Ivan Abramovich Gannibal

Gannibal, Ivan Abramovich

 

Born June 5, 1737, or 1736; died Oct. 12, 1801, in St. Petersburg. Russian lieutenant-general (1779). Son of A. P. Gannigal.

Gannibal graduated from cadet school and was commissioned in the navy. During the Russo-Turkish war of 1768— 74, he participated in the Archipelago Expedition (1769-74); in April 1770 he captured the heavily fortified fortress of Navarin; he helped achieve victory in the Battle of Çeşme of 1770 by skillfully directing the artillery fire of the entire squadron. He became an ordnance master in command of all naval artillery in 1776 and a member of the Admiralty College in 1777. In 1778, Gannibal was appointed commander in chief of the Kherson fortress, which, like the town of Kherson itself, was built under his direction. He retired in 1784.