In November 1876, during the period of the brewing of the next Russian-Turkish war, the tsarist government began to form irregular units from among the highlanders of the North Caucasus. There is no need to look deeply for the reasons for such unexpected “trust” in one’s recent enemies. As was often mentioned in pre-revolutionary literature, one of the factors that prompted the tsarist authorities to take such a step was the desire to cleanse the Caucasus of the “restless” element.
Even before the start of the war, the government carefully studied and worked on the issue of recruiting highlanders into the regular cavalry. The head of the Dagestan district, in his memo to the governor, proposed, in addition to the created Dagestan and Kutaisi regiments, to form new cavalry irregular units: “they will be willing to take part in serving military service.” In case of war, he believed, it would be useful to mobilize up to 60 thousand highlanders. “Taking into account,” wrote Loris-Melikov, “that the greater the number of natives that are removed from some areas and the more, therefore, such areas can be rid of, albeit temporarily, the least reliable element of the population.”
This issue was considered by a special commission appointed after the provision on universal conscription of Russian citizens dated November 4, 1870. Its chairman, Lieutenant Colonel Kraevich, in 1874 proposed increasing the number of military units consisting of Caucasian mountaineers to 10 thousand people, and the term service is determined to be three years. Make the composition of the parts multi-tribal. This, in his opinion, will contribute to the rapprochement of the highlanders with the Russians and will allow the first to master the state language.
Another important reason for the organization of mountain regiments was the high fighting qualities characteristic of the native population. The commission that considered this issue noted: “A blow with a dagger is true and is rarely not fatal; shooting at night at a glance, at a sound, at a light shows the clear superiority of the highlanders in this matter over trained Cossacks, especially over soldiers.”
The commission also noted the ability of the mountaineers “for outpost service and small war actions... knowledge and habit of mountainous terrain.” The command considered the mountaineers indispensable for reconnaissance; They were involved in this type of service starting in 1853. In addition, they were considered the best units when pursuing the enemy and operating in small groups. The military ideologist of the tsarist army, M. Dragomirov, believed that “cavalry that arose naturally should serve as an ideal and model in equestrian affairs.” The only drawback of the mountain cavalry was the lack of discipline and strict adherence to the military hierarchy.
Another equally important issue is the desire of the mountaineers, yesterday’s enemies of the Russian state, to join the ranks of the newly formed military units. Several theories have been put forward that were based on the Russian understanding of this issue. None of the Chechen authors writing before the 60s of the 20th century raised it, based on documents of that time, in combination with the mentality of their people. Tsarist historians also wrote: “the patriotism of the peoples of the Caucasus never went further than defending the independence of their village or community, and their only unifying principle was religion.” This means that the origins of the mass entry of mountaineers into the ranks of the Russian army should not be sought in patriotism; For a Chechen, the Russian Empire was an alien country that imposed alien orders and laws.
There were several reasons for Chechens joining the ranks of irregular cavalry regiments, and all of them were purely economic in nature. Firstly, the example of compatriots who entered the military field during the period of the Caucasian War was indicative. Reaching certain ranks and titles, they significantly improved their economy, soon becoming large landowners and entrepreneurs.
Secondly, these were awards that guaranteed their owners a lifetime pension, the opportunity to obtain a lucrative position, the right to wear and other privileges that put them on the same level as the Russian population of the empire. An indicative case here is when, after the murder of Sh. Elmurzaev, all weapons were taken away from the residents of Old Yurt, leaving them only for police officers and people with military awards.
Thirdly, military service itself gave the Chechens a good source of income, which in many cases was impossible to obtain on the meager plots of mountain arable land.
One should not discount the natural passion of Caucasians for weapons and military service, the desire to prove themselves as a desperate brave man and a magnificent warrior.
The question was often raised about the moral side that the mountaineers, yesterday's murids of Shamil, crossed when going to war with Turkey of the same faith. Having studied a number of information and documents, we come to the conclusion that no such obstacle existed in this matter. The resettlement of the highlanders to Turkey in 1865, their plight in a foreign land, the unscrupulous attitude of the Turkish authorities towards the Muhajirs - all this was known in the Caucasus from repatriates who returned to their homeland. Only for the period from 1865 to 1871. Of the 22,000 Chechen migrants, almost half died from cold, hunger and disease. Those who remained were enlisted in the army with a salary 2 times less than that of their fellow tribesmen in Russia. Mountain officers of the Terek-Gorsky regiment in 1876 told a correspondent of the Government Gazette: “If their compatriots from Greater and Lesser Kabarda, Ossetia, etc., who once emigrated to Turkey, were allowed to return to the Caucasus, to their villages, then very many of them would gladly hasten to take advantage of this right... Most of the mountain emigrants within several years have already become so disillusioned with the Turkish order and sigh so much for their native mountains that at present even the Turks themselves are beginning to look suspiciously and distrustfully at their Circassians.” . (Circassians in Turkey called all the highlanders of the North Caucasus, without exception).
Thus, there were more than enough reasons for joining the cavalry irregular regiments.
On January 25, 1877, the formation of the Chechen irregular cavalry regiment of six hundred began. All measures for the formation of regiments were carried out taking into account the opinions of influential and honorable people from among the native population. First of all, the officers of the future regiments were formed. According to the decree of the tsarist administration, “young people of the best birth” had to be enrolled in the regiments...otherwise the basis of the social hierarchy of the natives would overturn and an incoherent crowd would emerge from the regiment.
The command of the regiments included representatives of the local nobility (Kabarda, Dagestan). Of course, in Chechnya and Ingushetia, where there was no class hierarchy, the officer corps was replenished from the already existing military personnel who appeared during the Caucasian War. This included both the local mountain militia and retired persons who had previously served in the militia, regular cavalry and the emperor's convoy. The head of the region, with the consent of the commander of the Caucasian Army, appointed a regiment commander, who, in turn, selected hundred and platoon commanders. Major General Ortsu Chermoev became the commander of the Chechen regiment.
“In view of the special importance” of regimental commanders and officers, the government paid them salaries on the same basis as commanders of regular units.
Appointment to a certain position took the form of a kind of pyramid: the officer himself had to recruit a certain number of riders at his place of residence. The selection of horsemen and the formation of regiments was entrusted to the district authorities. The hundreds of commanders included: Colonel Tkhostov, captain Umalat Laudaev, collegiate register Sheripov, warrant officer Khutsistov.
Half of the rank and file was supposed to be recruited from volunteers, half by lot. If he did not want to go to service, the rider had the right to nominate another in his place. However, the number of people willing to serve was much greater than the required composition of the formed regiments. Complaints and requests to increase the number of cavalry rained down on the authorities.
First of all, people were enrolled from 18 to 40 years old, in good health and having full combat equipment - a horse, harness, warm clothes, as well as speaking Russian and reading and writing, even Arabic. We had to turn a blind eye to the last condition - out of 66 people recruited in the Argun district, there were only 12 literate, barely able to write and read in Russian or Arabic.
