kotori87
Member
11 August, 1904
From: Captain Eduard Schensnovich, aboard Battleship Retvizan
To: Czar Nicholas II
Your Majesty, it is with heavy heart that I report the events of August 10, 1904. As instructed by Your Majesty, the 1st Pacific Squadron and Admiral Vitgeft set out to break the blockade of Port Arthur, or at least reach Vladivostok. The fleet departed early August 10, but was soon sighted by the Japanese blockade. Since their battleships were nowhere to be seen, the individual blockading forces retreated, leaving two groups of cruisers shadowing our force. By 10:40, however, lookouts on PC Novik spotted a large cloud of smoke due east of our position, and reported that the retreating Japanese forces were converging there. Admiral Vitgeft ordered no change of course. Instead, he instructed musicians on every ship to play Uematsu's 3rd Symphony. To boost the crews' morale, he said.
At 10:55, Vitgeft ordered the fleet to assume battle formation, with protected cruisers to sweep their scouts, and torpedoboats taking up the rear. He then switched the torpedoboats and protected cruisers at 10:56, and re-issued the original orders at 10:57. By this time, the range was less than 20,000 meters and we could see that, though they outnumbered us in small craft, we had more battleships. The Japanese were so desperate they even had armored cruisers in their main line of battle! This got a cheer from the men, but they quickly fell quiet again. The Japanese battle line turned to close the range quicker. Shortly before 11:15, Vitgeft ordered the fleet to match course with the Japanese. Our first shot was fired at 11:15, from a range of 9,000 meters.
We concentrated fire on their battleships Asahi and Shikishima, as our spies had reported that these ships were the least well-armored. The first signs of trouble came when one of their shadowing forces, led by the never-sufficiently-accursed Armored Cruiser Yakumo, moved to engage our leading protected cruisers from our opposite side. Our protected cruisers struggled valiantly, but Novik was forced to break off at 11:25 and retreat for repairs. He never recovered. Our fleet sailed on, battering at the Japanese fleet and getting battered in return. Poltava was the first ship in serious trouble. Under bombardment from the two Armored Cruisers, Nisshin and Kasuga, fires began to ignite and spread. Tsesarevich also started burning. Admiral Vitgeft ordered a turn to open the range at 11:44, for it was clear that we were taking more damage than we were receiving.
Then, inexplicably, at 11:46, Tsesarevich began turning hard a-port. We thought Admiral Vitgeft wanted to close the range so our lighter guns could penetrate their armor better, but Tsesarevich kept turning. The torpedoboats, seeing that something was wrong, dashed forward to screen our battleships with their sooty smokestacks. Fortunately no ships collided during the confusion, but by the time Tsesarevich straightened out, we were heading back to Port Arthur. Then Admiral Vigeft's flag was hauled down, notifying me that I was the new fleet commander. The Japanese fleet was now firmly between us and Vladivostok, so we had no chance of making it there. I ordered the fleet to return to Port Arthur at best speed. The surviving cruisers turned for home, but lagged seriously behind due to damage. Tsesarevich and Poltava also fell behind as their fires raged out of control. The last we saw of them was flashes of light and thunder as the Japanese battle line passed them.
We engaged a number of older Japanese ships on our way back to Port Arthur, protected cruisers and the old battleship Chin Yen. But they kept the range open, and our exhausted gunners did not hit very often. One of our torpedoboats was hit by a heavy shell, which tore a massive hole when it exploded. Several other torpedoboats took off survivors, and the mortally damaged ship was left to sink. The Japanese battle line pursued us until 12:42, when they ceased fire and broke off.
Back in Port Arthur, I tallied our losses. Two battleships, Tsesarevich and Poltava, all four protected cruisers, and two torpedoboats have not returned. One of the lookouts reported seeing the battleship Asahi retreating in flames, but no other Japanese capital ships were seriously damaged. We also sank a few of their protected cruisers and torpedoboats. A full third of our fleet lost for one possible battleship and a few smaller ships.
Your Majesty, the 1st Pacific Squadron is now outnumbered and trapped inside Port Arthur. I dare not try another sortie like yesterday's without substantial reinforcement. Please expedite the departure of the 2nd Pacific Squadron.
