“The brig Mercury attacked by two Turkish ships” is one of the most famous paintings by Ivan Konstantinovich (1817-1900). This picture is not only interesting from the point of view of painting, but also historical, since in the center of the plot is a battle that actually took place.

Painting " Brig "Mercury""attacked by two Turkish ships" was written in 1892. Canvas, oil. Dimensions: 221 × 339 cm. Currently located in the Feodosia Art Gallery named after I.K. Aivazovsky, Feodosia. It is also worth saying that Aivazovsky wrote another painting on this topic, “The Brig Mercury, after defeating two Turkish ships, meets with the Russian squadron” (1848).

The battle depicted in the painting took place on May 14, 1829. The Russian brig Mercury was patrolling the Turkish Bosporus Strait in the Black Sea. At this time, he was overtaken by two Turkish high-speed ships “Selime” and “Real Bay”. The brig's position turned out to be almost hopeless, since the Turkish ships were not only faster, but also better equipped. There were 200 guns on board the two Turkish ships, while the Russian brig had only 18. However, despite this, Lieutenant Commander A.I. Kazarsky, the officer council and the sailors unanimously decided to give battle. During the battle, which lasted for two hours, the brig damaged the masts of the Turkish ships, which is why they lost the ability to maneuver and left the battle. During the naval battle, the Mercury received very severe damage and lost four people, but returned to Sevastopol as a winner.

In the second painting by Aivazovsky, which was painted in 1848 and illustrates events after the battle, you can see how the brig returns home under sails that are torn to shreds and literally look like a sieve.

“Brig Mercury attacked by two Turkish ships” Aivazovsky

“The brig Mercury, after defeating two Turkish ships, meets with the Russian squadron” Aivazovsky

In the archives of former Vice-Chancellor Nesselrode, a letter from a Turkish officer, one of the navigators of the ship Real Bay, was discovered and published, in which that battle is described in detail. Here are excerpts from this document:

» ...we chased after them, but we could only catch up with one brig at three o'clock in the afternoon. The captain-pasha's ship and ours then opened heavy fire. This is unheard of and incredible. We could not force him to surrender: he fought, retreating and maneuvering with all the skill of an experienced military captain, to the point that it is shameful to say that we stopped the battle, and he continued his path with glory. This brig must lose, without a doubt, half of its crew, because once it was a pistol shot away from our ship... If in the great deeds of ancient and modern times there are feats of courage, then this act should darken all of them, and the name of this hero is worthy of being inscribed in gold letters on the Temple of Glory: it is called captain-lieutenant Kazarsky, and the brig is called “Mercury”...».

The brig "Mercury" got its name in memory about a brave sailing and rowing boat that distinguished itself in battles with the Swedes in 1788-1790. The boat captured a large number of enemy ships and earned immortal fame in its homeland. However, today we remember the brig that inherited such a fateful name.

Built at the Sevastopol shipyard from bog oak, the ship's thirty-meter hull was equipped with eighteen carronades and two portable guns. The carronades were a thin-walled cast-iron cannon with a short barrel, weighing twenty-four pounds. The stern was decorated with a statue of the Roman god Mercury, the ship had sails and 7 oars on both sides.

It was launched on May 7 (19), 1820. The ship's master, Colonel I. Ya. Osminin, conceived the Mercury as a special ship to guard the Caucasian coast and perform patrol duty. Unlike other brigs of the Russian fleet, it had a shallow draft and was equipped with oars. The Mercury's shallow draft resulted in a shallower hold than other brigs and worsened its performance.

The handsome ship set out on its maiden voyage in May 1820; the crew was entrusted with patrol and reconnaissance missions along the coast of Abkhazia. Smugglers were considered the scourge of coastal waters, causing significant damage to the region’s maritime wealth. Until 1828, "Mercury" did not participate in battles. However, when the Russian-Turkish War began, the brig took part in the battles for the capture of fortresses: Varna, Anapa, Burchak, Inada and Sizopol. In these battles, the brig distinguished itself by capturing two Turkish ships with an enemy landing force.

Main characteristics of the brig "Mercury"

Deck length- 30.9 m
Waterline length- 23.6 m
Width with trim- 9.7 m
Recess by stem- 2.74 m
Sternpost recess- 3.96 m
Interior depth- 2.94 m
Displacement- 390 t

Artillery weapons:

24 pound caronade- 18 pcs.
36-pounder guns- 2 pcs.
Crew- 110 people

The commander of the brig "Mercury" in 1829 was a young, handsome captain-lieutenant Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, who by that time had experience in naval service. Already at the age of 14, Alexander joined the navy simple volunteer, and then graduated from the Nikolaev Cadet School. In 1813, Kazarsky was taken as a midshipman to the Black Sea Fleet, and after a year he was promoted to midshipman.

The brigantines on which Kazarsky served transported cargo, so the tactics of naval combat had to be mastered only theoretically. Some time later, Kazarsky was appointed commander of rowing ships in Izmail; he received the rank of lieutenant in 1819. His service continues on the frigate Eustathius under the command of Ivan Semenovich Skalovsky on the Black Sea. The rear admiral willingly passed on his experience to the diligent student and brave officer Kazarsky.

Being a commander transport The ship "Rival", transporting weapons, Kazarsky participated in the siege of Anapa. To do this, he had to convert this ship into a bombardment ship. He shelled the fortifications for three weeks, and the “Rival” received serious damage to the mast and many holes in the hull. For this battle, Kazarsky received the rank of captain-lieutenant, and a little later in the same 1828, for the capture of Varna, Alexander Ivanovich was awarded a golden saber.

At the end of the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-1829. three Russian ships: the 44-gun frigate "Standart" (commander-lieutenant-commander P. Ya. Sakhnovsky), the 20-gun brig "Orpheus" (commander-lieutenant-commander E.I. Koltovsky) and the 20-gun brig "Mercury" ( commander captain-lieutenant A.I. Kazarsky) received orders to cruise at the exit from the Bosporus Strait. Overall command of the detachment was entrusted to Lieutenant-Commander Sakhnovsky. On May 12 (24), 1829, the ships weighed anchor and headed for the Bosphorus.

Captain-Lieutenant Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky

At dawn on May 14 (26), 13 miles from the strait, the detachment noticed a Turkish squadron, among 14 ships, sailing from the shores of Anatolia. Sakhnovsky really wanted to take a closer look at the enemy in order to determine with what forces Kapudan Pasha came out this time. A signal fluttered on the halyards of the “Standard”: “Mercury” to drift.” Sakhnovsky Coast is the slowest ship of its squadron. Having counted the Turkish pennants, “Standard” and “Orpheus” turned back. The enemy squadron rushed in pursuit of the Russian ships. Seeing the returning scouts, Kazarsky independently ordered to take off the drift and raise the sails.

Very soon the high-speed "Standard" caught up with the "Mercury". A new signal went up on its mast: “Everyone should choose the course that the ship has a preferential course.” "Standard" and "Orpheus" suddenly jumped ahead and quickly turned into two fluffy clouds on the horizon. And behind the stern of the Mercury, which carried all possible sails, a forest of masts of Turkish ships grew inexorably. The enemy was moving strictly north. The best Turkish walkers - the 110-gun Selimiye under the flag of Kapudan Pasha and the 74-gun Real Bey under the flag of the junior flagship - gradually overtook the Mercury. The rest of the Turkish squadron drifted, waiting for the admirals to capture or drown the obstinate Russian brig.

