In the time following Menshikov's order, a hunting squad of six steam clippers, three schooners, and six double-deck warships was formed to use their maneuverability to attack supply ships in the eastern Black Sea, making it impossible to continue to provide effective support to the Caucasus.

This would not only help the Russian Empire to gain some supply superiority in the Caucasus, but also provoke the Ottoman Navy to engage in a decisive battle with the Russian Imperial Navy as soon as possible.

Only by completely eliminating the Ottoman ships in the Black Sea could the Russian Empire's supplies in the Caucasus and the Near East rest assured.

And the person in charge of commanding this fleet was none other than Vice Admiral Nakhimov, who was good at sea raids.

As for the remaining fleet, they were gathered together by Menshikov and used as a sharp knife for raiding the port of Sipno at any time.

From 26 to 30 September, Vice Admiral Nakhimov's "wolf pack" launched frequent attacks on all Ottoman fleets in the Black Sea, and their attacks were more frequent than before.

In just four days, five ships were attacked by Nakhimov's fleet, two of which were for the supply fleet, and the remaining three were steam clippers.

This put the Ottoman Empire's navy, which was already slightly less powerful than the Russian Empire, into a more passive state, and when the news passed through the port of Sinop to Constantinople, an enraged Mejid I immediately called the Admiratisco Mahmud.

"Didn't you tell me! Is the Imperial Navy completely not part of the Russian Navy? It's only been less than three days, and the empire has already lost three warships! Say, what the hell is going on! Grim-faced, Mejid I gritted his teeth and threw the information from Sinop at the feet of Generalissimo Mahmoud.

Generalissimo Mahmoud did not speak, but bent down slightly to pick up the information under his feet, and then waited quietly for Abdul. Mejid I regained his composure.

After a while, Abdul. The anger of Mejid I gradually subsided.

What followed was an inexplicable sadness, he grieved that he was in a decaying empire, and that he was once grieved for his glorious ideals.

"Say it! What the hell is going on! "Abdul. Mejid I asked Mahmud in a feeble tone.

"Judging by the intelligence available now, the Russian Empire has formed a fleet dedicated to hunting supply ships! All three of our steam clippers were dragged down by the nimble fleet of the Russian Empire because of the protection of supply ships! Mahmoud calmly addressed Abdul. Mejid I spoke as if everything had been expected by him.

"Now how should we fight such a fleet? We can't let them destroy our fleet all the time! "Abdul. Mejid I asked Mahmoud Dao.

"Your Majesty, our steam clippers are not as fast as those of the Russian Empire!" Mahmoud did not immediately answer Abdul. Mejid I's question, but to the steam clippers themselves: "If our case is not wrong, the steam engine used in the Russian Empire is the latest model of the steam engine in Britain." The steam engine mounted by the Ottoman fleet was the previous generation of steam engines, so the Imperial fleet was much inferior in maneuverability. ”

"Isn't the empire out of money!" Abdul. Mejid I explained to Mahmud with a little embarrassment.

In the final analysis, everything is still about money, and if the Ottoman Empire can squeeze out more money to invest in the military field, then the Ottoman Empire will not become what it is now.

The current Ottoman Empire has fallen into a strange circle, if the central government wants to collect more taxes, it must have a central army that can win against the local feudal towns (Egypt, Tunisia) and foreign powers (Britain, France) to suppress the localities, and to build an army that can win the feudal towns and foreign powers, it needs more taxes to invest in the army.

If you want to centralize power, you need to have an army, and if you want to strengthen an army, you need to collect more taxes, but if you want to collect taxes, you need to have an army that can suppress the Pasha everywhere.

In this endless cycle, most of the tax revenue that the Ottoman Empire was able to collect would go to the hands of a bloated bureaucracy, and a small amount of money would be spent on building a new army.

In the absence of sufficient salaries and equipment, the combat effectiveness and fighting will of the army will not be much higher, not to mention the Prussian and British military commanders in the Ottoman army and navy, whose salaries are much higher than those of the Ottoman Empire's native officers.

As for why the army chose Prussia, it was not because Prussian officers were cheaper. If the Ottomans had the money, they would certainly be willing to choose the first French military commander in Europe.