Full rider equipment cost from 150 to 1000 rubles. Most of those called up did not have that kind of money. At the request of the personnel, the commander-in-chief allowed a third of the future salary to be issued as an advance so that the mountaineers could “equip themselves with everything necessary for the upcoming winter campaign.” The treasury allocated 40 rubles in salary to each of those in need and 8 rubles 88 kopecks for food and fodder. Thus, the Chechen cavalry irregular regiment was given 30,350 rubles. silver
Each regiment had its own banner, centenary badges, zurna and drum. Uniforms also had their differences. Firstly, the initials of the regiments were written on the light blue shoulder straps of the riders (K.K. - Kabardino-Kumyk, Ch-2 - Chechen, etc.). Secondly, the colors of individual parts of the uniform differed. The Dagestanis had black hats with a red top, as well as red hoods. Chechen uniforms were pure black.
The horsemen's firearms were somewhat outdated - flintlock rifles, which were no longer used in the army. But edged weapons were distinguished by their high cost and sophistication. Contemporaries noted the wealth of sabers and daggers, decorated with “silver with Caucasian niello, with gold notches.”
Riders were sent to the front without special training; Only the elements of regiment formation were studied.
Trumpeters, doctors, gunsmiths and other auxiliary personnel of the Chechen regiment were selected from among the local Cossacks who knew the language and customs of the Chechens.
In February 1877, the formation of the Chechen Cavalry Irregular Regiment was completed. It included 793 people, including 21 police officers.
The innovation of the tsarist authorities was overshadowed by the unscrupulous behavior of the highest authorities, who saw in this a means for illegal enrichment. During the period of military service of the Chechen regiment alone, 89 horsemen and officers from the Argun and Aukhov societies were not given a salary in the amount of 2,560 rubles. 57 kopecks Complaints about not receiving enough money for service continued even after the end of the war. In this regard, a special commission was appointed, which obliged the commander of the hundred, Ortsu Chermoev, the head of the economic department, Colonel Tkhostov, and the cashier of the regiment, Cornelian Ekimov, to pay the horsemen the money they were entitled to.
“Chiefs and commanders mostly sent the policemen home,” wrote a government commission in 1878, “and those who remained in the service were not given any pay, allowing them to live by robbery.” Drawing a conclusion, the commission noted: “With undoubtedly good material for horsemen, the unsuccessful service of the regiments can only be explained by the fact that at that time the cavalry-irregular regiments were looked at not so much as a fighting force, but as a means of extracting violent elements from among the population.” … The only reason for unsatisfactory police units was bad leaders. There are too many highlanders mobilized without training for combat.”
Nevertheless, during the short period of the war, the irregular units showed excellent fighting qualities, which became the subject of special study by military experts. The fact is that with the advent of rifled artillery and improved small arms, it was considered inappropriate to use horse units for attack; they were entrusted with raids, reconnaissance, attacks on enemy outposts and convoys. The tactics of mountain equestrian combat showed the fallacy of this opinion.
By the fall of 1877, the positions of the Russian army were located opposite the Aladzhin position of the Turks. It was here that the Chechen cavalry showed its characteristic features associated with the skillful use of the terrain.
On the night of August 7–8, a reconnaissance operation was scheduled to determine the movement of enemy forces. The detachment of Major General Chavchavadze, which consisted of 4 squadrons, 16 hundreds and 4 guns, included 4 hundreds of Chechen cavalry.
At midnight, the reconnaissance detachment set out from Bashkadyklyar to the settlements of Subbotan and Hadji-Vali. At 2 hours after midnight, near the village of Subbotan, the troops split up. A column under the command of the commander of the Chechen cavalry irregular regiment, consisting of eight hundred horsemen (30 hunters from different parts of the cavalry, 450 Chechens, 200 Kuban Cossacks and the Tionet hundred), was sent to the Turkish camp, to the right bank of the Mavryakchay River. It was this column that was to engage in battle with Turkish units.
The task was defined briefly: “to overthrow the forward posts, if there were any, rush to the cavalry camp and then quickly retreat back.”
The Chechens and hunters, about 500 horsemen in all, were sent forward through the ravine separating Subbotan and Hadji Vali. The order recommended using only edged weapons. The 4th hundred of the Kuban Cossack Regiment was allocated for cover.
Near the village of Bulanykh, the Chechens encountered Turkish outposts. Major Tkhostov divided his detachment into two parts. The first, breaking through the chain of Turkish posts, went to the rear of the Turks and attacked the main enemy camp. The second, going to the right, went around the Turks from the flank. The maneuver of the Chechen cavalry made it possible to encircle the Turkish camp.
The commander of the 4th hundred Kuban Cossacks “scattered a hundred in a chain and with well-aimed fire did not allow the enemy to reinforce the attacked posts.” At this time, “the front line under the command of Tkhostov rushed forward like a hurricane. The Turks became numb, surrendered their weapons, and threw themselves on their knees. All this happened with the Turkish dismounted cavalry, who were not even given time to mount their horses.” The head of the cordon on Arpachai, Rashid Bey, was captured by the Chechens. Some of the Turks, fleeing from the Chechens, took refuge in a trench; discovered by Tkhostov's detachment, they were cut down.
The battle ended by 5 am. The Turks, warned by the remnants of the defeated detachment, opened artillery fire. The Chechens, having completed their main task, retreated to the camp without losing a single person. The Turks killed 60 soldiers and seven were captured. For this raid alone, more than 40 expedition members received awards.
Such raids on Turkish positions were a systematic phenomenon, demoralizing the enemy and forcing him to always be on full alert, taking away strength and energy.
But the main thing that impressed the tsarist experts was the tactics of Vainakh equestrian combat using firearms. Even the infantry, attacking the enemy, could not achieve such decisive results as the Vainakhs and hussars achieved while on horseback, so the tsarist commanders reasoned. But such battle tactics were known to the Chechens and Ingush for a long time.
The main core of such tactics boiled down to the fact that the cavalry, at full gallop, came close to the enemy’s positions, covering him from several sides, opened aimed fire and, covering himself with the body of the horse, attacked the enemy. The effect was stunning - the Turks fled from the highlanders like the plague, afraid of being surrounded.
The Russian-Turkish war showed that the Chechens and Ingush, with the overwhelming superiority of the enemy, are capable of taking the initiative into their own hands and sowing fear and panic in the ranks of the enemy.
There were moments when mountaineers who served in the Russian army talked with their Turkish compatriots, asking each other questions: “Which country is better to serve in?” However, cases of betrayal were very rare. But during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877–1878, mountaineers-Muhajirs repeatedly came to the headquarters of the Russian troops and asked permission to return to their homeland.
"Wild Division": Highlanders in the First World WarIn the summer of 1914, by order of Nicholas II, the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division was formed, which went down in history as “wild”. Its dashing fighters terrified their enemies, fighting bravely on the fronts of the First World War.
Under the banner of the White Tsar
Muslims of the Russian Empire, most of whom lived in the Caucasus and Central Asia, were free from compulsory military service. For obvious reasons, the authorities were by no means eager to arm the traditionally warlike and potentially hostile people. It is difficult to say to what extent such fears were justified; Thus, in the middle of the 19th century, at the same time when the Russian army was repelling the raids of abreks on the southern borders, dozens of the same Muslim mountaineers faithfully served in the Tsar’s convoy - a special unit responsible for the personal security of the emperor.
