Battle of Zerabulak

Last updated
Battle of Zerabulak
Part of Russian conquest of Central Asia
Srazhenie na Zerabulakskikh vysotakh.jpg
Nikolay Karazin. Battle on Zerabulak Heights
Date14 June 1868
Location
Zera-tau ridge, Bukhara (now Uzbekistan)
Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Romanov Flag.svg  Russia Flag of the Emirate of Bukhara.svg Bukhara
Commanders and leaders
Konstantin Kaufmann Emir Muzaffar
Strength
2,020 soldiers, including 320 Cossacks; 14 guns, 6 rocket launchers [1] 30,000; unknown number of artillery [1]
Casualties and losses

63 wounded and killed in battle [2]

from 3,500 [5] to 10,000 [2] killed and wounded in battle [lower-alpha 1]

The battle on the Zerabulak heights is the decisive battle of the Russian army under the command of General Kaufman with the army of the Bukhara emir Muzaffar, which took place in June 1868, on the slopes of the Zera-tau mountain range, between Samarkand and Bukhara. It ended with the defeat of the Bukhara army, and the transition of the Bukhara Emirate to vassal dependence on the Russian Empire. Zerabulak battle is the first test of Carle's needle rifles  [ ru ]. [2]

Contents

Battle

After the capture of Samarkand in May 1868 by General Kaufman, in order to finally defeat the Bukharians, a campaign was undertaken in the direction of Bukhara.

In the meantime, it became known that a large Bukhara army was gathering at the Zerabulak heights, located about half the way from Samarkand to Bukhara. According to intelligence, there were about 30,000 people in it. Having received such news, General Kaufman, leaving a small garrison in Samarkand, decided to advance with the main forces to meet the enemy.

On the night of June 14, 1868, the Russian detachment approached the Zerabulak heights. At their feet stood the Bukhara infantry, behind it, on a hill — 14 guns and a mass of cavalry. The battle began at 4 am. Colonel Alexander Pistolkors, who commanded the vanguard, led his soldiers to attack the enemy's left flank. At the same time, the Cossacks moved, and the artillery began firing buckshot at the enemy infantry. The people of Bukhara, not expecting such pressure, wavered and ran. The Cossacks rushed in pursuit, but the Bukhara infantry, as soon as it emerged from the grapple fire, again lined up and began to retreat in an orderly manner, firing back and defending itself according to all the rules. Nevertheless, the entire hollow along which they retreated was covered with the bodies of Bukhara soldiers.

On the right flank, a battalion of 280 Russian infantrymen who had gone into hand-to-hand combat was unexpectedly surrounded by the Bukharians: enemy infantry was pressing in front, and cavalry came in from the rear. There was no way to help them, but, suddenly rushing into a bayonet attack, Russian soldiers overturned the enemy and got rid of the encirclement themselves, losing only 17 people wounded.

The entire Bukhara army gradually began to retreat, at first in order, and then — throwing weapons and ammunition. By 10 o'clock in the morning everything was over, the heights were cleared of the enemy. Among the trophies of General Kaufman's detachment was an artillery gun and 40 pack boxes with shells.

Map of Zerabulak battle Plan srazheniia na Zera-Bulakskikh vysotakh.png
Map of Zerabulak battle

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Kulm</span> Part of the War of the Sixth Coalition (1813)

The Battle of Kulm was fought near the town Kulm and the village Přestanov in northern Bohemia. It was fought on 29–30 August 1813, during the War of the Sixth Coalition. A French corps under General Dominique Vandamme attacked Alexander Osterman-Tolstoy's Russian corps on 29 August. The next day, Friedrich von Kleist's Prussian corps hit Vandamme in the rear while Russian and Austrian reinforcements attacked the French front and left. Vandamme was defeated with the loss of between 13,000 and 25,000 men and 82 guns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vasily Chichagov</span> Russian admiral (1726–1809)

Vasily Yakovlevich Chichagov was an admiral in the Russian Navy who distinguished himself in the Russian–Swedish war, and an explorer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Heilsberg</span> 1807 Battle during the War of the Fourth Coalition

The Battle of Heilsberg took place on 10 June 1807 off the town of Heilsberg, during the Napoleonic Wars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Olszynka Grochowska</span> November Uprising battle 1831

The Battle of Olszynka Grochowska, or the battle of Grochów, was fought on 25 February 1831 in the woods near Grochów, on the eastern outskirts of Warsaw. The Polish army, commanded by Józef Chłopicki, succeeded in preventing its Russian counterpart, under Hans Karl von Diebitsch, from crushing the uprising. However, the battle has also been described as an inconclusive bloodbath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Varna</span> 1828 battle of the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829)

The siege of Varna took place during the Russo-Turkish War, 1828–1829.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Klyastitsy</span> 1812 battle during the French invasion of Russia

