Betrayal of the Crimean Tatars during the Eastern War 1853-1856
The Crimean Tatars began to assist the English-French-Turkish invaders from their very appearance in Evpatoria. The Allies landed a fairly large army without a wagon train, but could not attack, not having enough horses and carts. Crimean Tatars almost immediately helped the invaders in this matter. Immediately after the landing of the first small detachment in Evpatoria, British officers saw several hundred horses and 350 Tatar carts on the pier. Someone warned the Tatars and organized a collection of vehicles in advance. Apparently, these were Turkish agents. Then the Crimean Tatars began daily to bring tens and hundreds of carts and horses to the Evpatoria region.
The Crimean War allowed the predatory instincts of the Crimean Tatars to appear in all their glory. The new Tatar leadership immediately resolved to rob all the peasants of the non-Muslim faith. The Crimean Tatars immediately began to make up the opportunities that had been lost during the “Russian slavery”. Russian and other Christian populations were plundered.
At the end of 1854, the leader of the nobility of Yevpatoriya district informed Governor Pestel that during the outrage of the Tatars most of the noble economies had been devastated, the working cattle were taken away, and horses and camels were stolen. For example, Popova Karadzha’s estate was completely looted, the losses amounted to 17 thousand rubles. The Tatars took away all the cattle, the harvest, devastated the vineyard and orchard, the fish factory, looted all property, including furniture. Similarly, robbed and other estates.
Another activity of the Crimean Tatars was the issuance of Russian officials to the occupiers. Tokarsky ordered to catch all the officials and Cossacks, promising a raise and a cash reward. Under the pretext of searching for Cossacks, a gang of Hussein conducted searches in the houses of peasants, simultaneously robbing them. Fleeing from the Tatar excesses, many surviving landowners were forced to buy security certificates signed by Ibrahim Pasha. They had to pay considerable money for them.
The stolen cattle were driven to Evpatoria, where it was bought by the invaders, generously paying with fake Turkish banknotes. According to S. Babovich’s calculations, the Crimean Tatars managed to transfer to the enemy up to 50 thousand sheep and up to 15 thousand cattle. The Crimean Tatars acted as foragers of the interventionists. The Crimean Tatar elite instantly forgot about the oaths of loyalty and good deeds on the part of Russia and practically began to obey the invaders. So, the head of Jaminsky brought a detachment to 200 with him to Evpatoria and informed about the desire to join the military units formed by the invaders. The volost foreman of the Kerkulag oblast took state money in the volost board and arrived in Yevpatoria, sworn to Ibrahim Pasha. His example was followed by the whole parish. Almost from all the volosts collectors brought Ibrahim Pasha to 100 thousand rubles in silver. At the same time, Ibrahim Pasha quickly entered the role of “Khan”: he arrogantly and contemptuously treated the local Tatars, beat them and demanded gifts.
Such quickness surprised and alarmed even the French and the British. They wanted to raise the Tatar uprising, and not to produce a thief gang near by. Therefore, Ibrahim Pasha and the "Tatar administration" put the British and French military governors under tight control. It should be noted that the very idea to use the Tatars in combat was born from the French, who had extensive experience in creating native troops. The Ottoman command had no plan, or even thoughts, concerning the political future of the Crimean Tatars and the Crimean Peninsula in the event of victory. The French in this matter proved the Ottomans far-sighted.
Crimean Tatars not only became informers, foragers and robbers, but also the guides and scouts of the invaders. So, in September 1854, an enemy landing force landed in Yalta. At the direction of the Tatars began the robbery of public and private property. The Russian authorities detained many Crimean Tatars, who served the enemy as guides and scouts. Crimean Tatars were actively used for fortification works. Evpatoria was fortified with their efforts, the streets were covered with barricades.
In addition, under the command of British, French and Turkish officers in Evpatoria began to form a special squad of "Askers" of Tatar volunteers. Armed with pikes, sabers, pistols and partly with guns and headed by the Evpatorian mullah, they were used for patrol service around the city and as a garrison. By the end of 1854, the garrison of Evpatoria had already counted up to 10 thousands of Turkish infantry, 300 horsemen and about 5 thousands of Tatars. The British and French there were no more than 700 people. At the same time, Tatar gangs of up to 200-300 numbers roamed the county, ravaged estates, plundered the population. In a short time, a wave of violence spread up to Perekop. Tatar gangs did not pose a threat to the Russian regular troops. However, the Tatars, together with the troops of the invaders, greatly unnerved the Russian command, which could not feel freely in the Crimea.
The total number of Crimean Tatar formations in the service of the interventionists exceeded 10 thousand people. In his order to the commander of the reserve battalion of the Volynsk and Minsk regiments from 10 September 1854, Prince Menshikov pointed out the need to take special care while driving to avoid attacks from both the enemy and the local residents.
