By Oleg Gokov

Russo-Turkish Battle 1877–1878 was the apogee of the Jap Disaster of the 1870s. The aspiration of the Balkan peoples to free themselves from Turkish domination was carefully intertwined with the will of every of the nice powers to alter the scenario on the Balkan Peninsula of their favor and stop the strengthened enemy from getting into. The Russian Empire was no exception, striving for a victorious battle and the creation of formally impartial (however de facto dependent) states on the shores of the Black Sea to make sure management over the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, which opened the best way to the Mediterranean Sea. In consequence, there was a battle of 1877-1878. – one of the crucial militarily profitable wars of Russia within the nineteenth century. One of many most important elements of Russia’s victory on this battle was army intelligence.

The aim of this text is to analyze the intelligence exercise of the corps of officers of the Russian Normal Workers (hereinafter – GS) within the interval from 1856, i.e. with the tip of the Jap or Crimean Battle, till the completion of the Berlin Congress in the summertime of 1878.

It’s essential to notice that the Soviet and Russian army intelligence of this matter is each intensive and small. The primary emphasis within the majority of works on this matter is on participation within the reconnaissance of the Bulgarian inhabitants, furthermore, the overwhelming majority of researchers don’t distinguish between military officers and GSH officers [1]. The actual fact is that there aren’t so many works devoted on to officers of the Normal Workers, they usually appeared primarily within the post-Soviet period. Subsequently, there are many works on the historical past of Russia’s international coverage of the interval into consideration and on the roles of particular person personalities in it. On the identical time, to be trustworthy, GSH officers (excluding N.P. Ignatiev and P.D. Parensova) have a small (if any) place in them. Most frequently, authors don’t point out in any respect the affiliation of this or that officer to the Normal Workers, thereby making a gross mistake. You possibly can learn extra concerning the historical past of GS and its features within the Russian Empire in our dissertation [2]. Right here, it’s essential to notice that within the thought-about interval, the GS as a separate physique existed just for a brief time period (1863-1865), after which it was merged with the inspectorate division on the Predominant Headquarters. After that, the GSH meant a corps of specifically educated officers and the service they carried out.

So, among the many scientific literature that touches on this matter, the primary quantity “Essay on the historical past of Russian international intelligence” [3] is of curiosity. It has a scientific and widespread character. This isn’t a lot a historical past of intelligence as a narrative about particular person individuals engaged on this intelligence. Specifically, that is an essay concerning the actions on the eve of the Russian-Turkish battle of 1877-1878. in Romania and Turkey, the officer GSH P.D. Parensova.

The 2-volume work by M. Alekseeva is at the moment essentially the most complete research on the historical past of Russian army intelligence [4]. Nevertheless, regardless of the big quantity of processed materials, the creator primarily paid consideration to the exploration of the European and Far Jap instructions. On the identical time, the historical past of army intelligence within the Balkans within the nineteenth century is offered fragmentarily, and conclusions concerning the work of intelligence within the early twentieth century are sometimes transferred to the second half of the nineteenth century, though this isn’t solely right, since variations existed.

When writing this text, the creator used revealed official paperwork, letters and memoirs of officers of the Normal Workers of the Russian Military – members within the 1877-1878 battle, in addition to paperwork of the Russian State Army Historic Archive.

Thus, this matter has not discovered correct reflection in historic literature. Nevertheless, it’s sufficiently effectively supplied with sources that permit the researcher to think about it comprehensively.

Initially, it must be famous that within the interval underneath evaluation, the officers of the GS had been officers who graduated from the Nikolaev Academy of GS and had been assigned to GS. Then reforms within the mid-1860s. The Normal Workers was solely one of many departments of the Normal Workers (the central physique of army administration and planning), whose duties included the command of the Normal Workers officers’ service. The latter had been utilized in armies on workers positions, in addition to as army representatives of Russia overseas.

At first, international intelligence within the Balkan territories of the Ottoman Empire was carried out spontaneously. The Ministry of Battle and the Ministry of Overseas Affairs had their very own, usually impartial sources of knowledge, generally interacting, however extra usually competing with one another. Intelligence was primarily carried out by officers from the Ministry of Battle. It must be famous that in response to the Treaty of Paris in 1856, Russia misplaced the fitting to have naval forces on the Black Sea, army arsenals and fortresses on its coast. Neutralization of the Black Sea undermined the positions of empires within the Balkans and the Center East for a very long time, because it misplaced the fitting to patronize the Danube states and Serbia [5]. Subsequently, concurrently with diplomatic efforts to reverse the neutralization of the Black Sea, Russia launched an energetic reconnaissance exercise within the Balkans and in Turkey within the occasion of a potential battle. A particular position right here was assigned to officers of the Normal Workers, who needed to arrange a scientific assortment of knowledge. Intelligence was carried out in varied types: scientific journeys (with the help of the Russian Geographical Society), secret sending of spies. GSH officers infiltrated Bulgarian lands underneath the guise of dervishes, retailers, and monks. Performing legally or illegally, with the assistance of the Bulgarian inhabitants, they collected the required data, together with for the creation of a army operational map of Turkey [6].

