Baklanov G.Ya. “During the year of service in the battery, Dolgovushin changed many positions, without showing ability anywhere...” The problem of manifestation of cowardice (Unified State Examination in Russian). General Baklanov “Donskoy Suvorov The Last Years of His Life”

Russian writer G.Ya. Baklanov raises the problem of cowardice.

The author showed a soldier who, first of all, was worried about himself, about how he wanted to stay alive, and he tried by all means to stay away from the firing points. Dolgovushin was afraid to be in combat positions. At first he was a reel-to-reel telephone operator, then a carriage operator. Everyone considered him unfit for real combat.

He abandoned the sergeant major when the Germans were in their rear. And when he got to his own people, Dolgovushin told how he tried to drag the dead foreman.

The writer wanted to say that war affects people in different ways. It is a rare person who is not afraid of death, but many try to overcome their weaknesses and behave with dignity. For Dolgovushin, the instinct of self-preservation always came first, which is why he was a cowardly person, and covered up his cowardice with “truthful” words. To deceive others, to look worthy in the eyes of others is a completely natural state for a cowardly person.

The result of one person's cowardice can be the death of another. It is probably easier for a cowardly person to live for some time, so he chooses not a difficult, but an easier path for himself.

In life, cowardice often manifests itself, especially when a young soldier takes part in battle for the first time. Nikolai Rostov, who participated in a military campaign for the first time, feared for his life. Instead of firing the pistol, he threw it at the Frenchman and ran away from him. Nikolai Rostov understood that he was acting like a coward. He was subsequently wounded. Rostov constantly thought that he should not be killed, because the whole family loves him so much. In the novel “War and Peace” L.N. Tolstoy writes that fear for life is the natural state of an inexperienced soldier.

There are people who behave cowardly in some situations and then feel ashamed of their own cowardice. As a representative of the authorities, Pontius Pilate, one of the heroes of M. Bulgakov’s novel “The Master and Margarita,” was afraid to stand up for the peaceful philosopher Yeshua and agreed to his execution. After signing the verdict, Pontius Pilate bitterly regretted this and considered cowardice to be the most terrible vice of a person.

So, the cowardly, cowardly behavior of a man who becomes a soldier does not make a person beautiful. It is known that people have long not forgiven cowardice, betrayal, and betrayal of the Motherland.

Updated: 2018-01-24

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“Donskoy Suvorov”, “Furious Boclu”, “Thunderstorm of Chechnya” - such nicknames were rightfully earned by the hero of the Caucasian War, Yakov Baklanov, from the Russians and mountaineers. “If you feared Allah as much as Baklanov, you would have been saints long ago,” Imam Shamil reproached the highlanders who were in awe of the Cossack commander.

In Russian history there are names of people who, during the bloody Caucasian War of the 19th century, were simultaneously surrounded by an aura of heroism and valor, and mystical horror and mystery. One of these personalities tightly connected with the history of the pacification of the Caucasus is Lieutenant General Yakov Petrovich Baklanov. Gloomy, two meters tall, endowed by nature with heroic strength, during his lifetime he became the hero of all kinds of rumors and legends.

For example, having received command of a regiment that was in desperately poor condition, he quickly brought it into exemplary condition with his energy and, from the timid defense of his predecessors, moved on to the most energetic offensive and soon became a threat to the mountaineers, who considered “Bokla” akin to the devil himself and called him “ Dajjal,” that is, Satan. Baklanov knew about this and strongly supported the mountaineers in the belief that evil spirits were helping him. When in March 1850 he was wounded and the highlanders, having learned about this, decided to raid in a huge party, Baklanov, overcoming the pain, at night personally led the Cossacks against the highlanders, who fled in panic fear of his invulnerability.

While cutting a clearing through the Kachkalykovsky ridge, Baklanov, who knew that the famous mountain shooter Janem had promised to kill him when he stood in his usual place on the hill, nevertheless at the usual time climbed the hill and, when Janem, who missed twice, looked out from behind the mountain , from a nozzle to the forehead, he killed Janem on the spot, which caused delight even among the mountaineers.

Cossack songs dedicated to Baklanov mention the “terrible Baklanov blow” - Yakov Petrovich was known for cutting a rider in half with a saber from the shoulder to the pommel of the saddle...

The hero of the Caucasian War, Yakov Petrovich Baklanov, was born on March 15, 1809 in the village of Gugninskaya (Baklanovskaya) of the Don Army into the family of a cornet. His father, a participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, as well as other wars of that time, earned the rank of officer, which gave the right to hereditary nobility.

He entered service on May 20, 1824 as a sergeant in the No. 1 Don Cossack Regiment (Popov), in which his father commanded a hundred. Occasionally he came home for leave, and on one of his visits he married a simple Cossack woman.

He took part in the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-1829, at the beginning of 1829 he was promoted to cornet, and on May 20 of the same year he was awarded the Order of St. for distinguished service with the army of the Grand Vizier at Kulevchi. Anna 4th degree with the inscription “For bravery”; On July 11, 1829 he was awarded the Order of St. Anna 3rd degree with a bow for distinction in deeds during the conquest of the Turkish cities of Mesemiria and Achiollo. In battles, Baklanov showed himself to be so brave and daring that for excessive ardor, his father more than once personally “hit him on the back with a whip,” as Yakov Petrovich later admitted.

At the end of the war, until August 1831, he stood with the regiment on the border guard line along the river. Rod. On September 21, 1831 he was promoted to centurion.

Active participant in the Caucasian campaigns. The first serious expedition that laid the foundation for Baklanov’s Caucasian fame was the expedition of 1836, undertaken in the area of ​​the Psephira, Laba and Belaya rivers. Here he was wounded in the head. On July 4, 1836, pursuing for 10 versts a detachment four times superior to the mountaineers (between the Chamlyk and Laba rivers), withstood many enemy counterattacks and used up all the cartridges, in conclusion, choosing an opportune moment, near the Voznesensky fortification, struck with pikes, overthrew the enemy and pursued more than 15 versts, destroying it almost completely. For this deed, on July 4, 1837, he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir 4th degree with a bow.

