Pospeshny and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander, and given a diamond ring. The Russian Empire was the first naval power to pioneer the construction of steam warships. On 3 December 1852, Lieutenant-Commander Grigory Butakov was made captain of the steam-ship Vladimir, considered the best steam-powered warship in the Black Sea Fleet. Crimean war When the Crimean War began in October 1853, Grigory Butakov was sent with to the Black Sea aboard the steamship Vladimir. The battle in which Grigory Butakov aboard the steam-ship Vladimir, fought and captured the Turkish steam-ship Pervaz Bahri was historically important on two accounts: Firstly, it was the very first battle of the Crimean War, and secondly, it was the first battle involving only steam-ships, marking a new age of naval warfare. The battle occurred on 5 November 1853, on the Black Sea. Butakov sailed the Vladimir towards the region of Penderakli, on the way the crew of the Vladimir saw an unfamiliar vessel sailing towards them. As the Vladimir got closer to the unidentified ship, the crew realized the ship was Turkish. It was a 10-gun steam-ship called the Pervaz Bahri Pervaz Bahri The 10-gun Turkish steamship that was steadily nearing the Vladimir had no bow or stern artillery. This made it an attractive target for any Russian war ship. Once the Ottoman ship was in range, Butakov maneuvered the Vladimir into advantageous positions for an attack. Butakov would take up a position from behind the Pervaz Bahri 's stern, and rake the ship with cannon fire. This maneuver was successful due to the Ottoman ship not having any stern artillery. Every time the Pervaz Bahri tried to employ side artillery upon the Vladimir, Butakov would repeatedly take up an advantageous position behind enemy stern, and bombard the ship with cannon shot. Despite Butakov's successful tactics in attacking the Ottoman ship, the battle was taking more time than expected. Butakov's superiors then ordered him to speed up the sinking or capture of the Turkish vessel. Butakov then gave an order to pick up speed, and at a distance of 100 meters, he opened canister fire from all ship's the guns. The Pervaz Bahri then surrendered to the crew of the Vladimir, ending a three-hour-long battle which took many Turkish casualties. This was a major victory for Butakov because it was Russia's first steam-powered sea battle victory. On 7 November, the newly captured ship was