My fighting life
Notes of the Don Army Lt. Gen. Yakov Petrovich Baklanov, written by his own hand.
1
I was born in 1809 year from poor parents, was the only son. My father entered the service of a Cossack, rose to the rank of colonel; he was constantly in the regiment, so he could not take care of my upbringing. Mother is a simple woman, without means, she did not think much about teaching me literacy, but my dear grandma announced to me one day that I should go to Kudinovna to study, a competent old woman who took her children to her school.
In her two years, according to the church letter, he wondered az - angel - angelic, from her transferred to the parish sexton: he taught by heart the "Chasovnik", then transferred to the clerk, where the psalter passed.
In 1816, my father, with the rank of Esaula, returned from World War II, and in 1817, he dressed up in Bessarabia in the regiment of Gorbikov: he took me with him.
Upon arrival at the place of service, I was entrusted to the literacy of the hundredth clerk for further science: a year later I went to the regimental clerk.
In 1823, the regiment was sent to the Don.
From 1823 to 1825. He lived in a house, worked on the farm, plowed the land, mowed hay and herd pets, but there was no talk of my literacy. The father, himself a little literate, did not bother to check my knowledge, but was convinced that his son, having passed such famous institutions , under the guidance of the aforementioned healers, was a dock to read and write. In fact, it turned out differently: I could not sign my surname, and I read the books with the greatest difficulty, which was because my tutors, the clerk, did little to me, and I did not have any desire to learn, and I turned round all day and night in the barracks among the Cossacks, eagerly listened to stories about the courage of our ancestors in the Azov and Black Sea, about the Azov seat, and about different episodes in subsequent wars by new generations turned out to be, and under this gonomy often fell asleep with sweet sleep.
In 1825, his father, in the regiment Popov, sent to the Crimea; he took me with him to the regiment's enrollment. Being promoted to consignors, during the queue, during the march, to watch for a hundred, I should write reports in the morning report and sign them, but I could not do either. This unexpected illiteracy struck my father greatly.
Upon arrival in Crimea, he was the first to consider sending me to the city of Feodosia, where the county school was, and the former caretaker of this institution, Fedor Filippovich Burdunov, gave me to study for the agreed price. Thanks to this honest person, in the course of a year of my being with him, I passed all the wisdom that is taught in the county school and was the first of the students; perhaps I would have spent a long time with Burdunov, but my mother, who was left alone in the house, insisted in letters that my father would come with me on vacation and marry me.
My father complied with her request, and together with the marriage, my further learning stopped.
2
In 1828, the Turkish war opened. Our regiment, at the order of the authorities, will be moved to European Turkey. Before the campaign, the former governor-general of Novorossia, Prince Vorontsov, arrived in Crimea; he demanded an officer from the regiment to send dispatches to Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich in Brailov.
The father, after the death of the regiment commander, took him into command, but I was an officer in the regiment.
I was assigned to this trip.
Having received everything necessary to the dispatch, through Moldavia and Wallachia, he arrived in Brailov, having handed over the dispatches, waited ten days for the order to return to the regiment.
One day, before the evening, I hear summoning the hunters to go to the assault. Without discussing what the consequences might be, I declared myself willing to be among them. At midnight, the entire squad of hunters, supported by thick columns of infantry, moved forward; at dawn, we quietly approached the main battery, and with a cry of "Hurray" rushed to the assault ...
What happened next, I can not say for the following reason: when we ran to the ditch, we were lifted up into the air, many were covered with earth, some were carried away from the battery, but I think I had to fly through the air a few fathoms like a bird.
The next day I came to myself, lying in a tent between the wounded.
The assault was unsuccessful; the losses are huge. Five days later, I was discharged from the hospital as recovered, and I received an order to recover to the regiment, which was going to the Riiny place, at the confluence of the Prut River into the Danube. Having waited there for the regiment, I first of all considered to tell my courage to my father in the hope of receiving praise; but alas, instead of praise, my father otdubil me with a whip, saying: "do not poke your nose into the pool, when you are distant from your unit, and with it go into fire and water."
The regiment crossed the Danube in Isakchi; October 22 1828 arrived at Kostenzhi fortress; he took from it the observation line along Troyanov Val to the Blackwaters, higher than Girsov on the Danube; here it remained in the continuation of winter because our troops, which were under Shumla and Silistra, were returning to Moldavia and Wallachia for the winter, leaving strong garrisons in the fortresses we occupied.
The winter was very harsh, and therefore passed peacefully. With the opening of the spring of 1829, the troops wintering on the left side of the Danube moved under Shumlu and Silistria. Our regiment joined the main forces that went to Shumla and throughout the whole year participated in many battles; at the same time I can mention the following case, personally related to me. In July, the army moved from under Shumly through the Balkans. 7 - the number of hunters, I rushed by swimming on a horse across the river Kamchik. Its width does not exceed ten sazhen; under shotguns of twelve Turkish guns standing on the right side of the river, we rushed into the water; many hunters were killed and drowned, but 4 / 5-x, in the number of 2 tons, crossed safely, knocked the Turks out of position and made it possible for our columns to move to the crossing.
For such courage, I received an incentive reward from my father: a few nagak in the back, as if for allowing me to venture on a black horse - not a white one, this one - de was stronger and more reliable, and with a crow could - I drown ; in fact, it was this: my father did not want me to throw myself headlong into all the difficult ones. Having finally understood him and treasured my back, he no longer allowed himself any courage.
From Kamchik moved forward. Turning over the Balkans, July 11, 1829, occupied the city of Misevriyu and Akhiol with battle. 12 July, the regiment of the father sent for reconnaissance to the fortified city of Burgas; near his regiment he was met by Turkish cavalry in 700 man, entered into battle with her, overthrew her and with her broke into the city: ousted the garrison, took possession of the city with a slight loss: the trophies consisted of nskolkoh serf guns and mortars. For such courage, my father received a George 4 degree, a horse was killed under me, and I was the last to enter the fortress.
On August 8, the army, without a fight, occupied the second metropolitan Turkish city of Adrianople, and after making peace, January 8, 1830, the regiment marched to the winter quarters in Rumiliyu.21 April - marched into the Bessarabian region to train border guards on the river Prutu. 14 August 1831, the regiment was released on the Don.
From 1831 to 1834, I lived in a house.
