- Biography:
Orthodox. From nobles. Graduated from Vladimir Kiev Military Gymnasium. He entered the service on 09/01/1876. He graduated from the 2nd military Konstantinovsky and Mikhailovsky artillery schools (1879). Released by Lieutenant (st. 08/09/1879) in the 20th artillery brigade. Later he served in the 11th and 12th sapper battalions. Graduated from the Nikolaev Engineering Academy (2nd class). Member of the Akhal-Teke expedition of 1879. Lieutenant (st. 12/20/1879). Campaigner 1880-81. Full member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society since 1882. He commanded a company in the 12th engineer battalion (05/20/1884-07/30/1885). Headquarters Captain (Art. 08/16/1884). He graduated from the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff (1888, 1st category). Captain (art. 03/31/1888). Consisted with 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 (Art. 08/30/1892). Art. adjutant of the headquarters of the Amur Military District (08/30/1892-01/30/1893). Headquarters officer for assignments at the headquarters of the troops of the Transcaspian region. (30.01.1893-17.06.1895). Headquarters officer in the management of the 2nd Trans-Caspian Brigade (06/17/1895-11/15/1897). Colonel (pr. 1896; item 03/24/1896; for distinction). He was at the disposal of the Head of Ch. Headquarters (11/15/1897-02/07/1901). In 1897 military adviser in Abyssinia. He served as a licensed commander of the battalion in the Life Guards of the Moscow Regiment (05/18/08/27/1899). Member of the Chinese campaign 1900-01. In 1900 he was chief of staff of the South Manchurian detachment. Major General (pr. 1901; art. 09/14/1900; for military distinctions). Commander of the 2nd brigade of the 31st infantry division (02/07/1901-10/30/1903). Head of the 8th East Siberian Str. Brigade (30.10.1903-22.02.1904). Member of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. Commander of the 8th East Siberian Str. Division (22.02.-17.10.1904). Commander of the 54th Infantry Division (10/17/1904-07/04/1906). In 01.1906, temporary commander of the 8th East Siberian line division, and.d. commandant of the fortress of Vladivostok. He was seconded to Ch. Headquarters (04.07.-07.07.1906). Head of the 22nd Infantry Division (07/07/1906-12/14/1908). Lieutenant General (pr. 1907; art. 04/22/1907; for distinction). Chief head of Kronstadt (12/14/1908-12/31/1910). Commandant of the Kronstadt fortress and Ch. defensive leader. 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 (since 17. 03.1911). Gene. from infantry (project 1913; art. 04/14/1913; for distinction). Member of the campaign in Vost. Prussia in 08.1914. For the extremely unsuccessful leadership of the troops of the corps in the battles 13 (26). 08.-14 (27). A.V. Samsonov was removed from his post. He was in the reserve of ranks at the headquarters of the Minsk Military District (from 08/18/1914). After the delivery of cr. Przemysl in Galicia was appointed its commandant. As of 03.1916 - in the reserve of the ranks of the Minsk Military District, seconded at the disposal of the Chief of the South-Western Front. From 04/09/1916 in the reserve of ranks at the headquarters of the Petrograd Military District. On 07/10/1916 in the same position. Commander of the 18th Siberian Str. 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 at the request of the uniform and pension 05/12/1917. Participated (on behalf of the laity) in the work of the Pre-Council 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 of State Buildings 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. Buried at Volkovo Cemetery. Works: The author of the memoirs "Through Ethiopia to the banks of the White Nile", M. 1979. Variations: The list of senior commanders in 1913 gives the date of birth 02/22/1857; list of the General Staff in 1914 - 25.02.1857.
- Ranks:
- Awards:
- Additional Information:
- Sources:
- East Prussian operation. Collection of documents of 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 07/10/1916. Petrograd, 1916
- List of the General Staff. Corrected on 06/01/1914. Petrograd, 1914
- List of the General Staff. Corrected on 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 officers of the General Staff during the 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 a biographical guide). M. 2004.
- List of generals by seniority. Compiled on 09/01/1904. St. Petersburg, 1904; VP 1914-1917 and PAF 1917. Information provided by Vokhmyanin Valery Konstantinovich (Kharkov)
- Photo from the Scout magazine No. 1274, 04/08/1915
General Staff Lieutenant General, b. in 1859, he was educated in the Vladimir Kiev military. hymn., Konstantinovsky military. and Mikhailovsky artillery. schools, Nikolaev engineer. academy and Nikolaev acad. general staff; ... ... Big biographical encyclopedia
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Artamonov, Leonid Konstantinovich- ARTAMONOV, Leonid Konstantinovich, gene. PC. gene. lieutenant, genus. in 1859 he received his education in the Vladimir Kiev military. hymn., Konstantinovsky military. and Mikhailovsky art. schools, Nikolaev engineer. academy and Nikolaev acad. gene. PC … Military Encyclopedia
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Artamonov is a Russian surname. Known bearers Artamonov, Aleksey Alekseevich Hero of the Soviet Union. Artamonov, Anatoly: Artamonov, Anatoly Anatolyevich film director Artamonov, Anatoly Dmitrievich Governor of Kaluga ... ... Wikipedia
Military Institute (Engineering and Technical) (VI (IT)) Year of foundation 1810 Type military temporary use ... Wikipedia
Military Engineering-Technical University- Military Engineering and Technical University Engineering castle. Main Military Engineering school with 1823, now branch of Russian Museum near VITU Motto Spiritual force and engineering competence ... Wikipedia
Until very recently, we knew almost nothing about Leonid Konstantinovich Artam Onove, who at the very end of the last century visited the then unknown regions of Ethiopia and described what he saw and experienced on the paths he had traveled, spoke about the events in which he happened to take part.
Fate was clearly unfavorable to L. K. Artamonov. A successfully launched military career suddenly ended at its zenith. The works written by him were forgotten, the already typed book about the trip to Ethiopia for political reasons remained unpublished, his reputation was posthumously overshadowed by unfair reviews based on a biased and unfriendly characterization.
In the archives of the Geographical Society of the USSR, only the manuscript of the “Brief Report on the Journey from Addis Ababa to the Detachment of Dajazmatch Tasama to the river. Sobat and further to the river. White Nile". All published information about the expedition of L. K. Artamonov to the White Nile in the previously unexplored regions of Ethiopia and about him himself was limited to a summary of his lecture delivered on November 29, 1899 in the Society of Zealots of Military Knowledge, the publication of the meteorological observations he collected and a brief help in the "Military Encyclopedia", published in 1911, i.e. twenty years before the death of L. K. Artamonov.
In 1952, Yu. D. Dmitrievsky, in a review article about Russian researchers of the nature of Eastern Sudan in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. gave brief information about L. K. Artamonov, and then, on the basis of the manuscript of his "Report", briefly described the data that was new to science of that time, it contains. In essence, the work of I. Kozlovskaya repeats this article. Briefly retells the content of the manuscript of L. K. Artamonov M. V. Wright. Only now, when it was possible to find his reports and notes in the archives, with a certain claim to completeness, it is possible to tell about Leonid Konstantinovich and his travels in Ethiopia. The Central State Military Historical Archive (TsGVIA) has preserved memos, reports and correspondence relating to the expeditions he undertook, as well as a track record brought up to 1913, which significantly supplements the encyclopedic reference. But, of course, the most detailed and valuable information is contained in the writings of L. K. Artamonov himself: firstly, they mentioned the manuscript of the unpublished book “A Brief Report on the Journey from Addis Ababa ...” and two unpublished articles - “How I got into the jungle Africa" and Donets on the White Nile"; secondly, his memoirs, entitled "My autobiography (for my own children)", unfortunately far from complete (brought only up to 1892). LK Artamonov began writing them in December 1928 and worked on them for two years. The last, unfinished, ninth notebook was started on October 29, 1930, and in January 1932 he died. There are also two notebooks with diary entries dated March-May 1916 and January-March 1917 and some personal papers, which make it possible to clarify certain dates of the last years of his life. Let us try to briefly trace the life path of L. K. Artamonov. About his origin, years of childhood and youth, he himself tells in most detail in his autobiography.
Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov was born on February 25, 1859, on the small farm of Kapritsa, received as a dowry by his mother Klavdia Andreevna, nee Nevadovskaya, the daughter of a fairly wealthy landowner. The farm was located near the station of Calm in the Ananyevsky district of the former Kherson province, now the Odessa region.
Father, Konstantin Andreevich, came from the impoverished Russian nobles of the Podolsk province, who moved to Ukraine. He was orphaned early and, due to lack of funds, was forced to leave the Vinnitsa gymnasium without completing the course of study. Having started his service as a postmaster, K. A. Artamonov by 1847 became an assistant chief, and then the head of the border post station in the town of Gusyatin on the river. Zbruch, through which the route to Vienna and Paris ran.
A large family - Leonid Konstantinovich had 7 more brothers and 2 sisters - and very meager incomes (the insignificant salary of the postmaster and the rent received from part of the farm) forced the parents to the strictest economy. The children of the Artamonovs were not much different on weekdays from the children of neighboring peasants. The mother, an intelligent, energetic and economic woman, nevertheless somehow coped with the need and, taking advantage of the fact that influential and dignitary persons passed through the border station, skillfully made acquaintances useful for the arrangement of children.
In 1865, the father of Leonid Konstantinovich, having received a more favorable excise duty, moved with his family to Kamenetz-Podolsky, and then, in 1869, to Gaisin. Having gone through a harsh life school, an honest, hardworking and accurate person, he raised his children in strictness, resorting to physical measures as well. Religion was considered the basis of morality, and all prescribed rituals were strictly observed. Subsequently, the exceptional piety of L. K. Artamonov often served as a pretext for slander and ridicule from colleagues and especially ill-wishers.
In 1869 the boy was sent to a gymnasium in Nemirov. Here L. K. Artamonov studied for only a year. An accidental acquaintance of parents with the assistant to the chief head of military educational institutions, General Korsakov, made it possible for him to be enrolled in the state kosht at the Vladimir Kiev military gymnasium, which was transformed from the cadet corps. The boy was prepared for exams by his elder brother Alexander (died in 1900), later a participant in the famous “Trial of the 193s” (October 1877 - January 1878), sentenced to three years in the Peter and Paul Fortress. With his help, Leonid Konstantinovich passed the exam and in August 1870 was enrolled in the gymnasium, which he successfully completed six years later, receiving an average score of about eleven on a twelve-point system.
General Kuzmin-Karavaev, a servant of the old, Nikolaev persuasion, bourbon and embezzler, was soon in charge of the gymnasium after L. K Artamonov entered it, and was soon replaced by Colonel Pavel Nikolaevich Yushenov, a highly educated artilleryman who devoted himself entirely to the assigned task - the education of future officers. It was the time of liberal reforms carried out by Minister of War D. A. Milyutin. About P. N. Yushenov, L. K. Artamonov retained the warmest memories. Having learned that the boy was more interested in geography than other subjects, more precisely, its section - land survey and his favorite reading - the then published magazine "The World Traveler", he began to write it out specially. “I think that the love of travel, and most importantly, the passionate desire to go everywhere, especially in wild and unexplored countries, was planted and watered by our unforgettable Pavel Nikolayevich Yushenov with his reasonable participation,” admits L. K. Artamonov in his autobiography, recalling the years held in the Kiev military gymnasium.
Education, of course, was carried out in a strictly religious-monarchical spirit, based on the triune formula: "For God, Tsar and Fatherland." And if genuine patriotism and somewhat exaggerated, but sincere religiosity remained unshaken by L. K. Artamonov until the end of his life, then youthful enthusiastic monarchism was replaced, although not clearly, by a critical assessment of the autocracy, in which, of course, life experience played a significant role, and, perhaps, the unfriendly attitude of Nicholas II towards him. In any case, from the gymnasium he took out firm moral principles. The purposefulness, diligence inherent in him, and the Spartan upbringing received in childhood prompted him to persistently continue his education: there were no other ways to “go out to people”.
So, in 1876, having completed a course of study at the gymnasium for seventeen and a half years, L.K. Artamonov decided to choose a military career and, following the example of P.N. Yushenov, become an artilleryman. However, due to the lack of vacancies at the Mikhailovsky Artillery School, he had to enter the 2nd Konstantinovsky Military School (the former so-called Noble Regiment), where teaching was better than in other military educational institutions, and "were preserved, - in his words, - old fighting ... traditions, without exaggerated German martinetism. And here he studied quite successfully, as evidenced by final grades - an average of eleven points. In May 1878, he finally managed to fulfill his intention to become an artilleryman: he was transferred to the senior class of the Mikhailovsky Artillery School, from where he was released as a second lieutenant in the following year, 1879. It was now necessary to choose a place of service.
The financial situation did not allow to seek appointment to the guard. “The desire to see distant, completely new places woke up ... I was attracted not so much by the Transcaucasus and the newly conquered Turkish provinces ... - L.K. Artamonov writes in his memoirs, - as by the North Caucasus sung by Pushkin, Lermontov and Count Tolstoy. I decided to take one of the three vacancies in the 20th artillery brigade, whose headquarters was located in the city of Vladikavkaz, and the batteries were scattered along the highway from Vladikavkaz to the city of Petrovsk.
In August of the following year, already in the rank of lieutenant, the young officer took part in the hostilities for the first time. His battery was included in the exile of the troops of the Transcaspian detachment, sent to capture the fortress of Geok Tepe in the Teke oasis in order to counterbalance English influence in these parts. The detachment was commanded by the hero of the Balkan War of 1877-1878: General M. D. Skobelev. Leonid Konstantinovich took an active part in the battles, in particular in the siege and assault on Geok Tepe. Here he earned his first combat awards, showing himself to be a brave and enterprising officer. Subsequently, even people who spoke of him very unkindly always noted the personal courage and courage of L. K. Artamonov, qualities, as we will see later, organically inherent in him.
At the end of hostilities, L. K. Artamonov was seconded to St. Petersburg to enter the Mikhailovskaya Artillery Academy. Without going through the competition right away, he decided to take an exam at the Nikolaev Engineering Academy, where he studied from April 1882 to October 1883. After graduating from the academy, he was sent to sapper units. For some time already in the rank of captain, he served in Odessa and Sevastopol. But the usual drill, although with a technical bias, the service did not satisfy Leonid Konstantinovich. Therefore, despite the difficulties associated with very serious examination tests, he achieved admission to the Academy of the General Staff, where he studied for two and a half years (September 1885 - March 1888). After passing the final exams in the 1st category for "excellent success in the sciences", he was promoted to captain, and was sent to serve first in the Caucasian military district, and then - in 1890 - in the Transcaspian, i.e. to Central Asia. It was here that the military and administrative activities of L. K. Artamonov unfolded, which, unfortunately, has not yet been fully appreciated.
