Military service in the 19th century. Russian army at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century

Part (Volume) 3

Chapter XII. Stagnation

Russian army of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Vannovsky, Dragomirov, Kuropatkin

Nicholas I and Alexander II were military men by vocation. Alexander III was a military man out of a sense of duty to the country. He had no passion for military affairs, but he saw and felt that the fate of the Fatherland entrusted to him depended on the state of his armed forces. “Russia has only two true allies - its army and its navy,” he said and, realizing this,steadily strived for the comprehensive development of Russian military power. At the same time The Emperor left the army. Alexander II could always be seen at divorces, frequent parades, regimental holidays, at camps and in meetings, talking with officers, interested in all their news, taking events in the regimental family to heart. Alexander III limited his communication with the army to strictly necessary, closed himself in a close family circle in his cozy Gatchina Palace. The main reason was, of course, his overload with work, which left him little free time.

A certain role was played here by the natural shyness of the Emperor, who did not like large company, and, finally, by the bitter aftertaste that March 1, 1881 left on his soul.“The image of the late Sovereign, bending over the body of a wounded Cossack and not thinking about the possibility of a second assassination attempt, did not leave us,” Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich recalls of those days. “We understood that something incommensurably greater than our beloved uncle and courageous monarch had gone with him irrevocably into the past. Idyllic Russia with the Father Tsar and his faithful people ceased to exist on March 1, 1881. We realized thatNever again will the Russian Tsar be able to treat his subjects with boundless trust" Royal reviews began to be held less frequently, divorces were completely abolished, adjutant wing and retinue monograms, generously distributed by Alexander II to the army regiments, now became rare in the guard, having become the privilege of a very small circle of people.

The beginning of this reign was marked by a complete change appearance troops. The elegant uniforms of the beautiful army of the Tsar-Liberator did not suit the massive figure of the new Sovereign.Alexander III did not take into account aesthetics, demanding national cut and practicality.

The new form was introduced in the summer of 1882. The army became unrecognizable. Gone were the guards' helmets with plumes, caps and shakos with plumes, spectacular uniforms with colored lapels, ulankas and mentiks, sabers and broadswords. All this glitter was replaced by long-skimmed kaftans with hooks, wide trousers and low caps of fake lamb. The officers began to look like chief conductors, the guards riflemen - like police officers, the sergeant major - like village elders in caftans with a badge. Soldiers in their homespun guise began to look like pilgrims, especially in the army infantry, where satchels were abolished and instead “duffel bags” were introduced - an exact copy of a beggar's knapsack - worn over the shoulder. The cavalry sadly wore out ulankas, shakos and mentiks with removed cords and frayed sewing, before, following the example of the infantry, donning zipuns. The officers sought to soften the ugliness of the new uniform, each to their own taste. Some shortened the uniform to the previous standard, others, on the contrary, lengthened it, bringing it closer to the frock coat, while others, following the example of the riflemen, exaggerated the slack of the trousers, bringing them to the toes of their boots. As a result, foreign correspondents who saw the Russian army in Manchuria were amazed that it was impossible to meet two officers dressed in the same way.

A psychological mistake was made by this disfigurement of the army. Appearance means a lot for a warrior's appearance, which also maintains the warrior's spirit. Alexander III looked at the shiny uniforms as if they were expensive tinsel. But in the eyes of officers and soldiers it was far from tinsel. They maintained continuity with past heroic eras. The glorious memories of Shipka and Sheinov were already associated with the cap, and the legends of Friedland and Borodin went with the lapels and mentiks. The utilitarian materialism of this reform (which, however, was completely in the spirit of the century) had the most negative impact in the spiritual and educational field - the most important area of ​​​​military affairs. In the infantry regiments, both guards and army, soldiers, going into the reserve, refused to take uniforms of the new “peasant” cut, and at their own expense altered them according to the old uniform - always with lapels. Those leaving on leave sported a lapel in the village, which they took off when returning from leave back to the regiment. The only positive side of this re-uniform was the introduction of white shirts during the hot season, which until then had been worn only in the Caucasus and Turkestan.

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The new reign needed new leaders. The Emperor's first event Alexandra III in the military field there was an appointment as Minister of War to replace Count MilyutinAdjutant General Vannovsky- his closest adviser in 1877 - 1878 as chief of staff of the Rushchuk detachment.

Vannovsky was the complete opposite enlightened and “liberal” Milyutin. In comparison with Milyutin, he was an obscurantist - a kind of “military Pobedonostsev”, and in character - a second Paskevich.An extremely rude and picky man, he treated his subordinates despotically. It was very difficult to serve with him, and rarely did anyone endure it for any long time..

“After all, I’m a dog,” Vannovsky liked to say to his subordinates, “I bite everyone, I don’t let anyone sleep, and therefore I have such order as perhaps no one else has; When you become bosses, I advise you to be dogs too.”

Vannovsky's merit wasrepeal of Milyutin's disastrous military training reform. The strict head of the Pavlovsk military school sawpoor drill trainingMilyutin gymnasiums with their civilian teachers who did not impart a military spirit to their students, the result of which wastheir ever-increasing departure at the end of the course “to the side.”In 1882, the military gymnasiums were again converted into cadet corps and properly improved. Civilian educators were replaced by officers, drills were introduced, and our secondary military educational institutions regained the vigorous military spirit of the “Nikolaev” corps.At the same time, it was recognized as necessary to preserve military schools for the training of a homogeneous - equally educated and equally trained - officer corps. The question of restoring special classes disappeared. It should be noted thatMost of the educators in the cadet corps were not the best elements of our officers (the lure here was a quiet life, a high salary and fast production).

Construction service began to be conducted more clearly. First of all there wasthe guard has been pulled up. Generals Vasmund in the Izmailovsky Life Guards Regiment, Meve in the Pavlovsky Life Guards brought, each in their own way, their unitsto a high degree of perfection. Others looked up to them, and characteristic of the Milyutin era, “Sergeant Major, where is my place?” finally relegated to the realm of legend. At the same time, the drill regulations were simplified by the abolition of a number of complex reconstructions, which characterized the utilitarian and “everyday” nature of the coming era.

The military reforms of the previous reign were revised by a special commission chaired by Adjutant General Count Kotzebue. This commission was supposed to speak out on questions about the structure of the War Ministry, the preservation of the military district system and the development of the Regulations on field command and control of troops. Count Kotzebue Commissionrejected the project of organizing a General Staff independent from the Minister of War on the Prussian-German model. Main Headquarters continued to remain, as under Milyutin, one of the clerical “desks” of the War Ministry. Vannovsky’s lust for power, of course, played a role in making this decision.

The military district system was supposed to be preserved, subjecting it only to some partialtransformations. HoweverMilyutin’s Regulations on Field Command of Troops of 1868, which had proven unsuitable during the Turkish War, were decided to be replaced, and the development of a new Regulation was entrusted to the commission of General Lobko.

IN In 1881, the Orenburg Military District was abolished (attached to the Kazan Military District). IN In 1882, the West Siberian Military District was renamed Omsk. In 1884, the East Siberian Military District, due to its vastness, was divided into two - Irkutsk and Amur.In 1889, the Kharkov Military District was abolished (partly annexed to the Kyiv, partly to the Moscow).The three western border districts - Vilna, Warsaw and Kiev - received in 1886 a control system similar to that of the wartime army.Troops of these districtswere to form the main forces of the three armies in case of war with the Central Powers.

IN In 1890, the Regulations on Field Command of Troops, developed by General Lobko's commission, were approved.In comparison with the previous one, it significantly increased the rights of the commander-in-chief and freed him from the tutelage of the War Ministry. The position is infor the first time determined the rules of formation during the mobilization of army departments from military districts(which the creator of the military district system, Count Milyutin, missed). At the same timethe main ulcer of the Milyutin Regulations - the organization of detachments “according to circumstances” - was preserved, and we will see what sad results this “squad mania” led to in Manchuria.

The main concern of the Military Department during the reign of Alexander III wasincreasing the trained supply of an army by passing large numbers of men through its ranks. Under Alexander II, the annual contingent of recruits was 150,000 people; in 1881, 235,000 people were already drafted.

The service life was initially left the same: 6 years in service, 9 in reserve.One of Milyutin’s last orders in the spring of 1881 was to reduce the service life to 4 years in infantry and foot artillery and 5 years in other types of weapons.. Vannovsky immediately canceled this order, fearing for the quality and strength of training. Really,in the entire million-strong army there were only 5,500 long-term non-commissioned officers from those planned in 1874 with the introduction of general conscription the number is 32,000 (that is, 17 percent). In 1886, the service life of 1st category volunteers was increased to one year - six-month “Milyutin” volunteers provided too ignorant reserve officers.

In 1888 the number of conscripts doubled (still accounting for about a third of the intended number), and this year a reduction was made in terms of service to 4 years in foot and to 5 in mounted and engineering troops Oh. At the same time there wasThe length of stay in the reserve was doubled - from 9 to 18 years, and reserves began to be considered liable for military service up to and including the age of 43.Vannovsky, however, did not establish any division of the reserve into categories - the mobilized troops were to be recruited indiscriminately with 25-year-old reserves who had just left service and 43-year-old “bearded men.”

In 1891, the contingent of the trained reserve of the lower ranks was completed - there were 2.5 million trained people in the reserve, and up to 4 million fighters were to be counted in the mobilized army (with Cossack troops). WITH In 1887, universal conscription was extended to the native population of the Caucasus (with the exception of the highlanders).At the end of the reign, 270,000 people were conscripted annually - approximately twice as many as under Alexander II. Every year 6,000 - 7,000 volunteers signed up. The capacity of the schools was increased: in 1881, 1,750 officers were produced, in 1895 - 2,370.Opened in 1882 officer schools- rifle, artillery (for practical improvement of candidates for company and battery commanders) and electrical engineering.

The abundance of candidates for the General Staff prompted admission to the academy by competition in 1885 (a three-year military qualification for candidates was established back in 1878).Half of those who graduated were assigned to the General Staff - the rest returned to duty “graduated in the 2nd category.”Skobelev, Yudenich and Lechitsky graduated from the academy according to category(10) . This category of officers, having the opportunity to constantly put into practice in the troops the knowledge they acquired at the academy, brought the army, perhaps, more benefit than those who graduated in the 1st category, who were wasted in various kinds of departments and offices.Strong, independent characters, as a rule, were relegated to the 2nd category, and too often careerists who agreed with the opinions of their superiors remained in the 1st category.

In 1883, the ranks of major (finally) and warrant officer (reserved only in wartime for volunteer reserve officers) were abolished.The advantage of the Old Guard over the army became only one rank, and not two, as before. The Young Guard was abolished, its regiments (Her Majesty's Cuirassier, 3rd Finnish and 4th Imperial Family infantry regiments) were transferred to the Old Guard.In fact, from that time on, the army regiments began to enjoy the advantages of the Young Guard. From the cadet schools (with a one-year course) they began to graduate ensigns as junior officers. These sub-ensigns were promoted directly to second lieutenants within a year or two.

General Vannovsky sought to increase the combat strength of the troops, and during the period 1881 - 1894 the number of combat troops was increased from 84 to 95 percent, but only on paper. In the same timenothing was done to improve officer service in the ranks. These conditions were difficult and unsightly; combatant officers could rightly consider themselves stepchildren of the army.As soon as they left the ranks,in non-combatant positions they had high salaries, rapid promotion, and a comfortable lifestyle - all that was not given to combat workers who forged the power of the Russian army.

This created a harmful temptation and resulted in the loss of a significant number of capable officers from the ranks to great harm to the service. The consequences of Milyutin’s disregard for military knowledge - that principle which, in the words of the victor Shamil, “constitutes the honor and glory of military service”...

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With the reduction in 1879 of infantry regiments to a 4-battalion structure - 16 homogeneous companies, where all people were armed with a small-caliber rapid-fire rifle, the organization of the Russian infantry in its main features remained unchanged until the World War. The combat part, as we have seen, was significantly simplified. Plevna had the consequence of supplying all combat ranks with light entrenching tools; Sheinovo introduced dashes. In 1886, hunting teams were established in all infantry and cavalry regiments of people especially capable of reconnaissance service and carrying out responsible assignments (4 people per company and squadron). Also in 1891, the reserve troops were reorganized. The numbered reserve battalions received names, and some of them in the border districts were deployed into 2-battalion reserve regiments, grouped into 4 reserve infantry brigades and deployed into normal strength infantry divisions upon mobilization.

The year 1882 was marked by the defeat of the Russian cavalry by the so-called “dragoon reform”. Its inspiration was General Sukhotin (11) - the actual inspector general of the cavalry (nominally the inspector general was Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder, after whose death in 1891 this position was abolished altogether). Studying the cavalry raids of the North American War, Sukhotin came to the conclusion that it was necessary to convert all Russian regular cavalry to the dragoon style. Nothing could be objected to this essentially sound thought - dragoon training was still recognized by Potemkin as “the most necessary and useful.” However, Sukhotin, a man of primitive thinking, a materialist and a bad psychologist, began by distorting the glorious names of the Russian cavalry regiments, taking away their uniforms, which they were so proud of (in the eyes of clerical utilitarians, these “trinkets” meant nothing), encroaching on the very the soul of the cavalry is its traditions. Fascinated by the American riding infantry, he passed by all the treasures of the rich and glorious experience of the Russian cavalry.

Brandy station overshadowed Shengraben, Fer Champenoise, and even the famous Strukov raid - a raid before which all the operations of Stuart and Sheridan pale. This psychosis of “raids” on the American model, transplanted onto Russian soil, later had a sad effect under Yingkou. The fashion for American cowboys led to the abolition of the pike, which was left only in Cossack units. Sukhotin did not realize the full significance of this weapon, formidable in the hands of a strong-willed cavalry. He argued that with a short - “only six years” - service life, it is impossible to teach a cavalryman to use this “heavy and inconvenient” weapon - a relic of antiquity, inappropriate in the “age of technological progress.” It was ordered to intensively engage in foot formation and shooting, which was carried out in the order of serving the number, but still noticeably reduced the cavalry spirit. They began to look at the horse not as the first and main weapon of a cavalryman, but only as a means of transportation. The absence of truly cavalry leadership led to a routine that coexisted well with superficial innovation on the American model. " Fat bodies“became the main concern of the cavalry commanders - the result was snail-like gaits on flat terrain and good paths.

Conditions of service in the cavalry became unsightly. New wild names - “Bug Dragoons”, “Pavlograd Dragoons”, “Akhtyrsky Dragoons” - hurt the cavalrymen’s ears and pinched their hearts. Many officers left the ranks of the cavalry, especially when the “ruined” regiments were dressed in caftans and army jackets of the new pseudo-Russian cut and moved to remote camps on the western border, from where a threat began to be felt. In the Kiev Hussar Regiment, for example, all the officers resigned when their regiment, which had existed for more than two hundred years, was renamed the 27th Dragoons. Sukhomlinov, who had just been appointed commander of the Pavlograd regiment - the “Shengraben hussars” - recalls this vandalism with bitterness: “We have had rationalism for a long time.” for long years only destroyed and, without using the assistance of modern technology, did not give anything new or better in return. So, the part entrusted to me from the brilliant hussar regiment became the army dragoon number of the 6th regiment, the traditions of which could only be learned in the archives, and not by the uniform of clothing and the proud appearance of the people wearing it.”

