Butakov G.I. (1820-1882), Admiral

Categories / Army. Navy/Personalia
BUTAKOV Grigory Ivanovich (1820-82, St. Petersburg), Admiral (1878), creator of the steam armoured fleet tactics. Graduated from the Naval Cadet School (1836; now 47 Lieutenant Schmidt Embankment; memorial plaque). In 1837-60 served in the Black Sea Fleet, in the Crimean war of 1853-56, as commander of the Vladimir Steam Frigate, captured in battle the Turkish Pervaz-Bakhri steamship. From 1856 was in command of the Black Sea Fleet and served as governor of Nikolaev and Sevastopol. From 1860, served as the Baltic Fleet Commander of the Practical Propelled Ships Squadron, in the spring of 1861 was appointed Chief of the Propelled Gunboat Squadron. His work New Principles of Steamboat Tactics (1863) won him the Demidov Prize. From 1867 he held command of an armoured squadron. In the autumn of 1869 Butakov founded a mine school in Kronstadt. Devoted much of his time and effort to mining, introduced the tactics of attacks using mine boats in naval manoeuvres; his project put into practice frigates with countermine artillery. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 Butakov commanded a detachment of an armoured squadron. In 1878, on Butakov's proposal, fortifications in the Gulf of Finland, securing the defence of the sea access to St. Petersburg and Kronstadt, were reinforced. In 1881 Butakov assumed the post of the Commander-in-Chief of the Port of St. Petersburg, member of the State Council.

References: Березин Е. В. Адмирал Григорий Иванович Бутаков. СПб., 1884; Лурье А. Я., Маринин А. Адмирал Г. И. Бутаков. М., 1954.

A. N. Lukirsky. Butakov Grigory Ivanovich
Leitenanta Schmidta Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 17
Лурье А. Я., Маринин А. Адмирал Г. И. Бутаков. М., 1954
Березин Е. В. Адмирал Григорий Иванович Бутаков. СПб., 1884 Naval Cadet Corps
Baltic Fleet
State Assembly