fire from rifles. (Read the article about the effectiveness of these weapons in close combat). Kazarsky was wounded in the head, but continued to lead the battle. He understood perfectly well that his main task was to deprive the Turkish ships of their speed, and ordered the gunners to aim at the rigging and spars of the Turkish ships.

Brig "Mercury"
From a painting by V.M. Ivanova

This tactic of the Russian brig was fully justified when several cannonballs from the Mercury damaged the rigging and mainmast of the Selimiye, and it was forced to withdraw from the battle. But Real Bey continued to attack with even greater persistence. For an hour, changing tacks, he hit the brig with hard longitudinal salvos. Then Kazarsky decided on a desperate maneuver. The brig abruptly changed course and approached the Turkish ship. Panic began on the Real Bay, as the Turks decided that the Russians would blow up both ships. Having approached to the shortest distance, Kazarsky allowed his gunners to hit the rigging of the Turkish ship with maximum efficiency.

The risk was very great, because the Turks could now shoot point-blank at the Mercury from their huge guns. But our artillerymen did not disappoint. On the Real Bay, several yards were immediately broken, the sails began to fall on the deck, and the Turkish ship could not maneuver. "Mercury" fired another salvo at it and began to leave. This unequal battle, which lasted more than three hours, ended ingloriously for the Turks. It was time to count the losses: the Mercury had four killed, six wounded, 22 holes in the hull, 16 damage to the mast, 148 in the rigging and 133 in the sails.

Brig "Mercury". Damage diagram.

Meanwhile, “Standard” and “Orpheus” arrived in Sizopol on the same day with their flags at half-mast. They reported the appearance of the Turkish fleet and the death of the Mercury. Fleet Commander Vice Admiral A.S. Greig ordered to immediately go to sea to cut off the Turkish fleet's path to the Bosphorus. The next day, on the way to the Bosphorus, the Russian squadron met the brig Mercury. The appearance of the ship spoke better than any words about the kind of battle it had to endure. The entire wounded brig proudly marched to join its squadron. Kazarsky boarded the flagship and reported on the heroic actions of the officers and crew. Vice Admiral A.S. Greig, in a detailed report to Emperor Nicholas I, emphasized that the crew of the brig accomplished “a feat that has no parallel in the annals of sea powers.” After this, “Mercury” continued its journey to Sevastopol, where a solemn meeting awaited it.

For this battle, Kazarsky was promoted to captain of the 2nd rank, awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree, and received the rank of aide-de-camp. All the officers of the brig were promoted to rank and awarded orders, and the sailors were awarded the insignia of a military order. All officers and sailors were assigned a lifelong pension in the amount of double salary. The brig "Mercury" became a guards brig (read about the history of the naval guard) and was awarded the St. George flag and pennant. The stern St. George flag is the highest military award in the navy. During the 98 years of the flag's existence, only two ships were awarded it. Their merits were so high that no other emperor made such an award. However, these flags were inherited by successor ships named after those ships.

“We wish that the memory of the famous merits of the crew of the brig “Mercury” never disappear in the fleet and, passing from generation to generation for eternity, serve as an example to posterity,” Emperor Nicholas I commanded. “This feat is such that there is no other like it.” in the history of navigation; he is so amazing that one can hardly believe him. The courage, fearlessness and self-sacrifice shown by the commander and crew of the Mercury are more glorious than a thousand ordinary victories,” wrote the Odessky Vestnik newspaper.

"Mercury" served in the Black Sea Fleet until November 9, 1857. After this, three ships alternately bore the name "Memory of Mercury", accepting and passing on his St. George's flag. Kazarsky died suddenly in 1833 in Nikolaev, when he was less than 36 years old. There is reason to believe that he was poisoned by port officials to hide traces of his crimes. The following year, on the initiative of the commander of the Black Sea squadron M.P. A monument was erected to Lazarev on Michmansky Boulevard in Sevastopol. The author of the project was the famous architect A.P. Bryullov. On the granite pedestal of the monument there is a very brief, but very meaningful inscription carved: “To the Kazar. An example for posterity."

