Military history. Military and field service of Russian troops during the times of Emperor Peter the Great and Empress Elizabeth
Part 2
In accordance with the decree Alexandra Idated October 23, 1802 engineering department taken out of control Artillery expedition and create an independent Engineering expedition (from 1810 - Engineering Department ) as part of the Ministry of War, to which all the formations of the engineering troops were subordinate (except for the pontoons, which so far remained with the artillery). So the engineering troops were recognized as an independent branch of the Russian army.
At the same time, the organizational structure of the engineering troops is being improved. In 1803, the pioneer regiment was divided into the 1st and 2nd pioneer regiments. Each of them has 2 pioneer battalions of 3 pioneer and 1 miner company, consisting equally of sappers and miners. In 1806, both pioneer regiments were transferred to a 3-battalion structure: 1 miner and 2 pioneer battalions, each of 4 companies of the same type. In total, the regiments became 24 companies. Of these, 12 pioneer companies were attached to divisions. In 1810, all battalions of pioneer regiments began to be called pioneer (each had 3 pioneer and 1 miner company).
The reorganization also affected the pontoon units: in 1804, a pontoon regiment of 2 battalions of 4 companies each was deployed on the basis of pontoon companies. In 1806, in connection with the reorganization of artillery regiments into brigades, the pontoon regiment was disbanded, and its companies were assigned to artillery brigades, which required the formation of another 16 pontoon companies that were not provided with pontoons.
Wikipedia. Back to top Patriotic War of 1812 in the active army there were already 10 miner and pioneer companies. fighting also provided pontoon companies, consisting of artillery. 14 pioneer and miner companies were located in the fortresses. There were no soldiers in these companies, but only specialist officers and conductors. Work force for engineering work was recruited from among local residents, infantry soldiers. Before the foreign campaign, instead of two pioneer regiments, an additional one sapper and two pioneer regiments of three battalions each were deployed. In general, the number of engineering formations was increased to 40 companies (8 sappers, 8 miners and 24 pioneers). Sappers and miners were used in the construction of long-term fortifications and in the work that was carried out during the assault and defense of fortresses. Pioneer units were intended to build roads, bridges, field fortifications, destroy enemy barriers in the direction of action of their troops. Pontoners built floating bridges. |
Patriotic War of 1812 showed the increased importance of engineering units in supporting the combat operations of field armies and determined the directions for further improvement of their organizational and staff structure. In accordance with the decree Alexander I on December 27, 1812, a sapper regiment was formed from 3 sapper battalions (each with 2 sapper and 2 miner companies); both pioneer regiments were retained in the same composition, but with the replacement of miner companies with pioneer ones, a guards engineer battalion was created from 2 engineer and 2 miner companies. As a result of the measures taken, the number of engineer companies increased to 40. Of these, 19 companies of pioneer regiments and part of the pontoon companies participated in the Foreign Campaign of 1813-14. To replenish the engineering units of the army in 1812, a reserve pioneer company and battalion were deployed, and in December 1813, a reserve pioneer battalion for each regiment.
After the end of hostilities, these reserve units were disbanded. In September 1814, 8 pontoon companies from artillery brigades were assigned to 8 cavalry divisions, and the remaining 16 companies that did not have pontoons were sent to fortresses and warehouses.
The past military campaigns of the beginning of the 19th century showed that the regimental organization of engineering troops did not justify itself, and in field armies it was necessary to have larger engineering formations than companies. In June 1815, a decision was made to reorganize the sapper and both pioneer regiments into separate 4-company battalions, which for the first time were assigned their own numbers.
According to the states approved in January 1816, 2 sapper battalions consisted of 2 sapper and 2 miner companies, and 7 pioneer battalions consisted of 3 pioneer and 1 sapper companies. The companies that had previously been in different garrisons were now deployed as part of battalions, 7 of which were given to corps, 1 was placed in the fortresses of Moldavia and Bessarabia, and 1 battalion was left in reserve. Since that time, the battalion has become the main organizational unit of the engineering troops.
In order to management improvement engineer units in March 1819, 2 sapper and 7 pioneer battalions are combined into 1, 2 and 3 combined pioneer brigades (2-4 battalions each), which were attached to the 1st and 2nd armies. The experience of using two detachments of mounted sappers during the Patriotic War of 1812 revealed the need to have special engineering formations in the cavalry. With this in mind, to ensure the actions of cavalry divisions in 1819, a guards cavalry pioneer squadron was formed, and in 1822 an army cavalry pioneer squadron (each with 8 officers and 342 lower ranks). In 1862 they were abolished.
Persistent subjugation of pontoon formations artillery department made it difficult to use them in the interests of other branches of the field armies. Therefore, in April 1822, 8 pontoon companies that had pontoons became subordinate to the engineering department and were attached to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th pioneer battalions and the Lithuanian Corps. Now they began to be called "pontoons of such and such a battalion" (each of them has 1 officer, 180 lower ranks and 42 pontoons).
It must be emphasized that the personnel of various engineering formations initially specialized in the performance of certain military engineering work. So, sappers mainly performed complex fortification work, miners were engaged in underground mine fighting during the siege and defense of fortresses, and pioneers were intended primarily for the construction of roads, field bridges and fortifications, the destruction of barriers and obstacles to the movement of troops. At the same time, the engineering support of military operations of the troops often required the simultaneous performance of these types of work, for which sappers and miners were distributed among pioneer units. Thus, the universalization of the personnel of engineering formations gradually proceeded, and they began to perform all types of military engineering work. Concerning in October 1829 pioneer battalions and brigades were renamed sappers, and in December 1844, the miner and pioneer companies of these battalions also became known as sappers.
The further development of the organizational and staffing structure of the engineering troops of Russia in the 19th century is mainly characterized by an increase in the number of formations of both field and fortress troops, as well as the inclusion of new types of technical formations in their composition.
Since 1828, the creation of reserve engineer battalions was resumed, the number of which ranged from 2 to 4 (except for the period of 1876-94, when they were not). As needed, the companies of these battalions were sent to replenish other units or to form new ones.
During Russian-Turkish war of 1828-29 . 3 reserve engineer battalions were deployed, one of which after Crimean War 1853-56 . disbanded, and the other was reorganized into a combat engineer battalion (in contrast to the reserve, such battalions were called combat or active).
the day before Russian-Turkish war of 1877-78 . 4 reserve engineer battalions were transformed into the 2nd, 7th, 10th and 3rd Caucasian engineer battalions.
During periods of military campaigns, reserve engineer battalions and companies were also formed, which prepared marching reinforcements for the engineering units of the army in the field. During the Crimean War of 1853-56, 2 such battalions were organized, and during the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-78, 3 reserve engineer battalions and a company operated, disbanded at the end of hostilities.
In 1822, a training engineer battalion was created (from 1857 - a semi-battalion), which was abolished in 1860.
The troops began to use the electric method of undermining powder charges, and in 1840 a galvanic team was formed to carry out such work. In order to train specialists in the underwater mine business, in 1857 a training galvanic company was deployed (since 1891 - an electrical engineering company). During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78, a galvanic-sapper company operated in the field army.
