Battle of Kürekdere
Kürekdere, near Kars, Turkey
What happened
An Ottoman army under Field Marshal Zarif Mustafa Pasha, with the British-born general Richard Guyon, fought a Russian army under General Vasili Bebutov. Early in the Crimean War, an Ottoman army marched out of Kars to attack the Russians near the village of Kürekdere. Guyon planned a night march and a dawn attack, but Zarif Pasha delayed and the two Ottoman divisions arrived at different times. Russian dragoons broke the Ottoman infantry, and the army retreated in disorder to Kars.
Why it matters
Why it matters: Historians say it showed the Ottoman army could not drive the Russians out of the Caucasus without help from its allies.
What came next
Zarif Pasha and Guyon were recalled and put on trial in Istanbul. No more major fighting took place in the region that year.
Did you know?
Zarif Pasha delayed the attack by two days because 4 and 5 August were thought to be unlucky days.
Timeline
- 1813Richard Guyon is born near Bath, England.
- 1852Guyon enters Ottoman service as Kurshid Pasha.
- 6 August 1854Russia wins at Kürekdere.
- September 1854İsmail Pasha takes command at Kars.