Russian Caucasus Forces (before 1865)
Encyclopedia
Before the creation of the Caucasus Military District
in 1865, Russian forces in the Caucasus
were organized, at different times, in a number of formations under various names.
and along the entire borderline of the Terek River were formed into a body subordinate to the governor of Astrakhan
. Into this corps were subsumed the Karbadian and Gorski jaeger
battalions from the garrison of Kizlyar, and one battalion of the garrison of the town of Mozdok
.
In 1779, this body was strengthened with the arrival at Astrakhan of the Selege, Tomsk, and Ladoga infantry regiments.
In the autumn of 1782, this body, having been further strengthened in the meantime, was named the Novolineyny Corps, and then soon renamed the Caucasus Corps. By then, the Corps consisted of 22 infantry battalions, 20 squadrons of dragoons, and four batteries of artillery (30 guns).
In early 1796, the Tsarina Catherine II, having decided to declare war on Persia, ordered that the Corps be strengthened with the addition of four infantry regiments, 3 legkokonnymi regiments, and one Cossack
regiment.
The troops chosen to participate in the Persian Expedition of 1796
were organized into the Caspian Corps under Count Zubov
. This Corps consisted of six battalions of grenadiers, twelve battalions of musketeers, seven jaeger battalions, and 45 squadrons of cavalry. After the death of Catherine, her successor Paul I
halted military operations against Persia and withdrew all the troops stationed on the Caspian and in Georgia back into Russia.
In November 1796, an Imperial Order established a reorganization of all regiments. The troops were formed into 12 divisions, and soon renamed the Inspectorate. Troops stationed in the Caucasus became the Tenth Caucasian Division. The Caspian Corps was disbanded and its troops reassigned to organizations which had been withdrawn into the internal provinces of Russia.
In 1801, at time of the accession to the throne of Tsar Alexander I
, the troops in the Caucasian Inspectorate consisted of 15 infantry battalions, 20 squadrons of dragoons, and 5 artillery batteries.
In early 1819, the commander in Georgia, General Ermolov
, requested a strengthening of the forces in the region. Tsar Alexander I did not feel able to do this on a permanent basis, but on April 19 sent ten regiments as a temporary reinforcement.
In August 1820, an Imperial Order was issued decreeing that some troops in the Georgia Corps be formed into a separate Caucasus Corps.
In August 1865, the Caucasus Military District
was created, and the general staff of the Caucasus Army was abolished, although the army was not formally abolished in name until 1881.
Caucasus Military District
The Caucaus Military District was a military formation of the Imperial Russian Army. It was created in 1865 as the successor to the Caucasus Army, and was dissolved in 1917.-History:...
in 1865, Russian forces in the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
were organized, at different times, in a number of formations under various names.
Before 1815
In 1777, the Russian troops located at KizlyarKizlyar
Kizlyar is a town in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located in the delta of the Terek River northwest of Makhachkala. Population: 30,000 ....
and along the entire borderline of the Terek River were formed into a body subordinate to the governor of Astrakhan
Astrakhan
Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
. Into this corps were subsumed the Karbadian and Gorski jaeger
Jäger (military)
Jäger is a term that was adopted in the Enlightenment era in German-speaking states and others influenced by German military practice to describe a kind of light infantry, and it has continued in that use since then....
battalions from the garrison of Kizlyar, and one battalion of the garrison of the town of Mozdok
Mozdok
Mozdok is a town and the administrative center of Mozdoksky District of the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania in southern Russia, located on the left shore of the Terek River, north of Vladikavkaz, the republic's capital. The name of the town literally means "dense forest" in the Kabardian language...
.
In 1779, this body was strengthened with the arrival at Astrakhan of the Selege, Tomsk, and Ladoga infantry regiments.
In the autumn of 1782, this body, having been further strengthened in the meantime, was named the Novolineyny Corps, and then soon renamed the Caucasus Corps. By then, the Corps consisted of 22 infantry battalions, 20 squadrons of dragoons, and four batteries of artillery (30 guns).
In early 1796, the Tsarina Catherine II, having decided to declare war on Persia, ordered that the Corps be strengthened with the addition of four infantry regiments, 3 legkokonnymi regiments, and one Cossack
Cossack
Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
regiment.
