Section Seven – Russian Naval Forces in the Mediterranean 1805-1809
by Robert Goetz
I. Vessels from the Black Sea Fleet
Squadron of Captain-Commodore Aleksandr Andreevich Sorokin (Rear-Admiral December 1805 or January 1806)
- Sorokin recalled to Russia on arrival of Seniavin, left Corfu with additional vessels not listed and 4 battalions 3 March 1806
- Vessels listed below were placed under Seniavin’s command (Greig as second in command)
| Ship | Class | Captain | Notes | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Svyataya Paraskeva (Святая Параскева) | Ship-of-the-Line -74 | I.O. Saltanov (1802-1809) | Arrived at Corfu with troop transports 26 June 1804 February-September 1807 with Adriatic Squadron | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Trieste January 1808 Transferred to French at Trieste 9 October 1809 |
| Asiya (Азия) | Ship-of-the-Line -66 | G.G. Belli (1804-1807); E.D. Borotsy (1807-1809) | Arrived at Corfu with troop transports 26 July 1804 February-September 1807 at Corfu | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Trieste January 1808 Transferred to French at Trieste 9 October 1809 |
| Mikhail (Михаил) | Frigate -5 | M.E. Snaksarev (1804-1809) | Arrived at Corfu with troop transports 3 August 1804 Adriatic Operations February 1806-September 1807 | At Trieste December 1807 Transferred to French at Trieste 9 October 1809 |
| Grigorii Velikiya Armenii (Григорий Великия Армении) | Frigate -50 | F.P. Sarandinaki (1804-1806) | Arrived at Corfu as a troop transport 13 September 1804 Used as transport 1805 to January 1806 Used as floating hospital on Corfu [1806]- 1809 Sold 1809 in Corfu | Transferred to French on Corfu October 1809 |
| Svyatoi Mikhail (Святой Михаил) | Ship-of-the-Line -74 | F.P. Lelli (1804-1807) | Arrived at Corfu as a troop transport late August 1805 Used as transport 1805-6 | Sold to French on Corfu December 1807 |
| Diomid | Corvette -24 | Arrival date not known Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 Used as transport Nov06 | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Trieste January 1808 Transferred to French at Trieste 9 October 1809 | |
| Kherson (Херсон) | Corvette -24 | Arrival date not known Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 Used as transport Nov06 | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Venice January 1808 Transferred to French at Venice October 1809 | |
| Grigorii (Григорий) | Corvette -24 | Arrival date not known Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 Used as transport 1806? | Fate unknown | |
| Pavel (Павел) | Corvette -18 | Arrival date not known Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 | Fate unknown | |
| Dnepr (Днепр) | Corvette -18 | Arrival date not known Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 Used as transport Nov06 | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Venice January 1808 Transferred to French at Venice October 1809 | |
| Altsinoe | Corvette -18 | Arrival date not known Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 | Fate unknown | |
| Letun (Летун) | Brig -16 | Arrival date not known Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-September 1807 with Adriatic Squadron | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Venice January 1808 Transferred to French at Venice October 1809 | |
| Aleksandr (Александр) | Brig -16 | Lt-Cdr Salti | Arrival date not known Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-September 1807 with Adriatic Squadron | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Venice January 1808 Transferred to French at Venice October 1809 |
| Bogoyovlensk | Brig -16 | Arrival date not known Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron | Damaged in action at Tenedos abandoned and burned 24 June 1807 | |
| Orel (Орёл) | Brig -16 | Arrival date not known Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 | Might be the unnamed fourth brig surrendered at Venice October 1809 |
II. Vessels from Baltic Fleet
A. Squadron of Captain-Commodore Alexei Samuelovich Greig (promoted to Rear Admiral January 1806)
- Departed Kronstadt 25 October 1804
- At Portsmouth for 6 weeks, Gibraltar 7 January 1805
- Arrived Corfu 23 January 1805
| Ship | Class | Captain | Notes | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Svyataya Elena (Святая Елена) | Ship-of-the-Line -74 | -74 I.T. Bychenskii (1804-1808) | Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron At Athos 30 June 1807 | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 At Lisbon 10 November 1807 Surrendered at Lisbon September 1808 Interned at Portsmouth 8 October 1808 Sold at Portsmouth 1813 |
