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HISTORY
Russian
ship of the line Poltava (1712)
For other ships of the same name, see Russian battleship Poltava
and Poltava.
Poltava was a 54-gun ship of the line of the Russian Navy that
was launched on 15 June 1712 from Saint Petersburg. The ship was
named after an important for Russia victory over the Swedish Empire
in the Battle of Poltava and became the first battleship laid down
and built at the St. Petersburg Admiralty. In the 1710s, the ship
was sometimes visited and commanded by Peter I, who also took active
part in the design and construction of the ship. During her service
of 1712–1732, Poltava was part of the Baltic Fleet, and before the
end of Great Northern War participated in six marine campaigns
(1713–1717 and 1721). She was later used for training Kronstadt
crews in the Baltic Sea. Poltava was decommissioned in 1732.
Background
In 1702–1703, Russian troops captured the Swedish fortresses of
Noteborg and Nyenskans on the Neva river that provided Russia an
outlet to the Baltic Sea. A series of measures were taken in the
spring and autumn of 1703 to protect the conquered territories, such
as raising the fortresses of St. Petersburg (on Zayachy Island at
the mouth of the Neva), and Kronstadt (on the island of Kotlin).
Construction of ships of the newly created Baltic Fleet started only
in August 1708 – January 1709 with four 50-gun ships of the line
named Riga, Vyborg, Pernov and one untitled. These ships were not
full-fledged battleships because they had a small draft and flat
bottom that reduced their sailing capabilities.
Construction
A draft of the 54-gun battleship Poltav was developed by the end
of 1709 by Peter I and Fedosey Sklyaev using the latest achievements
of contemporary shipbuilding. A few years before Poltava was laid
down, large stocks of iron parts and high-quality, well-dried oak
planks were accumulated at the St. Petersburg Admiralty. The
construction was started by Peter I on 5 December 1709. While Peter
dedicated much of his time to the project, he could not continuously
oversee the process, and most routine work was done by Sklyaev. The
launch of Poltava on 15 June 1712 was attended by the whole royal
family. On the night of 24 August, Sklyaev sailed the ship out of
St. Petersburg. Because of its large draft, the ship would ground
when passing through the Neva; therefore, its front was lifted by
specially designed boats. On 25 August Poltava reached Kronstadt
where it was fitted with rigging
History of service
Campaign of 1713Main article: Action of 22 July 1713
The first military task of Poltava began on 2 May 1713 when on
the orders of Peter I the Kotlinski squadron led by Vice Admiral
Cornelius Cruys (4 ships and 2 frigates) left Kronstadt for the
Beryozovye Islands and Seskar to join the Revel squadron of Captain
Commander Reis. The Cruys' squadron was tasked to hold a superior
Swedish squadron by maneuvering in the open seas and attack their
small groups. The two squadrons met on 8 May, and through the whole
month Poltava was sailing at Beryozovye Islands, waiting for the
preparations to attack Helsinki by the Finnish corps of Apraksin
(infantry) and the Baltic Fleet.
Between 7 and 12 June 1713, the fleet was visited by Peter I, who
brought 8 ships and a battalion of Preobrazhensky Regiment. Peter
stayed on Poltava and inspected the fleet. On 2 July 1713, a Swedish
squadron of Vice Admiral Lile (9 ships and two frigates) arrived to
Helsinki, which was besieged by Russian troops. On 5 July, 3 more
Swedish ships of the line blockaded Revel (now Tallinn) which then
hosted five Russian warships recently purchased abroad. After
receiving the news, on 4 July Peter I arrived in Kronstadt and
raised his flag on Poltava. On 7 July, he ordered Cruys with his
squadron to relieve the siege of Revel. On 9 July, together with 12
other ships Poltava left Kronstadt heading for the Revel. In the
evening of 10 July the vanguard of the squadron spotted the three
Swedish ships at the island of Gogland and began chasing them.
