The popular memory of Crimean War is a story of siege and blunder. The classic narrative of incompetence, corruption and poor medical practise dominates. However, in the nearby Sea of Azov, a different story emerges of a naval campaign brimming with daring leadership and incredible bravery in a small flotilla of steam gunboats that wrought havoc upon the Russians. Seeking to shed light on an under-appreciated campaign in the wider Black Sea theatre, this contribution argues that the wider historiography of the Crimean War, in both Russian and English, has been too dismissive or ignorant of the Sea of Azov Campaign that formed some of the most active naval and amphibious combat of the war.

Analysing the actions of the gunboat squadron in the sea, and the consequences and effects of the campaign, this contribution seeks to underline the importance of the expedition in pre-war plans, British strategy in the Black Sea and the effectiveness of the squadron on Russia’s war effort. The campaign’s consequences were far-reaching, bringing forth the gunboat as a tool of modern naval power, and even so far as contributing to one of the worst naval disasters of the entire 19th century: the loss of HMS Captain.

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