3
In the spring of 1834 of the year, I was sent to the right flank of the Caucasian line, to the regiment of Zhirov, where I stayed before his appearance in 1837 on the Don. In being in the Caucasus, I participated in many affairs with the mountaineers; There were no special differences on my part, coming out of a number of ordinary Cossacks, except perhaps the following: the regiment was located along the Kuban River; in the spring of 1830, according to the orders of Major-General Sass, head of the Kuban line, the regiment was moved in full force behind the Kuban, onto the Chamlyk river. Upon arrival, they began to build a fortification; a month later it was ready. The regiment is located in it. During the construction of his horse grazed over the river, under the cover of one hundred; the mountaineers, saw this mistake, and set out to, by all means, repel the whole herd from the covering hundred; For this purpose, the mountaineers gathered more than 360 people, the most elite horsemen of princes and knights. On the night, under 4 of July, this gang, having crossed the Labu River, secretly going to Chamlyk, stopped below the fortress a half and a half in the forest, with the intention, when they let go of the horse to graze, to hijack all booty with impunity, because There was no one to pursue them. The regiment remained, according to their calculations, all on foot, except for the hundred horsemen covering; but they were bitterly mistaken: along with the regiment's entry into the fortress, the horses were no longer allowed to graze.
In accordance with the established procedure, the centennial commanders on duty on the regiment were to send up and down the river for three miles for the sun, and if, on a tour of the area, there was nothing doubtful, the chiefs of the patrols left pickets at the appointed places, and with the rest of the people returned to fortress 4-th number I was on duty; My hundred had horses saddled, people in ammunition. The sun rose. Rounds are sent. Having left on the battery, I watched them; sent down, crossing the stream of Grynnushka, climbed the heights, descended to Chamlyku; beyond the forest, I could not see what a catastrophe was happening with the passing; after a quarter of an hour, the galloping horseman appeared, surviving from fifteen traveling ones: the rest of the 14 were beaten. Behind him is a huge chain of cavalry. I immediately ordered my hundred to mount horses and went to meet the highlanders; half a mile from the fortress, he met them, but did not enter the battle, considering himself too weak in terms of the number of people: in a hundred no more than a hundred people, so I retreated to the walls of the fortress, waiting for the regiment to appear. The mountaineers, seeing their failure, turned and walked back. The fortress was a terrible mess: everyone ran back and forth, not finding what to do. - A regimental adjutant comes to me, conveys an order to go after the party; I followed in her footsteps, but at a noble distance, choosing at every step an advantageous position, in order to dismount in the event of an attack, stand in a defensive position - this saving method was adopted throughout the Caucasus. The Highlanders crossed Chamlyk, moved to Laba: - between these rivers, Milestones on 25, there is no forest, clean field, and in view of the fortress they rushed at me to checkers; having been ready for this occasion, a hundred dismounted, met the Highlanders with battle fire; for more than half an hour I withstood the attack: I did not have any dead or wounded; people have kept the spirit of hardness, the mountaineers left 20 tel. The party retreated. I went after her at a respectful distance. Passed a mile; the fortress was no longer visible to me. In the space of ten miles, I withstood twelve attacks: I was out of action before the 20 man.
After the seventh attack, I sent the sergeant Nikredin to the regiment commander to ask for reinforcements and say that there were no cartridges in a hundred.
After the tenth attack, Nikredin reports, commanding back to him in a low voice: "Tell the thug if he has no bullets, that is, spikes, but don't let him hope for me."
To my question, is the regiment far from us? Answer: "Your Honor, didn’t come out of the fortress either."
I was amazed by this news. The rain has come pouring. The eleventh attack followed. After the first shots of the shotgun, the minute was critical; fortunately the attack lasted about five minutes. The party retreated. I followed her. Summoning to himself the sub-alternator - officer Polyakov (later killed), he expressed our position to him, adding that both me and his horses are good and we could ride off, but in that case the smaller brothers would remain for the victim Do I honestly die together with the brethren with glory, not seeing shame?
Answer: "I want to die honestly, but I don’t want to live through shame."
Having thanked him, I passed on my following order: the Highlanders are still attacking us and if they meet our resilience, they will immediately retreat; you need to take advantage of the moment: “Listen, the second fifty remains at your disposal, with the first - I will throw at the peaks and, if you see that the mountaineers will be a little crowded, back up with your peaks the very minute; but if you turn me, have time on foot I’m building up, to be in a defensive position; I will join you, and we will be cut on the spot while we are alive. " I was not mistaken. The twelfth attack followed. Having met with unshakable resistance, the mountaineers turned away from us, began to walk. A hundred mounted on horses. Thunder thundered in the distance and its sound was much like the roar of gun wheels. I turned to a hundred with the following words: "Comrades! Hear the rumble of the gun wheels? This regiment hurries to us; the mountaineers are powerless; the guns and pistols are as loony as yours; it descends on the regiment and strangles them like chickens; but that would be nothing, but He will assign all the glory to himself. You exhibited your powerful chest the whole day and you will have nothing to do with it! Stanichniki! Let's not allow them to use our works. Peaks are ready! With God! Go ahead! "
The first fifty crashed into the middle; each Cossack pierced his victim with a pike. This unexpected, our bold prank - struck the highlanders; instead of repelling us, no one grabbed the sword. Polyakov has not lost the moment: with his fifty-fifty he backed me up. The overturned mountaineers rushed in disarray; in the space of the 15 verst, we chased them up to the river Laba. It remains to 300 bodies, no more than 60 people left.
Returning to the regiment, I took the horses scattered in the field, and with the dead I took weapon; None of the Highlanders was taken prisoner because it was difficult to demand from the Cossacks, people furious like lions, mercy to the enemies.
Approaching the fortress, for five miles they met a regiment marching toward us with two field guns. What was the reason on the part of the regiment commander to throw me with a hundred to death - I can not explain.
For this case, I received Vladimir 4 degree; Polyakov - Anna 3 degree.
4
In the interval 1837 g. On 1854g. I was in the training regiment in Novocherkassk, and for three years in Poland, in Rodionov's regiment. In 1845, he was urgently sent to the left flank of the Caucasian line to the regiment Shramkov, from which, by personal order, the deputy governor of the Caucasus, Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov, took command of 20 regiment, former major. In 1850, the regiment was lowered to the Don, I, at the request of Vorontsov, remained in the Caucasus, took command of the 17 regiment, which replaced the 20.
He commanded the 17 th regiment of the 1853 year, and handed it to lieutenant colonel Polyakov (namesake with my former subaltern - officer in the regiment Zhirov); I myself was assigned to be the commander of the entire cavalry of the left flank, for which reason I moved to the fortress of Grozny.
In April, 1855, according to the order of Commander Muravyov, was demanded to Turkey, under Kars.