On October 22, 1837, he was promoted to esaul and transferred to No. 41 Don Cossack Regiment. In the spring of 1839, he was assigned to serve in the Don Training Regiment, and in 1841 he was transferred to No. 36 Don Cossack Regiment (Rodionova), with which he maintained cordons in Poland on the border with Prussia.

Upon returning from Poland, on October 18, 1844, Baklanov was awarded the rank of centurion (according to other sources - military foreman); in the spring of 1845, Baklanov was assigned to the No. 20 Don Cossack Regiment, located on the left flank of the Caucasian line in the Kura fortification, which constituted the forward stronghold of the Russian Kumyk possessions. On July 20, 1845 he was awarded the Order of St. Anna 2nd degree for distinction rendered in battle during the defeat of Chechen batteries and fortified rubble in the Shaukhal-Berdy tract.

The year was 1846. A Cossack detachment under the command of a military foreman was returning to the fortress after a raid on the Chechen rear. Suddenly a shot rang out from the top of a high cliff. The commander stopped his horse and, shielding himself from the sun with his hand, began to peer upward. A Chechen appeared on the rock. Laughing, he began shouting insulting phrases at the Cossacks. The distance between the opponents was so great that the man on top of the cliff seemed like a small black dot.

Well, well done,” the military foreman turned to the Cossacks, “knock down this screamer for me!”
Shots rang out in unison. However, when the gunpowder smoke cleared, it turned out that the Chechen was still unharmed. Taking advantage of his invulnerability, he continued to laugh, and the mountain echo carried his mocking laughter far away. - Urus-reed! - the highlander yelled. - Bad shooting!
“You won’t get him,” the Cossacks made excuses, “what the hell did you get into, you damned one!”
“The bullets don’t reach...” someone suggested.
The thick eyebrows of the military sergeant-major frowned menacingly.
“The mountaineers shoot well,” he said sternly, “but you are Cossacks, and God himself ordered you to shoot better.”
With these words, he tore the rifle from his shoulder and, throwing it into his left hand, fired. The Chechen swayed and fell into the abyss. There was silence for several moments, then exploded with a loud “Hurray!”
- What a trick! - one young Cossack was amazed - Without even aiming!
“Oh, you stupid head,” the elderly centurion reproached him, “it’s Baklanov himself.” It’s not for nothing that the Chechens call him the devil.

On July 5, 1846, for distinction, bravery and courage shown in the battle with Shamil’s crowd during the defense of the Vnezapnaya fortress, he was awarded the Order of St. by the Imperial Crown. Anna 2nd degree; in the same year he was appointed commander of the No. 20 Don Cossack Regiment. Having accepted the regiment, Yakov Petrovich quickly put it in order and achieved better organization of combat training and supplies. New to the regiment were tactical training, which no one knew about then, and a special training unit, where instructors were trained for all units. The method of combat operations also became new: from defense in the fortress, Baklanov switched to energetic offensive operations along the Kura Line. First of all, it fell like snow on those detachments of highlanders who were gathering to attack the Kura fortification. His assistants in ensuring the surprise of actions were scouts, Chechen guides, and plastuns. Baklanov then began to conduct longer-range raids on fortified Chechen villages. Stealth of movement, speed and then a bold strike - such was his tactics.

In difficult moments of a combat situation, Baklanov, with a saber in his hands, was the first to rush forward on his horse. His saber “ruined” the enemy from crown to saddle. He was uncompromisingly strict and merciless towards cowards and usually said to the blundering Cossack, showing a huge fist: “Once again you’ll be a coward, see this fist of mine? So I’ll smash you with this very fist!” But he encouraged his subordinates in every possible way for their courage and took care of his subordinates whenever possible.

In 1848 he became a lieutenant colonel, and the following year he was awarded a gold saber with the inscription: “For bravery.” For valiant actions in breaking through the strong barrier of the highlanders at the Goitemir Gate, the commander of the Cossack regiment received the rank of colonel. In the summer of 1850, he was appointed commander of the No. 17 Don Cossack Regiment. One day a parcel arrived in the regiment addressed to Baklanov. It contained a large piece of black fabric, on which was depicted a skull with crossbones and a circular inscription from the “Creed”: “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. Amen". Yakov Petrovich secured the fabric to the pole, turning it into a personal banner. Even among experienced Cossacks, this badge evoked a painful feeling, while the highlanders experienced superstitious horror from the Cormorant symbol. One of the eyewitnesses wrote: “Wherever the enemy saw this terrible banner, fluttering high in the hands of the giant Don, like the shadow of one following his commander, the monstrous image of Baklanov also appeared there, and inseparably with it was the inevitable defeat and death of anyone who fell on paths."

In 1851, Baklanov was summoned to the Grozny fortress to participate in the Chechen expedition under the leadership of Prince A. Baryatinsky. Yakov Petrovich was entrusted with commanding the entire cavalry of the detachment, and for his brilliant actions in the expedition he received a new award - the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd degree. Returning to the Kura fortification, he continued active offensive operations towards Aukha, along the Michik River valley, towards Gudermes and Dzhalka. For military services he was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree, and the rank of major general.

In February 1852, by order of the commander of the left flank of the Caucasian line, Prince Baryatinsky, with a detachment of three infantry battalions, four guns and his Cossack regiment, he completed the clearing from the Kurinsky fortification to the river. Michik. At the same time, Prince Baryatinsky set out from the Grozny fortress to Avtury, for further travel through Greater Chechnya and Major-Tup to Kurinskoye. On February 17, Baklanov, with two hundred of his regiment, went to the Kochkalykovsky ridge. The scouts brought the news that Shamil with a 25,000-strong detachment was standing across the Michik River, opposite the clearing, to cut off Baklanov’s return path. By nightfall, having concentrated 5 companies of infantry, 6 hundred Cossacks and 2 guns, Yakov Petrovich managed to deceive Shamil’s vigilance, made his way with a detachment through his line, without roads, through the wildest terrain, and joined Prince Baryatinsky at the very moment when the latter most needed in support when passing through forests. After commanding the prince's rearguard, Baklanov accomplished a number of new feats, for which he was awarded the Order of St. George 4th degree.

