Siege of Petropavlovsk
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka, Russia
What happened
A British and French squadron under Rear Admirals David Price and Auguste Febvrier-Despointes attacked the Russian port defended by the Russians. During the Crimean War, fighting reached even the far Pacific coast of Russia. The British and French ships silenced some of the town's shore guns. But when their troops landed to take the hill above the town, the Russian defenders drove them back, and the squadron sailed away.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was a rare Russian victory in the Crimean War and showed how far the war reached around the world. The town was never captured.
What came next
Expecting another attack, the Russians quietly left Petropavlovsk in April 1855, slipping away under snow. When the allied fleet returned, it found the town empty.
Did you know?
Petropavlovsk was founded in 1740 by the explorer Vitus Bering and named after his two ships, the Saint Peter and the Saint Paul.
Timeline
- 1740Vitus Bering founds Petropavlovsk.
- 30 August 1854The British and French squadron arrives.
- 5 September 1854The landing is defeated and the squadron leaves.
- April 1855The Russians evacuate the town.