However, the next morning the three Russian front ships, Vyborg,
Riga and frigate Esperanza run aground and the Swedish ships managed
to join the squadron of Lile at Helsinki. Poltava was part of the
vanguard, but avoided being stranded. On 16 July, it reached Revel,
joined the Russian ships there, and together they returned to
Kronstadt on 25 July.
Campaign of 1714Main article: Battle of Gangut
In the campaign of 1714, the Russian battleships were tasked to
cover-up the galley fleet at Gangut. By early May the Russian fleet
included 10 ships with 700 guns at Kronstadt and 7 ships (370 guns)
at Revel. By summer, the fleet counted 25 ships with 1070 guns and
more than 7000 crew.
Poltava left Kronstadt on 20 May and the next day reached
Beryozovye Islands, covering the galley fleet. On 31 May, the fleet
went to the south where it remained until the night of 4 June, and
on 11 June arrived in Revel.
A Swedish squadron of six ships under the command of Vice Admiral
Lile was spotted at Revel in the evening of 17 June. Together with
15 other Russian ships led by Peter I, Poltava for 13 hours chased
the Swedish squadron. The pursuit was fruitless and the squadron
returned to Revel. On 4 August, Poltava left Revel, arrived to
Helsinki on 14 August, and on 24 August departed to Kronstadt for
overwintering.Campaigns of 1715–1717
On 4 July 1715, within the squadron of Admiral Apraksin (30 ships
and 40 galleys) Poltava left Kronstadt and on 8 July arrived in
Revel to join the Anglo-Dutch fleet of Admiral John Norris. As
Norris has not arrived there yet, the Russian fleet cruised between
the nearby islands, and on 24 July met Norris at Revel. After 3
weeks, part of the fleet led by Apraksin left Revel, and nine ships,
including Poltava, stayed in Revel for the winter.
On 27 January 1716, Peter I included Poltava in the squadron of
Captain Commander Sievers for sailing to Copenhagen to join the
Danish fleet and the Russian warships stationed in England and
Denmark. For several reasons, the departure was delayed by several
months. A Swedish squadron appeared near Copenhagen, and thus
between 20 April and 12 May 1716 Poltava and Revel squadron cruised
in the Baltic Sea. After the retreat of the Swedish ships the
Russian squadron departed for Copenhagen and arrived there on 19
July. From 5 to 14 August, Poltava cruised in the Baltic Sea as part
of the combined Russian, Danish, English and Dutch fleet, and on 22
October returned to Revel.
Between 4 June and 16 July 1717, Poltava was part of a squadron
of 14 battleships led by Admiral Fyodor Apraksin. It cruised off the
Swedish coast and covered landing of Russian troops on the island of
Gotland. In early August of the same year, while chasing a Swedish
6-gun ship,Poltava ran aground and was sent for reparations to St.
Petersburg.Further service
From the end of July 1718 to 1719 the hull of Poltava was
refitted at the St. Petersburg Admiralty under the direction of
shipwright Blaise-Antoine Pangalo. In April 1720, she sailed to
Kronstadt, and in June, within the squadron of Captain Commander
Fangoft (9 ships), went to Revel.
On 5 May 1721, together with seven line ships, Poltava
participated in the cruise operations in the Baltic Sea. On 9 May,
during a heavy storm at Cape Dagerort, her masts were severely
damaged, and the ship was left behind by the squadron. After 8 days,
on 17 May, Poltava arrived in Revel and was sent for repairs to
Kronstadt. In 1722–1723 the ship was used for crew training in the
Gulf of Finland and after 1723 stayed in harbors. In early 1724 the
Admiralty Board assesses the ship as capable to sailing, yet too old
and unreliable for a military campaign. Thus on 13 May 1725, her
guns were moved to the ship Moscow. From 1726 the ship was
considered unfit because of its age and spent the next two years in
Kronstadt waiting for repairs. On 16 January 1729, Poltava, together
with Neptunus, Saint Alexander, Revel, Ingermanland and Moscow, was
deemed irreparableand dismantled after 1732. |
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