Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Greig, Alexis Samuilovich
GREIG, ALEXIS SAMUILOVICH (1775–1845), admiral in the Russian service, son of Sir Samuel Greig [q. v.], was born at Cronstadt on 18 Sept. 1775. As a reward for the services of his father, he was enrolled at his birth as a midshipman in the Russian navy. He first distinguished himself in the war between Russia and Turkey in 1807, at which time he had attained the rank of rear-admiral. After the engagement off Lemnos in that year, in which the Turks suffered a severe defeat, he was sent by Admiral Seniavin in pursuit of some ships which had escaped to the gulf of Monte Santo; Greig blockaded the Turkish capitan-pasha so closely that he was compelled to burn his vessels and retreat overland. He greatly distinguished himself in the next war between Russia and Turkey (1828-9). While Field-marshal Wittgenstein invaded the latter country by land, Greig was entrusted with the task of attacking the fortresses on the coast of Bulgaria and Roumelia, and the eastern shore of the Black Sea. He appeared off Anapa on 14 May; on 24 June the place capitulated, and Greig received the rank of full admiral. In conjunction with the Russian land forces he laid siege to Varna, but the place was not taken till two months and a half had elapsed (11 Oct.) During the operations the Emperor Nicholas visited the fleet and stayed on board the Paris, the admiral's ship. After the war was concluded (by the peace of Adrianople 14 Sept. 1829), Greig devoted himself with great earnestness to the organisation of the Russian navy. To him the Russians are indebted for the formation and development of their Black Sea fleet. He died on 30 Jan. 1845 at St. Petersburg, and was buried in the Smolensk cemetery in that city. He was created admiral in attendance on the czar, member of the imperial council, and knight of the order of St. George of the second class, together with other decorations. A monument was erected to his memory at Nicolaev. One of his sons greatly distinguished himself at the siege of Sebastopol.
[Morskoi Sbornik (Naval Miscellany), for 1801 No. 12, 1873 No. 3, 1882 Nos. 11 and 12; Bronevski's Zapiski Morskago Ofitzera (Memoirs of a Naval Officer), St. Petersburg, 1836; Ustrialov's Russkaya Istoria (Russian History), vol. ii.]