Regimental memo by L. A. Rzhevussky and G. P. Fisenko in the development of historical culture of the 1st Volga Regiment of the Tersk Cossack Army

Salchinkina Angelina Rostislavovna ORCID: 0000-0002-4692-5362 PhD in History Associate Professor; Department of History and Political Science; I.T. Trublin Kuban State Agrarian University Head of the Department; Department of History and Political Science; I.T. Trublin Kuban State Agrarian University Kalinina str., 13, office 308, Krasnodar Territory, 350044, Russia eclipsis@yandex.ru Other publications by this author

In the second half of the XX century. Significant changes have taken place in historical science, which were associated with the development of historical anthropology and new cultural history. These changes have led to the fact that historical research has acquired an interdisciplinary character, which has opened up new horizons for the analysis of historical events and processes. One of the important results of the development of interdisciplinarity has been the emergence of a new field of research – historical culture, which focuses on the interpretation of historical events from the point of view of certain social groups or society as a whole, as well as on the mechanisms of formation and transmission of ideas about the past.

In Russian science, the formation of the concept of "historical culture" is closely related to the works of the Russian historian L. P. Repina. In her research, it was proposed to expand the subject area of historical science through a new approach, "based on the synthesis of socio-cultural and intellectual history, which involves the analysis of intellectual phenomena in the broad context of social experience, historical mentality and general processes of spiritual life of society, including theoretical, ideological, and everyday consciousness" ^{[1, p. 9]}. Since 2006, several fundamental monographs of Russian researchers have been published ^{[2; 3; 4; 5]}. The theoretical approaches proposed in them to the study of the phenomenon of historical culture are also applicable to the analysis of regimental histories and memoirs that became widespread in the Russian Empire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Regimental historical essays represent a unique segment of military historical works, characterized by a specific approach to reflecting the past. Unlike large-scale reviews of military campaigns, regimental histories and memos focus on the historical path of a particular military formation. From the point of view of studying historical culture in the text of the regimental essay, it is interesting to have fixed ideas about one's own past, as well as corporate value orientations that allow one to preserve one's own group identity. In this regard, the analysis of regimental historiography from the standpoint of historical culture involves the study of a wide range of issues. The key aspects are the identification of the author, the definition of the tasks assigned to him by the official authorities and the command of the regiment, and which he was guided by when writing his work, as well as the identification of sources that formed the basis of the historical essay. Important for the research are the historical conditions in which the military historical work was created, the target audience for which it was designed, and the ways in which it was distributed to intended recipients.

The study of regimental histories and memos requires an interdisciplinary approach combining historical research methods, primarily historical, genetic and systemic, with a narrative approach that focuses on reviewing and analyzing the content, interpretations and meaning of narratives recorded in the text of the regimental memos and reflecting both the beliefs and values of the Terek Cossacks and the social order, taking into account the ideological the directions of the official policy of the 19th century .

In the rich military history of Russia, the regiment was not just a combat unit, but an organized community with deep traditions that have been carefully preserved for many generations. This continuity of heritage was especially evident in the Cossack regiments, where military service was inherited, forming a specific socio-cultural environment. Cossack regiments were peculiar microsociums with their own foundations, customs and value system. This was the 1st Volga Regiment, which was incorporated in 1845 into the Caucasian Line Cossack Army, and in 1860 into the Tersk Cossack Army. At the same time, the seniority for the regiment was established in 1732, when the Tsaritsyn cordon line began to be established and the Volga army was formed, which was later resettled in the Caucasus ^{[6, p. 44]}. The long history, permeated by military actions, required a system for preserving and transferring military experience and memory of past events. The compilation and dissemination of a regimental memo prepared by the commander of the 1st Volga regiment, Colonel (future General of cavalry in the Tersk Cossack Army) L. A. Rzhevussky and centurion G. P. Fisenko, became a necessary tool in this process.

Creating regimental histories and memoirs was a difficult and time-consuming job. Scrupulous collection of information, its verification, drafting of the text and paperwork were required. In this regard, in the tradition of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the choice of compilers of regimental histories and memoirs was carefully thought out and determined by many factors that gave their work special value and credibility. The authors not only had direct experience of military service, but also had literary abilities and the ability to work with historical sources, including archival documents. Colonel L. A. Rzhevussky was no exception. Probably, as was customary at the end of the 19th century, a representative of the 1st Volga Regiment, centurion G. P. Fisenko, was given to help him. However, if the life and combat path of the first is known, then information about his assistant has not yet been discovered.

