Caucasus Battles

[stevebecker]

Alkan,

Further reading gives this revised listing on the Russian Army in this operation 1914,

Count Vorontsov-Dashkov CinC
Gen Myshlaevsky deputy CinC
Gen Yudenich CofS Caucasus

1st Caucasus Corps - Gen Bergmann

2xDivs - names and commanders unknown?

2x Rifle Bdes (Gen Istomin & possibly Gen Przevalsky CofS Col Temrin)

1st Caucasus Cossack Div (Gen Baratov)

and;

2nd Turkistan Corps - commanders name unknown

4 x Bdes - numbers and commanders unknown

reports place this Army as 100,000 Infantry (100 x Bns) 15,000 Cav (117 x Sqns) and 256 guns

Can you confirm and give the missing names to commanders and numbers to Div's and Bdes?

Cheers

S.B

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Steve,
Count Vorontzov Dashkov was a court general with no military experience hence effective CinC initially was Gen Myshlaveskii
After the failure of Bergmann offensive and the following Turkish counter attack Myshlaveskii panicked and ordered a general retreat in Sarikamish only a weak Russian detachment was left/ However Gen Yudenich knowing the weakness of the Turkish Army logistics assumed command of 2nd Turkestan Corps and turned panic into Russian victory by surrounding the Turkish troops who actually reached Sarikamish after a bayonet charge / Yudenich later became CinC Caucasus/
I have not come across a General Prezavelsky/ The only one that I know of was a famous explorer in Central Asia who gave his name to a race of wild horses \ Prezawelsky Horse
This is all for now
Cheers
AK

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Steve,

My sources give the following Russian numbers:

Main force of two Russian corps totalling 54 000 men
A single brigade of 8 000 men at Oltu
at Ardahan 2 000 men
8 000 cavalry
250 guns
Armenian and Christian Georgian volonteers appx 8 000

Total appx 80 000.


Nominal strength of Turkish 3 rd Army was 190 00, however combatants numbered only 66 000 with 168 guns.

On 28 December, ix and x Turkish Corps totalling 18 00 men attacked Sarikamish defended by 14 000 Russian soldiers.

Cheers

AK

[stevebecker]

AIkan.

Yes mate, General Istomin commanded the Bde at Oltu, although 8,000 men seams a bit high for a Russian Infantry Bde, I would have given it around 6,000 men, but it may have been reinforced with artillery and such (extra Infantry and Cavalry) as it defended a main road and was attacked by a Turkish Corps.

Sorry you don't know what two Divisions made up Bergmanns 1st Corps ?

As to General Przevalsky or Prejevalski is shown as a Bde commander either in the 1st Corps or more likely in the 2nd Turkistan Corps, this comes from a Turkish source;

"By the evening of December 29, Turkish troops had occupied the western outskirts of the town, as well as the train station and the barracks of the Russian Yelizavetpolski Regiment. General Prejevalski, commander of the Russian forces in Sarıkamış, decided to use his last reserves in a final attempt to draw the Turks out of the town. His chief of staff, Col. Temrin, managed to take the train station with a bayonet charge. Now the Russians were gaining the upper hand and the Turkish troops were forced to leave the town."

The new details on this attack come from an article by a Prof Hinterhoff in Vol 18 of Purnells history of WWI where they give a very good map of the movements and actions during Nov - Dec 1914 and Jan 1915

Cheers

S.B

[stevebecker]

Alkan,

Do you have any details of the Russian Forces under Gen Chernozubov CinC Azerbaijan

When he and Gen Nazarbekov were in fighting around Van Dec 1914 and retreat and advance into Nth Persia Jan 1915 Capture of Van May 1915 and fighting around Malazgirt near Lake Van July 1915.

Cheers

S.B

[Tosun Saral]

On Dec 27th 1914 Erivan Detachment at Ağrı and CinC Azerbaijan under C of Gen. Chernozubov composed under 4th AC. Gen.Oganofski was made C of the new 4th AC.

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Steve,

re Bergmann I Corps from Prof Hinterhoff


" The Bergmann Offensive (Turkish: Bergmann Atağı; Russian: Берхманнский прорыв; in Russian literature Russian: Кёприкейская операция, "Köprüköy operation") was the first engagement of the Caucasus Campaign during World War I. General Georgy Bergmann, commander of I Caucasian Army Corps, took the initiative against the Ottoman Empire.

