Red Raid
Chervonny Cossack units and formations owe their origin to the government of the Ukrainian People’s Republic of Soviets (the capital, Kharkiv), which began to form its army in opposition to the troops of the UPR (the Ukrainian People’s Republic, the capital, Kiev). In the future, the Red Cossack units became one of the most effective parts of the Red Army, having proved itself well in the Civil War. One of the most famous operations of the Red Cossacks was the raid of the 8 th of the Red Cossack Division to the rear of the Polish forces in July 1920.
In July, the 1920 8-th Chervonnaya Cossack Division was part of the 14-th army and operated in the cities of Khmilnyk, Litin and Letichev.
The situation at the front of the armies operating against the Poles by this time was such that while the left flank of the enemy was pushed aside by the 1 Cavalry Army and the troops of the Western Front, the right wing stood out sharply forward and held on to the fortified positions along the river. R. Ikva and Bug.
Attempts by the units of the 14 Army to bring down the enemy from these positions did not lead to the desired results, and the army command was faced with the question of how to make the Poles withdraw.
The group of Polish troops operating in the area was based on the Volochysk-Proskurov-Komarovna railway, with army quartermaster in the city of Black Island and army headquarters in the city of Proskurov.
The Red Command decided, with the help of its strategic cavalry, to influence these objects, destroy the rear of the enemy army, instill panic into it and force them to retreat from their positions.
The command of the 8 Army set the following task to the head of the 14 th Chervonnaya Cossack Division: to penetrate the enemy’s rear, attack Proskurov and Black Island, defeat the army headquarters and quartermaster warehouses and destroy military installations.
Moreover, the front breakthrough was assigned to the infantry, which by a night attack was supposed to make a dent in the Polish front, and already in the breakthrough it was necessary to introduce cavalry.
8-I Chervonnaya Cossack Division was an exemplary cavalry unit of the Red Army - all its parts were always in perfect order, not only hundreds, but regiments and brigades could at any time make all statutory rebuildings. Internal cohesion and discipline were put at the proper height. It was considered a disgrace to leave the march, even in non-combat conditions, and to see a pure Cossack who left the village without permission and drove into the village to drink water - was unthinkable. On horse care, hundreds and shelves competed with each other.
Chervone Cossacks
Having just been deployed to the Polish front and not knowing the enemy, the Cossacks conducted reconnaissance by force. After attacking the Poles and provoking them to go on a counterattack (for wire obstacles), the Red Cossacks lured 1,500 enemy fighters, who, fascinated by the pursuit, moved away from their positions 5 versts, and seized. Shpichintsy. By coordinated actions of the 2 and 3 brigades of the Red Division, the broken Poles were completely destroyed. Moreover, a revolt broke out among the Poles in this sector of the front, as a result of which their command was forced to regroup, taking advantage of which, the 8-I Chervonnaya division switched to 60 versts south to the town of Litin at night, where the red infantry prepared to break through the front between the railway stations Derazhnya and Komarovka.
When the infantry expanded the mouth of the breakout by six versts, cavalrymen entered it. The movement plan was developed in detail, all the wagons left in the rear — the minimum number of carriages went into the raid, according to 2 - 3 per hundred. Patrons took on 250 pieces per fighter, as well as a limited number of shells. The wagon train immediately followed its parts. Thus, the main quality of cavalry - mobility - was preserved.
The avant-garde and rear-guard divisions were organized in accordance with the field regulations, and hundreds were sent from the main forces left and right to 3 - 4 versts, following the head of the marching column of the main forces. Thus, the width of the front of the division was equal to the length of the marching column (the column length reached 10 versts).
Already during the first two hours of the movement, cavalrymen passed 20 versts, overcoming the tactical defense zone of the Poles. Moving at a speed of 5 - 6 versts per hour in the direction of Sharovka, the division on the first day of the raid was still 25 versts and in 12 hours of the day settled down to rest. It was possible to capture two enemy adversaries, who were going to the front with uniforms and canned goods. On this day, the enemy lost a 150 man, 150 carts, around 300 horses, a lot of uniforms and food.
All the wagons and part of the horses were given to the peasants of the village, where the cavalrymen rested, the necessary amount of property was taken into packs. The villagers were warned that before the Cossacks left the village no one should leave it.
Having stood in the village of 14 for hours, fed the horses and letting them rest, the next day at 2 hours the division performed for a further march.
The second transition to 50 versts was done with an average speed of 6 versts per hour and by 12 hours the division again stopped to rest in a large village. During the movement, a vehicle with uniforms and food from 80 vehicles was seized, with which it was received the same way as with the booty of the previous day. Caught in the hands of cavalry and 120 prisoners.