Be that as it may, in August 1914, when all classes of the country were swept by an unprecedented patriotic upsurge, the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division was created by order of Nicholas II. The call of the White Tsar, as the ruler of Russia was called in the east, is answered by many young mountaineers who, from childhood, have been able to wield a blade, stay in the saddle and shoot without missing a beat. The division consists of six regiments - Ingush, Circassian, Tatar, Kabardian, Dagestan and Chechen. The horsemen arrive on their horses, in their own uniforms - Circassian caftans and hats, with their bladed weapons. At government expense - only a rifle. Salary - 20 rubles per month.Service in an unusual military formation is voluntary, therefore, although Muslims make up up to 90% of the personnel of the “wild”, among its soldiers and officers you can find Russian nobles, and Baltic Germans, and even sailors of the Baltic Fleet. Moreover, in a team where every second person is a high-born aristocrat, genuine democracy reigns, and the main criterion is real military merit.By the end of 1914 - that is, not immediately, but after 4 months of personnel training - the division was transferred to the Southwestern Front, where heavy fighting with the Austrians continued.
Brother to the sovereign, soldiers
The most famous of the division commanders, from the moment of its formation until the beginning of 1916, was Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, the brother of the last tsar. An excellent cavalryman, a strong man, tearing an unopened deck of cards with steel fingers, he enjoyed enormous authority among the mountaineers. The 35-year-old adjutant general was unpretentious and modest in everyday life, and was not afraid to appear in the most dangerous positions.
With him, the division participated in the capture of Stanislaviv (now Ivano-Frankivsk) and the liberation of Galicia in 1915. Impeccably honest, but naively simple-minded and lacking a state mind, Mikhail Alexandrovich, burdened by his royal origins, was shot on June 13, 1918, not much outliving his former division, which was disbanded at the beginning of the same year.
There is no equal in courage
For example, the following case gives an idea of the military tactics of the “natives”. In the spring of 1915, when the rivers of Galicia were barely free of ice, a hundred highlanders, literally holding daggers in their teeth, crossed the Dniester at night, on the other bank of which were the Austrian positions. The guards are silently removed in secret. Ahead are enemy trenches protected by barbed wire. The highlanders do not have special scissors to cut it (and the highlander sees no point in carrying an object that is not needed for close combat); the “thorn” is simply thrown with Dagestan burkas. They silently creep up to the trenches and, with only daggers, attack the enemy amid guttural screams. The enemy retreats in panic. The runners are attacked - already on horseback - by other “natives” who managed to cross downstream...
Of course, the war, even against the Austrians, who were inferior in combat capability to the Kaiser’s troops, was not a fun ride. With a staff strength of 3,450 combat horsemen, over three years, about ten thousand soldiers and officers served in the division: it is easy to calculate how large the percentage of losses is. And, of course, it is completely wrong to present our riders as a useless anachronism in the unfolding “war of engines.” The Wild Division was armed with both machine guns and armored vehicles.
Creating a Legend
Let's be honest: the purely combat performance of the “Wild Division” cannot be called out of the ordinary. Perfectly suited for sabotage and reconnaissance actions and dashing cavalry attacks (like Ataman Platov’s famous raid on the French rear at the Battle of Borodino), the daring horsemen, despite all their heroism, turned out to be ineffective in the trench warfare of the 20th century, when during the course of a year soldiers could stay in the same trench.
However, the native division became an important tool of another, propaganda kind, terrifying enemies along the entire Eastern Front with its very name. Probably, in the minds of Europeans - Germans and Austrians - the archetypal image of a wild Asian horseman who knew no mercy, which was not so different from reality, was firmly rooted. The semi-documentary adventure novel “The Wild Division” by emigrant writer Nikolai Breshko-Breshkovsky, which became a book bestseller in the 1920s, also contributed significantly to the formation of the legend.And for us, “Wild Division” is, first of all, a wonderful example of interethnic harmony, when Russians and representatives of various peoples of the Caucasus bravely defend their homeland from a common enemy.
In battle, in dance and on the wayThe Tatars are always ahead
Dashing horsemen of Ganja and
Riders of Borhalin.
(from a song of Parisian emigrants)
In 1914, a truly unique military unit was formed as part of the Russian army - the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division, better known as the “Wild Division”.
It was formed from Muslim volunteers, natives of the Caucasus and Transcaucasia, who, according to Russian legislation of that time, were not subject to conscription for military service.
On July 26, 1914, when the fire of the First World War broke out in Europe, the Adjutant General, Commander-in-Chief of the Caucasian Military District, Count Illarion Vorontsov-Dashkov, through the Minister of War, addressed the Tsar with a proposal to use the “warlike Caucasian peoples” in order to form them military units.
The Emperor did not keep himself waiting long, and the very next day, July 27, the highest decree followed to form the following military units from the natives of the Caucasus for the duration of hostilities:
- Tatar (Azerbaijani) - from Azerbaijanis (formation point in Elizavetpol (Ganja),
- Chechen cavalry regiment of Chechens and Ingush,
- Circassian - from Adygeis and Abkhazians, Kabardinian - from Kabardians and Balkars,
- Ingush - from the Ingush,
- 2nd Dagestan - from Dagestanis
- Adjarian foot battalion.
According to the approved states, each cavalry regiment consisted of 22 officers, 3 military officials, 1 regimental mullah, 575 combatant lower ranks (horsemen) and 68 non-combatant lower ranks.
The division's regiments were united into three brigades.
- 1st brigade: Kabardian and 2nd Dagestan cavalry regiments - brigade commander, Major General Prince Dmitry Bagration.
- 2nd brigade: Chechen and Tatar regiments - commander Colonel Konstantin Hagandokov
- 3rd brigade: Ingush and Circassian regiments - commander Major General Prince Nikolai Vadbolsky.
The Tsar's younger brother, His Majesty's retinue, Major General Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, was appointed commander of the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division. Colonel Yakov Davidovich Yuzefovich, a Lithuanian Tatar of the Mohammedan religion, who served at the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, was appointed chief of staff of the division.
For obvious reasons, in this article we will pay more attention to the Tatar, as Azerbaijanis were then called in Russia, or the Azerbaijani cavalry regiment.
Lieutenant Colonel Pyotr Polovtsev was appointed commander of the regiment of the General Staff. A native of Baku, Lieutenant Colonel Vsevolod Staroselsky and Captain Shakhverdi Khan Abulfat Khan Ziyathanov were appointed assistant commanders of the regiment.
The colonel of the 16th Tver Dragoon Regiment, Prince Feyzullah Mirza Qajar, was also assigned to the Tatar regiment.
