Dardanelles operation

Last updated
Dardanelles operation
Part of the Anglo-Turkish War
Thomas Whitcombe (c.1752-1824) - Sir John Thomas Duckworth's Passage of the Dardanelles, 19 February 1807 - BHC0575 - Royal Museums Greenwich.jpg
Duckworth's squadron forces the Dardanelles, 19 February 1807, by Thomas Whitcombe
Date19 February 1807
Location
Result Ottoman victory
Belligerents
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom

Flag of the Ottoman Empire (eight pointed star).svg  Ottoman Empire

Commanders and leaders
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Thomas Duckworth
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Sidney Smith
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (eight pointed star).svg Sultan Selim III
Flag of France (1794-1815).svg Horace Sebastiani
Strength
8 ships of the line, 2 frigates, 2 bomb ships, 1 transport 14 ships of the line, 9 frigates, a dozen brigs and gunboats, several hundred Ottoman siege cannons, and some modern bronze pieces
Casualties and losses
42 killed, 235 wounded, and 4 missing [1] Unknown

The Dardanelles operation was a failed assault in 1807 by the British Royal Navy against the coastal fortifications of Constantinople. The operation was part of the Anglo-Turkish War.

Contents

In 1806, the French envoy Sebastiani had been dispatched to Constantinople with orders to bring about the Ottoman Empire's re-entry into the Napoleonic Wars. Sultan Selim III set about preparations for war with Russia after positively receiving Sebastiani. The Russian emperor, Alexander I, was alarmed by these developments as he had already deployed a significant force to Poland and East Prussia to fight the advancing French forces under Emperor Napoleon I. Alexander requested British assistance in keeping the Ottomans out of the war.

The British army was far too small and inadequate for the request, so it naturally fell to the powerful Royal Navy to meet the demands of Alexander. The ships immediately available for the task were HMS Canopus, HMS Standard, HMS Thunderer, HMS Glatton, and the two bomb ships HMS Lucifer and HMS Meteor, [2] under the command of Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, commander-in-chief of the British Mediterranean Fleet, sailed for the Dardanelles and made preparations for the upcoming assault.

In the meantime, the British ambassador to Constantinople, Arbuthnot, demanded that the Ottoman government evict Sebastiani, and added that should the Ottomans rejects the ultimatum, the Mediterranean fleet would attack.

The actual force that had been chosen by Collingwood to carry out the operation was small, only eight ships-of-the-line and four frigates. In addition, four Russian ships-of-the-line under Admiral Dmitry Senyavin were sent to support the British, but did not join Duckworth until after the exit from Dardanelles was made. Admiral Duckworth, who commanded the British, was under orders to bombard Constantinople and capture the Ottoman fleet.

Background

In anticipation of a war between Russia and the Ottoman Empire, Britain had sent Sir Thomas Louis from Cadiz on 2 November 1806 into the Mediterranean Sea. He reached Tenedos, near the Dardanelles Strait, on 21 November, made a brief trip to Constantinople and returned to the Straits. The Ottomans had declared war on Russia on 30 December 1806, and Britain sent Admiral Sir John Duckworth in Royal George 100 guns from Cadiz on 15 January 1807 into the Mediterranean Sea. Picking up Windsor Castle 98 guns and Repulse 74 guns from Gibraltar and Pompée 74 and Ajax 74 from Malta as replacements for the Russian fleet under Seniavin, which was still in the Adriatic, Duckworth proceeded to Tenedos. Despite the British ultimatum, on December 22 Selim declared war on Russia. On 29 January 1807, the frigate Endymion of 40 guns left Constantinople, evacuating the British ambassador and all British residents. A formal declaration of war had not yet been sent by London and the two powers were still technically allied.