The following materials were used when writing this article:

• Nekrasov O.I. Brig "Mercury". Moscow. 1992
• Shigin V.V. An example for posterity. “Sea collection” No. 7 and 8 for 2005.
• Mamyshev V. Aide-de-camp to His Imperial Majesty, Captain 1st Rank Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky. SPb. 1904
• Melikhov V.I. Description of the actions of the Black Sea Fleet in the continuation of the war with Turkey of 1828-1829. SPb. 1850
• Russian biographical dictionary. SPb. 1897

The feat of the brig "Mercury" is quite widely covered in our literature. Perhaps you, dear reader, have formed your own opinion on this issue. Share it in the comments to this article. This will be interesting for everyone!

In the archives of former Vice-Chancellor Nesselrode, a letter from a Turkish officer, one of the navigators of the ship Real Bay, was discovered and published, in which that battle is described in detail. Here are excerpts from this document:

» ...we chased after them, but we could only catch up with one brig at three o'clock in the afternoon. The captain-pasha's ship and ours then opened heavy fire. This is unheard of and incredible. We could not force him to surrender: he fought, retreating and maneuvering with all the skill of an experienced military captain, to the point that it is shameful to say that we stopped the battle, and he continued his path with glory. This brig must lose, without a doubt, half of its crew, because once it was a pistol shot away from our ship... If in the great deeds of ancient and modern times there are feats of courage, then this act should darken all of them, and the name of this hero is worthy of being inscribed in gold letters on the Temple of Glory: it is called captain-lieutenant Kazarsky, and the brig is called “Mercury”...».

The brig "Mercury" got its name in memory about a brave sailing and rowing boat that distinguished itself in battles with the Swedes in 1788-1790. The boat captured a large number of enemy ships and earned immortal fame in its homeland. However, today we remember the brig that inherited such a fateful name.

Built at the Sevastopol shipyard from bog oak, the ship's thirty-meter hull was equipped with eighteen carronades and two portable guns. The carronades were a thin-walled cast-iron cannon with a short barrel, weighing twenty-four pounds. The stern was decorated with a statue of the Roman god Mercury, the ship had sails and 7 oars on both sides.

It was launched on May 7 (19), 1820. The ship's master, Colonel I. Ya. Osminin, conceived the Mercury as a special ship to guard the Caucasian coast and perform patrol duty. Unlike other brigs of the Russian fleet, it had a shallow draft and was equipped with oars. The Mercury's shallow draft resulted in a shallower hold than other brigs and worsened its performance.

The handsome ship set out on its maiden voyage in May 1820; the crew was entrusted with patrol and reconnaissance missions along the coast of Abkhazia. Smugglers were considered the scourge of coastal waters, causing significant damage to the region’s maritime wealth. Until 1828, "Mercury" did not participate in battles. However, when the Russian-Turkish War began, the brig took part in the battles for the capture of fortresses: Varna, Anapa, Burchak, Inada and Sizopol. In these battles, the brig distinguished itself by capturing two Turkish ships with an enemy landing force.

Main characteristics of the brig "Mercury"

Deck length- 30.9 m
Waterline length- 23.6 m
Width with trim- 9.7 m
Recess by stem- 2.74 m
Sternpost recess- 3.96 m
Interior depth- 2.94 m
Displacement- 390 t

Artillery weapons:

24 pound caronade- 18 pcs.
36-pounder guns- 2 pcs.
Crew- 110 people

The commander of the brig "Mercury" in 1829 was a young, handsome captain-lieutenant Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, who by that time had experience in naval service. Already at the age of 14, Alexander joined the navy simple volunteer, and then graduated from the Nikolaev Cadet School. In 1813, Kazarsky was taken as a midshipman to the Black Sea Fleet, and after a year he was promoted to midshipman.

The brigantines on which Kazarsky served transported cargo, so the tactics of naval combat had to be mastered only theoretically. Some time later, Kazarsky was appointed commander of rowing ships in Izmail; he received the rank of lieutenant in 1819. His service continues on the frigate Eustathius under the command of Ivan Semenovich Skalovsky on the Black Sea. The rear admiral willingly passed on his experience to the diligent student and brave officer Kazarsky.

Being a commander transport The ship "Rival", transporting weapons, Kazarsky participated in the siege of Anapa. To do this, he had to convert this ship into a bombardment ship. He shelled the fortifications for three weeks, and the “Rival” received serious damage to the mast and many holes in the hull. For this battle, Kazarsky received the rank of captain-lieutenant, and a little later in the same 1828, for the capture of Varna, Alexander Ivanovich was awarded a golden saber.

