Moldova Campaign, 1768-1769
The Russian occupation of Moldova did not go unnoticed by the landlords along the Danube. The landlords of Ruscuk, Silistre, Razgrad and Nigbolu warned the Sultan about the Russian incursion in the Danubian principalities. The Prince of Moldova fled with his Army to Bucharest and left behind his domain to the Russian vanguard. Mustafa III had already assembled an Army but it still needed around a week or two to march strait out to Nikopol. The Ottoman Army wants to avoid any ambush and the Russian Army isn’t big enough to stretch out to Wallachia. Mustafa forms an Army of 100,000 men. About 50,000 Cavalry and 50,000 Infantry. Of the 50,000 Infantry there are 33,000 Janissaries and 17,000 regular Infantry. The 50,000 Cavalry consists of 44,000 Sipahis and 6,000 Regular Cavalry forces.
On the first day of April Sultan Mustafa appoints Ahmed Pasha as the head of force with Hadzi Mustafa Pasha, Huseyin Pasha and Ali Pasha as aides in the Campaign.
The Grand cross of the Danube, March 1769
In order to force to Russians to peace, Sultan Mustafa and Grand Vizier Mehmed Pasha prepared a plan for the Ottoman Army in which the Ottoman forces secure a connection with the Commonwealth and drive the Russians out of Polish Ukraine. Grand Vizier Mehmed Pasha left with the Army for Nigbolu. From Nigbolu he ordered the Army to be divided in two Forces. The Army under Hadzi Mustafa Pasha with the regular forces will move in to Bucharest and order the Prince of Moldova and Wallachia to join the their Forces with that of the Grand Vizier Mehmed Pasha. Hadzi Mustafa Pasha will move then towards Iasi and use the Pruth River as defence against the Russians. The Army of the Grand Vizier, the Janissaries and the Sipahis will besiege the Russian Expedition Army in Galati. Mehmed Pasha will be supported by the Danube fleet of 50 small vessels and gunboats to support the siege. Hadzi Mustafa Pashas main objective is to halt any Russian crossing of the Pruth River.
Principality of Moldova
Battle of Cernauti, Moldova, 3 May 1769
In early April, Hadzi Mustafa Pasha reached Iasi. The Russians had abandoned the town while moving towards Galati. The Russian Expedition Forces were ordered to occupy Galati as soon as possible and leave the rest of Moldova for the upcoming Russian Forces. Peter III had sendt two Armies to Moldova. The First one was active in Podolia and 40,000 men strong while the second one was in the Ukraine preparing to fight the Crimean Tatars and 30,000 men strong.
Hadzi Mustafa Pasha sendt several scouts to look for the Russian Armies anywhere near the Pruth River in Bessarabia. The Scouts found nothing and Hadzi Mustafa Pasha remained in his position. On 23rd of April, Mustafa Pasha got news from his Scouts. The Scouts have encountered some Roma’s traveling to Transylvania and they have seen Russians Soldiers advancing towards Cernauti. The Pasha immediately rallied his Army and advanced towards Cernauti. On 1 May 1769 the Pasha reached Cernauti. The Pasha build trenches, Artillery defences in the forest and used the buildings outside of town. On the night of 2 May 1769, the Pashas Scouts have observed a crossing to the town by boats and using a bridge. As soon as half the Russian Army crossed to town the Ottoman Artillery bombed the Russian positions. The Russians in disarray tried to form defences in town while the Bridge was destroyed and around 200 men died instantly. Due to the panic and rout another 1,400 died. When the Russian Forces on the other side was fleeing the soldiers in the town started to flee as well. Around 400 died during the cross while 2,600 died during the advance on the town. During the morning, the remaining 3,800 men of the Russian Army in town surrendered to Mustafa Pasha. The Russians lost 3,600 men in battle; 3,800 surrendered of half of them being wounded. With still more than 30,000 men, Hadzi Mustafa Pasha was cautious. He did not defeat the entire Russian Army nor did he make the Russian Army incapable. He did however halt the Russians and thus saved the Grand Viziers Army in the Siege of Galati. Hadzi Mustafa Pasha lost around 600 men in the battle and 500 more wounded. The dead Russians were thrown as much as possible in the Pruth river hoping the stream downwards will bring them towards Black Sea where additional Russian Forces in Bessarabia can encounter what happened. The dead Ottoman Soldiers were buried and Hadzi Mustafa Pasha sent scouts to look what the Russians are doing next. As soon as Hadzi Pasha realised that the Russians are retreating back to Chotyn Hadzi Mustafa Pasha decided to chase the Russians and give them a second blow before they can reorganise and restart the advance on Moldova. The captive Russians were kept in town where a garrison of Tatars were to keep them under control until Mustafa Pasha returns.
Battle of the Danube, 10 May 1769
Grand Vizier Mehmed Pasha besieged Galati with his Army of 95,000 men. Mehmed Pasha was supported by the commander of the Danube fleet. The Danube fleet had around 50 small vessels and gunboats. The crew, veterans from the war with the Habsburgs, were highly motivated and not underestimated by the Russian Commander. Mehmed Pasha ordered the Ali Abdi Reis, the commander, to bomb the port of Galati to draw the Russian attention.
“Do not allow them to be supplied. Do not let them fish or get anything from the river. Make them believe they think the attack comes from the Riverside.” These were the words of Mehmed Pasha to the commander of the fleet. Ali Abdi Reis sailed closer in range with his smaller vessels towards the shore while he bombed the Town with his biggest vessels. The crew landed and burned down any building close to the port. Wrecked anything to hinder the Russians to reach the port. Attacked all positions owned by the Russians. The attack had minimal deaths on both sides. The Russians lost 9 men while the Ottomans lost 12 men. However, the Russians had trouble with keeping the fire down, fearing for an entire burning town with them. After 6 hours of intense effort while under fire by the Danube fleet, the Russians put down most of the fire.
While the Russians were keen on holding the Army of the Grand Vizier out, the Russians put some of the Artillery in town in the buildings near the Port and bombing the Ottoman vessels as a response. The attack was effective, killing around 60 Ottoman crew members while wounding the commander of the fleet Ali Abdi Reis.
