8-13 September 1822 Battle of Spetses

Sella · September 10, 2016

Battle of Spetses

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On the 8th of September 1822, the combinded Turco-Egyptian fleet was approaching Nafplio in an attempt to ressuply the besieged Turkish troops and to punish the rebellious islands of Hydra, Spetses and Psara who were blocking the passage of the Turco-Egyptian fleet. Nafplio at that time was besieged by the land forces of Alexandros Ypsilantis and the naval forces of Laskarina Bouboulina.

The Turco-Egyptian fleet was consisted of 94 ships. 6 two-deckers, 15 frigates , 66 brigs and corvettes and other smaller vessels and was commanded by Mehmet Ali Pasha.

The Greek fleet had 69 ships in total, of which 57 were brigs and war brigs and 12 fire ships and was commanded by Andreas Vokos Miaoulis.

The Greek fleet had formed a line from Antimilos to Monemvasia to prevent the supplying of troops in the Peloponnese. The Greeks had also constructed cannon emplacements on strategic points of the island of Psara under the leadership of Ioannis Mexis.

(The battle of Spetses and the cannon emplacement on the entrance of the old port by Ioannis Koutsis 1887)

When the Ottomans reached the strait between Hermionis and the island of Spetses(Argolic Gulf) on September 8, the Greek admiral Andreas Vokos Miaoulis ordered his ship to head towards the strait in order to force the clash there. Miaoulis based his strategy on that of an ancient Greek admiral Themistocles in the Battle of Salamis, hoping to lure the superior Ottoman fleet into a narrow strait in order to deprive it of its freedom of manoeuvre. After that action ships of the Greek fleet would be divided into two forces hoping that they will be able to break through the lines of the enemy and divide him into smaller forces. Miaoulis and his ships would have sailed to the northeast and the rest would have taken positions on the north side of the strait. But the plan of admiral Miaoulis was cancelled when the Ottomans decided to sail directly for Spetses.

Then, four ships commanded by the Hydriot Antonios Kriezis, Spetsiots Anargiros Lembesis , Leonardos Theodoris and Lazaros Panagiotas dissobeyed the orders of Miaoulis in fear of leaving the islands of Spetses and Hydra undefended, and plotted their own course surprising the Ottoman fleet and their allies. After a short time they were sailing between the Ottoman fleet and eventually started firing against the Ottoman fleet!

(The main ship of the Greek revolutianeries, the war brig(paron=πάρων) usually a modified trade brig )

The warriors manning the cannon emplacements known to the Greeks as dapies(ντάπιες) started firing against the Ottoman fleet. When Miaoulis realised that the 4 ships were not following him and the battle had started without his signal, he then turned around to join the engagement.

The battle lasted for several hours and surprisingly the Greek ships were able to keep up with the vastly superior Ottoman fleet, in terms of firepower.

Greek fireships, the most powerful weapon of the revolutioneries at sea at that time, under the leadership of the Hydriots Andreas Pipinos and Kosmas Barbatsis managed to attach themselves on to the Ottoman fleets and tried to blew them up. Barbatsis made it to the heart of the Ottoman fleet and tried to set on fire the Ottoman flagship. She tried to avoid the fireship and eventually was followed by the rest of the fleet who retreated to regroup. Αccording to tradition she was set on fire and sank in front of the harbour.

The battle was so fierce that made the ground shake on the island of Hydra and the cloud of smoke was so big that it gave the impression to the islanders of Hydra that the whole island of Spetses was on fire.

On 10 of September the Ottomans attempted another breakthrough, but once again retreated before the Greek trap was sprung.

On 12 of September there was a small engagement near Spetsopoula .

Finally a third attack took place on 13 September; according to Varfis a fireship sank an Ottoman brig: this single loss broke the Ottoman spirits, and they chose to retreat, losing a corvette during the retreat.

(Andreas Vokos Miaoulis)

The battle is considered a major victory for Miaoulis, who is said to have received "a hero's welcome" upon his return. Soon afterwards, the siege of Nauplia ended as the Ottoman garrison at Nauplia capitulated.

The event is celebrated every year, every second Saturday of September.