The number of regular cavalry was significantly increased. It was strengthened by more than one and a half times. Regiments from the 4-squadron composition were transferred to the 6-squadron, and from the newly formed regiments the 15th cavalry division was formed in the Warsaw district. But the Cossack cavalry was somewhat reduced, a number of regiments were given benefits, the 3rd Caucasian Cossack division was abolished, but a new one was formed - the 2nd consolidated Cossack division - in the Kiev district. In general, the quality of Russian cavalry in the 80s and 90s decreased noticeably, and it became closer to the type of riding infantry. The reform of General Sukhotin will remain in its history a sad monument to the soulless materialism and rationalism that dominated the minds of leading Russian military circles - no matter the “Gatchina”, “Milyutin” or “post-Milyutin” periods - the entire 19th century.

The situation was more comforting in the artillery, which, through the efforts of its general-feldtzeichmeister, Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich, remained at its always high level. It was all re-equipped with wedge guns of the 1877 model with good ballistic qualities, which hit 4.5 versts. In the period 1889 - 1894, 5 mortar regiments of 4 - 5 batteries of six 6-inch mortars were formed. In 1891, a mountain artillery regiment was formed, in which mountain guns of various types were tested. Strange as it may seem, mountain artillery was always somewhat neglected by our leadership circles, despite the fact that the Russian army almost always fought in the mountains and the troops greatly valued these small, mobile, tactically unpretentious guns with their instant readiness for use. shooting from any position.

With the increase in the officer corps of the artillery, the Mikhailovsky School alone was not enough, and in 1894 the Konstantinovsky School was also converted into an artillery school. The Grand Duke paid special attention to shooting and encouraged it in every possible way by establishing competitions (the famous “General-Major Cup”, “Master-General’s Badge”, etc.).

In connection with the intensified construction of fortresses on the western border, the composition of the engineering troops has been significantly increased. At the end of the reign of Alexander III, there were 26 battalions (21 engineer battalions, 5 railway battalions).

The change in the political situation also affected the deployment of troops. In 1882 - 1884, all cavalry (with the exception of the 1st and 10th divisions) was concentrated in the Western border districts. A third of the Caucasian troops were moved there. In 1883, the 41st Infantry Division said goodbye to the Caucasus, and in 1888 it was followed to the West by the 19th and a number of cavalry regiments. Then the II Caucasian Corps was disbanded and the administration of new corps was formed - XVI in the Vilna and XVII in the Moscow districts. All field troops were moved from the Kazan district to the border (the 40th and then the 2nd infantry divisions) and only reserve brigades were left there. In the Moscow District, reserve troops made up a third of the total number of infantry battalions. In 1894, the XVIII Army Corps was formed in the St. Petersburg District.

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In 1883, Russia lost its White General. Not only the army, but the entire country suffered a cruel, irreparable loss. Skobelev's death caused an explosion of disgusting jubilation in Austria-Hungary, and especially in Germany, where they realized that there was no longer a man capable of watering his white horse in the waves of the Spree.

The English - more noble enemies - had the decency not to show the feeling of deep relief that overwhelmed them.

Nevertheless, during the reign of Emperor Alexander III there was no shortage of major military figures. The troops of the Warsaw district were commanded by the stern winner of the Balkans, Gurko, who left an indelible, distinct and warlike “Gurkin” imprint on them. The Vilna district was headed by Totleben (who died in 1884), the Kiev district - from 1889 - by the bright, albeit paradoxical Dragomirov. General Obruchev remained the chief of the General Staff throughout his reign, and Leer became the head of the academy after Dragomirov (12).

The most unique figure was represented by M. I. Dragomirov. Zimnitsa and Shipka showed the brilliant preparation of his 14th division and created a well-deserved military reputation for it. A man of great merit, he also had great shortcomings, which made his influence on the army ultimately negative. His great intelligence coexisted with a lack of intuition - a striking analogy with Leo Tolstoy, a great writer and an insignificant thinker. Tolstoy, trying to create philosophical system, became only an anarchist of Russian thought. Dragomirov, who fully shared Tolstoy’s sophism about the uselessness of a generally “non-existent” military science, can be called an anarchist of Russian military affairs. The same lack of intuition that prevented Tolstoy from understanding the Gospel prevented Dragomirov from comprehending the “Science of Victory.” He perceived it one-sidedly, in a doctrinaire way. Taking as a basis the eternal and immutable truth about the primacy of the moral, spiritual element, he reduced it to the denial of military science in general, and strategy in particular, a kind of military nihilism. He reduced all military affairs to tactics, and tactics to “taking it from the gut.”

Dragomirov contrasted the spirit with technology, not realizing that technology was by no means the enemy of the spirit, but its valuable ally and assistant, allowing it to save the strength and blood of a fighter. The Dragomir school based all its tactical calculations on piles of human meat, streams of human blood - and these views, taught from the department by an emeritus professor and then by the head of the academy, had the most detrimental influence on the formation of a whole generation of General Staff officers - the future “minotaurs” of the World War . Believing that any kind of technology inevitably leads to the extinguishing of the spirit, Dragomirov with all the strength of his authority opposed the introduction of a repeating rifle and a rapid-fire cannon, with which the armies of our potential opponents were already rearmed. When, despite all his opposition, rapid-fire guns were introduced, Dragomirov nevertheless ensured that they were without shields, “promoting timidity.”

The result is the torn corpses of the Turenchen and Liaoyang artillerymen, and precious Russian blood wasted in vain. The troop training system adopted by Dragomirov cannot be considered successful. While he was chief of a division, he developed the initiative of private commanders - battalion and company commanders - to a high degree of perfection. Having become the commander of the troops, he suppressed in every possible way the initiative of the corps commanders and division chiefs subordinate to him. Paying all your attention

on the individual education of a soldier (“the holy gray beast”), Dragomirov completely overlooked the officer, moreover, he deliberately ignored the officer (his always ironic and contemptuous “gas-pa-din officer!”). By deliberately belittling and humiliating the officer's authority, Dragomirov thought to create popularity for himself both among soldiers and in society. His notorious order remains memorable: “The troops fight!” - an undeserved insult to the combat officers... Subsequently, painfully experiencing the first Russian Troubles, he recommended to the officers “correctness, restraint and a sharply sharpened saber.” If Dragomirov had taken care in his time about raising the authority of officers, he, perhaps, would not have had to give such advice in his declining years...

Dragomirov's influence was very great (and even went beyond the Russian army). In the French army, General Cardot, who made a name for himself in military literature under the pseudonym " Loukian Carlovich, Casaque du Kouban" (13) . Service at the headquarters of the Kyiv district served as a “springboard” for the careers of many figures, not all of whom brought happiness to the Russian army. From here came Sukhomlinov, Ruzsky, Yuri Danilov, Bonch-Bruevich (14). M. I. Dragomirov's successor as head of the academy was General Genrikh Antonovich Leer, the largest military-scientific figure in the Russian army. He was a powerful mind, a thinker who “looked at the matter as a whole,” in Rumyantsev’s words. Leer became a defender of the strategy so underestimated by his predecessor. In Russia, he can be considered the father of strategy as a science. In this area, he developed the doctrine of the main operating line, and strictly condemned the concept of a strategic reserve (“in strategy, a reserve is a criminal phenomenon”).

Unfortunately. Leer was completely misunderstood and not adequately appreciated by his contemporaries. He did not conquer a single enemy fortress, and therefore he was considered an “armchair theorist.” Meanwhile, it was he who in every possible way emphasized the subordination of theory and saw the meaning of science in regulating creativity. At his insistence, field trips were introduced for officers of the General Staff, which greatly expanded their horizons in the practical direction. Leer's strategic eye and military instincts stand out in relief from his note, presented at the end of 1876, where he warned against sending too few forces to the war with Turkey and in parts and insisted on introducing a large number of troops at once - “for it is better to have too many troops than too little."

This note by General Leer, in terms of clarity of strategic thought and synthesis of presentation, left all the others far behind and was therefore not understood by our military bureaucrats: Count Milyutin considered it “insufficiently developed”, because Leer, setting out the very essence of the matter, neglected the little things that were addressed in the offices This is exactly what we were paying attention to. Leer's time can be considered a brilliant era of the academy and Russian military science in general. We can't help but mention Leer's editing " Military encyclopedia"in 8 volumes, usually called "Leer's". It replaced Zeddeler's outdated Lexicon (edition of 1859) and was an important conductor of military knowledge among the ranks of combat officers.

A significant figure was also the Chief of the General Staff, General Obruchev, with whose name all the somewhat positive military measures during this period should be associated: the construction of strategic roads, fortresses on the western border and, finally, a military convention with France. According to this convention, in the event of a war with the powers of the Triple Alliance, France pledged to field 1,300,000 people against Germany, Russia - 700 - 800 thousand, retaining both the choice of the main operational direction and freedom of action in relation to the rest of its armed forces. A significant drawback of this convention was the fact that, obliging Russia to provide indispensable assistance to France in case German attack, was completely silent about similar responsibilities of France in the event of a German attack on Russia. This almost proved fatal for both allies in 1914.

Alexander III had great sympathy and trust in Obruchev, despite the fact that Obruchev had a reputation as a “desperate liberal.” In 1863, holding the rank of captain and senior adjutant of the headquarters of the 2nd Guards Infantry Division, Obruchev demanded dismissal from his post when the division was moved to the Vilna district, “not wanting to participate in a fratricidal war.” The argumentation is more than dubious (“the riots of 1863 cannot be called a fratricidal war”), but showing enormous courage of character and independence of judgment - logically he would have to pay for this with his career. In 1877, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder flatly refused to allow Obruchev into the Danube Army, and he was sent to the Caucasus, where he provided valuable support to the Grand Duke Feldzeichmeister. After the fall of Plevna, Tsarevich Alexander Alexandrovich was supposed to take over the Western detachment and lead it beyond the Balkans. The Tsarevich stated that he agreed to this only if Obruchev was appointed chief of staff. Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich did not want to hear about Obruchev. Then the Tsarevich abandoned the Western detachment and allowed Gurko to reap the laurels of the Trans-Balkan campaign - he himself remained until the end of the war at the head of the Rushchuk detachment, which had lost its importance.

The unsuccessful leadership of the Military Department by General Vannovsky paralyzed, however, the creative work of individual figures. His heavy and imperious obscurantism turned the era that followed the Turkish War into an era of stagnation - and in this respect Vannovsky can easily be compared with Paskevich. The experience of the war of 1877-1878 was not used at all and was wasted. It only affected the little things.

War could not be studied strategically at all. The commander-in-chief was the august brother of the late Sovereign and uncle of the prosperously reigning Emperor. It was completely unthinkable to objectively analyze from the pulpit his deplorable leadership and the countless mistakes of the Main Apartment, as it could lead to undermining the prestige of the dynasty. The absurd war plan, sending troops piecemeal, not using already mobilized reserves - all this was the work of Count Milyutin, and Milyutin was once and for all agreed to be considered the “beneficent genius” of the Russian army. The professor of strategy was thus presented with an impossible task: at every step he came across “taboos” that he did not dare touch.

The professor of general tactics encountered no less difficulties. Kridener, Zotov, Krylov, Loris-Melikov - all these were honored adjutant generals; it was not proper to expose them to mistakes.

Therefore, in the studies of that war, the “critical” method - the only productive one - was replaced by the “epic” method, the descriptive one - a mechanical stringing of facts and figures, a presentation of events “without further ado.” The volumes of official research were full of unreadable texts of endless dispositions for countless “detachments”, painstaking counts of spent cartridges in each half-company, but we would look in vain in them for a guiding strategic thread, a clear formulation of tactical conclusions. Academy students in the 80s and 90s - future chiefs of military staff in Manchuria - were unable to glean anything or almost nothing from such defectively developed material, and the Russian army began a difficult war in the Far East, as if having no experience of the war after Sevastopol. How much they were in no hurry to develop this war can be seen from the fact that official description The campaigns of 1877-1878 were not completed in 1914.

Deprived of the “Ariadne thread,” Russian military thought tried to make its way in this dark and tangled labyrinth and in most cases took the wrong path. The halo of the bronze defenders of the Malakhov Kurgan was still bright, and to this glory was added the fresh glory of the staunch Shipka heroes. The meaning of war began to be seen in “fighting back”, “sit out”, not so much inflicting blows yourself, but in repelling the enemy’s blows, giving him the initiative. The meaning of the battle was believed to be the indispensable occupation of a position in which to fight back “to the last bullet,” allowing the enemy to “break his forehead” against this position. Passive strategy entailed passive tactics. These passive views did not outwardly have a particularly strong impact on the regulations, where Dragomir’s influence was felt, but they were firmly rooted in the subconscious of the majority of military leaders and commanders - in particular the “new formation” - led by Kuropatkin.

In the failure of our offensive actions near Plevna and the Turks of Suleiman at Shipka, they saw a convincing argument for preferring a defensive-waiting course of action. They did not realize, however, that in both of these cases the decisive factor was not so much the strength of the defense, albeit heroic, as the mediocre organization of the attack (in particular, in our case, the weakness of the shock unit with the hypertrophy of “reserves” and “screens” and the confusion of the “squad system” ). With good management, Suleiman’s 60 camps would have flown around and sunk 6 of our Shipka battalions, and if Skobelev, not Zotov, had commanded near Plevna, Osman would have said goodbye to his saber on August 31st. Whenever the Russian infantry had worthy commanders in front of it, and timely support behind it, it did not know of failed attacks. All this, however, was not recognized. The religion—or rather the heresy—of “reserves” and “barriers,” despite Leer’s efforts, was firmly rooted. The “squad system” became ingrained in flesh and blood, and the mysticism of positions defended on the spot “to the last drop of blood” captured the minds and hearts of the majority.

Others followed Dragomirov, whose courageous calls sounded like a trumpet. However, this one-sided and biased doctrine led at the first (and inevitable) misfire to a loss of faith in one’s own abilities.

* * *

The military district system contributedinconsistency in troop training. In different districts, troops were trained differently, depending on the views of the commanders of the troops. In the same district, the training system changed with each new commander. If this latter was an artilleryman, then he was interested only in his brigades, leaving the infantry and cavalry commanders to train the troops as they pleased. They appointed a sapper - and the passion for “grave digging” began: the construction of field fortifications, self-digging endlessly with complete disregard for everything else in the world. The sapper was replaced by a crimson edging - the “fortification” was immediately abolished, and all training was reduced to achieving an “extraordinary” percentage of hits at the shooting ranges. Finally, a representative of the Dragomirov school appeared and proclaimed that “the bullet is stupid, the bayonet is great!” And the thick chains, marching orderly under the drum, began to win brilliant and crushing victories over the designated enemy.

