I first learned about this man many years ago, reading a thin notebook with the memories of my grandfather, a Russian army officer who participated in the East Prussian operation, which was tragic for the Russian troops. My grandfather then served as an orderly officer under the head of the 22nd Infantry Division as part of the 1st Army Corps, which was part of the notorious 2nd Army of General Samsonov.
In order to weaken the pressure of the German troops rushing to Paris and save allied France from defeat, the Russian command decided to strike the Germans in East Prussia. The direction of the main attack of Samsonov’s army passed through the small Prussian town of Soldau (Soldau), which was occupied by Russian troops without a fight. “The corps commander, Infantry General Artamonov, sent a telegram Supreme Commander-in-Chief: Soldau at the feet of Your Imperial Highness,” my grandfather wrote in his memoirs.
So the name of the commander of the 1st Army Corps, General Artamonov, was heard. The capture of Soldau was the last success in his career - a brilliant and amazing career... But how many can say something about this man? Hardly. For example, in the book published in 2000 by K.A. Zalessky "First World War. Biographical encyclopedic Dictionary“There is neither a separate article about Artamonov nor even an indication of the date of his death.
His Majesty chance helped me find out more about this man. Once again, rummaging through my home library, I came across a small brochure published in 1979: “L.K. Artamonov. Through Ethiopia to the shores of the White Nile."
That's how it is! Is there a connection here? After all, where is the White Nile, and where is the Prussian Soldau! But Artamanov turned out to be exactly that. The amazing fate of a Russian officer and general, a talented explorer and geographer, now almost completely forgotten, was revealed to me.
Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov was born on February 25, 1859 on a small farm in the Kherson province into a poor large family (besides him there were 7 brothers and 2 sisters). In 1869, he entered the gymnasium of the city of Nemirov, but a year later, thanks to a happy coincidence, he ended up in the Vladimir Kyiv military gymnasium (at that time cadet corps were transformed into military gymnasiums), taking the first step towards military career. Upon completion at the age of 17, he entered the 2nd Konstantinovskoe military school, and in 1878 transferred to the famous Mikhailovskoe artillery school, is released from there as a second lieutenant and sent to serve in the Caucasus as the commander of an artillery battery.
In 1880, the battery commanded by Artamonov was included in the detachment of General M.D. Skobelev, who carried out the so-called 2nd Akhal-Teke expedition with the goal of annexing part of present-day Turkmenistan to Russia. Here, participating in hostilities, including the siege and storming of the Geok-Tepe fortress, Artamonov received his first military awards, proving himself to be a brave and proactive officer.
Upon returning from Turkmenistan, Leonid Konstantinovich entered the Nikolaev Engineering Academy in 1882, from which he graduated the following year. He is elected a full member of the Russian Geographical Society for a report on the Akhal-Teke oasis, and in 1885-1888 he studied at the Academy General Staff, after which he is again sent to serve in the Caucasus, and then to Central Asia.
Here, the young officer of the General Staff Artamonov has to travel a lot, both through little-explored outskirts Russian Empire, and in neighboring countries: Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan. “As a result of these trips, voluminous volumes appeared that contained information that has not lost its scientific significance to this day, especially for the study of orography, hydrography, history and economics of the areas he visited.” In 1896 L.K. Artamonov becomes a colonel, and soon the most amazing journey of his life begins.
End of the 19th century. The colonial division of the world by the leading European powers is ending. England and France have especially succeeded in this, but others are not far behind. As a result, there is only one left on the map of Africa independent state– Ethiopia (Abyssinia), with which Russia decides to establish diplomatic relations and in 1897 sends a mission to Addis Ababa. In addition to diplomats, it was supposed to include several military officials.
The selection of candidate officers was very strict, and the decisive factor in determining the choice of one of them was a letter from the commander of the Trans-Caspian Military District, General A.N. Kuropatkin to the Chief of the General Staff N.N. Obruchev:
In view of the seriousness of the task and the need to treat the military-political study of Abyssinia thoroughly, impartially and with great caution in relations with government officials and the population, it would seem necessary to entrust such an assignment to a person experienced and prepared for this by previous service. Of all the officers of the General Staff personally known to me, I recognize Colonel Artamonov as the most suitable.