The Battle of Klyastitsy, also called the Battle of Yakubovo or the Battle of Oboiarszina, was a series of military engagements that took place on 30 July–1 August 1812 near the village of Klyastitsy on the road between Polotsk and Sebezh. In this battle, the Russian vanguard under the command of Yakov Kulnev and the whole corps of Peter Wittgenstein stood up to the French corps under the command of Marshal Nicolas Oudinot with heavy losses on both sides. The result was a minor Russian victory, their forces managing to capture the disputed village of Klyastitsy. The French partially retreated along their communication lines after the battle, and fended off Russian pursuers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helsinki village landing</span> 1808 battle of the Finnish War

The Helsinki village landing, or the Combat of Helsinge, was fought during the Finnish War between Sweden and the Russian Empire on 26–28 September 1808, a part of the battles of the Turku archipelago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Ruona–Salmi</span> 1808 battle of the Finnish War

The battle of Ruona–Salmi or the battle of Kuortane was fought between Swedish and Russian troops on 1–2 September 1808 at Ruona and Salmi, Kuortane. The Swedish army was led by Wilhelm Mauritz Klingspor with 4,700, 5,000, or 5,500 men under his command against the Russian army of between 9,000 and 11,000 men under the command of Nikolay Kamensky. The battle turned up to be a major engagement in the war where fierce artillery fire occurred from both sides. Kamensky, advancing from Alanus, beat back the Swedish barriers and on 31 August approached the Swedish army's position near Kuortane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Pardakoski–Kärnakoski</span>

The Pardakoski–Kärnakoski engagements took place in late MarchO.S. and on April 30, 1790, during Gustav III's Russian War, Sweden won over the Russian Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mikhail Rysev</span>

Mikhail Stepanovich Rysev was a peasant, an owner of a tannery, a mayor of Turinsk (1911—1912) and a deputy of the Fourth Imperial Duma from Tobolsk Governorate between 1912 and 1917. He became a member of three Duma commissions: land, food and fishery; he was also a member of the Siberian parliamentary group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Kobrin</span> 1812 battle during the French invasion of Russia

The Battle of Kobrin, or the Battle of Kobryn, took place on 27 July 1812 between the Russian and Saxon forces in the city of Kobrin (Kobryn) at the initial stage of the French invasion of Russia. The battle was a clear victory of the Russian forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viktor Zykov</span> Lieutenant General

Viktor Pavlovich Zykov was a lieutenant general, and a participant in the Russo-Turkish War (1877-78) and Russo-Japanese War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikolai Nikolayevich Malakhov</span> Russian general (1827–1908)

Nikolai Nikolayevich Malakhov was a Russian military leader and infantry general (1895).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Anapa (1791)</span> 1791 battle of the Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792)

The siege of Anapa or the storming of Anapa was a siege that took place on July 3, 1791, when the Russian Empire attacked the Turkish-regulated Anapa fort in Circassia as part of the Russo-Turkish War and the Russo-Circassian War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Kobyłka</span> Battle of the Kościuszko Uprising

The Battle of Kobyłka took place between the Russian Empire's armed forces under the leadership of Suvorov and Polish rebels under Stanisław Mokronowski north-east of Warsaw, on 26 October 1794. It was part of the Kościuszko Uprising and ended with the rebels' defeat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of the Tokhtamysh River</span> 1790 battle at the Abazinka

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Storming of Hirsovo</span> 1773 operation during the Russo-Turkish War (1768–74)

The Storming of Hirsovo (Hirsova) was a military operation carried out by Ottoman troops on 14 September (O.S. 3 September) 1773 during the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774). The Ottoman Grand Vizier Muhsinzade Mehmed decided to storm the Hirsovo fortress occupied by Russian troops of Alexander Suvorov to facilitate the seizure of Giurgiu. Having pushed back the Russian outposts, the Turks came close to the Hirsovo fortifications; the Russians opened fire from the fortress and the Turks moved back; then they headed for the sconce. Repulsed by the sconce, they withdrew to their mountain artillery battery, but were knocked down from it by Colonel Prince Mochebelov and retreated, having lost additional men in the Russian pursuit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrian Karpovich Denisov</span> Russian lieutenant general

Adrian Karpovich Denisov was a Russian lieutenant-general, a remarkable representative of the Don Host, and an associate of Suvorov.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yakov Povalo-Shveikovsky</span> Russian general of the infantry

Yakov Ivanovich Povalo-Shveikovsky was a Russian General of the Infantry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitrofan Nadein</span> Russian lieutenant general

Mitrofan Aleksandrovich Nadein was a Russian lieutenant general, a participant in the siege of Port Arthur and the battle of Nanshan (Jinzhou).

References

  1. ~29,000 in total [1]

Works cited

General references