The history of the Russian army is an integral part of the national culture, which everyone who considers himself a worthy son of the great Russian land needs to know. Despite the fact that Russia (subsequently Russia) waged wars throughout its existence, the specific division of the army, the assignment of each of its components to a separate role, as well as the introduction of appropriate distinctive signs began to occur only in the time of the emperors. The infantry regiments, the indestructible backbone of the empire's armed forces, deserved special attention. This type of troops has a rich history, as each era (and each new war) made tremendous changes to them.
Shelves of the new order (17th century)
The infantry of the Russian Empire, like the cavalry, dates back to 1698 and is a consequence of the army reform of Peter 1. Until that time, archery regiments prevailed. However, the desire of the emperor not to differ from Europe took its toll. The number of infantry was more than 60% of all troops (not counting the Cossack regiments). War with Sweden was predicted, and in addition to the existing soldiers, 25,000 recruits undergoing military training were selected. Officerswas formed exclusively from foreign military and people of noble origin.
The Russian military was divided into three categories:
- Infantry (ground forces).
- Landmilitia and garrison (local forces).
- Cossacks (irregular army).
In general, the new formation amounted to about 200 thousand people. Moreover, the infantry stood out as the main type of troops. Closer to 1720, a new rank system was introduced.
Changes in weapons and uniforms
Uniforms and weapons have also been changed. Now the Russian soldier is fully consistent with the image of the European military. In addition to the main weapon - a gun, the infantrymen had bayonets, swords and grenades. The mold material was of the best quality. Great importance was attached to its tailoring. From that time until the end of the 19th century, there were no significant changes in the Russian army. Except for the formation of elite regiments - grenadiers, rangers, etc.
Infantry in the War of 1812
In view of the upcoming events (Napoleon Bonaparte's attack on Russia), which became known for sure from intelligence reports, the new Minister of War Barclay de Tolly, recently appointed to this post, found it necessary to make massive changes in the Russian army. This was especially true of the infantry regiments. In history, this process is known as the military reforms of 1810.
The infantry of the Russian Empire at that time was in a deplorable state. And not because there was a shortage of personnel. The problem was organization. Exactlythis moment was devoted to the attention of the new Minister of War.
Preparing the army of 1812
Preparatory work for the war with France was presented in a memorandum en titled "On the protection of the western borders of Russia." It was also approved by Alexander 1 in 1810. All the ideas outlined in this document have become a reality.
The army's central command system was also reorganized. The new organization was based on two points:
- Establishment of the Ministry of War.
- Establishment of management of a large active army.
The Russian army of 1812, its condition and readiness for military operations were the result of 2 years of work.
1812 infantry structure
Infantry made up the bulk of the army, it included:
- Garrison units.
- Light infantry.
- Heavy Infantry (Grenadiers).
As for the garrison component, it was nothing more than a reserve of the ground unit and was responsible for the timely replenishment of the ranks. Marines were also included, although these units were commanded by the Department of the Navy.
Replenishment of the Lithuanian and Finnish regiments organized the Life Guards. Otherwise it was called elite infantry.
Heavy infantry composition:
- 4 guard regiments;
- 14 regiments of grenadiers;
- 96 regiments of foot troops;
- 4 Marine Regiment;
- 1 battalion of the Caspian fleet.
Light Infantry:
- 2 Guardsshelf;
- 50 Chasseur regiments;
- 1 naval crew;
Garrison Troops:
- 1 garrison battalion of the Life Guards;
- 12 garrison regiments;
- 20 garrison battalions;
- 20 Internal Guard Battalions.
In addition to the above, the Russian army included cavalry, artillery, Cossack regiments. Militia units were recruited from every part of the country.
Military regulations of 1811
A year before the outbreak of hostilities, a document appeared that reflected the correct actions of officers and soldiers in the process of preparing for battle and during it. The name of this paper is the military charter on infantry service. The following points were written in it:
- features of officer training;
- soldier training;
- location of each combat unit;
- recruitment;
- rules of conduct for soldiers and officers;
- rules for building, marching, saluting, etc.;
- fire;
- hand-to-hand combat techniques.
As well as many other components of the military service. The infantry of the Russian Empire became not only protection, but also the face of the state.
War of 1812
The Russian army in 1812 consisted of 622 thousand people. However, only a third of the entire army was withdrawn to the western border. The reason for this was the disbandment of individual parts. The southern Russian army was still in Wallachia and Moldavia, since the war with Turkey had just ended, and it was necessary to exercise controlterritory.
The Finnish Corps, under the command of Steingel, was about 15 thousand people, but its location was in Sveaborg, as it was intended to become a landing group that would land on the B altic coast. Thus, the command planned to break Napoleon's rear.