In 1882, L. K. Artamonov was elected a full member of the Russian Geographical Society for his report on the Akhal-Teke oasis. The interest in geography and geographical research, which originated in the Kiev military gymnasium, intensified. While in the Caucasus, a trip to a mountain village “ignited ... a long-hidden desire to travel around the world, especially in parts of the world unknown and not spoiled by crowds, to see real, grandiose mountains, rivers, seas and even the ocean. In a word, everything that has not yet been possible to see for oneself, but the description of which has always been so ... captivated and captivates. In terms of character and interests, L. K. Artamonov was, obviously, to a much greater extent a research scientist than a military man.
For a decade, almost every year, he went on more or less long trips, both abroad - to Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and to the areas bordering these countries, in order to collect information necessary to strengthen Russia's defense capability in connection with the ongoing intrigues and aggressive aspirations of England in Central Asia. So, at the end of 1888, L. K. Artamonov was sent on an assignment to Turkey to conduct "military statistical studies." A year later, with exactly the same task, he goes to Persian Azerbaijan. Two years later, already on the instructions of the commander of the Transcaspian military district A.N. Kuropatkin, L.K. Artamonov studied the Astrabad region and Northern Khorasan in Iran. As a result of these trips, voluminous volumes appeared, which contained information that have not lost their scientific significance to this day, especially for studying the orography, hydrography, history and economy of the areas he visited. In the northern part of Khorasan, L. K. Artamonov visited places that were marked with a white spot on the then maps (from Mount Sengez to the road to Kuchan) and had not been visited by any European before him.
In Persia, in Mashhad, Leonid Konstantinovich met with a warm welcome at the Russian Consulate General. The consul then was Pyotr Mikhailovich Vlasov, with whom fate later brought him together in Ethiopia.
In the intervals between travels, various assignments were assigned to L. K. Artamonov: he pursued the “robbers” in Kizil-Arvat and Uzun-Su (1892), led the quarantine there during the cholera epidemic (1892), on the Afghan border in Mixed International Commission, as an assistant to the delegate of Russia, was involved in regulating the issue of using the waters of the river. Kushki (1893), participated in maneuvers, reconnaissance of the area and tactical exercises, temporarily acted as chief of staff of the Transcaspian military district, headed various units and formations. In 1896, L. K. Artamonov received the rank of colonel. For the successful completion of tasks, he was repeatedly awarded various orders.
In 1897-1898. L. Artamonov happened to take a direct and rather active part in the events that almost led the then world to war. As the note in the service record says, on February 4, 1897, L. K. Artamonov was “by order of the General Staff, seconded to this headquarters in view of the upcoming assignment to the mission sent to Abyssinia.”
From the end of the 19th century in Russia began to show a certain interest in Ethiopia . He woke up not only because the Ethiopians were considered "brothers in faith", although at that time this circumstance was also of no small importance. It should not be forgotten that tsarist Russia was just as much an imperialist power as its western neighbors.
First of all, Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod merchants were not averse to finding a new market for their goods. Their aspirations found expression in the adventurous attempt of the “Cossack” N. I. Ashinov to establish in 1889 the New Moscow colony in Sagallo on the Red Sea coast, an attempt that ended so quickly and ingloriously under the first salvos of the French cruiser Primangue. Russia had nothing against getting a coal station somewhere on the shores of the Red Sea on the routes leading to its Far Eastern ports, for example, in Rakhait, provided, of course, that this would not cause any complications. Nevertheless, in those specific conditions, the role of Russia in the history of Ethiopia turned out to be positive.
During the first Italo-Ethiopian war, which ended in the crushing defeat of the Italian army at Adua (March 1896), Russia tried both morally and materially to support Ethiopia, in the unity and integrity of which it was interested, since thereby the freedom of action of England in Africa was limited , which to a certain extent connected its aggressive aspirations in Central Asia. No wonder Russia, despite the indignation of the Italian Foreign Ministry, resolutely refused to recognize the legitimacy of the famous 17th article of the Treaty of Ucchialla, which fraudulently turned Ethiopia into a vassal of Italy, and joined the protests of Menelik. By the end of the summer of 1897, a decision was made to establish diplomatic relations with Ethiopia and send a mission to Addis Ababa. It was headed by an experienced diplomat who had worked in Persia for many years, a real state adviser, which, according to the table of ranks, corresponded to Major General, Pyotr Mikhailovich Vlasov. Before the mission left, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave him instructions, which, among other things, stated: “We do not pursue any selfish or mercenary goals in Abyssinia and sympathize with the enterprises of the Negus, the direction of strengthening his power and establishing calm and developing prosperity in his country” . And further: “So far, your main and immediate task is to gain the confidence of the Negus and, if possible, protect him from the intrigues of our political rivals, especially the British, who are pursuing such ambitious and predatory goals.”
Thus, Russia's policy objectively contributed to the preservation of the integrity and independence of Ethiopia. Contemporaries were fully aware of the aims of this policy. So, on November 13, 1896, an article appeared in St. Petersburg Vedomosti, signed by S. D. M. (most likely, Colonel S. D. Molchanov), the conclusions of which boiled down to the following provisions: 1) the Ethiopian empire by itself the nature of things - the enemy of the British and the natural ally of Russia; 2) it is a formidable force and can serve as a serious counterbalance to British influence in Africa; 3) an alliance with Ethiopia is not only beneficial to Russia, but, like the Franco-Russian alliance, is a political necessity. Therefore, Russia is called upon to support it to the best of its ability.
The Russian public, primarily progressive, expressed ardent sympathy for the freedom-loving Ethiopian people, which was clearly manifested in the formation of the Red Cross sanitary detachment, sent in 1896 to Addis Ababa, and the collection of funds to help the wounded and sick Ethiopian soldiers.
As usual in such cases, the diplomatic mission sent to Ethiopia had to be accompanied by a convoy and officers assigned to it. When this became known, General A.N. Kuropatkin, who then commanded the troops of the Transcaspian Military District, sent a letter to the Chief of the General Staff N.N. Obruchev, in which he ardently supported the candidacy of L.K Artamonov. He wrote: “By his moral virtues, energy, abilities, scientific training, independence of character and ability to work, Colonel Artamonov will successfully cope with the difficult task ahead in Africa ... I sent Colonel Artamonov to where there was an urgent need for a reliable worker, to who can be relied upon in every respect.
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 representatives of the authorities and the population, it would seem necessary to entrust such an assignment to an experienced person and a previous service prepared for this.
Of all the officers of the General Staff known to me personally, I recognize Colonel Artamonov as the most suitable.
On the basis of the attitude of N. N. Obruchev to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that followed, the candidacy of L. K. Artamonov was approved, about which Comrade Minister V. N. Lamzdorf informed the General Staff, indicating the status of a colonel in the mission, namely: for “the success of the mission, it is absolutely necessary that P. M. Vlasov, commanded by ... special assignment, be considered our only representative and that all other members of the expedition, including Colonel L. K. Artamonov, be placed in unconditional subordination the head of that one." The General Staff agreed with this, because the note entitled “On the appointment of personnel and on the equipment of the military unit of the diplomatic mission sent to Abyssinia” said: “By agreement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the military, it is proposed to attach another officer of the General Staff to the mission ...
