Gangut naval battle (1714): description, causes, history and consequences. History and ethnology. Data. Events. Fiction
Mauritius Bakua, Battle of Gangut. Engraving
On August 9, 1714, at Cape Gangut during the Northern War, the Russian fleet under the command of Peter I won the first major naval victory in Russian history over the Swedes. Now in detail - what kind of battle it was and how significant it was in the history of Russia. Let's figure it out.
What do we know about the Battle of Gangut?
The Battle of Gangut is a naval battle of the Great Northern War of 1700-1721, which took place on July 27 (August 7), 1714 at Cape Gangut (Hanko Peninsula, Finland) in the Baltic Sea between the Russian and Swedish fleets, the first naval victory of the Russian fleet in the history of Russia.
By the spring of 1714, the southern and almost entire central parts of Finland were occupied by Russian troops. In order to finally resolve the issue of Russia's access to the Baltic Sea, which was controlled by the Swedes, it was necessary to defeat the Swedish fleet.
At the end of June 1714, the Russian rowing fleet (99 galleys, scampaways and auxiliary ships with a 15,000-strong landing party) under the command of Admiral General Count Fyodor Matveyevich Apraksin concentrated off the eastern coast of Gangut (in Tverminne Bay) with the goal of landing troops to strengthen the Russian garrison in Abo (100 km northwest of Cape Gangut). The path to the Russian fleet was blocked by the Swedish fleet (15 battleships, 3 frigates, 2 bombardment ships and 9 galleys) under the command of Gustav Vatrang.
Tactical move of Peter I
Peter I (Schautbenacht Peter Mikhailov) used a tactical maneuver. He decided to transfer part of his galleys to the area north of Gangut across the isthmus of this peninsula, 2.5 kilometers long. To fulfill his plan, he ordered the construction of a perevolok (wooden flooring). Having learned about this, Vatrang sent a detachment of ships (1 ship, 6 galleys, 3 skerry boats) to the northern coast of the peninsula. The detachment was headed by Rear Admiral Ehrenskiold. He decided to use another detachment (8 battleships and 2 bombardment ships) under the command of Vice Admiral Lillier to strike the main forces of the Russian fleet.
Painting by Alexey Bogolyubov Peter expected such a decision. He decided to take advantage of the division of enemy forces. The weather was favorable to him. On the morning of July 26 (August 6), there was no wind, which is why the Swedish sailing ships lost their maneuverability. The vanguard of the Russian fleet (20 ships) under the command of Commander Matvey Khristoforovich Zmaevich began a breakthrough, bypassing the Swedish ships and remaining out of range of their fire. Following him, another detachment (15 ships) made a breakthrough. Thus, there was no need for relocation. Zmaevich's detachment blocked Ehrenskiöld's detachment near Lakkisser Island.
Andrey Lysenko. Peter I meets a foreign fleet, 2004. Believing that other detachments of Russian ships would continue to break through in the same way, Vatrang recalled Lilje’s detachment, thus freeing the coastal fairway. Taking advantage of this, Apraksin with the main forces of the rowing fleet broke through the coastal fairway to his vanguard.
At 14:00 on July 27 (August 7), the Russian vanguard, consisting of 23 ships, attacked Ehrenskiöld’s detachment, which built its ships along a concave line, both flanks of which rested on the islands.
The Swedes managed to repulse the first two attacks with fire from naval guns. The third attack was launched against the flanking ships of the Swedish detachment, which did not allow the enemy to take advantage of their artillery advantage. They were soon boarded and captured. Peter I personally participated in the boarding attack, showing the sailors an example of courage and heroism. After a stubborn battle, the Swedish flagship, the Elefant, surrendered. All 10 ships of Ehrenskiöld's detachment were captured. Part of the forces of the Swedish fleet managed to escape to the Åland Islands.
P. N. Wagner, Battle of Gangut Myths and inaccuracies
However, St. Petersburg researcher P. A. Krotov, having examined archival documents, pointed out a number of inaccuracies in the traditional perception of the battle. He showed that there were not three attacks in the battle, but one (the myth of three attacks was created by the Swedes to show their stubborn resistance). The scientist presented the results of the study in the monograph “The Battle of Gangut of 1714.”
The victory of the Russian fleet in the Battle of Gangut was due to the correct choice of the direction of the main attack, the skillful use of the skerry fairway to guide the rowing fleet to the Gulf of Bothnia, well-organized reconnaissance and the interaction of the sailing and rowing fleets during the deployment of forces.
The skillful use of the meteorological conditions of the theater of operations to organize a breakthrough of the rowing fleet in calm weather and the use of military stratagem (demonstratively dragging rowing ships across the isthmus to the enemy’s rear) also played a role.
The victory off the Gangut Peninsula was the first major victory of the Russian regular fleet. She provided him with freedom of action in the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia and effective support for Russian troops in Finland. In the Battle of Gangut, the Russian command boldly used the advantage of the rowing fleet in the fight against the linear sailing fleet of the Swedes, skillfully organized the interaction of the forces of the fleet and ground forces, reacted flexibly to changes in the tactical situation and weather conditions, managed to unravel the enemy’s maneuver and impose its tactics on him. Also, the Battle of Gangut was one of the last major battles in the history of the fleet, in which boarding combat played a decisive role.
"FOR THIS BATTLE PETER I WAS PROMOTED TO VICE - ADMIRAL"
In September 1714, celebrations took place in St. Petersburg on the occasion of the Gangut victory. The winners passed under a triumphal arch, which depicted an eagle sitting on the back of an elephant. The inscription read: “The Russian eagle does not catch flies.”
Pram "Elephant" no longer took part in hostilities, but stood with other captured ships in the Kronverk channel, which goes around Hare Island from the north (between the modern Artillery Museum and the Peter and Paul Fortress).
Ship model, Class C-1. Pram “Elephant”, scale 1:48, Arkady Polivkin, Vecheslav Polivkin, Vitebsk. In 1719, the Tsar ordered the Elefant to be repaired, and in 1724, to be pulled ashore near Kronverk harbor and stored forever as a battle trophy. But by 1737 the frame had rotted and was dismantled for firewood.
August 9 - in honor of this event, a holiday is officially established in Russia - Military Glory Day.
During the battle, the Swedes lost 361 people killed, 350 wounded, the rest were captured.
The Russians lost 124 people killed. There were 342 people wounded.