The biography of Ludomir Alexandrovich (Adam Adamovich) Rzhevussky, a representative of the Polish noble family, was associated with the Tersk (1877-1892, 1897-1907, 1916-1917) and Kuban (1892-1897) Cossack troops. His career began with the command of a hundred Kizlyar-Grebensky cavalry regiment, and then he headed the 2nd Sunzha-Vladikavkaz Cossack Regiment ^{[7, p. 1]}. Since 1892, L. A. Rzhevussky spent five years in the Kuban, where he commanded the 1st Uman cavalry regiment of the Kuban Cossack Army ^{[8, p. 1]} In 1897, he returned to the Terek and continued his service, commanding the 1st Volga Regiment of the Terek Cossack Army, and since 1899 he held positions such as ataman of the Pyatigorsk department and senior assistant to the ataman of the Terek Cossack Army ^{[9, p. 1; 10, p. 1]}. However, not only military service was an important part of L. A. Rzhevussky's life. By the time the Memo was published, he already had experience writing memoirs about the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 ^[11] and the Akhal-Tekin expedition of 1880-1881 ^[12], and also published a collection of information on the history and culture of the Terek Cossacks, for which L. A. Rzhevussky collected and systematized the material ^[13]. It is not surprising that his work was appreciated, and the information provided in the "Memo" about the resettlement of Volgians to the Caucasus and the formation of the Volga Cossack regiment were used in further scientific research on the study and compilation of histories of settlements in the Tersk region ^{[14, p. 2-3]}.

A powerful impetus to the development of regimental historiography was also given by the policy of preserving and enhancing the Russian military historical heritage, which was proclaimed at the highest state level. According to the instructions of 1865 Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich (his photograph is included in the "Memo" of the 1st Volga Regiment along with a photograph of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II), all regiments (including the Cossacks) were to present their military history in the Caucasus, in order to preserve for future generations the story of "those exploits that They were committed by units of troops and individuals during the sixty-year continuous war with the Highlanders" ^{[15, p. 79]}. The circular of Adjutant General M. D. Skobelev from 1879 ordered military units to begin describing their participation in military operations against Turkey, which would not only "serve as a means to maintain the honor and glory of the unit", but would also cause "zeal for exploits in future wars" ^{[15, p. 79]}.

As you can see, the main purpose of writing regimental histories and memoirs was to preserve the continuity of military traditions, perpetuate military exploits and faithful service to the Fatherland. They not only recorded important events and achievements, but also served as a reminder of the values that have been important to military units for centuries. Military chronicles became a kind of bridge between generations. Lieutenant General Rostislav Alexandrovich Khreschatytsky, in the preface to the "Memo" of the 1st Volga Regiment, emphasized that "the preservation of the "memo" of the centuries-old merits of the Cossacks and the military distinctions of his native regiment" serves "as an instruction to the young and as a consolation to the old" ^{[6, p. III]}. Such a message when writing military historical works, including L. A. Rzhevussky and G. P. Fisenko, assumed a special selection of material, the publication of which was supposed to contribute to the formation of corporate consciousness and strengthen the sense of belonging to one's military unit.

Unlike the regimental histories, the memos, which were intended for the lower ranks, did not have a complex structure and a significant amount of material presented. The "Memo" of the 1st Volgsky Regiment included a preface prepared by Lieutenant General R. A. Khreschatytsky, chief of the 2nd Consolidated Cossack Division, which included the 1st Volgsky Regiment of the Tersk Cossack Army, the main part, which highlighted the section on the participation of Volga mounted regiments in the Russian-the Turkish war of 1877-1878, and an appendix with a chronology of the most important events in the historical life of the Terek Cossacks, a list of atamans of the Caucasian line, Terek and Caucasian Cossack troops, lists of commanding officers, staff and chief officers, class officials of the 1st Volga Regiment for 1899 and a list of the names of the lower ranks of the regiment, awarded the badge of distinction Military Order for participation in the war with Turkey. Like most regimental essays, The Memo was illustrated: it contained 14 portraits and photographs that served as a visualization of the characters in the narrative and a demonstration of various episodes of regimental life described in the work.