About service and affairs on the left flank, as numerous, I stop with a description, and I will point out some more curious cases. From 1845 to 1853, I with my regiment beat off from the highlanders up to 12 thousand cattle and up to 40 thousand sheep; not a single party that descended from the mountains to the Kumyk plane returned without impunity, but was always destroyed and a rare one among them managed to return due to good health. Having the most faithful spies and paying them good money, I always warned in time about the movement of the Highlanders; attacked with my regiment and destroyed so that the mountaineers by the end of 1853 stopped their raids within our limits. The mountaineers called me “Dajal”, translated into Russian as the devil, or an apostate from God.
In December, 1851, the former head of the left flank, Prince Baryatinsky, called me to Grozny, where I received an order from him, to begin the end of the clearing from the fortification of Kura to the Michuku river from January, and clean the forest on the left side as far as possible. At the same time, I must hurry in carrying out these tasks because he, Prince. Baryatinsky, will make a trip from Grozny to Shalinskaya Polyana, will continue the glade to Avtury, from where it will move through Greater Chechnya, Major-Tup to Kurinsk, and let me know in advance about the combat movement so that I can go out to meet with my forces.
5 January 1852 I concentrated three battalions of infantry from the fortresses of the Kumyk plane: my No. 17 regiment, the linear Cossack squadron and eight field guns; proceeded to logging; during the month he reached Michuk and, after a battle that lasted two hours, crossed over to the left side; cleared to 16 in February 1852 the forest from the coast to 100, and down the river on 300 to fathoms. 17, the number of troops released by the fortresses for four days to rest, and at noon of the same day from the tower, standing on the mile, let me know: behind Michik, towards Avtury, not only cannon shots are heard, but even battle gunfire. Taking four hundred of my regiment, I drove along the glade to Kochkolykovsky ridge, I heard a strong firefight in Major-Tupe. I realized that Baryatinsky was going to Kurinsk, and as Mayor-Tup from Kurinsk in 15 versts, I’ll probably get a note with the spy during the night to join the connection. At that moment, on the disbanding of the troops, I had three infantry companies left, four hundred Cossacks and one gun, and therefore from those heights I wrote a note in pencil, fortifying Gerzel-Aul, in 15 versts, to Colonel Ktitorev: leave one in the fortress a company, and with two at the gun, speak to me; sent another note to Karagansky post in 17 versts; from it demanded two hundred Cossacks.
Each note was handed to three Cossacks on good horses, tested in courage, with orders to deliver, according to their affiliation, no matter what.
Required portions arrived by midnight. Following them, a scout appeared from Baryatinsky with a note; it says: to rise between the rivers Michuk and the other river at dawn, and to await his detachment. Ten minutes later, my scout appeared and said that Shamil, with all his bunch, before 25.000, stood behind Michuk, against my glade, and strengthened the watchdog chain. The imam was convinced that I would come out to join the detachment, and he would manage in time to prevent my movement.
A local naib with honorable old men — as I learned about it through my spy — came to Shamil with the following words: “Imam! in vain you watch the old fox on the way; she is not as stupid as you think of her; it will not get into your mouth, but will go around in such ways where it is difficult for a mouse to crawl through! ”But Shamil rejected their advice, and did not take any precautions in the side ways.
At two o'clock in the morning, with four mouths, six hundred Cossacks, with two guns, I moved through the Kochkolikovskiy ridge far to the right a clearing, without a road, through a dense forest, so the implements and charging crates were strung through stumps and decks. Having overcome all obstacles, with the rising of the sun I became at the indicated place; uniting with the detachment, with my regiment I went to the forefront. Underpinned by four battalions and eight guns, with the battle mastered the rubble. Having settled in them, he missed the whole detachment, the last to retreat through Michuk, and only by midnight came to Kurinsk.
For taking the rubble, I was awarded George 4 degree; but this reward is bought at the price of the blood of my brothers; from my regiment was killed: the bravest Major Bannikov, to the 70 Cossacks, two officers were wounded and to the 50 Cossacks; three horses were slain under me.
During felling, from January 5 to February 17 1852, the following case occurred: one evening the battalion commanders and officers gathered to drink tea. Among this is my famous spy Alibey. When he entered, I greeted him on the native language:
"Marshudyu" (Hello)
Answer: “Marsh Hilley” (Thank you for your health)
My question is: "not swag? Mot Ali" (What's new? Tell me!)
Suddenly, the whole honest company asked me to ask that the scout was not me, who understood the native language, but through an interpreter, because they were interested in his message, which I, I can hide from them. Unaware of what Alibei came to tell me, I ordered the translator to transmit in Russian: “I came to tell you: Shamil sent a shooter from the mountains, who in 50 sazhens, having thrown an egg to the top, smashes him into a bullet from a rifle; tomorrow you are going to cut wood, you have the habit of constantly traveling to the mound, opposite the battery left behind Michach, here you’ll have this shooter sitting in it, and as soon as you ride the mound he will kill you. I found it necessary to warn about it, and advise — not to go to that mound. ”
Thanking my Alibey, gave him a beshke and released him. With the rising of the sun, the troops stood in the gun. I moved them to Michuku. It must be said that every soldier already knew about Khabar Alibeya; my position was disgusting: not to go to the mound — obviously I had to show that I was afraid, but to go and stand on the mound — to be killed. Some kind of praise came to me: I decided to go to the mound. Not reaching the fathoms with 300, stopped the column; with five messengers went to the frontal place; under the mound stopped them; I took from my veteran my choke; went to the mound; became the face of the battery. I can not hide what was happening to me: the heat, the cold poured over me, and behind my back creeps crawled. Here the rifle flashed on the parapet. A shot followed. The bullet flew to the left without hitting me. The smoke went away. The shooter, seeing me sitting on a horse, sank into the battery. A wave of the hand is visible — it charges; a rifle appeared again; a shot followed: a bullet took to the right, pierced a coat. Shocked by the infidelity of the shots, the shooter jumped up on the parapet and looked at me in surprise. At that moment I took my left foot out of the stirrup and laid it on the horse's mane; leaning with his left hand on his leg, kissed the fitting, made a shot, and my opponent flew back into the battery: the bullet hit the forehead, went to take off. The troops, who stood silently, burst out with a bang, and the Chechens across the river jumped out from behind the rubble broken by the Russian language, mixed with their own, began clapping their hands on “Yaksha (good) Boklu! Good for Boklu! ”
I owe the infidelity of the shots of the shooter to non-peaceful Chechens: when the shooter came to them and began to boast that he would kill Bokla (Boklu - Leo), they told him this: "We heard about you: you break an egg with a rifle , and do you know, the one whom you are bragging to kill, such a shooter, we saw for ourselves — a fly from a rifle kills a fly! besides, they have to tell you: the bullet doesn’t take it, it is known to the devils. Know if you miss, he will surely kill you. "
“Well, all right, said the shooter, I will download the copper bullet; his devils will not save her!