In memory of the victories at Gangut and Grengam (won in different years on the same day - the day of remembrance of St. Panteleimon), the Panteleimon Church was built in St. Petersburg.
Panteleimon Church, Pestel Street. St. Petersburg, photo: Evgeny Yakushev In 1914, on the initiative of the Imperial Russian Military Historical Society, marble memorial plaques with a list of regiments that fought at Gangut and Grengam were installed on the facade of the Panteleimon Church. (Opposite the church, at the end of house No. 11 on Pestel Street, there is also a memorial plaque in honor of the defenders of Hanko (the modern name of Gangut) during the Great Patriotic War).
In the building of the Panteleimon Church there is an exhibition telling about the battles of Peter the Great's galley and sailing fleet in the Baltic, about the courage of Russian soldiers in the Northern War and the heroism of sailors in the defense of the Hanko Peninsula at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.
The following entry was left in the field journal of Peter the Great about this battle:
“It is truly impossible to describe the courage of our people, both the initial and the rank-and-file, since the boarding was carried out so cruelly that it was hit by enemy guns.”
This victory was the first major military success of the Russian fleet and was of great military and political significance; Peter I himself equated it in importance to the Battle of Poltava. After all, the young Russian fleet defeated the strongest Swedish fleet at that time, which had never known defeat before the Battle of Gangut. In addition, this military success significantly strengthened the position of Russian troops in Finland and created the conditions for the transfer of military operations to the territory of Sweden itself.
The Gangut victory made a great impression on the Western powers. Gangut showed that another sea power had been born that would have to be reckoned with. England was especially alarmed, as it set a course to neutralize Russia in the Baltic. The British government, fearing that Russia would force Sweden to capitulate and sharply strengthen its position in the Baltic Sea, began to put pressure on Stockholm to continue the war and threaten the Russians with its powerful fleet. From the summer of 1715, the British squadron would begin to systematically visit the Baltic Sea, trying to contain Russia's onslaught on Sweden. However, that's another story...
At the end of May, the Russian rowing fleet under the command of Admiral Apraksin (99 galleys) set off for the Åland Islands for a landing there. At Cape Gangut, at the exit from the Gulf of Finland, the path of the Russian galleys was blocked by the Swedish fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Vatrang (15 battleships, 3 frigates and 11 other ships). Apraksin did not dare to take independent action, due to the serious superiority of the Swedes in forces (primarily in artillery), and reported the current situation to the tsar. On July 20, the king himself arrived at the scene of action. Having examined the area, Peter ordered a portage to be set up in a narrow part of the peninsula (2.5 km) in order to drag some of his ships along it to the other side of the Rilaks Fjord and hit them from there in the rear of the Swedes. In an effort to stop this maneuver, Vatrang sent 10 ships there under the command of Rear Admiral Ehrenskiöld.
On July 26, 1714, there was no wind, which deprived the Swedish sailing ships of freedom of maneuver. Peter took advantage of this. His rowing flotilla oared around Vatrang's fleet and blocked Ehrenskiöld's ships in the Rilaksfjord. The Swedish rear admiral refused the offer to surrender. Then, on July 27, 1714, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, Russian galleys attacked Swedish ships in Rilaksfjord. The first and second frontal attacks were repelled by Swedish gunfire. For the third time, the galleys finally managed to get close to the Swedish ships, grappled with them, and the Russian sailors rushed to board. “It is truly impossible to describe the courage of the Russian troops,” wrote Peter, “since the boarding was carried out so cruelly that several soldiers were torn apart by enemy cannons not only with cannonballs and grapeshot, but also with the spirit of gunpowder from the cannons.” After a ruthless battle, the main ship of the Swedes, the frigate "Elephant" ("Elephant"), was boarded, and the remaining 10 ships surrendered. Ehrenskiöld tried to escape on a boat, but was caught and captured. The Swedes lost 361 people. killed, the rest (about 1 thousand people) were captured. The Russians lost 124 people. killed and 350 people. wounded. They had no losses in ships.
The Swedish fleet retreated, and the Russians occupied the island of Åland. This success significantly strengthened the position of Russian troops in Finland. Gangut is the first major victory of the Russian fleet. She raised the morale of the troops, showing that the Swedes could be defeated not only on land, but also at sea. Peter equated it in importance to the Battle of Poltava.
Although the Russian fleet was not yet strong enough to give the Swedes a general battle at sea, Sweden’s unconditional dominance in the Baltic now came to an end. Participants in the Battle of Gangut were awarded a medal with the inscription “Diligence and loyalty surpass strength.” On September 9, 1714, celebrations on the occasion of the Gangut Victoria took place in St. Petersburg. The winners walked under the triumphal arch. It featured an image of an eagle sitting on the back of an elephant. The inscription read: “The Russian eagle does not catch flies.”
Sweden's only rival remains Russia, which does not want to give up the Baltic states. Having secured the support of England, Sweden focuses all its efforts on the fight against the Russians. But the collapse of the anti-Swedish coalition and the threat of an attack by the British fleet did not prevent Peter I from ending the war victoriously. This was helped by the creation of its own strong fleet, which made Sweden vulnerable from the sea. In 1719-1720 Russian troops begin to land near Stockholm, devastating the Swedish coast. Having begun on land, the Northern War ended at sea. The most significant events of this period of the war include the Battle of Ezel and the Battle of Grengam.
Battle of Ezel - May 24, 1719 near the island of Ezel (Saarema) between the Russian squadron under the command of Captain Senyavin (6 battleships, 1 shnyava) and 3 Swedish ships under the command of Captain Wrangel (1 battleship, 1 frigate, 1 brigantine) began at sea the battle. Having discovered the Swedish ships, Senyavin boldly attacked them. The Swedes tried to escape persecution, but they failed. Having suffered losses from artillery shelling, they surrendered. The Battle of Ezel was the first victory of the Russian fleet on the high seas without the use of boarding.
Battle of Grengam - On July 27, 1720, off the island of Grengam (one of the Åland Islands), a naval battle took place between the Russian rowing fleet under the command of General Golitsyn (61 galleys) and the Swedish squadron under the command of Vice Admiral Sheblat (1 battleship, 4 frigates and 9 other ships).
Approaching Grengam, Golitsyn's insufficiently armed galleys came under heavy artillery fire from the Swedish squadron and retreated to shallow water. The Swedish ships followed them. In the shallow water area, the more maneuverable Russian galleys launched a decisive counterattack. Russian sailors boldly boarded the ship and captured 4 Swedish frigates in hand-to-hand combat. Sheblat's remaining ships hastily retreated.