Your humble servant,
Captain Eduard Schensnovich
From: Captain Eduard Schensnovich, aboard Battleship Retvizan
To: Czar Nicholas II
Your Majesty, it is with heavy heart that I report the events of August 10, 1904. As instructed by Your Majesty, the 1st Pacific Squadron and Admiral Vitgeft set out to break the blockade of Port Arthur, or at least reach Vladivostok. The fleet departed early August 10, but was soon sighted by the Japanese blockade. Since their battleships were nowhere to be seen, the individual blockading forces retreated, leaving two groups of cruisers shadowing our force. By 10:40, however, lookouts on PC Novik spotted a large cloud of smoke due east of our position, and reported that the retreating Japanese forces were converging there. Admiral Vitgeft ordered no change of course. Instead, he instructed musicians on every ship to play Uematsu's 3rd Symphony. To boost the crews' morale, he said.
At 10:55, Vitgeft ordered the fleet to assume battle formation, with protected cruisers to sweep their scouts, and torpedoboats taking up the rear. He then switched the torpedoboats and protected cruisers at 10:56, and re-issued the original orders at 10:57. By this time, the range was less than 20,000 meters and we could see that, though they outnumbered us in small craft, we had more battleships. The Japanese were so desperate they even had armored cruisers in their main line of battle! This got a cheer from the men, but they quickly fell quiet again. The Japanese battle line turned to close the range quicker. Shortly before 11:15, Vitgeft ordered the fleet to match course with the Japanese. Our first shot was fired at 11:15, from a range of 9,000 meters.
We concentrated fire on their battleships Asahi and Shikishima, as our spies had reported that these ships were the least well-armored. The first signs of trouble came when one of their shadowing forces, led by the never-sufficiently-accursed Armored Cruiser Yakumo, moved to engage our leading protected cruisers from our opposite side. Our protected cruisers struggled valiantly, but Novik was forced to break off at 11:25 and retreat for repairs. He never recovered. Our fleet sailed on, battering at the Japanese fleet and getting battered in return. Poltava was the first ship in serious trouble. Under bombardment from the two Armored Cruisers, Nisshin and Kasuga, fires began to ignite and spread. Tsesarevich also started burning. Admiral Vitgeft ordered a turn to open the range at 11:44, for it was clear that we were taking more damage than we were receiving.
Then, inexplicably, at 11:46, Tsesarevich began turning hard a-port. We thought Admiral Vitgeft wanted to close the range so our lighter guns could penetrate their armor better, but Tsesarevich kept turning. The torpedoboats, seeing that something was wrong, dashed forward to screen our battleships with their sooty smokestacks. Fortunately no ships collided during the confusion, but by the time Tsesarevich straightened out, we were heading back to Port Arthur. Then Admiral Vigeft's flag was hauled down, notifying me that I was the new fleet commander. The Japanese fleet was now firmly between us and Vladivostok, so we had no chance of making it there. I ordered the fleet to return to Port Arthur at best speed. The surviving cruisers turned for home, but lagged seriously behind due to damage. Tsesarevich and Poltava also fell behind as their fires raged out of control. The last we saw of them was flashes of light and thunder as the Japanese battle line passed them.
We engaged a number of older Japanese ships on our way back to Port Arthur, protected cruisers and the old battleship Chin Yen. But they kept the range open, and our exhausted gunners did not hit very often. One of our torpedoboats was hit by a heavy shell, which tore a massive hole when it exploded. Several other torpedoboats took off survivors, and the mortally damaged ship was left to sink. The Japanese battle line pursued us until 12:42, when they ceased fire and broke off.
Back in Port Arthur, I tallied our losses. Two battleships, Tsesarevich and Poltava, all four protected cruisers, and two torpedoboats have not returned. One of the lookouts reported seeing the battleship Asahi retreating in flames, but no other Japanese capital ships were seriously damaged. We also sank a few of their protected cruisers and torpedoboats. A full third of our fleet lost for one possible battleship and a few smaller ships.
Your Majesty, the 1st Pacific Squadron is now outnumbered and trapped inside Port Arthur. I dare not try another sortie like yesterday's without substantial reinforcement. Please expedite the departure of the 2nd Pacific Squadron.
Your humble servant,
Captain Eduard Schensnovich