“In reward for the excellent feats of courage and courage shown on February 18, 1852 in cases against the Highlanders during the occupation from battle of the place designated for crossing the troops of the Chechen Detachment across the Michik River, and not only the position was held until the end of the crossing, but also a complete defeat was inflicted on the crowds Shamil"

On April 10, 1853, for the distinction rendered during the attack of the enemy position near the village of Gurdali and the complete dispersal of Shamil’s crowds, he was awarded the Order of St. Stanislav 1st degree. On May 11 of the same year, he was appointed to serve at the headquarters of the Caucasian Corps as chief of the cavalry of the left flank with a permanent stay in the Grozny fortress.

On June 14, 1854, for the distinction and courage shown during the defeat of the mountain parties between Urus-Martan and the Grozny fortress, Baklanov was declared the highest favor; On August 22 of the same year he was awarded the insignia of impeccable service for 20 years.

In 1855, by order of the commander-in-chief of the separate Caucasian corps, Count N. N. Muravyov, Baklanov was sent to the active army in the Caucasian theater of the Crimean War, where he was appointed head of the irregular cavalry in the detachment of Lieutenant General Brimmer. On September 17 of the same year, he took part in the column of General Bazin in the assault on Kars.

Of all the generals in his army, Muravyov hoped most of all in Baklanov, not only because of his long and loud military reputation, but also because Baklanov knew Kars and its surroundings like no one else. This commander of the irregular cavalry crossed the Turkish border in two columns at the end of May 1855 and concentrated his detachment in Ajan-Kala, north of Kars. Reconnaissance began. After the reconnaissance on June 14 (26), which yielded very important results, Baklanov advised Muravyov to order an assault on the fortress, warning that if you miss this favorable moment, it will not return so soon. But Muravyov did not dare. He explained the reason for his indecision in a letter to the Minister of War: in case of failure, the troops will retreat, and the population of the Transcaucasian region “will prepare for an uprising,” and in this case surprises should be expected from Persia. Muravyov did not have much strength. If he had at least 15,000 more people, he writes to the minister, then it would be possible, having “blocked Kars” and without stopping near it, to go straight to Erzurum. But given the situation that actually existed, all that remained was to begin closely investing the city and seizing provisions that were transported to the city on carts from Saganlug, Karakurgan, Barduz and other places. The Russian troops spent the entire month of July and August on these attacks, on burning the stored supplies, on destroying the foragers leaving the fortress. In these attacks, success was almost always on the side of the Russians.

For distinction and courage shown during the assault on advanced fortifications, he was awarded the Order of St. Anna 1st degree. At the end of December 1855, Baklanov left the army on vacation to the Don and St. Petersburg.

On February 2, 1857, Baklanov was appointed marching ataman of the Don Cossack regiments located in the Caucasus. On February 16, 1859 he was awarded the Imperial Crown and the Order of St. Anna 1st degree. On April 3, 1860, he was promoted to lieutenant general. From May 1, 1861 to 1863, he served as district general of the 2nd district of the Don Army Region.

From June 7, 1863 to January 7, 1867, Baklanov was on a business trip in Vilna and during the Polish uprising he was the head of the Don regiments in the Vilna district. On February 6, 1864, for his diligent and zealous service and labors, he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir 2nd degree with swords above the order.

In 1867, Yakov Perovich Baklanov retired and settled in St. Petersburg. After a serious and long illness, he died in poverty on October 18, 1873; the funeral took place in the cemetery of the St. Petersburg Novodevichy Convent at the expense of the Don Cossack Army. Five years later, his grave was decorated with a monument, created with voluntary donations and depicting a rock on which a cloak and a hat were thrown, with a black “Baklanovsky badge” pulled out from under the hat.

In 1911, the ashes of Yakov Petrovich were solemnly reburied in the tomb of the Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk, next to the graves of other heroes of the Don - M. Platov, V. Orlov-Denisov, I. Efremov.

"Highlanders! If only you feared Allah

just like Baklanova, then a long time ago

would be saints. But don't be

cowards. Persevere in the fight and

fights with enemies bigger than you

have done this before."

Imam Shamil.

Cossack general Yakov Petrovich Baklanov, one of the most colorful heroes of the Caucasian War of the century before last - a gloomy two-meter hero, a tireless persecutor of highlanders and Turks, an enemy of political correctness and “democracy” in any of their manifestations. He, like many of his contemporaries, achieved military victories for the Motherland and created the glory of Russia.

The future thunderstorm of the Caucasus was born on March 15, 1809 in the village of Gugninskaya (Baklanovskaya) of the Don Army. Yakov Petrovich was brought up on the streets of his native village with the children of ordinary Cossacks. By the age of sixteen, Yakov learned to read, write and count, but best of all he learned to wield a pike and saber, shoot accurately and became a dashing rider.

In 1826, his military service began, he was enlisted as a constable in Popov’s Cossack regiment. By 1828, Yakov Petrovich received the shoulder straps of a cornet. Participated in the war against Turkey. He distinguished himself in action near Burgas. In battles, Yakov Baklanov was brave, daring, and sometimes overly passionate.

In 1834, Baklanov's regiment was transferred to the Caucasus. It was the Caucasian period of service that brought Yakov Petrovich the greatest fame and helped the daring Cossack become a brilliant military officer. Under the command of the commander of the Kuban Line, Baron G.Kh. Zass, whom he called his teacher all his life, he participated in many expeditions and battles. For his daring and fearlessness he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree. True, already in the first serious skirmishes Yakov Petrovich could easily lay down his violent head.

In July 1836, he became interested in pursuing the enemy and found himself with a small detachment against heavily armed mountaineers who outnumbered the Cossacks three times over. In an hour, Baklanov managed to repel more than ten attacks, and then he himself went on the offensive, encouraging his fighters with the news that reinforcements were coming to them. In fact, a thunderstorm was approaching, and the shrewd commander passed off the peals of thunder as shots from Russian artillery. The daring action was a success - the Circassians fled in disarray. Another time, while conducting reconnaissance and again finding himself in an ambush, he immediately knocked down two enemies with a double-barreled shotgun, and after they laid down a horse under him, dismounted, hacked to death four Chechens with a saber and managed to dodge the shots of their comrades. Having escaped certain death, Baklanov immediately returned to command and managed to reliably cover the crossing of his detachment across the mountain river Laba. At the same time, incredible rumors began to spread in the mountains about a giant Cossack who could not be killed by a bullet.