The victory at Grenham strengthened the position of the Russian fleet in the eastern part of the Baltic and destroyed Sweden's hopes of defeating Russia at sea. On this occasion, Peter wrote to Menshikov: “True, no small victory can be honored, because in the eyes of the English gentlemen, who defended exactly the Swedes, both their lands and the fleet.”
The Battle of Gangut is the first naval victory of Russia bolivar_s wrote in August 8th, 2015
Quote from Maya_Peshkova's message The Battle of Gangut is the first naval victory of Russia
On August 9, 1714, at Cape Gangut during the Northern War, the Russian fleet under the command of Peter I won the first major naval victory in Russian history over the Swedes.
The Battle of Gangut is a naval battle of the Great Northern War of 1700-1721, which took place on July 27 (August 7), 1714 at Cape Gangut (Hanko Peninsula, Finland) in the Baltic Sea between the Russian and Swedish fleets, the first naval victory of the Russian fleet in the history of Russia.
By the spring of 1714, the southern and almost entire central parts of Finland were occupied by Russian troops. In order to finally resolve the issue of Russia's access to the Baltic Sea, which was controlled by the Swedes, it was necessary to defeat the Swedish fleet.
Count (from 1709) Fyodor Matveevich Apraksin - one of the founders of the Russian navy, associate of Peter I, admiral general (1708), first president of the State Admiralty Board. He commanded the Russian fleet in the Northern War and the Persian Campaign (1722).
At the end of June 1714, the Russian rowing fleet (99 galleys, scampaways and auxiliary ships with a 15,000-strong landing party) under the command of Admiral General Count Fyodor Matveyevich Apraksin concentrated off the eastern coast of Gangut (in Tverminne Bay) with the goal of landing troops to strengthen the Russian garrison in Abo (100 km northwest of Cape Gangut). The path to the Russian fleet was blocked by the Swedish fleet (15 battleships, 3 frigates, 2 bombardment ships and 9 galleys) under the command of Gustav Vatrang.
Peter I (Schautbenacht Pyotr Mikhailov) used a tactical maneuver. He decided to transfer part of his galleys to the area north of Gangut across the isthmus of this peninsula, 2.5 kilometers long. To fulfill his plan, he ordered the construction of a perevolok (wooden flooring). Having learned about this, Vatrang sent a detachment of ships (1 ship, 6 galleys, 3 skerry boats) to the northern coast of the peninsula. The detachment was headed by Rear Admiral Ehrenskiold. He decided to use another detachment (8 battleships and 2 bombardment ships) under the command of Vice Admiral Lillier to strike the main forces of the Russian fleet.
Painting by Alexey Bogolyubov
Peter expected such a decision. He decided to take advantage of the division of enemy forces. The weather was favorable to him. On the morning of July 26 (August 6), there was no wind, which is why the Swedish sailing ships lost their maneuverability. The vanguard of the Russian fleet (20 ships) under the command of Commander Matvey Khristoforovich Zmaevich began a breakthrough, bypassing the Swedish ships and remaining out of range of their fire. Following him, another detachment (15 ships) made a breakthrough. Thus, there was no need for relocation. Zmaevich's detachment blocked Ehrenskiöld's detachment near Lakkisser Island.
battle on Gangout. Engraving by A. Zubov. Ink on paper, 1715.
Believing that other detachments of Russian ships would continue to break through in the same way, Vatrang recalled Lilje’s detachment, thus freeing the coastal fairway. Taking advantage of this, Apraksin with the main forces of the rowing fleet broke through the coastal fairway to his vanguard. At 14:00 on July 27 (August 7), the Russian vanguard, consisting of 23 ships, attacked Ehrenskiöld’s detachment, which built its ships along a concave line, both flanks of which rested on the islands.
The Swedes managed to repulse the first two attacks with fire from naval guns. The third attack was launched against the flanking ships of the Swedish detachment, which did not allow the enemy to take advantage of their artillery advantage. They were soon boarded and captured. Peter I personally participated in the boarding attack, showing the sailors an example of courage and heroism. After a stubborn battle, the Swedish flagship, the Elefant, surrendered. All 10 ships of Ehrenskiöld's detachment were captured. Part of the forces of the Swedish fleet managed to escape to the Åland Islands.
However, St. Petersburg researcher P. A. Krotov, having examined archival documents, pointed out a number of inaccuracies in the traditional perception of the battle. He showed that there were not three attacks in the battle, but one (the myth of three attacks was created by the Swedes to show their stubborn resistance). The scientist presented the results of the study in the monograph “The Battle of Gangut of 1714.”
The victory of the Russian fleet in the Battle of Gangut was due to the correct choice of the direction of the main attack, the skillful use of the skerry fairway to guide the rowing fleet to the Gulf of Bothnia, well-organized reconnaissance and the interaction of the sailing and rowing fleets during the deployment of forces.
The skillful use of the meteorological conditions of the theater of operations to organize a breakthrough of the rowing fleet in calm weather and the use of military stratagem (demonstratively dragging rowing ships across the isthmus to the rear of the enemy) also played a role..
Russian combat scampaveya Fuseler of the naval regiment
The victory off the Gangut Peninsula was the first major victory of the Russian regular fleet. She provided him with freedom of action in the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia and effective support for Russian troops in Finland. In the Battle of Gangut, the Russian command boldly used the advantage of the rowing fleet in the fight against the linear sailing fleet of the Swedes, skillfully organized the interaction of the forces of the fleet and ground forces, reacted flexibly to changes in the tactical situation and weather conditions, managed to unravel the enemy’s maneuver and impose its tactics on him. Also, the Battle of Gangut was one of the last major battles in the history of the fleet, in which boarding combat played a decisive role.
Classic frigate of the Peter the Great period. Built according to the type of the famous frigate "Standart", layout
For this battle, Peter I was promoted to vice admiral.
NEPTUNUUS.70 fluff. Battleship, Russia, 1714, layout
In September 1714, celebrations took place in St. Petersburg on the occasion of the Gangut victory. The winners passed under a triumphal arch, which depicted an eagle sitting on the back of an elephant. The inscription read: “The Russian eagle does not catch flies.”
