Russian Auxiliary
Corps
on Austrian service
1748-1749
by Vlad Gromoboy
The Convention between Russia and
Maritime Powers had been concluded in the end of 1747 and
was decided that a Corps of 36 000 was to be hired for the
Austrian interests. The treaty was for 5 quarters, from the
1 Feb. 1748 till 1 May 1749, and stated that rented troops
should be paid and maintenance by Russia and Maritime Powers
bound themselves to pay Russia about 2,000,000
Thalers.
The Corps went to Moravia was commanded
by General-Feldzeugmeister Kniaz (Prince) Vasili Repnin,
after his death on July 31, 1748 the commander became his
second-in-command General-Lieutenant Yuri Liven. Corps
consisted of 23 Infantry regiments, 4 coys of horse
grenadiers detached from various dragoon regiments and 400
of Chuguev Cossacks.
Commanding Officer:
General-Feldzeugmeister Kniaz Repnin
1-st Division General-Lieutenant Y.
Liven (second-in-command)
Brigade General-Major Stuart
Ladoga Infantry Regiment
Rostov Infantry Regiment
Murom Infantry Regiment
Kazan Infantry Regiment
Brigade General-Major Saltykov
Azov Infantry Regiment
Belozersk Infantry Regiment
Apsheron Infantry Regiment
Sibir Infantry Regiment
Brigade General-Major Broun
2-nd Moscow Infantry
Regiment
Suzdal Infantry Regiment
Vologda Infantry Regiment
Nizni Novgorod Infantry Regiment
2 coys of horse grenadiers
2 sotnia of Chuguev
Cossacks
2-nd Division General-Lieutenant
Lopukhin
Brigade General-Major Golovin
Pskov Infantry Regiment
Perm Infantry Regiment
Troitck Infantry Regiment
Kiev Infantry Regiment
Brigade General-Major Tcarevich (Crown
Prince) Georgi of Georgia
Narva Infantry Regiment
Tchernigov Infantry Regiment
Nizovski Infantry Regiment
Butyrski Infantry Regiment
Brigade General-Major Voiekov
Vyborg Infantry Regiment
Viasma Infantry Regiment
Riazan Infantry Regiment
2 coys of horse grenadiers
1 sotnia of Chuguev Cossacks
Total strength was about 34-37 000 (see
Table 1)
On November 27, 1747 a new Regulation was
adopted in Russian army and infantry regiments became of 12
companies in 3 battalions but regiments sent to Austria
didn't have time to complete a new, the 3rd, battalion and
stayed of 8 companies in 2 battalions. Regimental strength
after old Regulation of 1731 was 1 566 men, incl. 1 445
combatants. The only difference from old organization in
1748 was regimental artillery. Regiments went on campaign
received double number of pieces: 4 3-pdr guns and 8 6-pdr
mortars (later this innovation was confirmed in the
Regulation of 1756). They were served by 4 cannonier, 8
fusiliers and 12 fourleiter from Artillery Corps, other
crews were from infantry.
Table 1. Corps strength on the May
1, 1748. Report by General-Feldzeugmeister Kniaz Repnin (pg.
177)
Men:
|
Paper Strength
|
Absent
|
Available
|
Ill &
Sick
|
UnderArrest
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Infantry
|
35604
|
1177
|
32290
|
2112
|
26
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Horse grenadiers
|
504
|
82
|
384
|
38
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cossacks
|
458
|
5
|
453
|
2
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Artillery
|
264
|
2
|
259
|
8
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
36835
|
1266
|
33386
|
2160
|
26
|
Horses:
|
Paper
strength
|
Absent
|
Available
|
Ill
|
|
|
|
|
|
Infantry
|
3663
|
38
|
3470
|
106
|
|
|
|
|
|
Horse grenadiers
|
510
|
76
|
427
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cossacks
|
942
|
6
|
936
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
5115
|
120
|
4883
|
118
|
|
|
|
|
|
Losses since Corps crossed Russian
frontier
died - 228, incl.
colonel - 1
captain - 1
other ranks - 226
fled - 414, incl.
medical assistant - 1
regimental profos - 1
sergeant - 2
quartiermeister - 1
fourier - 1
corporal - 6
clerk - 5
other ranks - 394
Cossacks - 3
caught - 22 men.
total losses - 620
Service.
