The article was translated from Russian and condensed by a friend.
See also Russian Help to Italy – The Selfless Deed Now, Just As 111 Years Ago for a story from a later era.
Once, Russian troops took Rome, under Admiral Ushakov
There is an opinion that Rome was founded by the Slavs, but that’s another story.
This story will focus instead on October 1799, when a small Russian landing force liberated the “eternal city” from the French invaders.
Admiral Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov
This page in the history of Europe is carefully hushed up by Western scientists and politicians.
In 1796, French troops led by Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) invaded Northern Italy. They brought European “democracy” there on their bayonets:
- Genoa became the Ligurian Republic (June 1797);
- Milan became the center of the Cisalpine Republic (July 1797);
- The further advance of the French army to the south led to the emergence of the Roman Republic (February 1798);
- Finally, the Parthenopean Republic was formed in Naples (January 1799).
This “republican” experiment, however, proved short-lived: in 1798, Russia entered into an anti-French coalition with Great Britain, Austria, Turkey, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
In April 1799, the combined Austro-Russian army under the command of General A.V. Suvorov defeated the French troops in Northern Italy.
Southern Italy
However, the French continued to hold positions in the south. Napoleon’s capture of Malta, the Ionian Islands and Egypt followed.
Thick line – main fleet of Ushakov; thin line – Ushakov’s divisions; steepled area – zone of patrol of the Russian fleet
Historic note and map from Crimea News:
On August 24, 1798, a squadron of the Black Sea Fleet under the command of Vice Admiral F.F. Ushakov sailed from Sevastopol to the Mediterranean Sea to operate against France.
The Black Sea Fleet squadron consisted of 6 battleships, 7 frigates, and 3 dispatch vessels. A landing force of 1,700 naval grenadiers of the Black Sea Naval battalions was received on the ship. The squadron also had 35 midshipmen from the Black Sea Fleet School.
During the two and a half years of the campaign, the Black Sea Fleet squadron did not lose a single ship, the total losses amounted to about 400 people. As a result of the expedition, Russia gained a base on the Mediterranean Sea, strengthening its presence in the region.
Then the Russian fleet under the command of F.F. Ushakov entered the Mediterranean Sea through the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, and then into the Adriatic Sea, where the Ionian Islands were liberated from French troops.
F.F. Ushakov stormed the fortress on the island of Corfu, the main base of the French: soon after, Ushakov, at the urgent request of King Ferdinand, had to go with his remaining ships to Naples, where the “democracy” of the rabble was raging too, which, having gone wild, attacked not only the “Jacobins”, but everyone from whom it was possible to profit.
Here is what the Russian representative at the Neapolitan court, Italinsky A.V. Suvorov, reported on September 12, 1799:
“Most Illustrious Count, my dear Sir. Mr. Admiral Ushakov, upon his arrival here (in Palermo) with the Russian and Ottoman squadrons … intended to go to Malta and try to force the enemy to surrender the fortress there. The dangerous situation in which Naples is located, due to the fact that obedience to the laws has not yet been established among the people, forced the Admiral, fulfilling the will and desire of his Neapolitan majesty, to follow this capital city. Tomorrow, the entire Russian squadron, consisting of 7 battleships, will weigh anchor, the Turkish one has gone to the Dardanelles this morning. The sailors serving on it have long been grumbling that they were detained on the expedition much more than they usually are at sea: finally, being here, they completely rebelled, dismissed the admirals and other superiors from the team, and, despising all notifications, sailed to their homeland. Mr. Admiral Ushakov, after restoring calm in Naples, wishes… to expel the French from Rome and hopes to have a victorious success in that.”
After restoring order in Naples, Ushakov faced the question of marching on Rome, where there was a French garrison of 2,500 people. It was impossible for the allies to deal with it without the Russians.
Ushakov landed 800 marines and sailors under the command of Colonel Skipor and Lieutenant Pyotr Ivanovich Balabin to march on Rome.
After hearing about the approach of the Russian squad of Skipor and Balabin to Rome, the French agreed to capitulate to the Neapolitans and the British, while demanding the opportunity to withdraw to Northern Italy with their weapons.
Upon learning about this, Ushakov wrote angry letters to the allies, because the armed French could go to Northern Italy to fight against Suvorov’s troops.
These Europeans, for each other…
But it was all in vain: the British not only liberated the French troops, but also began to transport them with full readiness to Corsica, from where they were already close to the positions occupied by Suvorov in Northern Italy.
Skipor and Balabin received an order from Ushakov to return to Naples without continuing the march to Rome.
Cardinal Ruffo immediately wrote to Admiral Ushakov, begging him not to return the Russian detachment to Naples, firstly because the French agreed to leave only under the influence of news of the approach of the Russians, and secondly because if the Russians did not enter Rome, ‘it will be impossible to save Rome from plunder and establish peace.’ It’s a good order.”
Moreover, Cardinal Ruffo admitted that “without Russian troops, the royal (Neapolitan) troops will be in great danger and may retreat back.”