Pram "Elephant" no longer took part in hostilities, but stood with other captured ships in the Kronverk channel, which goes around Hare Island from the north (between the modern Artillery Museum and the Peter and Paul Fortress). In 1719, the Tsar ordered the Elefant to be repaired, and in 1724, to be pulled ashore near Kronverk harbor and stored forever as a battle trophy. But by 1737 the frame had rotted and was dismantled for firewood.
On August 9, in honor of this event, a holiday was officially established in Russia - Military Glory Day.
During the battle, the Swedes lost 361 people killed, 350 wounded, the rest were captured.
The Russians lost 124 people killed, of which 8 staff and chief officers, 101 constables and privates, 1 non-employee, and 14 lower ranks of sailors. There were 342 people wounded.
Saint-Petersburg, Russia. Church of St. Great Martyr Panteleimon on the street. Pestel.
In memory of the victories at Gangut and Grengam (won in different years on the same day - the day of remembrance of St. Panteleimon), the Panteleimon Church was built in St. Petersburg. The current building was built in 1735-1739, on the site of an older one built under Peter I. In 1914, on the initiative of the Imperial Russian Military Historical Society, marble memorial plaques with a list of regiments that fought at Gangut and Grengam were installed on the façade of the Panteleimon Church. (Opposite the church, at the end of house No. 11 on Pestel Street, there is also a memorial plaque in honor of the defenders of Hanko (the modern name of Gangut) during the Great Patriotic War). In the building of the Panteleimon Church there is an exhibition telling about the battles of Peter the Great's galley and sailing fleet in the Baltic , about the courage of Russian soldiers in the Northern War and the heroism of sailors in the defense of the Hanko Peninsula at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.
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To the 300th anniversary of the first naval victory in Russian history of the Russian fleet under the command of Peter I over the Swedes at Cape Gangut. (1714)
The battle at Cape Gangut, which took place on July 26 - 27 (August 6 - 7), 1714, between Russian and Swedish sailors, may not be impressive in its scale, but it was the first naval battle in which the young Russian fleet won a complete victory over the enemy.
The Northern War was going on. During the campaign of 1714, Peter I planned to capture Finland, occupy the Åland Islands and transfer the war to Swedish territory. According to the campaign plan, the Russian rowing fleet with a landing party was supposed to break through to Abo, occupy the Åland Islands and, in favorable conditions, begin landing troops on the Swedish coast. The naval fleet was supposed to cover the passage of rowing ships from the island of Kotlin to the entrance to the Finnish skerries, and then concentrate in Reval, from where they would prevent the penetration of the Swedish fleet into the Abo-Aland skerries and into the Gulf of Finland.
Throughout the winter of 1713 - 1714. The Russian army and navy carefully prepared for the campaign. The main role in the upcoming campaign was to be played by the fleet, commanded by Admiral General Fyodor Apraksin. He had no sailing ships at his disposal, but only 99 galleys and scamps with a 15,000-strong army. In addition, a sailing fleet of 11 battleships and 4 frigates was stationed in Reval under the command of Peter I.
At the end of May 1714, rowing ships with a landing party, accompanied by a sailing fleet, headed from Kotlin Island to the skerries. Training in rowing and maneuvering during the transition, headwinds from the west, and the unloading of food supplies from transport ships in Helsingfors delayed the advance of the Russian fleet to the west. Only at the end of June did he approach the Gangut Peninsula and concentrate in Tverminne Bay with the goal of breaking through to the Abo-Aland skerries and landing troops to reinforce the Russian garrison in Abo (a city 100 km northwest of Cape Gangut, now the city of Turku). The path to the Russian fleet was blocked by Swedish ships under the command of Vice Admiral Gustav Wattrang, consisting of 15 battleships, 3 frigates and a detachment of rowing ships. Taking advantage of the early clearing of ice in the western part of the Gulf of Finland, in April he took up a position on an open stretch at the southern tip of the Gangut Peninsula.
Apraksin reported this to the emperor and proposed several options for breaking through the fleet past Gangut. His main proposal was to use the Revel squadron to distract the Swedish fleet. The option of a joint attack on the enemy by forces of the Russian linear and rowing fleets was also considered. Due to the obvious superiority of the Swedish fleet over the Revel squadron, Peter I refused to use it for “sabotage” against the Swedes. He went to Gangut to determine on the spot the method of action of the rowing fleet. Peter personally carried out reconnaissance of the Swedish forces, after which he ordered to carefully monitor the enemy. For this purpose, observation posts on the shore of the Gangut Peninsula were strengthened, and a patrol detachment of 15 scamps was moved to the border of the skerries, closer to the Swedish fleet. After examining the Gangut Peninsula, Peter I decided to make a breakthrough in Abo only with the help of the rowing fleet, and to transfer galleys to the skerry area located northwest of Gangut, build a wooden platform (“transport”) across the narrow isthmus (2.5 km) with the ability to drag along it there are a couple of dozen light scampaways. His plan was to cause confusion in the Swedish fleet by the sudden appearance of several Russian ships behind enemy lines and thereby facilitate the breakthrough of the main forces of the rowing fleet past Gangut.
Intelligence reported to Wattrang about the construction of a land crossing. On July 25 (August 5), he sent a flotilla of 9 ships (1 frigate, 6 galleys, 2 skerry boats) under the command of Schoutbenacht Niels Ehrenskjöld to the western shore of the isthmus. The task of this detachment was the systematic destruction of Russian scamps as they were launched. At the same time, 8 Swedish battleships and 2 bombardment ships under the command of Vice Admiral E.Yu. Lilje were sent to Tverminna to attack the Russian fleet. With the remaining forces (7 battleships and 2 frigates), Wattrang continued to occupy a position at Gangut. Thus, the Swedish commander divided his fleet into 3 detachments, leaving a smaller part of his linear forces at Cape Gangut.
From the patrol detachment, Peter I was informed about the movement of Swedish ships. Quickly assessing the situation, he came to the correct conclusion that by dividing his forces, the Swedish admiral had weakened himself in the main direction of the planned breakthrough of the Russian fleet. Peter decided to take advantage of this miscalculation of the Swedes. A deep and comprehensive assessment of the situation allowed him to correctly calculate the time of the breakthrough. Knowing that in the Gangut area on summer days, before noon, there is often calm, Peter decided to send the ships into a breakthrough in the morning, when, due to calmness, the Swedish ships were deprived of the opportunity to maneuver under sail.
