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Circassian Navy during Russian-Caucasian
War
By A.Y.CHIRG
During Russian-Caucasian War Tsar’s Russia did use not just ground forces
but also Navy. Tsarism considered blockade of Adigha (Adyghe - Circassian) sea coast as one of the
main measures to conquest the Circassia, thus Russians wanted to stop any
kind of connection Adigha people with the rest world. The active role to
fulfil it had assigned to Russian Navy. From the 1830 year along the eastern
coast of Black Sea had patrolled especial Russian squadron named “Abkhazian
expedition”. Battle cruisers did not allow to sail for commercial European
and Turkish vessels towards Circassian coast. And on the other hand Tsar’s
navy fought along the Black Sea coast of Northern Caucasus by landing
numerous ground troops. They were occupying the most important places in
strategic military meaning. In 1837-1839 years with the Navy’s assistance
had been founded such military forts as: Saint Doukh on the Adler cape,
Velyaminovskoye on the mouth of Tuapse River, Tenginskoye on the Shapsugh
River, Novorossiysk in the Sudjoukh bight, Navaginskoye on the Sochi River,
Golovinskoye on the Shakhe River, Lazarevskoye on the mouth of Psishuapa
River.
Fighting with aggression of tsarism coastal Adighas used their Navy, which
consisted from small ships, named in European sources of 19 century as “galley”.
Circassians mastered Black Sea navigation from ancient times and therefore
they were very experienced navigators and sailors. There are a lot of
information about Circassian navigation in ancient (Strabos, Tacitus, etc.)
and medieval (Al-Masoudi, D. Interiano, etc.) sources.
By the 19 century sea navigation had very serious traditions. According to
Swiss scientist F. Dubua de Monpere who observed Circassian galleys
personally, that vessels could hold 60-70 persons each. But there also were
which could hold up to 140 men. Adigha vessels were sailing ones with the
oars and sometimes were armed with light cannons. They could make very long
coasting navigation. Russian trade representative in Western Circassia L.Y.Lulye
wrote: “Coastal high-landers sailed very actively. For the transportation of
provision from one gorge into another they used the same rowing-ships (galleys)
as they did for the sea roads. I saw it by myself, how they were coming on
the galleys using oars from very remote places of coast into Sudjouk bight (Novorossiysk)
and even to fortress Anapa.”
F.F.Tornau, who served in Caucasus several years witnesses about excellent
seaworthy qualities of Circassian galleys. The traveler J.Tebu de Marini
describes the Circassian vessel in this way: “Their ship, as all I saw
before was flat-bottomed, without keel, casing was fixed to the very fine
ship frame by nails and wooden pins. On the nose was image of animal’s head.
It was hard to figure out what animal that was exactly, but Circassians
asserted that it was a head of the he-goat…” The oars on their galleys are
very short and fixed to rowlocks of enormous length with the transverse
cross-bars for the hands of rowers. They used rudder and small square sail”.
Circassian had not permanent Navy, but they completed galley detachments to
take action against Tsar’s troops and Navy. The important form of Adighas’
fight was attacks of their galleys onto Tsar’s military ships. Quite often
on the water of Circassian coast took place very fierce fights. In 1832 year
by high-landers was attacked Russian cutter with 12 cannons. Tsar’s
administration was really afraid to leave vessels in Sudjouk bight even with
guard, because Circassians could seize it using galleys during dark night.
*Circassian Navy from Tebu De Marini's book ''Three Voyage
in Black Sea of Circassia coasts. With sketches of manners, traditions and
religion of Circassians.'' (London 1837) Knight De Marini, has been in
Circassia three times as ambassador of Holland King: 1818, 1823 and 1824.
In the October of 1836 year Tsar’s vessel “Nartsiss” was attacked near to
mouth of Sochi River by 7 Circassian galleys. After, the commander of
Russian vessel captain Varnitskiy reported that Circassians fought in
organized manner, their commander was showing by long pole to each galley
its place during attack. After fierce fight Russians escaped.