The troops chosen to participate in the Persian Expedition of 1796
Persian Expedition of 1796
The Persian Expedition of Catherine the Great, alongside the Persian Expedition of Peter the Great, was one of the Russo-Persian Wars of the 18th century which did not entail any lasting consequences for either belligerent....
were organized into the Caspian Corps under Count Zubov
Valerian Zubov
Count Valerian Aleksandrovich Zubov was a Russian general who led the Persian Expedition of 1796. His siblings included Platon Zubov and Olga Zherebtsova....
. This Corps consisted of six battalions of grenadiers, twelve battalions of musketeers, seven jaeger battalions, and 45 squadrons of cavalry. After the death of Catherine, her successor Paul I
Paul I of Russia
Paul I was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. He also was the 72nd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta .-Childhood:...
halted military operations against Persia and withdrew all the troops stationed on the Caspian and in Georgia back into Russia.
In November 1796, an Imperial Order established a reorganization of all regiments. The troops were formed into 12 divisions, and soon renamed the Inspectorate. Troops stationed in the Caucasus became the Tenth Caucasian Division. The Caspian Corps was disbanded and its troops reassigned to organizations which had been withdrawn into the internal provinces of Russia.
In 1801, at time of the accession to the throne of Tsar Alexander I
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
, the troops in the Caucasian Inspectorate consisted of 15 infantry battalions, 20 squadrons of dragoons, and 5 artillery batteries.
1815 to 1857
On December 21, 1815, by Imperial Order, the troops of the 19th and 20th divisions, located on the Caucasian border, in Georgia, and in the Transcaucasian region in general, were formed into a separate Georgia Corps.In early 1819, the commander in Georgia, General Ermolov
Aleksey Petrovich Yermolov
Aleksey Petrovich Yermolov , or Ermolov , was a Russian Imperial general of the 19th century who commanded Russian troops in the Caucasus War.-Early life:...
, requested a strengthening of the forces in the region. Tsar Alexander I did not feel able to do this on a permanent basis, but on April 19 sent ten regiments as a temporary reinforcement.
In August 1820, an Imperial Order was issued decreeing that some troops in the Georgia Corps be formed into a separate Caucasus Corps.
1857 to 1865: Caucasus Army
On December 6, 1857, the Caucasus Corps was renamed the Caucasus Army, and the post of Chief of the Caucasus Army General Staff was created.In August 1865, the Caucasus Military District
Caucasus Military District
The Caucaus Military District was a military formation of the Imperial Russian Army. It was created in 1865 as the successor to the Caucasus Army, and was dissolved in 1917.-History:...
was created, and the general staff of the Caucasus Army was abolished, although the army was not formally abolished in name until 1881.
Commanders
- Jacobi, Ivan Varfolomeyevich (appointed governor of Astrakhan in 1776)
- Knorring, Charles F. (the first Russian commander in Georgia)
- Sisianov, Paul D.
- Tormasov, Aleksandr PetrovichAlexander TormasovCount Alexander Petrovich Tormasov was a Russian cavalry general prominent during the Napoleonic Wars....
- Paulucci, Philip Osipovich
- Ermolov, Aleksei PetrovichAleksey Petrovich YermolovAleksey Petrovich Yermolov , or Ermolov , was a Russian Imperial general of the 19th century who commanded Russian troops in the Caucasus War.-Early life:...
- Paskevich, IvanIvan PaskevichIvan Fyodorovich Paskevich was a Ukrainian-born military leader. For his victories, he was made Count of Erivan in 1828 and Namestnik of the Kingdom of Poland in 1831...
- Rosen, Gregory V.
- Golovin, Evgeniy
- Neidgardt, Alexander Ivanovich
- Vorontsov, Mikhail SemenovichMikhail Semyonovich VorontsovPrince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov , was a Russian prince and field-marshal, renowned for his success in the Napoleonic wars, and most famous for his participation in the Caucasian War from 1844 to 1853....
- Ant-Kars, Nikolai Nikolaevich
- Baryatinskiy, Alexander IvanovichAleksandr BaryatinskiyAleksandr Ivanovich Baryatinsky , Russian General and Field Marshal , Prince, governor of the Caucasus.Baryatinsky entered the school of the ensigns of the Guard in his seventeenth year and, on November 8, 1833, received his commission of cornet in the Life Guards of the future Tsar Alexander II...
See also
- Caucasus War
- Caucasus Military DistrictCaucasus Military DistrictThe Caucaus Military District was a military formation of the Imperial Russian Army. It was created in 1865 as the successor to the Caucasus Army, and was dissolved in 1917.-History:...
, the successor organization to the formations described in this article.