At the end of the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-1829. three Russian ships: the 44-gun frigate "Standart" (commander-lieutenant-commander P. Ya. Sakhnovsky), the 20-gun brig "Orpheus" (commander-lieutenant-commander E.I. Koltovsky) and the 20-gun brig "Mercury" ( commander captain-lieutenant A.I. Kazarsky) received orders to cruise at the exit from the Bosphorus Strait. The overall command of the detachment was entrusted to Lieutenant-Commander Sakhnovsky. On May 12 (24), 1829, the ships weighed anchor and headed for the Bosphorus.

Captain-Lieutenant Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky

At dawn on May 14 (26), 13 miles from the strait, the detachment noticed a Turkish squadron, among 14 ships, sailing from the shores of Anatolia. Sakhnovsky really wanted to take a closer look at the enemy in order to determine with what forces Kapudan Pasha came out this time. A signal fluttered on the halyards of the “Standard”: “Mercury” to drift.” Sakhnovsky Coast is the slowest ship of its squadron. Having counted the Turkish pennants, “Standart” and “Orpheus” turned back. The enemy squadron rushed in pursuit of the Russian ships. Seeing the returning scouts, Kazarsky independently ordered to take off the drift and raise the sails.

Very soon the high-speed "Standart" caught up with the "Mercury". A new signal went up on its mast: “Everyone should choose the course that the ship has a preferential course.” "Standart" and "Orpheus" suddenly jumped ahead and quickly turned into two fluffy clouds on the horizon. And behind the stern of the Mercury, which carried all possible sails, a forest of masts of Turkish ships grew inexorably. The enemy was moving strictly north. The best Turkish walkers - the 110-gun Selimiye under the flag of Kapudan Pasha and the 74-gun Real Bey under the flag of the junior flagship - gradually overtook the Mercury. The rest of the Turkish squadron drifted, waiting for the admirals to capture or drown the obstinate Russian brig.

The brig Mercury, attacked by two Turkish ships. Ivan Aivazovsky. 1892

The Mercury's chances of salvation were negligible (184 guns versus 20, not even taking into account the calibers of the guns) and left almost no hope for a successful outcome of the battle, the inevitability of which no one doubted.

Around two o'clock in the afternoon the wind died down and the speed of the pursuing ships decreased. Taking advantage of this circumstance, Kazarsky, using the oars of the brig, wanted to increase the distance separating him from the enemy, but less than half an hour had passed before the wind freshened again and the Turkish ships began to reduce the distance. At the end of the third hour of the day, the Turks opened fire from running cannons.

After the first Turkish shots, a council of war took place on the brig. According to a long-standing military tradition, the youngest in rank had the privilege of expressing his opinion first. “We cannot escape the enemy,” said Lieutenant of the Corps of Navigators I.P. Prokofiev. “We will fight.” The Russian brig should not fall to the enemy. The last one alive will blow it up." The commander of the brig "Mercury", 28-year-old captain-lieutenant Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, who was awarded a golden saber for the battles near Varna in 1828 and was considered one of the bravest officers of the Black Sea Fleet, wrote in his report to Admiral A.S. Greig:

“... We unanimously decided to fight to the last extreme, and if the spar is knocked down or the water in the hold becomes impossible to pump out, then, having fallen with some ship, the one who is still alive among the officers must light the hook chamber with a pistol shot.” Having completed the officers' council, the brig commander addressed the sailors and gunners with an appeal not to disgrace the honor of St. Andrew's flag. Everyone unanimously declared that they would be faithful to their duty and oath to the end. The Turks faced an enemy who preferred death to surrender and battle to lowering the flag.

Having stopped using the oars, the team quickly prepared the brig for battle: the gunners took their places at the guns; a sentry took up post at the flag halyard with a categorical order from Kazarsky to shoot at anyone who tried to lower the flag; the yawl hanging behind the stern was thrown into the sea and return fire was opened on the enemy from two 3-pound cannons, dragged to the retreat ports.