Combat engineer battalions were usually involved in improving the fortifications of fortresses, which had a negative effect on their combat skills. Therefore, from the 20s of the 19th century, special construction formations were created: military work teams, and then military construction battalions engaged in fortress and barrack construction.
During these years, there was an improvement in the organization and subordination of pontoon formations. The pontoon squads, due to their bulkiness, hampered the maneuverability of the engineer battalions with which they consisted. Therefore, in May 1832, 6 pontoon squads were transferred to 2 reserve engineer battalions and renamed them Furshtat (pontoon) companies, and 2 pontoon squads were disbanded.
In 1850, the furshtat companies became known as pontoon parks, and 6 sapper companies of the reserve sapper battalions were transformed into pontoon companies.
In connection with the disbandment of the reserve engineer battalions in 1857, pontoon parks and pontoon companies were allocated to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th separate pontoon parks, which since 1864 have been called pontoon half-battalions, and since 1877 - pontoon battalions ( 2-company composition), the number of which increased to 8 by the end of the century.
During military reforms of the 1860s and 70s in the European part of Russia are created military districts. Since 1865, districts have been formed in the eastern part of the empire and there they begin to form sapper companies: Orenburg, East and West Siberian, Transcaspian, which are gradually transformed into sapper battalions.
Wikipedia. In 1873, a Special Conference on the strategic position of the country was established in Russia, which, on the basis of a plan developed byE.I.Totleben , decided to carry out a complex of military construction works. For 35 years, military builders built fortressesNovogeorgievsk, Warsaw citadel , Zegris, Brest-Litovsk, Osovets, Kovno, Ivangorod, the Dubro outpost and various fortifications and structures. Back to top Russian-Turkish war 1877-78 gg. engineering troops were 2.8% of the field army (20.5 thousand people). New specialties reappeared in the engineering troops: aeronautics andpigeon connection. |
In the 70s of the 19th century, engineering parks were created with stocks of entrenching tools, explosives and other property to provide units of the active army with the main means of engineering weapons. 2 field engineering parks had stocks of such equipment for 24 divisions and 24 sapper companies, and 2 fortress engineering parks had 4 squads each, each of which had the necessary funds for the siege of one fortress.
In the XIX century there was a gradual reduction in the number of fortresses. At the same time, instead of teams, fortress sapper companies began to be deployed there, the number of which increased to 12 by 1890.
On development organizational structure The engineering troops were affected by the ever wider use of the achievements of scientific and technological progress in military affairs. In this regard, new technical formations appear in the Russian army, which are united within the framework of the engineering troops. In 1851, they included 14 military workers, 2 conductors and 1 telegraph company, intended for the protection and operation of the St. Petersburg-Moscow railway.
Since 1870, railway military teams have been created with a total number of about a thousand people (of which up to 250 sappers), which are distributed among other railways. For the construction of new highways, temporary military construction brigades will be organized.
Since 1876, railway battalions began to form (each with 2 construction and 2 operational companies), which were included one by one in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th sapper brigades, and in 1886 they were consolidated into a railway brigade.
In 1870, the first 6 military telegraph parks were created. Each of them had35 km of telegraph lines and 1000 m of submarine cable. In 1876, these parks were renamed military telegraph parks and new ones began to be formed at the rate of a park for each sapper battalion. In 1894, the parks were reorganized into telegraph companies, which were introduced into the sapper battalions.
Since 1890, the first serf military telegraphs have been organized in the Brest-Litovsk, Ivangorod, Warsaw and Novogeorgievsk fortresses. Depending on the range of communication, they were divided into 3 categories.
The telegraph park of the 1st category had from 60 to 100 miles of wire and from 20 to 30 transceiver stations.
In addition to telegraph communications, pigeon mail was used in the Russian army. Back in 1888, military pigeon stations were created in the above-mentioned fortresses, the number of which increased to 10 by 1904. These stations provided pigeon communication at a distance of up to 300 km from 1 to 4 directions and, depending on this, were divided into 4 categories. For communication services in each direction, the station kept up to 250 pairs of pigeons. So, the Brest-Litovsk military pigeon station of the 1st category provided communication in 4 directions, and the Sevastopol station of the 4th category - in 1 direction.
The use of underwater mines by engineering troops for the installation of sea and river barriers, the destruction of bridges and crossings necessitated the formation in 1890 in the
sea fortresses 8 fortress mine companies, and in 1892 - 2 river mine companies.In connection with the use of balloons for military purposes, in 1890 a training aeronautical park was organized in St. Petersburg, and from the next year they began to create fortress aeronautical departments. They were used to correct artillery fire and monitor the enemy.
By the end of the 19th century, the engineering troops had 7 fortress military telegraphs, 7 railway battalions, consolidated into a brigade, 11 fortress mine and 3 river mine companies, 5 fortress aeronautical departments, several training schools and detachments preparing personnel for these formations. Because of this, the engineering troops, in essence, turned into a technical branch of the troops.
As for the guards formations of the engineering troops, in addition to the aforementioned life guards of the sapper battalion, horse-pioneer squadron, teams of pioneers and pontoons of the artillery regiment, the guards engineers who existed from 1822 to 1865 in some parts of the guard were also included in the imperial guard. For the duration of hostilities, guards reserve and reserve engineer companies were usually deployed.
As the number of units of field engineering troops grows, sapper brigades are created. By the end of the 19th century, all field engineering units of European Russia and the Caucasus (25 engineer battalions, 8 pontoon battalions and 2 reserve engineer battalions) were organizationally part of 7 engineer brigades (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6th and Caucasian brigades) . AT different time brigades consisted of 2-5 engineer battalions, 1-2 pontoon battalions, and in some periods they included military telegraph parks, railway and reserve engineer battalions. Periodically, a single staffing was established for all sapper brigades, but then it was violated in connection with the introduction of new units into some brigades.
Wikipedia. By the end of the 19th century in field troops there were 29 engineer battalions, 2 engineer companies and 2 reserve engineer battalions. As a technical arm of the army, the engineering troops were intended to support the combat operations of the infantry, artillery and cavalry, conduct fortress construction, perform engineering tasks during the siege and defense of fortresses, mine warfare, arrange routes and crossings, telegraph lines and includedsappers, pontoons, miners, electricians, aeronauts, military railway workers, signalmen. |
Preface.
To make such a strange name of the engineering part clear, I preface the article with a brief historical reference and an explanation.
History reference.
The engineering troops of the Russian Army (I mean the army of the European type, which Emperor Peter I began to create) originated in the depths of artillery and for a long time were its integral part.
In the Regulations on Field Artillery of the 1712 edition, the Artillery Regiment, along with purely artillery units, includes a miner company, engineering and pontoon teams.
In 1724, an independent Engineer Regiment was formed, which, however, remained part of the artillery. Thus began the process of separating engineers into a separate branch of the armed forces.
Engineer troops were separated from artillery into an independent branch of service only in 1802. At the same time, the pontoon units remained in the composition of the artillery.
In 1804 (June 4), an Artillery Pontoon Regiment of two battalions (4 companies per battalion) was formed from eight previously existing pontoon depots.