On 2 November, Bergmann's troops crossed the border in the general direction of Köprüköy. On the right flank, a brigade under Istomin moved from Oltu in the direction of İd. On the left flank a Cossack division under Baratov moved into the Eleşkirt valley towards Yuzveran, after it crossed the Aras River."

AK

[Art]

1st Caucasus Corps - Gen Bergmann
2xDivs - names and commanders unknown?

Peace-time order of battle was as follows.
I Caucasus Army Corps - 20 and 39 Infantry Divisions, 1 Caucasus Rifle Brigade and Kuban Cossack Infantry (Plastun) Brigade, 1 Caucasus Cossack Division, 1 Caucasus Mortar Battalion, 1 Caucasus Sapper Battalion, Caucasus Wireless Company
II Turkestan Army Corps - 4 and 5 Turkestan Rifle Brigades, Transcaspian Cossack Brigade, 2 Turkestan Sapper Battalion, Kushka Trains Company
New units created from reservists after mobilization were 66 Infantry Division and 2 Kuban Cossack Infantry (Plastun) Brigade. Also 3 Caucasus Rifle Brigade was formed by the end of 1914. Apparently also some Cossack cavalry and militia units, but I don't know what exactly.

[stevebecker]

Alkan,

Mate thank you great its the first time I have a understanding of the Russian forces faced by the Ottoman 3rd Army on this front.

Just to fit in if known, do you know the commander of the 2nd Turkistan Corps before Yudenich took over the corps in Dec 1914?

Tosun, thank you, I did wonder where the 4th Corps (mentioned in Turkish sources) with the 1st Corps, fitted in the Order of Battle?

Gen Chernozubov CinC Azerbaijan

4th Caucasus Corps Gen Oganofski

Do we know any details on the 4th Corps (strength and commanders names)?

Also there was a General Nazarbekov mentioned with Chernozubov, was he his Chief of Staff or a Div or Bde commander?

Its been interesting finding out about this very early battles.

S.B

[maxnechitaylov]

II Turkestan AC, commander:
15.I.1913: lieut.-gen. (22.I.1915 general) Lesh, Leonid Wilgelmovich (http://regiment.ru/bio/L/66.htm)
11.XII.1914: lieut-gen. Yudenich, Nicolay Nicolaevich

IV Caucasian AC (ex-Erivan unit)
24.I.1915: gen. Oganovskiy, Piotr Ivanovich
19.XII.1915: l.-g. De Witt, Vladimir Vladimirovich
Battle order: 66 Infantry Division and 2 Caucasian Cossack Div. (+ other cossack units) made a basis of the corps. Later added 2 Caucasian Rifle Div. (formed 11.XI.1915 from 2 Caucasian Rifle Bde), 2 Caucasian Rifle Artillery Bde (formed 16.IX.1916) etc.

Major-gen. Nazarbecov, Foma Ivanovich: commander of brigade, 66 ID (6.XI.1914-19.I.1915), commander of 2 Caucasian Rifle Bde (19.I.1915), later Division (19.XI.1915); commander of VII Caucasian AC (IV.1917-26.XII.1917),

Major-gen. (18.VI.1915 lieut.-gen.) Chernozubov, Fiodor Grigorievich: commander 4 Caucasian Cossack Div. (1.IV.1915), also commander of the Azerbaijan unit in Persia (formed 1914); commander of II Caucasian Cavalry Corps (4.VII.1916-25.IV.1917).

[stevebecker]

Max,

Thank you,

Gen Chernozubov is shown as CinC Azerbaijan in 1914/15

Can you confirm and was he demoted to command the 4 Caucasian Cossack Div (1.IV.1915.

If with the 4 Caucasian Cossack Div, where did this formation fit into the Order of Battle (what Corps was it in)?

Also if possible, who commanded the 20th Div and 39th Div's of the 1st Caucasus Corps?

You mentioned the Gen Nazarbekov commanded a Bde of the 66 Infantry Div, do you know the commander of that Div?

If 1st Caucasus Cossack Div (1st Corps) was commanded by Gen Baratov, who commanded the 2nd Caucasian Cossack Div (4th Corps)?

Cheers

S.B

[maxnechitaylov]

Gen Chernozubov is shown as CinC Azerbaijan in 1914/15

Yes, he was also commander of the Az. unit that (i.e. unit - Azerbayjanskyi Otriad, or Van-Azerbaijan Unit) existed in 1914 (and before war too, since 1911) and 1915.

Can you confirm and was he demoted to command the 4 Caucasian Cossack Div (1.IV.1915.