By the evening of July 25 (August 5), the Russian ships were pulled up to the Gangut Reach, after which their rowers went to bed, gaining strength before the breakthrough. On the morning of July 26 (August 6), when, due to the lack of wind, the Swedish sailing ships lost their maneuverability, the vanguard of the Russian fleet of 20 scamps under the command of Captain-Commander M.X. Zmaevich in the formation of the wake column began a breakthrough, bypassing the Swedish squadron to the sea, out of the reach of its artillery fire. To the entrance to the skerries west of Gangut it was necessary to row at the maximum possible speed for about 15 miles. The good training of the rowers, their physical endurance and self-confidence ensured the success of the breakthrough. The bold actions of the Russians took the Swedes by surprise. The Swedish ships, towed by boats, unsuccessfully tried to get closer to the breaking through scampaways. The indiscriminate fire of the Swedes from a long distance did not harm the Russian ships. All 20 scampaways successfully broke through the superior Swedish fleet. During the breakthrough, the Russians lost one half-galley, which was captured (it carried a major and several officers, a priest, more than 200 lower ranks, a total of 232 people, and a bag of money).
Immediately after them, 15 scampavey patrols under the command of Brigadier F.Ya. were sent to break through. Leforta. They also successfully completed their task and joined the first detachment. The breakthrough of the two detachments lasted about three hours. 35 galleys that went out into the skerries beyond the Gangut Peninsula almost entered into battle with a Swedish skerry flotilla moving towards them half a mile from Gangut under the command of Schoutbenacht E.D. Taube. Due to the southeast wind favorable to the Russian detachment, the Swedish flotilla could be surrounded and cut off from the sea by Russian galleys, so E. Taube was forced to immediately turn the flotilla on the opposite course so as not to “be taken.”
There was no longer any need for relocation. On the same day, the part of the fleet that broke through blocked N. Ehrensköld’s detachment near the island of Lakkisör, who waited in vain for the Russian ships to descend from the “transport”.
Lille's detachment, which found itself hostage to a calm in the first half of the day east of Gangut, was unable to approach Tverminna and attack the Russian fleet. By evening, fearing a night attack by Russian ships, Wattrang pulled his forces away from the shore and lined up the entire fleet in two lines in the direction of the breakthrough of the Russian vanguard. The coastal fairway turned out to be open, which was another blunder of the Swedish admirals. Tsar Peter and Apraksin immediately took advantage of this.
On the evening of July 26 (August 6), unnoticed by the Swedes, the main forces of the Russian rowing fleet were pulled up from Tverminne to the Gangut Reach. On the morning of July 27 (August 7), with calm and slight fog, Apraksin began a breakthrough with his main forces, bypassing the Swedish ships along the coastal fairway. Again the Swedes towed their ships and fired from a long distance, but were unable to prevent the rapid breakthrough of the Russian fleet. All the ships, with the exception of one scampaway, which ran aground, successfully broke through into the Abo-Aland skerries.
The final stage of the Battle of Gangut was the battle between Russian ships and Ehrenskiöld’s detachment, which was armed with about 120 guns. The Swedes occupied a very convenient position in the narrow Rilaks Fjord west of the Gangut Peninsula. Their ships, facing the Russian fleet, were lined up in two lines with their flanks pushed forward, resting on the coastal shallows. In the center of the first line stood an 18-gun frigate, and to the right and left of it were three galleys. In the second line there were skerry boats that did not have enough space in the first line. The first line was reinforced with their personnel. The position occupied by the Swedes did not allow the Russian fleet to use its numerical superiority.
To attack the Swedes, 23 scampaways were allocated under the command of Peter I. The battle formation of the Russian detachment was a front formation with one row of ships in the center and two on the flanks. The main forces of the fleet, led by Apraksin, deployed behind the attacking detachment and represented a tactical reserve. In view of the current disposition, the Russian ships had to overcome the barrage and win the boarding battle. The difficulty of attacking the Swedish ships was that they had artillery superiority over the Russian detachment and could only be attacked from the front. In addition, Russian soldiers and sailors had to board high-sided Swedish ships.
The tactics of Peter I provided for a simultaneous attack of the Swedish flotilla by the center galleys (11 scampaways, 854 people), the left flank (6 half-galleys, commanders: brigadier M.Ya. Volkov and galley captain L.M. Demyanov, 1273 people), and the right flank (6 half-galleys, commanders: brigadier A.A. Weide and captain-commander Zmaevich, 1461 people), which deprived the Swedes of the advantageous opportunity to concentrate the fire of all their guns only on the detachment that would try to attack first; all the scampaways of the center attacked the frigate "Elephant", i.e. attack by superior forces on the enemy's flagship, which had the most powerful artillery and high sides; flanking detachments, reinforced by half-galleys with stronger artillery and boarding parties than the scampaways, attacked the Swedish galleys; 4 scampavei were sent to the rear of Ehrenskiöld’s detachment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Lefortovo Regiment D.L. Poretsky.
When everything was ready for the start of the battle, by order of Admiral General Apraksin, Adjutant General P.I. was sent on a boat under a white flag to Schoutbenacht N. Ehrenskiold to negotiate surrender without shedding blood. Yaguzhinsky. To this proposal, N. Ehrenskiold proudly replied that he did not receive from the king several ships under his command in order to surrender them without a fight, that he was not going to negotiate the surrender and so that Apraksin would not console himself with the thought that he could to do this while blood flows in his veins.
As soon as N. Ehrenskiöld’s answer was transmitted to F.M. Apraksin, he gave the order to start the attack and immediately 35 galleys at all oars attacked 7 Swedish ships standing in the first line. N. Erenskjöld allowed the Russian scampaways to come to a distance of 25 - 35 m. The battle lasted more than two hours and was extremely stubborn. The Swedes, who had larger caliber artillery, put up fierce resistance.
Scheme of the Gangut naval battle on July 26-27 (August 6-7)
1714
When approaching the Swedish flanks, rifle fire was used along with artillery. The goal of the attack was achieved, and the Russian sailors managed to impose a boarding battle on the enemy. The courage and tenacity of Russian soldiers and sailors surpassed the tenacity of the enemy. The Swedes could not withstand the blow in the boarding battle and began to surrender. Soon after stubborn resistance, the flagship also surrendered. N. Ehrenskiold, after the flag, jumped into the boat with his grenadiers and wanted to leave, but was caught by the grenadiers of the Ingermanland regiment led by captain S.G. Bakeev.