The brig Mercury, attacked by two Turkish ships. Ivan Aivazovsky. 1892

The Mercury's chances of salvation were negligible (184 guns versus 20, not even taking into account the calibers of the guns) and left almost no hope for a successful outcome of the battle, the inevitability of which no one doubted.

Around two o'clock in the afternoon the wind died down and the speed of the pursuing ships decreased. Taking advantage of this circumstance, Kazarsky, using the oars of the brig, wanted to increase the distance separating him from the enemy, but less than half an hour had passed when the wind freshened again and the Turkish ships began to reduce the distance. At the end of the third hour of the day, the Turks opened fire from running guns.

After the first Turkish shots, a council of war took place on the brig. According to a long-standing military tradition, the youngest in rank had the privilege of expressing his opinion first. “We cannot escape the enemy,” said Lieutenant of the Corps of Navigators I.P. Prokofiev. “We will fight.” The Russian brig should not fall to the enemy. The last one alive will blow it up." The commander of the brig "Mercury", 28-year-old captain-lieutenant Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, who was awarded a golden saber for the battles near Varna in 1828 and was considered one of the bravest officers of the Black Sea Fleet, wrote in his report to Admiral A.S. Greig:

“... We unanimously decided to fight to the last extreme, and if the spar is knocked down or the water in the hold becomes impossible to pump out, then, having fallen with some ship, the one who is still alive among the officers must light the hook chamber with a pistol shot.” Having completed the officers' council, the brig commander addressed the sailors and gunners with an appeal not to disgrace the honor of St. Andrew's flag. Everyone unanimously declared that they would be faithful to their duty and oath to the end. The Turks faced an enemy who preferred death to surrender and battle to lowering the flag.

Having stopped using the oars, the team quickly prepared the brig for battle: the gunners took their places at the guns; a sentry took up post at the flag halyard with Kazarsky’s categorical order to shoot at anyone who tried to lower the flag; the yawl hanging behind the stern was thrown into the sea and return fire was opened on the enemy from two 3-pound cannons, dragged to the retreat ports.

The battle of the brig "Mercury" with two Turkish ships in 1829. Nikolai Krasovsky, 1867

Kazarsky knew perfectly well the strengths and weaknesses of his brig. Despite its nine-year age (not old, but respectable), the Mercury was strong, although a little heavy on the move. He handled the high waves perfectly, but in the calm he became completely overweight. Only the art of maneuver and the accuracy of the gunners could save him.

The three-deck Turkish ship Selimiye, which had one hundred and ten guns on board, tried to enter from the stern. After the first volleys, an order to surrender was received from the enemy, but the team responded with fierce shooting. A fight ensued. A huge thirty-pound cannonball pierced the side of the Mercury and killed two sailors. The commander skillfully maneuvered the Mercury so that most of the enemy shells did not reach the target and only frayed the sails. Skillful maneuvers were accompanied by salvos from all guns. The gunners targeted the spar in order to disable the enemy ships, so the Turks had few casualties. Shcherbakov and Lisenko succeeded: Kazarsky came almost close to the Selima so that the shells could hit the target. The topsail and topsail immediately hung on the Kapudan Pasha's ship of the line. Having received severe damage to the Selima, he was forced to stop the battle and drift. However, in the end, he knocked out one of the Mercury's cannons with a salvo.

A salvo from the Turkish ship pierced the Mercury's hull below the waterline, and the threat of sinking hung over the brave brig. Sailor Gusev and midshipman Pritupov rushed to the hole. Gusev closed the hole with his back and demanded that he be pressed against it with a log, only after screams accompanied by strong abuse, the midshipman obeyed the sailor and fixed the leak, crushing the hero as a patch.

A dense swarm of cannonballs, nipples and firebrands flew into the Mercury. Kazarsky responded to the demands to “surrender and lower the sails” with volleys of cannonades and friendly rifle fire. Rigging and spars are the “Achilles heel” of even such giants as these multi-gun giants. Finally, the well-aimed 24-pound cannonballs of the Mercury broke the water stay and damaged the Selimiye's main topmast, which completely destroyed the ship's main mast and forced it to drift. But before that, he sent a farewell salvo into the brig from all over the board. “Real Bey” persistently continued the fight. For an hour, changing tacks, he hit the brig with brutal longitudinal salvos.

The second Turkish two-deck ship, Real Bay, with seventy-four guns on board, attacked the Mercury from the port side. There was a fire on the brig three times, but the united team fought to the last. There was a fire fast extinguished, there was numerous damage to the hull, spars, sails and rigging. It was impossible to dodge the shots, all that remained was to attack with retaliatory blows and with well-aimed shots the enemy's fore-bow-yard, main-rail and knock-for-top-yard were finally destroyed. Fallen foxes and sails covered the openings for the cannons. These injuries made it impossible for Real Bay to continue the pursuit, and at half past five he stopped the fight.

Fight with Royal Bay. Ivan Aivazovsky

Since the artillery cannonade coming from the south fell silent, “Standard” and “Orpheus”, considering “Mercury” to be dead, lowered their flags as a sign of mourning for it.

While the wounded brig was approaching Sizopol (Sozopol, Bulgaria), where the main forces of the Black Sea Fleet were based, shell-shocked, with a bandaged head, A. I. Kazarsky counted the losses: 4 killed, 6 wounded, 22 holes in the hull, 133 in the sails, 16 damage in the spars, 148 in the rigging, all rowing vessels were broken.

The next day, May 15, "Mercury" joined the fleet, which, notified by the "Standart", went to sea in full force at 14:30.

Two days earlier, the Russian frigate Raphael, commanded by the former commander of the Mercury, captain of the second rank Stroynikov, found himself in a similar situation. The frigate surrendered and, by coincidence, the captured Stroynikov was on the battleship Real Bay on May 14. He witnessed the brave battle of the crew and the skillful maneuvering of the young captain. Stroynikov's cowardly act infuriated Emperor Nicholas I, so he ordered the Raphael to be burned as soon as it was recaptured from the enemy. The imperial order was carried out a little later.
On August 1, 1829, the Mercury was repaired in Sevastopol and started sailing to Sizopol. The battle of the brave crew became the pride of not only the Russians, but even the Turks spoke admiringly of this battle, calling the crew of the brave brig heroes.

At the beginning of May in 1830, the St. George flag and a pennant, awarded to the ship for a heroic battle, soared over the Mercury. Kazarsky and Lieutenant Prokofiev were awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree. By decree of the emperor, Kazarsky was promoted to captain of the 2nd rank and appointed aide-de-camp. The Order of St. Vladimir with a bow was awarded to all officers of the ship with an increase in rank and the right to be placed on the family coat of arms Images pistol The pistol was supposed to represent the same one with which the last of the team was supposed to blow up the brig.