That is the whole reason why the shots were not true; in aiming at me, with upset nerves, the pupils of the eyes expanded and the accuracy of the arrow disappeared.
29 On January 1853, Prince Baryatinsky, with troops from Grozny, came to Kurinsk, and began felling on the Khobi-Shavdon heights, in order to build a fortification. From 6 to February 17, the forest on heights and on the slope to Michuku was cut down. Need to go through Michuk; but its banks, at the confluence of the Ganzovka River, on it, on both sides, drove the sazhen down to eight; on the left side, Shamil with 40,000 is a crowd, with ten guns standing above the shore in batteries made of fascines. An open passage was unthinkable because the loss in the troops could be half the troop, and success is uncertain. Required bypass secretive movement.
February 16, Baryatinsky, in the evening, called me into his tent and said: “Grandfather (as he always called me), going through Michuk open - will entail terrible losses; do you know the whole area, can you get around to the flank of Shamil? ”
I asked him to postpone it for two days in order to find a place above or below, unoccupied by the enemy, through the raids of my regiment. In response, it says: “time is impatient; that very night to find out, and with the dawn you, grandfather, must finally go! ”
Returning to my headquarters, I called upon the famous head of the squad team, detachment Skopin (now the esaul), ordered him to check out the area “eight miles up the river”, come back to dawn and say: is the crossing comfortable, and are there no watchmen? are there Chechens?
Skopin returned and said: "The ferry is satisfactory, there are no guards."
Immediately I went to Baryatinsky, woke him up and passed on good news.
“And how old are you, grandfather, do you need troops?” Asked the prince.
I said: "Let me take the Kura regiment with three battalions, my regiment, the dragoon division, Nizhny Novgorod, the combined Cossack regiment and eight guns."
- "Take it and go with God: hope for you, you will be able to fulfill my mission, but now I will move to Michuk, open artillery fire and with this disguise your movement."
Coming from the book. Baryatinsky, I asked that if I, beyond my aspirations, would be an enemy open and start a business with me, I would not send a single person to the rescue, because it would be a waste of labor, no auxiliary forces would save my squadron, but only increase the loss.
With the dawn, thick fog covered the whole area, at the same time hiding my movement. My detachment moved along the northern slope of the Kochkolyk ridge; having passed the Kura fortification, he turned sharply with his left shoulder and reached the Michuk through the dense forests and ravines: he crossed over unnoticed by anyone and headed down the Michuk. By one in the afternoon, the fog had cleared; Shamil saw me coming to his right flank. Stunned by such an unexpected guest, the imam retreated from Michuk, and Baryatinsky, with all his strength, under my cover, moved across the river. The loss, instead of several thousand, was limited to ten or fifteen dead and wounded lower ranks.
By the way, I will note. The commander of the Kabardian infantry regiment, Colonel Baron Nikolai, received George 4, for courageous bravery: he was the first to descend by rope in Michuk by side of my column. That is truly a saying in the people: do not be born beautiful, but be born happy.
But the real, real example is not only courage, but also complete selflessness: 25 February 1853, in a strong battle at the extermination of the villages of Dengi-Yurt and Ali-Yurt, being a column head and managing troops, I did not pay attention to Shavdonok, a swampy stream: a transition through it without a bridge is inconceivable; the breadth of his sazhen is seven. On the left side of the stumps of felled wood and a deck, from under them a few dozen rifles were sent to me. My famous plastun Skopin, being behind, saw a terrible thunderstorm for me: I jumped forward and stopped in front of me; shots followed: a bullet pierced his right shoulder; Skipin, drenched in blood, did not fall from his horse, and turning to me, said: Your Excellency, this was prepared for you, but I took it upon myself out of envy: I hope you will not be strict with me. Such a case was struck by the entire squad.
Skopin has three insignia of sv. George
In 1857 I was appointed marching chieftain of the Don regiments, with the Caucasian army: at the end of 1859, I was transferred to the Don army, where, by nobility, in 1861, I was elected by the district general of the second military district.
Note: On the numerous exploits of Baklanov, during his Caucasian military life, many stories go. Old Caucasian warriors pass them with special love. Of the many episodes we have heard, we allow ourselves to bring from the notebook one, in which the typical feature of the Caucasian veteran stands out particularly vividly: it is his dedication to duty to complete selflessness. December 19 1853, Baklanov made a fortress from Grozny with a column for felling at near heights. From here, Yakov Petrovich heard ten miles away, between the Sunzha and Argun rivers, at the Chortugaev crossing, a strong gun firing. Leaving the infantry to continue work, the cormorants with cavalry, consisting of 2500 man Cossack regiments, two Don, one linear and division of the Danube troops, went through the woods in the half-career; Passing along the left side of the Argun 6 milest, the detachment met the Highlanders: they marched, in numbers up to 4 t. Horsemen, to Argun from Sunzha. There was a fight. After a short resistance, the whole mass of enemies was overturned and rushed to flee, covering the ground with corpses. At the first moment of the fight, Nikolai Yakovlevich, the eldest son of Baklanov, was badly wounded by a bullet in his left leg. When the son fell, - the father did not see this: he was in the distance, at the head of the reserve, which followed the Cossacks who had rushed at the peaks and drafts, ready to support the daring men every minute. Suddenly, Baklanov’s father came across the commander of the Don regiment — the bravest of the brave — the colonel (now Major-General) Yezhov. The colonel stood on foot and wept. Cormorant with reproach asked: "What does this mean?"
- "Do not you see in the blood of your brave son." - answered Yezhov.
The old warrior, without glancing at his son, fervently approached Colonel Yezhov, “Well, that the Cossack did well, he was in front, but you, Mr. Ezhov, by what right remained over one wounded man, leaving to the mercy of fate entrusted to you eight hundred sons of your regiment? On horseback! To your brave sons! Otherwise, I hack into pieces! ”
Stunned, Ezhov jumped on his horse and, like an arrow, rushed forward. The wounded young Cormorant remained senseless in place. Father was not up to the son; the general feared that ahead of him, in the woods, there might still be fresh forces of the Highlanders, who would hit the Cossacks who were upset by the leap and victory would be replaced by defeat. In order to prevent such an accident, General Baklanov rushed with a reserve ahead and not only did not stop for a minute over his son, but did not even consider it possible to leave the Cossack with him.
Highlanders were finally defeated. On the return route of the Cossacks, the wounded man was taken to a stretcher made from rush and delivered to the fortress of Grozny. From this wound, the young Cormorants spent almost a year without moving.