An important condition for reviewing regimental essays and obtaining permission to print was the availability of references to historical sources and the works of their predecessors. However, there are not so many of them in the "Memo" of the 1st Volga Regiment. These include "The Legend of the Grebenskaya Icon of the Mother of God" attributed to Metropolitan Stefan of Ryazan (1712), "The Story or Narrative of the Don Cossacks" by A. I. Rigelman (1778) and "The History of the Don Army, a Description of the Don Land and the Caucasian Mineral Waters" by V. B. Bronevsky (1834). The "Memo" included the texts of the Highest Charters of the XVIII – XIX centuries, while the bibliographic reference was given only to the decree of Empress Anna Ivanovna from the Governing Senate dated November 12, 1833.

When writing the "Memo" of the 1st Volga Regiment, the authors turned to the works of famous historians. Among the cited researchers were the already mentioned Alexander Ivanovich Rigelman and Vladimir Bogdanovich Bronevsky, who prepared detailed works on the history of the Don Cossacks. However, the reference to the works of his predecessors was mainly limited to the formation and appearance of the Cossacks in the political arena. The presentation of the history of the 1st Volga regiment of the Tersk Cossack Army required L. A. Rzhevussky and G. P. Fisenko to turn to primary sources. Their work was based on the assembly documents and documents of military records management – the Highest letters and orders, decrees of the Governing Senate and the Military Collegium, orders for the Caucasian Military District.

The history of the regiment in most military historical works of the 19th and early 20th centuries was told in chronological order. The main topics were military and administrative issues: the time and circumstances of the regiment's formation, determining its seniority, changing its name and territorial location, reorganizing and reorganizing, participating in wars and campaigns, describing regimental regalia, etc. These questions were also discussed with varying degrees of information in the "Memo" of the 1st Volga Regiment.

L. A. Rzhevussky and G. P. Fisenko opened their work with a historical excursion, which began with questions about the origin of the Cossacks in general and the Volga in particular. It was pointed out that the origins of the Cossacks went back to the 14th century, when the princely squads could not effectively resist the Tatar invasions, while the Cossacks were already "standing guard over the Russian land, distinguished by their courage and deep piety" ^{[6, p. 2-3]}. It is worth noting that this version was not the only one that existed in the regimental historiography of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For example, if the compiler of the history of the 1st Caucasian Regiment of the Kuban Cossack Army, A. D. Lamonov, adhered to the version about the appearance of the first Cossacks "during the Tatar yoke" in the second half of the 14th century ^{[16, pp. 15-16]}, then the author of the historical essay about the chief of the 1st Poltava regiment of the Kuban Cossack Army, N. G. Kamyshan. The report shifted to the 12th century, to the "era of the Mongol invasion of Russia" ^{[17, p. 4]}. The "Memo" of the 1st Volga Regiment did not consider the etymology of the word "Cossack", but it was noted that the Cossacks went "flesh from flesh, bone from bones - the Russian people" ^{[6, p. I]}. Similar views on the original ethnic roots of the Cossacks can be found in other regimental memoirs. For A. D. Lamonov, Cossacks are "Russian service people who settled on the outskirts for ... the border service" ^{[16, p. 16]}, for V. Ya. Chervinsky they are "prodigal sons of Russia" who, not getting along with the well–known state order ... decided to leave their native home and go to free lands and lead his life, obeying only his own will" ^{[18, pp. 1-2]}.

Turning to the dispute about the origin of the Volga Cossacks from the Ryazan or Don Cossacks, the authors wrote that "a significant part of the Volga Cossacks consisted of newcomers from the Don", where various kinds of fugitives flocked, including from the Ryazan Principality ^{[6, p. 8]}. The "Memo" also examined the history of the creation of the prison of the Turks in 1577 and the process of forming the seniority of the Terek Cossack army. An important document mentioned in the work was the letter of Anna Ivanovna, according to which the Volga Cossack army was officially formed in 1732. The reasons for the resettlement of Volga Cossacks to the Caucasus were the difficult living conditions and service on the Volga, without mentioning the uprising of E. I. Pugachev ^{[6, p. 14]}.