This officer, unconditionally subordinate to the head of the mission, will have to: with his knowledge and consent, and depending on the circumstances, use every opportunity to travel around the country in order to study both the country itself and its population and especially military forces, moreover, in case of separation from this mission officer will be given a small part of the convoy.
On October 19, 1897, the mission headed by P. M. Vlasov departed from Edessa. The mission included an officer of the Life Guards of the Hussar Regiment A.K. Bulatovich, who had already visited Ethiopia in 1896, accompanying a Red Cross detachment sent there by the Russian government after the battle of Adua to help wounded Ethiopian soldiers.
On November 9, the mission landed in Djibouti, then part of France. I had to stay here because of the obstacles imposed by the administration in the purchase of pack animals. Despite the Franco-Russian alliance concluded three years earlier, the colonial authorities were not enthusiastic about the possibility of Russian penetration into Ethiopia. The French resident in Djibouti Lagarde, who at that time had just been appointed French ambassador to Ethiopia, fearing that the mission of P. M. Vlasov would not get ahead of him on the way to the residence of the Negus, hastened his departure to Addis Ababa.
L. K. Artamonov, with his characteristic enterprise, decided to use this time and turned to P. M. Vlasov with a request to assist in organizing a trip along the sea coast to the port of Raheita, which Italy and France, far from platonic, looked at, seeking to establish a protectorate over Raheitsky Sultanate. He knew about a hypothetical project to create a coal station in this harbor to supply Russian ships heading through the Red Sea to the Far East. Not without reason, a year before, the officers of the gunboat "Zaporozhets" made soundings of the bottom and eye survey of the coast there.
P. M. Vlasov, who was distinguished by extreme caution, feared that such a trip would undermine “confidence in the disinterested goals pursued in Abyssinia, thereby making it difficult to fulfill the assigned tasks, especially since the designated staff officer (i.e. L. K. Artamonov. - I. K.) is not sufficiently restrained and cautious in words and is not at all familiar with diplomatic methods and customs.
Despite his fears, as subsequent events showed - quite justified, P. M. Vlasov obtained from the representative of France in Djibouti Manigault, who replaced Lagarde, permission for the trip conceived by the colonel, although he did not hide the possibility of complications with Italy.
We are aware of this expedition from a detailed report by L. K. Artamonov, addressed to the head of the Asian part of the General Staff, Lieutenant General A. P. Protsenko. On November 13, 1897, L.K. Artamonov set off on a felucca from Djibouti to Obock. Describing this path, he sets out his thoughts in connection with the rumor about the possibility of ceding Obok to Russia for the construction of a coal station. As you know, the matter was limited to the project, and the fears of the colonel, who did not at all approve of such an action, turned out to be in vain. Reading the report, one can only be surprised at his observation and efficiency: in less than two days, he collected a lot of valuable information.
From Obok, L. K. Artamonov and his companions set out in a caravan. The road ran along a low coastal terrace, schematically and far from accurately mapped, which apparently prompted him to give a more or less detailed description of the area, briefly mentioning the Danakil tribes that lived here. Having briefly explored Turba Bay, he arrived on November 19 at the residence of the local Sultan Raheitu, where he remained for a day and a half, getting to know the surroundings. Fearing to cause discontent of the French and Italians, the colonel refused topographic surveys, but photographed the area rather diligently; in Raheyggskaya Bay, he checked the survey carried out by officers from the Zaporozhets in 1896, and compiled a legend for it. In the report, he gave a brief description of the area in terms of ease of use for parking ships and as a starting point on the way to the capital of Ethiopia. Further, L. K. Artamonov describes the Raheit Sultanate, whose population, according to rough estimates, did not exceed 15 thousand danakils, divided into clans, a list of which is given. It tells in detail about the Sultan of Raheita Hummed-Muhammed and his relatives, more briefly - about the Sultanate of Aussa and the ruler of the last Mohammed-Amphari.
Sultan Raheity, in a conversation with the colonel, expressed a desire not to have any further business with Italy and to become Russian citizenship. L. K. Artamonov, contrary to the received strict and definite instructions, showed imprudence, supporting this conversation and advising the Sultan to turn to P. M. Vlasov. The negotiations between the colonel and the sultan immediately became known to the French, and as a result, L.K. Artamonov was almost recalled from Ethiopia.
On November 20, the colonel set off on his return journey: the day of the departure of the mission caravan from Djibouti was approaching. The whole journey took 12 days: two of them were spent on moving by sea, seven and a half days had to be walked. About 240 miles were covered under the scorching sun. Returning to Djibouti on November 24, L. K. Artamonov did not find the mission there. On the way to the capital, she settled down five kilometers from the coast in the Ambouli camp. Owing to the obstacles placed by the French administration in the acquisition of camels and mules, as mentioned earlier, the mission was forced to remain until December in the camp of Ambouli, until the pack animals bought in Zeil with the help of the English resident Harrington arrived. On December 21, the caravan reached Dzheldessa. One crossing before this border town at that time, the head of the Ato-Mersha district left to meet the mission. On December 24, the mission entered Harar, where a solemn reception was arranged for it. In the next report sent from here on December 26, L. K. Artamonov mentions both road difficulties and the lack of allocated funds. On the way, they kept records, made barometric and other observations, crouched the places of bivouacs, and compiled a descriptive route. The next report was sent on January 11, 1898 from the Dera tract; it also talked about the difficulties in organizing the caravan and the transportation of goods due to the exorbitant requests of the owners of pack animals and the lack of porters.
Two days later - January 13 - in the tract of the river. Burka L. K. Artamonov draws up another report containing significant information about the actions planned by Menelik II, not suspecting that he will soon have to take an active part in them. The colonel reported that the Negus declared the southern border of his country 2 ° north latitude, the northern one - 14 ° north latitude, and the western - the right bank of the White Nile, on the way to which tribes that were not subject to anyone lived. Menelik was forced to make such a statement by the then prevailing situation on the southwestern and western borders of the country. It was quite clear to Menelik that, in the event of a victory over the Mahdists in Sudan, the British would move further to the borders of his country in order to carry out the construction of the railway they were designing from Kapstadt (Cape Town) to Cairo. From the south, from Uganda, a detachment of Major MacDonald was to come out to join Kitchener's troops in the Sudan. By giving freedom of action to the British, the Negus would thereby jeopardize the independence of his country. Thus, Menelik's desire to assign the specified area to Ethiopia was of a preventive nature and was undoubtedly progressive.
Artamonov wrote that Menelik "collected 200 thousand infantry, cavalry with 40-60 Italian mountain guns ... Abyssinian warriors are brave, courageous soldiers." Italy has extremely limited resources, and its moral and political authority in the eyes of the Abyssinians has fallen sharply. As for England, one should not expect any real opposition from her until the autumn of 1898.
As we now know, L. K. Artamonov in this case turned out to be absolutely right: Kitchener was able to get to Fashoda on the Upper Nile (modern Kodok) in September 1898. According to L. K. Artamonov, France in this part of Africa by military force did not have at all. She was ready to assist Menelik in the implementation of his plans in order to negotiate for herself the exclusive right to trade and exploit the newly conquered countries. Thus, especially if we take into account the difficulties caused by the possibility of movement around the country, namely “the aggravation of the hostile attitude of the local population towards Europeans after the Italo-Abyssinian war, any hostile actions of the colonial powers will meet serious obstacles. All this unties the hands of Menelik, who is making every effort to equip his army.”