In 1806, the Pontoon Artillery Regiment, like all artillery regiments in general, was disbanded, and the pontoon companies were included in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 17th and Caucasian artillery brigades.
In subsequent years, the pontooners would repeatedly change their subordination, all the while remaining part of the artillery.
Pontoon companies will be transferred to the engineering troops only in 1822. By this time there were eight of them.
Explanation.
The second answer to the question why a pontoon company is called an artillery company, I found in the staff of this company. It clearly and unequivocally states that the personnel in peacetime are primarily trained in artillery. To do this, in the report card to the staff for peacetime, among other property, there are two 12-pound unicorns and four 6-pound guns. For each soldier and non-commissioned officer of a company for practical shooting, 1 grenade for a unicorn and 2 cores for cannons are released per year. In addition, for blank firing, a company is supplied with 504 shots of gunpowder per year.
Equipping a company with guns in wartime is determined by the presence of reserve guns in the Arsenal, and the degree to which it is used as an artillery unit is determined by the nature of the Theater of War. Those. a company can be fully armed with guns like a regular artillery company.
The company is trained in pontoon business only two months a year.
In wartime, the company is primarily used as a personnel reserve to replenish the loss of gun crews in artillery batteries. During the defense of the fortress, the personnel of the company turns to staffing the crews of the fortress guns.
So the company was engaged in building pontoon bridges from case to case. Although the state states that building floating bridges is the main task of the company.
In the picture on the right: ordinary pontooners and an officer of the Artillery Pontoon Company in uniform mod. 1805. The uniform is dark green, the leggings are gray, the shoulder straps are black, the edges are red, the belts are white. Instrument metal - gold.
The composition of the pontoon park and the arrangement of pontoons are described in detail in the article "Pontoon canvas park designed by A. Nemoy, model 1759" in the engineering section of this site.
End of preface.
Note that the staff does not indicate the distribution of personnel among smaller units such as platoons, corporals, squads, crews, etc., but only the duties depending on the rank.
From the author. I must say that with the creation of the army by Peter I, there was not initially, as now, a clear separation of the concepts of "position" and "military rank". There was the concept of "rank", which at first included only the position (these were all positions - ensign, lieutenant, captain, colonel, general ...) and only gradually during the 18th century with the complication of the structure of army units and the need for a more accurate definition of the comparative seniority of officers among themselves begins the division of concepts. Approximately by the middle of the 18th century in the states we already see such records as, for example, "treasurer (with the rank of lieutenant)". If earlier the term "lieutenant" meant only the officer who was the captain's assistant, now using the term "lieutenant" it is indicated that the treasurer and captain's assistant have the same service level.
And if earlier, for example, an officer who commanded a company and was therefore called a captain, when leaving this position, ceased to be a captain, then with the separation of the concepts of "position" and "military rank", the officer retained the rank of "captain", even if now he is not commanded a company, and performed other duties.
In the staff of the Artillery Pontoon Company of 1805, the separation of the concepts of position and military rank is already clearly visible, although this process has not yet been completed.
I must say that at the level of privates and non-commissioned officers, the process of separation of concepts was not completed even by 1918. And only in the Red Army, with the introduction of personal military ranks in 1935, this also affected the sergeants. And even then, in the version of 1935, the names of sergeant ranks (separated commander, junior platoon commander, foreman) were very reminiscent of the names of positions. And only in 1940 did the familiar ml. sergeant, sergeant...
Total personnel in the company 255 people. Of them:
Officers -8,
Healer - 1
Non-commissioned officers combatant -20
Non-commissioned officers of non-combatants -3.
Combat soldier - 172.
Non-combatant soldier -51.
Job title | Number | Rank |
Explanations |
|
Headquarters officers |
||||
Company commander | 1 | major | ||
Chief officers |
||||
Company Commander's Assistant | 1 | captain / staff captain | ||
* | 2 | lieutenant | In the state, these ranks are written "lieutenant" and "sub-lieutenant". | |
4 | second lieutenant | |||
Company doctor | 1 | officer-ranking military officer | ||
Combat non-commissioned officers |
||||
Feldwebel** | 1 | sergeant major | ||
*** | 19 | fireworks, junker, harness-junker | ||
Combat soldiers |
||||
Pontoner 1st article | 25 | in the rank of scorer | according to the modern "corporal" | |
Pontoner 2nd Article | 25 | in the rank of gunner | according to the modern "ordinary" | |
Pontoner 3rd article**** | 120 | in the rank of gandlanger | according to the modern "ordinary" | |
Company drummer | 2 | in the rank of an ordinary soldier | according to the modern "ordinary" | |
Noncombatant non-commissioned officers |
||||
Furshtat non-commissioned officer | 2 | in the rank of fireworks | according to the modern "senior sergeant" | |
Company clerk | 1 | in the rank of fireworks | according to the modern "senior sergeant" | |
Non-combatant soldiers |
||||
barber | 2 | in the rank of an ordinary soldier | in modern terms, this is a sanitary instructor | |
Infirmary attendant | 2 | in the rank of an ordinary soldier | ||
Craftsman carpentry | 2 | in the rank of scorer | must know turning | |
Master carpenter | 2 | in the rank of scorer | must know turning | |
Craftsman wheeled | 2 | in the rank of scorer | must know turning | |
Master blacksmith and locksmith | 2 | in the rank of scorer | ||
Apprentice blacksmith and locksmith | 2 | in the rank of an ordinary soldier | ||
Company horseman | 1 | in the rank of an ordinary soldier | ||
Furleyt***** | 24 | in the rank of an ordinary soldier | ||
Daykeeper****** | 12 | in the rank of an ordinary soldier |
The number of positions in the company is even, which allows, if necessary, to divide the company into two half-companies and use them separately. Those. it is possible to build two half-length bridges. In this case, the captain commands the second half company.
* The names of the positions of lieutenants and second lieutenants in the state are not indicated. In the Russian Army, they were usually called subaltern officers or junior company officers. Obviously, the company commander distributed duties between them. The state only states that one of them is appointed company treasurer (responsible for ammunition, weapons and other things), and the second company quartermaster (responsible for accounting for food, fodder and money for their purchase).
** Feldwebel is both a position and a rank. As in our army foreman. There is the title of "foreman" and there is the position of "foreman of the company."
*** The company has 19 non-commissioned officer rank servicemen. Fireworkers are non-commissioned officers who command soldiers. Junkers and junker belts are also non-commissioned officers of the same rank, but from the nobility. In addition to performing non-commissioned officer duties, they are trained and are the reserve officers of the company. When a vacancy arises for a junior officer of a company, the eldest of the junker belts receives an officer rank and moves to the category of chief officers.
**** From among the pontooners of the 3rd article, two artels stand out (they are responsible for purchasing food and cooking).
*****Furleyt is a coachman driving a horse-drawn carriage. They are distributed:
-1 wagon to the wagon with apothecary box,
-10 wagons to pontoon wagons,
-2 wagon to the blacksmith wagon,
-2 carts for carts with tools,
- 2 carts for medical carts,
-1 wagon to the wagon with ropes,
-2 wagons for wagons with entrenching and shore tools,
-1 wagon to stationery wagon,
- 3 carts for wagons with tents and provisions.