In 1845, military foreman Baklanov was appointed commander of the 20th Don Regiment. It should be noted that by this time the regiment was distinguished by extremely low combat effectiveness: the Don Cossacks, unaccustomed to the conditions of mountain warfare, were inferior to the line Cossacks, and some of the Cossacks were generally doing auxiliary work...

Baklanov could not come to terms with this situation. First of all, he returned all the Cossacks of his regiment to duty. He established strict control over the maintenance of horses (he could be screwed for drinking oats) and weapons. He also introduced training for Cossacks in sapper and artillery work, and intelligence service. The seventh hundred was organized in the regiment, where, under the supervision of Baklanov, junior commanders and Plastun teams were trained to carry out especially dangerous cases - a kind of “special forces”.

And in many other ways, Yakov Petrovich found unexpected and non-standard solutions. So, he ordered the statutory uniform to be hidden until better times, and the regiment was transferred to uniforms and weapons exclusively with captured property. Thus, after some time, the 20th Regiment was dressed in Circassian coats, and the Cossacks flaunted expensive daggers, excellent Circassian sabers and rifled guns to each other.

In battle, Baklanov was terrible. In difficult moments of a combat situation, he was the first to rush forward on his horse with a saber in his hands. His famous “cormorant blow” cut the enemy from the crown to the saddle. Baklanov was irreconcilably strict and merciless towards cowards and usually said to the blundering Cossack, showing a huge fist: “Once again you’ll be a coward, see this fist of mine? I’ll smash you with this very fist!” But he encouraged his subordinates in every possible way for their courage and, if possible, taught them: “Show your enemies that your thoughts are not about life, but about the glory and honor of the Don Cossacks.” For his strict disposition, courage and strong health (Baklanov was wounded more than ten times), he was called “Ermak Timofeevich.” The Cossacks loved, were proud of and valued their commander. In one battle, Yakov Petrovich unsuccessfully exposed himself to targeted fire from mountain riflemen. Without hesitation, the famous reconnaissance scout Skopin, who by that time had three St. George Crosses, covered him with his body. The bullet shattered his shoulder, but Baklanov was saved. For this feat, Skopin was promoted to the officer rank of cornet.

Baklanov's regiment did not miss the slightest opportunity to fight the mountaineers, as well as to inflict damage on them in the form of a punitive expedition, an ambush, a burned village, trampled crops or a stolen herd. In general, Yakov Petrovich repaid the highlanders with their own coin, and his 20th regiment soon became an exemplary partisan unit. Having an extensive network of agents among the mountaineers, on whom he spent almost all of his salary, Baklanov could stay ahead of their predatory raids.

In this situation, the highlanders were forced from the attacking side to become the defending side. Now the conversation was no longer about attacking Cossack villages and Russian settlements, but about how to avoid becoming victims of Baklan raids. In his declining years, the conqueror of the Caucasus calculated that under his leadership the Cossacks requisitioned 12 thousand heads of cattle and 40 thousand sheep from the Chechens - an astounding scale.

The authorities were delighted with the results achieved and did not pay attention to his partisanship. For his successes in the war with the highlanders, Yakov Petrovich was awarded the Order of St. Anna, 2nd degree, and a golden weapon.

Under Baklanov, men and horses did not experience a shortage of provisions, and the commander himself, a staunch supporter of the idea of ​​self-sufficiency for troops, could easily outwit the most crafty mountaineers, who unsuccessfully tried to hide their flocks from the voracious army of the 20th regiment. On the eve of Easter 1849, Yakov Petrovich presented his Cossacks with a big gift. There seemed to be nothing to break the fast with - the old stocks of lamb were eaten, and the Chechens hid their herds from prying eyes. During Lent, the efficient Baklanov personally explored all the secret paths and, on the eve of the bright holiday, made a successful foray for cattle.

The confused natives had no choice but to suspect the Cossack commander of friendship with the devil himself. The mountaineers called their sworn enemy Dajjal (Satan) and considered him cursed from death. Just the sight of “Shaitan-Boklyu (Leo) inspired mystical and superstitious horror on them - two meters tall, a heroic build, a face pitted with smallpox, a huge nose, bushy eyebrows, thick long mustaches turning into sideburns, which fluttered ominously in the wind, and in a red shirt - in their eyes, he was the living embodiment and messenger of hell. Even his compatriots could not marvel at the texture of Yakov Petrovich. The author of the famous memoirs, Alexander Vasilyevich Nikitenko, described his appearance as follows: “... it was as if such a program was imprinted on Baklanov’s face, that if he performed even a quarter of it, then he should have been hanged ten times.”

Yakov Petrovich supported his demonic reputation in every possible way. One day, Chechen elders came to look at the Cossack commander - they were eager to make sure that the true accomplice of the devil was fighting with them. One cormorant appearance was enough for the desired impression, and when our hero met the guests in an inside-out sheepskin coat, with a face stained with soot and eyes rolling non-stop, no additional evidence was required.

The mountaineers were sure that “Shaitan-Boklya” could only be killed with a silver bullet, they shot at him with those, but they did not take the Cossack.

The shooter Dzhanem, well-known among the mountaineers, specially sent by Shamil, swore on the Koran to kill the hated “Boklya” with the first shot and boasted that he could break a chicken egg from fifty steps; to this, the highlanders, who had heard about the two-meter-tall Cossack, calmly replied that Baklanov would hit a fly with steps from one hundred and fifty. The duel took place on a hill near the Michik River. Yakov Petrovich appeared before Dzhanem on a horse. At the decisive moment, the Chechen sniper hesitated and fired two inaccurate shots. Baklanov, without dismounting, calmly took aim and fired a bullet between the opponent’s eyes. When Baklanov, turning his horse, began to descend from the hill, hurray rang out among the Russian troops!

Since then, a saying began to circulate around Chechnya, applied to hopeless braggarts: “Do you want to kill Baklanov?”