The favorite type of fire was firing in volleys - by platoon and by the entire company (however, the command “battalion, fire!” was far from uncommon). Volley fire was widely used in the Caucasian and Turkestan campaigns, and quite often in the past Turkish War. It produced an invariable effect on a brave, but disorganized and highly impressionable enemy, and it was cultivated all the more willingly because a friendly volley showed restraint and good training of the unit. The accuracy of such “decorative” fire was, of course, insignificant.

At the insistence of General Obruchev, large bilateral maneuvers began to be carried out periodically (approximately every two years), in which large masses of troops from various districts took part. In 1886, troops of the Warsaw and Vilna military districts maneuvered near Grodna, in 1888 near Elisavetgrad - troops of Odessa and the abolished Kharkov, in 1890 in Volyn - the Warsaw district against Kyiv (the latter involved up to 120,000 people and 450 guns).

In the early 90s, the rearmament of troops began store-bought rifles. Of the three samples presented in 1891, the 3-line rifle of the Colonel Mosin system (15) was approved. The routinists of military affairs, led by Dragomirov, fiercely rebelled against technical innovations, seeing in technology the “death of the spirit.” Vannovsky partly shared this regrettable sophistry, but only in relation to artillery - he was still enough to realize the urgent need to introduce magazines. This important event was carried out in 1893 - 1895 - first in the infantry, starting from the border districts, then in the cavalry (which received a lightweight and shortened “dragoon model” rifle). The Mosin 3-line rifle has proven itself brilliantly. Having a sight of 3200 steps, it was significantly superior in simplicity of design and ballistic qualities to the guns of all other European armies.

The question of introducing rapid-fire artillery remained open.

General Feldzeichmeister Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich failed to overcome the opposition of the routiners. At the same time, the wedge gun had to be replaced: we began to fall far behind the armies of our western neighbors and potential opponents. It was necessary to compromise and re-equip the artillery with a slow-firing piston cannon of the 1895 model, improved data in comparison with the previous light model (shot range - 3 versts with shrapnel and 6 versts with a grenade, with a projectile weight of 19.5 and 17 pounds, respectively, and a practical firing rate of 2 rounds per minute ). The caliber was adopted uniformly - 3.42 inches - and the division of batteries into battery and light was abolished. Thus, instead of a radical transformation, a partial and, moreover, very expensive amendment was undertaken, which was purely temporary. Sooner or later (and the sooner the better) it was still necessary to introduce a rapid-fire cannon - only now, instead of one rearmament, it was necessary to undertake two at once - with double costs.

As a result of the military reform, the regular army, formed on the basis of regular recruitment, was strengthened. The reorganization of the army began in 1698, when the Streltsy began to disband and regular regiments were created. A recruitment system was established, according to which the soldiers of the field army and garrison troops began to be recruited from the tax-paying classes, and the officer corps from the nobles. The decree of 1705 completed the formation of the “recruitment”. As a result, from 1699 to 1725, 53 recruitments into the army and navy were carried out (23 main and 30 additional). They gave more than 284 thousand people called up for lifelong military service. By 1708 the army had been increased to 52 regiments. The new report card of 1720 determined the army to include 51 infantry and 33 cavalry regiments, which by the end of Peter’s reign provided an army of 130,000 from 3 branches of the military - infantry, cavalry and artillery. Also, ok. 70 thousand were in the garrison troops, 6 thousand in the land militia (militia) and over 105 thousand in the Cossack and other irregular units. Since the 30s. heavy cavalry (cuirassiers) appears, which dealt a decisive blow to the enemy in battle. Cuirassiers were armed with long broadswords and carbines, and had protective equipment - metal cuirasses (armor) and helmets. Light cavalry - hussars and lancers - played a significant role.

Recruiting the army in the 18th century

Since 1703, a unified principle of recruiting soldiers for the army was introduced, which would exist in the Russian Army until 1874. Recruitment was announced irregularly by decrees of the tsar, depending on the needs of the army.

The initial training of recruits was carried out directly in the regiments, but from 1706 training was introduced at recruiting stations. The length of military service was not determined (for life). Those subject to conscription could nominate a replacement for themselves. Only those completely unfit for service were fired. Quite a significant number of soldiers were recruited into the army from among soldiers’ children, all of whom were sent to “cantonist” schools from an early age. From among them, the units received barbers, doctors, musicians, clerks, shoemakers, saddlers, tailors, blacksmiths, forges and other specialists.

The army was staffed with non-commissioned officers by promoting the most capable and efficient soldiers to non-commissioned officer ranks. Later, many non-commissioned officers attended cantonist schools.

The army was initially filled with officers for money (voluntary principle) from among foreign mercenaries, but after the defeat at Narva on November 19, 1700, Peter I introduced the forced recruitment of all young nobles into the guard as soldiers, who, after completing training, were released into the army as officers. The Guards regiments thus also played the role of officer training centers. The length of service of officers was also not determined. Refusal to serve as an officer entailed deprivation of the nobility. 90% of the officers were literate.

Since 1736, the service life of officers was limited to 25 years. In 1731, the first educational institution for training officers was opened - the Cadet Corps (however, for the training of artillery and engineering officers, the “School of the Pushkar Order” was opened back in 1701). Since 1737, it has been prohibited to produce illiterate officers as officers.

In 1761, Peter III issued a Decree “On the Liberty of the Nobility.” Nobles are exempt from compulsory military service. They can choose military or civilian service at their discretion. From this moment on, the recruitment of officers into the army becomes purely voluntary.

In 1766, a document was published that streamlined the army recruitment system. It was “The General Institution on the collection of recruits in the state and on the procedures that should be followed during recruitment.” Recruitment, in addition to serfs and state peasants, was extended to merchants, courtyard people, yasak, black sowing, clergy, foreigners, and persons assigned to state-owned factories. Only artisans and merchants were allowed to make a cash contribution instead of a recruit. The age of the recruits was set from 17 to 35 years old, height not lower than 159 cm.

The nobles entered the regiments as privates and after 1-3 years received the ranks of non-commissioned officers, and then when vacancies opened (vacant officer positions) they received the ranks of officers. Under Catherine II, abuses in this area flourished. The nobles immediately enrolled their sons in the regiments as privates upon birth, received leave for them “for education,” and by the age of 14-16 the minors received officer ranks. The quality of the officer corps has sharply declined. For example, for 3.5 thousand privates in the Preobrazhensky regiment there were 6 thousand non-commissioned officers, of whom no more than 100 were actually in service. Since 1770, under guards regiments created cadet classes to train officers from among the young nobles who actually served.

After ascending the throne, Paul I decisively and cruelly broke the vicious practice of fake service for noble children.

Since 1797, only graduates of cadet classes and schools, and non-commissioned officers from the nobility who had served for at least three years, could be promoted to officer. Non-commissioned officers from the nobility could receive officer rank after 12 years of service.

Numerous instructions were prepared for the training of soldiers and officers: “Leading in battle”, “Rules for military battle”, “Military Charter” was published (1698), summarizing 15 years of experience in continuous armed struggle. For training officers in 1698-1699. A bombardment school was founded at the Preobrazhensky Regiment, and at the beginning of the new century, mathematical, navigation (naval), artillery, engineering, foreign languages ​​and surgical schools were created. In the 20s 50 garrison schools operated to train non-commissioned officers. In order to learn military skills, nobles practiced internships abroad. At the same time, the government refused to hire foreign military specialists.

Active construction of the navy was underway. The fleet was built in both the south and north of the country. In 1708, the first 28-gun frigate in the Baltic was launched, and 20 years later the Russian fleet in the Baltic Sea was the most powerful: 32 battleships(from 50 to 96 guns), 16 frigates, 8 shnafs, 85 galleys and other small ships. Recruitment into the navy was carried out from recruits (since 1705). For training in maritime affairs, instructions were drawn up: “Ship Article”, “Instructions and Articles, Military for the Russian Fleet”, “Marine Charter” and, finally, “Admiralty Regulations” (1722). In 1715, the Naval Academy was opened in St. Petersburg, training naval officers. In 1716, officer training began through the midshipman company.

In 1762, the General Staff was organized. The army creates permanent formations: divisions and corps, which included all types of troops and could independently solve various tactical tasks. The main branch of the army was infantry. It was divided into a linear one, which operated in columns and delivered a bayonet strike to the enemy, and a light one - the Jaeger one. Jaegers were used to encircle and bypass the enemy and cover their flanks, and were armed with rifles, daggers and knives. They fought in loose formation and conducted aimed fire. In the 2nd half. XVIII century The troops received more advanced smoothbore percussion flintlock and rifled (“screw”) guns, which were used by the rangers. New artillery systems and howitzer guns - unicorns - are being created.

The number and proportion of cavalry in the troops increased. The ratio of infantry and cavalry was approximately this: one cavalry regiment to two infantry regiments. The bulk of the cavalry were dragoons.

In con. centuries Baltic Fleet had 320 sailing and rowing ships of various classes, and the Black Sea consisted of 114 warships.

Recruiting the army in the 19th century

In the first half of the 19th century, the army recruitment system did not undergo significant changes. In 1802, the 73rd recruitment was carried out at the rate of two recruits from 500 people. Depending on the needs of the army, there may be no recruitment at all per year, or maybe two recruitments per year. For example, in 1804 the recruitment was one person per 500, and in 1806, five people per 500.

In the face of the danger of a large-scale war with Napoleon, the government resorted to a previously unused method of forced recruitment (now called mobilization). On November 30, 1806, the manifesto “On the Formation of the Militia” was published. With this manifesto, the landowners exposed the maximum possible number of their serfs capable of bearing arms. But these people remained in the possession of the landowners, and after the dissolution of the police in 1807, the warriors returned to the landowners. More than 612 thousand people were recruited into the police. This was the first successful experience of mobilization in Russia.

Since 1806, reserve recruit depots have been created in which recruits were trained. They were sent to the regiments as the regiments needed replenishment. Thus, it was possible to ensure the constant combat effectiveness of the regiments. Previously, after battles and losses suffered, the regiment dropped out of the active army for a long time (until it received and trained new recruits).

Planned recruitments were carried out in November of each year.

1812 required three recruitments, with the total number of recruits being 20 from 500.

In July 1812, the government carried out the second mobilization in this century - the manifesto “On the collection of the zemstvo militia.” The number of militia warriors was about 300 thousand people. The warriors were commanded either by the landowners themselves or by retired officers. A number of large aristocrats formed several regiments from their serfs at their own expense and transferred them to the army. Some of these regiments were later assigned to the army. The most famous are the cavalry squadron of V.P. Skarzhinsky, the Cossack regiment of Count M.A. Dmitriev-Mamonov, the hussar regiment of Count P.I. Saltykov (later the Irkutsk Hussar Regiment), and the battalion of Grand Duchess Ekaterina Pavlovna.

In addition, there were special units that in the first half of the 19th century were not included in the army, but participated in all the wars waged by Russia. These were Cossacks - Cossack units. The Cossacks were in a special way compulsory principle of recruiting the armed forces. The Cossacks were not serfs or state peasants. They were free people, but in exchange for their freedom they supplied the country with a certain number of ready-made, armed cavalry units. The Cossack lands themselves determined the order and methods of recruiting soldiers and officers. They armed and trained these units at their own expense. The Cossack units were highly trained and combat efficient. In peacetime, Cossacks carried out border service in their places of residence. They closed the border very efficiently. The Cossack system would continue until 1917.

Recruitment of officers. By 1801, for the training of officers there were three cadet corps, the Corps of Pages, the Imperial Military Orphanage, and the Gapanem Topographical Corps. (The navy, artillery, and engineering troops had their own educational institutions since the beginning of the 18th century).

Since 1807, noblemen 16 years of age and older were allowed to enter regiments as non-commissioned officers to train as officers (called cadets), or to complete the senior classes of cadet corps. In 1810, a training regiment of the Nobles was created to train young nobles as officers.

After the end of the war and the foreign campaign, recruitment was carried out only in 1818. There was no recruitment in 1821-23. During this period, up to several thousand people were recruited into the army by capturing vagabonds, runaway serfs, and criminals.

In 1817, the network of military educational institutions for training officers expanded. The Tula Alexander Noble School began to train officers, and the Smolensk Cadet Corps opened. In 1823, the School of Guards Ensigns was opened at the Guards Corps. Then similar schools were opened at army headquarters.

Since 1827, Jews began to be recruited into the army as soldiers. At the same time, a new charter of conscription was issued.

Since 1831, conscription was extended to the children of priests who did not follow the spiritual line (that is, who did not study in theological seminaries).

The new Recruitment Charter significantly streamlined the recruiting system. According to this charter, all taxable estates (categories of the population obliged to pay taxes) were rewritten and divided into thousandth plots (the territory where a thousand people of the taxable estate live). Recruits were now taken in an orderly manner from the sites. Some wealthy classes were exempt from fielding a recruit, but paid a thousand rubles instead of a recruit. A number of regions of the country were exempted from conscription duties. For example, the region of the Cossack troops, the Arkhangelsk province, a strip of one hundred miles along the borders with Austria and Prussia. The recruitment deadlines were determined from November 1 to December 31. The requirements for height (2 arshins 3 inches), age (from 20 to 35 years), and health status were specifically specified.

In 1833, instead of general recruitment, private ones began to be practiced, i.e. recruitment of recruits is not uniformly from the entire territory, but from individual provinces. In 1834, a system of indefinite leave for soldiers was introduced. After 20 years of service, a soldier could be discharged on indefinite leave, but if necessary (usually in the event of war) could be recruited into the army again. In 1851, the period of compulsory service for soldiers was set at 15 years. Officers were also allowed indefinite leave after 8 years of service in the chief officer ranks or 3 years in the staff officer ranks. In 1854, the recruitment was divided into three types: ordinary (age 22-35, height not less than 2 arshins 4 inches), reinforced (age not determined, height not less than 2 arshins 3.5 inches), extraordinary (height not less than 2 arshins 3 top). A fairly significant influx of quality soldiers into the army was provided by the so-called “cantonists”, i.e. children of soldiers who were sent to study in cantonist schools from an early age. In 1827, the cantonist schools were transformed into half-companies, companies and battalions of cantonists. In them, cantonists studied literacy and military affairs, and upon reaching conscription age they were sent to the army as musicians, shoemakers, paramedics, tailors, clerks, gunsmiths, barbers, and treasurers. A significant part of the cantonists were sent to training carabinieri regiments and, after graduation, became excellent non-commissioned officers. The authority of the schools of military cantonists became so high that the children of poor nobles and chief officers often enrolled in them.