| Retvizan (Ретвизан) | Ship-of-the-Line -64 | A.S. Greig (1798-1806); M.M. Rtitshev (1806-1808) | Formerly Swedish Rattvisan - taken 23 June 1790 at Vyborg Greig’s flagship 1804-1808 Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron At Athos 30 June 1807 | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 At Lisbon 10 November 1807 Surrendered at Lisbon September 1808 Interned at Portsmouth 8 October 1808 Sold at Portsmouth 1813 |
| Venus (Венус) | Frigate -50 | R.I. Elfinston (1804-1805); E.F. Razvozov (1806-1807); K.I. Andreyanov (11.1807) | Formerly Swedish Venus (F. af Chapman frigate) - taken 21 May 1789 at Christianfjord Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 At Lisbon 10 November Left Lisbon 21 November At Palermo December 1807 Sold to Kingdom of Naples 27 December 1807 Renamed Venere sold for breakup 1814 |
| Avtroil (Автроил) | Frigate -32 | Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-September 1807 with Adriatic Squadron | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Venice January 1808 Transferred to French at Venice October 1809 |
B. Squadron of Rear Admiral Seniavin (promoted to Vice Admiral January 1806)
- Departed Kronstadt 22 September 1805
- At Portsmouth 21 October – 28 November, Gibraltar 26 December 1805, Cagliari 10-19 January 1806, Messina 23-28 January 1806
- Arrived at Corfu 30 January 1806
| Ship | Class | Captain | Notes | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selafail (Селафаил) | Ship-of-the-Line -74 | P.M. Rozhnov (1805-1808) | Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron At Athos 30 June 1807 | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 At Lisbon 10 November 1807 Surrendered at Lisbon September 1808 Interned at Portsmouth 8 October 1808 Sold at Portsmouth 1813 |
| Yaroslav (Ярослав) | Ship-of-the-Line -64 | F.K. Mitkov (1805-1809) | Seniavin’s flagship 1805 - 1806 | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 |
| Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron At Athos 30 June 1807 | At Lisbon 10 November Surrendered at Lisbon September 1808 Left at Lisbon as unseaworthy sailed to Portsmouth 1809 after repairs Sold at Portsmouth 1813 | |||
| Moskva (Москва) | Ship-of-the-Line -74 | E.P. Gettsen (1803-1809) | Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-September 1807 with Adriatic Squadron | Left Corfu 14 October 1807 damaged in storm At Porto Ferrajo (Elba) 29 October 1807 to April 1808 Sailed to Toulon April 1808 Sold to France at Toulon 9 October 1809 |
| Uriil (Уриил) | Ship-of-the-Line -80 | M.T. Bychenskii (1805-1810) | Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron At Athos 30 June 1807 | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 Damaged in storm returned to Corfu Transferred to French at Trieste 9 October 1809 |
| Svyatoi Petr (Святой Рётр) | Ship-of-the-Line -74 | I.A. Baratinskii (1805-1807) | Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-September 1807 with Adriatic Squadron | Left Corfu 14 October 1807 damaged in storm At Porto Ferr ajo (Elba) 29 October 1807 to April 1808 Sailed to Toulon April 1808 Sold to France at Toulon 9 October 1809 |
| Kildyuin (Кильдюин) | Frigate -26 | Razvozov (1805-26.i.06); D.A. Durnovo (26.i.06-1808) | Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 February-May 1807 with Adriatic Squadron May-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 At Lisbon 10 November 1807 Surrendered at Lisbon September 1808 Interned at Portsmouth 8 October 1808 Sold at Portsmouth 1813 |
| Feniks (Феникс) | Brig -16 | Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 Purchased in Portsmouth October/November 1805February-May 1807 with Adriatic Squadron May-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Venice January 1808Transferred to French at Venice October 1809 | |
| Argus (Аргус) | Brig -12 | Adriatic Operations February 1806-February 1807 Purchased in Portsmouth October/November 1805 | Might be the unnamed fourth brig surrendered at Venice October 1809 |
C. Squadron of Captain-Commodore I.A. Ignatyev (killed in action with Turks 23 May 1807)
- Departed Kronstadt on 31 August 1806
- Arrived at Corfu 2 January 1807
| Ship | Class | Captain | Notes | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rafail (Рафаил) | Ship-of-the-Line -80 | D.A. Lukin (1805-1807); A.T. Bychenskii (1807-1808) | February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron At Athos 30 June 1807 | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 At Lisbon 10 November Surrendered at Lisbon September 1808 Abandoned 1808 in Lisbon (unseaworthy) |