Ushakov again ordered Skipor and Balabin to go to Rome.
On October 11, 1799, for the first time in the history of Rome, Russian troops entered the “eternal city”
Here is what Lieutenant Balabin reported about this event to Admiral Ushakov:
“Yesterday, with our small corps, we entered the city of Rome. The delight with which the residents greeted us does the Russians the greatest honor and glory. From the very gates of the city, to before the soldiers’ apartments, both sides of the streets were dotted with philistines of both sexes. Our troops could hardly even pass through.
“Vivat Pavlo primo! Vivat moscovito!” — it was proclaimed everywhere with applause. “Here,” said the inhabitants, “are those who beat the French and whom they are afraid of! Here are our deliverers! It was not for nothing that the French hurried away from here!”
Imagine, Your Eminence, what a large and most important part of the Romans thinks of us, and how much joy our small team has made in them! I noticed that sincere pleasure was written on all the faces.”
The jubilation of the Roman population is explained by a simple reason: gangs have already begun to rule the city.
The arrival of immaculately self-behaved, disciplined Russian troops saved Rome from the horrors that threatened it.
It wasn’t much of a military victory, and there were no battles at all, but the Russian army visited Rome in this way.
Fieldmarshal A.P.Suvorov
In 1798, the Russian tzar Pavel I, outraged by the fact that the monarchical order had been violated in France, since French troops under the leadership of Napoleon had violated the borders of many European states, entered into an anti—French coalition with Austria, Turkey and England. He sent troops to Europe, and a fleet to the Mediterranean Sea.
At the request of Austria, A. P. Suvorov was put in charge of the combined Russian-Austrian army.
The tzar did not trust Suvorov because he was related to his mother Catherine’s last favourite, and was afraid of his popularity.
Nevertheless he told the commander: “Fight the war in your own way, as you know how.”
Admiral F.F. Ushakov was placed at the head of the fleet headed to the Mediterranean.
In 1798, Suvorov arrived in Northern Italy (Friuli and Veneto regions): he took command of the combined Russian-Austrian army and immediately, having reorganized it, led it to the offensive.
On the river Adda the first clash of the Suvorov army with the French happened.
In a two-day battle, the French were defeated: soon after, Suvorov captured Milan.
The French government urgently sent reinforcements to Italy and appointed a new commander, General Moreau, but he also failed to stop Suvorov.
Turin and other major cities fell, and a significant part of Northern Italy was cleared of the French invaders.
However, the main goal of the Austrians was to regain power in Northern Italy, in order to suppress the movement of the Italian revolutionaries, who, relying on French troops, sought to free themselves from Austrian oppression.
The French were bringing in more and more forces: general MacDonald was rushing with troops from the south to help Moreau.
But Suvorov did not let them connect: he marched 50 km in a day and attacked the French.
In the fierce battle on the Tidon river (Battle of Trebbia, 1799), the French army coming from the south got defeated and retreated.
On the 15th of August 1799, Suvorov won a battle near the town of Novi (First battle of Novi): after this decisive battle, and the capitulation of the town of Tortona, all of Northern Italy had been cleared of the French.
And then the worried Austrians suggested that Suvorov make a transition to Switzerland, where the combined Russian-Austrian troops were being crushed by the French General Massena.
Suvorov’s famous Swiss campaign began: knocking down the enemy’s vanguards, the Russian army crossed the Alps and captured the pass Saint-Gotthard.
There was a “Devil’s Bridge” on the way, a narrow span over a precipice: the French destroyed it and took aim at this place with artillery.
Suvorov sent prince Bagration’s detachment to bypass the French positions, and when he attacked the French from the rear, Suvorov led his troops into a frontal attack.
The Russians crossed the gorge on a hastily made log bridge while the French fled.
Konstantin Pavlovich (the young Grand Duke) and Suvorov’s 15-year-old son Arkady were with Suvorov in this campaign: both behaved bravely and courageously.
Konstantin was under fire more than once, inspiring soldiers.
After crossing the Alps, the Russian army entered the Mutten Valley, where a large and freshly deployed French army was waiting for it.
In two fierce battles, the exhausted and weary Russian army managed to get the upper hand.
In the last battle with General Massena, Suvorov staged the retreat of his advanced regiments, luring the French into a trap, and then commanded the advance.
In this battle, the Austrians abandoned Suvorov’s army to its fate, disrupting the Russian food supply: outraged by their selfish and treacherous actions, Pavel I finally recalled Suvorov and the Russian troops to their homeland.
For the brilliant successes of the Russian armies in Italy and Switzerland, Suvorov received the title of Prince of Italy and the rank of “generalissimo”.
In the end, the brilliant successes of the Russian army and fleet proved beneficial only to Austria.
The intrigues of the supposed allies, Austria (abandoning the Russians against general Messena) and England (ferrying the 2500-strong garrison from Rome to Corsica, from where it joined MacDonald’s troops), led to Pavel I withdrawing Russia completely from the anti-French coalition.