After 1827, the bulk of non-commissioned officers were recruited from training carabinieri regiments, i.e. The quality of non-commissioned officers steadily increased. Things got to the point that the best of the non-commissioned officers were sent to officer schools, the Noble Regiment, and cadet corps as teachers of combat and physical training, and shooting. In 1830, 6 more cadet corps were opened to train officers. In 1832, the Military Academy was opened for officers to receive higher education (artillery and engineering officers received higher military education in their two academies, opened much earlier). In 1854, it was allowed to admit young nobles into regiments as volunteers (with the rights of cadets), who, after training directly in the regiment, received officer ranks. This order was established only for wartime.

In 1859, it was allowed to release soldiers on indefinite leave (what is now called “discharge”) after 12 years of service.

In 1856, the military cantonist system was abolished. Children of soldiers were freed from a previously obligatory military future. Since 1863, the age of recruits was limited to 30 years. Since 1871, a system of long-term servicemen was introduced. Those. A non-commissioned officer, after completing a mandatory service period of 15 years, could remain to serve beyond this period, for which he received a number of benefits and increased pay.

In 1874, the conscription obligation, which had existed for almost two centuries, was abolished. A new method of recruiting an army is being introduced - universal conscription.

All young men who turned 20 by January 1 were subject to conscription into the army. The conscription began in November of each year. Priests and doctors were exempted from military service, and a deferment of up to 28 years was given to persons undergoing training in educational institutions. The number of those subject to conscription in those years far exceeded the needs of the army, and therefore everyone who was not exempt from service drew lots. Those who were drawn by lot (about one in five) went to serve. The rest were enlisted in the militia and were subject to conscription in wartime or when necessary. They were in the militia until they were 40 years old.

The period of military service was set at 6 years plus 9 years in reserve (they could be called up if necessary or in wartime). In Turkestan, Transbaikalia and the Far East, the service life was 7 years, plus three years in reserve. By 1881, the period of active military service was reduced to 5 years. Volunteers could join the regiment from the age of 17.

Since 1868, a network of cadet schools has been deployed. Cadet corps are being transformed into military gymnasiums and pro-gymnasiums. They lose the right to produce their graduates as officers and become preparatory educational institutions, preparing young people for entry into cadet schools. Later they were renamed again into cadet corps, but their status did not change. By 1881, all newly recruited officers had a military education.

The military reform of 1874 was designed to reduce the size of the army and at the same time increase its combat effectiveness. On January 1, 1874, universal conscription was established. All men who had reached the age of 21 were involved in the service, no matter what class they belonged to. The required number of conscripts (approx. 20%) were selected by lot, the rest were enlisted in the militia (in case of war). The service life was determined - 6 years and after that 9 years in reserve (fleet 7 years and 3 years). Servants of religious worship, doctors, teachers, and representatives of nations were exempt from military service Central Asia and Kazakhstan, the Far North and the Far East. Benefits were provided to conscripts with education: higher education - 6 months, gymnasiums - 1.5 years, city schools - 3 years, primary schools - 4 years. This made it possible to reduce the number of personnel in the army in peacetime.

The system of higher military education has not undergone major changes. Curricula and programs were partially changed to make military training more practical. Two new academies were opened: Military Legal and Naval (by the end of the century there were only 6 academies. The number of students in them was 850). The secondary military school underwent reorganization. Instead of children's buildings, military gymnasiums were created, which provided general secondary education and prepared for entry into military schools and pro-gymnasiums with a 4-year period of study in preparation for entry into cadet schools. The duration of training in military schools was determined to be 3 years. The schools trained officers for infantry and cavalry and provided them with the knowledge necessary to command a regiment. Junker schools were intended to train officers from persons who did not have a general secondary education, from the lower ranks of the army, who came from noble and chief officer families. To train technical specialists, they created special schools. Representatives of other classes had limited access to military educational institutions, but nobles made up 75% of the students there. In 1882, military gymnasiums were liquidated and the Cadet Corps were restored as closed educational institutions for the nobility.

The country's armed forces were divided into standing troops (cadre army, reserve, Cossack regiments, “foreign” units) and the militia, where they were enrolled after being released from military service and having served their due term.

A Central Directorate was created - the Ministry of War, which included the Military Council, the Chancellery, and the General Staff. Main Directorate: quartermaster, artillery, engineering, medical, judicial, educational institutions and Cossack troops. The territory of Russia was divided into 15 military districts, which provided for: Commander, Military Council, headquarters, departments. This ensured operational control of troops and rapid deployment of the army.

In 1891, the 5-round magazine rifle (7.62 mm) of S.I. Mosin, which had high combat qualities, was adopted into service in the army. Artillery is armed with steel rifled guns loaded from the breech. Inventor V.S. Baranevsky creates a 76 mm rapid-fire field gun.

The transition to an armored fleet is underway.

Military reforms of the 60-70s. had progressive significance, they increased the combat effectiveness of the Russian army, which was confirmed by the Russian-Turkish war, in which Russia won.

In the Russian state, starting from the 30s of the 17th century. Attempts were made to create a more advanced military system. Archers and local cavalry were no longer reliable means of strengthening borders.

The regular Russian army arose under Emperor Peter I (1682-1725).

His Decree “On the admission to service as soldiers from all kinds of free people” (1699) marked the beginning of recruitment into the new army. In the Decree of February 20, 1705, the term “recruit” was mentioned for the first time, the service life of which was established by Peter I - “as long as strength and health allow.” The recruiting system firmly established the class principle of army organization: soldiers were recruited from peasants and other tax-paying layers of the population, and officers were recruited from nobles.

Each rural or petty-bourgeois community was obliged to provide the army with a man aged 20 to 35 from a certain number (usually 20) of households.

In 1732, the favorite of Empress Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740) was B.Kh. Minich (President of the Military Collegium) approved the recruitment of recruits aged 15 to 30 by lot.

Lifetime service was replaced by 10 years; moreover, peasant military personnel could be promoted to officers, i.e. become a nobleman. In addition, in 1736, an order was issued allowing the only sons in the family not to serve in the army, and one of the brothers to avoid conscription.

In 1762, Emperor Peter III (1761-1762) established the period of military service at 25 years.

In 1808-1815

Under Emperor Alexander I (1801-1825), military settlements were organized - special volosts inhabited by state peasants, who were transferred to the category of military villagers. Soldier regiments were settled here, their families were assigned to the soldiers, and the soldiers were married (often not by their choice). Military villagers served lifelong military service and performed agricultural work to support themselves.

shaved into the tsarist army for 25 years

All boys from the age of 7 became cantonists, dressed in uniform and carried out both soldier and peasant service for life. The State Archive of the Chuvash Republic contains books on the registration of cantonists. In the 50s of the 19th century. settlers, cantonists, dismissed from the military department, were included in rural societies of state and appanage peasants, as evidenced by audit tales and other documents.

Since 1834, under Emperor Nicholas I (1825-1855), soldiers were sent on indefinite leave (“reserve”) after 20 years of service.

From 1839 to 1859, service life was reduced from 19 to 12 years, age limit recruit - from 35 to 30 years old.

From the formal (conscription) list of the Cheboksary district presence for 1854:

Mikhailo Vasiliev (Note: this recruit entered the hunt for his brother Kozma Vasilyev), age - 20 years, height - 2 arshins 3 inches, features: dark brown hair and eyebrows, blue eyes, ordinary nose and mouth, round chin, In general, the face is pockmarked. Special features: there is a spot on the right side of the back due to illness. From what class was he admitted, according to what set: Kazan province, Cheboksary district, Sundyr volost, village.

Bolshaya Akkozina, from the state peasants, according to the 11th private set, Orthodox, single. He doesn’t know how to read, write or have any skills.

719. Vasily Fedorov, age 21/2 years, height - 2 arshins 5 vershoks, features: hair on the head and eyebrows - black, eyes brown, nose - wide-sharp, mouth - ordinary, chin - round, generally clean face. Special features: a birthmark on the lower back. From what class was he admitted, according to what set: Kazan province, Cheboksary district, Lipovskaya volost, village.

Bagildina, from state peasants, according to the 11th private set, Orthodox, married to Elena Vasilyeva, no children. He doesn’t know how to read, write or have any skills.

In the family recruitment list of the Cheboksary district of the Alymkasinsky volost of the Alymkasinsky rural society for 1859, there is information about the entry of peasants into recruits since 1828, there is no data on the return of recruits.

The latest changes in terms of service are associated with the head of the War Ministry D.A. Milyutin (1861-1881), who in 1873

carried out the reform. As a result, on January 1, 1874, the conscription system was replaced by universal conscription. The entire male population who had reached the age of 20, without distinction of class, served directly in the ranks for 6 years and was in the reserve for 9 years (for the navy - 7 years of active service and 3 years in the reserve).

Those who served their terms of active service and in the reserve were enlisted in the militia, in which they remained for up to 40 years. The following were exempted from active service: the only son, the only breadwinner in the family with young brothers and sisters, conscripts whose older brother is serving or has served his term of active service.

The rest fit for service, who did not have benefits, drew lots. All fit for service, incl. and beneficiaries were enlisted in the reserves, and after 15 years - in the militia. Deferments were given for 2 years based on property status. The duration of active military service was reduced depending on the educational qualification: up to 4 years for those who graduated from primary school, up to 3 years for city school, up to one and a half years for those with higher education.

If a person who received an education entered active service voluntarily (“volunteer”), the service period was halved.

During the service, soldiers were taught to read and write. The clergy were exempt from military service.

From the draft list. Yandashevo, Alymkasinsk volost, Cheboksary district for 1881:

... D. Chodina

No. 2. Nikita Yakimov, b. May 24, 1860, marital status: sister Ekaterina, 12 years old, wife Oksinya Yakovleva, 20 years old.

Decision of the Presence on military service: “Has first-class benefits as the only employee in the family.

Enlist in the militia";

village Oldeevo - Izeevo

No. 1. Ivan Petrov, b. January 4, 1860, marital status: mother - widow, 55 years old, sisters: Varvara, 23 years old, Praskovya, 12 years old, wife Ogafya Isaeva, 25 years old.

Decision of the Presence on military service: “A first-class benefit was given as the only worker in the family with a widowed mother.

Enlisted in the militia."

From the report of the assistant foreman of the Alymkasinsky volost administration to the Cheboksary district police officer dated August 17, 1881: “... in the village. Yurakovo is a now retired soldier Porfiry Fedorov, a musician of the choir of the 66th Butyrsky Infantry Regiment, who entered military service on December 16, 1876, due to weakness, he was enrolled in the Arzamas reserve battalion, in which he took part in the Turkish War...”

Under the Minister of War P.S.

Vannovsky (1882-1898), according to the new military regulations of 1888, new reductions in service life took place: 4 years in the foot forces, 5 years in the cavalry and engineering troops. The service life in the reserve increased from 9 to 18 years. Those fit for service were listed in the militia until the age of 43, the conscription age for active service increased from 20 to 21 years, the service life for persons who graduated from secondary and higher educational institutions, as well as for volunteers, increased by 2-4 times.

From the draft list of the Ishley-Sharbashevsky society of the Syundyr volost of the Kozmodemyansky district for 1892:

Markov Lavrenty Markovich, b. August 4, 1871 Marital status: brother Nikolai, 11 years old, sister Daria, 16 years old.

Decision of the Presence on military service: “He has the right to the first category benefit under Article 45.

as the only capable brother with a brother and sister who are orphans... Enlist as a warrior of the 2nd category in the militia.”

Nikolaev Philip Nikolaevich, b. November 2, 1871 Marital status: father Nikolai Fedorov, 45 years old, mother Agrafena Stepanova, 40 years old, brothers: Peter, 17 years old, Ivan, 13 years old, Kuzma, 10 ½ years old, Nikifor, 6 years old.

Decision of the Presence: “He has the right to a second category benefit under Article 45. as the only son capable of working with a capable father and brothers under 18 years of age. Enlist as a warrior of the 1st category in the militia.”

From the conscription list of the Syundyr volost for 1895:

Elakov Roman Evdokimovich, b. November 12, 1873 Marital status: father Evdokim Ivanov, 50 years old, mother Nastasya Petrova, 45 years old, siblings: Grigory, 23 years old, entered the draft in 1892 and is in the service, Philip, 18 years old, sisters: Nadezhda, 15 years old, Tatyana, 12 years old; Orthodox, single, by education belongs to the fourth category (certificate of the Kozmodemyansk district school council dated August 17, 1888), drawn lot number No. 230, height 1.7 1 , is entitled to third-class benefits as immediately next in age to a brother in active service.

Solution: enlist in the militia, 1st category warrior.

The last change in the length of service in the tsarist army occurred in 1906: in the infantry they began to serve for 3 years, in the rest of the troops - 4 years.

Military conscription in Tsarist Russia - who was taken into the army and for how long

Although, according to the “Charter on Universal Military Conscription” in Imperial Russia All 21-year-olds were drafted into the army, with the exception of clergy of all religions, but not everyone completed military service. Since there were more conscripts each year than were required, conscripts were selected by lot in the order of the number that fell to each.

In addition, only sons, eldest sons and necessary workers in the family were exempt from military service.

Educational benefits were given - deferment of conscription and reduction of service life to 1 year instead of the normal 3.5 years.

How long did you serve in the tsarist army, what was the length of service before?

Having a 6th grade education high school and above served military service as “volunteers”. Having refused the lot, they served for a year (from higher education 9 months), with the obligation to pass the exam for the rank of reserve officer. This also applied to Jews, with the only difference being that they did not receive officer rank.

All teachers were exempt from military service.

The Imperial Army was a means of educating the people.

The soldier was required to learn to read and write, acquire good manners, cultivate himself and assimilate the concept of duty.

source: , July 1983

Additionally:

MILITARY SERVICE

Muscovy, Russian Empire, Russian Historical Dictionary, Terms, Specific (Horde) Rus'

MILITARY SERVICE, established by Russian law, is the obligation of men to perform military service in defense of the Motherland.

Certificate of attendance for military service, 1884

IN Ancient Rus' to k.

XV century Conscription was carried out mainly in the form of people's militia. In subsequent centuries, the main place was occupied by the militias of small and medium-sized landowners (nobles), who received estates and money for military service.

The regiments of the “new order” created in the 1630-50s, which gradually replaced the noble militia, from the 1640s were staffed by a forced recruitment of datochny people, for whom from the present day. 1650s military service became lifelong.

“Army of the Russian Empire: composition, officer salaries, allowance standards”

In the period 1699-1705, a system of conscription military service developed, formalized by the decree of 1705 and the “Articles given to the stewards on the collection of Danish soldiers or recruits” attached to it.

Military service remained lifelong and permanent for soldiers, while the service of the nobility was limited to 25 years in 1732, and in 1762 they were completely exempted from military service. According to the Recruitment Regulations of 1831, all peasants, philistines and soldiers' children served military service. The service life of soldiers in 1793 was reduced to 25 years, in 1834 - to 20, after the Crimean War of 1853-56 - to 12 and by 1874 - to 7 years.