On February 10, Duckworth's fleet concentrated at the mouth of the Dardanelles. It met Louis's ships and returned to Tenedos on 1 February, where Duckworth's ships met up. Still not technically at war, the Ottomans delayed Duckworth with token negotiations. The presence of British and Russian vessels at the mouth of the Dardanelles caused Sebastiani and his French engineering officers to begin the improvement of the Ottoman shore batteries.

The battle

Destruction of the Turkish Fleet Feby 19th 1807, coloured engraving after Thomas Whitcombe Destruction of the Turkish Fleet Feb 19 1807.jpg
Destruction of the Turkish Fleet Feby 19th 1807, coloured engraving after Thomas Whitcombe
French general Sebastiani during the defense of Constantinople. Defense-De-Constantinople-General-Sebastiani-Gravure-1850.jpg
French general Sébastiani during the defense of Constantinople.

On 11 February, the fleet, with Duckworth in command, left Tenedos, but for a week could not enter the Straits because of lack of wind. Ajax caught fire on 14 February, ran aground on Tenedos, and blew up on 15 February.

Finally, on 19 February the ships sailed up the Dardanelles, where they were fired on by the forts at the entrance (fire was returned by the bombs), then the castles further up (fire was returned by the fleet). However, the absence of significant numbers of Ottoman troops owing to the end of Ramadan meant the batteries were ineffective and the fleet quickly reached the Sea of Marmara.

Just above the castles lay a 64-gun ship, frigates of 40, 36, 36, and 32 guns, sloops of 22, 18, 10 and 10 guns, 2 brigs and 2 gunboats. As the British fleet approached, one of the brigs left and sailed further up for Constantinople. After Royal George passed, anchoring some 3 miles further up, Pompée, Thunderer, Standard, Endymion and Active attacked the Ottoman ships and a new fortification being built nearby. 1 sloop and 1 gunboat were captured and others forced ashore and destroyed by British boats. Duckworth then ordered marines under Edward Nicolls to land and seize the shore batteries, and as the Ottoman gunners tried to flee from an island they called Brota, [Note 1] the Royal Marines captured two guns. [1]

At 5pm the fleet sailed for Constantinople, leaving Active behind to finish up. British casualties in this action were 10 killed and 77 wounded. After suffering extensive damage, Duckworth withdrew without ever attempting a bombardment of Constantinople.

One of the batteries deployed by the Ottomans against the British fleet was armed with a medieval 18.6 ton cast bronze piece with 63 cm diameter stones used for projectiles, known as the Dardanelles Gun. The piece had been cast in 1464 on the model of bombards used in the 1453 Siege of Constantinople and now resides in Fort Nelson.

Aftermath

Duckworth sailed off Constantinople for a week and a half, hoping the Ottoman fleet would come out and fight, but it did not. Releasing the sloop on 2 March, he returned through the Dardanelles to Tenedos on 3 March. On the way, the fortifications again fired on the British, who lost 29 killed and 138 wounded. At Tenedos he was met by Seniavin, who had left Corfu on 22 February.

He did not make a second attempt on the Dardanelles—a decision that earned him criticism, but was probably reasonable considering the powerful shore batteries. An attempt to capture the Ottoman fleet would have probably failed and resulted in much higher British casualties.

The entire operation was a failure, resulting in heavy losses of 42 killed, 235 wounded and 4 missing. [1] Long after France and Russia had made peace and Senyavin had defeated the Ottoman fleet at Dardanelles on 10–11 May 1807, the Ottomans would remain at war with Russia, draining a significant portion of the Russian army, which also became involved in operations against Sweden in the Finnish War, and later in the resumption of hostilities against France in 1812.