Many ships were named after the two-masted Mercury, and they are still called that way today. The courage of the team and its glorious commander will forever remain in Russian history. After the tragic death of Kazarsky, which was not related to the fleet, in 1834 a monument was laid in Sevastopol in honor of the captain, the heroic brig and his crew, more than 5 meters high. The inscription on the monument: “To Kazarsky. An example for posterity."

Navigator Ivan Petrovich Prokofiev was in charge of the Sevastopol telegraph in 1830, then participated in the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855. Only in 1860 did Prokofiev retire. The monument to the brave navigator was erected after his death in 1865.

Fedor Mikhailovich Novosilsky, who participated in the May battle on the Mercury as a lieutenant, continued to serve in the navy to the rank of vice admiral, and earned many orders, a golden saber with diamonds and other awards for courage.

Skaryatin Sergei Iosifovich, still a lieutenant on the Mercury, later commanded other ships, awarded the Order of St. George. He retired from service with the rank of captain 1st rank in 1842.

Dmitry Petrovich Pritupov, the midshipman of the brave brig, later left service due to illness with the rank of lieutenant in 1837, providing himself with double pay until his last days.

The brig Mercury, after defeating two Turkish ships, meets with the Russian squadron. Ivan Aivazovsky, 1848

The brig's feat was highly praised by the enemy. After the battle, one of the navigators of the Turkish ship Real Bay noted: “If in the great deeds of ancient and modern times there are feats of courage, then this act should eclipse all others, and the name of the hero is worthy of being inscribed in golden letters in the temple of glory: this captain was Kazarsky, and the name of the brig is “Mercury”. The Mercury crew, who wrote a new page in the book of Russian naval glory, were generously awarded and treated kindly. A.I. Kazarsky and I.P. Prokofiev received IV degrees of George, the rest of the officers received the Order of Vladimir, IV degree with a bow, and all sailors received insignia of the military order. The officers were promoted to the following ranks, and Kazarsky also received the rank of wing adjutant. All officers and sailors were assigned a lifelong pension in the amount of double salary. The Department of Heraldry of the Senate included an image of a Tula pistol in the officer's coats of arms, the same one that lay on the spire of the brig in front of the hatch of the cruise chamber, and sailor fines were excluded from the registration lists. The brig was the second of the Russian ships to receive the commemorative St. George flag and pennant.

“Mercury” served on the Black Sea until November 9, 1857, when an order was received “to dismantle it due to complete disrepair.” However, his name was ordered to be retained in the Russian fleet with the transfer of the St. George flag to the corresponding ship. Three ships of the Black Sea Fleet alternately bore the name “Memory of Mercury”: in 1865 - a corvette, and in 1883 and 1907 - cruisers. The Baltic brig “Kazarsky” and the Black Sea mine cruiser of the same name sailed under the St. Andrew’s flag.

In 1834, in Sevastopol, on the initiative of the commander of the Black Sea squadron M.P. Lazarev, with funds raised by sailors, a monument was erected - the first in the city! - created according to the design of the architect A.P. Bryullov. A high pedestal on which is engraved the inscription: “To Kazar. An example for posterity,” is crowned with a bronze trireme.

The subsequent fate of Captain Kazarsky is sad. Kazarsky's career took off sharply. For some time, the young officer continued to command various ships, and after he was awarded the rank of captain 1st rank, Kazarsky was appointed aide-de-camp to Emperor Nicholas I.
The Emperor often entrusted an experienced, capable officer with carrying out particularly important audits and inspections in various provinces of Russia. In the spring of 1833, Kazarsky was seconded to the Black Sea Fleet to help Admiral M.P. Lazarev equip an expedition to the Bosphorus. Alexander Ivanovich headed the loading of landing troops onto the ships of the squadron, inspected the rear offices of the fleet and quartermaster warehouses in Odessa. From Odessa, Kazarsky moved to Nikolaev to check the quartermasters. But on July 16, 1833, a few days after arriving in the city, captain 1st rank, aide-de-camp to the Emperor Kazarsky, suddenly died. As the subsequent investigation showed, everything pointed to poisoning with a potent mercury-based poison. Researchers find evidence in documents indicating that Kazarsky, during one of the audits, discovered a large embezzlement of public funds, and his murder was the revenge of embezzlers.

But there were also these isolated cases:

The frigate "Raphael" was laid down at the Sevastopol Admiralty on April 20, 1825. Builder I. Ya. Osminin.

Characteristics:

Length- 41.8 m

Width- 11,8

Board height- 4 m

Artillery weapons

36-pounder guns- 8 pieces

24-pounder guns- 26 jokes

8-pounder guns- 10 pieces

The frigate "Raphael" in May 1829 was cruising off the Anatolian coast between Sinop and Batum. On the night of May 11, 1829, he met with the Turkish fleet leaving the Bosphorus (3 battleships, 3 frigates and 5 corvettes), and the commander of the Raphael, captain 2nd rank S.M. Stroynikov, in the dark, mistakenly mistook the Turkish ships for Russian The squadron cruising near the Bosphorus got closer, and the next morning he found himself surrounded by Turkish ships. At a council of war, the ship's officers decided to "fight to the last drop of blood." But when conversations began with the crew, the senior officer who was negotiating with the sailors reported that the crew did not want to die and asked to surrender the ship. Captain Stroynikov made a concession to the crew and lowered the flag, handing over the ship to the Turks, who returned in triumph with a prize from the Bosporus (on the way back, meeting the Russian detachment of Sakhnovsky, from which the brig "Mercury" lagged behind, whose commander Kazarsky, as you know, behaved directly in the opposite way than the commander of “Raphael” - which is how he immortalized his name). "Rafail" was included in the Turkish fleet under the name "Nimetulla".

After the famous battle of the brig “Mercury” with superior Turkish ships, Emperor Nicholas I issued a decree that contained the following words: “... We wish that the memory of this unparalleled deed be preserved until later times, therefore we command you to order: when this brig becomes unable to continue more service at sea, build another similar ship according to the same drawing and perfect similarity in everything, calling it “Mercury” and assigning it to the same crew, to which the awarded flag and pennant will be transferred; when this ship begins to fall into disrepair, replace it with another new one, built according to the same drawing, continuing this way until later times. We wish that the memory of the famous merits of the crew of the brig “Mercury” and it never disappear in the fleet and, passing from generation to generation for eternity, serve as an example to posterity.”

But in the case of “Raphael,” Nikolai Pavlovich ordered to do exactly the opposite. In another decree, the All-Russian Emperor gave vent to his indignation: “Trusting in the help of the Almighty, I remain in the hope that the intrepid Black Sea Fleet, eager to wash away the ignominy of the frigate Raphael, will not leave it in the hands of the enemy.” But when it is returned to our power, then, considering this frigate henceforth unworthy to wear the Flag of Russia and serve along with other ships of our fleet, I command you to put it on fire.”

After the conclusion of the Andrianopol Peace Treaty, the Raphael crew returned to Russia. A military court was held on the surrender of the ship; by the verdict of this court, all the officers of the frigate were demoted to sailors (with the exception of one midshipman, who was in the cruise chamber at the time of surrender, and therefore acquitted). By an imperial rescript, the former commander of the frigate Stroynikov, also demoted to sailor, was forbidden to marry, “so as not to have a descendant of a coward and a traitor in Russia.”