Russian regiments took the field in
January 1748 and by the end of the month gathered near
Polish frontier. On the 1 February the Auxiliary Corps
crossed Russian frontier and since that time the Convention
joined into force. Russians moved through Poland in 3
columns under command of Repnin, Liven and
Lopukhin:
Table 2. Russian columns during
march through Poland.
Column
|
Brigades
|
Number of
Regiments
|
companies of Horse
Grenadiers
|
Chuguev
Cossacks
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Suart, Saltykov
|
8
|
2
|
100
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
Broun,
Golovin
|
8
|
1
|
100
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
Georgiy,
Voeikov
|
7
|
1
|
100
|
|
|
|
|
|
and by May 1748 gathered at Cracow. The first phase of the
campaign was complete.
In the beginning of May Russian troops
were investigated by Imperial and Dutch commissaries and in
June 1748 entered Austrian heritage lands. They were placed
along Prussian frontier and by September 24, 1748 their
location was following (pg. 261):
Liven's Division garrisoned in
Moravia:
around Brag - Rostov &
Nizegorodski reg-s
Prerov district - Kazan, Sibir &
Azov reg-s
in Silesia on the border with Moravia
- Apsheron & Belozersk reg-s
Olmuntz - 2-nd Moscow, Vologda, Suzdal
& Perm reg-s
200 of Cossacks & 3 coys of horse
grenadiers protected Russian communications in
Poland.
Lopukhin's Division garrisoned in
Bohemia. Its dislocation is less known. Maslovski wrote
that Russians stayed in the area close to
Moravia:
Cheslavl district - 4
reg-s
Chrudim district - 4 reg-s
Keniggratz - 2
Russian headquarter was in Koniggratz. A
company of horse grenadiers & 200 Cossacks also stayed
there. A location of 2 regiments is unknown.
The service proceeded easy and in the end
of autumn they started preparing for a back way. Russian
troops left Austrian lands by the end of February 1749 and
reached Russia in the end of April. Auxiliary service was
ended without any actions and battle efforts but Russian
garrisons on Prussian frontier prevented the 3-rd Silesian
war.
Financial
results.
Extract from "Detailed account of
subsidies from Maritime Powers for the march of the Russian
Auxiliary Corps", [1] pg. 266
...
1. March from Russian frontier to the
Upper Silesia - 150 000 Thalers
2. Quarterly maintenance cost - 100 000
Pounds or 430 000 Thalers. Total for 3 quarters - 300 000
Pounds or 1 290 000 Thalers.
3. Additional maintenance cost for winter
quarters (5 months) - 428 000 Thalers
4. Back march from Upper Silesia to the
Russia - 150 000 Thalers
...
So, total Russians would receive 2 018
000 Thalers for their service for 15 months.
Bill (as in original)
... Payments from Maritime Powers to the
Russian Empire
1. For the march from Russian frontier to
the Upper Silesia gained 150 000 Thalers.
2. For the first quarter received 30 000
Thalers less.
For the second quarter received 149
135,63 Thalers less
For the third quarter received 215 000
Thalers less
3. For winterquarters received 13 264,91
Thalers less (from England)
4. For the back march from Upper Silesia
to the Russia gained 75 000 Thalers from England and 37 500
from Holland. The last is due 37 500 Thalers.
Total deficiency in payments is 444
882,40 Thalers
...
I don't find any mention that these debts
were paid in any sources and believe that England and
Holland still are due about 450 000 Thalers to the Russia.
Source
(in Russian):
Maslovski D.F. "Materials on a
History of Russian Army", Vol. II, Moscow, 1890.
Vlad
Gromoboy
|