Продолжение следует ...
1
I was born in 1809 year from poor parents, was the only son. My father entered the service of a Cossack, rose to the rank of colonel; he was constantly in the regiment, so he could not take care of my upbringing. Mother is a simple woman, without means, she did not think much about teaching me literacy, but my dear grandma announced to me one day that I should go to Kudinovna to study, a competent old woman who took her children to her school.
In her two years, according to the church letter, he wondered az - angel - angelic, from her transferred to the parish sexton: he taught by heart the "Chasovnik", then transferred to the clerk, where the psalter passed.
In 1816, my father, with the rank of Esaula, returned from World War II, and in 1817, he dressed up in Bessarabia in the regiment of Gorbikov: he took me with him.
Upon arrival at the place of service, I was entrusted to the literacy of the hundredth clerk for further science: a year later I went to the regimental clerk.
In 1823, the regiment was sent to the Don.
From 1823 to 1825. He lived in a house, worked on the farm, plowed the land, mowed hay and herd pets, but there was no talk of my literacy. The father, himself a little literate, did not bother to check my knowledge, but was convinced that his son, having passed such famous institutions , under the guidance of the aforementioned healers, was a dock to read and write. In fact, it turned out differently: I could not sign my surname, and I read the books with the greatest difficulty, which was because my tutors, the clerk, did little to me, and I did not have any desire to learn, and I turned round all day and night in the barracks among the Cossacks, eagerly listened to stories about the courage of our ancestors in the Azov and Black Sea, about the Azov seat, and about different episodes in subsequent wars by new generations turned out to be, and under this gonomy often fell asleep with sweet sleep.
In 1825, his father, in the regiment Popov, sent to the Crimea; he took me with him to the regiment's enrollment. Being promoted to consignors, during the queue, during the march, to watch for a hundred, I should write reports in the morning report and sign them, but I could not do either. This unexpected illiteracy struck my father greatly.
Upon arrival in Crimea, he was the first to consider sending me to the city of Feodosia, where the county school was, and the former caretaker of this institution, Fedor Filippovich Burdunov, gave me to study for the agreed price. Thanks to this honest person, in the course of a year of my being with him, I passed all the wisdom that is taught in the county school and was the first of the students; perhaps I would have spent a long time with Burdunov, but my mother, who was left alone in the house, insisted in letters that my father would come with me on vacation and marry me.
My father complied with her request, and together with the marriage, my further learning stopped.
2
In 1828, the Turkish war opened. Our regiment, at the order of the authorities, will be moved to European Turkey. Before the campaign, the former governor-general of Novorossia, Prince Vorontsov, arrived in Crimea; he demanded an officer from the regiment to send dispatches to Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich in Brailov.
The father, after the death of the regiment commander, took him into command, but I was an officer in the regiment.
I was assigned to this trip.
Having received everything necessary to the dispatch, through Moldavia and Wallachia, he arrived in Brailov, having handed over the dispatches, waited ten days for the order to return to the regiment.
One day, before the evening, I hear summoning the hunters to go to the assault. Without discussing what the consequences might be, I declared myself willing to be among them. At midnight, the entire squad of hunters, supported by thick columns of infantry, moved forward; at dawn, we quietly approached the main battery, and with a cry of "Hurray" rushed to the assault ...
What happened next, I can not say for the following reason: when we ran to the ditch, we were lifted up into the air, many were covered with earth, some were carried away from the battery, but I think I had to fly through the air a few fathoms like a bird.
The next day I came to myself, lying in a tent between the wounded.
The assault was unsuccessful; the losses are huge. Five days later, I was discharged from the hospital as recovered, and I received an order to recover to the regiment, which was going to the Riiny place, at the confluence of the Prut River into the Danube. Having waited there for the regiment, I first of all considered to tell my courage to my father in the hope of receiving praise; but alas, instead of praise, my father otdubil me with a whip, saying: "do not poke your nose into the pool, when you are distant from your unit, and with it go into fire and water."
The regiment crossed the Danube in Isakchi; October 22 1828 arrived at Kostenzhi fortress; he took from it the observation line along Troyanov Val to the Blackwaters, higher than Girsov on the Danube; here it remained in the continuation of winter because our troops, which were under Shumla and Silistra, were returning to Moldavia and Wallachia for the winter, leaving strong garrisons in the fortresses we occupied.
The winter was very harsh, and therefore passed peacefully. With the opening of the spring of 1829, the troops wintering on the left side of the Danube moved under Shumlu and Silistria. Our regiment joined the main forces that went to Shumla and throughout the whole year participated in many battles; at the same time I can mention the following case, personally related to me. In July, the army moved from under Shumly through the Balkans. 7 - the number of hunters, I rushed by swimming on a horse across the river Kamchik. Its width does not exceed ten sazhen; under shotguns of twelve Turkish guns standing on the right side of the river, we rushed into the water; many hunters were killed and drowned, but 4 / 5-x, in the number of 2 tons, crossed safely, knocked the Turks out of position and made it possible for our columns to move to the crossing.
For such courage, I received an incentive reward from my father: a few nagak in the back, as if for allowing me to venture on a black horse - not a white one, this one - de was stronger and more reliable, and with a crow could - I drown ; in fact, it was this: my father did not want me to throw myself headlong into all the difficult ones. Having finally understood him and treasured my back, he no longer allowed himself any courage.
From Kamchik moved forward. Turning over the Balkans, July 11, 1829, occupied the city of Misevriyu and Akhiol with battle. 12 July, the regiment of the father sent for reconnaissance to the fortified city of Burgas; near his regiment he was met by Turkish cavalry in 700 man, entered into battle with her, overthrew her and with her broke into the city: ousted the garrison, took possession of the city with a slight loss: the trophies consisted of nskolkoh serf guns and mortars. For such courage, my father received a George 4 degree, a horse was killed under me, and I was the last to enter the fortress.
On August 8, the army, without a fight, occupied the second metropolitan Turkish city of Adrianople, and after making peace, January 8, 1830, the regiment marched to the winter quarters in Rumiliyu.21 April - marched into the Bessarabian region to train border guards on the river Prutu. 14 August 1831, the regiment was released on the Don.
From 1831 to 1834, I lived in a house.
