Battle of Grigoriopolis | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of Sheikh Mansur Movement | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Russian Empire | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Sheikh Mansur Dol Mudarov Berd Khaptsug | Friedrich Ludwig von Wrede Cornet Pavlov (POW) | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Unknown | Companies of the Moscow and Selenga Infantry Regiments Cossacks | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | ~1,000
|
The Battle of Grigoriopolis, or the siege of Grigoriopolis was a 2 day long siege of the Grigoripolis Redoubt by Sheikh Mansur's forces which ultimately failed and forced the North Caucasians to retreat. [1]
“This redoubt (Grigoriopolis) is located on a gentle and treeless slope of the mountain,” one of the contemporaries describes the redoubt, “Near it, on the right and left sides, there are deep hollows. To the rear, a mile away from it, is the top of a mountain covered with forest.” [2]
Mansur was invited by the Kabardian princes to discuss further actions against the Russian Empire. According to the report of Major Zhiltsov, Mansur accepted the invitation and travelled to Kabardia on 26 July 1785. Immedietly, Grigoriopolis was reinforced with a battalion of musketeers. Fyodor Apraksin was ordered to go to the Malka River to prevent the Chechens from uniting with the Kabardians. In his report, the major wrote that on 26 July, the prince of Lesser Kabardia Zhembulat rode up to him and reported that "Sheikh Mansur, with his villainous crowd, intends to attack Grigoriopolis in the near future." To more accurately verify this, Zhiltsov immediately sent him to Kabardia. Upon his return, he reported that Prince Dol and Uzden Berd Khaptsug with their subordinates had gone to Mansur and that they were going to take part in Mansur’s campaign against Grigoriopolis. [3] [4]
At the very end of July, Prince Zhembulat came to the fortification for the second time and reported that Mansur and a detachment of Chechens had already entered Little Kabarda and were located in the Dolovaya Mosque, which was located on a hill. Then Mansur went to the house of Prince Dol, and from there he sent a man for princes Kelemet, Kaituk and other rulers, including prince Zhembulat. Upon the arrival of the invitees, Sheikh Mansur began to persuade them to join him. [3]
Having secured the support of many Kabardian princes, Sheikh Mansur began his march on Grigorioplis. [2] On the morning of 29 July, the troops of Sheikh Mansur began gathering in a forest near the redoubt. Chechen and Kabardian horsemen jumped out of the forest several times with their banners and badges. [2]
As the detachments of mountaineers near the forest continued to accumulate, Lieutenant Colonel Wrede sent a truce to them to ask for what purpose they had gathered. The envoy however was shot at by the mountaineers and forced to retreat. After that, the fortress began taking defensive measures and preparing for the incoming rebel attack. All troops were brought into the fortification and located along the walls. Weak places were filled with food trains, and the gaps and cracks between the carts were filled with boards, logs and other material. State horses and oxen, located in the fortification, were placed in different buildings and in a ditch. Private livestock, having no place in the fortification, were left behind the rampart and placed in the dugouts of the Selenginsky regiment that were not far from the fortification; the doors and windows of these dugouts were hastily boarded up. [2]
At about 2 p.m. in the afternoon, the forces of Mansur surrounded the redoubt from all sides and cut off all communication with the fortress through the mountains and on the plain. The rebels intercepted a dispatch to Vladikavkaz, sent with translator Tsygankov, accompanied by seven Cossacks. At a distance of more than a mile from the fortification, the small detachment was surrounded by highlanders, who then opened fire on it. Lieutenant Colonel Wrede immediately sent Cornet Pavlov with several Cossacks to help. Although Pavlov’s team arrived in time to help Tsygankov, they themselves were surrounded and eventually captured. [2]
The army of the mountaineers descended into the ravines surrounding Grigoriopolis and began besieging it, opening fire on the redoubt with their rifles. Sheikh Mansur was visible among the mountaineer army, wearing white clothes. [2]
The fire fight, which began at 2 p.m. in the afternoon, continued until late twilight. The first attack of the rebels ended in a failure of capturing the redoubt. Then, using their successful experience from the Attack on Karginsk, the rebels began burning down barns, stables and other buildings around the fortress that belonged to the Astrakhan infantry regiment. The dense smoke that was created by the fire greatly hampered the aim of the redoubt's artillery. Then, Mansur's soldiers, under the cover of the smoke, began climbing the walls of the fortification. This attack was eventually repelled by the Russian troops, but not without suffering heavy casualties themselves. [2]
