Action off Măcin

26 May 1877, Danube, off Măcin

Russian victory

At night, Russian steam launches carrying explosive charges on long poles crept up on the Ottoman monitor Seyfi at anchor and exploded their spar torpedoes against her hull. She sank, and the launches got away. It was the first time a torpedo craft sank a warship and survived, and afterwards Ottoman ships on the Danube tended to retreat whenever the launches appeared. Dates in some sources are given in the Russian Old Style calendar (14 May).