3
In the spring of 1834 of the year, I was sent to the right flank of the Caucasian line, to the regiment of Zhirov, where I stayed before his appearance in 1837 on the Don. In being in the Caucasus, I participated in many affairs with the mountaineers; There were no special differences on my part, coming out of a number of ordinary Cossacks, except perhaps the following: the regiment was located along the Kuban River; in the spring of 1830, according to the orders of Major-General Sass, head of the Kuban line, the regiment was moved in full force behind the Kuban, onto the Chamlyk river. Upon arrival, they began to build a fortification; a month later it was ready. The regiment is located in it. During the construction of his horse grazed over the river, under the cover of one hundred; the mountaineers, saw this mistake, and set out to, by all means, repel the whole herd from the covering hundred; For this purpose, the mountaineers gathered more than 360 people, the most elite horsemen of princes and knights. On the night, under 4 of July, this gang, having crossed the Labu River, secretly going to Chamlyk, stopped below the fortress a half and a half in the forest, with the intention, when they let go of the horse to graze, to hijack all booty with impunity, because There was no one to pursue them. The regiment remained, according to their calculations, all on foot, except for the hundred horsemen covering; but they were bitterly mistaken: along with the regiment's entry into the fortress, the horses were no longer allowed to graze.
In accordance with the established procedure, the centennial commanders on duty on the regiment were to send up and down the river for three miles for the sun, and if, on a tour of the area, there was nothing doubtful, the chiefs of the patrols left pickets at the appointed places, and with the rest of the people returned to fortress 4-th number I was on duty; My hundred had horses saddled, people in ammunition. The sun rose. Rounds are sent. Having left on the battery, I watched them; sent down, crossing the stream of Grynnushka, climbed the heights, descended to Chamlyku; beyond the forest, I could not see what a catastrophe was happening with the passing; after a quarter of an hour, the galloping horseman appeared, surviving from fifteen traveling ones: the rest of the 14 were beaten. Behind him is a huge chain of cavalry. I immediately ordered my hundred to mount horses and went to meet the highlanders; half a mile from the fortress, he met them, but did not enter the battle, considering himself too weak in terms of the number of people: in a hundred no more than a hundred people, so I retreated to the walls of the fortress, waiting for the regiment to appear. The mountaineers, seeing their failure, turned and walked back. The fortress was a terrible mess: everyone ran back and forth, not finding what to do. - A regimental adjutant comes to me, conveys an order to go after the party; I followed in her footsteps, but at a noble distance, choosing at every step an advantageous position, in order to dismount in the event of an attack, stand in a defensive position - this saving method was adopted throughout the Caucasus. The Highlanders crossed Chamlyk, moved to Laba: - between these rivers, Milestones on 25, there is no forest, clean field, and in view of the fortress they rushed at me to checkers; having been ready for this occasion, a hundred dismounted, met the Highlanders with battle fire; for more than half an hour I withstood the attack: I did not have any dead or wounded; people have kept the spirit of hardness, the mountaineers left 20 tel. The party retreated. I went after her at a respectful distance. Passed a mile; the fortress was no longer visible to me. In the space of ten miles, I withstood twelve attacks: I was out of action before the 20 man.
After the seventh attack, I sent the sergeant Nikredin to the regiment commander to ask for reinforcements and say that there were no cartridges in a hundred.
After the tenth attack, Nikredin reports, commanding back to him in a low voice: "Tell the thug if he has no bullets, that is, spikes, but don't let him hope for me."
To my question, is the regiment far from us? Answer: "Your Honor, didn’t come out of the fortress either."
I was amazed by this news. The rain has come pouring. The eleventh attack followed. After the first shots of the shotgun, the minute was critical; fortunately the attack lasted about five minutes. The party retreated. I followed her. Summoning to himself the sub-alternator - officer Polyakov (later killed), he expressed our position to him, adding that both me and his horses are good and we could ride off, but in that case the smaller brothers would remain for the victim Do I honestly die together with the brethren with glory, not seeing shame?
Answer: "I want to die honestly, but I don’t want to live through shame."
Having thanked him, I passed on my following order: the Highlanders are still attacking us and if they meet our resilience, they will immediately retreat; you need to take advantage of the moment: “Listen, the second fifty remains at your disposal, with the first - I will throw at the peaks and, if you see that the mountaineers will be a little crowded, back up with your peaks the very minute; but if you turn me, have time on foot I’m building up, to be in a defensive position; I will join you, and we will be cut on the spot while we are alive. " I was not mistaken. The twelfth attack followed. Having met with unshakable resistance, the mountaineers turned away from us, began to walk. A hundred mounted on horses. Thunder thundered in the distance and its sound was much like the roar of gun wheels. I turned to a hundred with the following words: "Comrades! Hear the rumble of the gun wheels? This regiment hurries to us; the mountaineers are powerless; the guns and pistols are as loony as yours; it descends on the regiment and strangles them like chickens; but that would be nothing, but He will assign all the glory to himself. You exhibited your powerful chest the whole day and you will have nothing to do with it! Stanichniki! Let's not allow them to use our works. Peaks are ready! With God! Go ahead! "
The first fifty crashed into the middle; each Cossack pierced his victim with a pike. This unexpected, our bold prank - struck the highlanders; instead of repelling us, no one grabbed the sword. Polyakov has not lost the moment: with his fifty-fifty he backed me up. The overturned mountaineers rushed in disarray; in the space of the 15 verst, we chased them up to the river Laba. It remains to 300 bodies, no more than 60 people left.
Returning to the regiment, I took the horses scattered in the field, and with the dead I took weapon; None of the Highlanders was taken prisoner because it was difficult to demand from the Cossacks, people furious like lions, mercy to the enemies.
Approaching the fortress, for five miles they met a regiment marching toward us with two field guns. What was the reason on the part of the regiment commander to throw me with a hundred to death - I can not explain.
For this case, I received Vladimir 4 degree; Polyakov - Anna 3 degree.
4
In the interval 1837 g. On 1854g. I was in the training regiment in Novocherkassk, and for three years in Poland, in Rodionov's regiment. In 1845, he was urgently sent to the left flank of the Caucasian line to the regiment Shramkov, from which, by personal order, the deputy governor of the Caucasus, Mikhail Semenovich Vorontsov, took command of 20 regiment, former major. In 1850, the regiment was lowered to the Don, I, at the request of Vorontsov, remained in the Caucasus, took command of the 17 regiment, which replaced the 20.
He commanded the 17 th regiment of the 1853 year, and handed it to lieutenant colonel Polyakov (namesake with my former subaltern - officer in the regiment Zhirov); I myself was assigned to be the commander of the entire cavalry of the left flank, for which reason I moved to the fortress of Grozny.
In April, 1855, according to the order of Commander Muravyov, was demanded to Turkey, under Kars.