Capture of Swedish Rear Admiral Ehrensköld
in the Battle of Gangut in 1714. Artist R. Porter.
One of the scampaways (commanders: captain of the galley fleet A.F. Miyushchik and captain of the Lefortovo regiment S.S. Mozalevsky) went to the rear of the battle formation of the Swedish flotilla and entered the battle at its final stage, the other three scampaways did not have time.
During an intense battle, Russian sailors captured all 10 Swedish ships along with commander Ehrenskiöld. The main forces of the Swedish fleet left for the Åland Islands on July 28 (August 8). Swedes' losses were 361 killed, 350 wounded, the rest were captured. The Russians lost one half-galley during the breakthrough, and their personnel losses amounted to 124 killed and 342 wounded.
In honor of the victory, “the staff and chief officers were awarded medals (gold), each in proportion to their rank, and the privates were awarded silver medals and money.” Peter I himself received the rank of vice admiral and “began to sign for an annual salary of 2,240 rubles.” Silver medals for rewarding lower ranks were minted according to the weight of ruble coins and two varieties: for rewarding naval crews and landing personnel.
Award medal for the victory at Cape Gangut. 1714 Silver
Commemorative medal in honor of the 250th anniversary of the battle at Cape Gangut. Artist A. Korolyuk. 1964
The Gangut victory, which became the first major victory of the Russian regular fleet, was of great military and political significance. Its result was the rapid capture of the Åland Islands in August 1714, which created a real threat of invasion of the Russian army into Swedish territory. Immediately after the defeat at Gangut, the Swedish fleet left the Gulf of Finland. His further actions were reduced mainly to covering his shores. This enabled the Russian fleet, along with fulfilling the task of defending the Gulf of Finland, to begin active operations on the Swedish communication routes in the southern and middle parts of the Baltic Sea, ensured freedom of action in the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia, and effective support for Russian troops in Finland. Thus, the victory at Gangut dramatically changed the strategic situation in the Baltic Theater in favor of Russia. Gangut marked the beginning of the final stage of the war against Sweden.
The Russian command boldly used the advantages of rowing ships in the fight against the Swedish linear sailing fleet in the skerry area, skillfully organized the interaction of naval and ground forces, and responded flexibly to changes in the tactical and meteorological situation. The high moral and combat qualities of officers, sailors and soldiers allowed the Russian fleet to defeat the superior forces of the Swedes. The victory at Gangut contributed to the further strengthening of Russia's international position and its establishment as a great maritime power.
Laying wreaths at the monument to Russian sailors, participants in the Battle of Gangut,
during the visit of the training ship "Smolny" to Finland.
Commander of the Leningrad Naval Base Admiral V.A. Samoilov.
Rilaks fiord, Padva peninsula.
Viktor Chertov, head of department of the Research Institute of Military History of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Let it be cool word by word,
Let words be stones
May the glory of Russian Gangut
She will remain alive forever.
Mikhail Dudin
The year was 1714. The Northern War, which was grueling for Russia, had been going on for almost 15 years. Behind were the shameful defeat of Russian troops near Narva in 1700, which forced Tsar Peter I to urgently create a new regular army, and the glorious victory of Russian weapons near Poltava in 1709, which showed the power of a renewed Russia and put an end to Swedish hegemony in Central Europe. However, even after losing a 30,000-strong land army, the Swedish king Charles XII did not lose hope of winning this war.
In order to crush Sweden, Russia needed to take possession of the Baltic Sea, which the Swedes themselves called “Swedish Lake”, thereby trying to emphasize the dominance of their navy here. Russia has been preparing for the solution of this strategic task for a long time. The Northern War itself was started by the Russians with the goal of winning access to the Baltic. And although Russian troops managed to gradually occupy the entire eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it was still too early to talk about achieving control over the entire Baltic. To dominate the Baltic, a powerful navy was needed, and its creation was not an easy task.
For the first time, large-scale construction of military courts was undertaken by Peter I in Voronezh, after an unsuccessful campaign against the Turkish fortress of Azov in the summer of 1695. Then, within a few months, two 36-gun ships “Apostle Peter” and “Apostle Paul”, 23 galleys and more than a thousand plows were built. This motley flotilla, led by the first Russian admiral, friend and associate of Peter, Franz Yakovlevich Lefort, took part in the second Azov campaign and, blocking the fortress from the sea, forced its garrison to surrender. This happened on July 19, 1696.
And on October 20 of the same year, the Boyar Duma, having discussed the results of the Azov campaigns, decided: “There will be sea vessels!”, thereby authorizing the creation of the Russian Navy. However, the state treasury did not have the necessary funds for this. A solution was found in the organization of "kumpans" - associations of nobles, monasteries and merchants to finance the construction of warships.
To manage the construction, the first admiralty was established in Voronezh in 1697, headed by the future Admiral General of the Fleet Fyodor Matveevich Apraksin. By the spring of 1698, 52 ships had been built, forming the basis of the Azov fleet.
A year later, the Russian Navy got its own flag. Its description was made by Peter I: “A white flag, through which is the blue cross of St. Andrew, for the sake of the fact that Russia received baptism from this apostle.” Tsar Peter believed that this symbol would give the naval army of the Russian state heavenly protection, courage and spiritual strength.
But the fleet needed not only ships, but also specialists. Therefore, in 1697, Peter I sent 35 young nobles as part of the “Great Embassy” to study maritime affairs in Holland and England, among whom he himself went under the name of bombardier Peter Mikhailov. Later, in 1701, a school of mathematical and navigational sciences was opened in Moscow, which became the first naval educational institution in Russia.
Unfortunately, the Azov Fleet was not able to achieve glory in successful naval operations at that time, and the Baltic Fleet had yet to be born.
During the Northern War, in May 1702, a shipbuilding shipyard was founded at the mouth of the Syas River, which flows into Lake Ladoga. Here the first ships were laid down, intended for future military operations for the reconquest of the Baltic Sea. The only way to the Baltic Sea for the Russians was the Neva River, connecting Lake Ladoga with the Gulf of Finland, but the entrance to it from Ladoga was menacingly covered by the Swedish fortress of Noterburg. This powerful fortress, with numerous artillery, located on an island located at the confluence of the Neva into the lake, was a tough nut to crack. By the way, before the Swedes took possession of it, it was called Oreshek.