The black banner of the 20th Regiment brought no less horror to the highlanders. On a black silk cloth with Adam's dead head (skull) embroidered on it and two bones crossed under it, a gilded inscription from the "Creed" burned - "I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen." The banner was the Cormorant badge of the 20th regiment and was the calling card of a desperate warrior. Yakov Petrovich did not part with this military marching relic until the end of his days. One of the eyewitnesses wrote: “Wherever the enemy saw this terrible banner, fluttering high in the hands of a stately Don, the shadow of his commander, there also appeared the monstrous image of Baklanov, and inseparably with it, the inevitable defeat and death of anyone who got in the way. "

At the end of the service, now famous throughout the Caucasus, the 20th regiment, at the personal request of the commander-in-chief of the troops in the Caucasus M.S. Vorontsov, sent to the emperor (Vorontsov to the Minister of War: “Tell, dear prince, the sovereign that I beg him to leave us Baklanov"), Baklanov was retained for a second term. He was entrusted with the management of the 17th Don Regiment.

The Cossacks' love for their leader was so deep that many commanders and ordinary Cossacks of the 20th regiment remained with him. Soon the 17th Regiment becomes exemplary - and again there are battles, reconnaissance, ambushes...

On July 28, 1851, Baklanov was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd degree, for his distinction in the defeat of the highlanders in the Shali glade, and on November 16 of the same year, he was declared the Highest Favor for his distinction in the extermination of the village of Dakhin-Irzau.

In February 1852, by order of the commander of the left flank of the Caucasian line, Prince Baryatinsky, with a detachment of 3 infantry battalions, 4 guns and his Cossack regiment, Baklanov completed the clearing from the Kurinsky fortification to the Michik River. At the same time, Prince Baryatinsky set out from the Grozny fortress to Avtury for further travel through Greater Chechnya and Major-Tup to Kurinskoye. On February 17, Baklanov with two hundred of his regiment left for the Kochkalykovsky ridge. The scouts brought news that Shamil with 25 thousand troops was standing behind the Michik River, opposite the clearing, to cut off Baklanov’s return path.

By nightfall, having concentrated 5 companies of infantry, 6 hundred Cossacks and 2 guns, Yakov Petrovich managed to deceive Shamil’s vigilance, made his way with a detachment through his line, without roads, through the wildest terrain and joined Prince Baryatinsky at the very moment when the latter had the most need for support when passing through forests. Commanding the prince's rearguard thereafter, Baklanov accomplished a number of new feats, for which he was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree, and promoted to the rank of major general.

“In reward for the excellent feats of courage and bravery shown against the highlanders when occupying from the battle the place designated for crossing the troops of the Chechen detachment, and inflicting a complete defeat on Shamil’s crowds.”

On April 10, 1854, for the distinction rendered during the attack of the enemy position near the village of Gurdali and the complete dispersion of Shamil’s cavalry, Baklanov was awarded the Order of St. Stanislav, 1st degree and appointed chief of the cavalry of the entire Caucasian Corps.

In 1855, Baklanov was sent to the Caucasian theater of the Crimean War. During the assault on the Kars fortress, Baklanov was shell-shocked, but remained in service. For his distinction and courage during the assault on enemy positions, he was awarded the Order of St. Anna 1st degree, and in 1860 he was promoted to lieutenant general.

During the Polish uprising in 1863, Baklanov was appointed commander of the Don regiments in the Vilna district. In Poland, Yakov Petrovich acted using completely different methods than in Chechnya. He described himself as a stern, but extremely fair boss. Contrary to regulations, he did not indiscriminately confiscate the property of the rebels, but whenever possible he established guardianship over the young children of exiled Poles and retained their property. To the Governor-General of Poland Muravyov, Baklanov fearlessly said: “You can put me on trial or dismiss me without asking, but I will say one thing: my goal was to act in such a way that no stain would fall on the name of the Russian army, and my conscience says, that I have succeeded." This response aroused Muravyov’s gratitude.

But the prowess was no longer the same - the old warrior was bothered by a diseased liver, and in 1864 a big fire in Novocherkassk deprived him of his home and all his property. Since 1867, Yakov Petrovich lived out his life in St. Petersburg - he distributed his entire general's pension to crippled soldiers and the poor. He died on February 18, 1873 in poverty and obscurity.

The hero was buried at the expense of the “grateful Don army” in the cemetery of the Resurrection Nunnery in St. Petersburg. A monument to the sculptor Nabokov was erected at the grave, which amazed the imagination of eyewitnesses: a cloak, a hat, a saber and the famous Cormorant badge made of dark bronze were thrown on a piece of granite rock. On October 4, 1911, Baklanov’s ashes, along with the monument, were transferred to the capital of the Don Cossacks, Novocherkassk.

Under the Bolsheviks, they tried to erase the memory of the hero of the Caucasian War, like many other heroes of Russia who did not fit into the doctrine of world international brotherhood. In the 1930s, the monument was partially destroyed. They tore off his cloak, hat, saber and bronze skull and crossbones. Only in 1996 the monument was restored to its original form.

In the history of Russia, the participants in the Crimean War, like this campaign itself, occupy a special place. This page was written in the blood of tens of thousands of soldiers and is very important for all Russians. One of the heroes of the war with the Turks for Crimea was General Baklanov. A hereditary Cossack, a fearless warrior, a threat to enemies and at the same time a wise diplomat, he left an important mark in the history of his native country, all his life defending its interests not only in Crimea, but also in other regions. Baklanov’s biography must be carefully studied. Especially those who consider themselves patriots of Russia.

Furious Boklyu, Donskoy Suvorov, Thunderstorm of Chechnya - these nicknames were earned by the hero of the Caucasian War Baklanov. “If you feared Allah Almighty as much as Baklanov, you would have long ago become holy people,” the commander-in-chief of the mountain army, Imam Shamil, told his people.

The hero's childhood and youth

Kuban gave the world many heroes. On its fertile lands, in the village of Gugninskaya, Baklanov Yakov Petrovich was born on March fifteenth, 1809. His father Pyotr Dmitrievich was a cornet of the Don Army, and his mother Ustinya (nee Malakhova) was a classic Cossack woman. Baklanov Sr. was distinguished by his powerful physique and fearless disposition. During his service in the army, he gained a reputation as a formidable warrior, respected by his comrades and feared by his enemies.

In between military campaigns, Pyotr Dmitrievich was raising his son, trying to raise him to be a real Cossack. Already at the age of three the boy rode a horse in his yard, and at five he pranced down the street. When Yakov turned eight, his father took the heir with him to Bessarabia, where his regiment was heading. Thus began the marching life of the future hero of the Russian Empire.