Since the connection was in the rear of the Poles already 34 hours, it was necessary to "cover the tracks." The division of one of the regiments of the 2 Brigade was tasked with carrying out a raid on the Yarmolintsy railway station, 40 versts south of the division's goal, moving west, and then turning north to join the main forces. During this operation, the division captured 2 quartermaster echelon for 40 cars each and one echelon with artillery assets and 8 with light guns, and also captured two generals, several officers and up to three hundred soldiers. The Cossacks of the division have expanded their arsenal with magnificent new browings with a large supply of ammunition.
The station was destroyed and a bridge was blown in the direction of Proskurov.
The division stopped near the seats. Felshtin, deciding the next day to attack the city of Proskurov with one brigade, and surround the other two and take the place of Black Island.
Once again, it was possible to take the enemy's transport to more than 200 with a supply of various property and provisions and to destroy the battalion of a cover of up to 400 people.
During the first two days of the raid, the Red Cossacks captured: 300 horses, 480 carts, 120 cars, 8 guns (were put out of action), and also destroyed 950 enemy soldiers. Division losses - 2 dead and 3 injured horses and 2 stray sentinel fighters.
After 48 hours from the moment of the breakthrough to the rear of the enemy, the division, having passed more than 100 miles, concentrated to attack Proskurov and Black Island - the raid target.
Since the army headquarters was in Proskurov, it was guarded by several infantry battalions numbering up to 1,2 thousand people. The same forces were in the Black Island.
At night the brigades went ahead. At about five o'clock the 2 brigade occupied the village of Pedosa, and soon after that, almost simultaneously two explosions were heard and the sounds of artillery firing from the positions of the battery of the 1 brigade. A station was lit and a detachment of Polish infantry was destroyed.
By 8-o'clock in the morning, Black Island was captured, and S. Petlyura, who was in it, managed to escape by car to Tarnopol, but his train fell into the hands of the Reds. 20 echelons were captured (about 500 cars loaded with various military assets), the Poles lost thousands of soldiers to 1 and a lot of horses.
The success of this part of the operation exceeded all expectations.
At the same time, the 3-I brigade approached the city of Proskurov and, taking advantage of the darkness, cordoned off the exits from it by machine-gun outposts. In the middle of the city was directed one division with machine guns, which galloped into it and, reaching the central square, opened machine-gun fire along the streets. Panic began in the city — carts, wagons, cars, and people rushed to the exits from the city, but met with machine-gun fire and began to hide in the courtyards.
As a result of the battles at Black Island and Proskurov, the enemy lost up to 2,5 thousands of people, 800 loaded wagons, 18 locomotives. The army headquarters was partially destroyed, partially fled. The same fate befell the Directorate of intendance.
Reds killed several horses and injured 10 - 12 Cossacks.
It now remains to complete the raid and return to his.
Part of the division, having passed 160 versts for four days, decided to rest.
But the enemy took down the 4 rifle divisions from the front - the Poles broke the link between the 2 and 3 brigades, cut off the 3 brigade from the rest and, moving through the forest, approached the 2 brigade.
The convoys had time to warn about the movement of significant enemy forces, but due to the fact that reconnaissance was conducted within a radius of 8 - 10 versts, the intelligence arrived simultaneously with the beginning of the exchange of fire between the Cossack patrol and the infantry of the enemy.
The main task was to unite all the brigades in one group.
The Poles attacked from several directions, covering the horseshoe occupied by cavalrymen of the village.
Maneuvering, the Cossacks, in turn, swept the enemy’s right flank, attacked him and caused him considerable damage - up to 300 people killed and 200 prisoners.
Brigade united, and the next day, near places. Kulchin was contacted by the Red forces pursuing the Poles.
What are the results of the raid Cossacks?
First, the enemy left the front 60 versts wide and 120 deep. Secondly, the 3 railway station, the 3 railway bridge, around 1000 loaded wagons, 500 loaded carts, 20 locomotives, up to 300 horses and thousands of soldiers were destroyed or taken out or destroyed. The enemy's 5 rifle divisions (with a total of 4 thousands of bayonets) retreated along the whole front and the Poles left an area of twelve thousand square miles.
Having passed during the raid about 200 versts, the division lost the killed and wounded 50 to Cossacks and 100 horses.
The main objective of the raid - Proskurov and Black Island - were captured and defeated.
If you do not take into account the cases when many fighters were fascinated with the contents of warehouses and cars, as well as the excesses with the civilian population, this raid turned out to be one of the most successful operations of the 8 th Cossack Red Division. The division made it in full (six regiments and three equestrian 4-gun batteries).
