Russian cutter Opyt (1806)

The Russian cutter ''Opyt'' (also ''Apith''; – Experience) was launched in 1806. The British 44-gun frigate captured ''Opyt'' in 1808 in the Baltic during the Anglo-Russian War (1807-1812) after her captain and crew put up a heroic resistance. The Admiralty took her into service as HMS ''Baltic''. She served briefly with the British fleet under Vice-Admiral Sir James Saumarez in the Baltic before being sold in 1810.

Russian service

''Opyt'' was a purpose-built cutter that cruised in the Baltic in 1807. On 1808 she arrived at Sveaborg from Kronshtadt to join the division under Captain of 2nd rank Lodewijk van Heiden (who went on to become the Russian Admiral at the Battle of Navarino in 1827), to help in the city's defense. On ''Opyt'' put to sea in company with the sloop-of-war ''Charlotta'' to cruise between Sveaborg and Hanko. During this cruise the two vessels became separated. ''Opyt'' returned to Sveaborg and was sent to find ''Charlotta'', but before she could meet up, she encountered ''Salsette''.

Capture

On 1808 Captain Walter Bathurst and ''Salsette'' chased a Russian sloop-of-war to Reval and captured a galliot partly laden with spirits at anchor in the roads. As Bathurst was bringing out his prize he saw a Russian cutter off the north end of Nargen island, which defends Reval from the sea.

''Salsette'' gave chase but in the evening, when the wind dropped, the cutter killed one of ''Salsette''s marines in an exchange of fire and then used her sweeps to pull away. Then a sudden squall enabled ''Salsette'' to catch up with the cutter. The cutter surrendered after the frigate had fired two full broadsides into her.

The cutter was the ''Opyt'' (aka ''Apith''), under the command of Lieutenant Gavriil Nevelskoy (also Novelski), manned by 61 men.

After doing more to satisfy Russian honour than reason required, Lieutenant Nevelskoy surrendered his heavily damaged cutter to the British commander, Captain Bathurst, only to have his sword returned by the astounded and admiring British captain, who had him landed ashore along with his surviving crew members.

The British discovered that ''Opyt'' had left Sveaborg that day to join the Russian sloop, the ''Charlotta'', that ''Salsette'' had unsuccessfully chased. Bathurst landed the survivors near Libau.

Bathurst reported that the ''Opyt'' was approximately two years old, "exceedingly well fitted, and sound in everything."''Naval Chronicle'', vol. 20, p.151 Saumarez ordered the purchase of the cutter for His Majesty's service and manned her with "men lately exchanged from Copenhagen."

British service

The British took ''Opyt'' into service as HMS ''Baltic'' and commissioned her under Edward Sparshot (or Sparshott).

On 26 July 1808, ''Baltic'', , and captured ''Falck and Kline Wiloelm''.

Sparshot later (28 April 1809) received promotion to lieutenant for his zeal in capturing 21 enemy merchant sail in the Baltic. One of these was the ''Emanuel'', captured on 22 November 1808. Four days later, ''Baltic'' was in sight when captured ''Defence'', ''Anna Joanna Magdalena'', and a second ''Emanuel''. ''Baltic'' also was one of several vessels that participated in the capture of the ''Falck'' and the ''Kline Wilhelm'' on 31 August. Then on 7 March 1809, ''Baltic'' was in company with the sloop when they captured the Danish Ships ''Magdalena'', ''Boletta'', ''Britannia'', ''Den Gode Hensight'', ''Walhala'' and ''Christina''.

At the time, Saumarez and the British fleet were blockading Rogerwiek where the Russian fleet was sheltering after the British 74-gun third rates and had destroyed the Russian 74-gun ship of the line . ''Baltic''s initial task was to land the prisoners that ''Implacable'' had taken from ''Vsevolod''.

Saumarez wanted to attack the fleet and ordered that ''Baltic'' and be prepared as fireships. However, when the British discovered that the Russians had stretched a chain across the entrance to the harbor, precluding an attack by fireships, Saumarez abandoned the plan, and the two vessels returned to normal duties.

Fate

''Baltic'' was paid off in April 1809 and underwent repairs at Plymouth. The Admiralty sold ''Baltic'' in 1810.

Notes

Citations

References

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*Voelcker, Tim (2008) ''Admiral Saumarez versus Napoleon: The Baltic 1807 – 1812''. (Boydell & Brewer).
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Opyt (1806), Russian cutter
1806 ships
Naval ships of the United Kingdom
Ships of the Imperial Russian Navy
Captured ships
Ships built in Saint Petersburg