At the beginning of August 1914, it was announced that the registration of volunteers for the newly formed regiments had begun. On August 5, the chief of staff of the Caucasian Military District, Lieutenant General N. Yudenich, notified the Elizavetpol Governor G.S. Kovalev about the highest permission to form native units. According to the data of the Elizavetpol governor, by August 27, “more than two thousand Muslim volunteers had enrolled in the Tatar regiment.” Due to the fact that only 400 people were required, including one hundred of the Azerbaijanis, residents of the Borchali district of the Tiflis province, further registration was stopped.
The governor also handed over to the assistant commander-in-chief of the Caucasian Army, Infantry General A.Z. Myshlaevsky asked for volunteers to “give the Tatar regiment being formed in Elizavetpol a banner, the highest granted by Emperor Nicholas I to the former Tatar regiment (1st Muslim Cavalry Regiment, formed during the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-1829), stored in the Shusha district administration.”
Despite the fact that Muslims had every moral basis not to take any part in the “Russian” war: only some 50 years had passed since the end of the Caucasian War, and many Caucasian warriors were grandchildren and, perhaps even sons of people with weapons in the hands of those opposing Russian troops, nevertheless, a Muslim division formed from volunteers came to the defense of Russia.
Realizing this very well, Nicholas II, during his stay in Tiflis in November 1914, addressed the Muslim deputation with the following words:
“I express my heartfelt gratitude to all representatives of the Muslim population of the Tiflis and Elizavetpol provinces, who reacted so sincerely in the difficult times we were going through, as evidenced by the equipment of six cavalry regiments by the Muslim population of the Caucasus as part of the division, which, under the command of my brother, set off to fight our common enemy. Convey my heartfelt gratitude to the entire Muslim population for their love and devotion to Russia.”
By the beginning of September, the formation of the Tatar Cavalry Regiment was completed.
On September 10, 1914, in Elizavetpol at 11 o’clock in the afternoon in the regiment’s camp, with a huge crowd of people, the chairman of the provincial Sunni Majlis, Huseyn Efendi Efendiyev, served a farewell prayer service, and then at two o’clock in the afternoon a lunch was given in honor of the regiment at the Central Hotel of the city.
Soon the regiment set out for Armavir, designated as a rallying point for units of the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division. In Armavir, the division commander, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, got acquainted with the regiments.
At the end of September, the division's regiments were transferred to Ukraine, where they continued to prepare for combat work. The Tatar cavalry regiment was stationed in the Zhmerinka area until the beginning of November. By the way, the regiment there received an unexpected reinforcement in the person of a French citizen. From the attitude of the French consul in Baku to the Elizavetpol governor dated December 18, 1914:
“I hereby have the honor to inform you that I have received a telegram with the date October 26th of this year from the Zhmerinka station signed by Lieutenant Colonel Polovtsev, commander of the Tatar Cavalry Regiment, informing me that a French citizen, reserve soldier Karl Testenoir entered the above-mentioned regiment as a rider ..."
In early November, the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division was included in the 2nd Cavalry Corps of Lieutenant General Huseyn Khan of Nakhichevan.
On November 15, the transfer of division units to Lvov began. On November 26, in Lvov, corps commander Huseyn Khan Nakhichevansky reviewed the division. An eyewitness to this event was the journalist Count Ilya Lvovich Tolstoy, the son of Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy.
“The regiments marched on horseback, in marching order,” Ilya Lvovich later wrote in his essay “Scarlet Bashlyks,” one more beautiful than the other, and for a whole hour the whole city admired and marveled at the hitherto unprecedented spectacle... To the creaky melody of the zurnachs playing the playing their warlike folk songs on their pipes, elegant typical horsemen in beautiful Circassian hats, in shiny gold and silver weapons, in bright scarlet bashlyks, on nervous, chiseled horses, flexible, dark, full of pride and national dignity, passed by us.”
Directly from the review, the division regiments moved to the area southwest of the city of Sambir, where they occupied the combat area indicated to them on the banks of the Sana River.
Hard winter combat work began in the Carpathians. The division fought heavy battles near Polyanchik, Rybne, and Verkhovyna-Bystra. Particularly heavy and bloody battles took place in December 1914 on San and in January 1915 in the Lomna Lutowiska area, where the division repelled the enemy’s attack on Przemysl.
“Snow in the Carpathians, everything is white all around. Ahead along the ridges, in the snow trenches, the Austrian infantry lies. Bullets are whistling. They lie in groups in chains,” notes the author of the essay, “All relatives. All their own. Akhmet is wounded - Ibrahim will bear it, Ibrahim is wounded - Israel will carry it out, Abdullah will be wounded, Idris will carry it, and they will carry it out, leaving neither alive nor dead...
The regiment lined up for the march. Brownish-gray hundreds stand in a reserve column, black cloaks are tied behind the saddles, colorful khurjins hang on the thin sides of the horses, brown hats are pushed onto the forehead. There is uncertainty and battle ahead, because the enemy is not far away. On a white horse, with a rifle over his shoulders, a mullah rides forward of the column of the regiment. The reins of the riders were thrown away, the small, thin mountain horses lowered their heads, and the riders also lowered their heads, clasping their hands, palms together. The mullah reads a prayer before the battle, a prayer for the Emperor, for Russia. Gloomy faces listen to her silently. - Amen, - sweeping through the rows with a sigh. “Amen, Allah, Allah!..” comes the prayerful sigh again, just a sigh, not a cry. They put their palms to their foreheads, ran them over their faces, as if shaking off heavy thoughts, and took apart the reins... Ready for battle. With Allah and for Allah."
In February 1915, the division conducted successful offensive operations.
So on February 15, the Chechen and Tatar regiments fought a fierce battle in the area of the village of Brin. As a result of a stubborn battle, after hand-to-hand fighting, the enemy was driven out of this settlement. The regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel A. Polovtsev, was awarded the Order of St. George the Victorious, 4th degree.
This is how Lieutenant Colonel Polovtsev himself assessed his award in a telegram to Elizavetpol Governor G. Kovalev:
“The Tatar regiment was the first from the Native Division to earn its commander the Cross of St. George. Proud of this high award, I consider it an extremely flattering assessment of the high military qualities and selfless courage of the Tatar horsemen. I ask you to accept the expression of my deepest admiration for the unparalleled valor of the Muslim warriors of the Elizavetpol province. Polovtsev."
Colonel Prince Feyzullah Mirza Qajar, who was also awarded the Order of St. George the Victorious, 4th degree, especially distinguished himself in this battle. From the award presentation:
“On February 15, 1915, having taken, on his own initiative, command of 4 hundred Uman Cossack regiments, which had only one officer, he led them on a decisive offensive under strong rifle and machine-gun fire, twice returned the retreating Cossacks and, thanks to decisive actions, contributed to the occupation of the village of Brin.” .
On February 17, 1915, Colonel Prince Feyzullah Mirza Qajar was appointed commander of the Chechen Cavalry Regiment, replacing the regiment commander, Colonel A. Svyatopolk-Mirsky, who died in battle the day before.
On February 21, 1915, the division commander, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, received an order from the commander of the 2nd Cavalry Corps, Lieutenant General Khan Nakhichevansky, to drive the enemy out of the town of Tlumach. To solve the task, the division commander moved forward the Tatar regiment, and then the Chechen regiment. As a result of a stubborn battle, Tlumach was occupied.