The siege lasted for two days, and the whole time, the Russian soldiers remained without water, as all the water was used to extinguish the fire started by the highlanders. Colonel Wrede, the commander of the fortress, was forced to make a foray outside of the fortress. The tide of the battle was dependent on the operation. [2]
Under the command of Colonel Wrede, around 180 Russian soldiers (80 rangers, 100 Cossacks), under the cover of cannon fire, rushed at the highlanders and a fierce battle ensued, as a result of which the mountaineers, were caught by surprise, began retreating, allowing the Russian detachment to reach the river, fill up tubs with it and began retreating back to the fortress before the rebels had time to reorganize and attack again. [2]
Ultimately, the rebels failed to take Grigoriopolis. [4] The same reason as for the failure at Kizlyar: Lack of experience in attacking well-fortified and defended fortifications. When trying to capture fortifications, they acted spontaneously, which often proves inefficient. The rebels also did not fully master the tactics of organized fire combat in open areas. Knowing how to perfectly defend and attack in mountain and forest conditions, in open, flat terrain, the mountaineers were forced to retreat in direct contact with regular troops. [2]
Sheikh Mansur was a Chechen military commander and Islamic leader who led an anti-Russian North Caucasian resistance, known as the Sheikh Mansur Movement. He was influential in the resistance against Catherine the Great's imperialist expansion into the Caucasus during the late 18th century. Sheikh Mansur is considered the first leader of the resistance in the North Caucasus against Russian imperialism. He remains a hero of the Chechen and North Caucasian peoples in general, and their struggle for independence.
Grand Principality of Great Kabarda or East Circassia was a historical country in the North Caucasus corresponding partly to the modern Kabardino-Balkaria. It had better political organization than its neighbors and existed as a political community from the fifteenth century until it came under Russian control in the early nineteenth century after the Russo-Circassian War.
The Russo-Circassian War, also known as the Russian invasion of Circassia, was the invasion of Circassia by Russia, starting in 1763 (O.S) with the Russian Empire assuming authority in Circassia, followed by the Circassian refusal, and ending 100 years, 10 months and 6 days later with the last army of Circassia defeated on 21 May 1864 (O.S), making it exhausting and casualty-heavy for both sides. The Russo-Circassian War was the longest war both Russia and Circassia have ever fought and the longest war in the Caucasus region.
The Battle of Aldy, also known as the Battle of the Sunzha River was a failed military expedition launched by the Russian Empire with the aim of capturing Sheikh Mansur, who, through his speeches and teachings had gained a wide following the North Caucasus, especially in his hometown Aldy. His teachings on Jihad ("Gazavat") and his idea of the unification of the North Caucasian tribes under a single Islamic state concerned the Russian administration, who, as a result, sent a 3,000 strong force under Nikolai de Pieri in order to capture him.
The Battle of Gordali was one of the fiercest battles of the Caucasian War. The battle between the Separate Caucasian Corps of the Caucasian Army under the command of Colonel Baklanov and the Chechen troops under the leadership of Naibs Eski and Talkhig took place on August 11, 1852, near the village of Gurdali, located on the Michik River. The purpose of the campaign was to destroy the village of Gordali. The Russians managed to break into the village, but due to heavy losses Baklanov was forced to retreat.
Misost Bematiqwa was a member of the Kabardian royal family and the Atajuq family. He was the Grand Prince between 1785 and 1788.
Russian–Kumyk wars — a series of military conflicts between the Russian Tsardom and the Kumyk Tarki Shamkhalate and other Kumyk states and feudal possessions during the 16th–18th centuries. At the end of the 18th century, as well as during and after the Caucasian War, and throughout the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, conflicts continued in the form of uprisings in Shamkhalate, Northern Kumykia, Southern Kumykia, and in the form of anti-colonial protests of individual villages (societies). In the result of these wars and uprisings, some Kumyk areas and villages were destroyed several times over.
