Russian cutter Opyt (1806)
Encyclopedia
The Russian cutter Opyt (1796) (also Apith; - Experience) was launched in 1806. The British 44-gun frigate Salsette
captured Opyt in 1808 in the Baltic during the Anglo-Russian War (1807-1812)
after her captain and crew put up a heroic resistance. The Admiralty took her into service as HMS Baltic. She served briefly with the British fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir James Saumarez
in the Baltic before being sold in 1810.
from Kronshtadt to join the division under Captain of 2nd rank L.P. Geiden (who went on to become the Russian Admiral at the Battle of Navarino
in 1827), to help in the city's defense. On Opyt put to sea in company with the sloop-of-war
Charlotta to cruise between Sveaborg and Hango. During this cruise the two vessels became separated. Opyt returned to Sveaborg and was sent to find Charlotta, but before she could meet up, she encountered Salsette.
and captured a galliot partly laden with spirits at anchor in the roads. As Bathurst was bringing out his prize he saw a Russian cutter off the north end of Norgen island
, which defends Revel’ from the sea.
Salsette gave chase but in the evening, when the wind dropped, the cutter killed one of Salsettes marines in an exchange of fire and then used her sweeps to pull away. Then a sudden squall enabled Salsette to catch up with the cutter. The cutter surrendered after the frigate had fired two full broadsides into her.
The cutter was the Opyt (aka Apith), under the command of Lieutenant Gavril C. Nevelskoy (also Novelski), manned by 61 men. Tredrea and Sozaev (2010; p.213) give the complement as 53. In the fight the cutter lost four men killed and eight wounded, including Nevelskoy, before she struck. Tredrea and Sozaev (2010; p.213) give casualties as two killed and 11 wounded. The difference in the number of dead between the British and Russian counts may reflect deaths from wounds post-engagement.
The British discovered that Opyt had left Sveaborg that day to join the Russian sloop, the Charlotta, that Salsette had unsuccessfully chased. Bathurst landed the survivors near Libawa
.
Bathurst reported that the Opyt was approximately two years old, "exceedingly well fitted, and sound in everything." Saumarez ordered the purchase of the cutter for his majesty's service and manned her with "men lately exchanged from Copenhagen."
At the time, Saumarez and the British fleet were blockading Rager Vik
(Ragerswik or Rogerswick or Russian: Baltiyskiy) where the Russian fleet was sheltering after the British 74-gun Third Rates Implacable
and Centaur
had destroyed the Russian 74-gun ship of the line Vsevolod
. Baltics initial task was to land the prisoners that Implacable had taken from Vsevolod.
Saumarez wanted to attack the fleet and ordered that Baltic and Erebus
be prepared as fireships. However, when the British discovered that the Russians had stretched a chain across the entrance to the harbor, precluding an attack by fireships, Saumarez abandoned the plan and the two vessels returned to normal duties.
HMS Salsette (1805)
HMS Salsette was a Perseverance-class fifth-rate frigate of a nominal 36 guns, launched in 1805. The East India Company built her for the Royal Navy at the Company’s dockyards in Bombay...
captured Opyt in 1808 in the Baltic during the Anglo-Russian War (1807-1812)
Anglo-Russian War (1807-1812)
The Anglo-Russian War occurred during the Napoleonic Wars. Hostilities were limited primarily to a small number of naval actions in the Baltic, though there were also attacks in the Barents Sea...
after her captain and crew put up a heroic resistance. The Admiralty took her into service as HMS Baltic. She served briefly with the British fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir James Saumarez
James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez
Admiral James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez , GCB was an admiral of the British Royal Navy, notable for his victory at the Battle of Algeciras.-Early life:...
in the Baltic before being sold in 1810.
Russian service
Opyt was a purpose-built cutter that cruised in the Baltic in 1807. On 1808 she arrived at SveaborgSuomenlinna
Suomenlinna, until 1918 Viapori , or Sveaborg , is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands , and which now forms part of the city of Helsinki, the capital of Finland.Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage site and popular with both tourists and locals, who...
from Kronshtadt to join the division under Captain of 2nd rank L.P. Geiden (who went on to become the Russian Admiral at the Battle of Navarino
Battle of Navarino
The naval Battle of Navarino was fought on 20 October 1827, during the Greek War of Independence in Navarino Bay , on the west coast of the Peloponnese peninsula, in the Ionian Sea. A combined Ottoman and Egyptian armada was destroyed by a combined British, French and Russian naval force...
in 1827), to help in the city's defense. On Opyt put to sea in company with the sloop-of-war
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
Charlotta to cruise between Sveaborg and Hango. During this cruise the two vessels became separated. Opyt returned to Sveaborg and was sent to find Charlotta, but before she could meet up, she encountered Salsette.
