Battle of Larga | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Russian Empire | Ottoman Empire | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Field-Marshal Rumyantsev | Kaplan Girey | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
38,000, 115 guns | 65,000 cavalry, 15,000 infantry, 33 guns | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown |
The Battle of Larga was fought between 65,000 Crimean Tatars cavalry and 15,000 Ottoman infantry under Kaplan Girey against 38,000 Russians under Field-Marshal Rumyantsev on the banks of the Larga River, a tributary of the Prut River, in Moldavia (now in Moldova), for eight hours on 7 July 1770. It was fought on the same day as Battle of Chesma, a key naval engagement of the Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774.
The battle was a decisive victory for the Russians who captured 33 Turkish cannons and the vast enemy camp. For this victory, Rumyantsev was awarded the Order of Saint George of the 1st Degree. Two weeks later, the Russians scored an even greater victory in the Battle of Kagul.
Coordinates: 46°39′14″N 29°14′45″E / 46.654016°N 29.245777°E