Battle of Tendra


The Battle of Tendra was a naval action fought on 8 and 9 September 1790 in the Black Sea as part of the Russo-Turkish War. It ended in a decisive victory for Ushakov's Russians over the Ottomans.

Battle

The Russian fleet of 10 Ships of the line, 6 frigates and small craft sailed from Sevastopol on 5 September under Fyodor Ushakov for Kherson to pick up some frigates. At 6 a.m. on 8 September it encountered the Ottoman fleet of 14 battleships, 8 frigates and 23 small crafts at anchor near Tendra. As the Ottomans formed into a battle line, the Russian fleet sailed toward the tail end of the Ottoman line in 3 parallel lines, forming into one line as they did so.
The Ottoman admiral,, seeing his tail threatened, turned north and came back parallel to the Russians, who followed suit so the two fleets ended up on paralleled tracks, heading north-east. This was completed by about 2 p.m. Ushakov ordered 3 frigates to the off-battle side of the van to guard against an Ottoman doubling of the Russian line, leaving 13 ships of 710 guns in his line, opposed to 14 with 900 guns. Ushakov then turned toward the Ottoman ships and firing began at about 3 p.m.
The Ottomans began to bear away and by 6 p.m. were in full retreat. The Russians followed closely, inflicting much damage—in particular, the Ottoman Vice Admiral's ship was attacked by Ioann Bogoslov, and the Admiral's and Rear-Admiral's ships by Rozhdestvo Christovo and Preobrazhenie Gospodne. The Ottomans speed allowed them to get away though, and soon after 8 p.m. firing ceased and the Russians anchored.
The next day, 2 damaged Ottoman ships, the Kapitana and Melike Bahri were seen close by, and the Russians attacked. Melike Bahri surrendered to Maria Magdalina without resistance, but the Kapitana put up a stout resistance. At 10 a.m. she was attacked by Sv. Andrei Pervozvannyi, which brought down her fore topsail, then by Sv. Georgii Pobyedonosets, Preobrazhenie Gospodne and others. By noon she was completely surrounded, but fought on. At 2 p.m. Ushakov in Rozhdestvo Christovo shot away all her masts and placed his ship across her bows, and at 3 p.m. she surrendered. She was seen to be on fire, and blew up after only 20 men, including Said Bey and her captain, had been taken off. Only 101 men were saved out of 800 on board.
Some Russian ships had been chasing the rest of the Ottoman fleet but they were losing ground and at about 4:30 p.m. Ushakov recalled them. Russian privateers later brought in 3 small craft. Russian casualties were 25 killed and 25 wounded, and 733 Ottomans were captured. Several ships had minor damage in their masts and rigging. Russian victory in the Battle of Tendra allowed them to control the Black Sea, and Grigory Potemkin finally considered it possible to begin military action against the Vizier, leading eventually to the siege of Izmail.

Ships involved

Russia

  • ' 84
  • ' 66
  • ' 66
  • ' 66
  • 66
  • Sv. Aleksandr Nevskii 50
  • Sv. Andrei Pervozvannyi 50
  • Sv. Georgii Pobyedonosets 50
  • Ioann Bogoslov 46
  • Sv. Petr Apostol 46
  • Fanagoria 40
  • Kinburn 40
  • Legkii 40
  • Perun 40
  • Stryela 40
  • Taganrog 40
  • Rozhdestvo Christovo
  • Polotsk
  • 2 fireships
  • 17 privateers

    Ottoman Empire

  • Bahr-i Zafer 72
  • Melik-i Bahri 72 Sank at storm on the night of 8–9 September
  • Anka-i Bahri 72
  • Fethü'l Fettah 66
  • Nüvid-i Fütuh 66
  • Peleng-i Bahri 66 Captured 9 September
  • Tevfikullah 66
  • Feyz-i Hüda 66
  • Mesudiye 58
  • Mansuriye 58 Blew up 9 September
  • Inayet-i Hakk 58
  • Burc-ı Zafer 52
  • Şehbaz-ı Bahri 52
  • Ukâb-ı Bahri 52
  • Mazhar-ı Hidâyet 38
  • Mazhar-ı Saadet 38
  • Mebdâ-i Nusret 32
  • Raad-ı Bahri 20
  • Berk-i Bahri 20
  • Berk-i Hafız 20
  • Şihab-ı Sakıb 20
  • Cedid Bomba 20
  • 23 small craft and şehtiye 3 were captured 9 September