By the end of February, units of the 2nd Cavalry Corps completed the combat mission assigned to them in the Carpathian operation of the troops of the Southwestern Front. On July 16, 1915, in connection with the appointment of Colonel Khagandokov as acting chief of staff of the 2nd Cavalry Corps, the commander of the Chechen Regiment, Colonel Prince Feyzullah Mirza Qajar, took command of the 2nd Brigade “with direct responsibilities for commanding the regiment.”
In July–August 1915, the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division fought heavy battles on the left bank of the Dniester. Here again Colonel Prince Feyzullah Mirza Qajar distinguished himself. From the order of the commander of the Caucasian native cavalry division:
“He (Prince Qajar - Ch.S.) especially showed great valor during the period of heavy fighting in the Vinyatyntsy area (August 12 - 15, 1915), when, commanding the 2nd brigade, which lost about 250 horsemen, he repulsed 5 fierce attacks of the Austrians.” .
At the beginning of 1916, major changes took place in the command structure of the division. Major General (Lieutenant General from July 12, 1916) D.P. was appointed division commander. Bagration.
Appointed chief of staff of the 2nd corps, Major General Ya.D. Yuzefovich was replaced as chief of staff of the division by the commander of the Tatar cavalry regiment, Colonel Polovtsev.
Major General S.A. was appointed commander of the 2nd brigade. Drobyazgin. Colonel of the Kabardian Cavalry Regiment, Prince Fyodor Nikolaevich (Tembot Zhankhotovich) Bekovich-Cherkassky, was appointed commander of the Tatar Cavalry Regiment.
On May 31, 1916, Colonel Bekovich-Cherkassky, having received the order to knock out the enemy from the village of Tyshkovtsy, personally led three hundred Tatar regiments into the attack under hurricane fire from the Austrians. As a result of the cavalry attack, the village was occupied. 171 Austrian soldiers and 6 officers were captured.
Half an hour later, the enemy, with two infantry battalions supported by artillery, made an attempt to recapture Tyshkivtsi. However, three dismounted hundreds of the regiment, supported by a machine-gun platoon from a detachment of the Baltic Fleet, met the attacking enemy with heavy fire. The enemy attack failed. However, until midday, the Austrians tried several times to recapture Tyshkivtsi, but to no avail.
After some time, two hundred Chechens of Colonel Qajar, two guns of the cavalry-mountain division and a battalion of the Zaamur infantry regiment came to the rescue of the Tatar regiment. During the day, five enemy attacks were repulsed. In addition to 177 prisoners, the Austrians lost only 256 people killed.
For this battle, the commander of the Tatar cavalry regiment, Colonel Prince Bekovich-Cherkassky, was presented with the Order of St. St. George the Victorious, 3rd degree.
St. George's crosses of the 4th degree for an equestrian attack were awarded to a native of the village of Yukhary Aiyply, Elizavetpol district, horseman Pasha Rustamov, a native of the city of Shusha, Khalil Bek Gasumov, and a volunteer prince, Idris Agha Qajar (brother of the commander of the Chechen regiment, Feyzulla Mirza Qajar).
In the first ten days of June, the Tatar cavalry regiment as part of the 2nd brigade of the division fought in the west of Chernivtsi. Overcoming stubborn enemy resistance, by mid-June the brigade reached the Cheremosh River, on the opposite bank of which the Austrians were entrenched. On June 15, the Chechen and Tatar regiments, under fierce enemy fire, crossed the river and, having immediately captured the village of Rostok, began fighting forward to the northwest to the Bukovinian Carpathians in the direction of the city of Vorokhta in the upper reaches of the Prut River.
In these battles, among the soldiers of the Tatar regiment, the horseman Kerim Kulu ogly, awarded the St. George Cross of the 4th degree, and the junior officer Alexander Kaytukov, awarded the St. George Cross of the 2nd degree, especially distinguished themselves.
On December 9, 1916, during the battle near the village of Vali-Salchi, the commander of the Chechen regiment, Colonel Prince Feyzullah Mirza Qajar, was seriously wounded. He was sent to the divisional sanitary detachment and then evacuated to Russia. Looking ahead, we will say that already on February 25, 1917, Colonel Qajar returned to duty and again led the Chechen cavalry regiment.
In March 1917, a number of division officers were awarded for bravery and combat distinction on the Romanian Front.
Among them were the cornet of the Tatar cavalry regiment Jamshid Khan of Nakhichevan, awarded the Order of St. Stanislav 2nd degree with swords and staff captain of the Kabardian Cavalry Regiment Kerim Khan of Erivan, who received the Order of St. Anna 2nd degree with swords.
On May 7, the commander of the Chechen cavalry regiment, Colonel Prince Feyzullah Mirza Qajar, was promoted to major general for military distinction, and on May 30 of the same year, he was appointed commander of the 2nd brigade.
On May 14, the commander of the Tatar Cavalry Regiment, Colonel Prince Bekovich-Cherkassky, was appointed commander of the 1st Guards Cuirassier Regiment. Colonel Prince Levan Luarsabovich Magalov was appointed commander of the Tatar Cavalry Regiment.
On May 22, the chief of staff of the division, Major General P.A. Polovtsev, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Petrograd Military District.
From a telegram from P.A. Polovtsev to one of the initiators of the formation of the Tatar Cavalry Regiment, Mamed Khan Ziyathanov:
“Having received permission from the Minister of War to preserve the uniform of the Tatar Cavalry Regiment, I ask you to convey to the Muslim population of the Elizavetpol province and Borchalinsky district that I will proudly preserve the memory of the valiant regiment, assembled in their midst, at the head of which I had the honor of being for a year and a half. With an endless series of exploits on the fields of Galicia and Romania, Muslims showed themselves to be worthy descendants of great ancestors and faithful sons of our great Motherland.
Commander-in-Chief of the Petrograd Military District, General Polovtsev.”
During the summer offensive of the troops of the Southwestern Front, the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division operated west of the city of Stanislavov. Thus, during June 29, the fighting on the Lomnica River continued to develop. The enemy counterattacked in the direction of the city of Kalush. On the morning of that day, Major General Prince Feyzullah Mirza Qajar, who had crossed Lomnica near the village of Podkhorniki the day before with his 2nd Brigade, was moving towards Kalush, where there was a fierce battle. On the brigade's path was the 466th Infantry Regiment, which was retreating chaotically under enemy pressure. As was later noted in the order for the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division, with decisive measures and “the power of persuasion,” General Qajar brought “parts of the confused regiment into order, encouraged them and sent them back to the trenches,” and then continued to carry out his task.
On June 24, 1917, by decree of the Provisional Government, it was allowed to award “soldier’s” St. George’s Crosses to officers “for feats of personal courage and valor.”
In particular, by resolution of the Georgievsk Duma of the Tatar Cavalry Regiment, the following were awarded the St. George Crosses of the 4th degree: regiment commander Colonel Prince Levan Magalov, Lieutenant Jamshid Khan Nakhichevansky, cornets Prince Khaitbey Shervashidze and Count Nikolai Bobrinsky.