In addition, one of the furleys is also a horseman's apprentice.
****** Batmans are distributed:
-3 batman to the company commander,
- 2 batmen to the assistant company commander,
-1 to each junior officer of the company (6 moneymen in total)
-1 company doctor.
Moreover, if an officer owns more than 100 souls of serfs, he is not entitled to a money order. He is only given the money salary of a batman for hiring servants.
Company officers are listed and included in the seniority list for artillery. Therefore, in addition to the pontoon business, they are trained artillery in full.
The status of the company doctor is not entirely clear. It can be assumed that he is in an officer's rank, since he is assigned a batman, and he is not included, like officers, among the military personnel to whom the treasury releases provisions. In the Russian Army, officers were given money for food (the so-called "rations"). The healer also gets three rations
Fireworks, junkers, and junker harnesses, if the company is acting as an artillery company, are used as gun commanders.
Pontoners of the 1st and 2nd articles are used only in the specialty when building a bridge and its maintenance. If the company acts as an artillery company, then the pontoons of the 1st and 2nd articles are used as gunners (qualified numbers of gun crews). They are not used to make up for losses in conventional artillery companies.
Pontoners of the 3rd article, in addition to working with pontoons, are used as wagons (coachmen), since there are fewer furleys (regular coachmen) in the company than wagons. If the company acts as an artillery company, then half of the pontoons of the 3rd article are used with guns as gunlangers (auxiliary unskilled personnel), and the second half remains with carts with pontoons and other property. To make up for losses in conventional artillery companies, only half of the pontoons of the 3rd article. Those. trucks with pontoons are never left unattended.
From the author. Note that the state indicates that illiterate soldiers with the rank of pontooner of the 2nd article and above cannot be produced. It is obvious that among the recruits it turned out to be quite literate enough that they could be staffed. artillery and engineering units. Or the soldiers were taught to read and write already in the army. In a number of documentary sources, I came across references to the existence of company and battalion schools in sapper battalions.
Moreover, the state states that sergeant majors and fireworkers who are excellent in literacy and mathematics (including algebra) receive a salary two steps higher (that is, the salary of a second lieutenant).
Treasury for the personnel of the company, with the exception of officers and a doctor, i.e. for 246 people the treasury issued provisions in kind, which included only flour and cereals at the rate of one person per month of flour 72.5 pounds (29.7 kg.), cereals 7 pounds 26 spools (2.98 kg.)
For other products, the treasury issued money, which was called "meat and salt money." Much later they will be called "weldings" or "welding money". Depending on the position of the lower rank, the amounts are different. From 5r. 66 kopecks per month for a sergeant major up to 80 kopecks for a furley.
From the author. It is difficult to believe that in 1805 the soldier ate from hand to mouth. If he received 990 grams of flour per day, then in the form of bread it turns out 1.39 kg. (pripek 40%). Today the soldier receives 750 gr. bread a day. Cereals then received 99 grams per day. Today the soldier receives 120 gr. cereals per day.
Of course, without knowing the prices of foodstuffs in 1805, we cannot fully compare the nutritional standards of a soldier in the 19th century and the 21st. We only note that in those days bread was baked in the company, and artel workers, who were elected by the soldiers themselves, were engaged in all issues related to the purchase of food, cooking. The company commander could only control the honesty of the artel workers.
One ration per month cost 1 ruble. In the company, the major was given 14 rations (that is, he received 14 rubles a month for food), the captain (headquarters captain) 10 rations, the lieutenants 7 rations, the second lieutenants 6, the doctor 3 rations.
To feed the horses, the treasury issued money to purchase 20 pounds (8.2 kg.) of hay and 7 pounds 32 spools (3 kg.) of oats for each horse per day.
Table to the state.
The main armament of the company was the pontoon park of 1795. with canvas pontoons, known as the park of Captain A. Nemoy. This park ensured the construction of a floating bridge up to 350 arshins (249m) long. Note that the two 12-pound unicorns and four 6-pound guns in the company were training equipment, and not weapons as such.
From the author. The report card to the state and in those days and now means a list of the main weapons and property, with which the unit is equipped without fail. Hence the expressions "service equipment", "service property". Based on the tables, the combat capabilities of the units, the volume of supply both with the items themselves and with consumables for them, spare parts are determined.
Name |
Explanation |
|
pontoon property | in service with a pontoon park with canvas pontoons | |
Pontoon spindle | it is a wooden frame covered with canvas | |
Canvas sail | cloth, which fits the frame, 6 spare sails | |
Belt with iron buckle | sewn on 6 to the cloth for fastening with the frame | |
Belt with iron buckle | 4 per panel (tying the roll during transportation) | |
Slings for tying spindles | 3.75 km. | pitched rope with a diameter of 3.8 cm, 75 m per pontoon |
Nails with planks | for nailing the sail to the spindle (24 pieces per pontoon) | |
iron hammer | ||
iron pliers | 5 | |
Longitudinal interlocking bars | these are the girders that form the span (4 per pontoon) | |
Mooring bars | these are runs laid from the pontoon to the shore (2 per pontoon) | |
Floor boards | 8 planks per pontoon | |
Floor boards | 5 links (shields) per pontoon | |
Bolts | bolts for connecting the beams (4 per pontoon and 20 spare) | |
Mooring surfs | 2 surfs per pontoon | |
Anchors two-legged 2-pood | For anchoring pontoons | |
Cats four-legged 1-pood | ||
Rope tarred with a diameter of 88.9 mm. | 12.8 m per pontoon. For longitudinal fastening of pontoons | |
Anchor rope with a diameter of 63.5 mm. | 46.6 m. for a 2-legged anchor and 32 m. for each 4-legged cat | |
Gantry poles or gags | Coastal supports | |
Iron crowbars | ||
Axes | ||
Shovels iron | ||
Auxiliary boat | ||
Oars | One oar per pontoon | |
Bagry | One gaff per pontoon | |
Buckets for bailing water out of pontoons | One bucket per pontoon | |
Leather buckets | ||
Carts for the transport of pontoons and pontoon property | ||
Pontoon trucks | Of these, two spare trucks. One of them is loading a boat. | |
Carts under the longitudinal rope and coastal things | 3-horse cart (total 6 horses) | |
wagons | ||
Carts for spares, tools and ointment | 10 | 3-horse cart (total 30 horses) |
Wagons for traveling forges | 2 | 2-horse cart (total 4 horses) |
Carts for artisans' tools | 2 | 4-horse cart (total 8 horses) |
Carts for sick lower ranks | 2 | 4-horse (total 8 horses) |
Carts for provisions and tents | 8 | 2-horse (total 16 horses) |
Wagon for treasury and written cases | 1 | 2-horse (only 2 horses) |
Cart with apothecary boxes for human and horse | 1 | 2-horse (only 2 horses) |
Total wagons | 26 | |
Tents | ||
Tents for personnel | 28 | of which 2 tents for non-commissioned officers |
Guard Tent | 1 | |
Total tents | 29 | |
Artillery armament | ||
Unicorns 12 lb | 2 | |
Guns 6-pounder | 4 | |
Carriages for unicorns | 3 | |
Carriages for guns | 8 | |
Charging boxes for unicorns | 4 | |
Cannon charging boxes | 8 | |
Weapon | ||
Swords with hewn blades | 197 | military ranks, furshtat.non-commissioned officers, clerk, barbers |
Trench tool | ||
Axes | 15 | |
Shovels iron | 15 | |
Household inventory | ||
Tinned copper boilers with tripods | 24 | |
Iron iron for ironing uniforms | 1 | |
Iron scissors | 1 | |
Braids hay | 3 | |
Horses | ||
Lift horses | 28 | cart horses |
Artillery horses | 300 | 6 horses for pontoon wagons |
Artillery horses | 12 | 6 horses for 2 spare trucks |
Riding horses | 2 | for furshtat non-commissioned officers |
clockwork horses | 18 | spare horses |
As mentioned above, the company is not divided into smaller units (corporate, platoon, squad, etc.) by the state. Obviously, to carry out various tasks, each time a calculation of personnel and the formation of temporary units are made.