Reviewing the Memo, the Russian Invalid newspaper stated: "In it, the Cossack will find a narrative about the history of the Cossacks, who for a long time served as Russia's bulwark against the raids of belligerent neighbors, about the glorious epic of the Caucasian war, which covered the Terek army with unfading glory, and about the participation of the Volga regiment in the last Turkish campaign and the Tekin expedition" ^{[19, p. 4]}. Indeed, the authors highlighted in the text of the "Memo" several key events in the history of the 1st Volga Regiment, especially recorded in the memory of the Volga people and significant from the standpoint of the official authorities. Among them are the Time of Troubles, when Volga Cossacks fought for Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich against rebellious forces, the conquest of the Caucasus and the annexation of Central Asia, which became an important milestone in the history of Russia. A separate section was devoted to the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, where the Volga Cossacks proved themselves to be brave and devoted defenders of the Fatherland. The history of the regiment ended with assurances that "the Volgians ... at the very first call will prove in practice that they are worthy of that high trust, that age-old Cossack valor and those numerous merits and regalia with which the ancestors of the Tsar in former years distinguished the selfless bravery, devotion and prowess of their grandfathers and fathers" ^{[6, p. 41]}.

Regimental sketches of the 19th and early 20th centuries were historical chronicles that recorded the exploits and heroism shown by officers and lower ranks of military units. Following this tradition, the "Memo" of the 1st Volga Regiment included not only a list of lower ranks awarded with the insignia of the Order of St. George, 3rd and 4th degrees, but also detailed specific cases of bravery in combat. One such example was the feat of Cossack Terekhov and cornet Tatonov, which occurred during the Akhal-Tekin expedition in 1879. This expedition, the purpose of which was to capture the strategically important fortress of Geok Tepe, turned into a heavy defeat for the Russian troops under the command of Major General N. P. Lomakin. During the unsuccessful assault attempt, when the situation became critical, the 4th Volga hundred, despite retreating, continued to fire at the enemy. The Cossack Terekhov, who lost his horse, showed incredible courage, managing to repel the attack of two Tekin men. At this time, Cornet Tatonov, without hesitation, picked up his subordinate and, risking his own life, dragged him from the battlefield. These actions did not go unnoticed: Tatonov was awarded the Order of St. Anna of the 3rd degree with swords and a bow, and Terekhov received the insignia of the military order of the 4th degree and was promoted to the rank of constable ^{[6, pp. 37-38]}. The choice of this particular feat for inclusion in the "Memo" was not accidental. Firstly, L. A. Rzhevussky talked about events that were especially close to him, since he personally took part in the first Akhal-Tekin expedition under the command of General N. P. Lomakin. Secondly, the described feat reflected the fundamental traditional values of the Cossacks, such as courage, combat brotherhood, responsibility for their comrades and the desire to protect public interests. The glorification of the actions of Terekhov and Tatonov contributed to the formation in the minds of the Cossacks of a certain algorithm of action in extreme situations, namely, to fight to the last opportunity and not to surrender to the enemy.

In the Russian Empire, there was a developed system of awarding not only individual military personnel for personal merits, but also entire military units for collective valor and outstanding military successes. These awards, as R. A. Khreschatytsky emphasizes– "regalia, banners, distinctions" were complained on behalf of the Emperor and "served as a living and visual monument to the military valor of the Cossack troops" ^{[6, p. II]}. They were carefully preserved as shrines and passed down from generation to generation, becoming part of the regimental history and traditions. The work of L. A. Rzhevussky and G. P. Fisenko presents an exhaustive list of the banners and regalia of the Volga Cossack army inherited by the 1st Volga Regiment. These awards were awarded for their service on the Volga during the reign of Peter III, Anna Ivanovna and Catherine II. Among them, 17 banners and the ataman's naseka are mentioned – a symbol of the power and dignity of the military ataman. In addition, the "Memo" of the 1st Volga Regiment described the awards received by the regiment itself for participation in the Caucasian War of 1817-1864 and the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878 - the St. George banner with St. George ribbons "For distinction in the conquest of the Eastern and Western Caucasus"; St. George silver trumpets with inscriptions "For distinction in battle at the Battle of the Virgin on October 23, 1877" and "For the capture of Kars on November 6, 1877"; insignia on headdresses with the inscription "For distinction in the Turkish War of 1877-1878". L. A. Rzhevussky and G. P. Fisenko included in their essay the texts of the Highest certificates of awards, as well as photographs of St. George's banners and trumpets. Such close attention of the authors to military heraldic signs was explained by the fact that, on the one hand, they reflected the regiment's previous services to the Fatherland, and on the other, they symbolized continuity and readiness to "honorably support the glory of Cossack weapons on the battlefield" ^{[6, p. 41]}.