In the most difficult conditions of the summer of 1917, when the front was broken, and the Russian army was demoralized, and its units randomly abandoned positions, the Caucasian soldiers fought to the death. From the article “Loyal Sons of Russia” published in the newspaper “Morning of Russia”:
“The Caucasian native division, all the same long-suffering “savages”, with their lives paying the trade and treacherous bills of the Russian army “fraternization”, its freedom and its culture. "Wild" saved the Russian army in Romania; The “wild ones” overthrew the Austrians with an unrestrained blow and, at the head of the Russian army, marched through the entire Bukovina and took Chernivtsi. The “wild ones” burst into Galich and drove the Austrians away a week ago. And yesterday, again, the “wild ones”, saving the retreating rally column, rushed forward and recaptured the positions, saving the situation. “Wild” foreigners - they will pay Russia with blood for all that land, for all that will, which is demanded today by organized soldiers fleeing from the front to the rear rallies.”
During its combat activities, the division suffered heavy losses. Suffice it to say that in three years, a total of more than seven thousand horsemen, natives of the Caucasus and Transcaucasia, served in the division. The division's regiments were replenished several times with spare hundreds arriving from their places of formation. Despite this, the Caucasians, fighting on all fronts: Austrian, German, Romanian, have always been distinguished by great courage and unshakable firmness.
In just one year, the division carried out 16 cavalry attacks - an unprecedented example in military history. The number of prisoners taken by the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division during the war was four times greater than its own strength. About 3,500 riders were awarded St. George's Crosses and St. George's Medals "For Bravery", many became full Knights of St. George's. All division officers were awarded military orders.
Soldiers of the Tatar Cavalry Regiment were awarded numerous military awards.
In addition to those already mentioned above, the following were also awarded military awards: captain Shakhverdi Khan Ziyathanov, staff captains Suleiman Bek Sultanov and Eksan Khan Nakhichevansky, staff captain Jalal Bek Sultanov, lieutenant Salim Bek Sultanov.
Non-commissioned officers and ordinary horsemen especially distinguished themselves: full Knights of St. George, i.e. Those awarded the St. George Cross of all four degrees were: a native of the village of Arablu, Zangezur district, Alibek Nabibekov, a native of the village of Agkeinek, Kazakh district, Sayad Zeynalov, Mehdi Ibragimov, Alekper Khadzhiev, Datso Daurov, Alexander Kaytukov. Osman Aga Gulmamedov, a native of the village of Salakhly in the Kazakh district, was awarded three Crosses of St. George and three Medals of St. George.
Particularly noteworthy is Zeynal Bek Sadikhov, a native of the city of Shushi, who, having begun his service as a non-commissioned officer in a reconnaissance team, earned three St. George Crosses and a St. George Medal, and after being promoted to officer for military distinction, he was awarded four military orders.
At the end of August 1917 A Muslim charity evening took place in Tiflis in favor of the injured and families of the fallen soldiers of the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division.
The newspaper "Caucasian Territory" wrote in this regard:
“By attending the Muslim evening, we will give only a tiny part of that huge unpaid debt that lies on all of Russia, on all of us to the Caucasus and to the noble savage division that has been shedding its blood for Russia for three years now.”
Then, at the end of August, it was decided to reorganize the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division into the Caucasian Native Cavalry Corps.
For this purpose, the 1st Dagestan and two Ossetian cavalry regiments were transferred to the division. After formation, the corps was to be sent to the Caucasus at the disposal of the commander of the Caucasian Army. However, already on September 2, in connection with the “Kornilov case”, by order of the Provisional Government, the commander of the Caucasian Native Cavalry Corps, Lieutenant General Prince Bagration, and the commander of the 1st Caucasian Native Cavalry Division, Major General Prince Gagarin, were relieved of their posts.
On the same day, by order of the Provisional Government, Lieutenant General P.A. Polovtsev was appointed commander of the Caucasian Native Cavalry Corps. The 1st Caucasian Native Cavalry Division was led by Major General Prince Feyzullah Mirza Qajar. General Polovtsev managed to get Kerensky to carry out the previously accepted order to send the corps to the Caucasus.
At the end of September - beginning of October 1917, units and divisions of the corps were transferred to the Caucasus.
The corps headquarters was in Vladikavkaz, and the headquarters of the 1st Caucasian Native Cavalry Division was in Pyatigorsk.
After the October Revolution in Petrograd, the corps for some time retained, in general terms, its organization as a military unit. So, for example, back in October - November 1917, the corps commander, General Polovtsev, held inspections of the regiments. In particular, as it was indicated in one of the orders to the corps, on October 26 in the Elenendorf colony, near Elizavetpol, he (General Polovtsev - Ch.S.) “watched the Tatar regiment.” However, by January 1918, the Caucasian Native Horse Corps ceased to exist.
For three years, the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division was in the active army on the Southwestern and Romanian fronts. With their selfless combat work, innumerable feats and loyalty to military duty, Caucasian warriors have earned well-deserved fame in the army and in Russia as a whole.
I have long been planning to pay tribute to the valiant cavalry of the Russian Imperial Army and selected a little-studied formation or unit (unfortunately, there are still a lot of them left).
I went through the 21st Primorsky Dragoon Regiment with its glorious attack on June 1, 1915 near Popelyany (where it greatly “crushed” the elite regiments of the German cavalry), the 3rd Ufa-Samara Regiment of the Orenburg Cossack Army (the “dashing Samara-Ufa people” from the famous cavalry song) and even the brilliant Life Uhlans, who accepted into their ranks in September 1914 the simple volunteer Nikolai Gumilyov.
But the choice fell precisely on the Caucasian native cavalry division - the formation about which it is written many journalistic, historical and near-historical works, and which is surrounded by even more legends.
Hood. A.I. Sheloumov. Attack of the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division against German dragoons.
The glorious and rich combat history of the division has been well studied, and here it is summary
.
And here is a detailed monograph by O. L. Opryshko “Caucasian Cavalry Division. 1914-1917. Return from Oblivion”, Nalchik, 2007 - electronic version
.
Therefore, here I decided to summarize the available photographic and illustrative materials on the history of the division and dwell on literally several of the most controversial moments in its history.
1. Why “Caucasian Native”? In the Russian Empire army, a number of formations stationed in the Caucasus were called “Caucasian”. At the same time, they were staffed by natives of various parts of Russia. The word “native,” which undoubtedly sounds archaic, did not have a derogatory connotation in the bureaucracy of the Russian Empire and meant the local population of national regions. Consequently, the name emphasized the formation of this connection precisely from the Caucasian subjects of the “white king”.
2. The honorary nickname “Wild” was established for the division due to the unbridled rage demonstrated by its regiments in cavalry attacks, especially in the pursuit of the retreating enemy. The name “Wild” never had an official character, but was perceived favorably by the ranks of the division: the expression “wild courage” is quite honorable for a horseman.