Subsequently, in 1853, in the Battle of Sinop, the Russian battleships Empress Maria and Paris, sowing death and disarmament among Turkish ships, first turned their guns against the frigate Fazli-Allah, which was part of the squadron that captured Raphael ( the captured Russian frigate itself had by that time been withdrawn from the Turkish fleet). During the battle, Fazli-Allah was almost completely destroyed by the fire of Russian ships.

Admiral Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov began his report on the Battle of Sinop to Emperor Nicholas I with the words: “The will of Your Imperial Majesty has been fulfilled - the frigate Raphael does not exist.” Such was the desire of the Russian naval officer to wash away the stain of shame from the Russian fleet.

Let me remind you of a few more episodes from Russia’s heroic past: how , and famous The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -

Emperor Nicholas I.

In May 1829, during the war with Turkey, the small Russian brig Mercury, under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Kazarsky, won an unprecedented victory in an unequal battle with two enemy battleships, thanks to which it forever remained a glorious example of courage, courage and heroism for future generations.

Brig "Mercury"

The famous two-masted military sailing ship "Mercury" was built at the Sevastopol shipyard and launched in May 1820. The small 18-gun brig was the fruit of the latest developments by Colonel of the Corps of Naval Engineers Ivan Yakovlevich Osminin. This famous shipwright, when constructing the oak hull of the Mercury, used innovative technology, thanks to which during the legendary battle the ship, even after receiving enormous damage, remained afloat. The sailboat was very stable and handled even the highest waves well, although it was inferior in speed and therefore was listed among the slowest ships of the Black Sea squadron. "Mercury" was intended specifically for guarding and patrolling the Caucasian coast; it was a reconnaissance ship.

To move in complete calm, the brig used 14 oars (seven on each side), which were rowed while standing. The ship received its name in honor of the heroic boat "Mercury", which distinguished itself during the Russian-Swedish war of 1788-1790.

At the time of the battle with the Turkish battleships, the brig's crew consisted of 115 people. And this was a real maritime brotherhood, united by a high sense of patriotic duty and love for their ship. Captain Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky managed to create a single team of people different in beliefs, social status and character. Among the officers of the Mercury there was an aristocrat-liberal, a spoiled barchuk, a hereditary sailor, and a native of the people who received the rank only thanks to his abilities and perseverance. Both officers and lower ranks respected and loved their commander so much that some of them bequeathed to be buried next to him.

Kazarsky constantly conducted training sessions, bringing many elements of combat training to automatism. Suffice it to say that his sailors set and removed the sails in 3-4 minutes, while the Turks spent 12-15 minutes on this. But there were no such accurate gunners as on the Mercury in the entire Turkish fleet. Thanks to the talented leadership, skill, efficiency and diligence of the team and the personal courage of each crew member, the small Russian brig was able to win an unprecedented victory over the powerful battleships of the enemy.

For this victory, the brig "Mercury" was awarded the stern St. George's flag and pennant. By decree of the Russian Emperor, the Black Sea Fleet was required to always have a ship built according to the drawings of the Mercury and bearing its glorious name: “We wish that the memory of the famous merits of the crew of the brig Mercury never disappear in the fleet, but, passing from generation to generation, into the family for eternity, serving as an example to posterity.”

After the battle, the crippled "Mercury" was under repair for almost two years, and then again carried out a combat watch in the Black Sea. In 1857, due to extreme disrepair, the legendary brig was dismantled. The bow of the ship went to the naval museum, commemorative signs were made from copper plates, and a frame for a picture depicting the immortal feat of the ship was made from bark lining. Subsequently, several military and civilian ships of the Black Sea squadron bore the proud name "Mercury", and then - "Memory of Mercury". The last ship with this name sank in 2001. Since then, the ship named “Mercury” is no longer in the Black Sea Flotilla. However, active attempts are currently being made to restore historical justice. As part of the non-profit project “Brig MERCURY”, a schooner based on the drawings of the heroic sailing ship was laid down in Petrozavodsk. Its creators really hope that the new ship will become a symbol of the revival of the Russian fleet, its glorious traditions and heroic past.

The Star and Death of Alexander Kazarsky

The main hero of the Black Sea Fleet, captain of the legendary brig "Mercury" Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, was born on June 16, 1798 in the town of Dubrovno, Vitebsk province. Kazarskie belonged to an impoverished noble family, whose main wealth were children (there were five of them in the family) and a good name. The father of the future hero, retired provincial secretary Ivan Kuzmich Kazarsky, an honest and incorruptible man, once with pride, but not without bitterness, said to his son: An honest name, Sasha, is the only thing I leave you as an inheritance.”

Without money, without patronage, Alexander Kazarsky made his way everywhere on his own, using his talent and perseverance - he was guided by a lucky star. First, he graduated from a local parochial school, and then from a navigation school in the Ukrainian city of Nikolaev. Here his teacher was Luka Andreevich Latyshev, who in his youth under the command of Admiral F.F. Ushakova (now canonized) participated in the legendary capture of the impregnable island of Corfu. Thanks to his lectures, careful analyzes of glorious naval battles and memories of the great heroes of the past, the young midshipman was deeply imbued with a sense of pride in his Motherland and its heroic fleet.

At the age of 16, Kazarsky already became a midshipman. Five years later, with the rank of lieutenant, he was lucky enough to serve under the command of Ivan Semenovich Skalovsky, the idol of his school years, a living legend of the Black Sea Fleet. Under the leadership of Skalovsky, he went through an excellent command school, having adopted the main commandments of a real naval officer: “On watch, do not wait for a hint - after assessing the situation, act independently and decisively; establish mutual understanding with the lower ranks; their skill and coordination is the main success of the maneuver; try to unravel the enemy’s plan and stay ahead of his actions.”

One of the bravest officers of his time, Kazarsky served on several ships, participated in military campaigns, was awarded a golden saber for bravery during the storming of the Turkish port of Varna, and in 1829 was appointed commander of the brig Mercury, which soon made his name famous. When the famous unprecedented battle took place, Kazarsky was only 28 years old.

A slender and handsome naval officer, Kazarsky was a modest and shy man by nature. His modesty was noted by everyone who was lucky enough to communicate with him. They said that due to his modesty, Kazarsky was able to remain silent about his exploits rather than exaggerate them. The officers respected him for his exactingness and fairness, and the lower ranks saw in him a real father-commander.

After the legendary battle of the Mercury with Turkish ships, Kazarsky commanded other ships, participated in the blockade of the Bosphorus and the capture of the Turkish fortress of Messembria. But he was soon forced to leave the fleet. In 1831, he was appointed aide-de-camp to Emperor Nicholas I. If previously the entire life of a naval officer was spent on warships, now he constantly traveled around Russia with important assignments from the emperor. Nicholas I completely trusted Kazarsky’s experience and honesty and entrusted him with matters of national importance. So, for example, in Kazan, Kazarsky had to make a conclusion on the advisability of the continued existence of the Admiralty.