Since 1854, a “draw of lots” was introduced (the conscription queue number was drawn by lot) of three categories according to marital status. At the same time, paid substitution was widely allowed, and then redemption from military service, for which the government issued “credit” and “redemption” receipts. With publication 1 Jan. 1874 of the Charter on Military Service, which introduced universal military service, replacement and redemption were abolished, but exemptions, benefits and deferments were established for physical condition, marital status, education, rank, occupation, property status and, finally, nationality(“foreigners”); In this way, at least 10% of conscripts were legally exempted from military service.

The Charter of 1874 established the conscription age at 21 years, consolidated the existing system of drawing lots, and determined the total service life at 15 years, of which active service - 6 (in the navy 7) and in the reserve - 9 years. In 1876, the period of active military service was reduced to 5 years, in 1878 - to 4 and in 1905 - to 3. Russia entered the First World War with the following principles of military service: conscription age - 20 years (by January 1 of the year of conscription), total service life - 23 years (age limit 43 years); active service in the infantry and foot artillery - 3 years, in other branches of the military - 4 years; in the reserve - 15 (13) years, the remaining 4-5 years - in the 1st category militia (to replenish the wartime field army), where, in addition to old soldiers, all surplus annual conscripts fit for service were enlisted for 23 years; the 2nd category militia (auxiliary and rear units during wartime) enrolled for the same period the surplus of those limitedly fit for military service and released due to marital status.

Military reform: changing the system of military administration, recruitment and support of the Armed Forces. Charter on military service of 1874. Military judicial reform of 1867.

Improve officer training

Re-equip the army with modern weapons

Improve the military management system

Eliminate the gap between the Russian army and Western European

Create an army with trained reserves

The reason for the introduction of this reform was the defeat of the Russian Empire in the Crimean War.

Main provisions of the reform:

15 military districts established to improve army management

The network of military educational institutions for training officers has been expanded (academies, military gymnasiums, cadet schools)

New military regulations were introduced

Rearmament of the army and navy was carried out

Abolition of corporal punishment

And in 1874, the recruitment system was abolished, and universal (all-class) military service was introduced.

The following terms of service in the army were established: in the infantry - 6 years, in the navy - 7, 9 years in the reserve, for those who graduated from district schools - 3 years, for those who graduated from gymnasiums - 1.5 years, for those who graduated from universities - 6 months, i.e.

e. The length of service depended on education.

Military service began at the age of 20. The following were not called up for military service: the only son in the family, the breadwinner, the clergy, the peoples of the North, Wed. Asia, part of the Caucasus and Siberia

The first Russian revolution of 1905-1907: its prerequisites and main stages.

Creation of Soviets as bodies of revolutionary power.

The Highest Manifesto on Improvement public order(October Manifesto)

Legislative act of the Supreme Power of the Russian Empire, promulgated on October 17 (30), 1905.

It was developed by Sergei Witte on behalf of Emperor Nicholas II in connection with the ongoing “turmoil”. In October, a strike began in Moscow, which spread throughout the country and grew into the All-Russian October political strike.

On October 12-18, over 2 million people went on strike in various industries. This general strike and, above all, the strike of railway workers, forced the emperor to make concessions.

First of all, the Manifesto of October 17, 1905 outlined the fundamental rights and freedoms of man and citizen, which were discussed in more detail in
Code of Basic State Laws. This was a significant step towards the development of the principles of constitutionalism in the country.

In addition, the Manifesto reflects the foundations of the state structure, the foundations of the formation and activities of the State Duma and
Governments, which also received their development in the Code.

The code, in turn, covered a wider range of issues.

In addition to these issues, this normative legal act reflects such important issues as the issue of state power, legislative initiative and the legislative process as a whole, the position of this Code in the legislative system that existed at that time, and much more.

Basic state laws of the Russian Empire as amended on April 23, 1906: form of government, legislative procedure, rights and obligations of subjects

A few days before the opening of the first Duma, on April 23, 1906, Nicholas II approved the text of the edition of the Basic State Laws of the Russian Empire.

Such haste was associated with the desire to prevent their discussion in the Duma, so that the latter would not turn into constituent Assembly. The fundamental laws of 1906 consolidated the state structure of the Russian Empire, the state language, the essence supreme power, legislative procedure, principles of organization and activities of central government institutions, rights and obligations of Russian citizens, position Orthodox Church and etc.

The first chapter of the basic laws revealed the essence of the “supreme autocratic power”.

Until the last moment, Nicholas II resisted removing from the text the provision on the unlimited power of the monarch in Russia. In the final edition, the article on the scope of royal power was formulated as follows: “ The All-Russian Emperor owns the Supreme Autocratic power…» From now on, the Russian emperor had to share legislative power with the Duma and the State Council.

However, the prerogatives of the monarch remained very broad: he owned “ initiative on all subjects of legislation"(only on his initiative could the Basic State Laws be revised), he approved laws, appointed and dismissed senior dignitaries, led foreign policy, proclaimed " sovereign leader of the Russian army and navy,” was endowed with the exclusive right to mint coins, war was declared in his name, peace was concluded, and legal proceedings were carried out.

The ninth chapter, which established the procedure for the adoption of laws, determined that “ no new law can follow without approval State Council and the State Duma and accept force without approval by the Sovereign Emperor.”

Bills that were not passed by both houses were considered rejected. Bills rejected by one of the chambers could be reintroduced for its consideration only with the permission of the emperor.

Bills not approved by the emperor could be considered again no earlier than the next session.

Basic state laws laid the foundations for a new political system, which later became known as the June Third monarchy.

The main state laws of 1906 were the constitution. They were considered as such by both government officials and liberal historians of state law.

Thus, we can conclude that a dualistic monarchy has been established in Russia.

A characteristic feature of this form in Russia was the incomplete separation of powers, which gave rise to a synthesis of elements of absolute and constitutional monarchy, with a clear predominance of the former.

State Duma

The system of representative institutions was introduced in Russia by a number of state acts, starting with the Manifesto of August 6, 1905.

and ending with “Basic state. laws” April 23, 1906. According to the original draft (August 6, 1905), the State Duma was intended to be a “legislative institution” elected on the basis of qualification representation from three curiae.

The aggravation of the political situation soon required a revision of the project.

On December 11, 1905, after the defeat of the armed uprising in Moscow, a decree “On changing the regulations on elections to the State Duma” was issued, cat. The circle of voters is significantly expanding.

Almost the entire male population of the country over the age of 25, except for soldiers, students, day laborers and some nomads, received voting rights. The right to vote was not direct and remained unequal for voters of different categories (curiae).

Deputies were elected by electoral assemblies consisting of electors from each province and a number of large cities.

Electors were chosen by four separate curiae of voters: landowners, city dwellers, peasants and workers.

State Duma in the period from 1905–1907. was a representative body of power that for the first time limited the monarchy in Russia.

The reasons for the formation of the Duma were: the revolution of 1905–1907, which arose after Bloody Sunday, and general popular unrest in the country.

The procedure for the formation and establishment of the Duma was established by the Manifesto on the establishment of the State Duma.

The State Duma was supposed to work together with the Council of Ministers.

Universal conscription in Russia in 1913.

The Council of Ministers was a permanent highest government institution headed by a chairman.

The Council of Ministers headed all departments on issues of legislation and higher government. management, i.e. he to some extent limited the activities of the State. Duma.

Basic principles of work of the State. Dumas:

1. freedom of conscience;

2. participation in elections by broad sections of the population;

3. mandatory approval by the Duma of all laws issued.

All men over 25 years of age had active voting rights to the State Duma (with the exception of military personnel, students, day laborers and nomads).

The State Institution came out. Duma.

The competence of the Duma on the Establishment: development of laws, their discussion, approval of the country's budget. All bills passed by the Duma had to be approved by the Senate, and later by the Emperor. The Duma did not have the right to consider issues beyond its competence, for example, issues of state payments.

debts and loans to the Ministry of the Household, as well as for state. loans.

Term of office State. Duma - 5 years.

The State Duma was bicameral: the upper house was the State Duma. council (it was headed by a chairman and vice-chairman, appointed by the emperor annually); lower house - representatives from the population.

During the period 1905–1907.

3 different Dumas were convened. compositions. The First Duma lasted 72 days. It was the most liberal-minded, because its convening was a consequence revolutionary movement in Russia, there were no representatives from the monarchist movement.

After the dissolution of the Third Duma (when popular uprisings were suppressed by the tsarist army), significant changes were made to the laws on the State. Duma, for example:

2. the number of representatives from Poland, the Caucasus and Central Asia was limited.

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Description of the presentation by individual slides:

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Slide no. 2

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GROUND FORCES The Armed Forces of the Russian Empire - the regular army and navy, as well as irregular troops (Cossacks), created by the first Russian Emperor Peter I. Initially, the Armed Forces of the Russian Empire were formed on the basis of conscription (compulsory service for nobles was also maintained until the mid-18th century),

Slide no. 3

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Until the middle of the 19th century, there were no particularly serious changes in the structure of the armed forces. In the second half of the 18th century, huntsmen appeared in the infantry, and cuirassiers and hussars appeared in the cavalry. Flintlock guns of the 1753 model were adopted. By 1853, the size of the army was about 31 thousand command personnel, 911 thousand regular soldiers, 250 thousand irregular troops.

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ARMED FORCES The Armed Forces (ground - Army) were divided into field (army branches - infantry, cavalry, artillery, engineering troops), local (garrison troops and land militia) and irregular (Cossacks, Kalmyks and some other steppe peoples) troops. In 1722, a system of ranks (ranks) was introduced - the Table of Ranks, the “gens” and “types” (in the modern sense) of the armed forces were determined (singled out): ground forces, guards troops, artillery troops and the navy.

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Slide no. 6

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Russian infantry during the Patriotic War of 1812 was divided into line (or heavy), light, naval and garrison. The line infantry (L-guards Preobrazhensky, Semenovsky, Izmailovsky, Litovsky, grenadier and infantry regiments) were dressed in dark green double-breasted closed uniforms with tails and a stand-up collar. In l-guards. The Lithuanian regiment's uniforms had red lapels. In the remaining regiments, the uniforms were fastened with six rows of buttons. The coattails were trimmed with red instrument cloth. The collars and cuffs of uniforms in the infantry and grenadier regiments were made of red instrument cloth.

Slide no. 7

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The main weapon of the infantry soldier was a smoothbore flintlock rifle with a triangular bayonet and a red shoulder strap. There was no single model of guns; in one regiment there could be up to forty calibers of weapons. The problem of supplying soldiers with appropriate ammunition was solved simply: each soldier cast round lead bullets for himself, fortunately this could be done right at the stake, and equipped himself with paper cartridges. For cartridges, bullets, gunpowder, as well as gun accessories, there was a bag made of black hard leather with a copper plaque (coat of arms) on the lid, which was worn at the back on a bleached belt over the left shoulder. On his left side, the soldier wore a half-saber (cleaver) in a brown leather sheath. The hilt and scabbard frame were made of yellow copper. The half-saber hung from a bleached leather sword belt over his right shoulder. The bayonet sheath tilted on the same sword belt. A lanyard was attached to the hilt. By the color of the lanyard, one could determine whether a soldier belonged to a particular company. The warrior's personal belongings were placed in a leather backpack. During the warm season, while camping, the overcoats were rolled up into a roller (roller), and this roller was worn over the shoulder. In this case, the backpack was put on over the roll. Some of the small things were worn behind the lining of the shako.

Slide no. 8

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1. Battalion drummer of the Life Guards Semenovsky Regiment (musician of non-commissioned officer rank); 2. Flute player of the Oryol Infantry Regiment. The positions of musicians were often filled by teenagers, the sons of soldiers. 3. Company drummer of the Oryol Infantry Regiment. 4. Horn player of the 1st Jaeger Regiment. Musician of non-commissioned officer rank.

Slide no. 9

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Internal guard is a branch of the military that existed in Russia from 1811 to 1864 for guard and escort duty. In addition to general military duties The Internal Guard was also entrusted with special duties in relation to the provincial authorities. The rank and file of the Inner Guard wore gray uniforms with yellow collars and cuffs and gray trousers with cuffs, gray lapels with red piping. Instrument metal - white. Shako - like in garrison regiments. Non-commissioned officers were uniformed in the same way as privates. There was silver braid on the collar and cuffs of their uniform. Non-commissioned officers were uniformed in the same way as privates. There was silver braid on the collar and cuffs of their uniform. The difference between the uniforms of the officers of the Internal Guard were dark green uniforms and flaps on the cuffs: the first battalions or half-battalions in each brigade had dark green ones; the second ones are dark green with yellow edging, the third ones are yellow.

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RUSSIAN CAVALRY HEAD OFFICER OF THE LIFE GUARDS HORSE REGIMENT. The Life Guards Horse Regiment was formed in 1730. During the Patriotic War of 1812, 4 active squadrons of the regiment were in the 1st Western Army in the 1st Cuirassier Division of Major General N.I. Depreradovich. The regiment was commanded by Colonel M. A. Arsenyev (after being wounded in the Battle of Borodino, he was replaced by Colonel I. S. Leontyev). The reserve squadron was located in the corps of Lieutenant General P. X. Wittgenstein in the combined cuirassier regiment.

Slide no. 11

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Russian cuirassiers in 1812 wore a uniform (tunic) made of white tarpaulin (a type of thick cloth). In full dress they wore elk trousers and over the knee boots, while on campaign they wore gray leggings hemmed with black leather leis. The lower ranks had instrument (regimental) color piping on their tunic along the armhole seam. The cuirasses were black, with red edging, the scales of the clasps for the lower ranks were black, and for the officers they were gilded. Leather helmets, black, with a copper forehead.

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PRIVATE OF THE GLUKHOVSKY CURRASSIER REGIMENT The Glukhovsky Cuirassier Regiment was formed in 1796 from the carabineer regiment of the same name. During the Patriotic War of 1812, 4 active squadrons of the regiment were in the 2nd Western Army in the 2nd Cuirassier Division of Major General I.M. Duka, the reserve squadron was in the reserve corps of Lieutenant General F.V. Saken. The regiment was commanded by Colonel S.I. Tolbuzin 1st. Each cuirassier was armed with a broadsword, two pistols of the 1809 model, and a cavalry rifle of the 1809 model without a bayonet (caliber 17.7 mm, firing range 250 steps). 16 people in the squadron had cavalry rifles of the 1803 model (caliber 16.5 mm).

