Location
The stone is embedded in the floor of St. Thomas's Chapel, immediately in front of the Duke of Buckingham's Memorial (see Cathedral Plan).
CAPTN. IVAN KARSAKOFF OF HER
SERENE HIGHNESS THE
EMPRESS OF RUSSIA'S SHIP
[EUROPA] WHO DEPARTED
THIS LIFE JANRY 9TH (O.S.)
1770
The cost of cutting this inscription
on a new stone was paid by Russian friends
bearing the name of KORSAKOFF
in the year 1915.
Further Information
January 9th O.S. is January 20th according to the English Calendar. Her Serene Highness was Catherine II who attained her high office by having her husband strangled by Alexis Orlov. Karsakoff was a Captain in a Russian Fleet commanded by Orlov which was sailing from the Baltic to the Mediterranean in order to engage their Turkish foe. Orlov was a largely ornamental leader with two other admirals, Spiridov and Elphinstone in actual control. Karsakoff's ship, the Europa, was a part of Spiridov's fleet but was left behind when she ran aground near Southsea Castle. It so happened that Elphinstone's fleet were obliged to call into Portsmouth at the same time and so his men were present when Karsakoff died after a lingering illness of two months during which he had not left his bed.
It was the Russian tradition to escort a deceased Captain to his grave with 1000 men under arms attending. The authorities in Portsmouth were rather reluctant to allow that number of armed and disciplined strangers into the town, but did agree to 100 being present. As the funeral concluded with the interrment the Russian Troops fired 'three general vollies......amidst an amazing number of spectators'.
In 1902 the Parish Church of St Thomas was closed whilst extensive restoration work was carried out. One of the reasons that this had become essential was because the digging of huge numbers of graves and vaults within the church walls had destabilised the whole structure. It proved necessary to clear most of the bodies out and collect the bones in one large vault. It is said that the corpse of Ivan Karsakoff was 'easily recognized from the richness of his gold lace and the multitude of his buttons'.
Adapted from 'Portsmouth Parish Church' by Lilley and Everitt.