The main consequence of the raid was a retreat on the whole front of a significant enemy grouping - and with heavy losses in personnel, materiel and military assets.
The Raid of the Cossacks on Proskurov and Black Island is one of the most successful operations of the strategic cavalry during the Russian Civil War.
In July, the 1920 8-th Chervonnaya Cossack Division was part of the 14-th army and operated in the cities of Khmilnyk, Litin and Letichev.
The situation at the front of the armies operating against the Poles by this time was such that while the left flank of the enemy was pushed aside by the 1 Cavalry Army and the troops of the Western Front, the right wing stood out sharply forward and held on to the fortified positions along the river. R. Ikva and Bug.
Attempts by the units of the 14 Army to bring down the enemy from these positions did not lead to the desired results, and the army command was faced with the question of how to make the Poles withdraw.
The group of Polish troops operating in the area was based on the Volochysk-Proskurov-Komarovna railway, with army quartermaster in the city of Black Island and army headquarters in the city of Proskurov.
The Red Command decided, with the help of its strategic cavalry, to influence these objects, destroy the rear of the enemy army, instill panic into it and force them to retreat from their positions.
The command of the 8 Army set the following task to the head of the 14 th Chervonnaya Cossack Division: to penetrate the enemy’s rear, attack Proskurov and Black Island, defeat the army headquarters and quartermaster warehouses and destroy military installations.
Moreover, the front breakthrough was assigned to the infantry, which by a night attack was supposed to make a dent in the Polish front, and already in the breakthrough it was necessary to introduce cavalry.
8-I Chervonnaya Cossack Division was an exemplary cavalry unit of the Red Army - all its parts were always in perfect order, not only hundreds, but regiments and brigades could at any time make all statutory rebuildings. Internal cohesion and discipline were put at the proper height. It was considered a disgrace to leave the march, even in non-combat conditions, and to see a pure Cossack who left the village without permission and drove into the village to drink water - was unthinkable. On horse care, hundreds and shelves competed with each other.
Chervone Cossacks
Having just been deployed to the Polish front and not knowing the enemy, the Cossacks conducted reconnaissance by force. After attacking the Poles and provoking them to go on a counterattack (for wire obstacles), the Red Cossacks lured 1,500 enemy fighters, who, fascinated by the pursuit, moved away from their positions 5 versts, and seized. Shpichintsy. By coordinated actions of the 2 and 3 brigades of the Red Division, the broken Poles were completely destroyed. Moreover, a revolt broke out among the Poles in this sector of the front, as a result of which their command was forced to regroup, taking advantage of which, the 8-I Chervonnaya division switched to 60 versts south to the town of Litin at night, where the red infantry prepared to break through the front between the railway stations Derazhnya and Komarovka.
When the infantry expanded the mouth of the breakout by six versts, cavalrymen entered it. The movement plan was developed in detail, all the wagons left in the rear — the minimum number of carriages went into the raid, according to 2 - 3 per hundred. Patrons took on 250 pieces per fighter, as well as a limited number of shells. The wagon train immediately followed its parts. Thus, the main quality of cavalry - mobility - was preserved.
The avant-garde and rear-guard divisions were organized in accordance with the field regulations, and hundreds were sent from the main forces left and right to 3 - 4 versts, following the head of the marching column of the main forces. Thus, the width of the front of the division was equal to the length of the marching column (the column length reached 10 versts).
Already during the first two hours of the movement, cavalrymen passed 20 versts, overcoming the tactical defense zone of the Poles. Moving at a speed of 5 - 6 versts per hour in the direction of Sharovka, the division on the first day of the raid was still 25 versts and in 12 hours of the day settled down to rest. It was possible to capture two enemy adversaries, who were going to the front with uniforms and canned goods. On this day, the enemy lost a 150 man, 150 carts, around 300 horses, a lot of uniforms and food.
All the wagons and part of the horses were given to the peasants of the village, where the cavalrymen rested, the necessary amount of property was taken into packs. The villagers were warned that before the Cossacks left the village no one should leave it.
Having stood in the village of 14 for hours, fed the horses and letting them rest, the next day at 2 hours the division performed for a further march.
The second transition to 50 versts was done with an average speed of 6 versts per hour and by 12 hours the division again stopped to rest in a large village. During the movement, a vehicle with uniforms and food from 80 vehicles was seized, with which it was received the same way as with the booty of the previous day. Caught in the hands of cavalry and 120 prisoners.