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Timpani player of the cavalry guard regiment The cavalry guard regiment was formed in 1800. During the Patriotic War, 4 active squadrons of the regiment were in the 1st Western Army in the 1st Cuirassier Division of Major General N.I. Depreradovich, the reserve squadron was in the combined cuirassier regiment in the corps of Lieutenant General P X. Wittgenstein. The cavalry guards (with the general cuirassier uniform) had a red collar and cuffs of the uniform, with guards buttonholes, yellow braid for lower ranks, and silver thread for officers. Instrument metal is white. The saddle cloths and ingots are red, with a black border, lined with yellow braid for lower ranks, and silver braid for officers. The timpanist, like the staff trumpeter in the guards regiments, had non-commissioned officer rank and a helmet with red bristles. The tunic was embroidered with yellow and red checkered braid

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PRIVATE OF THE LIFE GUARDS OF THE DRAGOON REGIMENT The Life Guards Dragoon Regiment was formed in 1809 “on the model of the dragoons of the Napoleonic Guards.” During the Patriotic War, 4 active squadrons of the regiment were in the 1st Western Army in the 1st Cavalry Corps of Lieutenant General F. P. Uvarov, the reserve squadron was part of the combined guards cavalry regiment in the corps of Lieutenant General P. X. Wittgenstein. The Life Guards Dragoon Regiment was commanded by Colonel P. A. Chicherin. The Life Guards Dragoon Regiment had a dark green uniform with red lapels of the Lancer type. The shoulder straps, collar, cuffs and lapels are red. There are guards buttonholes on the collar and cuffs. The instrument metal is yellow.

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HUSSAR GENERAL Generals who were in the cavalry and who were chiefs of hussar regiments wore, as a rule, the uniform of their hussar regiment. The general's hussar uniform differed from the officer's in more complex and delicate sewing. General's order ribbons were worn over the dolman.

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PRIVATE OF THE LIFE GUARDS HUSSAR REGIMENT The Life Guards Hussar Regiment was formed in 1796. During the Patriotic War, 4 active squadrons of the regiment were in the 1st Western Army in the 1st Cavalry Corps of Lieutenant General F. P. Uvarov, the reserve squadron was in the consolidated guards cavalry regiment in the corps of Lieutenant General P. X. Wittgenstein. The guards hussars were commanded by Colonel N. Ya. Mandryka, and after he was wounded near Vitebsk, the regiment was led by Colonel Prince D. S. Abomelik. Russian hussars in 1812 wore a dolman (a jacket embroidered with cords), a mentik (a jacket worn on the left shoulder and trimmed with fur, white in the army regiments, black in the guards), chakchirs (gray leggings on the march) and short boots with black wool tassels. The shako was a general army shako, but with a white plume, a burdock and an instrument metal etiquette. The saddle cloths had sharp back corners and a jagged lining trimmed with cord. On the left side of the hussar hung a bag - a tashka.

Slide no. 17

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PRIVATE OF THE NAZHINSKY HORSE REGIMENT On December 17, 1812, a number of dragoon regiments were transferred to other types of cavalry: 2 - to cuirassier regiments, 1 - to hussars, 8 - to uhlans. In addition, “they formed a new kind of cavalry regiments” - horse rangers. The Nizhyn Dragoon Regiment was also transferred to the Horse Regiment. During the Patriotic War, he fought at Ostrovno and Vitebsk as part of the 1st Cavalry Corps under Lieutenant General F.P. Uvarov. In the Battle of Borodino he took part in a cavalry raid by Uvarov’s corps on the enemy’s left flank. The equestrian regiments received a dark green double-breasted uniform and leggings of the same color with double stripes. The piping on the stripes and on the dark green collar, as well as the shoulder straps, lapels and pointed cuffs of the Uhlan type were instrument-colored (turquoise in the Nezhinsky regiment). The shako of the horse huntsmen was of the hussar type, but with a light green etiquette and burdock. The instrument metal in all shelves is white. The saddle cloths remained those of the dragoons.

Slide no. 18

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OBER OFFICER OF THE LIFE GUARDS ULAN REGIMENT The regiment was formed in 1809. During the Patriotic War of 1812, 4 active squadrons of guards lancers were in the 1st Western Army in the 1st cavalry corps of Lieutenant General F. P. Uvarov, the reserve squadron was part of the combined guards regiment in the corps of Lieutenant General P. Kh. Wittgenstein. The commander of the Life Guards Uhlan Regiment was Major General A. S. Chalikov. Russian lancers in 1812 wore a dark blue uniform: lapels, cuffs and piping along the back seams in instrument color; Garous (woolen) epaulets of instrument metal; dark blue leggings, with double-row stripes; hat with a square top and a white plume.

Slide no. 19

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CAVALRY GENERAL Cavalry generals wore a general general's uniform. The plume on the hat is white, with black and orange feathers. Generals in the heavy cavalry were given swords, while generals in the light cavalry were given sabers.

Slide no. 20

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SENIOR ADCUTANT Adjutants of the Russian army - officers attached to the commander to carry out official assignments or carry out staff duties - at the beginning of the 19th century were divided into battalion, regimental, senior, or general. A distinctive detail of the senior, or general's, adjutants was a twisted half-epaulet on the right shoulder, turning into an aiguillette. The semi-epaulet and aiguillette were made from cords of gold or silver thread, depending on the instrument metal of the regiment where the adjutant was posted. The aiguillette was a necessary accessory for adjutants, not only as an element of distinction, but also as a handy tool for making notes, because lead pencils were inserted into its tips.

Slide no. 21

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CAVALRY OFFICERS IN VITSMUNDIRS of the Cavalry Guard, Her Majesty's Life Cuirassier and Pavlograd Hussar Regiments) Outside the ranks, cuirassier and hussar officers, in addition to the general army frock coats, wore a uniform, which was a ceremonial uniform. Cuirassier officers had a white infantry-style uniform with a collar and cuffs, like a tunic. The hussars' uniform was dark green, and the collar and cuffs were the same as on the dolman. Along with their uniform, the hussars wore dark green chakchirs without embroidery with short boots. In the Cavalry and Life Guards Cavalry Regiments, the uniform was red. In the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment, the collar and cuffs are dark blue, with gold buttonholes, and in the Cavalry Guards - black velvet, with silver buttonholes; Moreover, the buttonholes were also embroidered on the sleeves and tails. In addition to the red, in these regiments there was a second uniform - dark green: in the Cavalry Guard Regiment - with a black collar and cuffs and silver buttonholes; in the Life Guard Horse, the collar and cuffs were dark green, with red piping and gold buttonholes.

Slide no. 22

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HORSEMAN OF THE NOBLE SQUADRON Officer cadres in Russia at the beginning of the 19th century were replenished mainly by graduates of cadet corps. But these corps could not provide the army with a sufficient number of officers, especially since the constant wars in which Russia was involved at that time led to a large loss of officers. The riders of the Noble Squadron, with the general dragoon uniform, had red shoulder straps, lapels, cuffs and cuff flaps, facings and imperial monograms on their saddle cloths. There was dark green piping along the collar and cuff flaps. The instrument metal was yellow.

Slide no. 23

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FIREWORKS OF THE GUARDS HORSE ARTILLERY The Guards horse artillery in 1812 consisted of two horse batteries. Each of them had 4 quarter-pound “unicorns” and 4 six-pound guns. Horse batteries were assigned to the 1st Cuirassier Division. They were commanded by Colonel P. A. Kozen. Guards horse artillery was brought into action only at the decisive moments of the battle. Guards horse artillerymen wore a dark green uniform with red shoulder straps and stripes on their leggings. The collar, cuffs, and lapels are black, with red piping. There are yellow guard buttonholes on the collar and cuffs. A shako, like in the Guards Foot Artillery, but with a white plume.

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During the reign of Alexander III there were no wars or major battles. All decisions on foreign policy were made personally by the Sovereign. The position of state chancellor was even abolished.
In foreign policy, Alexander III took a course towards rapprochement with France, and in the matter of army building great attention was devoted to recreating Russia's maritime power. The Emperor understood that the lack of a strong fleet had deprived Russia of a significant part of its great power weight. During his reign, the foundation was laid for armored squadrons instead of light flotillas of corvettes and clippers and the reconstruction of the Black Sea Fleet. The ships were built by Russian engineers, in Russian factories, from Russian materials.
In 1891, the beginning of the Great Siberian Road was laid - a huge step forward was taken towards understanding Russia. It was laid by Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich during a trip to Far East.
Nicholas I and Alexander II were military men by vocation. They were often seen at divorces, parades, regimental holidays, in meetings, talking with officers, taking events in the regimental family to heart. Alexander III had no passion for military affairs, but he saw and felt that the fate of the Fatherland entrusted to him depended on the state of his armed forces. Russia has only two true allies - its army and its navy, he said, and, realizing this, he steadily strived for the comprehensive development of Russian military power. Under him, royal reviews began to be held less frequently, divorces were completely abolished, aide-de-camp and retinue monograms, generously distributed by Alexander II to the army regiments, became rare and even in the guard, becoming the privilege of a very small circle of people.
The main concern of the Military Department during the reign of Alexander III was to increase the trained reserves of the army by passing a large number of people through its ranks. Under Alexander II, the annual contingent of recruits was 150,000 people; in 1881, 235,000 people were already drafted.
1882 was the year of reform of the Russian cavalry, the so-called dragoon reform. The highest decision was made to convert all Russian regular cavalry to the dragoon style. The beginning was made by renaming the cavalry regiments and changing the uniforms, which the cavalrymen were so proud of, who considered this an encroachment on the very soul of the cavalry - its traditions. The peaks were abolished, which remained only in the Cossack units. The basis of training was foot formation and shooting, and the horse turned from the main weapon of a cavalryman into simply a means of transportation. Conditions of service in the cavalry became unsightly. Many officers left the ranks of the cavalry, especially after the introduction of a new uniform - caftans and army coats of a new pseudo-Russian cut. In general, the quality of Russian cavalry in the 80s and 90s decreased noticeably, and it became closer to the type of riding infantry.
At the end of the 1880s, all Russian artillery was re-equipped with wedge guns of the 1877 model with good ballistic qualities, which hit 4.5 versts. And in 1891, a mountain artillery regiment was formed, in which mountain guns of various types were tested.
In connection with the intensified construction of fortresses on the western border, the composition of the engineering troops has been significantly increased. At the end of the reign of Alexander III, there were 26 battalions (21 engineer battalions, 5 railway battalions).
Emperor Alexander III did not allow conversations about politics in the family circle and did not involve his heir in state affairs at all, considering him too young and believing that there would always be time for this. But on October 20, 1894, the Tsar-Peacemaker passed away. His heir, the young Emperor Nicholas II, was 26 years old. He had just commanded a battalion in the Preobrazhensky Regiment and was soon to receive the rank of general and a regiment, but instead of the regiment he received the entire Russian Empire. There was no one to turn to for advice.

Reign of Emperor Nicholas II

At first, everything remained as during the previous reign, from the ministers to the cut of the uniforms. The state mechanism seemed to have been established for many centuries - the mighty hand of Alexander III could still be felt everywhere. International situation Russia was brilliant, and the Moscow coronation celebrations of 1896, when all of Europe stood in the retinue of the young imperial couple, were the apotheosis of Russian great power.
When he was heir to the throne, Nicholas II received thorough combat training, not only in the guards, but also in the army infantry. At the request of his sovereign father, he served as a junior officer in the 65th Moscow Infantry Regiment. The Tsarevich became acquainted in every detail with the life of the troops and, having become the Emperor of All Russia, paid attention to improving this life: salaries and pensions were increased, and the allowance of soldiers was improved. He canceled the passage with a ceremonial march and run, knowing from experience how difficult it was for the troops.
Russia's defeat in Russian-Japanese war revealed serious shortcomings in the central management, organization, recruitment system, combat training and technical equipment of the army.
Back in 1895, the position of cavalry inspector general was restored and Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Younger was appointed to it. In ten years - from 1895-1905 - he managed to eliminate the consequences of the unsuccessful reform of 1882 and the Russian cavalry again became the best cavalry in the world.
The artillery began to be re-equipped with a 3-inch rapid-fire cannon of the 1900 model, and the only type of cartridge adopted was shrapnel. The grenade is reserved only for 6-inch mortars. Rearmament was hastily begun in 1900, when Putilov plant 1,500 guns were produced, but then suspended due to some defects that became apparent. These flaws were eliminated in the 1902 model cannon, which carried out the final rearmament in 1903-1904, starting with the border districts. The Model 1900 gun with a buffer knurled gun later turned out to be an excellent anti-aircraft gun.
The terms of active service were shortened (in the infantry and field artillery from 5 to 3 years, in other branches of the military from 5 to 4 years, in the navy from 7 to 5 years), the officer corps was rejuvenated; the life of soldiers and sailors has been improved (food and clothing allowance) and the financial situation of officers and conscripts.
The reform of 1910 brought all infantry into a homogeneous composition of field troops and introduced mounted fire guns into the corps artillery. In the same year, the Imperial Air Force was created. This was only the first step towards the planned radical reorganization of the Russian army, which significantly strengthened its composition and technical power. This required finance - 500 million rubles. Only in 1913 did the War Department manage to obtain loans to carry out the Great Program within a five-year period. According to this program, by the end of 1917 the Russian army was compared in equipment with the German one. According to the Great Program, our ground armed forces were increased from 1,230,000 people to 1,710,000 people in peacetime. According to the Great Program, 32 infantry regiments and 6 rifle regiments, 26 cavalry regiments were to be formed again, and the artillery was especially strengthened. All this remained on paper. In the spring of 1914, the 4th Finnish Infantry Brigade was formed - all that they managed to implement from the entire grandiose plan. In 1914, the last war of the Russian Imperial Army began.
The First World War lasted more than four years. It became one of the bloodiest and most significant in terms of consequences in the history of mankind.

Simplifying the economy. [About soldiers' uniforms]

In the Russian army of the late 19th century, economic management took the place that in the first half of the century was occupied by the front - shagistics. With minimal funding, the troops were forced to support themselves. It was necessary to build premises, ammunition, dress and feed the troops economically, without expenses from the treasury. Regimental bakeries, regimental shoe workshops, trash shops, saddlers, joiner's and carpenter's artels began to take up all the forces of the troops and all the attention of the commanders.
Until now, the treasury only provided the army with money and material for the provision of linen, construction of clothing, and sewing. boot and so on, but all this was manufactured in the units themselves. Tailor shoemakers were selected from the soldiers, and all of them were given work according to their trade. For this purpose, each unit had its own scum and workshops. This arrangement is inconvenient because it takes away a lot of people. Instead of serving all the years of military service in the ranks, many, and even very many, soldiers spent more than half of their service sitting behind a needle, dredging and an awl and almost never studied military affairs at all. Now that the period of military service has been reduced to three years, it is completely impossible to burden the troops with household chores. There's barely enough time to lower ranks We managed to fully learn what we needed to do.
It is necessary that the uniform items shoes , underwear clothing and bedding were released from the treasury in finished form. Taking care of the preparation of these things for the entire army is the direct responsibility of the commissariat. Combat units of the army should be trained only in real military affairs. It is large, complex and difficult and is becoming more and more difficult. Of course, the commissariat will have to create extensive uniform workshops and, in general, expand its business. Without a doubt, all this will cause new expenses for the treasury, but it is necessary to introduce such a change in the military economy.
The commissariat, having taken upon itself the care of the uniform of the army, must especially vigilantly ensure that all things supplied to the troops are of completely good quality. If the commissary will let go of all rot, then is it possible to demand from the soldier that the government cloth And shoes were worn no less than the prescribed period?..
The commissariat should pay special attention to shoes our lower ranks. Durable, lightweight shoes, a good boot fit is the first priority for an infantryman. It’s not for nothing that they say that half the victory is in the legs!.. Rough, heavy boot, and even poorly fitted, is a disaster for a soldier, especially on a campaign. Because of boot Most of all there are laggards. Because of the same shoes, our infantry is somewhat heavy on the move, unable to move easily and quickly. A Russian soldier can generally walk a lot and endure such a transition that no foreigner can do - but give him shoes better!.. And everything in general equipment The Russian warrior needs a makeover. The last war indicated that the uniform of our soldier and equipment poorly designed for combat time. In winter, a soldier is cold because he is lightly dressed, and in summer it is hot because he is forced to carry heavy uniforms and shoes .
How to dress a soldier, how to come up with clothes for him so that he feels good at any time of the year, in any weather - it is difficult to decide; This issue is complex, but it needs to be resolved as quickly as possible so that the army is dressed in a practical, comfortable, inexpensive, and beautiful way. The beauty of a soldier's clothing has its own meaning. A soldier must be dressed not only comfortably and neatly, but he must also feel beautifully dressed. He is the hope, the best flower, the protection of the state; it is indecently wretched, ugly dress: it must correspond to his high rank.
Although the commissariat has already begun to prepare clothing for the army and some items of soldier's uniform are already being released from the treasury in finished form, it is necessary that such a change occurs in the military economy as quickly as possible and is completely completed.

