Many years ago in mid 19th century a shortsighted policy of Tsar Nicholas’s Empire made the main forces of Europe come together and launch an offensive against Russia with far-reaching aims.
To the entire world’s amazement, though, almost all of their plans were frustrated and the outcome of the Crimean campaign was much more successful for Russia, than she could possibly hope for. People’s wisdom and unmatched stamina of Sevastopol’s defenders made up for the rulers’ mediocrity.
Entrance Channel’s Obstruction
September 11 (23) of 1854, when Varna, Silistrnya, Selaphail, Tri Svyatitelya, Uriel ships and two frigates – Sizopol and Flora – were scuttled, is the most frequently recalled date in connection with the Crimean War and the history of the Black Sea Fleet. But after the autumn and winter storms, on account of partial decay of that obstruction, the Russian Army had to sink also the Gabriel man of war and the Pilad corvette, thus bringing the total number of vessels on the beam line to nine.
And on February 13 (25) of 1855, the Twelve Apostles, Rostislav and Svyatoslav ships as well as Kagul and Mesemvria frigates went to the bottom of the Sevastopol Bay between Mikhailovskaya and Nikolaevskaya batteries. Three days later, on February 16 (28) the Media frigate joined their ranks. Thus the second beam line was formed with the said six vessels.
There is plenty of evidence that the defense of the Sevastopol Bay had been discussed long before the warfare broke out. This is why various activities had been undertaken as early as in 1853 to check the efficiency of shoreline batteries. The last experiment in August 1854 corroborated the impossibility to stop the adversary fleet by the barrage artillery fire alone. Finally the Russian commanders arrived at the hard but most sensible choice: to submerge some obsolete sailing ships across the entrance channel to assist the shoreline batteries.
On the one hand, this was a justified move, but on the other hand, chill goes down the spine at the thought of sinking national ships. Therefore not only such decision-making required tactical wisdom; it also called for courage and determination.
On September 9, at the fleet’s military council, contrary to the opinion of vice admiral and Chief-of-Staff of the Black Sea Fleet Kornilov, commander of the Selaphail battleship and commodore Zorin proposed the scuttling of several old vessels to obstruct a passage into the bay while using the sailors on the shore as defenders of Sevastopol. This proposal was supported by many, including the squadron commander, vice admiral Pavel S. Nakhimov.
The efficiency of this tactic was admitted by the foe: “Unless Russians obstructed the entrance to the Sevastopol Bay, having scuttled five of their ships and two frigates, no doubt the allied fleet, having withstood the first fire, would successfully penetrate deep into the bay and entered into communication with the land-based armies,” commented vice admiral M. Gamelin, commander of the French Fleet. Therefore we should give Prince Menshikov who insisted on this truly salutary decision his due.
Let’s not forget that the Anglo-Franco-Turkish coalition aimed at seizing the entire Crimea, and the fall of Sevastopol at the very beginning of their campaign would have made this plan quite feasible. And when 349 days after the beginning of heroic defense the Russian Army retreated from the southern side, the enemy brought to the state of utter moral exhaustion during the siege did not even dream of Crimea. European politicians had to give up their “Napoleon’s” plans.
Monument to Scuttled Ships
Fifty years after the heroic defense, to commemorate the sunken ships on the second beam line, a monument was erected in the sea at a distance of 23 m from the shore not far from the former Nikolaevskaya battery. On the quay side its octagonal pedestal was adorned with a small (50 x 75 cm) bronze painting that depicts the scuttled ships, magnificently and formidably crossing their masts. In those days the monument was given its first name: “the scuttling monument.” This is how it was mentioned in a statement of the construction commission that announced a completion of works on July 29, 1905. Going back to the early XX century, it’s easy to imagine that at the time of construction a special access board was placed between the granite rock and the coast to meet complex engineering challenges. This platform made it possible to examine the pedestal from a short distance and to discern the sculptor’s name in the lower right corner of the bronze bas-relief: “A. Adamson Sculpt. 1904.”
More than a century has lapsed since then and the monument now boasts its own history – as amazing and unique as the monument itself.
For example, very few know that after the architectural landmark was transferred to the jurisdiction of the city’s administrative board it was never inaugurated because of the sad events of the Russian-Japanese war and the beginning of the first Russian revolution.
Another amazing fact: despite the most perilous whereabouts, it proved to be the only monument of Sevastopol which endured in the melting pot of WWII and welcomed the liberators in May 1944.
In 25 years, on February 12, 1969, the avowed token of Sevastopol was included in the new hero-town arms.
Vladimir Saltanov