In a report sent from the tract of the river. Burk, reports on the deployment of the Ethiopian army formations, on their numbers, and also provides an assessment of the intentions of England, and there are more or less significant differences with the information collected by A.K. Bulatovich. It should be recognized that the predictions of L. K. Artamonov turned out to be more accurate, although they were made earlier. In conclusion, he writes: “The Abyssinians differ from other blacks in Africa by the awakened consciousness of statehood and national pride, close to patriotism. These are undeniable signs of strength and victory. Therefore, I think that Negus Menelik’s plans will be successfully implemented and, perhaps, even this year, Menelik’s troops, led by excellent loyal military leaders, will widely push the limits of his empire, actually occupying the newly annexed regions.
On February 4, 1898, the mission finally arrived at the newly founded residence of the Negus - Addis Ababa - and camped an hour's march from it. The next day, the entry into the capital took place, where the envoys of Russia were given such a solemn meeting that no foreign embassy had ever been honored with before.
At the end of 1897, three expeditionary armies began to implement Menelik's plans: Ras Mekonnyn marched with a 30,000-strong corps to Beni Shangul, Ras Wolde-Giyorgis, the conqueror of Kefa (Kaffa), moved with his troops to the southwest to seize the "no man's" territory adjacent to the lake Rudolf, and then go to the new lines established by Menelik at 2 ° north latitude. He was accompanied by A.K. Bulatovich, who left a detailed description of this campaign . The armies of the dejazmatches Demysse (Demessier) and Tesemma (Tasama) went to the lower reaches of the river. Sobat, in order to reach the banks of the White Nile.
As L. K. Artamonov reported in a report dated March 1, 1898, Menelik, having learned that Tesemma’s detachment included members of the French expedition of C. de Bonchamp, who failed in his attempts to reach the White Nile, asked the envoy of Mr. Vlasov to send to Tasama Russian officer, and asked to instruct him to draw up a map of the occupied country in the White Nile basin. Mr. Vlasov instructed me to fulfill this task, to which Negus Menelik expressed his full consent and made all orders to assist me on the way. G. Vlasov, with a special instruction, forbade me to provide any assistance and give advice to both the French and the Abyssinians, as well as to enter into any conversations of a political nature with them. - In a written instruction given by P. M. Vlasov to L. K. Artamonov, it is said that, since L. K. Artamonov cannot be sufficiently informed “of the political goals and aspirations of both the imperial government and the governments of the powers neighboring Ethiopia in the colonies, I consider it my duty to recommend to you, both on the road and during your stay in ... the detachment, extreme caution and humbly ask you to adhere to the framework of the tasks assigned to you by the General Staff in your work ... without tearing out suspicions. P. M. Vlasov further emphasizes that if L. K. Artamonov’s mode of action causes any diplomatic or political complications, then he abdicates all responsibility “in its entirety” from himself.
Further, L. K. Artamonov writes in his report: “We have to make about 1000 miles from Addis Ababa through a very little explored country, and from Bure already through enemy territory in wartime conditions, where I have to be only an impassive observer studying the Abyssinian army . Return date is May.
It is easy to be convinced from the published “Report” by L. K. Artamonov that he was not a “dispassionate observer”. The return time dragged on for months.
The events that L. K. Artamonov mentions in the “Report” at that time were in the center of everyone's attention
In September 1898 the Fashoda Crisis broke out. The British troops, who were striving to occupy the entire Nile Valley, forced the French expeditionary detachment of J. B. Marchand to leave Fashoda. If dozens, or even hundreds of books and articles are devoted to the Fashoda incident itself, which put England "on the verge of a war with France", then about the episodes that accompanied it, for example, the expedition of C. de Bonchamp, which was supposed to connect at the White Nile with the expedition Zh B. Marchand wrote much less. The Ethiopian archives apparently disappeared during the Italo-Ethiopian war of 1934; some materials were in the possession of Emperor Haile-Syllase, but they were not available. Thus, the “Report” by L. K. Artamonov is probably the only eyewitness account available to historians about the campaign of Tesemma’s army and the detachment he sent to the White Nile. Of the five Europeans who took part in it and reached the banks of the river (three Russians and two Frenchmen - Potter and Fevre), Potter was killed on the way back, and Fevre, as far as is known, did not leave any memories or notes. Naturally, this increases the value of L. K. Artamonov's reports. Of course, one has to regret that they cannot be compared with other sources that tell about the same events. They were compiled under fresh impressions, so they may have reflected the author's emotions caused by the difficulties of the path and personal relationships, not always and not always friendly with everyone.
But be that as it may, only from the “Report” by L. K. Artamonov became known the exact route of the army and the Tesemma reconnaissance detachment, which partially ran through places where no European had ever set foot. These places were first mapped by a Russian officer. Unfortunately, the information he collected has come down to us far from complete. The descriptions of the nature of the Sudan regions from the Abyssinian Highlands along the Sobat to the banks of the White Nile, given in the Report, are accurate and illustrative, despite their brevity; meteorological observations were also carried out here for the first time.
We learn from the "Report" about the life and customs of various sections of the population of Ethiopia at that time, about its internal situation, about the intrigues of the imperialist powers, about their intrigues and rivalry. All this gives L. K. Artamonov's notes the enduring value of the primary source, and, moreover, as we have seen, unique, which, no doubt, historians will repeatedly refer to. At the same time, it should be noted that, paying tribute to the courage of the Ethiopians and correctly noticing the growing sense of national self-consciousness among them, he cannot resist the slight disdain for them, especially for servants, inspired by education and environment, which affects both terminology and epithets.
For several months there was no news from L. K. Artamonov. His last letter, sent on April 9, 1898 from the Bako tract, was received by P. M. Vlasov on June 1. Copies of the reports of P. M. Vlasov to the Foreign Ministry, which he reported about the lack of information about the colonel, were sent to the military ministry. On September 19, A. N. Kuropatkin reported to the Tsar about the disappearance of L. K. Artamonov and asked for permission to send Lieutenant of the Life Guards of the Izmailovsky Regiment Arnoldi to search for him, to which the Tsar agreed.
On October 23, 1898, upon arrival in Port Said, Lieutenant Arnoldi reported to the General Staff that he had met Captain Baratier, who was in Fashoda with Marchand, according to whose stories L.K. Artamonov on June 21 and. Art. reached the confluence of the Sobat and the White Nile as part of the Ethiopian detachment. But the captain did not know anything about his further fate. A month later, Arnoldi arrived in Addis Ababa and, accompanied by ten Ethiopian soldiers attached to him, went in search of L. K. Artamonov, whom he met on December 13, 250 km southwest of Addis Ababa.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, trying to insure against any complications, drew up a certificate for the tsar, and sent a letter to A.N. Kuropatkin. Both documents contained new complaints about the actions of L. K. Artamonov, based on information received from the head of the Russian diplomatic agency in Cairo, to whom Marchand, who was returning to his homeland through Egypt, handed them over. It was about the fact that in the presence of L. K. Artamonov, agreements were concluded between local sheikhs and the French in some settlements, and this caused “energy and decisiveness in the course of action of General Kitchener”, who destroyed the agreements.