While in this responsible position and performing audit duties, Kazarsky mercilessly fought against embezzlement and negligence. Perhaps this is what destroyed him. The hero of the Russian-Turkish war, captain 1st rank Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky, died under mysterious circumstances at the age of 36. The cause of his sudden death remains unclear to this day. There is reason to believe that the honest officer became the victim of a criminal conspiracy of thieving officials and was poisoned. Eyewitnesses claim that Kazarsky was warned about the assassination attempt, but could not protect himself and in his death throes whispered: “The scoundrels destroyed me.” The body of the dead captain turned terribly black, and those widows and orphans whom he had helped a lot during his life shouted loudly as they followed the coffin: “They killed, destroyed our benefactor!”

Captain Kazarsky was buried in the Nikolaev city cemetery. The memory of the hero, who was destined for a brilliant but short life, is immortalized in the names of three ships of the Black Sea and Baltic fleets and two streets in Sevastopol and Nikolaev.

Two captains

Two captains of the brig Mercury took part in the battle on May 14, 1829: the current captain-lieutenant Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky and the former captain 2nd rank Semyon Mikhailovich Stroynikov. Only one of them covered himself with eternal glory, and the other with indelible shame.

Stroynikov was a brilliant officer who enjoyed the favor of the Commander-in-Chief of the Black Sea Fleet himself. For courage and bravery he was awarded a golden saber and the Order of St. George. It is known that the two captains of the Mercury were personally acquainted and that an unspoken competition even established between them, in which Stroynikov constantly won: he was older, more noble and richer.

On that ill-fated day, May 12, 1829, Stroynikov, commanding the 36-gun frigate "Raphael", keeping watch in thick fog, did not notice how he was encircled by enemy ships. It was impossible to escape from the encirclement, and the captain gathered an officers' council, at which it was first decided to fight to the end and, if there was a threat of capture, to blow himself up. However, the naval regulations required the commander to obtain the consent of the entire team. And here Stroynikov violated the regulations: instead of going to talk with the lower ranks himself, he sent a senior officer to them, and upon his return he reported that the crew did not want to die and asked to surrender the ship. The captain ordered St. Andrew's flag to be lowered and to surrender to the mercy of the winner without a fight. The Russian fleet had never known such a shameful captivity.

Triumphantly, the Turks took the captured Russian frigate as a valuable trophy to their Sultan, and transferred its cowardly crew to the battleship Real Bay. From the bridge of the Turkish ship, the ashamed Stroynikov watched as the small brig Mercury, with no chance of salvation, desperately resisted the enemy.

The Turks renamed the deserted frigate “Raphael” to “Fazli-Allah” (“given by God”) and continued to fight against Russia on it. Emperor Nicholas I issued a decree according to which, in order to wash away the ignominy, the traitorous ship should be destroyed as quickly as possible and never again assign the name “Raphael” to any ship of the Russian fleet. After the defeat of the Turkish squadron in the Battle of Sinop, Admiral P.S. Nakhimov reported to the sovereign that he had smashed the inglorious frigate into small pieces.

Stroynikov and his cowardly team were court-martialed and sentenced to death. However, the generous king commuted the sentence. According to his decision, Captain Stroynikov, deprived of ranks, awards and nobility, was sent into exile, the officers were demoted to privates, and the deck crew was forgiven.

An unprecedented fight

The day of May 14, 1829 crowned the sailing brig Mercury and its heroic crew with eternal glory. At this time, the Russian ships “Standart”, “Orpheus” and “Mercury” were cruising at the entrance to the Bosphorus. Their task was to monitor the Turkish fleet. Suddenly they saw an approaching enemy squadron, significantly superior in strength to them. Having no intention of accepting battle, the commander of the ship detachment, Lieutenant Commander P.Ya. Sakhnovsky ordered the ships to be turned to Sevastopol. Inspired by the recent bloodless capture of the Russian frigate Rafail, the Turkish ships rushed in pursuit. "Orpheus" and "Standart" managed to break away, and the slow-moving "Mercury", heavy in the complete calm, was soon left alone with the two largest and high-speed ships of the Turkish squadron - the 110-gun Selimiye and the 74-gun Real Bey. The remaining Turkish ships drifted, awaiting capture or death by the Russians. The forces were unequal: 18 small guns of the Russian brig against 184 large guns of enemy battleships left no hope of salvation. Having a tenfold superiority in artillery, the enemy was already anticipating easy prey.

Unable to avoid an unequal battle, Captain Kazarsky assembled a military council of officers. According to naval tradition, the first to speak was the junior in rank, Lieutenant Ivan Petrovich Prokofiev. He proposed to take a decisive battle, so that in case of a hopeless situation, he would grapple with the nearest battleship and explode with it. All officers unanimously supported this proposal. Then the captain went to the deck crew. He explained to the lower ranks that the honor of the Russian flag was affected and that the Motherland expected them to fearlessly fulfill their military duty. The sailors, who had immense respect for their commander, promised to be with him until the very end. Before the mortal battle, the sailors changed into clean shirts, and the officers put on ceremonial uniforms. Having said the congregational prayer, everyone went to their places. They were heading towards certain death. In front of the gunpowder warehouse, Kazarsky placed his pistol so that the last survivor would blow up the doomed ship.

The captain knew well the strengths and weaknesses of his ship. The small brig was agile, but very heavy on the move, so only skillful maneuvering, the accuracy of the gunners and the training of the sailors could save it. The gunners were ordered to aim, first of all, at the enemy's spars and rigging in order to deprive the enemy ships of their progress. “I’ll take over the maneuver,” the captain said firmly. This was the most important thing now - to avoid shots, throw the brig now to the right, now to the left, constantly moving, as an experienced fist fighter does. It was pointless to try to suppress enemy artillery hidden behind strong sides or inflict damage on enemy personnel.

For half an hour, the Mercury, maneuvering, skillfully evaded the volleys of enemy ships, but then they were able to get around it on both sides, and the brig came under heavy crossfire. A fire started on the ship three times, which, fortunately, was quickly extinguished. They started shouting from the Turkish ships: “Surrender! Take away the sails! The response to this was a salvo of all the artillery and friendly rifle fire from the brave Russian brig.

The Mercury had its sails punctured and its rigging damaged, but it remained afloat. Captain Kazarsky was shell-shocked, but continued to firmly command the ship. The battle lasted about 4 hours. The Turks tried to come closer and take the brig in pincers, but the Mercury skillfully avoided the broadsides and fired back with all its might. Finally, the Russian gunners managed to damage the spars on the Selimiye, and the Turkish fortress ship, having lost the ability to maneuver, left the battle. The enemy did not believe his eyes, but soon the second ship, due to severe damage, was forced to stop the battle and retreat. The Russian brig won!

"Golden letters on the Temple of Glory"

Wounded, with torn sails and holes in the side, the ship the next day joined the Russian squadron, where they did not expect to see it at all. All ships had their flags flown at half-staff as a sign of mourning. When the artillery cannonade fell silent in the distance the day before, everyone considered the Russian ship lost: the victory of a small brig over two large ships seemed simply impossible. “The courage, fearlessness and dedication shown by the commander and crew of the Mercury are more glorious than a thousand ordinary victories,” the newspapers wrote then. “The actions of the brig Mercury represent an example of courage, the like of which is scarcely to be found in the annals of sea powers.”

