Anapa Campaign (1787)

The Anapa campaign (1787) was a military expedition launched by the Russians to capture the fortress of Anapa. The Russians failed to capture the fort.

Anapa campaign (1787)
Part of Chechen conflict

Map of the Kuban River in October 1787, with Sheikh Mansur at the top–left
Date20–25 September 1787
Location
Anapa, North Caucasus
Result North Caucasian victory
Belligerents
Sheikh Mansur Movement Russia Tsardom of Russia
Commanders and leaders
Sheikh Mansur Russia Maxim Rebinder
Russia General Ratiev
Strength
11,000 8,000 men
35 cannons
Casualties and losses
Unknown +200 killed
large number of wounded

Background

The Ottoman Empire declared war on Russia on August 13, 1787. The Empress of Russia, Catherine the Great declared war against the Ottomans in response. These events made the Ottomans establish an alliance with the Chechen leader, Sheikh Mansur. The Ottomans sent expensive presents, hoping to recruit the Caucasians to join them in their ranks. Imam Mansur was also seeking help from the Ottomans against the Russians, saying that he exhaustively fought the Russians continuously. The Ottoman sultan dispatched a clock and binoculars as a gift and recognized Mansur as the leader of the Caucasian people.[1] The Ottomans also dispatched the governor of Trabzon, Kose Mustafa Pasha, to Anapa in order to support Imam Mansur. Mansur learned of the Ottoman march and went to meet them.[2]

Campaign

Catherine dispatched an army to conquer the Ottoman fortress of Anapa, and Tsemez, a Russian force consisting of 8,000 men and 35 cannons, led by General Potemkin, was marching towards Anapa. Mansur was marching as well; however, he encountered the Russian army in Obun, a place between Laba and Urup.[3][4][2] Imam Mansur's force was 7,000 men, consisting of people from Circassia, Chechenia, Kuban, and the Nogais.[3] Mansur fought the Russians from September 20 to 22. The Chechens weren't able to compete with the Russians, so they withdrew. Immediately after this battle, Potemkin marched to Anapa and arrived there on September 25. The Russians thought Anapa was abandoned;[3][4][2] however, the Imam with a detachment of 300 people, under the cover of darkness, attacked the rearguard of the Russian troops and almost crushed it, After a two-hour battle, Mansur's warriors retreated.[5]

On the same day, General Ratiev and his troops received an order to retreat beyond the Kuban. The main goal for this campaign did not end in success. Russian troops failed to capture the rebel imam and defeat his troops. In the battle with the Caucasians, the Russians suffered significant losses. Up to 200 people were killed, and there were also a large number of wounded. In this regard, on September 25, Potemkin ordered the troops to return to the shores of the Kuban.[6]

See also

References
  1. Oztas 2013, p. 7–8.
  2. Şahin 2017, p. 58.
  3. Oztas 2013, p. 8.
  4. Kutlu 2005, p. 140.
  5. Мусаев 2007, p. 68.
  6. Мусаев 2007, p. 69.

Bibliography
  • Oztas, Ahmet (2013). A Page from the History of the North Caucasus: Imam Mansur Ushurma. EHESS. pp. 1–14.
  • Şahin, Mustafa (2017). Şahin, Büşra (ed.). Aşk Özgürlüktür Şeyh Şamil (in Turkish). YAYINEVİ. pp. 1–235. ISBN 9786058299702.
  • Kutlu, Tarık (2005). Çeçen direniş tarihi [History of the Chechen resistance] (in Turkish). Anka Yayınları. pp. 1–637. ISBN 9789759044046.
  • Мусаев, Алаудин (2007). Шейх Мансур [Sheikh Mansur] (in Russian). pp. 68–69.
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