And although the boy managed to learn to read and write only partially, the Cossack army turned out to be not the worst teacher. Baklanov Jr. matured before our eyes, quickly mastered martial arts, and soon in his native village there was no better warrior than him.

At the age of fifteen he began serving as a police officer, and at seventeen he married (the daughter of a priest from his native village). At the age of nineteen he received the rank of cornet and, as part of the regiment commanded by his father, went to his first war.

Yakov Baklanov took part in the crossing of the Balkans and the crossing of the Kamchik River, together with his comrades he took Burgas and other strategically important objects of the Russian-Turkish campaign. From the very beginning he proved himself to be a brave and courageous warrior. His recklessness shocked even his father, who more than once bludgeoned the overzealous heir on the back with a whip and insisted that his son behave more prudently while in battle.

But the military authorities appreciated the heroism of the young officer, and at the end of the war he was awarded the Order of St. Anne of the third and fourth degree.

Beginning of service in the Caucasus

Having taken a short break from the battles, young Baklanov returned to service, filled with the desire to continue glorifying the Don Cossacks with heroism. For some time, Yakov Petrovich guarded the Russian border along the Prut, and in 1834 he was returned to the Kuban to Zhirov’s regiment, in which he carried out his first campaigns against the highlanders.

The brave Cossacks stormed the Trans-Kuban villages located on the banks of the Psefir, Belaya, Laba and Chamlyk rivers. During one of these expeditions, Baklanov was seriously wounded in the head, and during another he brilliantly emerged from a seemingly hopeless situation, destroying the enemy with virtually his bare hands. And this despite the fact that the highlanders outnumbered the Cossack detachment by four times.

Very quickly, from a young and hot warrior, Yakov Petrovich Baklanov turned into an experienced, cunning and skillful military officer. His fame grew, and for his exploits by this time he received the Order of St. Vladimir of the fourth degree.

Polish retreat

In 1837, Baklanov was promoted to esaul, and four years later, Don Cossack Regiment No. 36, which included Yakov Petrovich at that time, was sent to Poland to guard the borders with Prussia.

The years spent in the West were not distinguished by major military achievements, but they played a very important role in Baklanov’s life. While in Poland, the future general took up his education, for which he previously had neither the time nor the energy. He read classical literature, became acquainted with monuments of European culture, studied the history of wars, etc.

The Polish period can be called a kind of cultural retreat, a small respite before major battles.

Thunderstorm of the Highlanders

Returning from a western business trip, Baklanov Yakov Petrovich was promoted to sergeant major and was given the Don Cossack Regiment number twenty, which controlled the Kura fortification.

From that moment on, the brightest period in the life of the hereditary Cossack began. His career quickly took off, and his name thundered throughout the Caucasus and far beyond its borders.

In the regiment entrusted to Baklanov, confusion and vacillation initially reigned. There was no discipline, the Cossacks wore torn clothes, indulged in drunkenness, played cards and were not distinguished by their zeal for service.

Very quickly the new foreman changed the situation radically. He banned alcohol and became closely involved in the education of soldiers, organizing special lessons in military strategy and tactics.

The Cossack chieftain proved himself to be a wise leader, and under his command, regiment No. 20 made many heroic campaigns. Baklanov spent almost all of his salary on bribing spies in the enemy’s camp, who promptly informed him about the enemy’s plans, and as a result, the Cossacks always found themselves “on horseback.”

In those days, the Don Army was engaged in a confrontation with the highlanders, who carried out regular raids on Russian villages. With the arrival of Yakov Petrovich, the enemy went from a position of attack to defense, for now the Cossacks were burning the villages of the Chechens, driving away people and livestock, taking away valuable property and food.

The mountaineers pronounced Baklanov's name in a whisper, calling him the Russian devil. They really believed that this man was supported by an evil spirit, and they were terribly afraid of him. And a two-meter, broad-shouldered Cossack with a face pitted with smallpox, a lush mustache and thick eyebrows happily supported the established image. One day, taken by surprise, he rushed onto the battlefield wearing a burka over his naked body with a saber over his shoulder. And another time he unexpectedly appeared before the enemy when he thought that Baklanov was dying after being seriously wounded.

These and similar cases only strengthened the reputation of an invincible warrior. And even the main highlander - the formidable Shamil - treated the Cossack ataman with respect. True, he scolded his subordinates for being too afraid of him.

During his service in the Caucasus from 1846 to 1863, Yakov Petrovich Baklanov rose to the rank of lieutenant general and received many awards, including the Order of George of the fourth degree, third degree and others.

When the 20th regiment was disbanded, Prince Vorontsov ensured that Yakov Petrovich remained in the ranks and was given another regiment, No. 17, at his disposal. Many then considered Baklanov an indispensable officer. After all, he managed to radically change the balance of power between the Russians and the highlanders in favor of his compatriots.

Twenty years of impeccable service

On April 10, 1853, Baklanov was awarded 1st degree for valor shown during an attack on enemy positions near the village of Gurdali. On March 11 of the same year, he was appointed to the headquarters of the Caucasian Corps as commander of the left flank cavalry. The headquarters was located in the Grozny fortress (the current city of Grozny).

On June 14, 1854, for the courage, bravery and distinction shown during the defeat of the mountain forces between the fortress of Grozny and Urus-Martan, Baklanov was declared imperial gratitude. On August 22 of the same year, he was awarded the honorary badge of impeccable service for twenty years.

Fateful talisman, or Baklanovsky badge

The fame of the legendary commander’s heroism spread far beyond the Caucasus. Baklanov was loved and respected throughout the Russian Empire. Many associated the Don Cossacks of those times with his name.

And then one day a parcel was delivered to the ataman from an unknown admirer. Having opened it, Yakov Petrovich found inside a black silk badge with embroidery in the form of a white Adam’s head (skull and bones) and the inscription “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen".

Baklanov simply fell in love with this gift and did not part with it until the end of his life. The creepy badge became his talisman. He caused horror even among the Cossacks, and the highlanders simply fell into panic at the sight of the waving black banner over the giant figure of the horseman. They were sure that it was death itself that was rushing towards them, so they ran away in all directions. And then they told their children about the terrible giant sent to earth by Shaitan.