Peter I, at the head of 14 regiments, arrived under the walls of the fortress in the fall of 1702. The Swedes refused to capitulate to the Russians. Then the fortress was subjected to a two-week bombardment, and on October 11 a decisive assault followed. Russian troops, under heavy enemy fire, crossed by boat to the island and, climbing the walls using siege ladders, captured the fortress after a bloody 12-hour battle. Remembering the ancient Russian name of the fortress, Peter I triumphantly said: “It is true that this nut was extremely cruel, however, thank God, it was happily chewed.”
Subsequently, Noterburg was renamed by Peter Shlisselburg (Key City), which should have meant not only the importance of its strategic position, but also a reminder that it was the capture of Noterburg that was the first step towards recapturing access to the Baltic.
The next step towards achieving this goal was the capture of the mouth of the Neva in the spring of 1703. On April 30, after artillery shelling, another Swedish fortress, Nieshantz, located at the confluence of the Okhta River with the Neva, surrendered. The first naval battle in the Northern War took place on May 7. The day before, two Swedish ships from the squadron of Admiral Numers, unaware of the fall of Nyenskans, entered the mouth of the Neva. Peter decided, using the morning fog, to unexpectedly attack them on river boats and board them. The king brilliantly implemented this bold plan. 30 ordinary fishing boats with soldiers of the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky guards regiments, under the command of Peter himself and his closest ally, Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov, captured these two Swedish warships in a fierce battle. Moreover, out of the 77 crew members of these ships, only 19 remained alive. In honor of this incredible and brilliant victory, Peter ordered a commemorative medal to be knocked out with the inscription: “The unthinkable can happen!” It was awarded to all participants in this desperate operation. Peter himself and Prince Alexander Menshikov received, as a reward for personal courage, the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called - the highest award of the Russian Empire.
If it was quite easy to take possession of the mouth of the Neva, it was much more difficult to keep it in your hands. The Swedish fortress of Nyenschanz was poorly fortified, and was located quite far from the mouth of the Neva. Therefore, for protection from the sea, on the island of Hare, located at the mouth of the river, on May 16, 1703, a new fortress was founded, named in honor of the holy apostles Peter and Paul - Petropavlovskaya. It was she who laid the foundation for the future capital of the Russian Empire - the city of St. Petersburg.
In 1704, on the island of Kotlin, located in the Gulf of Finland opposite the mouth of the Neva, the construction of the sea fortress Kronshlot (future Kronstadt) began. It was supposed to cover the approaches to St. Petersburg, and later became Russia's main naval base in the Baltic. In 1705, a large shipyard for the Baltic Fleet was founded in the city, which was still under construction, and a new admiralty was created. The construction of a new fleet has acquired a wide scope.
This could not but worry Sweden. In order to destroy the nascent Russian fleet and its main naval base, Charles XII in the summer of 1705 sent a squadron under the command of Admiral Ankerstern consisting of 7 battleships, 6 frigates and 8 auxiliary ships with landing troops on board to the mouth of the Neva. However, the Russians already had something to counter the enemy’s onslaught.
The Swedes' road to St. Petersburg was blocked by a detachment of Russian ships under the flag of Vice Admiral K.I. Kruys (8 frigates*, 5 frigates**, 2 fire ships*** and several rowing ships), which took up a position near Kotlin Island in advance and, Relying on the support of its coastal batteries, from June 4 to 10, it repelled repeated enemy attempts to land troops on Kotlin Island or break through to St. Petersburg.
The last attempt by the Swedes to capture Kotlin was made a month later - on July 14. The Swedes managed, having suppressed the fire of our batteries and ships, to land a landing force of 1,600 people on the island. The furious hand-to-hand battle lasted for several hours. The Swedes lost 560 people killed and 114 wounded, after which they ingloriously returned to their ships and left, as they say, “without a meal.” Thus, thanks to the fortitude and courage of ordinary now unknown Russian sailors and soldiers, the young Baltic Fleet and the new capital of the Russian state were saved.
After the failure of the operation to capture St. Petersburg and Kronshlot, Sweden no longer dared to conduct active military operations at sea. Its fleet was used only to support ground forces, transport and protect its sea coasts. But the Russian fleet was not yet ready for offensive naval operations. Its main strength then consisted of light rowing vessels - galleys and scampaways*, designed for operations in coastal waters, and several frigates. The construction of large battleships was just beginning. However, the war, already burdensome for the Russian economy, dragged on. For its speedy completion, active operations at sea were necessary.
The situation forced the Russians to be more decisive in their actions. In the spring of 1713, a 16,000-strong Russian army landed in Finland and captured Helsingfors (Helsinki), Borgo (Porvo) and Abo (Turku). Now Russian troops were separated from Swedish territory only by the Gulf of Bothnia. Peter I plans to transport his army from the Finnish coast to the Aldan Islands, located right in the center of the bay, and from there to land in Sweden. But for this it was necessary to bring sufficient forces here and to have a large number of transportation means at hand.
In July 1714, a flotilla of Russian rowing ships consisting of 99 galleys and scampaways with 15 thousand soldiers on board left St. Petersburg. She was heading to the western coast of Finland, to the Abo fortress, which served as a concentration point for Russian troops before rushing to the Aldan archipelago. But at Cape Gangut, on the southern tip of the Gangut (Hanko) peninsula, the path of the Russian ships was blocked by the Swedish fleet under the command of Admiral Vatrang. It consisted of 15 battleships, 3 frigates and a detachment of rowing ships. In terms of the number of artillery, the Swedish fleet significantly exceeded the Russian forces.
Peter I, who personally headed this naval operation, ordered the construction of a wooden flooring - a portage - across the narrow isthmus of the peninsula in order to drag the galleys overland and bypass the Swedish barrier. Having learned about this, Vatrang divided his forces and sent 1 frigate, 6 galleys and 3 skerboats *, under the command of Rear Admiral Ehrenschild, to the skerries located north of the peninsula, to the place where the Russian galleys were launched into the water. Another detachment, consisting of 8 battleships and 2 bomber ships**, led by Rear Admiral Lilje, was sent to the site of the Russian flotilla to prevent the galleys from being pulled ashore.
But unfortunately for the Swedes, the sea was completely calm. The Swedish sailing ships stood motionless.