"Your Majesty, I'm not complaining like you!" Generalissimo Mahmoud to Abdul. "I mean: since we can't catch up with these guys, why don't we send more fleets to secure the routes!" In this way, the fleet of the Russian Empire will not act rashly! ”

Gugh/span Mahmoud's approach Jean Abdul. Mejid I was a little moved, but he was still a little concerned about the safety of Constantinople: "But...... Constantinople must not make any mistakes, and now our troops in the fortress of Silistra are under attack in the Danube region! Wouldn't it be bad if the troops of the Russian Empire arrived directly in Constantinople on a warship! ”

It turned out that since Menshikov formed a rapid reaction fleet to attack the supply of the Ottoman Empire, Paskevich, who was located in the Danube principality, also received a letter from the Minister of War Dolgolu in St. Petersburg. Dolgoruko told Paskevich that the 130,000 troops of the Russian Empire stationed in the Danube principalities began to attack the fortress of Silistra at the moment of receipt of the letter, until the group of fortresses of Silistra was completely conquered.

In the face of Dolgoruko's letter, the Danube Commander-in-Chief Paskevich and the Deputy Commander Mikhail Fergu. Gorchakov once again sent several of his subordinate army commanders to their tents in a hurry to discuss countermeasures.

After intense discussions, Paskeewicz decided to implement the Russian policy with reservations.

That is, the 140,000 troops under Paskevich will not be thrown into battle all at once. Gorchakov's 13th and 14th Army Corps, with nearly 60,000 men, were stationed in the northwest to defend against the Austrian Imperial Army, which was gradually gaining strength in Transylvania.

Although Nicholas I repeatedly assured Paskeewicz that the Austrian Empire would not attack the Russian Empire, Paskeewicz was unwilling to believe all the promises of the Austrian Empire, and leaving the army to monitor the Austrian defenders in Transylvania was a necessary option.

The remaining Guards Division and the Polish Legion, with nearly 80,000 troops, were also divided into two forces by Paskewicz, of which 30,000 feints to attack Ruse, which was used to attract Ottoman troops stationed in Ruse, so as to contain a part of the Ottoman army.

The main Guards Division and most of the Polish legions went to the fortress of Silistra to launch an attack, trying to take Silistra as soon as possible.

If it weren't for the fact that Omar Pasha, who was stationed in Silistra, had a force of nearly 40,000 people in his hands (including the field army + the Egyptian army + the "jihadist army"), as well as the excellent commander of the Prussian fortress defense works, Silistra would have been taken by Paskeewicz on the first night.

The Russian Imperial Army at that time, under the command of Paskevich, with an elite Guards Division as the vanguard and seventy artillery pieces as cover (130,000 troops, all artillery concentrated in Silistra), launched an attack on the fortress fortress group in Silistra.

The Ottoman Empire inside the fortress showed signs of rout after the first round of artillery, and many Ottoman soldiers could not help but run inside after being subjected to such a high level of artillery.

You must know that such a thing as a fortress is not afraid of violent kilometers from the outside, but from the internal rout on its own.

Once the morale of the fortress group is unstable, combined with the attack of the external enemy, a fortress can be quickly attacked.

Thankfully, Omar Pasha still had an iron-faced and selfless overseer in his hands, and they led one after another who had left their posts without permission, and the whole force was able to stop the rout.

After that, Umar Pasha sent Egyptian veterans with rich combat experience, some of whom had the honor of participating in Muhammad's fortification, to defend the fortress in a coordinated defense. Ali's war against the Ottoman Empire.

Unexpectedly, after thirteen years, these two armies actually stood in the same trench and fought each other.

With the help of Egyptian veterans, Silistra's army finally stabilized its position, and what followed was a battle of wills.

Again and again, the Guards Division attacked the fortress of Silistra, and the defenders of the fortress group fought back stubbornly.

Although the defenders defending the fortress of Silistra did not have enough artillery, they were able to attack the Guards Division with the only dozen or so guns in their hands.

In just five days, the Sillistra Fortress Complex has piled up the corpses of more than 200 soldiers of the Guards Division.

Faced with a meat grinder-like war, Paskeewicz decided to put the offensive on hold.

The soldiers of the Russian Empire retreated, plotting their next move.

Omar Pasha was also able to send a messenger to Constantinople to deliver the news. While relieved, Mejid I was also worried about the safety of Constantinople, so there was still a large army and navy around Constantinople.

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