Uniforms

Uniform under Alexander III

The beginning of the reign was marked by a complete change in the appearance of the troops. The elegant uniforms of the beautiful army of the Tsar-Liberator did not suit the massive figure of the new Sovereign. Alexander III did not take into account aesthetics, demanding national cut and practicality. The new form was introduced in the summer of 1882. The army became unrecognizable. The guards have disappeared helmets with a plume, cap and shako with sultans, spectacular uniforms with colored lapels, ulankas and mentiks, sabers and broadswords. All this glitter was replaced by long-skimmed kaftans with hooks, wide trousers and low caps of fake lamb. In the army infantry, where backpacks were abolished and duffel bags were introduced instead bags. Not everyone liked the new uniform. Some officers, for example, shortened the uniform according to the previous model, others, on the contrary, lengthened it, bringing it closer to the frock coat, while others, following the example of the riflemen, exaggerated the slouch of the trousers, bringing them to the socks boot. As a result, foreign correspondents who saw the Russian army noted that it was impossible to meet two officers dressed in the same way. The soldiers, leaving for the reserve, refused to take uniforms of the new cut, and at their own expense altered them according to the old uniform - always with lapels. The only positive side of this re-uniform, which everyone appreciated, was the introduction of white shirts during the hot season, which until then had been worn only in the Caucasus and Turkestan.
Alexander III looked at the shiny uniforms as if they were expensive tinsel. But in the eyes of officers and soldiers it was far from tinsel. They maintained continuity with past heroic eras.
Already with cap The glorious memories of Shipka and Sheinov were associated, and the legends of Friedland and Borodin went with the lapels and mentiks.

Uniforms of combatant lower ranks

To the lower ranks of the frequent troops, military departments and establishments of the military department are entitled to the following uniform items:
1. Uniform without buttons along the side
a) With side pockets: in grenadier and army infantry regiments; in army rifle, line, reserve and serf infantry regiments and battalions; in army dragoon regiments and reserve cavalry; in engineer (grenadier and army), railway and pontoon battalions; in serf sapper companies and personnel teams; in mine, electrical and fortress mine companies.
b) Without side pockets: in artillery: grenadier, field, reserve and reserve cavalry, mountain, serf and local; in artillery, engineering small flying, mortar and military telegraph parks; in local military units; in the gendarme corps (with the exception of the guards gendarmerie personnel team); in the corps of topographers; in the directorates and headquarters of the above-mentioned units of the troops, as well as in the headquarters and control of the army cavalry; in departments and institutions of the military department; in the master engineering teams (Circus. Chief. Pieces, 1882 No. 137).
2. Shortened bloomers, without piping: in all grenadier and army troops, headquarters, departments and institutions of the military department.
3. Overcoat, with a modified collar, without buttons on the side: in all grenadier and army troops, headquarters, departments and institutions of the military department.
4. Tie new cut.
5. Lamb a cap .
6. Cap without a visor. Notes: 1) A cap with a visor is required for ensigns, estandard cadets, sergeants majors, senior sergeants and officer servants (Circus. Glav. Sht. 1882 No. 101). -2) Combatant lower ranks of troops, departments and military institutions of the Transcaspian region cap also relies on a visor, which is summer must always be covered with a white cover - in all cases; lamb a cap from uniform items has been completely abolished (According to military history, 1891, No. 331), with the exception of the lower ranks of combat units of troops, which have insignia on their headdresses. (According to military history, 1892, No. 76).
7. Modified cap.
8. Officer's wool sash. Sergeant majors and senior sergeants are supposed to have it in all military units, departments and institutions. Note. The white sash for sergeants and sergeants must be made of thread, so that it can be cleaned (Addition to military history of 1881, No. 340 and 1882, No. 6 and 325).
9. Papakha- troops of the Omsk, Irkutsk and Amur military. districts.

Drawing of uniforms and equipment of the lower ranks of the army infantry

Uniform drawing
lower ranks
army dragoons

Uniform under Emperor Nicholas II

In the spring of 1908, to raise the prestige of military service, a beautiful uniform was introduced. This uniform with its colored lapels and shakos with a plume (this headdress- in the guard) was close to the examples of the era of Alexander I. Officers (but only in the army infantry) could wear sabers instead of ugly checkers, as before Alexander III. The cavalry sparkled with the splendor of helmets, shakos, tunics, dolmans and mentiks. The new form had opponents who grumbled about waste, but they were not listened to. The question was raised about lengthening uniforms and overcoats, fitting them at the waist, and introducing a pointed cloth helmet-bump.
In 1910, military protective clothing was introduced into the army: the tunic khaki and officer jacket excellent (with a reddish sparkle) matter.

Opinion of General M. Dragomirov

A remarkable feature of a long period of peace: proposals for all sorts of improvements in uniforms, weapons, training, and even in internal military order, grow like mushrooms after rain; unfortunately not edible, but more fly agarics.
Here, whatever you want, that’s what you ask for, starting from piping and tabs (with which others would like to distinguish not just parts, but even small subdivisions of parts), and to muzzles that muffle the sound of a shot. Let's take a look at some of these improvements.
So, one of the projectors wants the uniform of the main command of one of the types of weapons to be different from the uniform of combat officers of the same type of weapon; why this is needed for business, who will benefit from it and in what sense it will benefit is a mystery, wisdom. Is it really possible that, in the fascination with uniform mania, this projector has not observed that simple property of a person, that, regardless of any form, he recognizes and recognizes another person first and most importantly by a portrait, i.e. by his physiognomy, and not at all by what he is wearing or wearing?
Large units of troops have uniform differences, and this is necessary both for control and to make it easier to understand the masses. But for any of the departments, which are, after all, strong in the system and existing for it, to lay claim to some kind of special shape!.. You can’t help but remember the late Shchedrin, who proposed, of course in mockery, to give uniforms even to writers, on the collar of which it would be embroidered: from one edge to the middle an owl-lyre, an owl-lyre, and from the middle to the other edge - a lyre-owl, lyre-owl, lyre-owl.

Uniform reform of 1907

The Sovereign Emperor, on the 1st day of December 1907, deigned to command:
1) Restore to the guards units of infantry, artillery and sapper the uniforms from the reign of Emperor Alexander II, abolished in 1882, with fastened lapels, and in the regiments of the Life Guards Jaeger, Finland and Volynsk have lapels: in the first green, and in the second and third dark -green.
2) For the army infantry, for all artillery units in the engineering troops (except for the guard and horse artillery), install a double-breasted uniform with 6 buttons, diverging at the top by 4 ½ inches, and on the belt by 3 inches, with a slit at the back, pocket flaps and 4 buttons on them.
3) Bloomers with the uniforms specified in points 1 and 2 remain shortened with high boots. Officers should have both short and long trousers, instead of dark green - black.
4) Assign applied weapons to the serf infantry cloth dark orange instead of the existing brown.
5) The fourth regiments of all infantry divisions and reserve brigades are assigned instrument cloth green instead of dark green.
and 6) In all units of troops, departments and establishments of the military department, both combatant and non-combatant lower ranks, have caps on the band instead of codes, cockades new sample.
About the timing of the introduction of newly approved uniforms, applied cloths and cockades will be announced additionally upon approval of samples and descriptions.
(According to the Main Quartermaster Directorate).

Rules on dress code
1. Division of uniforms.
Dress is divided into:
A) wartime uniform, and
B) peacetime form.
The peacetime form is divided into:
a) front door,
b) ordinary,
c) official
d) everyday.
Dress in peacetime, ceremonial, ordinary and service - of two types - for the formation and outside the formation.
Formal and ordinary uniforms, of two types - winter and summer .

His Majesty's Retinue
1.St.E.V.Major General. Winter ordinary form.
2. Adjutant General. Winter dress uniform.
3. Aide-de-camp assigned to the Cossack troops. Casual uniform.
4. Adjutant General assigned to the Cossack troops.
Summer dress uniform.
5. Adjutant General. Wartime uniform.
6. Adjutant General winter service uniform

Generals in general general's uniform
7. Ordinary winter uniform out of formation, for those serving in the field artillery. 8. Winter dress uniform in formation, for those enrolled in the infantry. 9. Winter dress uniform out of formation, for those enlisted in the cavalry. 10. Summer ordinary uniform, out of formation and outside the camp location. 11. Winter ordinary uniform, in formation, for those serving in the cavalry in the Siberian district. 12. Everyday uniform for those enlisted in the infantry when visiting subdepartments

Occasions of wearing uniforms.
A. Wartime uniform.
The wartime uniform is worn by all ranks located in the area of ​​military operations and in units mobilized to be sent to the theater of military operations.
When wearing a military uniform, the following are worn: orders, stars, ribbons and badges;
Not worn:
in service - marching bag with binoculars and officer's uniform bag ,
and out of order - also a revolver in the following cases:
1) At services on the following days: the accession to the throne of the Sovereign Emperor, the Holy Coronation of Their Majesties, the birth and namesake of Their Majesties and the Heir Tsarevich.
2) At church parades.
3) At shows and parades.
4) When the oath of allegiance to service is taken.
5) At meetings of the cavalry councils.
6) In military courts - by the composition of the court presence, the accused and witnesses.

Winter forms
13. Corps of military topographers in everyday uniform.
14. General Staff service uniform in service.
15. General Staff uniform out of formation (general). 16. Military doctors in winter, dress uniform, in formation. 17. Main Directorate of the Military. Min. winter, dress uniform, out of formation. 18. Main Directorate of the Military. Min. casual uniform, "business" uniform

Winter forms
19. Adjutant. The usual form in the ranks for those enlisted in the cavalry. 20. Adjutant. Dress uniform, out of formation, for those enrolled in the Cossack troops. 21. Military Campaign Office of His I.V. dress uniform. 22. Adjutant. Dress uniform out of formation, for those enrolled in the Guards. cuirass item 23. Adjutant. Dress uniform out of formation, for those enrolled in the army infantry.
24. Gendarme Corps dress uniform out of formation

Guard. Infantry and Guard. Foot artillery
25. Winter, ordinary uniform, out of order. 26. Guard. Infantry and Guards Foot artillery. Winter dress uniform in service. 27. Guard. Infantry and Guards Foot artillery. Winter dress uniform is out of order. 28. L.-Gv. 4th Page Imp. Surnames battle. Winter dress uniform, out of formation. 29. L.-Gv. 4th Page Imp. Surnames battle. Summer casual uniform. 30. L.-Gv. 4th Page Imp. Surnames battle. Summer service uniform, in ranks

Guards Cuirassier Regiments
31. Winter dress uniform in equestrian formation.
32. Winter, ordinary uniform out of formation (general here).
33. Court uniform (here Cavalry Guard).
34. Summer full dress uniform, out of formation.
35. Winter, ordinary uniform, on foot.
36. Ballroom (festive) uniform

B. Peacetime form.
a) Dress uniform. The dress uniform is worn:
1) Upon presentation to Their Majesties, Persons of the Imperial Family, General Field Marshals, the Minister of War, the Commander of the Imperial Main Quarters, his boss, inspectors general, heads of main departments and commanders of military districts.
2) When bringing congratulations to the Persons of the Imperial Family.
3) At the Highest exits in the Palace.
4) At ceremonial meetings of Persons of the Imperial Family and commanding officials and during honor guards.
5) At official receptions with foreign ambassadors and envoys.
6) At shows and parades, unless ordered to be in a different uniform.
7) At church parades on unit holidays.
8) When consecrating banners, standards and banner flags.
9) When the oath of allegiance to service is taken.
10) When presented to all direct superiors on the occasion of arrival for service in the unit.
11) On highly solemn days: the accession to the throne of the Sovereign Emperor, the Holy Coronation of Their Majesties, the birth and namesake of Their Majesties and the Heir Tsarevich and on solemn days: the New Year, the first day of Holy Easter and the first day of the Nativity of Christ, in the following cases:
a) at church parades and services (at Bright Matins).
b) on duty, under the Sovereign Emperor,
c) in the inner guards at the Palaces of Their Majesties.
d) when bringing congratulations to superiors,
e) at official meetings, dinners and balls.
12) Those participating in the marriage ceremony: the groom, best men and fathers.
13) At burial: generals, staff and chief officers, both in service and in reserve, and retired, as well as lower ranks.
14) In all cases when an order follows to be in full dress uniform.