Even the enemies did not hide their admiration for the courage of the Russian sailors. The navigator of the Turkish Real Bey later wrote about the Mercury: “Unheard of! We couldn't make him give up. He fought, retreating and maneuvering according to all the rules of naval science so skillfully that, it’s a shame to say, we stopped the battle, and he continued his path with glory. If there are heroes in the world whose name is worthy of being inscribed in golden letters on the Temple of Glory, then these are Captain Kazarsky and his brig "Mercury."

After the battle, wounded, with a bandaged head, Captain Kazarsky counted the losses: four killed, six wounded, 22 holes in the hull, 133 in the sails, 16 damage in the spars, 148 in the rigging, guns were destroyed and oars were broken. The deck is littered with shrapnel, debris and blood. During the battle, two sailors of the Mercury set an example of brotherly love and Christian deeds: one shielded the captain from an enemy bullet, the other closed the fatal hole in the side with his body.

The Mercury team, which did not bow their heads to enemy bullets and did not lower St. Andrew's flag in front of the enemy, was generously rewarded by the Russian emperor. Captain Kazarsky and Lieutenant Prokofiev received the Order of St. George, 4th degree, the rest of the officers received the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree, with a bow; lower ranks - insignia of a military order and a lifelong pension in the amount of double salary. The courageous captain was given the right to add to his family coat of arms the image of a Tula pistol, from which the last shot was to be fired.

In 1839, the first monument to military sailors was erected in Sevastopol - and it was a monument to the heroic crew of the Mercury. A tall pedestal with a laconic inscription “ Kazarsky. An example for posterity» is crowned by a bronze trireme - a legendary ancient Greek ship. “A trireme soars like a light bird over Sevastopol, over its green boulevards and chalk-white houses, over the square with the monument to Admiral Nakhimov and the Grafskaya pier, over the old ravelins with black slits of embrasures and over the blue bays where warships are frozen at anchor.” Another monument to the feat of “Mercury” stands in Moscow, at the intersection of Sevastopolsky and Nakhimovsky avenues. However, the main monument to the strength of the Russian spirit of the Black Sea sailors is in the fiery hearts of their grateful descendants.

Tatiana Grudkina

The article is published with the permission of the editors of the Orthodox magazine "Slavyanka", issue September-October 2013.

The article uses materials from the Black Sea Fleet Museum. Photo: dag.com.ua/nikolaev/

The brig "Mercury", attacked by two Turkish ships. Ivan Aivazovsky, 1892

It has been 180 years since the unprecedented battle, in which the unbending courage of the Russian sailors of the brig "Mercury", its commander, Lieutenant Commander A.I., was demonstrated. Kazarsky, who did not bow their heads and lower the St. Andrew’s flag in front of the enemy.

Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky was born on June 16, 1798 on Belarusian soil in the town of Dubrovno, Vitebsk province, in the family of a retired provincial secretary who managed the estate of Prince Lyubomirsky. Sasha's father is Ivan Kuzmich Kazarsky, mother is Tatyana Gavrilovna. The Kazarsky family had five children: Praskovya, Ekaterina, Matryona, Alexander and Ivan.

In 1811, Alexander became a cadet at the Nikolaev Navigation School.

On August 30, 1813, volunteer Alexander Kazarsky was enrolled in the Black Sea Fleet as a midshipman, and a year later he was promoted to the first officer rank and became a midshipman. He sailed on the brigantines Desna and Cleopatra, then was transferred to the Danube flotilla and appointed commander of a detachment of small rowing vessels in Izmail.

His service in the Danube Flotilla lasted five years. In 1819, he received the rank of lieutenant and in the same year was assigned to the frigate "Eustathius", which arrived in Sevastopol.

After "Eustathius" Kazarsky sailed on the schooner "Sevastopol", the transports "Ingul" and "Rival", commanded the boat "Falcon", served on the brig "Mercury", on a battleship and again on the brig "Mercury".

On July 9, 1828, for the distinction shown during the capture of Anapa, Kazarsky was promoted to lieutenant commander. In the same year, he was awarded a golden saber for his bravery during the storming of Varna.

In 1829 Kazarsky became the commander of the 18-gun brig Mercury.

The brig "Mercury" was laid down in January 1819 at the Sevastopol Admiralty (Southern Bay, between the Minna and Telefonnaya walls). Launched on May 7(19), 1820.

This ship was built by Ivan Yakovlevich Osminin, colonel of the corps of naval engineers.

The brig was intended for patrol and reconnaissance, cruising and messenger service. To enable movement in complete calm, the brig had 14 large oars. Row with these oars while standing. The ship's crew is 115 people.

The brig's artillery armament consisted of eighteen 24-pound carronades and two long-barreled 8-pound cannons, which had a greater firing range than carronades.

There was a Russian-Turkish war.

In May 1829, three Russian ships: the 44-gun frigate "Standart" (commander-lieutenant-commander P.Ya. Sakhnovsky), the 20-gun brig "Orpheus" (commander-lieutenant-commander E.I. Koltovsky), and the 20-gun The brig "Mercury" (commanded by captain-lieutenant A.I. Kazarsky) was cruising at the exit from the Bosphorus Strait. The detachment of ships was commanded by Captain-Lieutenant Sakhnovsky.

At dawn on May 14, 1829, the Turkish fleet consisting of 6 battleships, 2 frigates, 2 corvettes, 1 brig, 3 tenders departed from the Bosphorus. The enemy squadron, noticing the Russian ships, set off in pursuit of them.

A signal was raised on the “Standard”: “Everyone should choose the course that the ship has a preferential course,” after which the faster “Standart” and “Orpheus” quickly took the lead, and the slow-moving “Mercury” began to lag behind.

By 2 p.m., the enemy ships—the 110-gun battleship Selimiye and the 74-gun battleship Real Bay—had already begun to overtake the Mercury.

Seeing the impossibility of avoiding an unequal battle, Kazarsky assembled a council of officers.

The Mercury's chances of salvation were negligible (184 guns versus 20), leaving almost no hope for a successful outcome of the battle, the inevitability of which no one doubted.

As Kazarsky writes in his report to the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral A.S. Greig dated May 14, 1829 No. 130 (KChF Museum Fund, GU-678), the first to speak was the lieutenant of the navigator corps Prokofiev, who suggested: “Blow up the brig when it is brought to the extreme.” Further, Kazansky continues: “As a result of this opinion, adopted unanimously by everyone, it was decided to defend to the last opportunity, and if the spar was knocked down, or a large leak opened, then grapple with the nearest enemy ship, and the officer who remained alive should light the hook - camera, for which purpose the pistol was placed on the spire."

Kazarsky also addressed the lower ranks and explained to them “what the Sovereign expects from them and what the honor of the imperial flag requires; he found the same feelings in the team as in the officers: everyone unanimously declared that they would be faithful to their duty and oath to the end.”