Fleet

The Royal Navy fleet included:

Vanguard Division commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Louis

Main Division commanded by Vice-Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth

Rear Division commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Sidney Smith [5]

Notes

  1. Known as Proti to the Greeks, and now known as Kınalı or Kınalıada 40°54′47″N29°03′00″E / 40.91306°N 29.05000°E
  2. Meteor's main 13-inch mortar split in two on first firing. [8]
  3. Joined at Cape Matapan on the 6 February, [9] but not given by Smith because it had acted as a message ship, and had rejoined the squadron on 3 March from Messina via Malta.
  4. Not reported by Smith, but in Brenton. [10]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 The Royal Hospital School, Holbrook cannon
  2. p.187, Brenton
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 p.186, Brenton
  4. p.51, Howard
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 pp.15-20, Howard
  6. p.74, Howard, p.136, Duckworth in Report No6
  7. p.74, Howard
  8. p.143, Duckworth, No.6 Report
  9. p.187, Brenton
  10. p.186, Brenton.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Athos</span> Part of the Russo-Turkish War (1806–1812)

The Battle of Athos took place on 1–2 July 1807New Style as a part of the Napoleonic Wars during the Russo-Turkish War of 1806–1812.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anglo-Turkish War (1807–1809)</span> Naval conflict between Britain and the Ottoman Empire

The Anglo-Turkish War of 1807–1809 was a part of the Napoleonic Wars, was fought between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Ottoman Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sidney Smith (Royal Navy officer)</span> British Royal Navy officer (1764–1840)

Admiral Sir William Sidney Smith was a British Royal Navy officer. Serving in the American and French revolutionary wars and Napoleonic Wars, he rose to the rank of Admiral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sir John Duckworth, 1st Baronet</span> British Royal Navy officer (1748–1817)

Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth, 1st Baronet, GCB was an English officer of the Royal Navy, serving during the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, as the Governor of Newfoundland during the War of 1812, and a member of the British House of Commons during his semi-retirement. Duckworth, a vicar's son, achieved much in a naval career that began at the age of 11.

HMS <i>Ajax</i> (1798) British ship of the line (1801–1807)

HMS Ajax was an Ajax-class 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the British Royal Navy. She was built by John Randall & Co of Rotherhithe and launched on the Thames on 3 March 1798. Ajax participated in the Egyptian operation of 1801, the Battle of Cape Finisterre in 1805 and the Battle of Trafalgar, before she was lost to a disastrous fire in 1807 during the Dardanelles Operation.

HMS <i>Speedy</i> (1782) Speedy-class brig of the British Royal Navy

HMS Speedy was a 14-gun Speedy-class brig of the British Royal Navy. Built during the last years of the American War of Independence, she served with distinction during the French Revolutionary Wars.

Capture of USS <i>President</i> 1812 US–British naval battle

The capture of USS President was one of many naval actions fought at the end of the War of 1812. The frigate USS President tried to break out of New York Harbor but was intercepted by a British squadron of four warships and forced to surrender.

HMS <i>Endymion</i> (1797) Frigate of the Royal Navy

HMS Endymion was a 40-gun fifth rate that served in the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, the War of 1812 and during the First Opium War. She was built to the lines of the French prize Pomone captured in 1794. Due to her exceptional handling and sailing properties, the Severn-class frigates were built to her lines, although the gunports were rearranged to mount an extra pair of guns per side, the ships were made of softwood and were not built until nearly the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of the Dardanelles (1807)</span> 1807 naval battle of the Russo-Turkish War (1806–1812)

The naval Battle of the Dardanelles took place on 22 May 1807 as a part of the Napoleonic Wars during the Russo-Turkish War of 1806–1812. It was fought between the Russian and Ottoman navies near the Dardanelles Strait.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dmitry Senyavin</span> 18/19th-century Russian naval officer

Dmitry Nikolayevich Senyavin or Seniavin was a Russian admiral during the Russo-Turkish and Napoleonic wars. He was the successor of F. F. Ushakov: in the Battle of Athos, D. N. Senyavin developed the tactics used by Ushakov — to attack the column by several groups, directing the main blow against the Ottoman flagships.

Admiral Sir Thomas Bladen Capel was an officer in the British Royal Navy whose distinguished service in the French Revolutionary War, the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 earned him rapid promotion and great acclaim both in and out of the Navy. He was also a great friend of Admiral Nelson and can be considered a full member of Nelson's "band of brothers".

