Battle of Bucharest (1771)

Battle of Bucharest (1771)
Part of the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774)
Date 20 October 1771 Location Bucharest, Wallachia Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Essen, Reinhold–Wilhelm Ivanovich	Emir Mahmet
Strength
5,000–6,000	30,000–40,000
Casualties and losses
254	2,000

The Battle of Bucharest was one of the battles of the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774, which took place on October 20, 1771 in Wallachia.

Battle

Having repelled Russian attacks on Giurgiu in August and early October 1771, the Turkish command decided that the moment had come to seize Wallachia, so they attempted to seize Bucharest by sending Emir Mahmet's army there (over 80% of its strength was cavalry), which approached Bucharest on October 20.

Russian General Essen, Reinhold-Wilhelm Ivanovich lined up his infantry in four squares, between which he placed the cavalry. The Turks approached the village of Popești-Leordeni, located six miles from the Russian position, and began to build a retrenchment. In order to prevent the enemy from gaining a foothold, Essen ordered an advance.

The Turks, not expecting an attack by the Russian troops, were thrown into confusion, but then counterattacked with their cavalry. Part of the forces moved from the front, while the other began a flanking raid on Bucharest, which was left almost without cover. Having bypassed Essen's positions, the Turkish cavalry crossed to the left bank of the Dâmbovița River and rushed towards Bucharest. This maneuver was noticed in time. A detachment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel D. K. Kantemir moved to intercept the Turkish cavalry. A little later, a detachment of General Ivan Gudovich with artillery, who stopped the Turkish cavalry attacks with volleys of grapeshot, and then drove them into the river.

Having secured his left flank, Essen attacked the Turkish retrenchment with three squares. During a joint attack by infantry and cavalry supported by artillery, as well as a flanking maneuver from Kantemir's left flank, the Turkish infantry was driven out of the fortification and fled. The victory was completed by the cavalry brigade N. Panin, which pursued the enemy, not giving him the opportunity to rally and counterattack. The detachment of Major General Peter Tekeli approached from the rear, finally scattered the Turkish cavalry and infantry into the bushes, and then pursued them until nightfall for eight miles.

The Russians lost 254 men in this battle. The Turks lost 2,000 men. The defeat prevented the Turkish command from seizing the initiative in the 1771 campaign and capturing Bucharest. Pursuing the retreating troops, on October 24, 1771 the cavalry detachment of Lieutenant Colonel D.K. Cantemir (up to 1,500 men) took Giurgiu almost without resistance, capturing 50 cannons. Von Essen did not have enough forces to pursue and completely defeat the Turks, but the left bank of the Danube was cleared of Turkish troops.

Sources

• The Battle of Bucharest on October 20, and the occupation of Zhurka // The war of Russia with Turkey and the Polish Confederates from 1769-1774. - T. III. - : Type. K. V. Trubnikova, 1874. - P. 150-155.
• Nikolay Shefov. Battles of Russia. Military History Library. — Moscow, 2002.
• Battle plan at Bucharest on October 20, 1771.