Siege of Calafat
Siege of Calafat byFabrique de Pellerin
Date February – May 1854 Location Calafat,Wallachia 43°59′44.26″N22°55′52.51″E / 43.9956278°N 22.9312528°E /43.9956278; 22.9312528 Result Ottoman victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Joseph Carl von Anrep	Ahmed Pasha
Strength
40,000	30,000–36,000[1]
Casualties and losses
23,000(including the sick)[1]	Unknown

Thesiege of Calafat took place in 1854 during theCrimean War.^[2] The Russians unsuccessfully besieged theOttoman army at this place for four months before finally withdrawing.

In July 1853, the Russian army invaded the Principality ofWallachia, which was an Ottoman vassal. Their army had some 91,000 men under the command of Prince Gorchakoff, with some 240 field artillery and 90 siege guns. In response, war was declared by the Ottomans and they assembled an army of some 60–70,000 under the command ofOmar Pasha. The Ottomans had several fortified fortresses on the southern side of theDanube river, of whichVidin was one. The Turks made several plans to advance into Wallachia. On 28 October their army in Vidin crossed the Danube and established itself at the village of Calafat, and started building fortifications. Another army crossed the Danube atRuse on 1-2 November in a feint attack to lure the Russians away from Calafat. This operation was unsuccessful and they retreated on 12 November, but in the meantime Calafat's defenses and the communication with Vidin had been improved.

In response to these events, the Russians marched towardsCalafat and unsuccessfully engaged the Turks at the end of December. They then entrenched themselves atCetate, where they were attacked by the Turks. The Turks were led by Ahmed Pasha, the Russians by GeneralJoseph Carl von Anrep. There were several days of fighting until 10 January, whereupon the Russians retreated towardsRadovan. After January the Russians brought troops to the surroundings of Calafat and started the unsuccessful siege, which lasted 4 months; they withdrew on 21 April. During the siege the Russians suffered heavy losses from epidemics and attacks from the fortified Ottoman positions.

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