HMS <i>Windsor Castle</i> (1790) Ship of the line of the Royal Navy

HMS Windsor Castle was a 98-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 3 May 1790 at Deptford Dockyard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Dacres (Royal Navy officer)</span>

Sir Richard Dacres was an officer of the British Royal Navy who saw service during the American War of Independence, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. A member of a substantial naval dynasty, he eventually rose to the rank of vice admiral.

French frigate <i>Égyptienne</i> (1799)

Égyptienne was a French frigate launched at Toulon in 1799. Her first service was in Napoleon's Egyptian campaign of 1801, in which the British captured her at Alexandria. She famously carried the Rosetta Stone to Woolwich, and then the Admiralty commissioned her into the Royal Navy as the 40-gun fifth-rate frigate HMS Egyptienne. She served in a number of single-ship actions before being reduced to harbour service in 1807, and was sold for breaking in 1817.

HMS Calpe was the former 14-gun polacca San José of the Spanish Navy, originally built in 1796 in Greece. The British captured her in 1800 and commissioned her as a sloop-of-war. She served at the Battle of Algeciras Bay before the Navy sold her in 1802. She underwent repairs and reappeared as a merchantman in the 1805 registers; however, she wrecked at the Dardanelles in 1805.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Action of 7 April 1800</span>

The action of 7 April 1800 was a minor naval engagement fought between a British squadron blockading the Spanish naval base of Cádiz and a convoy of 13 Spanish merchant vessels escorted by three frigates, bound for the Spanish colonies in the Americas. The blockade squadron consisted of the ships of the line HMS Leviathan and HMS Swiftsure and the frigate HMS Emerald, commanded by Rear-Admiral John Thomas Duckworth on Leviathan. The Spanish convoy sailed from Cádiz on 3 April 1800 and encountered Duckworth's squadron two days later. The Spanish attempted to escape; Emerald succeeded in capturing one ship early on 6 April. The British captured a brig the following morning and the British squadron divided in pursuit of the remainder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Battle of Algeciras</span> 1801 naval battle of the French Revolutionary Wars

The First Battle of Algeciras was a naval battle fought on 6 July 1801 between a squadron of British Royal Navy ships of the line and a smaller French Navy squadron at anchor in the fortified Spanish port of Algeciras in the Strait of Gibraltar. The British outnumbered their opponents, but the French position was protected by Spanish gun batteries and the complicated shoals that obscured the entrance to Algeciras Bay. The French squadron, under Contre-Amiral Charles Linois, had stopped at Algeciras en route to the major Spanish naval base at Cadiz, where they were to form a combined French and Spanish fleet for operations against Britain and its allies in the French Revolutionary Wars. The British, under Rear-Admiral Sir James Saumarez, sought to eliminate the French squadron before it could reach Cadiz and form a force powerful enough to overwhelm Saumarez and launch attacks against British forces in the Mediterranean Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Hope (Royal Navy officer)</span>

Sir Henry Hope KCB was an English officer of the Royal Navy whose distinguished service in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 earned him acclaim. As captain of HMS Endymion, he was involved in the action on 14 January 1815 which ended in the capture of the American warship USS President.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Bligh (Royal Navy officer)</span>

Rear-Admiral John Bligh CB was an officer in the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ganteaume's expedition of 1795</span>

Ganteaume's expedition of 1795 was a French naval operation in the Aegean Sea in the autumn of 1795 during the French Revolutionary Wars. Commanded by Commodore Honoré Ganteaume in the ship of the line Républicain, with a squadron of four frigates and two corvettes, the French force was ordered to attack First Coalition shipping in the Aegean Sea. The principal target was the Ottoman city of Smyrna, the most significant trading port of the region, Ganteaume ordered to prey on merchant shipping sailing for European destinations and in particular a large convoy due to sail to Britain.

References