However, A. N. Kuropatkin in his resolution noted that “during Artamonov’s business trip to the Tasama detachment, the question of Fashoda was simple: it was assumed that the efforts of three nations were directed at this point: France, England and Abyssinia and that which of them would be the first to reach Fashoda , she will get the right to own this item. Reached the first French people. Only by means of violence are they driven back from there. I was afraid that Artamonov would not prevent the French from taking this point, and would not help the Abyssinians to the detriment of the interests of the French. If, at the request of the French or the Abyssinians, he agreed to be a witness to certain agreements concerning the French or the Abyssinians, then I definitely do not see what he can be reproached with. To certify that this or that act was committed in his presence does not mean to interfere in the political affairs of the French or Abyssinians ... ".
In accordance with this resolution, a response was drawn up at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on December 26, 1898: the actions of L. K. Artamonov were fully justified in it.
Colonel L.K. Artamonov and Lieutenant Arnoldi arrived safely in Addis Ababa on December 16, 1898, but on November 23, L.K. and the French flag, and that the latter was hoisted by him personally. In a report sent from Addis Ababa on December 30, i.e. five days before departure, it is emphasized that "the direction of travel chosen by me turned out to be the most vital and important at the present time, where the most serious interests of England, France and Abyssinia clashed" . Having installed the French flag on the left bank of the Nile, L. K. Artamonov actually intervened in the events on the side of both Ethiopia and France, whose interests in this case coincided. For Ethiopia, France was still a less dangerous potential adversary than England and Italy.
When in January 1899 A. N. Kuropatkin got acquainted with all the reports of L. K. Artamonov, apparently in order to protect him from the attacks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he ordered that a certificate be drawn up for the tsar, and a copy sent to M. N. Muravyov. However, in a response letter, M. N. Muravyov strongly condemned the actions of L. K. Artamonov: on himself a duty that runs directly counter to the instructions received ... A simple retelling of events from the words of Colonel Artamonov himself clearly enough notes how much this staff officer exceeded the instructions given to him, resorting to a step that he had no reason to decide on ” .
We must pay tribute to A.N. Kuropatkin, who, probably under the influence of sympathy, inspired by the courage and determination of an officer well known to him from the Transcaspian military district, wrote on the complaint of M.N. And yet he did well. We must protect him. 20/2".
P. M. Vlasov also showed nobility. When L. K. Artamonov, despite the constant friction between them, turned to him with a request “to provide him with a paper on the results of his activities,” P. M. Vlasov wrote: “Colonel Artamonov endured many severe trials and hardships during the trip and repeatedly subjected his life in danger, than he had to undermine his physical and moral strength, while all this he not only did not lower his dignity as a Russian, but, on the contrary, proved what a Russian officer is capable of, selflessly devoted to the oath, duty of service and loyalty to the throne and fatherland. Energy, courage and readiness to sacrifice one's life for the glory of the Russian name and weapons, shown, for example, during the heroic crossing of the river. The White Nile, with the aim of hoisting the French banner, regardless of the military experience that hit the Abyssinians, had to win the sympathy of Colonel Artamonov not only from the military leaders, but from the whole army, which was a witness to all this, and greatly contributed to raising the prestige of our name among the Ethiopians and to increasing trust and respect for Russia.
Now we can say with confidence that if Colonel Artamonov had not been with the detachment of the Dajazmatch Tasama, the troops of Emperor Menelik would never have seen not only the White Nile, but also the river. Sobata, and the negus himself would forever have a surplus of rights on a legal basis to claim possession of the valley of the right bank ... like France - to take possession of the left bank; so he rendered invaluable services to Menelik and France and at the same time made a brilliant page in the history of the valiant deeds of the Russian army. In May 1899, Menelik awarded L. K. Artamonov the Order of the Ethiopian Star, 2nd degree.
It should be noted that Febvre and Potter in the message to Menelik about the installation of the French flag, sent from Agul on September 17, 1898, did not mention the Russian officer at all. They did not specify by whom exactly the French flag was hoisted, or even attributed this merit to themselves. But when the true state of affairs became public, in an article reporting the departure of L.K. Artamonov to his homeland, which was ridiculed in a newspaper published in Djibouti, it was told about the act of the colonel and both Cossacks. In conclusion, it was concluded that "the Franco-Russian alliance is undoubtedly strong." Articles appeared in the metropolitan press of France and Russia. They praised the courage of a Russian officer. This, apparently, somewhat reassured the Foreign Ministry, especially since there was no protest against his actions on the part of England. The French government awarded L. K. Artamonov, who in 1897 received an officer's cross of the Order of the Legion of Honor, with a large officer's cross of the Order of Nishan.
On March 27, 1899, the colonel, along with his faithful Cossack companions, was received by the tsar. The Cossacks received the insignia of St. Anna. On the personal instructions of the Minister of War, in the note about the audience, placed in the "Russian Invalid", there should not have been any mention of the flag or the French. It was instructed to report that “Colonel Artamonov, being on such and such an expedition and having to cross the Nile for reconnaissance, rushed into the water without warning the lower ranks, who, seeing their boss in the water, immediately rushed after him” . This order, of course, was also caused by reinsurance.
Collected by P. M. Vlasov at the request of the Ministry of War, the testimonies of the persons who were part of the Tesemma expedition about the participation of L. K. Artamonov in it, in general, did not differ from his reports. Of particular interest is the diary of Azzaj Dubbale (Azaja Dubal), the only document of its kind belonging to an Ethiopian. This gave grounds to A. N. Kuropatkin in a report submitted to the Tsar on November 29, 1899, to assert that reports about L. K. Artamonov’s campaign, as well as about his behavior during the campaign, “fully confirmed the previously available information.” He further reported: “As for the risky crossing of Artamonov across the White Nile and setting the French flag, this act, apparently, was appreciated by the representative of French interests in Abyssinia, Mr. Lagarde, and considered one of the proofs of friendly relations between Russia and France » . Attached was an interview given by Lagarde in Djibouti.
Shortly after returning to Russia, L.K. Artamonov made a presentation at the Russian Geographical Society, where, after briefly talking about the results (of the expedition and the materials collected, he petitioned for the award of the Cossacks accompanying him and Lieutenant Arnoldi. All three were awarded small silver medals. L. K. Artamonov was awarded the gold medal named after F. P. Litke. The mineralogical collections he collected were taken for study by specialists. The fate of this collection is unknown. Ethnographic "botanical collections disappeared during the revolution. Despite the fact that the "Report" L. K. Artamonov was prepared for printing, even typed, although not without omissions explained by political considerations, and on the manuscript there was a resolution by A. N. Kuropatkin on its publication with a circulation of 1500 copies, the book was never published.After 25 years, the author noted in a letter to Academician S. F. Oldenburg: “The general part of my journey, prepared for publication, was not published for reasons beyond my control, it seems, more more political, so as not to touch on the big question of Fashoda... In a word, it was the knot of that big politics, which they tried not to talk about. That is why I could not publish my book in a timely manner, and all subsequent events completely slowed down this publication. .