Probably the most distinguished individual, who largely decided the international coverage of the Russian Empire on this space, was Main Normal (since 1865 – Lieutenant Normal) GSH N.P. Ignatiev. In July 1864 he was appointed ambassador to Constantinople. In my view, H.P. Ignatiev represented the “motion get together” within the Russian authorities. Within the Balkans, the primary process of diplomacy is H.P. Ignatiev noticed within the restoration of Russia’s positions on this area that it was essential to do away with the narrowly understood precept of defending Orthodoxy and transfer to assist the nationwide liberation aspirations of the Balkan peoples. He thought-about the answer of the strait drawback, the institution of management over them, to be an essential a part of Russia’s international coverage within the Balkans. H.P. Ignatiev believed that the creation of impartial Slavic states within the place of European Christian provinces of the Ottoman Empire within the Balkans was essential to place strain on Turkey [7]. Power and enterprise of the brand new Russian ambassador contributed to the truth that he quickly took a distinguished place within the diplomatic corps of the Turkish capital, successful the sympathy of quite a lot of ministers and Sultan Abdul-Aziza himself.

U.S. Kartsov wrote: “On all of the occasions of that point (1864-1876 – the years of H.P. Ignatieva’s tenure as ambassador – O.G.) his brilliant and highly effective character was imprinted… In each place H.P. Ignatiev would have been an excellent determine, – in Constantinople, the place each individual counts, he quickly acquired a predominant significance. He was referred to as le vice-Sultan; sure, he was actually theirs: Turkish ministers had been afraid of him and had been in his fingers” [8].

With the assistance of Constantinople Christians H.P. Ignatiev created a large community of companies that supplied him with details about the state of the Ottoman Empire and its provinces. He additionally took on the accountability of managing the actions of the Russian officers assigned to survey routes and collect data in varied elements of the Ottoman Empire. For this function H.P. Ignatiev entered into direct contacts with the Caucasian army management on issues associated to the research of the theater of the long run battle [9]. In 1866-1867 with the Caucasus, together with his participation, some GSH officers had been despatched, led by captain A.S. Inexperienced [10]. One of many most important duties was the compilation of a map of European Turkey, which was began within the Caucasian Army District on the finish of 1868 [11]. The overall modifying of its compilation was entrusted to Main-Normal Fosha, with the help of Main-Normal GSH N.N. Obruchev, Colonel Shevelev and Lieutenant Colonel Stubendorf. Supplies from 1828-1832 had been used to create the map, in addition to a survey carried out by officers of the Normal Workers in 1860-1872. [12].

In 1867, within the context of the preparation of the indicated map, Russia proposed to Turkey a joint challenge to measure the meridian arcs from Izmail south to the island of Candia. G.I. Bobrikov wrote in his memoirs: “In 1867, a celebration of surveyor officers was despatched to the Balkan Peninsula to familiarize themselves with the situations of the areas within the two prolonged meridian arcs to the island of Candia. The primary scientific thought belonged to Struve – the chief astronomer of the Pulkovo Observatory; resourceful use of it – to our put up in Constantinople, the adjutant-general H.P. Ignatiev” [13]. The primary objective of the work was to create a map of European Turkey, because the map of the late 1820s. was incomplete and outdated. The Turkish authorities has given consent to the works. In August 1867, the Russian Normal Workers outfitted an expedition underneath the overall management of Captain GSH Kortazzi, which included Captain GSH N.D. Artamonov and Workers Sergeant G.I. Bobrikov. In Turkey, with permission H.P. Ignatieva, they had been joined by lieutenant D.A., who was stationed on the embassy. Skalon and Workers-Captain of the Corps of Army Topographers Bykov [14]. Because the diploma and different measurements had been made in localities identified to the Russian army solely on the premise of questionable data, officers of the Normal Workers made a number of journeys to the inside of the nation as a way to decide the latitude of varied factors close to the Balkans and to attach them alongside the longitude with factors decided on the Danube. As for N.D. Artamonova, then he, along with topographical and different works, was assigned the duty of forming an intelligence community among the many native inhabitants [15]. In consequence, the overall variety of sure factors amounted to 70 titles. These data laid the premise for making a map of European Turkey. The primary work on its publication was assigned to N.D. Artamonova. In 1869, he, having already been made a lieutenant colonel of the GS, visited Turkey a second time underneath the guise of a Cossack officer “to current catalogs of astronomical factors of the Balkan Peninsula, detailed calculations to him and a printed copy of works on the already produced diploma measurement to Izmail and, as well as, to examine the geographical conditions of some factors” [16]. In Turkey N.D. Artamonov traveled from Constantinople by means of Kazanlyk, Zlatitsa and Sofia to Sistova, geographically figuring out 37 factors [17]. After coming back from enterprise journeys, in 1870 he was appointed editor of the version of the tenth map of European Turkey. In 1876, earlier than the Russian-Turkish battle, he completed its publication. This map was essentially the most full of these accessible to the Russian command.

