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