Most of the troops were garrisoned in various parts of the country. A large number of soldiers were located in Georgia and other regions of the Caucasus. This was due to the conduct of the war with the Persians, which ended only in 1813. A considerable number of troops were concentrated in the fortresses of the Urals and Siberia, thereby ensuring the safety of the borders of the Russian Empire. The same applies to the Cossack regiments concentrated in the Urals, Siberia and Kyrgyzstan.
In general, the Russian military were ready for the French attack. This applied to the quantity, and uniforms, and weapons. But for the reasons listed above, by the time the invaders invaded, only a third of them went to repel the attack.
Armament and uniform of 1812
Despite the fact that the command adhered to the use of guns of one caliber (17, 78 mm) by the troops, in fact, more than 20 different calibers of guns were in service. The greatest preference was given to the rifle of the 1808 model with a trihedral bayonet. The advantage of the weapon was a smooth barrel, a well-coordinated percussion mechanism and a convenient butt.
Melee weapons of the infantry are sabers and broadswords. Many officers had premium weapons. As a rule, itIt was a cold weapon, the hilt of which consisted of gold or silver. The most common type was the saber engraved "For Courage".
As for the armor, it has practically gone out of the infantry outfit. Only in the cavalry could one find a semblance of armor - shells. For example, cuirasses, which were intended to protect the body of a cuirassier. Such armor was able to withstand the impact of a cold weapon, but not a firearm bullet.
The uniforms of Russian soldiers and officers were finely tailored and tailored to suit the wearer. The main task of this form was to provide its owner with freedom of movement, while not restricting him at all. Unfortunately, the same could not be said about dress uniforms, which cause serious inconvenience to officers and generals at dinner parties.
Elite regiments - huntsmen
Watching how the special military formations of the Prussians, called "jaegers", allow the enemy to achieve their goals, one of the domestic commanders decided to form a similar unit in the Russian army. Initially, only 500 people with experience in hunting became candidates. Jaeger regiments of the Russian Empire are a kind of partisans of the late 18th century. They were recruited exclusively from the best soldiers who served in the musketeer and grenadier regiments.
The outfit of the rangers was simple and did not differ in the bright colors of the uniform. Dark colors prevailed, allowing you to blend in with the surroundings.environment (bushes, stones, etc.).
Armament rangers - this is the best weapon that could be in the ranks of the Russian army. Instead of sabers, they carried bayonets. And the bags were intended only for gunpowder, grenades and provisions, which could last for three days.
Despite the fact that the regiments of chasseurs played a key role in many battles and were an indispensable support for light infantry and cavalry, they were disbanded in 1834.
Grenadiers
The name of the military formation came from the word "Grenada", i.e. "grenade". In fact, it was infantry, armed not only with guns, but also with a large number of grenades, which were used to storm fortresses and other strategically important objects. Because Since the standard grenada weighed a lot, in order to hit the target, it was necessary to get closer to it. Only warriors distinguished by courage and great experience were capable of this.
Russian grenadiers were recruited exclusively from the best conventional infantry soldiers. The main task of this type of troops is to undermine the fortified positions of the enemy. Naturally, the grenadier had to be distinguished by hefty physical strength in order to carry a large number of grenades in his bag. Initially (under Peter 1), the first representatives of this type of troops were formed into separate units. Closer to 1812, divisions of grenadiers were already being created. This type of troops existed until the October Revolution.
Involving Russia in World War I
The prevailing economic rivalry between England and Germany caused the clash of more than 30 powers to begin. Russian Empire in the Firstworld war had its place. Being the owner of a powerful army, she became the guardian of the interests of the Entente. Like other powers, Russia had its own views and counted on land and resources that could be appropriated by intervening in the world battle.
Russian Army in World War I
Despite the lack of aviation and armored vehicles, the Russian Empire in the First World War did not need soldiers, since their number exceeded 1 million people. There were enough guns and ammunition. The main problem was with the shells. In history, this phenomenon is known as the “shell crisis”. After five months of warfare, the warehouses of the Russian army were empty, which led to the need to buy shells from the allies.
The uniform of the soldiers consisted of a cloth shirt, trousers and a dark green khaki cap. Boots and a belt were also indispensable soldier attributes. In winter, an overcoat and hat were issued. During the war years, the infantry of the Russian Empire did not suffer changes in uniform. Unless the cloth was changed to moleskin - a new material.
Were armed with Mosin rifles (or three-ruler), as well as bayonets. In addition, the soldiers were given sapper shovels, pouches and gun cleaning kits.
Mosin rifle
Also known as the trilinear. Why it is called so is a topical question to this day. It is known that the Mosin rifle is a weapon that has been in demand since 1881. It was even used during the Secondworld war, as it combined three main characteristics - ease of operation, accuracy and range.
Three-ruler why is it called that? The fact is that before the caliber was calculated based on the length. Special lines were used. At that time, one line was 2.54 mm. The cartridge of the Mosin rifle was 7.62 mm, which was suitable for 3 lines.