Along with the above strategies for acquiring data by the Russian Army Ministry about what is occurring in Turkey, about its armed forces, technique of communication, and many others., there was one other one – the place of a army agent in Constantinople. It was of an official nature, so the agent was near the court docket, had the chance to freely attend army maneuvers, opinions, particular person provinces of the empire, nevertheless, provided that he obtained authorities permission for this. A army agent loved diplomatic immunity, which allowed him to not concern for his life when performing assignments. Nevertheless, his intelligence actions had their drawbacks. So, being an official, he was always underneath the supervision of the Turks, so he needed to act rigorously in order to not incur suspicion and never be expelled from the nation. Within the 1860s – 1870s. the put up of army agent in Constantinople was occupied by officers of the Caucasian Army District – Colonels of the Normal Workers V.A. Frankini and A.S. Inexperienced.

(to be continued)

Notes

[1] Bulgarian-Russian socio-political relations. 50 – 70s nineteenth century – Chisinau, 1986. – 266 p.; Goranov P., Spasov L. The participation of Bulgarian patriots in Russian intelligence through the liberation battle // Unforgettable feat. Some Elements of the Russo-Turkish Battle of 1877–1878 and the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke. – Lvov, 1980. – S. 41-55; Koev G. Ruskoto army investigations in Starozagorsko // Liberation Battle of 1877–1878. and the position of the Bulgarian militia. – Samara, 1992. – S. 29-32; Kosev Okay., Doinov S. The Liberation Battle of 1877–1878 and the Bulgarian Nationwide Revolution. – Sofia, 1988. – 390s.; Todorov G.D. Roleta in Bulgarian in Russian came upon the prez liberation of the Russian-Turkish battle (1877–1878) // Izvestiya na instituta za istorii BAN. – 1960. – T. 9. – S. 3-565; Ulunyan A.A. The Bulgarian folks and the Russo-Turkish battle of 1877–1878 – M., 1971. – 206 p.

[2] Gokov O.A. The position of officers of the Normal Workers within the implementation of the international coverage of the Russian Empire within the Muslim East within the second half of the nineteenth century: Dissertation for the diploma of candidate of historic sciences. – Kharkov, 2004. – S. 45-79.

[3] Essays on the historical past of Russian international intelligence: In 6 volumes / Ch. ed. EAT. Primakov. – M., 1996. – T. 1. – 240 p.

[4] Alekseev M, Army intelligence of Russia: From Rurik to Nicholas II: In 2 books. – M., 1998. – Ebook. 1. – 398 p.

[5] For extra particulars, see: Narochnitskaya L.I. Russia and the abolition of the neutralization of the Black Sea. 1856-1871 On the historical past of the Jap query. – M., 1989. – 224 p.

[6] Koev P. Ruskoto army investigations in Starozagorsko // Liberation Battle of 1877-1878. and the position of the Bulgarian militia. – Samara, 1992. – S. 29.

[7] Khevrolina V.M. Russian diplomat Depend N.P. Ignatiev // Fashionable and up to date historical past. – 1992. – No. 1. – S. 141-142.

[8] Yu.S. Kartsov. Behind the scenes of diplomacy // Russian antiquity. – 1908. – Prince. 1. – S. 90.

[9] Narochnitskaya L.I. Decree op. – S. 91.

[10] Information of the Russian Geographical Society. – 1867. – T. 3. – No. 10. – P. 12

[11] Notes of the Army Topographic Division of the Normal Workers. – 1870. – Ch. 31. – S. 11.

[12] Historic define of the actions of the corps of army topographers 1822-72. – St. Petersburg, 1872. – S.584-585.

[13] Bobrikov G.I. [Memories of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878] // Russian antiquity. – 1913. – Prince. 3. – S. 488.

[14] Notes of the army topographic division of the Normal Workers. – 1871. – Ch. 32. – S. 5

[15] Starodymov N.A. The courageous intelligence officer Nikolai Artamonov fashioned an intelligence community in Turkey lengthy earlier than the battle // Army Historical past Journal. – 2001. – No. 10. – P. 48.

[16] Ibid. – S. 49.

[17] Notes of the army topographic division of the Normal Workers. – 1871. – Ch. 32. – P. 6.

Supply: Drinovsky assortment / Drinovsky assortment. -2008. – T. 2. – X. – Sofia: Academician vidavnitstvo im. prof. Marina Drinova. – S. 152-160.

Supply of the illustration: Bulgarian pathfinders in Gurko’s detachment. Ritz. N., N. Karazin. – Supply: Vinogradov V.I. Russo-Turkish Battle 1877-1878 and liberation of Bulgaria. – M.: Mysl, 1978. – p. 203.