The issue was resolved, and Leonid Konstantinovich went to Ethiopia. On November 9, 1897, the Russian diplomatic mission landed in the French possession of Djibouti on the shores of the Gulf of Aden. Although by that time the Franco-Russian alliance, the famous “Entente,” had already existed for three years, the French were not at all happy about the appearance of the Russians on their territory and created various obstacles for them. But, despite all the difficulties, the mission still reached Addis Ababa on February 4, 1898, and the next day entered the capital of Ethiopia, “where the Russian envoys were given such a solemn welcome that no foreign embassy had ever received before.” Here, in the depths of Africa, Russian diplomats and officers found themselves at the epicenter of the struggle between British and French interests.
England sought to unite its possessions in the south African continent with Egypt, even planning to build a trans-African railway from Cape Town to Cairo. The French moved from the west, from the Sahara, with the intention of connecting their West African possessions with colonies on the east coast of the continent. Ethiopia, finding itself at the crossroads of these interests and forced to choose the lesser of two evils, decided to draw the western border of the state along the right bank of the White Nile, agreeing that the French flag would be raised on its left bank.
In order to occupy the territory near the White Nile, inhabited by unsubordinate tribes, and thereby prevent the advance of the British, a detachment of Ethiopian troops was sent to this area, which included two Frenchmen. Apparently, Negus Menelik II did not really trust them, since he asked the head of the Russian mission to also send “a Russian officer with the detachment, and asked to entrust him with drawing up a map of the occupied country in the White Nile basin.” And Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov, together with two Don Cossacks, Arkhipov and Shchedrov, set off, writing in his report:
We have to travel about 1000 miles from Addis Ababa through a very little explored country.
At the end of June 1898, the detachment with Artamonov reached the White Nile at the confluence of the Sobat River, where the Sudanese city of Malakal is now located. And then an event occurred that showed the determination and courage of the Russian officer.
As planned, Ethiopian soldiers hoisted the flag of their country on the right bank. The French, in order to plant their flag, needed to cross to the other side of the river, but there were no means of crossing nearby, and no one dared to cross the river by swimming because of its width and the many crocodiles and hippos. Artamonov wrote:
The position of the French was truly pitiful: they rushed with their flag first to the natives, then to the Abyssinians, promising a generous reward for this, but everywhere they met cold refusal; none of the black people wanted to risk their lives for the interests of white aliens.
The French finally seduced one of the natives with promises of a piece of canvas, and he, making a raft out of straw, entered the water. And then the unexpected happened. Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov spoke about it this way:
The French, arrogant and absurd, who caused us a lot of trouble, now at an important moment, in their own words, for their fatherland, shamefully became cowardly and instead of themselves sent with the French flag to risk their lives and take over the country (!) the poor hungry savage Yambo, seducing him with a piece of canvas ; ...the fallen prestige of the white man now falls even lower.
I quickly crossed myself, tore off my shirt and threw myself into the river (leaving my boots on my bare feet in the swamp). Behind me I heard screams, groans and exclamations: “Oh, Yehud!” – but didn’t turn around. After about two minutes of intense work, I hear my fellow Cossacks catching up with me. “Hold on, guys, in the name of God and the glory of Russia! Let’s not disgrace the Russian name!” - “We hold on, we won’t be put to shame. Help us, God! - answered the Cossacks.
...Finally, the Cossack Arkhipov felt the bottom and screamed. They added more effort - and everyone stood with their feet on the viscous, muddy bottom. “Thank God,” we crossed ourselves. We reached the reeds, diving into the deep tracks of hippopotamuses. “Hurray for the Emperor and Russia!” And all of us, with our last strength, shouted our joyful, victorious “Hurray!” three times... We looked back - the figures of people on the other bank were barely visible... And now, on the left bank of the White Nile, we loudly and joyfully in honor of our great sovereign, the Emperor and Russia they began to shout at the top of their lungs, “Hurray, hurray, hurray!”... It is impossible to convey the mixed feeling of gratitude to God, joy, pride that pressed our chests... Then, on behalf of the Emperor, we, having hoisted the French flag on solid ground, provided it to France.