3. Speaking of horsemen. The entire rank and file of the division and a significant part of the non-commissioned officers and chief officers are volunteers. According to Russian laws of the early twentieth century. “native peoples of the Caucasus” were not subject to military service - probably they could not be forgiven for their stubborn and bloody resistance to conquest Russian Empire. Nevertheless, in 1914, many thousands of sons of the mountain peoples considered it their dutyfight for Russia. When recruiting for service, representatives of the local aristocracy, as a rule, were enlisted as junior officers - “wartime” ensigns or cavalry cornets.
5. To avoid the humiliating-sounding name “lower ranks,” the privates of the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division were called “horsemen” - this is well known.
6. According to uniforms and equipment of the division: “The flower of the mountain youth hurried into the ranks of the six regiments of the division - Ingush, Circassian, Tatar, Kabardian, Dagestan, Chechen. The horsemen did not need official horses - they came with their own; they did not need uniforms - they were dressed in their picturesque Circassian coats. All that remained was sew on shoulder straps. Each rider had a dagger hanging on his belt, and a saber at his side. All that was needed was a government-issued rifle..."
(N.N. Breshko-Breshkovsky, “Wild Division”)
Although photographic materials indicate that in the summer, many riders preferred to dress in general protective tunics, and in the winter - in overcoats, leaving their hats and mountain equipment as a sign of rank.
Division travel on the Romanian front, summer 1917.
The combat strength of the division, according to the Highest order on its formation dated August 23, 1914:
1st brigade.
- Kabardian Cavalry Regiment (of Kabardian and Balkar volunteers).
- 2nd Dagestan Cavalry Regiment (from Dagestan volunteers). "2nd" because since 1894 in the Russian Empire. The army already had a cavalry regiment under that name.
2nd brigade.
- Tatra Cavalry Regiment (from Azerbaijani volunteers - in the Russian bureaucracy of that time the Azerbaijanis were called “Azerbaijani Tatars”).
- Chechen cavalry regiment (of Chechen volunteers).
3rd brigade.
- Circassian cavalry regiment (from Circassian, Abkhazian, Abaza, Karachay volunteers).
- Ingush Cavalry Regiment (of Ingush volunteers).
Ossetian foot brigade (attached).
8th Don Cossack Horse Artillery Division (attached).
Ossetian communications team (attached).
Divisional infirmary.
Other combat and logistics support units are unknown.
By order of August 21, 1917, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Infantry General L.G. Kornilov, the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division was reorganized into the Caucasian Native Cavalry Corps. For this purpose, the Dagestan and two Ossetian cavalry regiments were transferred and, as a result, the 1st and 2nd Caucasian native cavalry divisions (two-brigade composition?) were formed.
Division commanders:
1. Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, - in 1914 - early 1916. 
Vel. book Mikhail (in a white hat and cap, a camera in his hand) during the period of command of the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division with officers from the headquarters of the Western Front, winter 1914-15.
Vel. book Mikhail among the officers Caucasian native cavalry division, 1914.
2. Prince Bagration, Dmitry Petrovich, major general, from 07/12/1916 - lieutenant general. Division commander from 02/20/1916 - 04/15/1917 and 05/30-09/02/1917. In addition, 08.28-09.02.1917 - commander of the Caucasian Native Horse Corps. 
Major General D.P. Bagration (right) among the division officers, 1916. In the center is the General Staff Colonel V.N. Gatovsky, chief of staff of the division; behind him is a bunchuk, a non-statutory traditional symbol of commanding powers among many Turkic and Caucasian peoples.
3. Polovtsov, Pyotr Aleksandrovich, lieutenant general. From 08/23/1914 - commander of the Tatar Cavalry Regiment of the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division. From 02/25/1916 - chief of staff of the Caucasian native cavalry division. From 09/02/1917 - commander of the Caucasian Native Cavalry Corps. 
4. Book. Gagarin, Alexander Vasilievich, Major General. 08.28-09.02.1917. 
5. Persian Prince Feyzullah Mirza Qajar, Major General. Commanded the 1st Caucasian Native Cavalry Division from 09/30/1917 until self-demobilization. 
Head of the 2nd Caucasian Native Cavalry Division Khoranov Sozryko Dzankhoschtovich (Iosif Zakhaarovich), Lieutenant General. 
I tried to arrange photographic and illustrative materials on the history of the division by regiments in the order of their priority according to the combat schedule, and then - “general divisional” ones.
So:
Kabardian Cavalry Regiment.
Vel. book Mikhail with officers and headquarters of the Kabardian regiment, 1915
Cornet of the Kabardian Regiment Misost Tasultanovich Kogolkin. On the shoulder straps there is a regimental code, the letters "Kb".
Interesting material on the history of the division, in which, in particular, the shoulder straps of its division ranks are detailed from photographs -
2nd Dagestan Cavalry Regiment.
Second Lieutenant of the 2nd Dagestan Regiment Donoguev Muguddin Alkhasovich. The regimental code: “Dg” is clearly visible on the shoulder straps.
Volunteer of the 2nd Dagestan Regiment and a nurse (possibly his sister).
Tatra Cavalry Regiment.
Drawing of Tatar Regiment officer Alexander Andreevich Nemirovich-Danchenko.
A.N. Nemirovich-Danchenko in the uniform of a captain of the Tatar regiment. The regimental code on the shoulder straps is "TT".
Photo from a newspaper publication dedicated to the front-line work of the division, 1915. Perhaps we are talking about Abubakar Dzhurgaev, who went to fight with his father.
Chechen cavalry regiment.
Vel. book Mikhail and the commander of the Chechen regiment A.S. Svyatopolk-Mirsky (mortally wounded in battle on February 15, 1915) among the officers of the Chechen and Tatar regiments of the division, 1914.
Horsemen of the Chechen regiment. On the shoulder straps of the soldier on the left, the regimental code is visible - the letters "Chch".
Circassian cavalry regiment.
Attack of the horsemen of the Circassian regiment during the capture of a city in Austrian Galicia. French postcard
, 1914(there is an inscription in Serbian).
Non-commissioned officer of the Circassian regiment. The regimental code on the shoulder straps consisted of the letters: "Chr".
Return of the horsemen of the Circassian regiment from the war. Ekaterinodar, 1917 (From the personal archive of Samir Khotko).
Ingush cavalry regiment.
Colonel Georgy Alekseevich Merchule, commander of the Ingush regiment throughout the war, holder of the golden St. George weapon. Killed in the fall of 1917 near Vladikavkaz during revolutionary unrest.
Ingush regiment on the march. Photo from a newspaper publication, 1915.
An officer of the Ingush regiment with his wife. The regimental code is noticeable on the shoulder straps - for the Ingush regiment it consisted of the letters: "In".
Young non-commissioned officer of the Ingush regiment.
Let's move on to general divisional materials.
