Scuttling the ships of the Black Sea Fleet in the Sebastopol Bay on September 11, 1854
Artist N.P. Krasovsky
Russia
1872
Artist’s signature: “Н. Красовскiй. 1872” (below at left)
Oil on canvas
72 х 106 cm
Acquisition: from the State Museum Fund, 1926; previously from the collection of the former Rumyantsev Museum, 1831
Open storage
On September 9, 1854, when Sebastopol was preparing for defense, Commander-in-Chief of land and naval forces in Crimea Prince A.S.Menshikov ordered to scuttle some ships of the Black Sea Fleet. Five old ships of line and two frigates were to be scuttled in order to prevent the entry of enemy vessels to the roadstead.
Contrary to the order, the Chief of Staff of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice-Admiral V.A.Kornilov called a council of flag-officers and ship commanders. He proposed that they sail the ships out to sea and attack the enemy; if the attack failed he recommended that the ships should grapple to the enemy and blow up their ships alongside them. According to E.I.Totleben, Kornilov’s “project of heroic audacity didn’t obtain the approbation of the council, and very few members adhered to it”.
Menshikov didn’t approve Kornilov’s initiative and repeated his order: in the course of the night of 10(22) to 11(23) September to land all the material which could be transported, and at the point of day to lower the masts and sink the ships to the bottom.
The ships and frigates intended to be destroyed took up position at the entry of the roadstead, across its waterway between the Constantine and Alexander batteries… At the dawn of day on September 11, where before had been anchored the “Sizpol”, “Varna” and “Silistria” ships, only some debris of their masts were seen floating; after them the “Owrul” and the “Salaphaïl” were engulfed, and at eight o’clock the “Flora” frigate disappeared also under the water. The line-of-battle ship, “Tri-Sviatitelia”, alone sank very slowly, notwithstanding that the water flowed through all the holes pierced in her side… The steamer “Gromonossetz” was ordered to fire some round shot into the “Tri_Sviatitelia” to quicken its immersion. Tears, till then restrained, ran down the cheeks of many sailors” (E.I.Totleben. History of the defense of Sebastopol)
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