Professor Yu. M. Shokalsky, Chairman of the Russian Geographical Society, highly appreciated the works of L.K. K. Artamonov has been a full member of the Russian Geographical Society since 1882 and is known for his travels in Asian Turkey, Persia, Transcaucasia and Africa, where he made a number of valuable studies and observations. These travels, combined at that time with significant personal dangers, were carried out by L. K. Artamonov with great energy and perseverance in the implementation of the tasks set, which is why they gave noticeable scientific results that contributed to a more complete knowledge of the countries mentioned. At the same time, the trip to Africa should be noted in the sense that here L. K. Artamonov was one of the few Russian geographers who explored this part of the world ... The totality of many years of scientific works of L. K. Artamonov and his travels and geographical research are noticeable distinguish [him] ... among Russian geographers and travelers. Before the start of the First World War, the career of L. K. Artamonov was a continuous ascent through the ranks. In June 1900, he was seconded to the command of the commander of the troops of the Kwantung region, where in 1901 he was promoted to major general.
During the Russo-Japanese War, L. K. Artamonov did not leave the battles from October 1904 to May 1905; he was especially active during the battle of Mukden. His courage was marked by two military orders: her. Stanislav and St. Anna - both 1st degree with swords. At the beginning of 1906 L. K. Artamonov received the responsible post of commandant of the Vladivostok fortress with the rights of the temporary governor-general of the Vladivostok region . In May of the same year, he was recalled to St. Petersburg and appointed commander of the 22nd Infantry Division, and the following year he was promoted to lieutenant general.
Soon he was entrusted with even more responsible positions - first the chief commander of Kronstadt, and then the commandant of the Kronstadt fortress and the chief leader of the defensive work carried out there, which, of course, was facilitated by the military engineering education he received at one time. According to separate deaf mentions in later diaries, his relations with the naval authorities were by no means the most friendly, for reasons not yet clarified. However, the land authorities, apparently, had no complaints against him, because he received the gratitude of the king "for the quick and successful completion of the work called for by a special assignment" and was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir 2nd degree. Either due to disagreements with the sailors, or for other reasons, but four years later - in March 1911 - L.K. Artamonov was transferred back to combat units and appointed commander of the 1st Army Corps, and after another two years he was promoted to generals from infantry, i.e. gave a "full general". Here his career reached its pinnacle. Failure after failure followed.
From the first days of the war of 1914-1918. The 1st Army Corps became part of the 2nd Army of the North-Western Front. It was commanded by General A.V. Samsonov. In the battles that unfolded in East Prussia on August 13 and 14, 1914, the corps was supposed to provide the left flank of the army in the area of Soldau and Uzdau. On the second day, the Germans handed over to the Russian troops on behalf of the commander of the 1st Army Corps, i.e. L. K. Artamonova, false order to withdraw. The same, not suspecting anything about the retreat of his divisions, which opened the flank of the army and ultimately served as one of the reasons for its defeat, reported to A.V. Samsonov about the strength of the positions occupied. The latter, without understanding, removed L. K. Artamonov from command for allegedly false information. The government commission appointed to investigate the death of the 2nd Army completely rehabilitated him .
It is possible that L. K. Artamonov, as the commander of a large formation, was not up to par; perhaps he did not have enough experience or ability for this, or perhaps both. But even the well-known historian of the revolutionary movement in Russia M. K. Lemke, who was at the Main Headquarters at that time, did not deny the personal courage of L. K. Artamonov, although his general judgments about him are biased, unfair and far from flattering. The episode recorded by M. K. Lemke in his diary refers to the evening of the day when L. K. Artamonov was removed from command of the corps: “However, we must give him (L. K. Artamonov. - I. K) justice, he is not devoid of personal courage. Here is the story of an officer of the Life Guards of the Lithuanian Regiment, who personally commanded a company that covered the last bridge near Soldau. Artamonov crossed the bridge and remained with the company, sitting on the ramparts of its trench, watered by artillery. A third of the company had already left, and he sat quietly; then he looked at his watch, said that it was time, the bridge was blown up, and the company began to retreat. Perhaps by this he thought to make amends for the failure of his corps, realizing that his career was over. Subsequently, he was rehabilitated. For a long time after that, L. K. Artamonov could not get a permanent position in a command position. Nicholas II clearly did not favor him. Only just before the collapse of tsarism, in January 1917, L.K. Artamnov was offered command of the 3rd division of the VI Siberian Corps, which I even felt insulted by him, a full general, a former corps commander. However, he did not hold this post for long. Soon after the fall of the autocracy in May 1917, he submitted a letter of resignation “due to illness and shell shock”.
L. K. Artamonov accepted the October Socialist Revolution quite loyally.
From 1918 to 1924, L. K. Artamonov 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 of State Buildings and the Moscow Military Engineering Directorate. From 1927 to 1930 he lived in Novgorod, where he received a significant pension for those times - 400 rubles. Here he began to write his memoirs. He spent the last two years of his life in Leningrad.
Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov died on January 1, 1932 and was buried at the Volkovo cemetery. The surviving works of L. K. Artamonov have enduring scientific value, which fully justifies the characterization given to him by Yu.
The surviving works of L. K. Artamonov collected in the book are published for the first time. They are published from original manuscripts, with the exception of the first article, "How I got into the wilds of Africa", which has come down in a typewritten copy.
The essay “Donets on the White Nile”, written on behalf of the Cossack of the ataman regiment Arkhipov, most likely belongs to L. K. Artamonov. The essay supplements the official "Report" with a number of everyday details and characteristic episodes, and therefore deserves publication.
When publishing the texts, some erroneous and outdated provisions that have no scientific significance are omitted. In proper names, geographical names and terms, as a rule, the transcription of the author is preserved. The introductory article and editor's comments give the currently accepted transcription in almost all cases, except for the spelling of the name Menelik (correctly - Mynilik), which has become widespread.
In the text of L. K. Artamonov, the parentheses belong to the author himself; editorial text enclosed in square brackets; an ellipsis in square brackets [...] indicates an unrecoverable omission or ambiguity in the handwritten text; angle brackets< >passages removed during typesetting by the tsarist censorship and crossed out in the manuscript are marked.
Notes by L. K. Artamonov are marked with asterisks, editor's notes are marked with numbers.
Photos of L. K. Artamonov provided by his daughter M. L. Rickman. The rest of the illustrations are taken from the funds of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the USSR Academy of Sciences. These photographs were taken by Russian travelers who visited Ethiopia at the beginning of the century and are published for the first time.
Photocopies of the articles "How I got into the wilds of Africa" and "Donets on the White Nile" were sent by the author's son - Yu. L. Artamonov. M. L. Rickman handed over for use the notes and diaries of L. K. Artamonov, the location of which was established with the help of M. A. Soldatchenko. To all of these people, I express my sincere gratitude.
I. S. Katsnelson
I first learned about this man many years ago, reading a thin notebook with the memoirs of my grandfather, an officer in the Russian army who participated in the East Prussian operation, which was tragic for the Russian troops. Grandfather then acted as an orderly officer under the head of the 22nd Infantry Division as part of the 1st Army Corps, which was part of the infamous 2nd Army of General Samsonov.
In order to weaken the onslaught of the German troops rushing towards Paris and save the allied France from defeat, the Russian command decided to strike at 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 to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief: Soldau is 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, sounded. 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? Unlikely. For example, in the book published in 2000 by K.A. Zalessky, The First World War. Biographical Encyclopedic Dictionary ”about Artamonov there is neither a separate article, nor even an indication of the date of his death.
His Majesty chance helped to learn 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 banks of the White Nile.
That's how! 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 the same. Before me opened the amazing fate of a Russian officer and general, a talented researcher-geographer, now almost completely forgotten.
Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov was born on February 25, 1859 on a small farm in the Kherson province in 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 at the Vladimir Kiev military gymnasium (at that time the cadet corps were transformed into military gymnasiums), taking the first step towards a military career. Upon graduation, at the age of 17, he entered the 2nd Konstantinovsky Military School, and in 1878 he was transferred to the famous Mikhailovsky Artillery School, graduated from there as a lieutenant and sent to serve in the Caucasus as an artillery battery commander.
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 aim of annexing part of present-day Turkmenistan to Russia. Here, participating in hostilities, including the siege and assault of the Geok-Tepe fortress, Artamonov receives his first military awards, proving himself a brave and enterprising officer.
Upon returning from Turkmenistan, Leonid Konstantinovich entered the Nikolaev Engineering Academy in 1882, from which he graduated the following year. He was 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 of the General Staff, after which he was 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 in the little-studied outskirts of the Russian Empire and in neighboring countries: Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan. “As a result of these trips, voluminous volumes appear that contain information that has not lost its scientific significance to this day, especially for studying the orography, hydrography, history and economy 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 being completed. England and France were especially successful in this, but others are not far behind. As a result, only one independent state remained on the map of Africa - 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 ranks.
The selection of candidates from officers was very strict, and the decisive factor that determined the choice of one of them was a letter from the commander of the Transcaspian 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 care in relations with representatives of the authorities and the population, it would seem necessary to entrust such an assignment to an experienced person and a previous service prepared for this. Of all the officers of the General Staff known to me personally, I recognize Colonel Artamonov as the most suitable.
The issue was resolved, and Leonid Konstantinovich went to Ethiopia. On November 9, 1897, a Russian diplomatic mission landed in the French possession of Djibouti on the coast 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 by no means happy with the appearance of Russians on their territory and put up various obstacles for them. But, despite all the difficulties, the mission nevertheless reached Addis Ababa on February 4, 1898, and the next day entered the capital of Ethiopia, “where such a solemn meeting was arranged for the envoys of Russia, which no foreign embassy had ever been honored with 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 connect its possessions in the south of the African continent with Egypt, even planning to build a trans-African railway from Cape Town to Cairo. The French, on the other hand, 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 tribes that did not obey anyone, and thereby prevent the advance of the British, a detachment of Ethiopian troops was sent to this area, in which there were also two Frenchmen. Apparently, the Negus Menelik II did not really trust them, because he asked the head of the Russian mission to send a “Russian officer” with the detachment, and asked him to entrust him with compiling 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 make about 1000 miles from Addis Ababa through a very little explored country.
At the end of June 1898, the detachment with which Artamonov was located 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 decisiveness and courage of the Russian officer.
As planned, the Ethiopian soldiers hoisted the flag of their country on the right bank. The French, in order to set 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 swim across the river because of its width and the many crocodiles and hippos. Artamonov wrote:
The situation of the French was really miserable: they rushed with their flag first to the natives, then to the Abyssinians, promising a generous reward for that, but everywhere they met a cold refusal; no black people were willing to risk their lives for the interests of white aliens.
The French, finally, with the promise of a piece of canvas, seduced one of the natives, and he, having made a raft 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, in their own words, moment for their fatherland, shamefully chickened out and instead of themselves are 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 rushed into the river (leaving my boots on my bare foot in the swamp). Behind me I heard screams, groans and exclamations: “Oh, Yehud!” - but didn't turn around. After 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! We will not disgrace the Russian name! “Hold on, let’s not disgrace. Help us, God! - answered the Cossacks.
... Finally, the Cossack Arkhipov felt the bottom, screamed. They increased their efforts - and everyone stood with their feet on a viscous, boggy bottom. “Thank God,” we crossed ourselves. We reached the reeds, diving into the deep footprints of the hippos. - Hurrah to the Sovereign Emperor and Russia! And all of us, with the last of our strength, shouted our joyful, victorious “Hurrah!” 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 are loud and joyful to the glory of our great sovereign, the emperor and Russia they began to shout at the top of their lungs “Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah!”… It is impossible to convey the mixed feeling of gratitude to God, joy, pride that cramped our breasts… Then, on behalf of the Sovereign Emperor, we, having hoisted the French flag on solid ground, provided it to France.
The way back for tired people was even more difficult. In addition, crocodiles have already rushed after them, but the swimmers managed to jump out of the water. On land, Ethiopian warriors admired the deed, exclaiming: “Russians are lions! Well done, well done!" And at night, Leonid Konstantinovich became ill from stress, and he lost consciousness.
Colonel L.K. Artamonov with Cossacks Shchedrov and Arkhipov upon their return 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 a gold medal named after F.P. Litke. In 1901 he was promoted to major general.
For skillful actions and courage in the Russian-Japanese war, he was awarded the orders of St. Anna and St. Stanislav - both of the first degree and with swords (which means awarding for military merit), in early 1906 he was appointed to the post of commandant of the most powerful Vladivostok fortress with the rights of the 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 began to command the 1st Army Corps, soon receiving the rank of general from infantry. In this capacity, he met the First World War.
Let us now return again to August 1914 in East Prussia, in 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 special 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, radioed (communication was not properly protected) an order to retreat to the corps, disorganizing 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 his post and placed under investigation. But Russia again rescued France with its victims, and the Russian Minister of War Sukhomlinov said at the same time to the French Ambassador Maurice Palaiologos, who demanded a new offensive by the Russian troops:
Don't forget, 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 centuries-old loans: after all, the lives and blood of Russian soldiers by the standards of “expensive” (they cost Russia very dearly!) Western “friends” are not expensive!
The officer in command of the company that covered 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 shaft of his trench, watered by artillery. A third of the company had already left, and he sat quietly; then he looked at his watch, said that it was time, the bridge was blown up, and the company began to retreat. Perhaps by this he thought to make amends for the failure of his corps, realizing that his career was over.
Although Artamonov was rehabilitated, he no longer held high posts 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 Structures 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 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
- Military figure, traveler, writer. General of Infantry (1913).
- He graduated from the Vladimir Kiev Military Gymnasium (1876), the Konstantinovsky Military School (1878), the Mikhailovsky Artillery School (1878), the Academy of the General Staff (1888). In 1879 he was released as a second lieutenant in the 20th artillery brigade. Participated in the Akhal-Teke expedition (1880-1881).
- From 1888 he served in the Caucasian military district, from 1890 - in the Transcaspian region. He made trips with reconnaissance purposes in the border regions of the Ottoman Empire, Persia, and 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 (the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion). From 1900 he was 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 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 he was the chief commander of Kronstadt, from 1910 he was the commandant of the Kronstadt fortress. From March 1911 he commanded the 1st Army Corps. In August 1914, he was removed from his post for unsuccessful actions in East Prussia. Then he was in the reserve of ranks at the headquarters of the Minsk Military District, 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 Courage", two Persian, two French, Bukhara and Abyssinian orders.
- Author of the books "Conquest of the Turkmen-Tekins by Russian troops under the command of General Skobelev" (1884, 5th edition - 1905), "Persia as our enemy in Transcaucasia" (1889), "Across Afghanistan. Herat province" (1895), " Trip to Persia. Astrabad-Shakhrud region and Northern Khorasan" (parts 1-2, 1894-1897), "Northern Azerbaijan: Military-geographical sketch" (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 Volkovsky Lutheran cemetery.
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