The state only stipulates the mandatory allocation of personnel to perform certain duties:
1. One of the furleyts is allocated to the company horseman as a student (assistant).
2. Each field forge (and there are two of them in the company) is made up of a full-time artisan, who is attached to an apprentice from among the furleyts.
3. Only pontooners are appointed as coachmen for pontoon wagons.
4. Two fireworkers are appointed responsible (caretakers) for ammunic things and for consumable pontoon and artillery materials.
5. Two soldiers from among the combatants are appointed artel workers.
The state does not provide for small arms for personnel and weapons for officers.
From the author. It is possible that the officers' edged weapons were their property and an element of their uniform. Therefore, it is not mentioned in the state. At the same time, in the drawings taken from a very authoritative source of the "Historical Description of Clothing and Weapons of the Russian Troops", the soldiers of the pontoon company can be seen to have caskets (cartridge bags), and on the chest on the belt of two dressers (knitting needles for cleaning ignition holes in rifles and pistols ). The firearm itself is not shown in their drawings. The question - whether the servicemen of the pontoon companies had guns or pistols, remains open.
The monetary salary of the military personnel of the company is indicated by the state for a year. At the same time, the costs of medicines and the hospital have already been deducted from him. For the lower ranks, the salary includes the so-called. "meat and salt money", i.e. money for the purchase of products by a company, with the exception of products sold by the treasury in kind (flour and cereals).
annual salary |
money for food |
Total |
|
Company commander | 431r.37.5 k. | 168 r. | 595 rub. 37.5 k. |
Captain or staff captain | 392 rub. 68.25 k. | 120r. | 512r.68.25 k. |
lieutenant | 267 rub. 44.25 k | 84r. | 351r.44.25k. |
Second Lieutenant | 208 r.06.25 k. | 72r. | 280r.06.25 k. |
Feldwebel | 94r.80k. | - | 94r.80k. |
Harness-junker, junker, fireworks (to one) | 94r.80k. | - | 94r.80k. |
Harness-junker, junker, fireworks (three) by ............... | 68 rub. 10 k. | - | 68 rub. 10 k. |
Harness-junker, junker, fireworks (nine) on ............... | 24r.60k. | - | 24r.60k. |
Harness-junker, junker, fireworks (three) on ..................... | 19 rub. 60 k. | - | 19 rub. 60 k. |
Pontoner 1st article | 17 rub. 82 k. | - | 17 rub. 82 k. |
Pontoner 2nd Article | 12r.87k. | - | 12r.87k. |
Pontoner 3rd Article | 10r.69k. | - | 10r.69k |
Company drummer | 12r.87k. | - | 12r.87k. |
Furshtat non-commissioned officer | 39 rub. 20 k. | - | 39 rub. 20 k. |
healer | 152r.78.75k | 36r. | 488r.78.75k. |
Barber | 12r.87k | - | 12r.87k |
Infirmary attendant | 10 rub. 85 to | - | 10 rub. 85 to |
Company clerk | 21r.84.25 k. | - | 21r.84.25 k. |
Artisan | 58r.80k. | - | 58r.80k. |
Locksmith and blacksmith apprentice | 10r.89 to | - | 10r.89 to |
Konoval company | 10r.89 to | - | 10r.89 to |
Furleyt | 7r.64 to | - | 7r.64 to |
From the author. Of course, it is difficult to estimate the size of the salary without knowing the prices of goods at the beginning of the 19th century. And knowledge doesn't say much either. After all, the ratio of prices for different goods at different times is different. For example, public transport in Yekaterinburg today costs 23 rubles, and a bottle of vodka costs 199 rubles. In 1984, the fare cost 3 kopecks. , i.e. the price increased by 767 times. Vodka cost 3 rubles 62 kopecks, i.e. the price increased only 55 times. And the salary for the same period increased 300 times.
I mean it's extremely hard to compare. But still, let's give some numbers.
In 1804 1 pound (454 gr.) of beef cost 3.5 kopecks, a quarter (107 kg) of rye -2.75 r, a quarter of buckwheat 2 rubles, a pound of baked bread 1 kopeck, a cartload of good firewood - 5 kopecks.
Many thanks to Boris Kirillovich Nazarenko for providing the staff of the pontoon company and the book by A. Nemoy about canvas pontoons.
August 2015
Sources and literature
1. State of the Compiled In the similarity of the Highest Commander of 1805 March 16 of the day of the decision of one Artillery Pontoon company, with the inclusion of the timesheets belonging to it on uniform ammunition and weapons things, and annual repair sums. Saint Petersburg in 1807.
2. A. Mute. A guide to knowledge about marching bridges used by the troops, and especially from canvas pontoons. Saint Petersburg. 1780.
3. A. Mute. A guide to knowledge about marching bridges used by the troops, and especially from canvas pontoons. Saint Petersburg. 1781.
4. Historical description of clothing and weapons of the Russian Troops. Part ten. St. Petersburg. 1910
5. Historical description of clothing and weapons of the Russian Troops. Part eleven. St. Petersburg. 1910
6. Plotto. Drawings of all regimental and battery guns, their carriages, limbers, charging box with nests of different calibers and all accessories of these guns. St. Petersburg. 1805
7. Plotto. Drawings of the Panton wagon for the front and back, to Panton with his belongings, a field forge, the decision on all field artillery guns flies and diopters, the preparation of various equipment for driving to field artillery related objects. Carriages for Instruments, Disbandings and newly corrected fittings for regimental and battery carriages, with a battery front and a charging box. St. Petersburg. 1807
Sappers, as part of the engineering troops, are assigned to carry out various military engineering work in the field and in fortresses during the war; in some foreign armies they are called pioneers.
Our sapper units were first formed under Peter the Great, namely 2 companies: engineering and mining.
In 1771, a pioneer battalion was established, which was disbanded in 1775.
In 1797, a 2-battalion pioneer was formed, with 1 company of miners-sappers and 5 pioneers in each battalion;
In 1803, this one was reorganized into 2 pioneer 2-battalion units, 4 companies each, and in 1806 the regiments were made 3-battalion.