About service and affairs on the left flank, as numerous, I stop with a description, and I will point out some more curious cases. From 1845 to 1853, I with my regiment beat off from the highlanders up to 12 thousand cattle and up to 40 thousand sheep; not a single party that descended from the mountains to the Kumyk plane returned without impunity, but was always destroyed and a rare one among them managed to return due to good health. Having the most faithful spies and paying them good money, I always warned in time about the movement of the Highlanders; attacked with my regiment and destroyed so that the mountaineers by the end of 1853 stopped their raids within our limits. The mountaineers called me “Dajal”, translated into Russian as the devil, or an apostate from God.
In December, 1851, the former head of the left flank, Prince Baryatinsky, called me to Grozny, where I received an order from him, to begin the end of the clearing from the fortification of Kura to the Michuku river from January, and clean the forest on the left side as far as possible. At the same time, I must hurry in carrying out these tasks because he, Prince. Baryatinsky, will make a trip from Grozny to Shalinskaya Polyana, will continue the glade to Avtury, from where it will move through Greater Chechnya, Major-Tup to Kurinsk, and let me know in advance about the combat movement so that I can go out to meet with my forces.5 January 1852 I concentrated three battalions of infantry from the fortresses of the Kumyk plane: my No. 17 regiment, the linear Cossack squadron and eight field guns; proceeded to logging; during the month he reached Michuk and, after a battle that lasted two hours, crossed over to the left side; cleared to 16 in February 1852 the forest from the coast to 100, and down the river on 300 to fathoms. 17, the number of troops released by the fortresses for four days to rest, and at noon of the same day from the tower, standing on the mile, let me know: behind Michik, towards Avtury, not only cannon shots are heard, but even battle gunfire. Taking four hundred of my regiment, I drove along the glade to Kochkolykovsky ridge, I heard a strong firefight in Major-Tupe. I realized that Baryatinsky was going to Kurinsk, and as Mayor-Tup from Kurinsk in 15 versts, I’ll probably get a note with the spy during the night to join the connection. At that moment, on the disbanding of the troops, I had three infantry companies left, four hundred Cossacks and one gun, and therefore from those heights I wrote a note in pencil, fortifying Gerzel-Aul, in 15 versts, to Colonel Ktitorev: leave one in the fortress a company, and with two at the gun, speak to me; sent another note to Karagansky post in 17 versts; from it demanded two hundred Cossacks.
Each note was handed to three Cossacks on good horses, tested in courage, with orders to deliver, according to their affiliation, no matter what.
Required portions arrived by midnight. Following them, a scout appeared from Baryatinsky with a note; it says: to rise between the rivers Michuk and the other river at dawn, and to await his detachment. Ten minutes later, my scout appeared and said that Shamil, with all his bunch, before 25.000, stood behind Michuk, against my glade, and strengthened the watchdog chain. The imam was convinced that I would come out to join the detachment, and he would manage in time to prevent my movement.
A local naib with honorable old men — as I learned about it through my spy — came to Shamil with the following words: “Imam! in vain you watch the old fox on the way; she is not as stupid as you think of her; it will not get into your mouth, but will go around in such ways where it is difficult for a mouse to crawl through! ”But Shamil rejected their advice, and did not take any precautions in the side ways.
At two o'clock in the morning, with four mouths, six hundred Cossacks, with two guns, I moved through the Kochkolikovskiy ridge far to the right a clearing, without a road, through a dense forest, so the implements and charging crates were strung through stumps and decks. Having overcome all obstacles, with the rising of the sun I became at the indicated place; uniting with the detachment, with my regiment I went to the forefront. Underpinned by four battalions and eight guns, with the battle mastered the rubble. Having settled in them, he missed the whole detachment, the last to retreat through Michuk, and only by midnight came to Kurinsk.
For taking the rubble, I was awarded George 4 degree; but this reward is bought at the price of the blood of my brothers; from my regiment was killed: the bravest Major Bannikov, to the 70 Cossacks, two officers were wounded and to the 50 Cossacks; three horses were slain under me.
During felling, from January 5 to February 17 1852, the following case occurred: one evening the battalion commanders and officers gathered to drink tea. Among this is my famous spy Alibey. When he entered, I greeted him on the native language:
"Marshudyu" (Hello)
Answer: “Marsh Hilley” (Thank you for your health)
My question is: "not swag? Mot Ali" (What's new? Tell me!)
Suddenly, the whole honest company asked me to ask that the scout was not me, who understood the native language, but through an interpreter, because they were interested in his message, which I, I can hide from them. Unaware of what Alibei came to tell me, I ordered the translator to transmit in Russian: “I came to tell you: Shamil sent a shooter from the mountains, who in 50 sazhens, having thrown an egg to the top, smashes him into a bullet from a rifle; tomorrow you are going to cut wood, you have the habit of constantly traveling to the mound, opposite the battery left behind Michach, here you’ll have this shooter sitting in it, and as soon as you ride the mound he will kill you. I found it necessary to warn about it, and advise — not to go to that mound. ”
Thanking my Alibey, gave him a beshke and released him. With the rising of the sun, the troops stood in the gun. I moved them to Michuku. It must be said that every soldier already knew about Khabar Alibeya; my position was disgusting: not to go to the mound — obviously I had to show that I was afraid, but to go and stand on the mound — to be killed. Some kind of praise came to me: I decided to go to the mound. Not reaching the fathoms with 300, stopped the column; with five messengers went to the frontal place; under the mound stopped them; I took from my veteran my choke; went to the mound; became the face of the battery. I can not hide what was happening to me: the heat, the cold poured over me, and behind my back creeps crawled. Here the rifle flashed on the parapet. A shot followed. The bullet flew to the left without hitting me. The smoke went away. The shooter, seeing me sitting on a horse, sank into the battery. A wave of the hand is visible — it charges; a rifle appeared again; a shot followed: a bullet took to the right, pierced a coat. Shocked by the infidelity of the shots, the shooter jumped up on the parapet and looked at me in surprise. At that moment I took my left foot out of the stirrup and laid it on the horse's mane; leaning with his left hand on his leg, kissed the fitting, made a shot, and my opponent flew back into the battery: the bullet hit the forehead, went to take off. The troops, who stood silently, burst out with a bang, and the Chechens across the river jumped out from behind the rubble broken by the Russian language, mixed with their own, began clapping their hands on “Yaksha (good) Boklu! Good for Boklu! ”
I owe the infidelity of the shots of the shooter to non-peaceful Chechens: when the shooter came to them and began to boast that he would kill Bokla (Boklu - Leo), they told him this: "We heard about you: you break an egg with a rifle , and do you know, the one whom you are bragging to kill, such a shooter, we saw for ourselves — a fly from a rifle kills a fly! besides, they have to tell you: the bullet doesn’t take it, it is known to the devils. Know if you miss, he will surely kill you. "
“Well, all right, said the shooter, I will download the copper bullet; his devils will not save her!