| Tverdyi (Твердый) | Ship-of-the-Line -74 | D.I. Maleev (1806-1808) | Seniavin’s flagship 1807 - 1808 February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron At Athos 30 June 1807 | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 At Lisbon 10 November 1807 Surrendered at Lisbon September 1808 Interned at Portsmouth 8 October 1808 Sold at Portsmouth 1813 |
| Moshnyi (Мощный) | Ship-of-the-Line -66 | B. Krovve (1805-1807); E.F. Razvozov (1808) | February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron At Athos 30 June 1807 | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 At Lisbon 10 November 1807 Surrendered at Lisbon September 1808 Interned at Portsmouth 8 October 1808 Returned to Russia 1813 BU 1817 |
| Skoryi. (Скорый) | Ship-of-the-Line -66 | R.P. Shelting (1805-1808) | February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron At Athos 30 June 1807 | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 At Lisbon 10 November 1807 Surrendered at Lisbon September 1808 Interned at Portsmouth 8 October 1808 Sold at Portsmouth 1813 |
| Silnyi (Сильный) | Ship-of-the-Line -74 | I.A. Ignatyev (1806-1807); D.S. Shishmarev (1807); A.P. Malgin (1808) | Ignatyev’s flagship 1806-1807 February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron At Athos 30 June 1807 | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 At Lisbon 10 November 1807 Surrendered at Lisbon September 1808 Interned at Portsmouth 8 October 1808 Returned to Russia |
| Legkii (Легкий) | Frigate -44 | A.B. Povalishin (1804-1809) | February-September 1807 with Adriatic Squadron | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Trieste January 1808 Transferred to French in Trieste 1 November 1809 |
| Shpitsbergen (Шпитсберген) | Brig - 32 | February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron | Left Corfu 1 October 1807 At Gibraltar November 1806 At Lisbon 27 November (refused entry to harbor) At Vigo 7 December Sold at Vigo in 1812 | |
| Flora (Флора) | Corvette -24 | February-September 1807 with Aegean Squadron | Fate unknown | |
| Strela (Стрела) | Cutter -20 | February-September 1807 with Adriatic Squadron | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Venice January 1808 Transferred to French at Venice October 1809 |
III. Ships Captured or Purchased in the Mediterranean
| Ship | Class | Captain | Notes | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedel-Bakhri (Седель-Бахри) | Ship-of-the-Line - 80 (90?) | G.G. Belli (1807-1808); I.S. Sulmenev (1808-1809) | Formerly Turkish Sedd-el Bahr - Taken 30 June 1807 at Athos | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Trieste January 1808 Transferred to Austria [sic] at Trieste 9 October 1809 |
| Derzkii (Держкий) | Corvette -28 | Purchased February 1807 Sometimes referred to as a Sloop February-September 1807 with Adriatic Squadron | Left Corfu 24 December 1807 At Venice January 1808 Transferred to French at Venice October 18093 | |
| Gazard (Газард) | Brig - 16/14 | Formerly French Hasard – taken 28 February 1806 in cutting out expedition at Cattaro | Might be the unnamed fourth brig surrendered at Venice October 1809 | |
| Bonasorte | Brig - 16 | Captured from French at Ancona 1799 | Might be the unnamed fourth brig surrendered at Venice October 1809 | |
| Zabiaka | Xebec – 14 | Formerly French Henrich - Captured 2 July 1806 | Fate unknown | |
| Tremenda (Тременда) | Half Xebec -2 | Formerly French Tremendeaux - Captured 2 July 1806 | Fate unknown |
Sources:
Anderson, R. C. Naval Wars in the Levant, 1559-1853. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1952.
Chernyshev, A. A. Rossiiskii Parusnyi Flot. Moskva: Voennoe Izdatelystvo, 1997.
Mikhailovsky-Danilevski, A. Russo-Turkish War of 1806-12. Translated by Alexander Mikaberidze. West Chester, Ohio: George Nafziger, 2002.
“Sorokin, Aleksandr Andreevich.” Russkii Biograficheskii Slovar’. St. Petersburg: Izdanie Imperatorskago, 1896-1918.
Saul, Norman E. Russia and the Mediterranean, 1797-1807. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1970.
White, D. Fedotoff. “The Russian Navy in Trieste during the Wars of the Revolution and the Empire.” American Slavic and East European Review, Vol. 6, Issue 3 / 4 (Dec. 1947), 25-41.
All information remains copyright of Eric C Birbeck MVO & Robert Goetz and are not to reproduced without prior permission.