GAGKUEV R.G., SHILOVA S.G. “The Terek Host Cleaned out the Native Villages from the Infection with Their Own Hands”: Gorsko-Mozdok Regiments in the Ranks of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia in the Early 1919

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15688/jvolsu4.2019.4.7

Ruslan G. Gagkuev

Doctor of Sciences (History), Leading Researcher,

Institute of Russian History, Russian Academy of Sciences,

Dmitriya Ulyanova St., 19, 117292 Moscow, Russian Federation

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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1413-6684

Svetlana G. Shilova

Candidate of Sciences (History), Associate Professor,

Moscow State University of Psychology and Education,

Sretenka St., 29, 127051 Moscow, Russian Federation

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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8639-3284


Abstract. Introduction. The article focuses on the creation of Gorsko-Mozdock regiments of the Terek Cossack Host in the Early 1919 and their subsequent participation in combat operations. The article provides an overview of related historical literature and underlines the importance of further research into the history of the Terek Cossack Host during the Civil War and publication of historical sources. The introduction provides a detailed account of how Terek Cossacks were drafted to the Armed Forces of the South of Russia, and touches upon the difficulties associated with mobilization (not enough officers, undermanning, shortage of weapons and typhus outbreak).

Materials. The article introduces a previously unavailable historical source – the order of Terek Cossack Host Mozdock division Ataman Yesaul S.N. Portyanko dated January 17, 1919 on the commencement of mobilization and formation of Cossack regiments.

Analysis. The order demonstrates overly optimistic expectations of the Cossack leadership regarding the support of the local population and mobilization results. In real life, fast implementation of the command’s plans proved to be impossible due to the situation in Cossack stanitsas. The document shows the Cossack command’s commitment to mobilize all available resources in order to defeat the Soviet power.

Results. The article sums up the considerations by pointing out that during the Civil War the majority of the Terek Cossack Host opposed the Soviet power and supplied considerable human resources to the Armed Forces of the South of Russia. Despite the aforementioned difficulties caused by the situation in the region, the formation of Cossack regiments went rather well, and soon these regiments were dispatched to the front. The efforts undertaken by the Terek Cossack Host in the war against the Soviet power in 1919–1920 show the Cossacks’ unwavering commitment to give their all to victory. Upon the evacuation of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia from the Black Sea coast to the Crimea, Terek Cossacks could no longer hope for reinforcement and were incorporated into other White military units.

Key words: Civil War in Russia, Terek Cossack Host, Gorsko-Mozdock regiments, Armed Forces of the South of Russia, military building, mobilization.

Citation. Gagkuev R.G., Shilova S.G. “The Terek Cossack Host Cleaned out the Native Villages from the Infection with Their Own Hands”: Gorsko-Mozdok Regiments in the Ranks of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia in the Early 1919. Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya 4. Istoriya. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya [Science Journal of Volgograd State University. History. Area Studies. International Relations], 2019, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 84-92. (in Russian). DOI: https://doi.org/10.15688/jvolsu4.2019.4.7.

Лицензия Creative Commons

“The Terek Host Cleaned out the Native Villages from the Infection with Their Own Hands”: Gorsko-Mozdok Regiments in the Ranks of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia in the Early 1919 by Gagkuev R.G., Shilova S.G. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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