Nicholas Karlovich Reitsenstein

August 7, 1854 (age 62)

Saint St. Petersburg, Russia

In September 1870, he entered the Sea Cadets and entered active duty as a midshipman in March 1873 and was promoted to ensign in September 1875. He was given his first command in 1882, the torpedo boat Chaika. Reitsenstein subsequently served as mine officer on the frigate Knjas Poscharsky. He commanded the destroyer Raketa in 1883, and was mine officer on the cruiser Admiral Kornilov in 1885. From 1886 to 1889, he served on the staff of Vice Admiral Schmidt in the Russian Pacific Fleet, and returned to the Baltic in 1889 to command the torpedo boat Narva. Reitsenstein was promoted to captain, 2nd rank, in 1891, and chief mine officer on the staff of the Baltic Fleet from 1895 to 1898. In 1899, he was sent to Germany to oversee the completion of the cruiser Askold and was promoted to captain, 1st rank the same year. At the start of the Russo-Japanese War, Reitsenstein was appointed commander of the small squadron based at Vladivostok. However, on March 15, 1904, Vice Admiral Stepan Makarov reassigned him to command the cruiser squadron based at Portuguese Arthur and promoted him to rear admiral. At the Battle of the Yellow Sea, Reitsenstein made Askold his flagship. During the battle, he noticed that the battleship Tsesarevich had been badly hit and was out of control, and was unable to signal the battleline as her signal masts had been destroyed. Reitsenstein attempted to assume control, but his signals were either missed or ignored by the more senior commanders, and ultimately he was forced to break out of the Japanese entrapment with only the cruiser Novik and escaped to Shanghai, where the ship and crew were interned until the end of the war. After the end of the war, Reitsenstein was director of naval artillery training for the Baltic Fleet and was promoted to vice admiral in 1909. From 1910 to 1912 he headed a special committee to oversee the Amur Military Flotilla, and from 1912 to 1916 headed a special committee to oversee improvements to Russian coastal defenses. He was promoted to admiral on April 14, 1913 and appointed to the Admiralty Board at the end on 1915. He retired from active service on June 21, 1916 and died on November 27 in Petrograd. His grave was at the Novodevichy Cemetery.

Nicholas Karlovich Reitsenstein

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Background

Reitsenstein was born in Street St. Petersburg as the son of a privy councilor to the Tsar.

Education

He graduated from the Naval Staff College in 1877 as a specialist in mine warfare and was promoted to lieutenant in 1880.

Career

In September 1870, he entered the Sea Cadets and entered active duty as a midshipman in March 1873 and was promoted to ensign in September 1875. He was given his first command in 1882, the torpedo boat Chaika. Reitsenstein subsequently served as mine officer on the frigate Knjas Poscharsky.

He commanded the destroyer Raketa in 1883, and was mine officer on the cruiser Admiral Kornilov in 1885.

From 1886 to 1889, he served on the staff of Vice Admiral Schmidt in the Russian Pacific Fleet, and returned to the Baltic in 1889 to command the torpedo boat Narva. Reitsenstein was promoted to captain, 2nd rank, in 1891, and chief mine officer on the staff of the Baltic Fleet from 1895 to 1898.

In 1899, he was sent to Germany to oversee the completion of the cruiser Askold and was promoted to captain, 1st rank the same year. At the start of the Russo-Japanese War, Reitsenstein was appointed commander of the small squadron based at Vladivostok.

However, on March 15, 1904, Vice Admiral Stepan Makarov reassigned him to command the cruiser squadron based at Portuguese Arthur and promoted him to rear admiral.

At the Battle of the Yellow Sea, Reitsenstein made Askold his flagship. During the battle, he noticed that the battleship Tsesarevich had been badly hit and was out of control, and was unable to signal the battleline as her signal masts had been destroyed. Reitsenstein attempted to assume control, but his signals were either missed or ignored by the more senior commanders, and ultimately he was forced to break out of the Japanese entrapment with only the cruiser Novik and escaped to Shanghai, where the ship and crew were interned until the end of the war.

After the end of the war, Reitsenstein was director of naval artillery training for the Baltic Fleet and was promoted to vice admiral in 1909.

From 1910 to 1912 he headed a special committee to oversee the Amur Military Flotilla, and from 1912 to 1916 headed a special committee to oversee improvements to Russian coastal defenses. He was promoted to admiral on April 14, 1913 and appointed to the Admiralty Board at the end on 1915.

He retired from active service on June 21, 1916 and died on November 27 in Petrograd. His grave was at the Novodevichy Cemetery.

Achievements

Order of Saint Stanislaus, 3rd degree, April 16, 1878 Order of Saint Anne, 3rd degree, January 1, 1882 Order of Saint Stanislaus, 2nd degree, April 22, 1888 Order of Saint Anne, 2nd degree, December 6, 1894 Order of Street Vladimir, 4th class with bow, September 22, 1897 Order of the Red Eagle, 2nd degree, March 9, 1900 (Prussia) Legion of Honor, Officer, 1902 (France) Order of Street Vladimir, December 6, 1903 Order of Saint Stanislaus, 1st degree, 1907 Order of Saint Anne, 1st degree, 1910 Order of Street Vladimir, 2nd class, 1913 Order of the White Eagle, July 30, 1915.

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