In addition to the combat history of the regiment, the "Memo" touched upon other aspects of the unit's life, primarily those related to dangerous everyday life in the Cossack villages. Life in the Caucasus kept the Terek Cossacks in constant tension, they had to repel "incessant invasions of the Highlanders", "meeting death at almost every step" ^{[6, p. 15]}. In the case of the departure of the combat Cossacks on a campaign, the care of protecting the villages fell on the shoulders of the elderly, teenagers and women. As one such example, L. A. Rzhevussky and G. P. Fisenko described the defense of the village of the Volgsky regiment, when the Cossacks, disguised in men's clothing in order to disorient the enemy, gathered all the improvised means that could serve as weapons, and "poured onto the rampart" ^{[6, p. 21]}. The highlanders, not wanting to get involved in a difficult battle with an unexpectedly strong opponent, decided to retreat, deciding that they had received false information about the absence of combat-ready Cossacks in the village. It should be noted that from the point of view of studying the historical culture of the Terek Cossacks, the description of the actions of the Cossacks is interesting not only as a record of historical fact, but also as a translation of the idea that "heavy line service was carried out not only by one combatant regiment, but by the entire population of the Volga regiment," and victories were achieved due to "willingness to sacrifice their with my life for freedom and native villages" ^{[6, p. 21]}.

The regimental memory captured in the work of L. A. Rzhevussky and G. P. Fisenko consisted not only of texts, but also of a carefully selected visual component. The most common images were group photographs of officers and lower ranks, demonstrating the unity of the regiment, and portraits of members of the imperial family – Nicholas II, during whose reign the Memo was written, as well as Grand Dukes Mikhail Nikolaevich and Nikolai Nikolaevich. There were portraits of other commanders of the Volga regiment – the commander of the troops of the Caucasian Military District and the ataman of the Caucasian Cossack troops, Prince Grigory Sergeevich Golitsyn; heroes of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, honorary Cossacks of the villages of Alexandria and Lukovskaya, Generals Mikhail Ivanovich Dragomirov and Ivan Fedorovich Tutolmin; the chief of the Tersk region and the ataman of the Tersk Cossack army, General- Lieutenant Semyon Vasilyevich Kakhanov; head of the 2nd Consolidated Cossack Division, Lieutenant General Rostislav Alexandrovich Khreschatytsky; commander of the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Consolidated Cossack Division, Major General Nikolai Georgievich Vysheslavtsev. Naturally, the choice of specific personalities was primarily related to the significance of their contribution to the history of the regiment.

The main target audience for which the regimental memo was being prepared was the lower ranks (while the regimental stories focused more on officers). It was assumed that the work of A. Rzhevussky and G. P. Fisenko will be useful for future generations, and in this regard, the newspaper "Russian Invalid" noted: "Needless to say, familiarization with the exploits of our fathers and grandfathers will serve as a guarantee that the younger generations of Volgians will fulfill in the future the glorious covenants bequeathed to them by the heroes of the century-old Caucasian war" ^{[19, p. 4]}. Printed copies of the "Memo" with a ready–made and censored text were sent to the capital - to the Imperial Public Library and the libraries of the Imperial Academy, the General and General Staff. Information about the work of A. Rzhevussky and G. P. Fisenko were also included in the bibliographic index of military historian A. I. Grigorovich "List of stories and memoirs of military units" ^{[20, p. 84]}.

Thus, regimental histories and mementos played an important role in shaping the historical culture of military units. In fact, they acted as a unifying and identifying tool, bringing together the past, present and future of the military collective. The "memo" of the 1st Volga Regiment of the Tersk Cossack Army, prepared by authors who had the skills to work with historical sources and knew the specifics of military service from the inside, was aimed at the current lower ranks and subsequent generations of Volgians. The memo not only preserved the continuity of military traditions, but also served as an important tool for shaping identity and corporate spirit among the Cossacks. In describing the historical path of the Volga regiment, A. Rzhevussky and G. P. Fisenko focused on those events that became key to the historical memory of the Cossacks and received a positive assessment from the official authorities. It was in them that the important qualities of the Cossacks were most clearly manifested – faithful service to the Orthodox tsar and the Fatherland.