The image of the Russian commander is still preserved in the legends and fairy tales of the Chechens. He also entered the songs of the Don Cossacks.

Duel with Janem

Among the enemies from time to time there were people who declared that they would destroy the Russian devil. They boasted that the hero leading the Cossack army would fall from their mighty hand. One of these daredevils was a mountain shooter named Janem. He threatened to kill Baklanov when he was in charge of clearing the clearing.

The scouts informed Yakov Petrovich of this intention, and he made an unexpected decision - to appear where the enemy would be waiting for him to try his luck.

Janem's first shot missed. The second bullet pierced the edge of the Cossack's sheepskin coat. And then the shooter’s nerves could not stand it, and he leaned out of his cover. Baklanov reacted instantly and killed the enemy outright with a shot from a rifle. The bullet hit him right in the forehead. After this incident, even the biggest skeptics believed in the general’s magical abilities. The mountaineers were convinced that the shaitan was protecting this Russian demon in the flesh.

Crimean War

As you know, in 1853 the Russian-Turkish conflict flared up with renewed vigor. And since 1855, participants could see next to them on the battlefield the legendary General Baklanov, who was temporarily transferred to the hottest spot of the Russian Empire. There he was appointed commander of the regular cavalry, which guarded fortresses already recaptured from the Turks and helped take new ones.

The Crimean Cossack regiment of Ataman Baklanov was famous for its successes on the battlefield, and he himself was well known to the enemy, who was afraid of him and called him “Bataman-Klych” (a hero with a half-pound sword).

During the Russian-Turkish War, Yakov Petrovich was seriously wounded in the head, but remained in service. For military services he was awarded the Order of St. Anne, first degree.

At the end of 1855, Baklanov left Crimea and plunged into peaceful life, settling in Novocherkassk. But the rest did not last long. Already in 1857 he was again sent to the Caucasus.

Service in Vilna

Another important period in the life of Yakov Petrovich Baklanov was his service in Vilna, where he headed the Don Cossack regiments from 1863 to 1867.

The brave southern warriors were transferred here to suppress the uprising that took place in Poland, and the leadership believed that an experienced general could bring considerable benefit in this situation. True, Baklanov did not take part in power operations, but helped Count Muravyov in suppressing the rebellion in other ways.

The latter had a very bad reputation among the local population, and when a two-meter-tall Cossack appeared as his assistant, people were seized with real fear. Baklanov was credited with bestial cruelty and a tough temper. But soon the opinion about him changed dramatically.

Muravyov entrusted his assistant with managing the Augustov province, which was infested with forest gangs of rebels. Two weeks after Baklanov's arrival, the province turned into a model of calm and obedience. Yakov Petrovich managed to achieve this result by successfully combining military persecution with administrative measures. Local residents began to treat him with deep respect.

General Baklanov personally toured the territory entrusted to him and held several hundred conversations with the local population, trying to find out the mood of the people. He tried to meet everyone halfway who wanted a peaceful and calm life. Often he even allowed himself to disobey Muravyov and did not take away property from the rebels, although the “chief” insisted on mandatory confiscation. Baklanov believed that in this way he would only turn the locals against himself, and the conflict would flare up even more. He wanted to dispel rumors of Russian ferocity, and he succeeded.

Having learned that Yakov Petrovich was helping young heirs retain the farms of their parents exiled to Siberia, Muravyov was furious, but ultimately accepted Baklanov’s position.

last years of life

Even during his Lithuanian business trip, Yakov Petrovich Baklanov became seriously ill - his liver failed. In 1864 he went home to improve his health and then returned to Vilna. In the summer of the same year, all the ataman’s property and money burned in Novocherkassk, which, naturally, did not have the best effect on the well-being of the elderly Cossack.

In 1867, the hero of the Caucasian War and other high-profile campaigns returned to the Don, and then moved to St. Petersburg, where he spent his last years.

Baklanov led a quiet, inconspicuous life, after the loss of his savings he barely thought about battles anymore, he only remembered the past while working on his memoirs “My Combat Life.”

The disease did not recede, and on October 18, 1873, Yakov Petrovich passed away. He was buried in the cemetery of the Novodevichy Convent. The ceremony was financed by the Don Army.

Memory of a hero

Five years after the death of the hero, a monument was erected over his grave using voluntary donations, representing a rock with a cloak and a hat thrown on it. And from under the hat you can see the legendary Baklanovsky badge.

In 1911, the general “returned home.” His ashes were transported to his homeland and reburied in Novocherkassk. Next to Baklanov, in the tomb of the Ascension Cathedral, rest other heroes of Russia - Platov, Orlov-Denisov, Efremov...

The memory of a fearless warrior, a wise general, a great patriot of his country and simply a kind-hearted man with a stern appearance is still alive today. Passed down from generation to generation, they contain the image of the gallant chieftain and his legendary “Cormorant blow,” in which a saber cut the rider and horse in half. The name of the Russian general is mentioned in the legends of the peoples of the Caucasus.

In honor of Baklanov, the 17th Don Cossack Regiment was named in 1909. Also, the village where Yakov Petrovich was born now bears his name. And in memory of the hero they received Baklanovsky Avenue (formerly it was called Trinity) and several monuments. Also, a monument to the ataman stands today in Volgodonsk.

Immortalized in stone, Yakov Baklanov looks the same as he did in life - stern, menacing, harsh. The mere sight of the general at one time caused panic among his enemies. But friends and relatives knew that hidden under a powerful, unapproachable shell was a sensitive heart and a vulnerable soul.

The hero of Don Baklanov is an example of a real warrior who takes to the battlefield not because he thirsts for blood or adrenaline, but because he loves his homeland and is ready to fight for it until his last breath. The personality of the brave Cossack should not be forgotten by descendants and deserves to become an example for the young.

PRIDE OF THE DON COSSACKS

On March 27, 1809, the famous Cossack general Yakov Petrovich Baklanov, the pride of the Don Cossacks, was born in the village of Gugninskaya. Hereditary Cossack, a threat to enemies and a fearless warrior, left a mark on the history of the Don Cossacks and our Fatherland.