The battle of the brig "Mercury" with two Turkish ships in 1829. Nikolai Krasovsky, 1867

Kazarsky knew perfectly well the strengths and weaknesses of his brig. Despite its nine-year age (not old, but respectable), the Mercury was strong, although a little heavy on the move. He handled the high waves perfectly, but in the calm he became completely overweight. Only the art of maneuver and the accuracy of the gunners could save him.

The three-deck Turkish ship Selimiye, which had one hundred and ten guns on board, tried to enter from the stern. After the first volleys, an order to surrender was received from the enemy, but the team responded with fierce shooting. A fight ensued. A huge thirty-pound cannonball pierced the side of the Mercury and killed two sailors. The commander skillfully maneuvered the Mercury so that most of the enemy shells did not reach the target and only frayed the sails. Skillful maneuvers were accompanied by salvos from all guns. The gunners targeted the spar in order to disable the enemy ships, so the Turks had few casualties. Shcherbakov and Lisenko succeeded: Kazarsky came almost close to the Selima so that the shells could hit the target. The topsail and topsail immediately hung on the Kapudan Pasha's ship of the line. Having received severe damage to the Selima, he was forced to stop the battle and drift. However, in the end, he knocked out one of the Mercury's cannons with a salvo.

A salvo from the Turkish ship pierced the Mercury's hull below the waterline, and the threat of sinking hung over the brave brig. Sailor Gusev and midshipman Pritupov rushed to the hole. Gusev closed the hole with his back and demanded that he be pressed against it with a log, only after screams accompanied by strong abuse did the midshipman obey the sailor and fix the leak, denting the hero as a patch.

A dense swarm of cannonballs, nipples and firebrands flew into the Mercury. Kazarsky responded to demands to “surrender and lower the sails” with volleys of caronades and friendly rifle fire. Rigging and spars are the “Achilles heel” of even such giants as these multi-gun giants. Finally, the well-aimed 24-pound cannonballs of the Mercury broke the water stay and damaged the Selimiye's main topmast, which completely destroyed the ship's main mast and forced it to drift. But before that, he sent a farewell salvo into the brig from all over the board. “Real Bey” persistently continued the fight. For an hour, changing tacks, he hit the brig with brutal longitudinal salvos.

The second Turkish two-deck ship, Real Bay, with seventy-four guns on board, attacked the Mercury from the port side. There was a fire on the brig three times, but the united team fought to the last. There was a fire fast extinguished, there was numerous damage to the hull, spars, sails and rigging. It was impossible to dodge the shots, all that remained was to attack with retaliatory blows and with well-aimed shots the enemy's fore-bow-yard, main-rail and knock-for-top-yard were finally destroyed. Fallen foxes and sails covered the openings for the cannons. These injuries made it impossible for Real Bay to continue the pursuit, and at half past five he stopped the fight.

Fight with Royal Bay. Ivan Aivazovsky

Since the artillery cannonade coming from the south fell silent, “Standart” and “Orpheus”, considering “Mercury” to be dead, lowered their flags as a sign of mourning for it.

While the wounded brig was approaching Sizopol (Sozopol, Bulgaria), where the main forces of the Black Sea Fleet were based, shell-shocked, with a bandaged head, A. I. Kazarsky counted the losses: 4 killed, 6 wounded, 22 holes in the hull, 133 in the sails, 16 damage in the spars, 148 in the rigging, all rowing vessels were broken.

The next day, May 15, "Mercury" joined the fleet, which, notified by the "Standart", went to sea in full force at 14:30.

Two days earlier, the Russian frigate Raphael, commanded by the former commander of the Mercury, captain of the second rank Stroynikov, found himself in a similar situation. The frigate surrendered and, by coincidence, the captured Stroynikov was on the battleship Real Bay on May 14. He witnessed the brave battle of the crew and the skillful maneuvering of the young captain. Stroynikov's cowardly act infuriated Emperor Nicholas I, so he ordered the Raphael to be burned as soon as it was recaptured from the enemy. The imperial order was carried out a little later.
On August 1, 1829, the Mercury was repaired in Sevastopol and started sailing to Sizopol. The battle of the brave crew became the pride of not only the Russians, but even the Turks spoke admiringly of this battle, calling the crew of the brave brig heroes.