Calmed by such general unanimity, he orders: “Stop the action with the oars, put people at the guns, throw the yawl hanging astern into the sea, and open fire from the retreat ports.”

Kazarsky knew perfectly well the strengths and weaknesses of his ship; the brig was very heavy on the move; only skillful maneuvering and accuracy of the gunners could save it.

For half an hour, "Mercury", maneuvering, skillfully dodged the volleys of enemy ships, but then was placed between both ships, and from the battleship Kapudan Pasha "Selimiye" shouted in Russian: "Surrender! And remove the sails."

The response to this from the Mercury was a salvo of all artillery and friendly rifle fire.

Both Turkish ships, surrendering to the stern of the brig, opened a continuous cannonade on it with cannonballs, cannonballs and cannonballs. A fire broke out on the Mercury, which, fortunately, was extinguished.

The well-aimed fire of the brig's gunners damaged the main spar of the stop-cannon Turkish ship "Selimiye" under the flag of Kapudan Pasha, which forced it to drift.

Another ship, the 74-gun Real Bay, flying the flag of the junior flagship, continued the battle, changing tacks under the stern of the brig, and hit it with longitudinal shots, which could not be avoided by any movements.

"Mercury" fired back, and with a lucky shot they managed to kill the enemy's knock-for-mars-yard, the fall of which carried away the foxes.

These damages deprived Real Bay of the opportunity to continue the battle and at half past six he stopped the fight.

As Kazarsky wrote in his report: “The damage to the brig’s crew consisted of four killed and six wounded lower ranks. There were 22 holes in the hull, 16 damage to the spars, 133 to the sails and 148 to the rigging; in addition, the rowing vessels were broken and the carronade was damaged.” .

Kazarsky himself received a head concussion during the battle, but despite this, he remained on the bridge and led the battle.

In conclusion, he writes that “there are no words to describe the courage, dedication and accuracy in the performance of their duties, which were shown by all officers and lower ranks during this three-hour battle, which presented absolutely no hope of salvation, and that only such a worthy Amazement to the spirit of the crew and the mercy of God must be attributed to the salvation of the ship and the flag of His Imperial Majesty."

May 14, 1829 A.I. Kazarsky and the crew of the brig forever inscribed their names in the history of the Russian fleet.

They were going to obvious death, but did not bow their heads to the enemy, as the former commander of the brig "Mercury" (1826-1828), captain 2nd rank Semyon Mikhailovich Stroynikov, did shortly before this battle.

Commanding the 36-gun frigate "Raphael", literally two days before the heroic battle of the "Mercury", finding himself in the fog in the thick of the Turkish squadron, he lowered the ship's flag and surrendered to the Turks.

For the first time since the approval of the Naval Charter by Peter I, a Russian ship lowered its flag to the enemy. The Turks renamed the frigate "Fazli-Allah" (given by God).

At the time of the battle, Stroynikov was on board the battleship Real Bay. Thus the fates of the two commanders of the brig Mercury converged. One is inglorious, and the other is immortal.

The angry Emperor Nicholas I issues a decree that says: “Trusting in the help of the Almighty, I remain in the hope that the intrepid Black Sea Fleet, eager to wash away the ignominy of the frigate Raphael, will not leave it in the hands of the enemy. But when it is returned to our power , then, considering this frigate henceforth unworthy to bear the Flag of Russia and serve along with other ships of our fleet, I command you to put it on fire.”

The emperor's will was carried out.

After the defeat of the Turkish squadron in the Battle of Sinop, when Admiral P.S. Nakhimov burned the Ottoman squadron in Sinop Bay; he began his report to the emperor with the words: “The will of Your Imperial Majesty has been fulfilled - the frigate Raphael does not exist.”

After the Battle of Sinop, the flagship of Nakhimov’s squadron, the Empress Maria, smashed the former frigate Raphael to pieces with salvos of one hundred cannons.

Even the enemy appreciated the courage of the commander and crew of the brig Mercury.

“If there are heroes in the world whose name is worthy of being inscribed in golden letters on the Temple of Glory, then it is he, and he is called Captain Kazarsky, and the brig is called Mercury. With 20 guns, no more, he fought against 220 in view of the enemy fleet , which was in his wind."

The Mercury crew was generously rewarded.

“In reward for the brilliant feat of the brig “Mercury”, which emerged victorious from the unprecedented battle on May 14 against two Turkish ships, the Sovereign Emperor most graciously deigned to welcome: commander lieutenant commander Kazarsky to captain of the 2nd rank, with the appointment of aide-de-camp to His Imperial Majesty, and in addition, a holder of the Order of St. George, 4th class; lieutenants Skoryatin and Novosilsky, midshipman Pritupov and lieutenant of the corps of naval navigators Prokofiev with the following ranks, and the first Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class, and Prokofiev, as having proposed courageous advice to blow up the brig, the Order of St. George 4 classes. All lower ranks received insignia of a military order. All in general, both officers and lower ranks, received a lifetime pension of double the salary they received up to the present time. At the same time, His Imperial Majesty deigned to recognize the brig himself, award to the St. George flag. And in order to perpetuate in the family of these officers the memory of their exemplary bravery and courageous determination to obvious death, the Sovereign Emperor deigned to command that the pistol, as the weapon chosen by them for exploding into the air if it was impossible to continue the defense, was included in their coats of arms ". (“Sea collection” No. 6-1850, pp. 493-494).

The brig "Mercury" was awarded the stern St. George flag and pennant (the second award after the battleship "Azov").

In addition to awards, the decree of Emperor Nicholas 1 commanded “... We wish that the memory of this unparalleled deed be preserved until later times, therefore we command you to order: when this brig becomes unable to continue serving at sea any longer, build according to the same drawing and perfect similar to it in everything, another similar ship, assigned to the same crew, name it “Mercury”, to which the awarded flag with a pennant will be transferred; when this ship also begins to fall into disrepair, replace it with another new one, according to the same drawing "built, continuing this way until later times. We wish that the memory of the famous merits of the crew of the brig "Mercury" and it never disappears in the fleet and, passing from generation to generation for eternity, serves as an example to posterity."

This is where the words on the pedestal of the monument to the brig "Mercury" and its commander, performed by Bryullov, come from: "TO DESCENDANTS AS AN EXAMPLE."

The brig "Mercury" served on the Black Sea until November 9, 1857, then was dismantled due to "complete disrepair."

But the name of the brig was retained in the Russian fleet with the transfer of the stern St. George flag to the newly named ship. Three ships of the Black Sea Fleet alternately bore the name "Memory of Mercury": in 1865 - a corvette, and in 1883 and 1907 - cruisers. The Baltic brig "Kazarsky" sailed under the St. Andrew's flag.

Unfortunately, there is currently no warship with this name in the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

In 1834, on Matrossky Boulevard, on the initiative of Admiral M.P. Lazarev, with funds raised by the sailors, a monument to the brig "Mercury" was laid. It was opened in 1839. The author of the project is academician of architecture A.P. Bryullov.

The high pedestal, on which is engraved the inscription: “To the Kazars. As an example to posterity,” is crowned by a bronze trireme.

Monument to A.I. Kazarsky and the feat of the brig "Mercury" became the first monument erected in Sevastopol.