The hero's father, Pyotr Dmitrievich Baklanov, was a cornet of the Don Army. He was distinguished by his fearlessness and powerful physique. While serving in the army, Pyotr Dmitrievich gained a reputation as a warrior who was feared by his enemies and respected by his comrades. Pyotr Dmitrievich raised his son as a real Cossack. At the age of three, Yakov was already riding a horse; at the age of eight, his life on the road began - together with his father he went to Bessarabia.

At the age of fifteen, Yakov Petrovich Baklanov began serving as a constable, at seventeen he got married, and at nineteen, with the rank of cornet in the regiment commanded by his father, he went to war. Participation in the crossing of the Balkans, in the crossing of the Kamchik River, the capture of Burgas and other important objects in the Russian-Turkish campaign tempered the future hero even more. All the time, Yakov showed courage and bravery, recklessness and zeal. At the end of the war, Yakov Baklanov was awarded the Order of St. Anne of the third and fourth degrees.

Caucasus

After some time, young Baklanov returned to service and, after guarding the border along the Prut, in 1834 he again went to the Kuban in Zhirov’s regiment, starting his first campaigns against the highlanders.

Over time, during combat practice, Yakov Baklanov became an experienced, skillful and cunning combat officer. His fame grew, and by that time he had already received the Order of St. Vladimir, fourth degree. In 1837, Yakov Baklanov was promoted to esaul, and in 1841, as part of the Don Cossack Regiment No. 36, the hero was sent to Poland to guard the border with Russia. The time spent in Europe gave Yakov the opportunity to study classical literature, the history of wars, European culture, etc.

Returning from the West, Yakov Baklanov received the rank of sergeant major and took command of the Don Cossack Regiment No. 20, whose task was to control the Kura fortification. From that time on, a bright period in the life of the hero of the Don Cossacks began. His name began to resound far beyond the Caucasus.

In the Don Cossack regiment entrusted to Baklanov, vacillation and confusion initially reigned. Lack of discipline, zeal for service, drunkenness, playing cards, torn clothes - the Cossack chieftain began to eradicate all this. The ban on alcohol, the education of soldiers, and lessons in military strategy and tactics became the basis of regimental life. The consequence was many heroic campaigns carried out by the regiment. Baklanov bribed spies in the enemy’s camp and always knew about the enemy’s actions.

In those days, the Don Army opposed the highlanders who raided Russian villages. Using his tactics, Baklanov forced the enemy to go on the defensive; now the Cossacks attacked Chechen villages, stole livestock and people, and took away food and valuables. The mountaineers pronounced Baklanov’s name in a whisper, calling him the Russian devil, the frantic Boklyu, the Don Suvorov, the thunderstorm of Chechnya.

The mountaineers believed that Buccleuch was supported by the evil one, and they were terribly afraid of him. And even the main highlander - the formidable Shamil - treated the Cossack ataman with respect. True, he scolded his subordinates for fear of him. “If you feared Allah Almighty as much as Baklanov, you would have long ago become holy people,” the commander-in-chief of the mountain army, Imam Shamil, told his people.

During his service in the Caucasus, Yakov Petrovich Baklanov rose to the rank of lieutenant general and received many awards, including the Order of St. George of the fourth degree, the Order of St. Vladimir of the third degree and many others.

On April 10, 1853, for his valor during an attack on enemy positions near the village of Gurdali, Baklanov was awarded the Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st degree. On March 11 of the same year, Baklanov was appointed to the headquarters of the Caucasian Corps as commander of the left flank cavalry. The headquarters was located in the Grozny fortress (the current city of Grozny).

On June 14, 1854, for the courage and bravery shown during the defeat of the mountain forces between the fortress of Grozny and Urus-Martan, Baklanov was thanked by the emperor. On August 22 of the same year, Yakov Petrovich was awarded the honorary badge of impeccable service for twenty years.

The fame of the heroism and fearlessness of the legendary commander spread far beyond the Caucasus. The Cossack general Yakov Baklanov was loved and respected throughout the Russian Empire. One day, a parcel was delivered to the ataman from an unknown admirer. Having opened it, Yakov Petrovich found inside a black silk badge with embroidery in the form of a white Adam’s head (skull and crossbones) and the inscription “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen". Baklanov simply fell in love with this gift and did not part with it until the end of his life. So the famous Baklanovsky flag became his talisman. At the sight of this flag, the mountaineers fell into panic, especially if this flag fluttered in the hands of a fearless general.

The image of General Yakov Baklanov is still preserved in the legends and fairy tales of the Chechens. The songs of the Don Cossacks glorify this great and glorious hero of the Don Cossacks.
Then there was participation in the Crimean War, where his enemies called him “Bataman-Klych” (“a hero with a half-pound sword”), further service in the Caucasus, the suppression of an uprising in Poland, where Yakov Baklanov became known not only as a warrior-hero, but also like a brilliant diplomat. In Poland he won deep respect from the local population.

In the summer of 1894 in Novocherkassk, all the ataman’s property and his money burned down. These events did not have the best effect on the health of the already elderly Cossack. In 1867, Yakov Petrovich Baklanov returned to the Don, then moved to St. Petersburg. He lived quietly and calmly, working on his memoirs “My Combat Life.”

On October 18, 1873, Yakov Petrovich appeared before the Lord as a hero and glory of the Don Cossacks, as a warrior of Christ. He was buried in the cemetery of the Novodevichy Convent. The ceremony was financed by the Don Army, which he glorified with his life and deeds. Five years later, a monument was erected over the hero’s grave, depicting a rock with a cloak and a hat thrown on it. The famous Baklanovsky sign could be seen from under the hat. In 1911, the ashes of the legendary Cossack hero were transported to his homeland and reburied in Novocherkassk, next to the heroes of Russia - Platov, Orlov-Denisov, Efremov.

The memory of the Cossack hero, the legendary general who glorified the Don Army and his Don land, is still alive today! The image of the brave chieftain, stories about his famous “Cormorant blow”, his exploits and heroism will be passed on from generation to generation! Yakov Petrovich Baklanov is an example of a warrior who fights for the love of the Motherland, for the love of his people!

Glory to the heroes of the Don!
Glory to the Don Cossacks!

Igor Martynov,
military foreman, deputy ataman of the Tambov department
Cossack society