In 1812, a sapper was made from a sapper and a miner, and 2 pioneers from a pioneer; at the same time, a guards engineer battalion was formed (later the Life Guards engineer battalion).
In 1816, the mentioned regiments formed separate sapper and pioneer battalions, of which the latter were then renamed sapper battalions at different times.
In 1857, sapper brigades were established, and they included all sapper battalions.
Modern composition of the late XIX century. and the distribution of sapper units by brigades, see Engineer troops.
Regulations on sapper units - Order of the Military Department of 1884 No. 210. The need to allocate special sapper units to a permanent garrison of fortresses led to the reorganization in 1891 of some sapper battalions into a 4-company composition, with the appeal of 5 companies to form serf sapper units parts (regulations on them - Order on the Military Department of 1391 No. 314). - In total, in 1893 it was determined to contain the following sapper units: 17 battalions (11 for 5 companies, 6 for 4). 1 semi-battalion, 3 companies (field), 9 fortress companies and 4 fortress personnel teams, and in wartime - 17 battalions (4 companies each), 20 reserve companies, 20 fortress companies, 4 semi-companies and 4 reserve battalions (4 companies each) .
The increased importance of earthen trenches for covering infantry and artillery in battle, due to the destructive effect of modern firearms, necessitated the formation, as part of the infantry troops, of special sapper teams (their regulation is the Order of the Military Department of 1883 No. 131).
Regarding the organization of Russian sappers, it is necessary to note the desire in foreign armies to merge into sapper units of 2 specialties: sapper and pontoon.
In the German pioneer battalions this has been done for a long time;
Austria-Hungary began such a merger in 1893; in France, although special pontoon parts are preserved, it is proposed to give the Sappers light pontoon parks. The merger of these 2 specialties is convenient in that one can more likely expect to always have at hand at least a small military unit capable of performing any engineering work required in the field; while maintaining the same specialization, Sappers can easily be where pontoons are needed, and vice versa. But such an association also presents inconveniences: with short service lives, it is difficult to thoroughly train even one specialty, not just two.
Minesweeper's activity, in turn, is divided into 2 branches: service in the field and in fortresses. In Germany and Austria-Hungary, where there were no special serf troops at all (except for serf artillery), there are no sapper units at all prepared for the serf war proper, since even miner companies were trained only to work in the field.
In France, part of the companies of the engineer battalions were seconded to the permanent garrisons of the fortresses. We also have special fortress sapper units.
Thus, the organization of Minesweeper in foreign armies shows a desire to form units prepared for all kinds of work, while here, in the Russian Empire, in the types of more thorough training, division into specialties was preserved in the engineering troops.
On the emergence and gradual development of our engineering troops, see Sappers, Parks, Pontoon Battalions.
O state of the art, at the end of the 19th century, see Engineer troops; the newly formed engineering units are listed at the end of this article.
Article title: Sappers in the Russian Imperial Army Theme category: Article source: Encyclopedia of military and naval sciences. Under the main editorship of the General of Infantry Leer, St. Petersburg, 1897, vol. VII. Date of writing the article: 1897
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Russian army was considered the best in Europe (respectively, in the world). The Russian infantry was armed with the best rifle and artillery models in Europe, and in combination with the fighting qualities of the Russian soldier and the “Suvorov school”, this made the Russian army the strongest military force continent. The experience of the Italian and Swiss companies of Suvorov, the Mediterranean campaign of Ushakov showed that the Russian military art is at the highest level and is not inferior to the French, and in some respects even surpasses it. It was at this time that A. V. Suvorov developed the principles of strategic interaction between theaters of war. In his opinion, the main method of war was a strategic offensive. It should be noted that the ideas and actions of Suvorov were carefully studied in France. We can say that Napoleon Bonaparte was, to a certain extent, a "student" of Suvorov, adopting his offensive style of battle, mobile warfare.
Suvorov applied the main tactical ideas that the Russian army would later use: an offensive on a wide front (the battle on the Adda River on April 15-17, 1799), a head-on battle (the battle of Trebbia on June 6-8, 1799), actions in loose formation and columns (battle at Novi on August 1, 1799). In almost every battle, Suvorov acted as an innovator. The decisiveness, speed, onslaught, clear calculation and the highest fighting spirit of the Suvorov "miracle heroes" brought Russia one victory after another.
In the future, the foundations laid by P. A. Rumyantsev and A. V. Suvorov were used by other Russian commanders. So, the student of these two great Russian commanders can be called Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, the general of the "Suvorov school" was Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration and a number of other heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812. It must be said that the defeat at Austerlitz, as well as the unsuccessful results of the anti-French campaigns of 1805, 1806-1807, were primarily associated not with the shortcomings of the Russian army, the training of its command staff and soldiers, but with geopolitical reasons. Russia and Emperor Alexander followed the lead of their allies (Austria, England, Prussia), played someone else's game. Alexander obeyed the Austrian allies and drew the army into the battle of Austerlitz, although Kutuzov was against this battle. Even earlier, the Austrians did not expect Russian troops and invaded Bavaria, as a result they suffered a heavy defeat. Kutuzov, saving the army, was forced to make an amazing march-maneuver 425 km long from Braunau to Olmutz, during which he inflicted a number of defeats separate parts Napoleon's army. In 1806, the Prussian warriors made a similar mistake. Fully confident in their invincibility, they did not wait for the Russian troops and suffered a crushing defeat at the battle of Jena and Auerstedt. The Russian army quite successfully held back the onslaught of the enemy, a number of battles ended in a draw. This is despite the fact that the French army was led by Napoleon (after the death of Suvorov, the best commander in Europe), and the Russian army did not have a leader of this level. Russia did not suffer a crushing military defeat, both armies were exhausted. And this is taking into account the fact that Russia could not concentrate all its main forces against the enemy - there was a Russian-Persian war (1804-1813) and a Russian-Turkish war (1806-1812).
The Russian army and navy by the war of 1812 were not inferior to the armed forces of France in the field of weapons, combat training, organization and application of advanced methods of war.
Organization, organization of the army
Infantry. In the organization of the Russian infantry in 1800 - 1812. several stages can be distinguished. In 1800-1805. - this is the recovery time of the organization, which corresponded to the principles of linear tactics. Emperor Paul transformed the infantry by reducing the number of chasseur units and increasing the number of musketeer regiments. In general, the infantry was reduced from almost 280 thousand people to 203 thousand. The Military Commission of 1801 worked to establish the uniformity of the infantry in order to improve management in peacetime and wartime. To do this, in all regiments (chasseurs, grenadiers and musketeers) a three-battalion structure was established, in each battalion there were four companies. At the same time, the grenadier and chasseur regiments had a homogeneous composition. The musketeer regiments were reinforced with grenadier battalions to increase their striking power.
