Wilgelm Vitgeft Wilgelm Karlovich Vitgeft ( ) ( October 14 , 1847 – August 10 , 1904 ) , sometimes written Wilhelm and Withöft was an admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy , noted for his service in the Russo - Japanese War of 1904 - 1905 . Biography . Vitgeft was born in Odessa , and was of German ancestry . He graduated from the Sea Cadet Corps in 1868 and subsequently circumnavigated the globe on the clipper " Wsadnik " . After his return to Russia , he was promoted to NCO in 1870 and to lieutenant in 1873 . From 1875 to 1878 he received specialized training as a naval artillery and mine warfare expert . Thereafter he served in various functions on ships of the Russian Baltic Fleet . In 1885 , as a captain of the second rank , he was assigned his first command , that of the gunboat " Groza " . He subsequently served as an inspector of works for the Marine Technical Committee , and as the Assistant Chief Inspector of Mines , was responsible for testing naval mine s . In 1892 , Vitgeft took over command of the cruiser " Voyevoda " and was promoted to Captain 1st Rank in 1894 . On 26 October 1899 Vitgeft was promoted to Rear Admiral and was transferred to the Russian Pacific Fleet . He was awarded the Order of St . Stanislaus ( 1st class with Swords ) for participation in the Russian - Chinese War of 1900 . where he served as chief of staff to Viceroy , Yevgeny Alexeiev , until 1903 . After the outbreak of the Russo - Japanese War of 1904 - 1905 , Vitgeft became chief of the Naval Headquarters in the Far East . Following the death of Admiral Stepan Makarov , Vitgeft was appointed temporary commander of the portion of the " First Pacific Squadron " , that portion of the Russian Pacific Fleet trapped at Port Arthur by the Japanese blockade . Viceroy Alexeyev , an admiral , favored an aggressive sortie so as to enable the First Pacific Squadron to link up with the Vladivostok Squadron and thereby create a naval force powerful enough to challenge the Japanese fleet . Vitgeft believed " in a fleet in being " , which simply stayed at anchor , while at the same time contributing some of his weaponry to the land battle as the safest course to follow . Although passive , Vitgeft ' s preference was actually more in keeping with the Russian Navy ' s doctrine , which was building up strength ( waiting for the arrival of the Baltic Fleet , renamed as the " 2nd Pacific Squadron " ) , and then engaging the Japanese navy in decisive battle . Alexeiev appealed to St . Petersburg , and Tsar Nicholas II replied that he fully shared the Viceroy ' s opinion . Faced with an Imperial writ and threat of legal action , Admiral Vitgeft was ordered to sail for Vladivostok immediately . By 06 : 15 hours , on 10 August 1904 , Admiral Vitgeft , flying his flag in the battleship " Tsesarevich " , began leading his fleet from the harbor . The Russian fleet consisted of the battleships , , , " Peresvet " , , and " Poltava " , the protected cruiser s , , and , and 14 destroyer s . In the subsequent Battle of the Yellow Sea , the Imperial Japanese Navy ' s Combined Fleet under Admiral Togo Heihachiro intercepted the Russian fleet . At 18 : 40 on 10 August 1904 , Admiral Vitgeft and his immediate staff were killed instantly when a 305 mm salvo from the Japanese battleship struck the bridge of the Russian flagship " Tsesarevich " . The shell also jammed the flagship ' s steering into a shaft port turn , which threw the Russian line of battle into confusion . Five battleships , a cruiser and nine destroyers escaped back to Port Arthur ; however , the damaged " Tsesarevich " and three escorting destroyers sailed to Kiaochou , where they were interned by British authorities .