It is known that the recruiting system for staffing the army appeared in Russia under Peter I in 1699. Since 1722, by royal decree, it was extended to the Tatars, although in fact the new Russian army began to be replenished with Tatars much earlier.
In 1737, a personal imperial decree was issued on the recruitment of the navy half by infidels, half by Russians living by the sea - residents of the Arkhangelsk province. According to the same decree, the infantry regiments located in the Baltic region (modern Baltic states) were staffed with foreigners.
In 1738, 2,761 recruits were sent to the fleet from the Kazan, Simbirsk, Astrakhan, Siberian provinces and Ufa provinces.
“The General Institution on the collection of recruits in the state...” of 1766 once again confirmed this principle of recruitment.
Service in the army and navy at that time, even among Russian peasants, was considered unusually difficult. It was a completely different world, about which the peasant son knew nothing. Even the clothes were radically different from those worn by the peasants.
This is how he described soldiers' clothing in the 18th century. General Field Marshal Prince Potemkin: “In a word, the clothing of our troops and ammunition is such that it is almost impossible to come up with a better way to oppress the soldiers, especially since he, having been taken from the peasants at almost 30 years of age, recognizes narrow boots, many garters, tight underwear a dress and an abyss of things that shorten centuries...".
Here we should add the cruel treatment of officers (primarily foreigners, of whom there were many in the Russian army) with the “lower ranks.”
“Here are three men for you, make one soldier out of them,” “Kill two, but train one” - such “pedagogical” instructions often guided officers when training soldiers and sailors. And if you consider that the foreigners called up for service practically did not know the Russian language...
“...The young soldier Mukhamedzhinov, a Tatar who barely understood and spoke Russian, was completely confused by the tricks of his superiors - both real and imaginary. He suddenly became furious, took the gun in his hand and responded to all convictions and orders with one decisive word: “I’ll stab you!” “But wait... you’re a fool...” non-commissioned officer Bobylev persuaded him. After all, who am I? I’m your guard commander, so... - I’ll stab you! - the Tatar shouted fearfully and angrily, and with bloodshot eyes, he nervously thrust his bayonet at anyone who approached him. A group of soldiers gathered around him, rejoicing at the funny adventure and a moment’s rest in their boring training...” (A. Kuprin. “The Duel”).
Service in the navy was perhaps the most difficult.
From the point of view of modern man, the ships of that time were completely unsuitable for life.
To begin with, there was simply not enough space on the ships: on average, there was about one meter of living space per sailor. A monotonous diet and lack of vitamins contributed to the development of scurvy, which literally wiped out crews on long voyages. Work with the sails was done entirely by hand. On large ships there could be up to 250 hand hoists - cables that raised yards and sails. They could not be confused to avoid breakdowns and accidents.
The statutes initially did not provide for the possibility of religious rites being performed by people of other faiths. The Code of Military Regulations of 1839 (a collection of all laws that have regulated the life of the armed forces since 1716) only briefly mentions infidels who “swear an oath according to their rites.” The Charter of the Internal Service only ordered the regimental priest: “... not to enter into any debate about faith with soldiers of foreign faiths,” however, since 1838, by Personal Decrees of the Emperor, for “fulfilling the spiritual requirements between the lower ranks of the Mohammedan law”, he was appointed to various cities of the Russian Empire official mullahs. There were such mullahs in Simbirsk, Kazan, Ufa, Anapa, the Separate Orenburg Corps, Finland, the Separate Caucasian Corps, in the military settlement districts, “at the headquarters of the troops in the Kingdom of Poland” in Warsaw (since 1865).
Later, an article appeared in the “Code...” stating that “non-believers...perform religious duties in churches of their own religion,” and in 1869 a special form of oath for “Mohammedans” appeared. However, back at the end of the 18th century, during the reign of Paul I, Muslim soldiers of the St. Petersburg garrison, on the initiative of Mullah Yusupov, were allowed to gather for services in the Tauride Palace. In addition, the commanders of units where Muslims served did not prevent the selection of freelance mullahs from among the military personnel.
In 1845, by the Emperor’s Personal Decree, the positions of imams were established in military ports “for the correction of spiritual needs according to the rites of the Mohammedan faith,” and the positions of imam and his assistant were established in the Kronstadt and Sevastopol ports.
In 1846, the positions of imams, elected from among the lower ranks in the Guards Corps, were legalized. The service life of such imams was to be equal to “the service life of these ranks.”
In 1849, a Nominal Decree allowed lower ranks applying for the position of freelance mullahs in military units to be “examined in knowledge of the faith at any time when Mohammedan Mullahs are present at the troops’ locations.”
Since 1857, such lower ranks began to be sent to take exams at the Orenburg Mohammedan Spiritual Assembly.
Since 1860, mullahs appeared at military hospitals.
The lower ranks elected to mullahs wore soldier's uniforms and were not allowed to have beards. At the end of their service, they could, like other military personnel, retire.
Among Russian officers, the attitude towards Muslim Tatars was ambiguous.
Thus, practicing Islam was considered by many of them as a disadvantage.
“This contingent, subordinating its life, activity and direction to its ignorantly fanatical convictions, upon entering the ranks of the Christian army, will find itself in a very strange position: either it will have to renounce its rituals for the entire duration of its service and become outwardly an indifferent Muhammadan, or it will have to to the detriment of the service to enjoy special benefits ... ”wrote Colonel of the General Staff, Full Member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society A.F. Rittich in his book “The Tribal Composition of the Contingents of the Russian Army.” Further, in the text dedicated to the Tatars, Mr. Colonel generally shows himself as a primitive chauvinist: “One of the characteristics of the Tatars should be attributed to them the smell of sweat and fumes, which is believed to come from eating horse meat. Based on this alone, it is possible to determine which sector is presented for recruitment [recruitment], Russian or Tatar.”
Refuting such an unfair assessment by some high-ranking officers of Tatar soldiers and sailors, we can give several examples of their exceptional military valor.
For example, in the lists of 91 St. George Knights of the Guards Marine Crew “for the French campaign of 1812-1814,” Tatar sailor Murtaza Murdaleev is listed. It is worth noting that at that time there was one degree of awarding the lower ranks with the St. George Cross, and this award was the only one for them at that time. Considering that the crew number was 518 and was renewed at least twice during the campaign, it is clear that Murdaleev was one of the best sailors on the crew.
In addition, like all Russian guards who took part in the Battle of Kulm, he received the Iron Cross from the Prussian king.
Tatar sailors acted bravely when repelling the Anglo-French landing during the defense of the city of Petropavlovsk-on-Kamchatka during the Crimean War in 1854. Here is an excerpt from the report on the results of the battle, compiled by the head of the city’s defense, Admiral Zavoiko: “Sailor 1st Class Khalit Saitov, fighting off a crowd of English soldiers who attacked him, killed three on the spot. Sailor Bikney Dindubaev, having been wounded by a bullet, continued to fight...Non-commissioned officer Abubakirov, having four wounds, although light, but also from which blood flowed in streams; I bandaged him myself, and he went back to business...” Abubakirov was awarded the St. George Cross for his feat among other 16 lower ranks.
Finally, Rakhmet Karimov, an honored veteran of the Semenovsky Guards Regiment, awarded the St. George Cross for his participation in the wars with Napoleon and the insignia of the Order of St. Anna for 20 years of impeccable service. It is worth noting that the company had only 120 lower ranks, and the company itself was staffed from the most honored soldiers of the guards regiments at the personal choice of their commanders.
...After serving the required 25 years, Tatar veterans of the Russian army returned to their native villages. Much fewer of them returned than went out - only a third of all conscripts lived to see the end of their service. These were already elderly people, whose youth was spent serving the Fatherland...
I am a retired soldier, nothing more,
Not a non-commissioned officer, but just a retired soldier!
All youth remained in the soldiery,
Only old age made it home with me.
All my life I served exactly to the point of failure,
Serviceable - I was never punished.
Reward? As a reward the general's hand
She patted me, an old man, on the shoulder.
Ildar Mukhamedzhanov
What do you think about it?
Leave your comment.
In pre-revolutionary Russia:
Until 1874, military service was carried out by recruits (peasants and townspeople). At first, conscription was indefinite, from 1793 the service life was reduced to 25 years. It gradually decreased - and by the time of the military reform of 1874 it was already 7 years.
After the reform, conscription was replaced by universal conscription. The total service life in the ground forces was 15 years (directly in service - 6 years, and the rest of the time in the reserve), the total service period in the navy was 10 years (direct service - 7 years).
In 1906, the period of active military service was reduced to 3 years. Then, in August-December 1914, general mobilization took place in connection with the outbreak of the First World War.
After the revolution of 1917 and the civil war, a new army began to form in the new state.
IN THE USSR:
Based on various decrees and resolutions of the Central Executive Committee, the length of service was changed several times until the law on compulsory military service was adopted in 1925.
In the ground forces, until the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, it was 2 years. In aviation: from 1925 to 1928 - 3 years, from 1928 to 1939 - 2 years, from 1939 to 1941 - again 3 years. It also varied in the navy. So, from 1924 to 1928 you had to serve for 4 years, from 1928 to 1939 - 3 years, from 1939 - 5 years.
After the Great Patriotic War (with the beginning of which mobilization was carried out again), a new law on universal conscription was adopted already in 1949. In accordance with it, men were drafted into the ground forces and aviation for 3 years, and into the navy for 4 years.
In 1967, a new law on universal conscription was adopted, the length of service was shortened and was 2 years for those sent to the ground forces and aviation, and 3 years for the navy.
In modern Russia:
In 1993, the normative act that existed in the USSR was repealed - the Russian Federation Law “On Military Duty and Military Service” came into force. Initially, the document reduced the service life to 18 months (i.e. 1.5 years), and in the fleet - to 2 years.
In 1996, in connection with the beginning of the Chechen campaign, a new law came into force, according to which the duration of service in the army and navy was equal - and amounted to 2 years.
In the early 2000s, preparations began in Russia for the division of military service by conscription and contract - and at the same time to reduce the period of conscription service from 2 years to 1 year. For the first time, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian leadership plans to reduce the length of conscription military service back in 2002.
The transition took place in stages: for example, young people who joined the army in the fall of 2007 had to serve for 1.5 years. And since January 2008, the service life has been 12 months - 1 year.
In November 2012, the media, citing a statement by the chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, reported that the length of service in the Russian army would be revised again. Thus, according to the chairman of the committee, Vladimir Komoyedov, the optimal length of service is one and a half years, and the reduction of service to 1 year was a “political decision” and in fact has a bad effect on the combat readiness of the army.
A source in the Kremlin almost immediately denied this information, recalling the president’s implemented initiative to reduce deadlines.
Saved
Universal conscription in Russia in 1913.
Universal conscription, or as it was then called "conscription" as a method of recruiting the country's Armed Forces was introduced in the Russian Empire by the Manifesto of Emperor Alexander II of January 1, 1874, replacing the army recruitment method that had existed since the time of Emperor Peter I.
At the same time, the Charter on Military Service was introduced, which was repeatedly improved, changed and supplemented. The last major changes were made to it by the Law of June 23, 1912, and further clarifications were made in December 1912 and April 1, 1913.
Thus, during the period under review, the Charter on Military Service was in force as part of the Code of Laws of the Russian Empire (Volume IV Book I of the 1897 edition) with additions as of April 1, 1913.
The author has no information about whether further changes took place in the Charter, but given that there was just over a year left before the outbreak of the First World War, it can be assumed with a certain degree of confidence that by the beginning of the war the country was guided by this Charter.
The Charter is a very voluminous document, in which there are only main articles 504 and 1504 additional ones. In addition, seven Appendices are attached to the Charter. It can be said that in addition to the provisions that are common to all, the Charter examines in detail literally each specific case. In order to present more or less accurately and in detail all the provisions of the Charter, it would be necessary to write a whole voluminous book. Therefore, I considered it appropriate to consider the Charter as a whole, without delving into all the subtleties. If the reader finds something in the article that does not coincide with the fate of his ancestors, then let him not be surprised or indignant. This means that your ancestor was subject to additional articles or even clarifications to additional articles. If it is important for one or another reader to understand the issue in detail, then we can try to do this together or I can send a copy of this Charter.
First of all, military service was universal, i.e. In general, all male subjects of the Russian Empire of all classes were obliged to serve in the army. Nationals of other states could not serve in the army.
But there were usually more young people of military age in the country than the army required. Therefore, completely certain categories of citizens were exempted from service (below in the text, as a more familiar word for us, we will use the word “citizens” instead of the more correct “subjects of the Russian Empire”). A number of categories were granted deferments from conscription or complete exemption from military service. And from among the citizens who did not have the right to deferment or exemption from military service, only those who were drawn by lot (or “lot” as it is written in the Charter) went to serve. Those. Not all.
In order to make all the provisions stated below more clear, let us clarify some points.
Armed forces of the Russian Empire consist of:
*Standing troops.
*State militia.
Actually, the Standing Forces are the Armed Forces of the country, since the State Militia is convened only during war and plays a purely auxiliary role.
Standing troops are divided into:
*Ground troops.
*Naval forces.
Ground forces, in turn, are divided into
1.Army.
2.Army reserve (divided into two categories).
3. Cossack troops.
4. Foreign troops.
Note. The Charter does not provide for a division into the Guard and the Army itself, since issues of conscription, terms of service, etc. are the same for both army and guardsmen.
Naval forces are divided into:
1. Current teams,
2. Fleet reserve.
Below in the text we will use the more familiar terms “Army” and “Navy”, but students of documents of that time should know the terms used at that time.
Let us immediately make a reservation that below in the text we will talk about the procedure for recruiting the Army and Navy, about citizens of all classes, with the exception of the Cossack class, which served in the Cossack troops. These troops were recruited according to other rules, which are not discussed in this article. Cossacks will be discussed in a separate article.
Also, foreign troops, which were recruited and staffed generally according to special rules, are not considered here.
The state militia is divided into two categories.
Military service in the Russian Empire was divided into:
*Active military service,
*Military service in reserve
- first class reserve,
- reserve of the second category.
Duration of military service
In peacetime:
1. The total service life in the infantry and artillery (except horse artillery) is 18 years, of which 3 years are active military service and 15 years are in the reserve (of which 7 years are in the first category reserve, the rest of the time in the second category reserve).
2. The total service life in all other branches of the military is 17 years, of which 4 years are active service and 13 years are in the reserve (of which 7 years are in the first category reserve, the rest of the time in the second category reserve).
3. 10 years in the navy, of which 5 years are active service and 5 years are reserve service.
4. Persons who have graduated from educational institutions of the first and second category in all branches of the military serve 18 years, of which 3 years are active service and 15 years in the reserve (of which 7 years are in the reserve of the first category, the rest of the time in the reserve of the second category).
5. Persons who have the degree of doctor of medicine, physician, master of veterinary sciences, pharmacist, pharmacist and thus have the right to occupy high-level positions in the military or naval departments (i.e. military officials) - 18 years old. Of these, 4 months in active military service with a lower rank, and 1 year 8 months in active military service with a high rank (military official). Then there are 16 years in reserve (of which 7 years are in the reserve of the first category, the rest of the time in the reserve of the second category).
6. Graduates of paramedic schools of the military or naval department - 18 years old. Of these, in active military service as military paramedics, 1.5 years for each year of training, with the remaining time in reserve until the end of the total period of 18 years.
7. Graduates of a pyrotechnic or technical school of the artillery department - 4 years of active service as specialists in the artillery technical service. In reserve until the age of 38 (of which 7 years are in the reserve of the first category, the rest of the time in the reserve of the second category).
8. Persons who graduated from the school of cabin boys in Kronstadt - 10 years, of which 4 years are active service as a lower rank in the navy and 4 years in the naval reserve.
But in all cases, the age limit for the condition in reserve is 38 years. After this, the reserve is transferred to the State Militia.
Note. First-class educational institutions include:
* All institutes.
*Art schools.
*Pyrotechnic and technical school of the artillery department.
*Land surveying schools.
Second-class educational institutions include:
*Higher primary schools.
*Vocational schools with two-year primary school programs.
5. Persons who have graduated from educational institutions of the first category and thus have the right to an officer rank, subject to passing the exam for ensign or second lieutenant, serve 18 years, of which 2 years are active service, and 16 years of service in the reserve (of which 7 years are in the reserve first category, the rest of the time in reserve of the second category).
In wartime, the duration of active service is not regulated. In general, in relation to peacetime rules, but not before the end of the war. However, if military conditions make it possible to reduce the size of the army, then they are transferred from active service to the reserve one by one by age, starting with the oldest.
In peacetime, when the Armed Forces are overstretched, the Military and Naval Ministries have the right to dismiss part of the lower ranks (soldiers and non-commissioned officers) to the reserve from active service and before the end of their active service, accordingly increasing their service life in the reserve. Or provide lower ranks with long vacations for up to 1 year.
Conversely, if the number of troops is insufficient, the Military and Naval Ministries have the right to detain lower ranks in active service beyond the established period, but for no more than 6 months.
The date of commencement of active military service is considered to be:
1. For those who arrived at the collection point from October 1 to December 31 from February 15 of the following year.
2. For those who arrived at the collection point from January 1 to February 15 from August 15 of the current year.
Those in the reserves can be re-called to active service due to the current insufficient number of troops. At the same time, the period of such repeated service is not regulated, but according to the general meaning of the Charter it follows that repeated service continues until the situation with the number of troops is corrected. In addition, reserve personnel can be called up twice during their service in the reserve for training camps lasting up to 6 weeks each.
Since the times of socialism, when it was customary to paint the entire history of Russia until 1917 only with black paints, it is generally accepted that a soldier in Tsarist Russia stood on the lowest rung of the social ladder, was a creature absolutely without rights, who could be mocked and humiliated by anyone and everyone. . However, Article 28 of the Charter (and this is a state law (!), and not a departmental regulatory document) states that the lower rank in active service enjoys all the personal and property rights of their class with some restrictions.
The lower rank during active service was limited to:
1. Marriage is not allowed.
2. It is not allowed to personally manage industrial and commercial enterprises belonging to lower ranks (this restriction also applied to officers). The owner was obliged to appoint a manager responsible to him before the start of active service.
3. It is not allowed to sell alcoholic beverages. Even through responsible managers.
At the same time, the lower ranks also had a certain advantage. They could not be arrested for debts until the end of active service. Note that if a soldier or non-commissioned officer remained in long-term service, then the creditors just had to wait until the debtor got tired of military service and retired to the reserve. And then the statute of limitations expired.
The charter also indicates that peasants, townspeople, artisans who are in active service, and at the end of which they still have a year in reserve, continue to be considered members of their rural, guild and other communities and societies with all the ensuing rights and benefits. At the same time, they are completely exempt from all state per capita, local (zemstvo) taxes and fees, and from duties in kind.
Well, for example, a yard belonging to a lower rank is exempt from housing (that is, the landlady is not obliged to provide a hut to accommodate officials who arrive in the village on a business trip and feed them). A soldier's peasant yard is not obliged to participate in public works to improve the village, local roads, etc.
The lower rank of the reserve entering the state civil service enters it with the rank that he received in the army, and the period of active military service is counted towards the length of service in the state civil service.
For example, a person in the army received the rank of senior non-commissioned officer. I decided to join the police. There he will immediately have a rank equal to that of the army. And immediately the years spent in active military service will be counted toward his police service record.
But on the contrary, no civilian ranks and civil service are taken into account if the reservist decides, for example, to re-enter long-term military service. Even though in the civil service he rose to at least the rank of IV class (a rank equal to major general), in the army he remains a senior non-commissioned officer.
And again, a reservist serving in the state civil service, in the event of repeated call-up to active service, retains his civil rank, position and place in the civil service. He retains official housing, payments for heating, lighting, and transportation. All the time of repeated active service goes into civil service experience, which gives the right to annual remuneration, pensions, benefits, and the award of the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th degree.
From the author. Hmmm, I wouldn’t say that a soldier in the tsarist army was a powerless gray brute, cannon fodder. Obviously, even in those days, the frail and incapable of real masculine work, the Russian intelligentsia covered up its moral and physical squalor with stories about the “horrors of military service.” And with ostentatious contempt for the “stupid and brainless army” she tried to hide from those around her (and from herself) her inferiority, including mental.
And to say that, the army gave the country many outstanding writers, composers, artists, poets, architects, scientists, engineers, and inventors. But on the contrary, it’s somehow not very good. I don’t remember that at least one composer or writer could become even a decent regiment commander.
Well, or let's say this - he didn't turn out to be a smart officer, but he became a good writer and poet (Tolstoy, Kuprin, Lermontov). But can anyone name me a mediocre writer who abandoned his pen and became an outstanding commander?
Reservists who become unfit for military service due to illness or injury are dismissed and removed from the list of reservists with the issuance of a certificate.
Lower ranks who become unfit for further service during active service and become disabled, if they have no means of subsistence, receive a pension of 3 rubles. per month, and those in need of outside care are placed in almshouses or charitable institutions. Or disabled people are entrusted to the care of trustworthy persons with a payment of 6 rubles. per month.
Above, I wrote that certain categories of citizens were not conscripted for military service or enjoyed deferments from conscription or benefits (exemption from conscription under certain circumstances).
Persons not subject to conscription for military service in the Army or Navy
1. Persons of the Cossack class (since they are subject to service in the Cossack troops).
2. Local residents:
*Turkestan region.
*Kamchatka region.
*Sakhalin region.
*Middle Kolyma district.
*Verkhoyansk region.
*Vilyuisk region.
*Turukhansk and Boguchansk branches of the Yenisei province.
*Togur branch of Tomsk province.
*Berezovsky and Surgut districts of Tobolsk province.
3. Foreign population of all provinces and regions of Siberia with the exception of residents of the Bukhtarma volost of the Zmeinogorsk district of the Tomsk Province, as well as Koreans of the Primorsky and Amur regions.
4. Foreign population of the Astrakhan province.
5. Samoyeds of Mezen and Pechora districts of Arkhangelsk province.
6. Foreign population of Akmola, Semipalatinsk, Semirechensk, Ural and Turgai regions.
7. Foreign population of the Trans-Caspian region.
8. Persons unfit for service due to health reasons:
*Height shorter than 2 arshins and 2.5 inches (154 cm),
*Having diseases listed in the “Schedule of Physical Disabilities and Diseases.”
9. Persons enjoying benefits for family reasons of the 1st category.
10. Priests of all Christian denominations.
11.Orthodox psalmists.
12. Abbots and mentors of Old Believer and sectarian Christian communities.
13. Persons of the highest Mohammedan clergy (khatyps, imams, mullahs).
14. Academicians, adjuncts, professors, dissectors and their assistants, associate professors, lecturers of oriental languages, private assistant professors of scientists and higher educational institutions.
15. Boarders of the Imperial Academy of Arts and persons who have completed a course of study at art and industrial schools, sent abroad to improve their education.
16. Graduates of the Urga and Kuldzha schools of translators and interpreters who served as translators and interpreters for more than 6 years.
17. Pilots and pilot apprentices. Moreover, they are not enrolled in the militia, but in the naval reserve for 10 years.
Persons for whom military service is replaced by cash tax.
1. Muslim population of Transcaucasia.
2. Muslim population of the Terek region.
3. Muslim population of the Kuban region.
4. Yezidis and Igholoi Christians living in Transcaucasia
5. Christian Abkhazians living in the Sukhumi district.
6. Kalmyks, Trukhmens, Nogais living in the Stavropol Territory.
7. Citizens of Finland (not citizens pay, but 1 million Finnish marks are transferred annually from the Finnish treasury to the state treasury).
Persons who are granted deferments from military service.
1. Persons who are recognized as weak - for one year.
2. Persons who have not recovered from illnesses and who are temporarily unfit for service - for one year.
Note. If, after a year, persons of these two categories again find themselves unfit for service, then they are completely released from service and are transferred to the State Militia as warriors.
3. Persons studying in secondary educational institutions - up to the age of 24 years.
4. Persons studying in higher educational institutions with a 4-year period of study - up to the age of 27 years.
5. Persons studying in higher educational institutions with a 5-year period of study - up to the age of 28 years.
6. Persons studying in Orthodox and Catholic Theological Academies - up to the age of 28 years.
7. Persons studying at the Etchmiadzin Armenian-Gregorian Theological Academy - up to the age of 28 years.
8. Persons studying at a higher art school at the Imperial Art Academy - up to the age of 28 years.
9.Government scholarship holders sent abroad at public expense to prepare for taking up scientists or teaching positions in scientific institutions or higher educational institutions - up to the age of 30 years.
10. Persons left in higher educational institutions to prepare for taking up scientists or educational positions in scientific institutions or higher educational institutions - up to the age of 30 years.
11. Persons studying at railway traffic service schools - up to the age of 24 years.
12. Persons who entered missionary courses at the Kazan Theological Academy - up to the age of 27 years.
13. Persons who have successfully completed the Novozybkovsky Agricultural Technical School - up to the age of 24 years.
14. Persons who have completed a course of foreman schools in road and construction - up to the age of 24 years.
15..Persons who are trainees in winemaking at the Nikitsky School of Horticulture and Winemaking.
16. Candidates of the Evangelical Lutheran clergy for ordination as preachers - for a period of five years.
17. Persons who have successfully completed a course of study in Orthodox and Armenian-Gregorian theological academies and seminaries - for a period of 1 year.
18. Graduates of the Urga and Kuldzha schools of translators and interpreters for the period of service as translators and interpreters.
19. Persons who manage real estate, a trade, factory, or industrial enterprise personally owned by them - until he selects a property manager for the duration of his service, but not more than 2 years.
20. Persons moving to new and undeveloped lands of the Russian Empire - for 3 years.
21. Sailors, machinists, firemen of sea vessels of the Russian merchant fleet - until the expiration of their contract, but no more than 1 year.
The difference between beneficiaries and other categories who were granted deferments from service or exempted from conscription was that they were subject to conscription if the main conscription contingent was insufficient, i.e. it was necessary to call up more young people for service than were available without rights to benefits.
This was mainly a benefit based on marital status. Beneficiaries were divided into 4 categories. And if necessary, to replenish the ranks of conscripts to the required number, first category 4 beneficiaries were called up, then 3rd and 2nd category. 1st category beneficiaries were not subject to conscription at all.
Persons who are granted benefits based on family status
1st category. *The only son in the family. *The only able-bodied son in the family if the father is disabled or died and other brothers are on active military service. *The only able-bodied grandson living with the grandparents, if they no longer have able-bodied sons or grandchildren or are on active duty. *A person who has the care of a single mother or unmarried sister if there are no more able-bodied men in the household or they are on active military service. *A widower with one or more children in his care.
Note. An able-bodied family member is considered to be a male person who has reached the age of 16 years, but not older than 55 years.
2nd category. *The only able-bodied son in the family if the father is able-bodied but is between 50 and 55 years old, and the other brothers are on active military service.
3rd category. *The only able-bodied son in the family if the father is able-bodied and under 50 years of age, and other brothers are on active military service. *The next oldest brother of someone killed in war or missing in action.
4th category. *Next oldest brother on active duty. *A person who has not received benefits of category 1, 2 or 3 due to the fact that the family has younger brothers of working age. 168
The recruitment campaign is held annually from October 1 to November 1. All males who are 20 years old by January 1 of this year are invited to draw lots. Persons who have been deprived by a court of all rights of the estate are not allowed to draw lots, i.e. civil rights.
Note. Let us especially highlight paragraph 10 of the Charter, which states that persons who, by lot, did not receive active military service, are enlisted in the State Militia and assigned the name warrior. The lot is drawn once and for life. Warriors are not subject to transfer to active service or enlistment in the reserves. But on the other hand, warriors retain the right to enter active service as volunteers or hunters.
From the author. For comparison. In Germany, military service was considered as a school for educating a German as a citizen of his country, and the soldier was considered a person standing on the social ladder above all civilians. The basic principle of attitude towards military service was this: “If you consider this country to be your country, then you must one day put all your affairs aside and for some time stand guard over your state and your property with arms in hand. Who else if not you "You must defend your own property."
The issue of exemption from service was resolved simply - whoever did not serve as a soldier (regardless of the reasons) did not have the right to enter the state civil service (even as a postman), could not elect and be elected to municipal, public positions (even at least the head of a public choral society in the village). He could not practice law. Moreover, he could not own a house, land plot, or commercial enterprise. In short, he was a second-class citizen.
Interesting moment. In Germany, there were also more young men of military age than the army required. And they were also enrolled in the service by lot. And you could also go to serve voluntarily (volunteers). But what’s interesting is that the volunteer served at his own expense. He paid for everything out of his own pocket - from food, housing and to ammunition for his rifle (which he also received for a fee). In short, the volunteer did not cost the treasury a pfenning. But there were also restrictions on the number of volunteers that the regiment commander could accept into service. Outside the gates of each barracks there was a line of people wishing to become a soldier at their own expense. The young man who was given the lot to go to the service could consider himself lucky.
Is it necessary to talk here about the attitude of young Germans to service? And about the attitude of the German intelligentsia towards the army?
Structure of military conscription authorities.
The structure of the bodies dealing with issues of conscription for military service existed as follows.
The highest authority in the Russian Empire -
Office of Military Service Affairs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In each province (region) -
Provincial (Regional) Presence for military service.
In each district of the province, and accordingly in each district of the region -
Uyezd (District) presence for military service.
Members of the Presences are:
* in the Provincial Presence:
-chairman - governor,
- members - provincial leader of the nobility,
-vice-governor,
-chairman of the provincial zemstvo council or member of the council,
- district court prosecutor or his deputy,
-general from the nearest division,
-three staff officers (during the conscription campaign).
* in the District Presence - the chairman - the district marshal of the nobility,
- members - district military commander,
- district police officer,
-member of the district zemstvo council,
- one of the residents of the county,
-an officer from the nearest regiment (during the conscription campaign)
The Charter describes many clarifying and amending provisions relating to a number of localities. But it is simply impossible to describe all the subtleties within the framework of the article. Let us only note that in large cities there were City Presences for conscription as District Presences.
For the duration of the conscription campaign, two doctors are assigned to the District Presence, who are entrusted with the responsibility of medical examination of conscripts. One doctor must be a civilian, the second a military one.
Recruitment stations are subordinate to the District Presence.
Recruitment areas.
They are created depending on the size and population of the county. In small counties, one conscription station is created, in large counties several. In rural areas there is one plot for every 8-20 thousand inhabitants. In cities, conscription stations are created for every 5-10 thousand inhabitants.
Recruitment points.
One or more recruiting points are created in the recruiting area at a rate of no more than 50 miles from the point to the most remote settlement.
Organization of conscription for military service.
All male subjects of the Russian Empire who have reached the age of 16 are assigned to the corresponding conscription stations at their place of residence. The basis for adding a person to the registration list are entries in the parish registers of church parishes, family lists maintained by local authorities or the police, lists of members of workshops and societies. However, persons over 16 years of age must ensure that they are included in the registration list by submitting an appropriate application. Those who fail to do this are subject to prosecution by law.
Persons assigned to a recruiting station receive a certificate of registration to the recruiting station. Enrollees are required to report all changes in family, property, and class status to the recruiting station.
From December 1st of each year District Presences begin to compile private draft lists. Private main lists A and private additional lists B are compiled.
By March 1 The compilation of private lists is completed and they are posted in the District Presences for public viewing for two weeks. During this time, everyone subject to conscription this year is obliged to check the list and declare all inaccuracies, errors, omissions made in relation to him.
Also during this period, persons who wish to enroll in military service as volunteers or hunters (aged 17 to 20 years) submit applications to be included in the lists.
Also, during this period, persons entitled to a deferment submit to the County Presence an application for a deferment with supporting documents attached.
Also, during this period, persons entitled to benefits submit applications to the County Presence for inclusion in additional lists (for benefits) with supporting documents attached.
Also, during this period, persons entitled to exemption from service submit applications to the District Presence accompanied by supporting documents.
After checking private draft lists, the District Presence by March 15 amounts to
General precinct lists of conscripts for each recruiting station separately.
Three additional conscription lists are attached to the general precinct conscription list:
Additional draft list A, which includes persons subject to conscription without drawing lots. These are those who tried to evade registration and conscription in various ways.
Additional draft list B, which includes persons who previously had a deferment from conscription and have now lost it.
Additional draft list B, which includes persons who have declared their desire to enter the service as volunteers or hunters.
By May 1 The district Presences submit general draft lists and additional lists A and B to the Provincial Presence.
By May 15 Provincial Presences submit information to the War Ministry about the number of available conscripts.
By July 15 The district Presences submit updated general draft lists and additional lists A and B to the Provincial Presence.
By August 1 Provincial Presences submit updated information on the number of available conscripts to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Upon receipt of all information, the Ministry of Internal Affairs distributes conscription orders between provinces, based on the needs of the army and the availability of conscripts.
By September 1 The Ministry of Internal Affairs sends instructions to the District Presences through the provincial Presences:
1. What categories of conscripts are subject to conscription (only non-preferential or non-preferential and benefit recipients of certain categories).
2. What percentage is subject to conscription from among those categories that are not completely subject to conscription.
3. Which categories of conscripts should be included in the draw reserve.
The recruitment campaign begins on October 1 and lasts until November 1. By this time, the District Presences assign each precinct the days for conscripts to report to the recruiting stations. Everyone must appear there, except for those who are exempt from military service, who have received deferments, who have benefits due to family status of the 1st category, who are entering the service as hunters and volunteers.
The conscription activities themselves at the conscription sites are managed by the District Presences, for which they arrive at the sites on the appointed days.
At the appointed time, the chairman of the Presence reads out all the lists (main, additional A, B and C) and conducts a roll call.
Persons who are not subject to conscription for military service, who have first-class family status benefits, and persons included in additional lists A, B, C are not included in the drawing. Persons included in lists A, B and C are enrolled as recruits without drawing lots.
From the author. This requires some clarification. For example, at a given recruiting station there is an order to call up 100 people for active service. There are 10 people on lists A, B and C. All these 10 people are automatically included in the number of recruits. And for the remaining 90 places, those on the main list will draw lots.
Let's say there are 200 of them. The recruits will be those who draw lots from number 1 to number 90. The remaining 110 people fall into the “reserve of lots” category.
Of those who were included in the recruits (10 people from lists A, B and C, plus 90 people by lot), doctors rejected, for example, 15 people. Then 110 people from the “reserve of lots” category draw lots again. And whoever gets numbers from 1 to 15 are included in the number of recruits.
And all this is done in front of everyone who is present at the recruiting station. And besides those who are directly affected by all this, everyone can be present there. It seems that in such conditions it is hardly possible to cheat, to save your little man from soldiery. The possibility of fraud, although not completely excluded, is extremely difficult.
At the end of the draw, everyone included in the list of recruits undergoes a medical examination. After the examination, the recruits are entered into the acceptance list.
The acceptance list is announced to everyone present at the recruiting station.
Here are the lists:
1. List of warriors enrolled in the State Militia of the second category (beneficiaries based on family status of the first category, and persons declared unfit for military service),
2.List of persons enrolled in the draw reserve.
From the author. They will be listed in the reserve list of those drawn by lots until the conscription campaign is completed and the conscription order has been completed in a given conscription area. The fact is that the decision of doctors on fitness or unfitness for service, benefits based on marital status, etc. may be challenged in the Provincial Presence and, if the complaint is upheld, an additional drawing of lots may be required. At the end of the conscription campaign, they will be transferred from the reserve by lot to the first-class warriors of the State Militia.
3. List of persons enrolled as warriors in the State Militia of the first category. These are beneficiaries of family status of categories 2, 3, and 4 (if the Ministry of Internal Affairs decided to exempt from service either all of these categories or part of the categories during this conscription).
At the end of all activities, recruits are informed of the date of their appearance and the address of the assembly point where they are required to report.
The day of entry into active military service is the day of reporting to the assembly point.
Recruits who report to the assembly point are sworn in and undergo a medical examination. then they are sent to the troops.
