The extraordinary Cossack Gagosov

His service records modestly listed him as a rank of ordinary warrant officer, i.e. an acting officer "ordinary", without promotion to rank. But the fate of the Cossack Pyotr Alekseevich Gagosov (or Gogosov) was so bright and striking that the definition "ordinary" was the least appropriate to it. His life became a vivid illustration of the fate of a Cossack who lived at the junction of eras, whose heroism and thirst for adventure proved stronger than the political storms of the early 20th century.

The future hero was born in 1878 (according to some sources, in 1874) in the village of Novo-Osetinskaya in a family of Terek Cossacks and was clearly predetermined: primary education at home, the oath in 1892 and enrollment in the service Cossacks. Already in 1894, he entered active service in the 1st Gorsko-Mozdok Cossack Regiment, but very soon fate made the first sharp turn - the young Cossack was sent to serve in the elite Life Guards 4th Terek Hundred of His Imperial Majesty's Own Convoy under Nicholas II. However, due to illness in April 1896, he retired with the rank of junior non-commissioned officer while retaining the right to wear a guards uniform and being awarded a badge for service in the convoy.

His Imperial Majesty Nicholas II's Own Convoy. Perhaps Pyotr Gagosov is also in this photo

But not wanting to put up with the quiet life of the village, Gagosov in the same year 1896 volunteered for the First Italo-Abyssinian War (1895-1896). Apparently, he joined the detachment of the retired captain of the Kuban Cossack army Nikolai Leontiev, who acted in Ethiopia as a military adviser to Emperor Menelik and later became an Ethiopian count. Gagosov joined the detachment of Russian volunteers - a kind of PMC of the nineteenth century, organized by Count Nikolai Leontiev. The Russian detachment, reinforced by Senegalese riflemen and Abyssinian warriors, made a difficult march to Lake Rudolf to annex the last "no man's lands" on the African continent. Showered with long arrows, the detachment, making its way through dense jungle, reached the northern shore of Lake Rudolf, once and for all securing the southern borders of Ethiopia.

The campaign cost the lives of 216 soldiers, and Russian military advisers were also wounded: Lieutenant Shedevr and Cossack Gogosov, who later received silver and gold medals from the Emperor of Ethiopia for his bravery.

Nikolay Leontyev at an audience with Emperor Menelik II

Ethiopia would be just a prologue to his incredible military career. Sources show that Gagosov managed to participate in almost all the significant conflicts of the turn of the century. Thus, having taken part in the landing of allied troops on the island of Crete in 1897, he then fought on the side of the Boers against the British Empire. The Anglo-Boer War had not yet died down, and Gagosov had already volunteered as a partisan in the 2nd Amur Cossack Regiment, which suppressed the Boxer Rebellion in China (1900-1901), where for the battles at the Mou Nanshan fortress he would receive his first state award - the St. George Cross of the 4th degree.

Like many figures in Russian Africa, including the traveler Leonid Artamonov, Count Leontiev, and many of his detachment's fighters, Gagosov again volunteered for the front of the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). Fighting in the ranks of the same regiment, for his valor he added the St. George Crosses of the 3rd and 2nd degrees to his record of service.

After a series of military campaigns, he returned to serve in the Imperial Convoy in St. Petersburg, and in 1908 transferred to serve in the Palace Police, where he rose to the rank of police supervisor and was awarded several medals "For Diligence".

With the outbreak of World War I, Gagosov, already an elderly man, was eager to go to the front again. Taking leave, he volunteered for the 2nd Joint Cossack Division, where he was promoted to ensign (acting officer) for his military distinctions. Temporarily returning to service in the police, he was soon discharged due to illness and sent to the front again, this time as an orderly at the headquarters of the Separate Caucasian Cavalry Corps. Here he performed a number of outstanding feats: transmitting orders under heavy fire, putting out a shell fire at headquarters, and saving a convoy. For his new exploits in 1916, he was awarded the highest soldier's award, the St. George Cross, 1st degree, becoming a full Knight of the St. George Cross (having crosses of all four degrees). But despite all his merits, in 1917 he was promoted only to ensign.