Grenadiers were heavy infantry and were considered the striking force of the infantry. Therefore, the most tall and physically strong recruits were traditionally taken to the grenadier units. In general, the total number of grenadiers was relatively small. Linear (medium) infantry were musketeers. Musketeer regiments were the main type of Russian infantry. The light infantry were represented by chasseurs. Jaegers often acted in loose formation and fired at the maximum distance. That is why some of the huntsmen were armed with rifled weapons (fittings) that were rare and expensive for that period. In the jaeger units, people were usually selected of small stature, very mobile, good shooters. One of the main tasks of light infantry in battles was the destruction of officers and non-commissioned officers of enemy units with well-aimed fire. In addition, it was welcomed if the soldiers were familiar with life in the forest, were hunters, since the rangers often had to perform reconnaissance functions, be on advanced patrols, and attack enemy guard pickets.
According to the peacetime staff, the musketeer and grenadier regiments had 1928 combatant and 232 non-combatant soldiers, according to the wartime staff - 2156 combatant and 235 non-combatant soldiers. Jaeger regiments had a single staff - 1385 combatant and 199 non-combatant soldiers. According to the states of 1803, the army had 3 guards regiments, 1 guards battalion, 13 grenadiers, 70 musketeer regiments, 1 musketeer battalion, 19 chasseur regiments. There were 7.9 thousand soldiers and 223 officers in the guard, 209 thousand soldiers and 5.8 thousand officers in the field troops. Then some transformations took place, as a result, by January 1, 1805, the infantry had 3 guards regiments, 1 guards battalion, 13 grenadier regiments, 77 infantry (musketeer) regiments and 2 battalions, 20 chasseur regiments and 7 naval regiments. The number of guards (without marines) is set at 8 thousand people, field troops - 227 thousand people.
The second period of transformation covers the years 1806-1809. At this time, the number of infantry, in particular, jaeger units, was increased. In 1808, the infantry included 4 guards regiments, 13 grenadier regiments, 96 infantry (musketeers) and 2 battalions, 32 regiments of chasseurs. According to the states, there were 11 thousand people in the guard, 341 thousand in the field troops, with 25 thousand lifting horses. True, the shortfall totaled 38 thousand people.
In the third period of transformation - 1810-1812, the restructuring of the infantry was completed. The quantitative and qualitative composition of the infantry was significantly changed and began to correspond modern requirements. Grenadier regiments now had 3 fusilier (infantry) battalions, each battalion had 4 companies (3 fusilier and 1 grenadier). The musketeer (infantry) regiments had 3 infantry battalions, each battalion had 3 musketeer companies and 1 grenadier company. Only the Life Grenadier Regiment had 3 grenadier battalions from grenadier companies. A three-battalion structure was also introduced in the chasseur regiments: each battalion consisted of 3 chasseur companies and 1 grenadier company. This established the unity of the line infantry.
By the middle of 1812, the Russian infantry had: 6 guards regiments and 1 battalion, 14 grenadier regiments, 98 infantry, 50 chasseurs, 4 naval regiments and 1 battalion. The total number of guards increased to 15 thousand people, and field infantry to 390 thousand.
The main tactical unit of the infantry was the battalion. The highest tactical formation of the infantry was a division, composed of two linear (middle) and one jaeger brigades. The brigades were of two regiments. Later, two-divisional corps appeared with attached units.
Cavalry. Similar processes (reform) were going on in the cavalry. Emperor Pavel disbanded the carabinieri, horse-grenadier and light-horse regiments. The total number of cavalry was reduced from 66.8 thousand people to 41.7 thousand people. The transformations practically did not affect the tactical cavalry, which provided direct support to the infantry, but the strategic cavalry suffered greatly. In 1801, the Military Commission concluded that it was necessary to strengthen the strategic cavalry, which ensures dominance in the theater of operations. It was decided to increase the number of dragoon regiments and strengthen the light cavalry.
The composition of the regiments has not changed. Cuirassier and dragoon regiments each had 5 squadrons, two companies per squadron. The hussar regiments had 10 squadrons, 5 squadrons per battalion. They only added one spare squadron to the cuirassier and dragoon regiments (it will soon be reduced to half strength), and two spare squadrons to the hussar regiments (reduced to one). According to the state of 1802, cuirassier regiments had 787 combatants and 138 non-combatants; dragoons - 827 combatants and 142 non-combatants; hussars - 1528 combatant and 211 non-combatant.
In subsequent years, the total number of cavalry grew, the number of dragoon, hussar and uhlan units increased due to the formation of new regiments and the transformation of cuirassiers. The predominant type of cavalry was dragoons, which could make deep marches and solve tactical problems on the battlefield. The number of light cavalry was increased, which made it possible to conduct reconnaissance to a considerable depth. The number of cavalry regiments grew from 39 in 1800 to 65 in 1812. The number of guards regiments increased, in the same years, from 3 to 5, dragoons from 15 to 36, hussars from 8 to 11. Lancers began to be formed, in 1812 there were 5. The number of cuirassier regiments from 1800 to 1812. decreased from 13 to 8. The regular number of cavalry in 1812 was 5.6 thousand people in the guard, in the field troops 70.5 thousand.
The measures taken did not completely solve the problem of matching the cavalry tactics of battle with the help of columns and loose formation. The ratio of cavalry to infantry regiments was approximately 1:3, it would be more correct 1:2, so that 1 cavalry regiment accounted for two infantry. True, they wanted to cover this gap at the expense of the Cossack cavalry. The Cossacks could conduct both tactical and deep (strategic) reconnaissance, act as part of infantry formations. The total number of Cossack troops in 1812 was 117 thousand people. The Cossack regiments were five hundred strong, only two regiments had 1,000 horsemen each. With the help of the forces of the Cossacks, the number of cavalry could be increased to 150-170 thousand people.
The Don army fielded 64 regiments and 2 cavalry artillery companies by the beginning of the war. In addition, already during the war, the Don army gave 26 regiments. The Black Sea army gave 10 regiments, but in fact only one hundred fought (as part of the Life Guards of the Cossack regiment), the rest of the units carried out border service. Ukrainian, Ural, Orenburg Cossack troops allocated 4 regiments each. Astrakhan and Siberian troops carried out border service. The Bug and Kalmyk troops gave 3 regiments each, etc.
In many ways, the combat effectiveness of the cavalry depended on its equestrian composition. In 1798, it was decided to purchase annually for each dragoon and cuirassier regiment 120 horses, and 194 for the hussars. The service life of a horse was 7 years. For the annual replenishment of 4 guards and 52 army regiments, 7 thousand horses were required. In the future, the growth of the cavalry was hampered by the lack of horses. Therefore, in reserve squadrons, non-combatant horses were often used. To solve this problem, the government even allowed horses, not recruits, to be supplied to the army, and increased purchase prices. At the beginning of 1812, a cuirassier horse cost 171 rubles 7 kopecks (in 1798 it was 120 rubles), a dragoon horse - 109 rubles 67 kopecks (in 1798 - 90 rubles), a hussar - 99 rubles 67 kopecks (in 1798 - 60 rubles ). By the beginning of 1813, the cost of horses had increased even more - up to 240 - 300 rubles. Donations provided some assistance - in 1812, 4.1 thousand horses were received in this way.
The horse composition of the Russian army was better than the French. Horses were distinguished by greater endurance, better adaptability to local conditions. Therefore, there were no cases of mass death of horses in the Russian army, despite serious difficulties in supplying fodder, especially during the retreat.