Unstoppable Mounted Charge:
Photo by Vel. book Mikhail in a Circassian coat with a handwritten signature and years of command of the division:
Photos from newspaper material about the division’s battles in the Carpathians, 1915:
Rest of the division's riders during the break between battles. Drawing by a front-line correspondent:
The Caucasian Native Cavalry Division also had such “war horses” - cars and an armored car of the division on the Romanian Front, 1917:
A group of officers and a military official of the division (front row, center) in 1917:
Division officers, various photographs:
Riders of the division, various photographs:
Negotiations of the Petrograd Soldiers' Committee with representatives of the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division deployed to Petrograd during the Kornilov rebellion of 1917:
Representatives of Petrograd Muslims sent to negotiate with the division during the Kornilov revolt of 1917:
I will try to collect material about the regiments that were part of the 2nd Caucasian Native Cavalry Division for a separate publication.
There I will also cite several documentary refutations of the popular story that “The Wild Division was allegedly defeated during the Civil War, allegedly by the Makhnovists.” Briefly: the troops of the famous Ukrainian anarchist leader and military leader N.I. Makhno really beat up the incomplete AFSR cavalry division, recruited from Chechens and Kumyks, but in this White Guard formation there were very few veterans of the legendary Caucasian native cavalry division of the First World War.
________________________________________ ____________________________________ Mikhail Kozhemyakin
One of the most reliable military units and the pride of the Russian army was the “Wild Division”. During the First World War, the Caucasus mountaineers, together with the Russian army, voluntarily defended the Russian Empire, fought and died for the freedom of future generations. And three years ago, in August 2014, it was 100 years since the formation of this fierce, undoubtedly instilling fear in the enemies, gang, which became part of the Caucasian Native Cavalry Division. The division consisted of residents of the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia, who of their own free will took the oath to Nicholas II.
And the former enemies of the Empire now defended it at the cost of their lives. The honor of leading such a division of highlanders fell to the sovereign’s brother, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich Romanov, who held the rank of major general. And although the Wild Division existed for only three years - from August 23, 1914 to August 21, 1917, during all this time it remained faithful to the Tsar, the Army and the Empire. The Caucasian native cavalry division also included Russian nobles who were officers there, but they made up only a tenth.
All the officers were amazed by the devotion of the Caucasians. In history there is not a single fact or written mention of at least one case of escape or retreat of the mountaineers. The officers were amazed by them, the enemies were terribly afraid of them. And one of the Kabardian regiment, Alexey Arsenyev, wrote this in his essay: “Most of the highlanders of the glorious “Wild Division” were either grandchildren, or even sons of former enemies of Russia. They went to war for Her, of their own free will, being forced by no one or anything.
In the history of the “Wild Division” there is not a single case of even individual desertion!” But before we talk about heroes, you need to know where they came from. The very history of the emergence of that same “Wild Division” began not at all with a significant battle, but with a proposal addressed to the sovereign from the commander-in-chief of the troops of the Caucasian Military District, Illarion Vorontsov-Dashkov. He proposed mobilizing the warlike highlanders to fight against the countries of the Triple Alliance. The emperor not only approved the idea, but also supported it in every possible way. At that time it was believed that the voluntary recruitment of Muslim natives of the Caucasus who were not subject to conscription into the war was a smart political move.
move, and there were various rumors about the courage of the Caucasians. And when recruitment began, there was no end to those wishing to join the Wild Division. The children and grandchildren of the former enemies of the Empire, who for six decades defended their native land during the Caucasian War, agreed to represent the interests of their new homeland - Russia. And then, immediately after August 23, 1914, cavalry regiments of mountain fighters were already formed: Kabardinsky, Second Dagestan, Tatar, Chechen, Circassian and Ingush. Each warrior had a Circassian coat with him, sat on his own horse and had his own bladed weapon. Of these six regiments, three brigades were formed, as well as one Adjarian infantry battalion.
The first brigade consisted of the Kabardian and 2nd Dagestan cavalry regiments. Balkars, Kabardians and representatives of the peoples of Dagestan fought there. The second brigade consisted of militant Chechens, Tatars and Azerbaijanis. The fate of the third Caucasian Cossack brigade was more interesting - it fought on the Southwestern Front, which included the 1st Dagestan Cavalry Regiment, formed even earlier. These were Ingush, Karachais, and Abkhazians. This cavalry division was called the Native, or “local”, because it consisted of highlanders from the same land, representing the same faith. 1 And there is no point in saying once again that a very friendly, even fraternal atmosphere reigned inside the division. Respect, mutual assistance, as well as respect. However, the soldiers of the division did not often show sympathy to their seniors, even if they unquestioningly followed orders. In the mountain environment, brave men with leadership qualities and the first to rush into battle have always been held in high esteem. Among the warriors of the “Wild Division” there were many glorious heroes, whose names are forever ingrained in. But I would like to focus special attention on one of them. His name was Bayramukov Jatday, he is my ancestor, of whom I am immensely proud. Every day, waking up and looking in the mirror, I set myself the goal of becoming a brave and courageous descendant of my people and my Motherland - Russia. At the age of twenty, Jatdai already wielded a saber, stood perfectly in the saddle, was strong, steadfast and courageous. Many soldiers wanted to see Jatdaya in the ranks of the Circassian cavalry regiment of the Wild Division, even despite his age.
In early December, he showed himself in the first battles, and in January 1915, Jatdai earned his first award - the St. George Medal "For Bravery" of the fourth degree. On January 8, he accomplished another feat when he carried the wounded horseman Muhajir Liev out from under enemy fire. He was seriously wounded in the head by a shell and fell into territory under fire from Austrian units. Jatdai delivered the wounded soldier to the paramedics, thereby saving his life. A little later, on February 15, during the battle near the village of Tsu-Babino, Bayramukov Dzhatdai again performed an incredible act, carrying a wounded comrade from the battlefield while under heavy enemy fire. He carried it on his shoulders, not thinking about fear, as a true mountaineer and a soldier of the Division should. For his heroism and magnificent military feat in battle, Dzhatdai Bayramukov earned the St. George Cross of the fourth degree. But his series of heroics did not end there.
On the twenty-ninth of May, while in battle, the highlanders fiercely defended themselves in the Zalishchiki area. Bayramukov climbed under enemy fire, but delivered cartridges to his own, thereby helping to repel the enemy’s attack. He broke through a barrage of bullets, and then set fire to warehouses with provisions and fodder. For this act, which was discussed for a long time in the Division, admiring the fearlessness of the young fighter, Jatday received the St. George Cross, already known to him, but this time of the third degree. For awards and heroism, Jatdai received the rank of clerk, and then junior constable.
On May 1, 1916, junior constable Bayramukov was entrusted with a task. Jatday was sent to a convoy squadron, where he faithfully served for a month and a half. At the beginning of June of the same year, the Russian army launched a rapid offensive, which became known as the “Brusilovsky breakthrough.” Children are still told about their resilience, and the story of Jatday continued further. According to various testimonies, Dzhatdai Bayramukov became a full Knight of St. George. He received the much-coveted First Class Cross for the fierce battles of the summer of 1917. By the end of the war he received the rank of cadet. The Wild Division is a wonderful example of interethnic harmony, when Russians and representatives of various peoples of the Caucasus bravely defend their homeland from a common enemy.
Bayramukov Dinislam Ansarovich, Kuznetsova Tatyana Igorevna