Terek Cossacks in World War I

After the February Revolution, all information about him is lost. But according to the latest research, Gagosov met the Civil War on the side of the White movement, taking part in the Terek Cossack Uprising of 1918, and then joining the Armed Forces of the South of Russia, where he was promoted to centurion. However, his further career was cut short in 1920, when he was captured and sent to the Ryazan prisoner of war camp, and after his release was placed under surveillance as a former White officer. In the late 1920s, a series of arrests followed in his life. The result was a long term and subsequent escape from the camp, after which Gagosov's tracks were finally lost...

The fate of warrant officer Gagosov is a real odyssey, woven from gunpowder, boundless courage and the Cossack spirit, which, knowing no bounds, led him through the thick of battles on three continents and allowed him to survive the raging whirlwind of upheavals of the first half of the 20th century.

Comments

[Alexander_Makedonskov]

It seems that illness is just a pretext. But in reality there is an itch somewhere... Passionary, in a word.

[Richard]

в

In 1894, he entered active service in the 1st Gorsko-Mozdok Cossack Regiment, but very soon fate made its first sharp turn - the young Cossack was sent to serve in the elite Life Guards 4th Terek Hundred of His Imperial Majesty's Own Convoy

Here is a small amendment - TKV could not send anyone to SEIVK, especially to its 3rd and 4th hundreds. It only had the right to recommend to the SEIVK chancery for consideration. But even there they did not decide, but only selected candidates. The final decision on enrollment in these hundreds was up to the imperial family. Why? Because in the royal family, since the time of Nicholas I, there was a tradition of taking Cossacks from the Terek hundreds of SEIVK as one of the godparents for their children. For example, along with Emperor Alexander II (paternal grandfather), Queen Louise of Denmark (maternal grandmother), Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark (maternal uncle) and Grand Duke Elena Pavlovna, the sergeant of the 3rd Terek hundred of SEIVK Afanasy (Afonya) Mirny became the godparent of Nicholas II himself. And one of the godfathers of his younger brother Mikhail was the Cossack of the 4th Terek hundred of the SEIVK, Alexander (according to other sources - Alexey) Safronov.

[Olgovich]

. The result is a long term and subsequent escape from the camp, after which Gagosov's tracks are finally lost.

There is also this information:

Gagosov Petr Alekseevich, b. in 1878. From the Ossetian Cossacks of the village of Novoossetinskaya, Mozdok department of the Terek region. Promoted to officer for military distinction in 1917. Ensign TKV. Sent by L.G. Kornilov from Bykhov to R.B. Khadzhiev. Participant in the Civil War. Centurion Petr Gagosov fought in the partisan detachment of L.F. Bicherakhov. Taken prisoner, by 1921 – in the Ryazan concentration camp. Spent 20 years in Solovki, fled to England.

An extraordinary man, yes...

[Richard]

Greetings, Aleksandr Olegovich!

From the Ossetian Cossacks

We don't say that here. A small correction. - From the Ossetian clans of the Terek Cossacks.
In his 1913 work "An Essay on the Centuries-Old and Valiant Service to the Throne and Fatherland of the Terek Cossack Host," Lieutenant Colonel of the General Staff of the RIA B.S. Esadze wrote:

The unity of faith, culture, way of life and everyday life, common enemies, and most importantly the land koshes allocated by the Terek Host led to the fact that already at the turn of the 1900th-XNUMXth centuries, the Ossetian peasants subject to local feudal lords - the so-called kusagi (poor), farsaglagi (standing on the side) and kavdasards (born in a barn, whose father was a feudal lord, and whose mother was a concubine), began to massively move from their local princes to the Terek Cossacks. Significantly strengthening the TV. According to the zemstvo statistics of XNUMX, every fifth Terek Cossack has Ossetian roots. Many of them in the TV reached atamans and high ranks. As an example - a Cossack of the Novo-Osetinskaya village, Major General Konstantin Konstantinovich Agoev is now the Deputy Host Ataman of the Terek Cossack Host... (c)

[Richard]

From the Ossetian Cossacks

In this way, one can even agree that the legend of the Terek Cossacks, the heroically deceased ataman of the Grebenskaya line of the TKV, Colonel Ivan Dmitrievich Volzhensky, can be called a Jew - Cossack. His father was a cantonist, after his obligatory 25-year military service in the Caucasus, who joined the Terek Cossacks in the village of Chervlenaya and rose to the rank of Yesaul.