Cavalry regiments were united into higher tactical formations: divisions and corps. The cavalry division had three brigades, with two regiments in each brigade. There were two cavalry divisions in the cavalry corps. In 1812, 16 cavalry divisions were formed: 3 cuirassiers (two brigades each), 4 dragoons, 2 horse-chasseurs, 3 hussars and 4 lancers (three brigades each).
Artillery. According to the state of 1803, the artillery included 15 battalions: 1 guards, 10 light, 1 horse and 3 siege. Number - 24.8 thousand soldiers and officers. Artillery has also undergone a number of transformations. By 1805, the artillery had: 1 guards battalion (4 foot and 1 horse artillery companies), 9 artillery regiments of two battalions each (the battalion had 2 battery companies with field guns and 2 light companies with regimental cannons), 2 horse battalions (each 5 mouths each). The war of 1805 showed that the size of the artillery park needed to be increased. Therefore, this year 2 artillery regiments and 6 companies were formed, and in 1806 another 8 regiments and 4 cavalry companies.
The lowest tactical unit was an artillery company, and the highest was a brigade, which was attached to the division. In 1806, regimental and field artillery were reduced to 18 brigades, in 1812 there were already 28 of them (according to the number of infantry and cavalry divisions). In addition, they formed 10 reserve and 4 reserve brigades, and 25 companies. Guards brigade It included 2 foot battery, 2 light and 2 cavalry companies, field brigades - 1 battery and 2 light companies. The reserve brigades had an unequal composition. The reserve brigades had 1 battery and 1 cavalry company, plus 4 pontoon companies.
Battery (heavy) companies had 12 guns: 4 half-pound unicorns, 4 twelve-pound guns of medium proportion and 4 twelve-pound guns of small proportion. In addition, each brigade was given 2 three-pound unicorns. The light company had 12 guns: 4 twelve-pound unicorns and 8 six-pound guns. Mounted companies also had 12 cannons: 6 twelve-pound unicorns and 6 six-pound cannons.
To achieve greater maneuverability and independence, each company had its own convoy for transporting ammunition and a field forge. 120 ammunition was carried for each gun: 80 cores or grenades, 30 grape shot and 10 brandskugels (incendiary projectile). The number of gun servants was 10 people for a light gun and 13 for a heavy one. For each two guns there was an officer.
By 1812, the field artillery had 1,620 guns: 60 guard artillery guns, 648 battery guns, 648 light guns, and 264 horse guns. In addition, there were 180 siege artillery pieces. The artillery personnel numbered about 40 thousand people.
Half-pood "unicorn" sample of 1805. The weight of the gun is 1.5 tons. The barrel length is 10.5 calibers.
Engineering Troops. By the beginning of the 19th century, the engineering troops included: 1 pioneer (engineer) regiment and 2 pontoon companies. According to the state of 1801, the sapper regiment had 2 miner and 10 pioneer companies of 150 people each. The regiment had 2.4 thousand people and more than 400 lifting horses. Two pontoon companies had 2 thousand combat and non-combat soldiers, more than 300 combat and lifting horses. Each company served 8 depots with 50 pontoons each.
The military commission of 1801, having examined the state of the engineering troops, came to the conclusion that the number of engineering companies was not enough. In 1803 the second pioneer regiment was formed. Taking into account the fact that the need to link artillery units and engineering formations was soon understood, in 1806, during the formation of artillery brigades, they began to include a pioneer company in them. Pioneer regiments began to be composed of three battalions. In 1812, the regiments had 3 battalions of four companies each, the number of pioneer companies was increased to 24. The staff of the regiment consisted of 2.3 thousand people.
In 1804, a pontoon regiment of 2 thousand people was created. The regiment consisted of two battalions of four companies, had 16 depots of 50 pontoons each. Usually pontoon companies were stationed in fortresses. In 1809, there were 62 fortresses in the Russian Empire: 19 of the first class, 18 of the second, and 25 of the third. They were served by an engineering staff of 2.9 thousand people. Each fortress had one artillery company (or half company) and an engineering team.
By the beginning of 1812, the Russian army numbered 597 thousand people: 20 thousand guards, 460 thousand field and garrison troops, 117 thousand irregular troops.
To be continued…
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Based on experience Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. development received engineering troops, in particular in the period preceding the formation of sapper and pontoon battalions. A significant increase in the composition of the engineering troops was associated with the increased construction of fortresses on the western border. At the end of the 19th century, 30 battalions (21 sapper, 9 pontoon) were considered to be part of the engineering troops.
Most often, military engineer battalions included 3 engineer (mine) companies and a military telegraph (telegraph) company. Subsequently, mine companies were reorganized into sapper companies. During the Russo-Japanese War and just before the start of the First World War, the fourth engineer company was introduced into some engineer battalions.
The composition of the pontoon battalion consisted of 2-3 pontoon companies and support units.
As part of convoy of the engineering unit there were wagons for special (engineering) purposes.
Convoys sapper and pontoon battalions for the purpose of separating vehicles and supplies, in relation to control and for a campaign near the enemy, are divided into two parts: the convoy of the 1st category and the convoy of the 2nd category (placed with convoy units of other units and subunits).
Carts for transporting essentials follow along with the troops (directly behind the units), making up the convoy of the 1st category. Carts designed to deliver provisions, fodder, spares, written files, treasury, etc. to the place of lodging for the night, make up a convoy of the 2nd category, which is usually kept 7-8 miles from the front line.
Convoy sapper battalion
- single-horse cartridge carts - 3 units. (all in the convoy of the 1st category);
- company single-horse utility gigs - 4 units. (all in the convoy of the 2nd category);
- paired utility carts - 21 units. (all in the convoy of the 2nd category);
- paired wagons of battalion property - 11 units. (in the convoy of the 1st category - 1 unit, in the convoy of the 2nd category - 10 units);
- pair camp kitchens - 7 units. (all in the convoy of the 1st category);
- quads - 12 units;
- triple - 28 units;
- single-horse gigs - 24 units.
Total:
- wagons - 113 units;
- spare horses - 10 goal. (all in the convoy of the 2nd category)
- convoy horses in harness - 247 head.
Total horses - 257 head. (in the wagon train of the 2nd category - 10 goals).
Convoy of the pontoon battalion according to the wartime states was:
- single-horse cartridge carts - 2 units. (all in the convoy of the 1st category);
- single-horse pharmaceutical carts - 1 unit. (in the convoy of the 1st category);
- single-horse sanitary gig - 1 unit. (in the convoy of the 1st category);
- quadruple infirmary ruler - 1 unit. (in the convoy of the 1st category);
- paired utility carts - 4 units. (all in the convoy of the 2nd category);
- paired wagons of battalion property - 10 units. (in the convoy of the 1st category - 3 units, in the convoy of the 2nd category - 7 units);
- paired camp kitchens - 3 units. (all in the convoy of the 1st category);
special (engineering) convoy, division into categories at the discretion:
- six - 96 units;
- paired - 6 units;
- single-horse gigs - 2 units.
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