He was commander of Az. Unit since 1914 (battle-order: 2 Caucasian Rifle Bde and 4 Cauc. Coss. div. in 1914) and (since 1.IV.1915) 4 CC division at the same time.

If with the 4 Caucasian Cossack Div, where did this formation fit into the Order of Battle (what Corps was it in)?

In Azerbaijan Unit
During the Erzerum Operation (XII.1915 - IV.1916): 1st Sunzhensko-Vladikavkazskiy rgt (Terek Cossack Host), from 1st brigade, and 3rd Tamanskiy rgt (Kuban host), from 2nd bde, - in Van-Azerbaijan Unit; 1st Poltavskiy rgt (Kuban), from 1st bde, and 3rd Kubanskiy rgt (Kuban), from 2nd bde, - in Souch-Bulakskiy Unit.

VIII.1916: formed II separate Caucasian cavalry corps (4 Cauc. coss. div. - l.-g. Filimonov, 2 Zabaikalskaya and 3 Zabaikalskaya separate cossack bdes - m.-g. Nazarov and m.-g. Semionov).
II.1917: II Cauc. cav. corps renamed as VII Caucasian army corps.

Also if possible, who commanded the 20th Div and 39th Div's of the 1st Caucasus Corps?

20 ID:
1.V.1913 - 15.III.1915: l.-g. Istomin, Nicolay Mihaylovich
15.III.1915 - 22.IV.1917: l.-g. Bauer, Alexandr Fedorovich
4.05.1917 - 1.VII.1917: m.-g. Anosov, Nicolay Stepanovich

39 ID:
17.Ii.1913 - 19.XII.1915: l.-g. De-Witt, Vladimir Vladimirovich
2.I.1916 - 22.V.1916: l.-g. (20.III.1915) Riabinkin, Fiodor Trofimovich
22.V.1916 - 12.III.1917: l.-g. (26.VIII.1916) Liakhov, Vladimir Platonovich
20.III.1917 - 11.VIII.1917: m.-g. Mdivani, Zakhariy Aslanovich
late 1917: m.-g. Maslovskiy, Evgeniy Vasilievich

You mentioned the Gen Nazarbekov commanded a Bde of the 66 Infantry Div, do you know the commander of that Div?

66 ID:
19.VII.1914 - 8.X.1914: gen. [i.e. full general, general ot infanterii] Yasenskiy, Venedikt Aloisievich (1851-1915); dismissed 8.X.1914.
...1914: gen. Oganovskiy, Piotr Ivanovich (after 24.I.1915 commander of IV Caucasian AC)
24.III.1915 - 21.IX.1915: lieut.-gen. (8.V.1915) Voropanov, Nicolay Nicolaevich
26.X.1915 - after 10.VII.1916: maj.-gen. Savitskiy, Ippolit Victorovich (1863-1941), ex-head of staff of II Turkestan AC (1910-1915)

I want to note that I not the specialist in World War I but because Russian is my native language, I can freely read materials from the Internet and scientific works in this language, so...

[maxnechitaylov]

who commanded the 2nd Caucasian Cossack Div (4th Corps)?

2 Caucasian Cossack Division
9.X.1912 - 14.VI.1916: l.-g. Abatsiev, Dmitriy Constantinovich (born in Ossetia), also commander of Erivanskiy (Erevan) Unit in 1914 (before its transformation to IV Caucasian army corps) and 1915
http://www.grwar.ru/persons/persons.html?id=342
VII.1916: m.-g. Kulebiakin, Alexandr Parfentievich

[maxnechitaylov]

have not come across a General Prezavelsky/ The only one that I know of was a famous explorer in Central Asia who gave his name to a race of wild horses \ Prezawelsky Horse

Przhevalskiy, Mikhail Alexeevich (1859-1934), cousin of a famous explorer
since 13.XII.1908: m.-g. (l.-g. I.1915), commander of Kuban Plastun bde (since 1914 1st Kuban Plastun bde). In 1914 also commander of Kagyzmansky Unit. Defended Sarykamysh (1914).
since 3.II.1915: commander of II Turkestan AC. Erzerum Operation 1915-1916, Erzindghan-Kharput Operation 1916, taken Baiburt 2.VII.1916. Full general (19.XI.1916).
since 3.IV.1917: commander of Caucasian Army
31.V.1917 (or 11.IX.1917) - 28.XII.1917: CinC of Caucasian Front

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Max,

Thanks..

AK