At the beginning of May in 1830, the St. George flag and a pennant, awarded to the ship for a heroic battle, soared over the Mercury. Kazarsky and Lieutenant Prokofiev were awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree. By decree of the emperor, Kazarsky was promoted to captain of the 2nd rank and appointed aide-de-camp. The Order of St. Vladimir with a bow was awarded to the entire ship's officers with an increase in rank and the right to be placed on the family coat of arms images pistol The pistol was supposed to represent the same one with which the last of the team was supposed to blow up the brig.

Many ships were named after the two-masted Mercury, and they are still called that way today. The courage of the team and its glorious commander will forever remain in Russian history. After the tragic death of Kazarsky, which was not related to the fleet, in 1834 a monument was laid in Sevastopol in honor of the captain, the heroic brig and his crew, more than 5 meters high. The inscription on the monument: “To Kazarsky. An example for posterity."

Navigator Ivan Petrovich Prokofiev was in charge of the Sevastopol telegraph in 1830, then participated in the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855. Only in 1860 did Prokofiev retire. The monument to the brave navigator was erected after his death in 1865.

Fedor Mikhailovich Novosilsky, who participated in the May battle on the Mercury as a lieutenant, continued to serve in the navy to the rank of vice admiral, and earned many orders, a golden saber with diamonds and other awards for courage.

Skaryatin Sergei Iosifovich, still a lieutenant on the Mercury, later commanded other ships, awarded the Order of St. George. He retired from service with the rank of captain 1st rank in 1842.

Dmitry Petrovich Pritupov, a midshipman of the brave brig, later left service due to illness with the rank of lieutenant in 1837, providing himself with double pay until his last days.

The brig Mercury, after defeating two Turkish ships, meets with the Russian squadron. Ivan Aivazovsky, 1848

The brig's feat was highly praised by the enemy. After the battle, one of the navigators of the Turkish ship Real Bay noted: “If in the great deeds of ancient and modern times there are feats of courage, then this act should eclipse all others, and the name of the hero is worthy of being inscribed in golden letters in the temple of glory: this captain was Kazarsky, and the name of the brig is “Mercury”. The Mercury crew, who wrote a new page in the book of Russian naval glory, were generously rewarded and treated kindly. A.I. Kazarsky and I.P. Prokofiev received IV degree each, the remaining officers received the Order of Vladimir IV degree with a bow, all sailors received insignia of the military order. The officers were promoted to the following ranks, and Kazarsky also received the rank of wing adjutant. All officers and sailors were assigned a lifelong pension in the amount of double salary. The Department of Heraldry of the Senate included an image of a Tula pistol in the officers' coats of arms, the same one that lay on the spire of the brig in front of the hatch of the cruise chamber, and sailor fines were excluded from the registration lists. The brig was the second of the Russian ships to receive the commemorative St. George flag and pennant.

“Mercury” served on the Black Sea until November 9, 1857, when an order was received “to dismantle it due to complete disrepair.” However, his name was ordered to be retained in the Russian fleet with the transfer of the St. George flag to the corresponding ship. Three ships of the Black Sea Fleet alternately bore the name “Memory of Mercury”: in 1865 - a corvette, and in 1883 and 1907 - cruisers. The Baltic brig “Kazarsky” and the Black Sea mine cruiser of the same name sailed under the St. Andrew’s flag.

In 1834, in Sevastopol, on the initiative of the commander of the Black Sea squadron M.P. Lazarev, with funds raised by sailors, a monument was erected - the first in the city! - created according to the design of the architect A.P. Bryullov. A high pedestal on which is engraved the inscription: “To Kazar. An example for posterity,” is crowned with a bronze trireme.

The subsequent fate of Captain Kazarsky is sad. Kazarsky's career took off sharply. For some time, the young officer continued to command various ships, and after he was awarded the rank of captain 1st rank, Kazarsky was appointed aide-de-camp to Emperor Nicholas I.
The Emperor often entrusted an experienced, capable officer with carrying out particularly important audits and inspections in various provinces of Russia. In the spring of 1833, Kazarsky was seconded to the Black Sea Fleet to help Admiral M.P. Lazarev equip an expedition to the Bosphorus. Alexander Ivanovich headed the loading of landing troops onto the ships of the squadron, inspected the rear offices of the fleet and quartermaster warehouses in Odessa. From Odessa, Kazarsky moved to Nikolaev to check the quartermasters. But on July 16, 1833, a few days after arriving in the city, captain 1st rank, aide-de-camp to the Emperor Kazarsky, suddenly died. As the subsequent investigation showed, everything pointed to poisoning with a potent mercury-based poison. Researchers find evidence in documents indicating that Kazarsky, during one of the audits, discovered a large embezzlement of public funds, and his murder was the revenge of embezzlers.