Capture
On 1808 Captain Walter Bathurst and Salsette chased a Russian sloop-of-war to Revel’Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
and captured a galliot partly laden with spirits at anchor in the roads. As Bathurst was bringing out his prize he saw a Russian cutter off the north end of Norgen island
Naissaar
Naissaar is an island northwest of Tallinn in Estonia. The island covers an area of 18.6 km². It is 13-14 km long and 6 km wide, and lies about 8.5 km from the mainland. The highest point on the island is Kunilamägi, which is 27 meters above sea-level. The island consists predominantly of...
, which defends Revel’ from the sea.
Salsette gave chase but in the evening, when the wind dropped, the cutter killed one of Salsettes marines in an exchange of fire and then used her sweeps to pull away. Then a sudden squall enabled Salsette to catch up with the cutter. The cutter surrendered after the frigate had fired two full broadsides into her.
The cutter was the Opyt (aka Apith), under the command of Lieutenant Gavril C. Nevelskoy (also Novelski), manned by 61 men. Tredrea and Sozaev (2010; p.213) give the complement as 53. In the fight the cutter lost four men killed and eight wounded, including Nevelskoy, before she struck. Tredrea and Sozaev (2010; p.213) give casualties as two killed and 11 wounded. The difference in the number of dead between the British and Russian counts may reflect deaths from wounds post-engagement.
After doing more to satisfy Russian honour than reason required, Lieutenant Nevelskoy surrendered his heavily damaged cutter to the British commander, Captain Bathurst, only to have his sword returned by the astounded and admiring British captain, who had him landed ashore along with his surviving crew members.
The British discovered that Opyt had left Sveaborg that day to join the Russian sloop, the Charlotta, that Salsette had unsuccessfully chased. Bathurst landed the survivors near Libawa
Liepaja
Liepāja ; ), is a republican city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea directly at 21°E. It is the largest city in the Kurzeme Region of Latvia, the third largest city in Latvia after Riga and Daugavpils and an important ice-free port...
.
Bathurst reported that the Opyt was approximately two years old, "exceedingly well fitted, and sound in everything." Saumarez ordered the purchase of the cutter for his majesty's service and manned her with "men lately exchanged from Copenhagen."
British service
The British took Opyt into service as HMS Baltic and commissioned her under Edward Sparshot (or Sparshott). He later (28 April 1809) received promotion to lieutenant for his zeal in capturing 21 enemy merchant sail in the Baltic. One of these was the Emanuel, captured on 22 November 1808. Four days later, Baltic was in sight when Rose captured Defence, Anna Joanna Magdalena, and a second Emanuel. Baltic also was one of several vessels that participated in the capture of the Falck and the Kline Wilhelm on 31 August. Then on 7 March 1809, Baltic was in company with the sloop Ranger when they captured the Danish Ships Magdalena, Boletta, Britannia, Den Gode Hensight, Walhala and Christina.At the time, Saumarez and the British fleet were blockading Rager Vik
Paldiski
Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port situated on the Pakri peninsula of north-western Estonia. Originally a Swedish settlement known as Rågervik, it became a Russian naval base in the 18th century. The Russians renamed it Балтийский Порт Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port situated on the...
(Ragerswik or Rogerswick or Russian: Baltiyskiy) where the Russian fleet was sheltering after the British 74-gun Third Rates Implacable
HMS Implacable (1805)
HMS Implacable was a 74-gun third rate of the Royal Navy. She was originally the French Navy's Téméraire-class ship of the line Duguay-Trouin, launched in 1800....
and Centaur
HMS Centaur
Eight ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Centaur, after the half-human, half horse Centaur of Greek mythology: was a 24-gun sixth rate launched in 1746 and sold in 1761. was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line, formerly the French ship Centaure. She was captured at the Battle of...
had destroyed the Russian 74-gun ship of the line Vsevolod
Russian ship Vsevolod (1796)
The Russian ship Vsevolod was a 74-gun ship of the line launched in 1796. She served in the North Sea and the Baltic until the British 74-gun third rates Implacable and Centaur destroyed her in 1808 during the Anglo-Russian War .-Service:On 3 July 1798 Vsevolod was at Arkhangel’sk, serving as...
. Baltics initial task was to land the prisoners that Implacable had taken from Vsevolod.
Saumarez wanted to attack the fleet and ordered that Baltic and Erebus
HMS Erebus (1807)
HMS Erebus was originally built as a Royal Navy fireship, but served as a sloop and was re-rated as such in March 1808. She served in the Baltic during the Gunboat and Anglo-Russian Wars, where in 1809 she was briefly converted to a fireship, and then served in the War of 1812. In 1814 she was...
be prepared as fireships. However, when the British discovered that the Russians had stretched a chain across the entrance to the harbor, precluding an attack by fireships, Saumarez abandoned the plan and the two vessels returned to normal duties.