Since the connection was in the rear of the Poles already 34 hours, it was necessary to "cover the tracks." The division of one of the regiments of the 2 Brigade was tasked with carrying out a raid on the Yarmolintsy railway station, 40 versts south of the division's goal, moving west, and then turning north to join the main forces. During this operation, the division captured 2 quartermaster echelon for 40 cars each and one echelon with artillery assets and 8 with light guns, and also captured two generals, several officers and up to three hundred soldiers. The Cossacks of the division have expanded their arsenal with magnificent new browings with a large supply of ammunition.
The station was destroyed and a bridge was blown in the direction of Proskurov.
The division stopped near the seats. Felshtin, deciding the next day to attack the city of Proskurov with one brigade, and surround the other two and take the place of Black Island.
Once again, it was possible to take the enemy's transport to more than 200 with a supply of various property and provisions and to destroy the battalion of a cover of up to 400 people.
During the first two days of the raid, the Red Cossacks captured: 300 horses, 480 carts, 120 cars, 8 guns (were put out of action), and also destroyed 950 enemy soldiers. Division losses - 2 dead and 3 injured horses and 2 stray sentinel fighters.
After 48 hours from the moment of the breakthrough to the rear of the enemy, the division, having passed more than 100 miles, concentrated to attack Proskurov and Black Island - the raid target.
Since the army headquarters was in Proskurov, it was guarded by several infantry battalions numbering up to 1,2 thousand people. The same forces were in the Black Island.
At night the brigades went ahead. At about five o'clock the 2 brigade occupied the village of Pedosa, and soon after that, almost simultaneously two explosions were heard and the sounds of artillery firing from the positions of the battery of the 1 brigade. A station was lit and a detachment of Polish infantry was destroyed.
By 8-o'clock in the morning, Black Island was captured, and S. Petlyura, who was in it, managed to escape by car to Tarnopol, but his train fell into the hands of the Reds. 20 echelons were captured (about 500 cars loaded with various military assets), the Poles lost thousands of soldiers to 1 and a lot of horses.
The success of this part of the operation exceeded all expectations.
At the same time, the 3-I brigade approached the city of Proskurov and, taking advantage of the darkness, cordoned off the exits from it by machine-gun outposts. In the middle of the city was directed one division with machine guns, which galloped into it and, reaching the central square, opened machine-gun fire along the streets. Panic began in the city — carts, wagons, cars, and people rushed to the exits from the city, but met with machine-gun fire and began to hide in the courtyards.
As a result of the battles at Black Island and Proskurov, the enemy lost up to 2,5 thousands of people, 800 loaded wagons, 18 locomotives. The army headquarters was partially destroyed, partially fled. The same fate befell the Directorate of intendance.
Reds killed several horses and injured 10 - 12 Cossacks.
It now remains to complete the raid and return to his.
Part of the division, having passed 160 versts for four days, decided to rest.
But the enemy took down the 4 rifle divisions from the front - the Poles broke the link between the 2 and 3 brigades, cut off the 3 brigade from the rest and, moving through the forest, approached the 2 brigade.
The convoys had time to warn about the movement of significant enemy forces, but due to the fact that reconnaissance was conducted within a radius of 8 - 10 versts, the intelligence arrived simultaneously with the beginning of the exchange of fire between the Cossack patrol and the infantry of the enemy.
The main task was to unite all the brigades in one group.
The Poles attacked from several directions, covering the horseshoe occupied by cavalrymen of the village.
Maneuvering, the Cossacks, in turn, swept the enemy’s right flank, attacked him and caused him considerable damage - up to 300 people killed and 200 prisoners.
Brigade united, and the next day, near places. Kulchin was contacted by the Red forces pursuing the Poles.
What are the results of the raid Cossacks?
First, the enemy left the front 60 versts wide and 120 deep. Secondly, the 3 railway station, the 3 railway bridge, around 1000 loaded wagons, 500 loaded carts, 20 locomotives, up to 300 horses and thousands of soldiers were destroyed or taken out or destroyed. The enemy's 5 rifle divisions (with a total of 4 thousands of bayonets) retreated along the whole front and the Poles left an area of twelve thousand square miles.
Having passed during the raid about 200 versts, the division lost the killed and wounded 50 to Cossacks and 100 horses.
The main objective of the raid - Proskurov and Black Island - were captured and defeated.
If you do not take into account the cases when many fighters were fascinated with the contents of warehouses and cars, as well as the excesses with the civilian population, this raid turned out to be one of the most successful operations of the 8 th Cossack Red Division. The division made it in full (six regiments and three equestrian 4-gun batteries).
The main consequence of the raid was a retreat on the whole front of a significant enemy grouping - and with heavy losses in personnel, materiel and military assets.
The Raid of the Cossacks on Proskurov and Black Island is one of the most successful operations of the strategic cavalry during the Russian Civil War.
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