That is the whole reason why the shots were not true; in aiming at me, with upset nerves, the pupils of the eyes expanded and the accuracy of the arrow disappeared.
29 On January 1853, Prince Baryatinsky, with troops from Grozny, came to Kurinsk, and began felling on the Khobi-Shavdon heights, in order to build a fortification. From 6 to February 17, the forest on heights and on the slope to Michuku was cut down. Need to go through Michuk; but its banks, at the confluence of the Ganzovka River, on it, on both sides, drove the sazhen down to eight; on the left side, Shamil with 40,000 is a crowd, with ten guns standing above the shore in batteries made of fascines. An open passage was unthinkable because the loss in the troops could be half the troop, and success is uncertain. Required bypass secretive movement.
February 16, Baryatinsky, in the evening, called me into his tent and said: “Grandfather (as he always called me), going through Michuk open - will entail terrible losses; do you know the whole area, can you get around to the flank of Shamil? ”
I asked him to postpone it for two days in order to find a place above or below, unoccupied by the enemy, through the raids of my regiment. In response, it says: “time is impatient; that very night to find out, and with the dawn you, grandfather, must finally go! ”
Returning to my headquarters, I called upon the famous head of the squad team, detachment Skopin (now the esaul), ordered him to check out the area “eight miles up the river”, come back to dawn and say: is the crossing comfortable, and are there no watchmen? are there Chechens?
Skopin returned and said: "The ferry is satisfactory, there are no guards."
Immediately I went to Baryatinsky, woke him up and passed on good news.
“And how old are you, grandfather, do you need troops?” Asked the prince.
I said: "Let me take the Kura regiment with three battalions, my regiment, the dragoon division, Nizhny Novgorod, the combined Cossack regiment and eight guns."
- "Take it and go with God: hope for you, you will be able to fulfill my mission, but now I will move to Michuk, open artillery fire and with this disguise your movement."
Coming from the book. Baryatinsky, I asked that if I, beyond my aspirations, would be an enemy open and start a business with me, I would not send a single person to the rescue, because it would be a waste of labor, no auxiliary forces would save my squadron, but only increase the loss.
With the dawn, thick fog covered the whole area, at the same time hiding my movement. My detachment moved along the northern slope of the Kochkolyk ridge; having passed the Kura fortification, he turned sharply with his left shoulder and reached the Michuk through the dense forests and ravines: he crossed over unnoticed by anyone and headed down the Michuk. By one in the afternoon, the fog had cleared; Shamil saw me coming to his right flank. Stunned by such an unexpected guest, the imam retreated from Michuk, and Baryatinsky, with all his strength, under my cover, moved across the river. The loss, instead of several thousand, was limited to ten or fifteen dead and wounded lower ranks.
By the way, I will note. The commander of the Kabardian infantry regiment, Colonel Baron Nikolai, received George 4, for courageous bravery: he was the first to descend by rope in Michuk by side of my column. That is truly a saying in the people: do not be born beautiful, but be born happy.
But the real, real example is not only courage, but also complete selflessness: 25 February 1853, in a strong battle at the extermination of the villages of Dengi-Yurt and Ali-Yurt, being a column head and managing troops, I did not pay attention to Shavdonok, a swampy stream: a transition through it without a bridge is inconceivable; the breadth of his sazhen is seven. On the left side of the stumps of felled wood and a deck, from under them a few dozen rifles were sent to me. My famous plastun Skopin, being behind, saw a terrible thunderstorm for me: I jumped forward and stopped in front of me; shots followed: a bullet pierced his right shoulder; Skipin, drenched in blood, did not fall from his horse, and turning to me, said: Your Excellency, this was prepared for you, but I took it upon myself out of envy: I hope you will not be strict with me. Such a case was struck by the entire squad.
Skopin has three insignia of sv. George
In 1857 I was appointed marching chieftain of the Don regiments, with the Caucasian army: at the end of 1859, I was transferred to the Don army, where, by nobility, in 1861, I was elected by the district general of the second military district.
Note: On the numerous exploits of Baklanov, during his Caucasian military life, many stories go. Old Caucasian warriors pass them with special love. Of the many episodes we have heard, we allow ourselves to bring from the notebook one, in which the typical feature of the Caucasian veteran stands out particularly vividly: it is his dedication to duty to complete selflessness. December 19 1853, Baklanov made a fortress from Grozny with a column for felling at near heights. From here, Yakov Petrovich heard ten miles away, between the Sunzha and Argun rivers, at the Chortugaev crossing, a strong gun firing. Leaving the infantry to continue work, the cormorants with cavalry, consisting of 2500 man Cossack regiments, two Don, one linear and division of the Danube troops, went through the woods in the half-career; Passing along the left side of the Argun 6 milest, the detachment met the Highlanders: they marched, in numbers up to 4 t. Horsemen, to Argun from Sunzha. There was a fight. After a short resistance, the whole mass of enemies was overturned and rushed to flee, covering the ground with corpses. At the first moment of the fight, Nikolai Yakovlevich, the eldest son of Baklanov, was badly wounded by a bullet in his left leg. When the son fell, - the father did not see this: he was in the distance, at the head of the reserve, which followed the Cossacks who had rushed at the peaks and drafts, ready to support the daring men every minute. Suddenly, Baklanov’s father came across the commander of the Don regiment — the bravest of the brave — the colonel (now Major-General) Yezhov. The colonel stood on foot and wept. Cormorant with reproach asked: "What does this mean?"
- "Do not you see in the blood of your brave son." - answered Yezhov.
The old warrior, without glancing at his son, fervently approached Colonel Yezhov, “Well, that the Cossack did well, he was in front, but you, Mr. Ezhov, by what right remained over one wounded man, leaving to the mercy of fate entrusted to you eight hundred sons of your regiment? On horseback! To your brave sons! Otherwise, I hack into pieces! ”
Stunned, Ezhov jumped on his horse and, like an arrow, rushed forward. The wounded young Cormorant remained senseless in place. Father was not up to the son; the general feared that ahead of him, in the woods, there might still be fresh forces of the Highlanders, who would hit the Cossacks who were upset by the leap and victory would be replaced by defeat. In order to prevent such an accident, General Baklanov rushed with a reserve ahead and not only did not stop for a minute over his son, but did not even consider it possible to leave the Cossack with him.
Highlanders were finally defeated. On the return route of the Cossacks, the wounded man was taken to a stretcher made from rush and delivered to the fortress of Grozny. From this wound, the young Cormorants spent almost a year without moving.
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