The roads of Circassian vessels became a serious reason to worry for Command
of tsar’s Navy. Especial measures of Black Sea Navy Headquarters were
undertook to prevent roads of Circassian navigators. In the Central State
Archive of Russian Navy retained description of one interesting affair
“About dispatching toward abkhazian coast gunners ships to take action
against galleys used by Circassians”. Its noteworthy fact that from the
first time of conquest of Circassia the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
considered destroying of “thugs’ haunts” on the Black Sea coast as the main
measure to conquer Circassia.
For the destroying of Adigha galleys and struggle to prevent Turkish trade
ships penetration Russian Command established cruises by small rowing-boats.
To serve on them Cossacks of Azov Cossack troops were recruited. They
consisted of 10 crews each of what concluded 20 persons. Azov rowing-boats
armed small cannons, sailed by oars and had sail. Cossack boats allocated in
Tsar’s fortresses on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. Blockhouses were
used by Cossacks as barracks. The Russian commander General N.N.Rayevskiy
wrote: “Azov rowing-boats would be very useful between the near distanced
fortresses against Circassian galleys and contraband ships”.
However undertaken measures didn’t cause full destroying for Circassian
fleet. Adighas engaged in battles with the Cossacks on the sea many times.
What is more clashes with Russian Navy’s ships continued. Thus, in the
February of 1838 year took place fierce fight with 4 Circassian galleys from
one side and Russian lugger “Glubokiy” from other.
Unfortunately, historical documents and testimonies of eyewitnesses give us
very little information about Circassian sea chiefs. In 30 years of 19
century active roads were undertook ships of coastal Circassian, certain
Hassan-bey.
Other form of using sea fleet by Adighas in the struggle with tsarism were
landings of Circassian troops from the galleys into important places and
attacking suddenly points occupied by tsar’s troops. Thus, tsar’s Command
were stupefied by bold and successful landing of Circassian troops close to
Bombory in May 1834.
Through the using of galleys Adighas adjusted connection between themselves
and also for co-action against conqueror. They used their ships on the
reconnaissance too. Circassian Navy kept connection with Istanbul and with
Turkish ships they conveyed weapon and ammunition into the Caucasus for the
struggle. Besides, high-landers sailed towards Ottoman Empire with
commercial intentions.
In the eastern coast of Black Sea Adighas used to pursue and seize hostile
commercial ships. According to words of one Russian sea officer N.N. Sushev,
who was an eyewitness of the Circassian assault. During the assault to the
hostile trade ship Circassian firstly “knocked by riffle guns all the sailor
from the upper deck, after they were boarding with the daggers and then
after few moments all was finished…” We have to take into consideration that
while war time all this also did England, Holland and others. And Circassia
was not an exception in this meaning. Of course, Circassian attacks on
enemy’s ships weren’t successful in every case. Thus, Vorontsov was an
eyewitness of unsuccessful Circassian boarding when brave Adighas started
board Russian ship. They chose position for the attack in front of the
vessel’s nose, but sailors on the deck cut off the anchor chain and while it
was falling down on the light galleys all they sank with the Circassian
pirates. Adigha navigators were based on the most comfortable bays of Black
Sea eastern coast. They had few arranged central points. From the words of
Dubua de Monpere: “Mamay bight, which is famous from the ancient times by
its sea robbery was the central spot for all the Circassian corsairs.”
Adduced facts witnesses about certain contribution of Adigha military
navigators in the war for Freedom and Independence of Circassia. After
Russian conquest of the Circassia the navigation of high-landers doesn’t
exist.
A.Y.CHIRG,
Krasnodar, Institute of the Culture.
Picture is
from Samir Hotko's book "History of Circassia"
The Russo
- Circassian War
By Kadir Natho, ''CBA''
Russian-Circassian War 1763 - 21 May 1864
By
Isam Hatk,
Journal "Al-Waha"-"Oasis", Amman, 1992
The Reports and the
Testimonies About Russian - Circassian War and the Circassian Genocide
The Circassian Genocide
By Antero Leitzinger
The Eurasian Politician - Issue 2 (October 2000)
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