Guards Cavalry and Guards. Horse artillery
37. Guards.Reserve.cav.p. winter, ordinary uniform, in service.
38-39. L.-Gv. Dragoon Regiment: winter, dress uniform out of formation and ordinary winter uniform in formation. 40-41. L.-Gv. Horse Grenadier Regiment: winter, ordinary uniform out of formation and winter dress uniform in formation. 42. Guards Con.-Art. Brig. winter, full dress uniform

Guards Hussars and Lancers
43. Guards Hussar, winter, full dress uniform, out of formation.
44. Guards hussar, winter, ordinary uniform in formation. 45. Guards hussar, everyday uniform. 46. ​​Guards Uhlan, winter dress uniform out of formation. 47. Guards Ulan, winter ordinary uniform in formation. 48. Guards Ulan, casual uniform

Army Dragoon Regiments
49. Primorye Dragoon Regiments, winter, full dress uniform, out of formation. 50. Dragoon regiments, not former cuirassiers, winter, ordinary uniform, in formation. 51. Dragoon and Caucasian cavalry divisions (here Nizhny Novgorod) winter, full dress uniform, out of formation. 52. Dragoon regiments, not former cuirassiers, winter dress uniform, out of formation.
53-54. Dragoon regiments, former cuirassiers, ordinary uniform out of formation and winter dress in formation

Army lancers and hussars
55. Officer cavalry school winter, full dress uniform, out of formation (in cold weather).
56-57. Army lancers, winter ordinary uniform out of formation and winter ceremonial uniform in line.
58. Army Hussar Regiments winter dress uniform, out of formation. 59. Life Hussar Pavlograd Regiment winter, full dress uniform in formation. 60. Army hussar regiments winter ordinary uniform in formation

b) Ordinary form.
The ordinary uniform is worn;
1) Appearing at the Palaces of Their Majesties and Persons of the Imperial Family in the capitals.
2) Appearing on orders to Persons of the Imperial Family.
3) On guard at the Palaces of Their Majesties.
4) When nailing banners, standards and banner flags in the Highest presence.
5) Appearing on business of service or on their own need to Persons of the Imperial Family, Field Marshals, the Minister of War, the Commander of the Imperial Main Apartment, their boss, inspectors general, heads of main departments and commanders of troops of military districts, as well as high-ranking non-military persons departments.
6) Upon arrival to serve in the unit, upon introduction to all officers of the unit, except for direct superiors.
7) At church parades on Sundays and holidays.
8) During official prayer services, during the laying and lowering of military courts, during the laying and consecration of churches and government buildings, at public ceremonial meetings, acts, examinations and noble elections.
9) Those invited to worship on church holidays, partaking of the Holy Mysteries, those present at the marriage ceremony, recipients from the font and during the removal and burial of the Holy Shroud.
10) In the Imperial theaters and in the noble assemblies of Moscow and St. Petersburg on highly solemn days; accession to the throne of the Sovereign Emperor. The Holy Coronation of Their Majesties and the births and namesakes of Their Majesties and the Heir Tsesarevich.
11) At official meetings, dinners and balls (concerts, masquerades).
12) At the burial of civil ranks of all departments, civilians and ladies.
13) At official funeral services.
14) In all cases when an order follows to be in ordinary uniform.

Cossack units
61. Caucasian Cossack troops dress uniform.
62. Plastun battalion of the Kuban Caucasian army, ordinary uniform. 63. Crimean Cavalry Regiment winter dress uniform in formation. 64. His Majesty's convoy winter dress uniform. 65-66. Army Cossack units wear daily uniforms and winter dress uniforms, in formation.
67. Guards Cossack units winter dress uniform, in formation

Summer forms
68-69. Infantry out of formation is ceremonial (adjutant) and ordinary (outside the camp location).
70-72. Cavalry ordinary uniform in formation, out of formation (in a camp disposition) and service uniform out of formation (outside a camp disposition).
73. Artillery: service uniform, in formation (mountain)

Outerwear
74. Short fur coat, service uniform (combat training in the cavalry). 75-76. Coat, dress uniform and service uniform in formation. 77. Cape, out of order ( summer cavalry dress uniform, in a camp location).
78. Coat out of order. 79. Overcoat out of order

Wartime Uniforms and Camping Equipment
80. Artillery officers. 81. Infantry officers.
82-83. Cavalry officers.
84.Officers of the Cossack troops. Engineer officers

c) Service uniform. The service uniform is worn both in winter and summer:
1) Upon entry into service for training in all cases.
2) When performing guard duty, except for guard duty at the Palaces of Their Majesties.
3) With all official duties (on duty in all military units, departments, institutions and establishments).
4) When representing and appearing to the authorities (except for those named in paragraph 1 of the dress form) and local military authorities;
a) on official business, by order and according to one’s own needs;
b) on the occasion of promotion to the next rank, on the occasion of receiving awards, a new appointment or transfer (in the previous place of service), on the occasion of a business trip or going on vacation or returning back from a business trip or vacation to the unit;
c) while on a business trip or vacation - on the occasion of arrival at the place of business trip and vacation, as well as departure from the place of business trip.
5) When nailing banners and standards not in the Highest presence.
6) At meetings of cavalry councils and councils.
7) In military courts - by the composition of the court presence, the accused, witnesses and, in general, all persons summoned at the court hearing.
d) Casual uniform. Everyday uniform is worn outside of formation and combat dress and in all cases when it is not necessary to be in another uniform.

From the history of the regiments

Infantry

Russo-Japanese War

The sight of a military officer in an area of ​​military operations does not amaze anyone, but I am sure that if an officer from a bivouac found himself on Nevsky Prospect, he would immediately be surrounded by a crowd and... in the end, not asking who he is and what his merits are, would have raised him “with a bang” as an undoubted hero.
Imagine an officer not in a frock coat or uniform, as you are used to seeing him, but in a gray shirt, often worn directly on the body - otherwise it is difficult to bear the heat. On many jackets from khaki. From under caps The back of the head goes down from the back, also because of the heat. Sometimes an ordinary handkerchief serves as a back cover. High boots, if they were cleaned, it was a long time ago, since on a hike for three days you don’t have to take them off. In rainy weather boots They are decorated to such an extent with molded work of Manchu mud that it is difficult to even judge the shape and size of the leg. The tan on the face is so thick that it never reaches at home, and it is supplemented by an even thick layer of dust. Many officers and even soldiers wear closed edges to protect their eyes from dust. glasses .

Alexandra Feodorovna regiment 1881-1895

Life Guards Ulansky of Her Majesty the Empress
Alexandra Feodorovna regiment 1895-1903

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Very often in cinema and classical literature The rank of lieutenant is found. Now there is no such rank in the Russian army, so many people are interested in lieutenant, what is the rank in accordance with modern realities. In order to understand this, you need to look at history. History of the rank The rank of lieutenant still exists in the armies of other states, but it does not exist in the Russian army. It was first adopted in the 17th century by regiments brought to the European standard.

THE GOVERNOR EMPEROR, on the 22nd day of February and the 27th day of October of this year, deigned to give the highest command to 1. Generals, Headquarters and Chief Officers and the lower ranks of all Cossack troops, except the Caucasian, and except for the Guards Cossack units, as well as civil officials consisting in the service in the Cossack troops and in regional boards and departments in the service of the Kuban and Terek regions, named in articles 1-8 of the attached list, Appendix 1, have a uniform according to the attached

The army is the armed organization of the state. Consequently, the main difference between the army and other government organizations is that it is armed, that is, to perform its functions it has a complex of different types of weapons and means that ensure their use. The Russian army in 1812 was armed with bladed weapons and firearms, as well as defensive weapons. For edged weapons, the combat use of which is not associated with the use of explosives for the period under review -

Almost all European countries were drawn into the wars of conquest that the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte continuously waged at the beginning of the last century. In a historically short period of 1801-1812, he managed to subjugate almost all of Western Europe to his influence, but this was not enough for him. The Emperor of France claimed world domination, and the main obstacle on his path to the pinnacle of world fame was Russia. In five years I will be the master of the world,” he declared in an ambitious outburst,

107 Cossack regiments and 2.5 Cossack horse artillery companies took part in the Patriotic War of 1812. They constituted irregular search forces, that is, part of the armed forces that did not have permanent organization and different from regular military formations recruitment, service, training, uniforms. The Cossacks were a special military class, which included the population of certain territories of Russia, which made up the corresponding Cossack army of the Don, Ural, Orenburg,

The Russian army, which holds the honor of victory over the Napoleonic hordes in the Patriotic War of 1812, consisted of several types of armed forces and branches of the military. The types of armed forces included the ground forces and the navy. The ground forces included several branches of the army: infantry, cavalry, artillery and pioneers, or engineers now sappers. Napoleon's invading troops western borders Russia was opposed by 3 Russian armies, the 1st Western under the command of

The science of ancient Russian weapons has long tradition it originated from the discovery in 1808 on the site of the famous Battle of Lipitsa in 1216 of a helmet and chain mail, possibly belonging to Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Historians and specialists in the study of ancient weapons of the last century A.V. Viskovatov, E.E. Lenz, P.I. Savvaitov, N.E. Brandenburg attached considerable importance to the collection and classification of military equipment. They also began deciphering his terminology, including -. neck

1. PRIVATE GRENADIER REGIMENT. 1809 Selected soldiers, designed to throw hand grenades during the siege of fortresses, first appeared during the Thirty Years' War 1618-1648. Tall people, distinguished by courage and knowledge of military affairs, were selected for the grenadier units. In Russia, from the end of the 17th century, grenadiers were placed at the head of assault columns, to strengthen the flanks and to act against cavalry. TO early XIX centuries, grenadiers turned into a type of selected troops, not distinguished by weapons

A military uniform is not only clothing that should be comfortable, durable, practical and light enough so that a person bearing the rigors of military service is reliably protected from the vicissitudes of weather and climate, but also a kind of calling card of any army. Since the uniform appeared in Europe in the 17th century, the representative role of the uniform has been very high. In the old days, the uniform spoke about the rank of its wearer and what branch of the army he belonged to, or even

His Imperial Majesty's own Convoy, a formation of the Russian Guard that protected the royal person. The main core of the convoy were the Cossacks of the Terek and Kuban Cossack troops. Circassians, Nogais, Stavropol Turkmen, other Muslim mountaineers of the Caucasus, Azerbaijanis, a team of Muslims, since 1857, the fourth platoon of the Life Guards of the Caucasian squadron, Georgians, Crimean Tatars, and other nationalities of the Russian Empire also served in the Convoy. Official founding date of the convoy

From the author. This article conducts short excursion into the history of the emergence and development of uniforms of the Siberian Cossack army. Considered in more detail Cossack uniform era of the reign of Nicholas II - the form in which the Siberian Cossack army went down in history. The material is intended for novice uniformitarian historians, military historical reenactors and modern Siberian Cossacks. In the photo on the left is the military badge of the Siberian Cossack Army

Uniforms of the army hussars of the Russian Imperial Army of 1741-1788 Due to the fact that the irregular cavalry, or rather the Cossacks, fully coped with the tasks assigned to it in reconnaissance, patrolling, pursuing and exhausting the enemy with endless raids and skirmishes, for a long time There was no particular need for regular light cavalry in the Russian army. The first official hussar units in the Russian army appeared during the reign of the Empress

Uniform of the army hussars of the Russian Imperial Army 1796-1801 In the previous article we talked about the uniform of the Russian army hussar regiments during the reign of Empresses Elizabeth Petrovna and Catherine II from 1741 to 1788. After Paul I ascended the throne, he revived the army hussar regiments, but introduced Prussian-Gatchina motifs into their uniforms. Moreover, from November 29, 1796, the names of the hussar regiments became the previous name after the surname of their chief

First half of XIX century, the Russian imperial army experienced a surge in desertion. Soldiers, fleeing harsh drills and 25 years of military service, fled to Western Europe, Galicia, Bukovina, Moldova, to the Old Believers, to the Danube to the Nekrasov Cossacks and even Persia. This was especially evident during foreign trips. Many of them joined the army foreign countries and fought against Russia.

25 years or a lifetime

According to the results of a study by the statistical center, in the period from 1802 to 1815, 2 million 168 thousand people were recruited into the army, which was equal to 35% of the country’s male population aged 15 to 35 years. According to the compilers of the “Century of the War Ministry”, under Alexander I, 18 sets of recruits were carried out and 1 million 933 thousand people were recruited. The numbers vary, but one thing is clear: constant wars have bled the Russian villages dry.

The situation was aggravated by the authorities’ decision to dismiss after 25 years of service only those soldiers who had never been fined. The rest served indefinitely and left the army only by decision of the highest authorities. This harsh measure led to a wave of soldier suicides.

Foreign trip

After the expulsion of Napoleon and the entry of the Russian army into Western Europe, it began to suffer from mass desertion. The soldiers saw a different world, and flight from military service spread even among the guard units.

Officer Baranovich, who compiled the notes “Russian soldiers in France in 1813–1814,” wrote that soldiers left their regiments and were hired as workers in French vineyards and farms. Local owners happily hired hardworking and unpretentious Russians and even married their daughters to them. Baranovich claimed that 40 thousand Russian soldiers remained in France. French historians have calculated that the total number of deserters from the Russian army reached 10 thousand people. At least 5 thousand Russians remained to live in the German principalities, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Persia - a new homeland

A difficult situation has also developed in the eastern direction. Many soldiers who served in the Caucasus settled in Chechen and Ingush villages, where they started families and often fought against their former colleagues.

However, Persia became a special gathering place for deserters. The heir to the Persian throne, Abbas Mirza, said: “The Russians are our neighbors and enemies; sooner or later, war with them is inevitable, and therefore it is (better) for us to become more closely acquainted with their military teachings than with the teachings of the British.” Iranian authorities have always given refuge to fugitives and willingly accepted them into their army.

The report to Major General Nesvetaev dated November 4, 1807 stated that in 1805, lieutenant of the 17th Jaeger Regiment Emelyan Lisenko deserted to Persia. Four non-commissioned officers and 53 private rangers crossed the border with him. Within a year, Lysenko would lead a Russian company in Tabriz. Major Stepanov, who was at a reception with Abbas Mirza, saw this unit with his own eyes. In a note to his superiors, he wrote: “I looked at Lisenko and our soldiers, standing with guns, up to a hundred people, in thin uniforms. The Shah keeps them incredibly well and admires them.”

Lysenko lived in Nakhichevan and trained Persian recruits dressed and equipped in European style. In 1808, the British testified that the governor of Shiraz was guarded by 30 Russians, under the command of a certain “Russ Khan”. It is known that the Erivan fortress was strengthened in 1808 by another deserter, Colonel Kochnev. The Russians enjoyed the special favor of Abbas Mirza, and the staff trumpeter of the Nizhny Novgorod Dragoon Regiment, Sergeant Samson Makintsev, stood out especially, whom he appointed captain in the Erivan Regiment.

Russian heroes in the service of the Persian Shah

In 1809, Abbas Mirza decided to form a separate Russian battalion with the indicative name Bagaderan, which translated from Persian means heroic or grenadier. The guards unit was commanded by the Shah’s favorite Samson Makintsev, who was called “Samson Khan”.

During the Russian-Persian War, the battalion grew to a regiment, but was defeated. Even after the defeat, the influx of deserters did not stop. Russians were paid 15 rubles a year, allowed to maintain the Christian faith, marry, live in their own home and leave the army after five years of service. According to archival data from military units stationed in the Caucasus, up to 30 people deserted annually in the 1810s. Before the outbreak of hostilities in 1826, escapes became more frequent.

In 1821, the Headquarters of the Russian Army estimated the Bagaderan regiment at 2 thousand bayonets. Deserters were divided into two categories: single (performed permanent service) and family (200 people settled in separate areas), from which a reserve company was formed during the war. After retirement, most Russians were engaged in military training of new recruits. Bagaderan was considered the most combat-ready unit of the Persian army, and the attitude towards it in Russia was appropriate.

During the exchange of prisoners in 1813, the commander of the troops in the Caucasus, General Rtishchev, stated that “on the part of the Russian officers and soldiers stationed in Persia, I can only accept those who refused to join the service of the Persian government. I will not agree to accept any of those who fled to Persia or surrendered to the Persians for a shameful reason. Execution awaits them."