Monument to A.N. Kazarsky and the brig "Mercury" on Matrossky Boulevard in Sevastopol. (After the reconstruction of Matrossky Boulevard and the monument dedicated to the 225th anniversary of the city and the Black Sea Fleet. The reconstruction was financed by the Moscow region)

Having recovered from the shell shock, Captain 2nd Rank Kazarsky was appointed commander of the 44-gun frigate Pospeshny, and at the beginning of 1830 - commander of the battleship Tenedos.

In 1831, for distinguished service, Captain 2nd Rank Kazarsky was promoted to Captain 1st Rank and came under the full command of Nicholas I, becoming an officer in the Emperor’s retinue.

At the end of 1832, the Black Sea squadron under the command of Vice Admiral M.P. Lazareva was preparing for a trip to the Bosphorus. Russia intended to take the side of Turkey in its conflict with the Egyptian Pasha. Kazarsky was entrusted with equipping and loading a large group of troops onto landing craft, which he successfully completed.

In 1833, Kazarsky inspected the rear offices of the fleet and quartermaster warehouses in Odessa. From Odessa he moved to Nikolaev to check the quartermasters.

But on July 16, 1833, a few days after arriving in the city, the captain of the 1st rank, adjutant of the Emperor Kazarsky, suddenly died.

The investigation into the mysterious circumstances of the death was unsuccessful for several years. There is reason to believe that the Mercury commander became a victim of a criminal conspiracy by thieving officials and was poisoned.

The mystery of his death has not yet been revealed.

Alexander Ivanovich Kazarsky was buried in Nikolaev, in the city cemetery near the Church of All Saints.

Project of a monument at the grave of A.N. Kazarsky was designed by architect A.A. Avdeev. It was built by the forces and means of the Black Sea Fleet.

It is made of black polished granite in the form of a vertical slab about 3 meters high. On the front side facing the church, at the top of a round medallion surrounded by a laurel wreath, is engraved the inscription: “May 14, 1829.” Below on the pedestal under glass is a relief image of the brig "Mercury" sailing under full sail. In the middle there is a laconic inscription in bronze letters: “Kazarsky”. On the opposite side of the monument at the top there is a relief bronze medallion with a portrait of Kazarsky, surrounded by a laurel wreath. Below is the bronze Kazarsky coat of arms in the form of a brig and a pistol, which serves as the emblem of the famous council on board the Mercury, when it was decided to blow up the brig along with the Turkish ships.

These attributes were granted to the Kazar coat of arms by the Decree of Nicholas I.

Very close to A.N. Kazarsky buried former Mercury navigator I.P. Prokofiev, but the old modest tombstone for him disappeared, and in its place was erected a pompous marble monument with an angel, which was taken from someone else’s grave. (In the photo on the left is a monument at the grave of I.P. Prokofiev) Some other members of the brig's crew are also buried at the Nikolaevskoe cemetery, who willed to be buried next to their commander. However, now traces of these burials have been lost, only a monument remains, erected in our time on the grave of Fyodor Spiridonov, who was a first-class navigator student on board the Mercury during the battle. (See photo on the right).

In addition to these memorial burials for Russian sailors, the following are buried at the Nikolaev necropolis: Admiral N.A. Arkas (Chief Commander of the Black Sea Fleet and ports in 1871-1881, military governor of Nikolaev), Admiral M.P. Manganari and many others, including the first commander of the battleship "Novorossiysk", captain 1st rank Yu.K. Zinoviev. The heroes of the First Sevastopol Defense, who died of wounds in Nikolaev hospitals, are also buried here.

But in this historical necropolis there is discord and desolation and, as the great poet said, “love for the tombs of our fathers” is clearly not visible.

But Russian national heroes and famous ancestors are buried there. Respect for their ashes should be sacred to us.

But, alas, the memory of generations is being erased.

We, descendants, must remember and honor the memory and graves of our glorious ancestors.

We should be grateful descendants.

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky is a famous Russian marine painter. He really liked the genre of fine art, which involved depictions of marine species and battles taking place in ocean waters. The artist was born and died in the Crimean city of Feodosia. He not only painted pictures, he was a collector and philanthropist. He provided material assistance to various industries from his personal funds.

Aivazovsky's Brig is one of the paintings dedicated by the artist to the navy of the Russian Empire. The artist with Armenian roots was attracted to battles on the water, because he knew about them first-hand. During the war that unfolded off the coast of the Caucasus in 1839, he participated in special operations. Aivazovsky’s work on the brig “Mercury” reveals the brightness of the images and expressed patriotic pathos.

Description of the famous painting by Aivazovsky Brig “Mercury” after the victory

It was written in 1848 and depicts the events when the Russian operational unit in the navy had to fight with Turkish ships. The creation of the young creator’s work was inspired by previously occurring events. The environment in which Ivan Konstantinovich grew up could not help but awaken his imagination. He constantly watched fishing feluccas and warships coming from distant countries off the coast of Feodosia. Then, for the first time in his life, Ivan Aivazovsky saw the two-masted brig Mercury. The news of his valiant action spread across many countries and was forever imprinted in the boy’s memory. Years later, we can say that little Ivan’s love for creativity was revived by the romance of exploits, battles of sea vessels, and true legends that border on fantasy.

Aivazovsky's painting of a brig with the name Mercury is considered the author's most striking battalion work. On it, a talented person depicted a Russian warship with 18 installed cannons, commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Kazarsky. During the war between the two nations, he managed to distinguish himself.

The events of that time developed as follows: in 1829, when the brig "" from Aivazovsky's painting was pursued by a Turkish squadron, entered into an unequal battle with battleships named "Selimiye" and "Real Bay", a historically important event took place near the Bosphorus. Then, under the leadership of A.I. Kazarsky, Mercury inflicted serious damage on the enemy, which forced him to turn his sails in such a way that the ship remained without an anchor in one place. After this, the winner managed to escape pursuit, for which the floating structure was awarded the St. George flag - the highest award of the ship.

The second version of Aivazovsky’s painting on the theme of Mercury

The artist devoted two works to the events described above. The second is called by Aivazovsky “Brig Mercury, attacked by two Turkish ships.” In the first painting the famous ship was depicted in the singular; in the second painting everything looked different. The foreground is occupied by the foaming sea. Looking at the waves, you understand that we are not talking about a storm, but it could not be called calm. In the central part, the artist decided to place the “main character” of the painting - an 18-gun warship. The story goes that when the ship left the port, the wind was relatively light, so the movement through the water was slow. It is not surprising that it came to the attention of high-speed Turkish ships.

In the painting “”, Aivazovsky depicted how the ship had already managed to escape from the trap, and here the scene of the defense of a Russian ship from foreign ships is displayed. Nearby we see two Turkish ships, whose crews are already set for an easy victory, but do not even suspect that everything will end not in their favor.

It is impossible not to note the colorfulness of this picture, which is given by the depiction of white sails, a rough sea, cannon shots, as well as thickened clouds, through which the blue of the sky is faintly, but still visible. That day became significant because, despite the unequal forces, the Russian ship managed to win with minimal losses.