[Richard]

By the way, an interesting fact about the ataman I. D. Volzhensky, forever included in the pantheon of the Terek Cossacks. Many know about his military victories, but few know that it was he who became the "catalyst" for the removal of General Ermolov from the Caucasus. According to the memoirs of General I. F. Paskevich, who replaced A. P. Ermolov in his posts:

Alexey Petrovich was removed from command "for arbitrariness, "sultanism" and licentiousness, which led to a conflict with the local Cossacks. Ermolov had a personal field harem of captured mountain women, forced by him into a "kebina marriage". Grebensky ataman Volzhensky received a complaint from local Ossetian Cossacks that their Christian relative had ended up in this harem. He raised the Grebensky regiment and attacked the general's headquarters, freeing the captives. The scandal was loud - it came to an investigation by the Tsar himself. Major (why major???, but that's how it is in the text) Volzhensky was arrested for the duration of the investigation and stripped of his ranks. As a result, Volzhensky was acquitted by the Dibich Military Collegium. And Alexey Petrovich was relieved of all his positions. Notifying Yermolov of his resignation, His Majesty Nicholas I wrote to him: "Due to the circumstances of the current affairs in Georgia, having deemed it necessary to give the troops located there a special Chief Commander, I order you to return to Russia and remain in your villages until my command. I oblige you to recognize as your legitimate children, the children you have fathered from your Asian amans. Namely - the sons of Victor (Bakhtiyar) from Suydu Abdulla kyzy, Sever and Klavdii from Totai, Peter from Sultanum, Sofia from Sapiyat. (c)

link: Shcherbatov A.P. "Field Marshal Prince Paskevich: His Life and Work" / unpublished / compiled by General Staff Lieutenant General Prince Shcherbatov. - St. Petersburg: R. Golike Printing House, 1890. - T. 2

[Kote Pan Kokhanka]

Hello Dimama!

Major (why major???, but that's how it's in the text)

I think that the military rank (title) was used in its direct meaning - “senior”, “siarshin”.

[Richard]

Hello, Vlad!
It seems you're right.
Indeed, at that time the prime ministerиor and second-maиor (precisely through and and not y) these were not ranks, but positions. I looked specifically at Sytin.
Thanks for the tip.

[Richard]

And Colonel Volzhensky, as the ataman of the Greben line, was naturally in direct administrative subordination to the viceroy of the Caucasus, Count M.S. Vorontsov. Hence the position.
Thanks again!

[Richard]

I.D. Volzhensky died near Gudermes, attacking with his eight-hundred Grebensky regiment the ten-thousand army of the first imam of Dagestan and Chechnya Gazi-Muhammad (Kazi-Mulla), who had besieged the fortress. The song composed by the Cossacks about this battle would later become the regimental anthem of the first in the RIA by seniority since 1577 (announced on March 28 (April 9), 1874 by the personal decree of the Russian emperor No. 53325 by the military department in order No. 106) of the three successive (1st Kizlyar-Grebensky regiment and two regiments of the same name of the 2nd and 3rd order) silver-plated shaft of the St. George's banner with silver trumpets of the 1st Kizlyar-Grebensky regiment of the TKV:

The messengers from the cordons brought the ataman bad news
The highlanders laid siege to Gudermes with a strong horde
Dust swirls across the road in a long white stripe
From Chervlennaya, on alert, the regiment rushes to Grebenskaya... (c)

[Richard]

This song is on Rutube. Just type in the search - Dust swirls on the road, and you can listen

[Andre-2128]

For some reason, many people know about the Jewish cantonists, but not about the others. There were more non-Jewish cantonists.