However, soon for the betrayal had to pay. 29 September 1854 of the year was approached by the Uhlan division of Lieutenant General Korf. She established a close blockade of the city, breaking off his ties with the county. Food supplies in the city were insignificant, the British and French cared primarily for their own, were not going to supply the Tatars. They were given a handful of crackers per day. Bread prices soared, becoming inaccessible to ordinary Tatars. Hunger began. The Crimean Tatars died in the hundreds. At the same time, the authorities banned from leaving the city on pain of being shot. They assured people that Russians hang all returning Tatars. However, every day people fled to the Russians, not really believing the tales of the new authorities. They knew about the traditional softness and humanity of the Russian imperial authorities.
Distinguished "victims of Russian colonialism" and in Kerch, which the enemy troops occupied in May 1855 year. The local population, having thrown all the property, fled under the protection of Russian troops. Not everyone had time to escape. Dubrovin in "Stories The Crimean War noted: “... traitors Tatars rushed in pursuit, robbed, killed, and terrible atrocities were carried out over young girls. Violence of the Tatars forced the settlers to forget about fatigue and rush for the troops, providing them from danger. ” Of the 12 thousand population, no more than 2 thousand people remained in the city. The Crimean Tatars did not disdain or rob the Christian churches.
It must be said that the enlightened Europeans ”(British and French) were no better than the Crimean Tatars living according to the concepts of primitive time. They robbed no less. (By the way, the Tatars attacked only civilians. There is no data on attacks on the military).
In fairness it is necessary to inform that not all Crimean Tatars turned out to be traitors. Among the representatives of the nobility and the local administration were people who remained loyal to Russia. And the Life Guards Crimean Tatar squadron fought against the allied forces. As part of this elite unit were representatives of generous surnames, such as Shiriny, Argin, Mansoura and others.
Considering that the unrest in Evpatoria district could adversely affect military operations and lead to the expansion of unrest among the Tatars, Prince A. Menshikov ordered the Taurian governor V. I. Pestel to evict all Tatars from the Crimean peninsula who lived along the sea coast from Sevastopol to Perekop. Menshikov informed V. A. Dolgorukov that this measure would be useful, since “the Tatars will consider this a punishment” and will show them that the presence of enemies on the peninsula does not in the least embarrass the government.
Emperor Nicholas approved the idea of Menshikov. However, made a few comments. He urged to pay due attention so that this measure would not cause the death of the innocent, that is, women and children, not to become a reason for the abuse of officials. He also proposed to limit the area of the eviction of the Tatars to the Evpatoria and Perekop districts, without affecting the southern regions, especially if they were not hurt by treason. It was also proposed in the mountains not to carry out this measure, due to the difficulties of the terrain and the possibility of a large-scale uprising.
However, this plan, even in an abbreviated form, was never implemented. 2 March 1855, the sovereign Nikolai Pavlovich died. Before that, Menshikov was removed from command, he was unable to succeed in the fight against enemy troops. Alexander II Nikolaevich, who ascended the throne, was liberal and weakened control over the outskirts, which led to a dangerous uprising in Poland in 1863. Crimean Tatars were forgiven for their betrayal. No measures were taken against the criminals.
In addition, according to the 5 article of the March 18 of the Paris Peace Treaty, signed by 1856, all the warring powers were to give full forgiveness to those subjects who were fighting along with the enemy, were in his service. Thus, the Crimean Tatars were spared from any just retribution for treason. Emperor Alexander II declared an amnesty to the Crimean Tatars who had collaborated with the allies.
It should be noted that after the end of the Eastern war, the Muslim clergy and Turkish agents launched a broad campaign in the Crimea to resettle the Ottoman Empire. Under the influence of this campaign at the end of 1850 - the beginning of 1860-s, a new wave of mass voluntary emigration of the Crimean Tatars to Turkey passed. The Crimean Tatars were afraid of the retribution of the Russian government and did not want to put up with the new defeat. According to the local statistical committee, by the 1863 year more than 140 thousand people had moved to the Ottoman Empire. Those who remained did not reconcile and held a grudge until "better times."
Unfortunately, in the USSR the principle of “proletarian internationalism” prevailed in historical science, therefore the treacherous and unseemly role of the Crimean Tatars during the Eastern (Crimean) War 1853-1856. carefully kept silent. The Crimean Tatars did not suffer any punishment; moreover, they preferred to forget the truth about their betrayal. However, predatory nature can not hide. Next time she will show herself during the 1917 revolution of the year and the Civil War.
Sources:
Dubrovin N.F. The History of the Crimean War and the Defense of Sevastopol. T. 1. SPb. 1900 // http://www.runivers.ru/lib/book3087/.
Crimean Tatars // Pykhalov I. For what Stalin evicted the nations. M., 2013.
M. Masaev. The Crimean Tatars in the Russian Army (1827-1874): from the formation of the Life Guards of the Crimean Tatar squadron to the introduction of universal military service // http://uchebilka.ru/voennoe/127226/index.html.
Masaev MV About the Crimean Tatar population during the Crimean War // Culture of the peoples of the Black Sea region. 2004. No.52. T. 1.
Nadinsky P.N. Essays on the history of the Crimea. Part of 1. Simferopol, 1951.
- Alexander Samsonov
- Robotic parasitic Crimean Khanate and the fight against it
Betrayal of the Crimean Tatars during the Eastern War 1853-1856.
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