Patriotic history has preserved the names of many heroes of the defense of Sevastopol, who distinguished themselves during the Crimean War of 1853-1856. However, among the officers and admirals, a special place is occupied by a simple Russian sailor Pyotr Markovich Koshka, whose image appears in many works of art that tell about this glorious epic.
Navy guy from the Ukrainian village
The future hero of Sevastopol was born on January 10, 1828 in the village of Ometintsy, located on the territory of the present Vinnitsa region of Ukraine. His parents were serfs. As for the nationality of Sailor Koshka, historians do not have a single opinion on this issue, but many of them believe that he was Russian.
After reaching the statutory age, Peter was appointed to the recruits and, while serving his military service, served as a sailor in the Black Sea Fleet. As part of the crew of the Yagudiel battleship, he participated in hostilities from the first days of the Crimean War. When in 1854 the almost two-year blockade of Sevastopol began, the sailor Koshka, among other crew members, was sent ashore, where he joinedthe defenders of the fortress.
Fighting on the battery commanded by Lieutenant A. M. Perekomsky, Pyotr Markovich was distinguished by his extraordinary courage and resourcefulness. He showed these qualities especially clearly in reconnaissance and in the capture of prisoners. It is known that, as a volunteer, he participated 18 times in attacks on the territory captured by the enemy, and more than once alone performed the assigned tasks. His heroism, bordering on recklessness, was legendary.
The nightmare of the occupiers
Sailor Petr Koshka often had to perform various sabotage missions in the territory occupied by the enemy. No one could compare with him in the ability to silently "remove" sentries or get "tongue". It was said, for example, that once during military operations, with only one knife in his hands, he managed to capture three enemy soldiers. Another time, having got close to the enemy trenches, he dug out of the ground, and under heavy fire dragged away the body of a Russian sapper killed by enemies and blasphemously buried to the waist in the ground.
And it seems absolutely incredible the story of how one day the sailor Koshka, penetrated the French camp and, having stolen a beef leg from their kitchen cauldron, delivered it to his hungry comrades. There was also a case when he took away an enemy horse, and did it only in order to sell, donate the proceeds to a monument to another hero of Sevastopol - sailor Ignatius Shevchenko.
Deserved fame
The command appreciated the heroism of Pyotr Markovich and, in early 1855, he was awarded the "Badgedistinctions of the Military Order "- an award established for the lower ranks and corresponding to the Order of St. George, that is, the St. George Cross. Then the sailor Koshka was promoted to non-commissioned officer and became a quartermaster. During 1855, he was wounded twice, but both times he returned to duty thanks to the skill of the famous Russian surgeon N. I. Pirogov, who was also in the ranks of the defenders of Sevastopol.
The courage shown in the performance of combat missions, even during the war, made a simple Russian sailor Pyotr Markovich Koshka famous throughout the country. As a holder of the highest award given to the lower ranks, he was presented to Grand Dukes Mikhail Nikolaevich and Nikolai Nikolaevich in February 1855.
Together with them, the artist V. F. Timm, who created a gallery of portraits of the heroes of Sevastopol, among whom was Pyotr Markovich. Lithographs with his image quickly spread throughout Russia, and all the major newspapers published a biography of the national hero and stories about his exploits. Later, his image was presented on the pages of the works of Leo Tolstoy, and in Soviet times, the writer S. Sergeev-Tsensky.
Soon the famous sailor was granted a gold pectoral cross, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna herself, the wife of Tsar Nicholas I. Despite the fact that it was just a gift and, moreover, of a purely religious nature, the Cat wore it on his chest over his uniform, like reward.
A short peaceful life
BIn 1856, when the war was over, a decree was issued by the new Emperor Alexander II, according to which every month spent by the defenders in the besieged city was counted as a year of experience. As a result, Pyotr Markovich received the right to be transferred to the reserve, which he did not fail to take advantage of. At the end of the year, he left the army and went to live in his native village, but according to the law, Koshka had to be in the reserve for another 15 years.
Returning to civilian life, yesterday's sailor took up ordinary village work and soon married a local peasant woman, who after a while bore him a son. Local authorities, having heard about the heroic past of their peasant, often entrusted him with the protection of convoys heading to the ports of Odessa, Nikolaev and Kherson. This was a very responsible task, since the dashing people on Russian highways have never been translated.
On the B altic Fleet
However, in 1863, fate was pleased to send the Knight of St. George to the warship again. This time the reason was the uprising that engulfed the Kingdom of Poland, which was under the jurisdiction of the Russian emperor. Since by that time Pyotr Markovich was still in the reserve, he was again called up for the fleet, but not the Black Sea, but the B altic one.
Being near the capital, he repeatedly took part in the parades of the Knights of St. George and the receptions arranged for them in the Winter Palace. When the term of retirement approached in 1869 (this time “outright”), Koshka refused this opportunity, and remained in the naval crew for another 4year, after which he finally returned to his village.
Return to civilian life
It should be noted that in those days veterans were honored not only with pompous speeches, but also provided (even to the lower ranks) with a decent life after being discharged from the army. Those of them who were awarded orders and medals during their service received additional allowances. So Pyotr Markovich, who, in addition to the St. George Cross, which was described above, received several more awards established for the lower ranks, but at the same time having a very high dignity, after retiring, he received a pension twice as much as his previous salary as a non-commissioned officer.
However, despite material we alth, the former sailor Koshka did not want to sit idly by. Shortly after returning to his native village, he secured a public position as a ranger in the local forestry. In this regard, his salary, which was already considerable, was added to his official salary, and for the duration of his service, he received at his disposal a house built at public expense with an adjacent plot.
The end of life, which became the beginning of immortality
Pyotr Markovich passed away early, when he was barely 54 years old, but he did it exactly as befits a hero. In the winter of 1882, he threw himself into a hole, rescuing two girls who had fallen into it. As a result, the lives of the children were out of danger, and he himself fell ill from hypothermia and, after lying unconscious for several days, died on February 25. He was buried in the village cemetery, laterliquidated. The hero's grave has not been preserved.
Departing from life, the famous Knight of St. George became a symbol of selfless service to the motherland. The monument to the sailor Koshka was erected in Sevastopol, during the defense of which, he covered himself with unfading glory. Also, a street adjacent to Mamayev Kurgan was named after him. In addition, the busts of the hero adorn the Walk of Fame and museum complexes in various cities of the country.
As mentioned above, the image of the hero inspired many famous Russian writers who dedicated both short stories and large literary works to him. Perhaps, he is most fully represented in the book "Sailor Cat", written by the historian and writer K. K. Golokhvostov and out of print in 1895, but reprinted in our time.
About a kind word
In conclusion, I would like to give one story, once again illustrating the self-control and resourcefulness inherent in P. M. Koshka, and at the same time, revealing the true meaning of one well-known catchphrase. They say that once during a visit by Admiral V. A. Kornilov fighting positions, an enemy grenade fell at his feet. Pyotr Markovich, who was nearby, did not lose his head and, picking it up, threw it into a cauldron with boiling porridge, which made the wick go out and the explosion did not follow. The admiral sincerely thanked the resourceful sailor, after which he answered him with a phrase that became winged: “A kind word - and the Cat is pleased.”