[Olgovich]

Quote: Richard

We don't say that here.

and here it is not said that way, but

From the Ossetian Cossacks of the village of Novoossetinskaya, Mozdok department of the Terek region.

, i.e. from the Ossetians, who are Cossacks of the Novosetinskaya village

[Richard]

So here too it is said incorrectly

Thanks, got it

[Tests]

Olgovich (Andrey), the information you have provided raises doubts. "Taken prisoner, by 1921 – in the Ryazan concentration camp. Spent 20 years in Solovki, escaped to England." In 1940 there was nothing camp-like on the Solovetsky Islands, the prison history of Solovki ended in 1939, the period of the naval history of the Solovetsky Islands began in 1939 and lasted until 1991...

[Olgovich]

During 1939, the remaining prisoners of the Solovetsky Special Purpose Prison were transported to Norillag, Vladimir and Oryol prisons

[Tests]

Olgovich (Andrey), doesn't the math bother you? In 1921 he was "in the Ryazan concentration camp". Add 20 years to Solovki - we get the year 1941. The man certainly didn't spend 20 years on Solovki before he fled to England...
You wrote almost correctly about the convoys of prisoners of the STON, forgetting to indicate the camps in Karelia and the Leningrad region, as well as the stage in Kresty Leningrad, where investigative actions were carried out.

[Olgovich]

Quote: Tests

Olgovich (Andrey), doesn't the math bother you? In 1921 he was "in the Ryazan concentration camp". We add 20 years to Solovki - we get the year 1941. The man certainly didn't spend 20 years on Solovki before he fled to England.

It doesn't bother me: no one released the Solovetsky prisoners, so what difference does it make whether it's that prison or this one?

Quote: Tests

ro convoys z/k STON You wrote almost is the correct one, forgetting to indicate the camps in Karelia and the Leningrad region, as well as the stage in Kresty Leningrad, where investigative actions were carried out

Thanks for... rating.

[Kote Pan Kokhanka]

Thanks to the author for the story about the fate of an interesting person!
His fate is especially indicative, when the ruling elite, due to momentary “wants”, actually “killed” their Fatherland.

[Richard]

Thanks to the Author for a good article. And, by the way, quite timely - in five days, on September 7 (August 25, old style), on St. Bartholomew's Day, our villages will celebrate the 448th anniversary of the Terek Cossack Host - the second oldest in the Russian Cossack troops since 1577, when the ancient Terek Cossacks first appeared under the tsar's banners.

[parusnik]

In the late 1920s, a series of arrests followed in his life.

It is not surprising, the end of the 20s and the beginning of the 30s, a series of various local uprisings in different regions of the USSR, a weak mention of some, or rather an attempt, is reflected in the novel by M. Sholokhov "Virgin Soil Upturned", the novel was written based on the materials of a specific criminal case. Yes, some sources mention that he escaped from Solovki. This is an exaggeration, it was impossible to escape from Solovki, namely from the islands, but when they sent people to work on the mainland, such an opportunity arose.

[Kote Pan Kokhanka]

Good evening, Alexey!
I will assume that Solovki in this case is understood in a broad sense, as “management”.

[parusnik]

What broad sense? SLON was located on the Solovetsky Islands. The prisoners were recruited to work on the mainland. They escaped from the mainland. By broad sense, you mean the entire USSR Gulag, half the country was imprisoned, the other half guarded?

[Tests]

parusnik (Alexey Bogomazov), respected, "SLON, was located on the Solovetsky Islands.", BUT! It had branches on the mainland in the territories of today's Karelia and Arkhangelsk Oblast. Kote pane Kokhanka (Vladislav) is right in his assumption... Information wanders in various sources that there was a successful escape from the Solovetsky Islands either in 1924 or 1925, 3 people in a boat. The Karelians handed the fugitives over to the authorities when they tried to go parallel to the Kirov railway to the south to Leningrad.

[Senior seaman]

But despite all his merits, in 1917 he was promoted only to ensign.

This is just normal. Full Knights of St. George were automatically promoted to the rank of sub-ensign. After which the path to further promotion opened.