The Battle of Tatartup took place on 21 November 1785 between the Russian Empire and several North Caucasian nations led by Sheikh Mansur and ended in a second major defeat for the latter, which led to most of his soldiers leaving him, after which he took refuge in Anapa.
The Battle of the Malka River, also known as the Battle of Grigoriopolis took place on 30 October 1785, between the Russian Empire and the forces of Sheikh Mansur. The 5 hour–long battle ended in no deciding victory for either side.
The siege of Kizlyar in July 1785 was the second major confrontation between the Russian Empire and the forces of Sheikh Mansur. The North Caucasians hoped to capture the fortress of Kizlyar, which was the Russian economic center of the North Caucasus. After fierce fighting, they failed however as the fortress was well fortified and defended. After retreating, the Russian command sent the Tomsk infantry to attack the rebels as a show of strength and also to push them away from Kizlyar, but the regiment was forced to retreat with heavy losses, ending the 4 day long Siege of Kizlyar in no deciding victory for either side.
The siege of Kizlyar in August 1785 was the second and final attempt of Chechen forces and Kumyk allies led by Sheikh Mansur to capture the Kizlyar fortress.
The Battle of Chechen-Aul was an ambush conducted by Chechen rebels led by Aidemir Bardykhanov on the retreating Russian army led by Colonel Kokh on the 7th of July, 1732. It resulted in a major Chechen victory, the destruction of the Russian detachment, and the death of Khasbulat Bamatov, the senior Chechen prince. According to popular legends, the battle was the origin of the Chechen ethnonym.
The Anapa Campaign in the winter of 1790 was a military expedition launched by Russia to capture the fortress of Anapa. The expedition failed.
The Attack on Karginsk took place on 14 July 1785. Sheikh Mansur attacked Karginsk Redoubt with his army of North Caucasians before advancing on Kizlyar, which ended in a success for the former and his capture and looting of the redoubt. The attack was the first victory of Sheikh Mansur outside of Chechnya.
The Battle of Alkhan–Yurt, or the Battle of Alkhanov was a military engagement between the Russian troops led by Brigadier Fyodor Apraksin and the villagers of the Chechen village of Alkhan–Yurt as well as volunteers from Aldy. Brigadier Apraksin was originally supposed to help the Pieri detachment at Aldy but arrived too late and was ambushed by Chechen fighters when trying to capture the village Alkhan–Yurt. The Chechens however suffered heavy casualties.
The Anapa campaign in 1788 was a military expedition launched by the Russians to capture the fortress of Anapa. The expedition ended in failure for the Russian army.
The Sheikh Mansur Movement, also known as the 1785–1791 Insurgency in the North Caucasus, was a major war between the Russian Empire and the North Caucasians, caused by the Chechen religious and military leader Sheikh Mansur, who opposed the Russian expansionist policies and wanted to unite the North Caucasians under one, single, Islamic state.
On January 16, 1788, Chechen fighters attempted to attack a plantation near Chervlyonnaya, spurred by Sheikh Mansur's letters urging them to attack Russian settlements. However, the Russian Empire repelled the attack.
The Battle of the Tokhtamysh River, also known as the Battle of the Abazinka River, was a major battle between the Ottoman forces and the North Caucasians with a Russian army led by Johann Hermann von Fersen. The battle ended in a major Russian victory and forced the Ottomans and North Caucasians to flee. The main commander of the combined army, Batal Hussein Pasha, was captured, however, according to some sources, Batal surrendered himself without a fight to the Russians and betrayed his army.
The siege of Anapa of 1788 was a major confrontation between the North Caucasians led by Sheikh Mansur and Turkish troops led by the commander of Anapa, Tatal-Bey, with a Russian force led by General Peter Tekeli. During the battle, the Russian army managed to force the Turks and North Caucasians into the fortress, after which they began besieging it. However, according to General Tekeli, the Russian army was not ready to storm Anapa yet, and if they managed to capture fortress, it would be difficult to hold. Thus, the Russian troops retreated from Anapa on October 15, 1788, and, except for minor skirmishes with Circassian mountaineers, the iege of Anapa was the last major battle of the campaign and the year 1788 as a whole.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)