But there were also these isolated cases:

The frigate "Raphael" was laid down at the Sevastopol Admiralty on April 20, 1825. Builder I. Ya. Osminin.

Specifications:

Length- 41.8 m

Width- 11,8

Side height- 4 m

Artillery weapons

36-pounder guns- 8 pieces

24-pounder guns- 26 jokes

8-pounder guns- 10 pieces

The frigate "Raphael" in May 1829 was cruising off the Anatolian coast between Sinop and Batum. On the night of May 11, 1829, he met with the Turkish fleet leaving the Bosphorus (3 battleships, 3 frigates and 5 corvettes), and the commander of the Raphael, captain 2nd rank S.M. Stroynikov, in the dark, mistakenly mistook the Turkish ships for Russian the squadron cruising near the Bosphorus got closer, and the next morning he found himself surrounded by Turkish ships. At a council of war, the ship's officers decided to "fight to the last drop of blood." But when conversations began with the crew, the senior officer who was negotiating with the sailors reported that the crew did not want to die and asked to surrender the ship. Captain Stroynikov made a concession to the crew and lowered the flag, handing over the ship to the Turks, who returned in triumph with a prize from the Bosporus (on the way back, meeting the Russian detachment of Sakhnovsky, from which the brig "Mercury" lagged behind, whose commander Kazarsky, as you know, behaved directly in the opposite way than the commander of “Raphael” - which is how he immortalized his name). "Rafail" was included in the Turkish fleet under the name "Nimetulla".

After the famous battle of the brig “Mercury” with superior Turkish ships, Emperor Nicholas I issued a decree that contained the following words: “... We wish that the memory of this unparalleled deed be preserved until later times, therefore we command you to order: when this brig becomes unable to continue more service at sea, build another similar ship according to the same drawing and perfect similarity in everything, calling it “Mercury” and assigning it to the same crew, to which the awarded flag and pennant will be transferred; when this ship begins to fall into disrepair, replace it with another new one, built according to the same drawing, continuing this way until later times. We wish that the memory of the famous merits of the crew of the brig “Mercury” and it never disappear in the fleet and, passing from generation to generation for eternity, serve as an example to posterity.”

But in the case of “Raphael,” Nikolai Pavlovich ordered to do exactly the opposite. In another decree, the All-Russian Emperor gave vent to his indignation: “Trusting in the help of the Almighty, I remain in the hope that the intrepid Black Sea Fleet, eager to wash away the ignominy of the frigate Raphael, will not leave it in the hands of the enemy.” But when it is returned to our power, then, considering this frigate henceforth unworthy to wear the Flag of Russia and serve along with other ships of our fleet, I command you to put it on fire.”

After the conclusion of the Andrianopol Peace Treaty, the Raphael crew returned to Russia. A military court was held on the surrender of the ship; by the verdict of this court, all the officers of the frigate were demoted to sailors (with the exception of one midshipman, who was in the cruise chamber at the time of surrender, and therefore acquitted). By an imperial rescript, the former commander of the frigate Stroynikov, also demoted to sailor, was forbidden to marry, “so as not to have a descendant of a coward and a traitor in Russia.”

Subsequently, in 1853, in the Battle of Sinop, the Russian battleships Empress Maria and Paris, sowing death and disarmament among Turkish ships, first turned their guns against the frigate Fazli-Allah, which was part of the squadron that captured Raphael ( the captured Russian frigate itself had by that time been withdrawn from the Turkish fleet). During the battle, Fazli-Allah was almost completely destroyed by the fire of Russian ships.

Admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov began his report on the Battle of Sinop to Emperor Nicholas I with the words: “The will of Your Imperial Majesty has been fulfilled - the frigate Raphael does not exist.” Such was the desire of the Russian naval officer to wash away the stain of shame from the Russian fleet.

Let me remind you of a few more episodes from Russia’s heroic past: how , and famous The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -