Kazakh campaigns of 1843–1844

Russian campaigns against the Kazakh Khanate
Part of Rebellion of Kenesary Kasymov and the Russian conquest of Central Asia
Date 1843—1844 Location Kazakh Khanate Result First campaign: Inconclusive Second campaign: Kazakh victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire	Kazakh Khanate
Commanders and leaders
Nicholas I Vladimir Obruchev Fedot Bizyanov Military foreman Lebedev Ağa Sultans Apollon Zhemchuzhnikov Akhmet Jantorin Colonel Dunikovsky Baimakhambet Aichuvakov Grigory Gens	Kenesary Khan
Strength
1900 (July 1843) 5,000 or 25,000-30,000 (August 1843)	5,000+ (1843)
Casualties and losses
44+ killed 140+ captured	Unknown

The Russian campaigns against the Kazakh Khanate of 1843–1844 (or Winter campaign) — series of military campaigns of the Russian army on the territory of modern Kazakhstan, in order to suppress the rebellion of Kenesary Khan.

Background

Orenburg Governor Vladimir Obruchev has long been reporting to St. Petersburg about his brilliant successes in relation to the "rebellious Sultan of Kenesary", who became his obedient subject. However, it soon became known about the active hostile actions of Kenesary on the Orenburg line. Frustrated, Obruchev was forced to turn again to Chancellor Nesselrode with a request for military assistance to suppress the rebellion of Kenesary.

It is characteristic that in the morning, on the eve of receiving this message from the Orenburg governor, State Chancellor Count Nesselrode reported to Tsar Nicholas 1 about the report of the same Obruchev about the perfect and unconditional obedience of Kenesary. In the evening of the same day, Nesselrode received a second report from Obruchev, who asked him to immediately send reinforcements and release 14 thousand rubles for military expenses and, in addition, 3 thousand for a bonus for the delivery of the head of Kenesary. At the same time, Obruchev warned that Kenesary now had a huge army and threatened to attack the Orenburg Fortress.

By this time, Kenesary had become a formidable force. More than 5 thousand auls from the clans of Baganally, Argyn, Tabyn, Tama, Baibakty, Shekty, Shumekey and others were subject to him.

First campaign

On June 27, Nicholas I allowed a trip to the Kazakh Steppe, with the attribution of expenses for the head of Kenesary to the account of the wagon collection. The detachment of the military foreman Lebedev, consisting of 300 people, was supposed to become an advanced force, later the number of his detachment reached 1,900 people.

In August 1843, a second group of 5,000 people was equipped, led by Sultan Jantorin, Baimahambet Aichuvakov, colonels Gens and Bizyanov went to the Orenburg Steppe to destroy the detachment of the "rebellious" Sultan Kenesary. Other detachments formed by the West Siberian Governor-General headed from Omsk, Petropavlovsk and Karkaralinsk.

On September 1 and 7, 1843, fierce battles broke out with the advance detachments of the Russians, who left from Orenburg. As a result of the fighting, there were many casualties on both sides. Both sides ceased hostilities and withdrew. The rest of the Russian detachments failed to give battle to Kenesary. Often maneuvering in the steppe expanses, he misled them. He exhausted the forces of the Russian detachments and partially exterminated their manpower. Exhausted soldiers, due to the early onset of a cold rainy autumn, stopped hostilities, and left the Steppe in September. It was decided to resume hostilities against Kenesary in the following year, 1844.

Second campaign

During this period, Kenesary became dangerous adversary. The Governor-General of Western Siberia was forced to appeal to the Kazakh population with the following appeal: “You know, Kenesary Kasymov has been causing disorder in the steppe for a number of years and increasing robberies, murders and other unrest. Having aroused the crazy Kazakhs, he continues to carry them along. The great sovereign decided to suppress the rebellion of Kenesary by force. Taking advantage of the wide opportunity presented to you, leave Kenesary. Otherwise, remember, you will be subjected to merciless torture”.

The Tsarist government decided to send three detachments to suppress the Kenesary uprising: from the side of the Orsk fortress, the Ulytau mountains and from the Tobol River.

In May 1844, a detachment led by Jantorin, Sultan Baimagambetov and Military foreman Lebedev headed south, towards the Karakums.

The task of the Russian detachments was to take the detachments of Kenesary from both sides "in pincers", and cut off the retreat from the Turgai to the Karakum. However, the Russian troops failed to carry out their plan. Giving separate battles, Kenesary safely retreated to the Karakum. He managed to send Lebedev's detachment along a false route and, along the way, mistakenly defeat the villages of Biy Baikadamov, subject to Russia. Lebedev was recalled to Orenburg and soon put on trial for stealing and ruining the auls of Biys devoted to Russia. Lebedev's place was taken by Colonel Dunikovsky.

By this time, Siberian detachments under the command of General Zhemchuzhnikov were sent to suppress the Kenesary uprising. Having sent out his scouts behind enemy lines in advance, Kenesary received from them information about the Siberian detachment heading to join the Orenburg detachment of Dunikovsky. The task of Kenesary was to prevent these detachments from connecting and getting out of the encirclement. Kenesary decided to send a small detachment to meet him and thus create a false impression among the enemy, suggesting to him that the Kenesary detachment was completely retreating towards Ulytau. The Siberian detachment was really deceived: having changed direction, it set off in pursuit of a small detachment of Kenesary. Meanwhile, Kenesary, with his main forces, appeared on the New Line on June 23 and attacked the Konstantinovsk. The speed and maneuverability of his troops stunned the Russian troops.

Kenesary and now decided to send only a small detachment against the Russians as a barrier, and prepare the main forces for a decisive blow behind enemy lines. On July 17, 1844, some of his detachments began to impose a battle on the Russian troops, who were under the command of Sultan Jantorin and Colonel Dunikovsky. Avoiding a decisive clash with the Russian troops, they had to wear down the enemy forces. On the night of July 20–21, 1844, the main forces of Kenesary hit the rear of the enemy, surrounding the Jantorin detachment. During fierce battles, this detachment was completely defeated: “-Kenesary's warriors! - from all shouted Boranbai and shot at one sarbaz, who was running headlong. He clutched his wounded arm and howled in pain. Hearing a shot and screams, the Cossacks began firing into the darkness. At that moment, there was a roar - a cannon shell exploded nearby. A moment later, there was a second explosion. Sarbaz and Cossacks, throwing down their weapons, hurried to their horses. They jumped into the saddle and immediately fell to the ground. The straps that fastened the girths and the bridles were cut. The panic began. And at that moment, the rebels broke into the camp, surrounding it from two sides. Friendly fire from rifles mowed down opponents. The horsemen overtook the fleeing and dealt with it on the spot. 44 sultans were killed in the battle. The detachment of Dunikovsky, despite the proximity of the battle, did not dare to help the sultans, fearing encirclement and death.” The death of 44 sultans greatly embittered the Orenburg and West Siberian governors-general. On Dunikovsky's report, filed in the name of the Orenburg military governor, Obruchev imposed the following resolution: "Shame, unpleasant news, it is very doubtful, it is hard to believe that such a thing could have happened".

During the summer of 1844, the advance of Kenesary continued at an unrelenting pace. On August 14, detachments led by the batyrs Nauryzbay and Agybay laid siege to the Ekaterininsky fortress, where about 100 soldiers and a huge number of trophies were taken prisoner, including 1847 pounds of bread: “At a distance of four kilometers from the Catherine Stanitsa, about two thousand Sarbazes of Kenesary gathered. The attack began at five o'clock in the morning. The sentry Cossacks did not have time to detect and signal the movement of the Khan's troops towards the settlement. In the predawn hour, the most dexterous Kazakhs, having penetrated into the stanitsa, quickly removed all guards and gave a prearranged signal. Kenesary's cavalry burst into its streets with a battle cry. Sleepy Cossacks jumped out of their houses and fell under the blows of the blades of the rebels. Few managed to leave the stanitsa”.

Fearing the further growth of the uprising, the Orenburg and Siberian governorships decided, in addition to the detachments of Dunikovsky, Zhemchuzhnikov and Jantorins, to send another detachment of Colonel Kovalevsky. By this time, Kenesary, having fortified with his army in the Mugodzhar mountains, began a correspondence with the Orenburg governorate about the exchange of prisoners of war. Experiencing exceptional difficulties in unaccustomed, waterless deserts and sands and having achieved nothing significant in the fight against Kenesary, the Russian detachments were forced to withdraw back towards Orenburg and Omsk.

Result

Thus, 2 campaigns of the Tsarist troops against Kenesary Khan in 1843-1844 ended in failure. “In battles with the elite Cossack regiments of the Ural, Orenburg and Siberian troops, Kenesary did not suffer a single defeat and went undefeated to the south, towards the Syr Darya and Zhetysu”.

See also

• Kazakh rebellions

References

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