The return journey for tired people turned out to be even more difficult. In addition, crocodiles had already rushed after them, but the swimmers managed to jump out of the water. On land, the Ethiopian warriors admired the act, exclaiming: “The Russians are lions! Well done, well done!” And at night, Leonid Konstantinovich became ill from tension, and he lost consciousness.
Colonel L.K. Artamonov with the Cossacks Shchedrov and Arkhipov upon returning from Africa (1899)
Upon returning to his homeland, Artamonov, along with the Cossacks, was received by the emperor. He made a report on the expedition to the Russian Geographical Society, receiving for his research gold medal named after F.P. Litke. In 1901 he was promoted to major general.
For his skillful actions and courage in the Russo-Japanese War, he was awarded the Orders of St. Anne and St. Stanislav - both first class and with swords (which means an award for military merit); at the beginning of 1906, he was appointed to the post of commandant of the powerful Vladivostok fortress with rights of interim Governor-General of the Vladivostok region, and in May of the same year he was appointed head of the 22nd infantry division and a year later promoted to lieutenant general. In 1911, he became commander of the 1st Army Corps, soon receiving the rank of general from the infantry. In this capacity he met the First World War.
Let us now return again to August 1914 in East Prussia, to the small town of Soldau. It was in its vicinity that one of the largest tragedies in the history of the Russian army unfolded. I will not analyze the causes of this tragedy: mountains of specialized literature have been written about this. However, one of the reasons was that the Germans, on behalf of the commander of the 1st Army Corps, General Artamonov, transmitted by radio (the communication was not properly protected) an order to units of the corps to retreat, causing disorganization in the Russian troops. Commander of the 2nd Army, General A.V. Samsonov shot himself, not wanting to be captured, General Dushkevich took over his duties, and Artamonov was removed from office and put under investigation. But Russia again rescued France with its sacrifices, and the Russian Minister of War Sukhomlinov said at the same time to the French Ambassador Maurice Paleologue, who demanded a new offensive by Russian troops:
Do not forget, Mr. Ambassador, that we have already sacrificed the lives of 110,000 soldiers at Soldau to help the French army.
However, now all this has been forgotten, and Russia is paying off debts to France on loans from a hundred years ago: after all, the lives and blood of Russian soldiers by the standards of “expensive” (they cost Russia very dearly!) Western “friends” are not worth much!
The officer who commanded the company covering the last bridge near Soldau spoke about the behavior of Leonid Konstantinovich at the most critical moment of the battle:
Artamonov crossed the bridge and remained with the company, sitting on the rampart of his trench, watered by artillery. A third of the company had already dropped out, but he sat quietly; then he looked at his watch and said that it was time, the bridge was blown up, and the company began to retreat. Perhaps with this he thought to make up for the failure of his corps, realizing that his career was over.
Although Artamonov was rehabilitated, he no longer held high positions and retired in May 1917. He took the October Revolution calmly, from 1918 to 1921 he worked in the statistical department of the Moscow City Council, and then until 1927 as an engineer in the Moscow Committee of State Constructions and the Moscow Military Engineering Directorate, after which he retired and settled in Novgorod. For the last two years he lived in Leningrad, where he died on January 1, 1932.
And the notes of Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov about his journey to the great African river, to places where he was not only the first Russian, but also, probably, the first European, were first published only in 1979 in the brochure that I have already mentioned. It is possible that this is, in general, the only publication about him.
Vladimir Agte,
member of the Union of Journalists of Russia
- Biography:
Orthodox. From the nobles. Graduated from the Vladimir Kyiv Military Gymnasium. Entered service on September 1, 1876. He graduated from the 2nd military Konstantinovsky and Mikhailovsky artillery schools (1879). Released as Second Lieutenant (08/09/1879) to the 20th Artillery Brigade. Later he served in the 11th and 12th engineer battalions. Graduated from the Nikolaev Engineering Academy (2nd category). Member of the Ahal-Tekin expedition of 1879. Lieutenant (Art. 12/20/1879). Campaigner 1880-81. Full member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society since 1882. Commanded a company in the 12th engineer battalion (05/20/1884-07/30/1885). Staff Captain (08/16/1884). Graduated from the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff (1888; 1st category). Captain (Art. 03/31/1888). He was a member of the Caucasian Military District. Art. adjutant of the headquarters of the 1st Caucasian Kaz. divisions (11/26/1888-06/22/1889). Chief officer for assignments at the headquarters of the Caucasian Military District (06/22/1889-05/26/1890). Chief officer for assignments at the headquarters of the troops of the Transcaspian region. (05/26/1890-08/30/1892). Lieutenant Colonel (08/30/1892). Art. adjutant of the headquarters of the Amur Military District (08/30/1892-01/30/1893). Staff officer for assignments at the headquarters of the troops of the Transcaspian region. (01/30/1893-06/17/1895). Staff officer at the command of the 2nd Transcaspian brigade (06/17/1895-11/15/1897). Colonel (pr. 1896; art. 03/24/1896; for distinction). Was at the disposal of the Chief. Headquarters (11/15/1897-02/07/1901). In 1897, military adviser in Abyssinia. He served his qualification command of the battalion in the Life Guards Moscow Regiment (05/18/08/27/1899). Participant of the Chinese campaign 1900-01. In 1900, chief of staff of the South Manchurian detachment. Major General (Project 1901; Art. 09/14/1900; for military distinction). Commander of the 2nd Brigade of the 31st Infantry Division (02/07/1901-10/30/1903). Head of the 8th East Siberian Brigade (10/30/1903-02/22/1904). Participant in the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905. Commander of the 8th East Siberian Infantry Division (02/22/10/17/1904). Commander of the 54th Infantry Division (10/17/1904-07/04/1906). In 01.1906, temporary commander of the 8th East Siberian Infantry Division, acting. Commandant of the Vladivostok fortress. Was seconded to Chief. Headquarters (04.07.-07.07.1906). Chief of the 22nd Infantry Division (07.07.1906-14.12.1908). Lieutenant General (pr. 1907; art. 04/22/1907; for distinction). Chief commander of Kronstadt (12/14/1908-12/31/1910). Commandant of the Kronstadt Fortress and Chief. head of defense works in Kronstadt (12/31/1910-03/05/1911). Commander of the 16th Army Corps (03/05/03/17/1911). Commander of the 1st Army Corps (from 17. 03.1911). Gene. from infantry (pr. 1913; art. 04/14/1913; for distinction). Participant of the campaign in Vost. Prussia in 08.1914. For extremely unsuccessful leadership of the corps troops in the battles of 08/13/26/1914 at Uzdau and Soldau on 08/15/28/1914 by order of the 2nd Army, General. A.V. Samsonov was removed from office. He was in the reserve of ranks at the headquarters of the Minsk Military District (from 08/18/1914). After passing the exam. Przemysl in Galicia was appointed its commandant. As of 03.1916 - in the reserve of ranks of the Minsk Military District, seconded to the disposal of the Chief of the troops of the Southwestern Front. From 04/09/1916 in the reserve of ranks at the headquarters of the Petrograd Military District. On July 10, 1916 in the same position. Commander of the 18th Siberian Infantry Division (29.01.-12.04.1917). From 04/19/1917 he was in the reserve of ranks at the headquarters of the Dvina Military District. Dismissed from service upon request with a uniform and pension on 05/12/1917. Participated (from the laity) in the work of the Pre-Conciliar Council and elected the Patriarch of the Holy Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1917-1918. From 1918 to 1924 he worked in Soviet institutions in Moscow: until 1921 in the statistical department of the Moscow City Council, and then as an engineer in the Moscow Committee for State Constructions and the Moscow Military Engineering Directorate. In 04.1922 he was arrested. From 1927 to 1930 he lived in Novgorod, where he was given a significant pension for those times - 400 rubles. He spent the last two years of his life in Leningrad, where he died. He was buried in the Volkov cemetery. Works: Author of the memoirs “Through Ethiopia to the Shores of the White Nile,” M. 1979. Discrepancies: The list of senior commanders of 1913 gives the date of birth as 02/22/1857; list of the General Staff 1914 - 02/25/1857.
- Ranks:
- Awards:
- Additional Information:
- Sources:
- East Prussian operation. Collection of documents from the world imperialist war on the Russian front (1914-1917). M., 1939.
- Zalessky K.A. Who was who in the First World War. M., 2003.
- List of senior military commanders, chiefs of staff: districts, corps and divisions and commanders of individual combat units. Saint Petersburg. Military Printing House. 1913.
- List of generals by seniority. Compiled on 04/15/1914. Petrograd, 1914
- List of generals by seniority. Compiled on July 10, 1916. Petrograd, 1916
- List of the General Staff. Corrected to 06/01/1914. Petrograd, 1914
- List of the General Staff. Corrected to 01/01/1916. Petrograd, 1916
- List of the General Staff. Corrected on 01/03/1917. Petrograd, 1917
- List of the General Staff. Corrected on 03/01/1918/Ganin A.V. Corps of General Staff officers during the years Civil War 1917-1922 M., 2010.
- OK. Artamonov and his journey to the White Nile (http://www.vostlit.info/Texts/Dokumenty/Aethiopien/Artamonov/framepred.htm)
- Egorov N.D. Russian generals on the eve of the Civil War (Materials for the biographical reference book). M. 2004.
- List of generals by seniority. Compiled on 09/01/1904. St. Petersburg, 1904; VP 1914-1917 and PAF 1917. Information provided by Valery Konstantinovich Vokhmyanin (Kharkov)
- Photo from Scout magazine No. 1274, 04/08/1915
Born on February 25, 1859 in the village of Kapritsa, Ananyevsky district, Kherson province. He graduated from the Vladimir Kyiv Military Gymnasium, the Konstantinovsky and Mikhailovsky Artillery Schools (1879, released as a second lieutenant in the 20th Artillery Brigade). Member of the Ahal-Tekin expedition of 1880-1881. In 1883 he completed his studies at the Nikolaev Engineering Academy, now the Military Engineering and Technical University, and served in sapper units in Nikolaev and Odessa. At the end Nikolaev Academy The General Staff in 1888 was sent to serve in the Caucasian Military District, and in 1890 - in the Trans-Caspian region. He made repeated trips for reconnaissance purposes to the border regions of Turkey (1888), Persia (1889, 1891), and Afghanistan (1893). In 1896 he received the rank of colonel. In 1897, he was appointed head of the convoy of the Russian mission in Abyssinia; as a military adviser and representative of Negus Menelik II, in 1898 he made a successful military expedition to the White Nile with Abyssinian troops opposing British colonial expansion. Participant of the Chinese campaign against the Boxers 1899-1901. Since 1900, chief of staff of the South Manchurian detachment. Since 1901, major general, commander of the 2nd brigade of the 31st infantry division. Participant in the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905. In 1904, head of the 8th East Siberian Rifle Division, 54th Infantry Division. In January 1906, temporary commander of the 8th East Siberian Rifle Division, acting. Commandant of the Vladivostok fortress. From July 7, 1906 to December 14, 1908, head of the 22nd Infantry Division. Lieutenant General (1907). Since December 1907 Chief Commander of Kronstadt. From March 5, 1911 he commanded the 16th army corps. From March 17, 1911 he commanded the 1st Army Corps. General of Infantry (1913). On August 18, 1914 he was removed from office after unsuccessful actions in East Prussia. Since 1914 in the reserve of ranks at the headquarters of the Minsk Military District. Since 1916 in the reserve of ranks at the headquarters of the Petrograd Military District. From January 29 to April 12, 1917 he commanded the 18th Siberian Rifle Division.
Full member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society since 1882.
He had the Order of St. Stanislav 3rd class with swords and bow (1881); St. Anna 4th degree (1881); St. Anna 3rd class with swords and bow (1882); St. Vladimir 3rd degree (1899); Golden weapon with the inscription “For bravery” (1901); St. Stanislav 1st class with swords (1904); St. Anna 1st class with swords (1905); St. Vladimir 2nd degree (December 9, 1909); White Eagle (December 6, 1913); St. Alexander Nevsky (March 16, 1916) and Abyssinian Ethiopian Star 2nd class. (1900).
After October revolution lived in Moscow, worked in the Moscow City Council, from 1927 to 1930 he lived in Novgorod, from 1930 - in Leningrad. He died on January 1, 1932, and was buried at the Volkovskoye cemetery in Leningrad.
Selected bibliography
- Serbian Armed Forces. St. Petersburg, 1911
- Persia as our enemy in Transcaucasia. Tiflis, 1889
- In Afghanistan. Herat province, Askhabad, 1895
- Trip to Persia. Astrabad-Shahrud region and North Khorasan. In 3 parts. Tiflis, 1894-1897
- Collection of routes in the Olty-Saganlug-Erzerum area, Tiflis, 1890
- Military-geographical sketch of Northern Azerbaijan, Tiflis, 1890
- Through Ethiopia to the banks of the White Nile. M., 1979
As a leading editor, he worked on multi-volume publications:
- Collection of materials on the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa. St. Petersburg, 1899-1902
- Collection of materials on China and the fight against the rebellious movement of the “Big Fists”. St. Petersburg, 1900
Awards
- Order of St. Stanislaus, 3rd class. (1881);
- Order of St. Anne 4th class. (1881);
- Order of St. Anne 3rd class. (1882);
- Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd class. (1899);
- Golden weapon "For bravery" (1901);
- Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st class. (1904);
- Order of St. Anne 1st class. (1905);
- Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd class. (1909);
- Order of the White Eagle (1913);
- Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (1916).
- Military leader, traveler, writer. General of Infantry (1913).
- He graduated from the Vladimir Kyiv Military Gymnasium (1876), the Konstantinovsky Military School (1878), the Mikhailovsky Artillery School (1878), and the Academy of the General Staff (1888). In 1879 he was released as a second lieutenant in the 20th Artillery Brigade. Participated in the Ahal-Tekin expedition (1880-1881).
- From 1888 he served in the Caucasus Military District, from 1890 - in the Trans-Caspian region. Made late trips for reconnaissance purposes in the border areas Ottoman Empire, Persia, Afghanistan.
- Since 1897, at the disposal of the Chief of the General Staff, he was appointed head of the convoy of the Russian mission in Abyssinia. In 1898 he made a military expedition with the troops of Abyssinia to the White Nile. As a result, the borders of Abyssinia were recognized by all colonial powers.
- In 1899-1901 participated in the Chinese campaign (suppression of the Boxer Rebellion). Since 1900 he was the chief of staff of the South Manchurian detachment. From 1901 he commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 31st Infantry Division, from 1903 - the head of the 8th East Siberian Rifle Brigade (then a division), from 1904 - the 54th Infantry Division, from 1906 - the 22nd Infantry Division. Participated in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.
- From December 1907 - chief commander of Kronstadt, from 1910 - commandant of the Kronstadt fortress. From March 1911 he commanded the 1st Army Corps. In August 1914 he was removed from office for unsuccessful actions in East Prussia. Then he was in the reserve ranks at the headquarters of the Minsk Military District, and from 1916 - at the headquarters of the Petrograd Military District. In January - April 1917 he commanded the 18th Siberian Rifle Division. Since May 1917 - retired.
- From 1918 to 1924 worked in Soviet institutions in Moscow, then retired.
- He was awarded nine Russian orders up to the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (1916), a golden weapon with the inscription “For Bravery,” two Persian, two French, Bukhara and Abyssinian orders.
- Author of the books “The Conquest of the Turkmens-Tekins by Russian Troops under the Command of General Skobelev” (1884, 5th ed. - 1905), “Persia as Our Enemy in Transcaucasia” (1889), “Across Afghanistan. Herat Province” (1895), “ Trip to Persia. Astrabad-Shakhrud region and Northern Khorosan" (parts 1-2, 1894-1897), "Northern Azerbaijan: Military-geographical essay" (1890), etc. In 1979, his work "Through Ethiopia to the Shores" was published. White Nile."
- Brother of military leaders Major General Maximilian Konstantinovich (b. 1854) and Lieutenant General Mikhail Konstantinovich (b. 1857) Artamonov.
- Died January 1, 1932. He was buried at the Volkovskoye Lutheran Cemetery.
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