Taking advantage of the calm and dispersal of enemy forces, Peter I decided to radically change his plans. Early in the morning of July 26 (August 6, new style), the Russian advance detachment, consisting of 20 scampaveys, under the command of Captain-Commander Matiy Khristoforovich Zmaevich, bypassed the Swedes by sea on oars and, rounding the cape, blocked a detachment of Ehrenschild's ships in the skerries. Vatrang, in order to block the path of the rest of the Russian forces, ordered the ships to be towed using boats into the sea, while simultaneously recalling Lilje’s detachment. On the morning of the next day, the remaining Russian ships, under the command of Admiral General Fyodor Mikhailovich Apraksin, passed through the shallow water between the shore and the Swedish squadron and headed to help Zmaevich’s detachment. Thus, Ehrenschild's ships were completely cut off from the main forces and practically deprived of the help of Vatrang.
The famous Battle of Gangut began in the middle of the day on July 27. It was preceded by an offer of surrender. When it was rejected, a blue flag was raised on Admiral Apraksin's ship, and then a cannon shot was heard. These were signals of attack.
The vanguard of the Russian fleet under the command of Schoutbeinacht Peter Mikhailov did not attack the entire Swedish squadron, but the blocked detachment of Rear Admiral Ehrenschild, consisting of the frigate "Elephant" and nine smaller ships. The Swedes had powerful artillery (116 guns versus 23), but this did not bother Peter at all. For two hours the Swedes managed to repel the onslaught of the Russians, but then the attackers boarded the ships and grappled with the enemy hand-to-hand. “Truly,” Peter recalled about this battle, “it is impossible to describe the courage of ours, both the initial and the rank-and-file, since the boarding was carried out so cruelly that several soldiers were torn apart by the enemy’s cannons, not with cannonballs, but with the spirit of gunpowder.” Ehrenschild tried to escape by boat, but was captured. “It’s true,” Peter wrote to Catherine, “both in this war we and the Alirts (that is, allies) with France have many not only generals, but also field marshals, but not a single flagship.”
The bloody battle ended in complete victory for the Russian fleet. The Swedes lost more than 700 people killed in this battle, 230 sailors surrendered. Our losses amounted to 469 people. All of Ehrenschild's ships became Russian trophies. The calm prevented the Swedish squadron from providing assistance to the defeated detachment of Rear Admiral Ehrenschild. The success of the Russian fleet horrified the Swedish court: it began to evacuate from the capital. The Tsar compared the naval victory at Gangut with the Poltava Victoria.
The naval battle, which brought glory to the Russian fleet, was followed by two ceremonies. On September 9, the population of St. Petersburg solemnly greeted the winners. Three Russian galleys decorated with flags entered the Neva. They were followed by captured Swedish ships. Then the commanding galley of Schoutbeinakht Peter Mikhailov appeared. The procession was closed by two galleys with soldiers. The parade continued on land: the winners carried banners and other trophies. Ehrenschild was among the prisoners. The procession was closed by the battalions of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, led by Peter. The winners walked through a triumphal arch, which was decorated with intricate images. One of them looked like this: an eagle was sitting on the back of an elephant. The inscription read: “The Russian Eagle does not catch flies.” The meaning of the ironic inscription will become clear if we remember that the captured frigate was called "Elephant" (elephant).
The ceremony continued in the Senate. Surrounded by senators, “Prince Caesar” Romodanovsky sat in a luxurious chair. Shautbeinakht Pyotr Mikhailov asked permission to enter the hall to give a report and a letter of recommendation from Admiral General Apraksin about his service. The papers were read aloud, and the script assigned a laconic role to the “Prince Caesar,” who was not distinguished for eloquence: after asking a few insignificant questions, he said: “Hello, Vice Admiral!” So the king received the rank of vice admiral. From that time on, he began to sign for an annual salary of 2,240 rubles.
The Russians again surprised all European countries! No one has yet succeeded in cunningly planning and defeating a large navy using rowing ships alone. After such a defeat, the Swedish fleet was unable to prevent the landing of Russian troops on the Aldan Islands, from where they launched significant attacks on the Swedish coast throughout the final stage of the war. Peter equated the victory at Gangut with the glorious Poltava victory and ordered the minting of gold and silver award medals depicting his portrait on one side and the battle scene on the other. The inscription on the medal read: “Diligence and loyalty greatly exceed. July 27, 1714.” This medal was awarded to 144 officers and 2,813 soldiers and non-commissioned officers who directly took part in this naval battle.
The victory at Gangut went down in the history of the Russian fleet as the first major naval victory, which marked the beginning of the defeat of Sweden at sea. It is significant that it was on the sixth anniversary of the Gangut victory - July 27, 1720 that the Russian fleet won its second major naval victory off the island of Grengam, which became the decisive battle of the Northern War and put an end to Swedish dominance in the Baltic.
After the brilliant victories at Gangut in 1714 and at Grenham in 1720, European states seemed to wake up from hibernation and discovered a powerful state in the east - Russia with a first-class navy. There was something to think about for England, Holland, and France.
Russia, with the genius of Peter I, his associates, domestic and foreign masters, created a powerful fleet. By the end of the reign of Peter I, it included: 34 battleships, 9 frigates, 17 galleys, 26 ships of other types. There were up to 30 thousand people in its ranks, and it had a number of brilliant victories.
Tsar Peter I was already a recognized military sailor. In the summer of 1716, maneuvers took place in the Baltic Sea, in which 84 warships took part. Russian flags flew over 21 of them. Peter I was awarded the honor of commanding a united squadron of ships from England, Holland, Denmark and the ships of Russia. He wrote in his diary: “Hardly anyone in the world has received such an honor to command the fleets of foreign peoples and their own together. I remember with pleasure the power of attorney of those powers.” .
Nikolay Kolesnikov
I walk by the cherished side,
Where the sea beckons with its spaciousness,
Where the wind embraces the wave
It hits ancient granite.
There I go, where every stone is familiar,
Where the heroic surf is mighty,
The moon has its horns in the sky
Into the golden bulk of the clouds...
Sea! Let's remember your hum and your splash
Our friendship from day one.
I understood you from a half-splash
Just like you, without saying a word to me.
You tormented me and caressed me;
Without you the world would be boring and quiet,
I would like the winds on the groaning halyards
They didn’t play such melodies.
I wouldn't know the price of dating
Not the saltiness of girlish tears,
And the sailor has a high rank
I wouldn't be able to comprehend it seriously...
...You, who in the world cannot be found more beautiful,
Don't promise me quiet moments,
Fight forever on the shores of Russia,
Where do eagles and sailors live!
Ivan Yagav