To everyone else, the District Presence issues Certificate of attendance for military service. This document further consolidates the status of a citizen regarding his attitude to military service.
The certificate is issued for the following period:
1. Recognized as completely unfit for military service - indefinitely.
2. Enlisted in the State Militia - for an indefinite period.
3. Persons who have received deferments from service - for the period of deferment.
From the author. It should be noted that those enrolled in the State Militia can no longer be called up for military service, even if their health or marital status has changed. Even those who turned out to be completely fit for service, did not have any deferments and did not get into service only because they drew the appropriate lot, can no longer be called up for military service. Even during the war. They retain the right to enter the service as volunteers or hunters.
Voluntary.
Usually, from literary works, the reader gets the impression that those who volunteered were the sons of nobles, the offspring of aristocrats, or at least from wealthy families who, due to their sloppiness, were unable to hide from soldiering in universities, or did not want to enter cadet schools. So they were enlisted as volunteers, and for a very short time they hung around idle in the regiment in the uniform of privates on short terms with the officers, waiting for the order to confer an officer rank to come. Well, or during the First World War, incorrigible romantics who longed for exploits and awards were enrolled as “freelance workers.” And, they say, they also put on officer’s shoulder straps very quickly.
In reality, everything was somewhat different.
Those wishing to enroll as volunteers in the Ground Forces had to meet the following requirements:
1.Age 17 years or older.
3. Have a certificate of completion of an educational institution of the first category (i.e., an institute), or 6 classes of a gymnasium (i.e., have a complete secondary education).
4.Not be under trial or investigation.
As we see, among these conditions there is no condition of belonging to the nobility or having some kind of high social position.
The service life of volunteers is 18 years, of which 2 years of active service in the lower ranks and 16 years of service in the reserve.
Service in itself did not give volunteers the right to be awarded an officer rank. To do this, it was necessary to pass an exam for the rank of ensign or second lieutenant (cornet). The knowledge requirements are the same as for cadets of military schools.
From the author. Those. The “volunteer” in the regiment is in worse conditions than the cadet at the military school. He must actually train himself, while performing regular soldier service. And he will take the exam at a military school. I don’t think that the school’s teachers will treat a “volunteer” more leniently than their cadets.
If a volunteer passes the ensign exam before the end of the first year of service, then his period of active service is reduced to 1 year and 6 months, and he serves the remaining six months with the rank of ensign.
If a volunteer passes the second lieutenant exam before the end of the first year of service, then his period of active service is reduced to 1 year and 6 months, and he can remain in officer service. But if there is no need for officers in the regiment, the person who passed the exam served the remaining six months with the rank of second lieutenant and was transferred to the reserve.
The advantage of serving as a volunteer was, first of all, that he served 1 or 2 years less than those called up. Secondly, if he passed the officer exam, he won for another six months. Thirdly, the main purpose of recruiting as volunteers was still the goal of preparing young people as officers, which means that the attitude of the regiment officers towards him should have been more attentive. And fourthly, depending on his success in service, he was quickly promoted to non-commissioned officer ranks, which made life in the barracks much easier.
Persons who have the degree of doctor of medicine, physician, master of veterinary sciences, pharmacist, pharmacist, which gives them the right to occupy high-ranking positions in the military or naval departments (i.e. military officials), who entered military service as volunteers, serve in the ranks for 4 months lower ranks and then 1 year 8 months with high ranks (i.e. military officials), after which they are transferred to the reserve.
Students of the Corps of Pages and military schools are considered volunteers in relation to military service. For graduates of these military educational institutions, their training time is counted towards their total service life. Moreover, if they are graduated or expelled from military educational institutions by lower ranks, then each year of training is counted as one and a half years of military service.
Persons who have graduated from educational institutions of state civil departments, and are therefore obliged to serve a certain number of years in the civil public service, have the right to enter military service as volunteers, but after completing military service they are still required to serve the required number of years in the civil service. If they wish to remain in military service, then they remain in it with the permission of their civilian department, but not less than for the number of years that they were required to serve in the civilian department.
Hunters.
Hunters are persons who wish to serve in the army voluntarily, but do not have higher or secondary education.
Those wishing to join the Ground Forces as hunters had to meet the following requirements:
1.Age from 18 to 30 years.
2. Fitness for military service due to health reasons.
3.Not be under trial or investigation.
5.Not be deprived of the right to enter the public service.
6.Have no criminal record for theft or fraud.
The terms of service for hunters are the same as for those called by lot.
Service of lower ranks in reserve.
Upon completion of active military service, lower ranks (soldiers and non-commissioned officers) are discharged from active service and sent to their places of chosen residence. Upon arrival at the place of residence, the lower rank is registered with District Military Commander, which is in charge of all issues of registration of those liable for military service, reservists, conscription from the reserve to active service or training camps, transfer from the reserve of the first category to the reserve of the second category, exclusion from military registration for various reasons.
Upon leaving a military unit, those dismissed receive dismissal card, which is the basis for admission to military registration by the District Military Commander. He also makes a note in the passport stating that the owner is listed in the reserves.
Direct accounting of the lower ranks of the reserve is carried out locally by:
*Volost Board- for peasants, townspeople, townspeople, artisans, and guild workers living in rural areas within the volost.
*County police department - for all storekeepers living in cities, provincial towns, suburbs, towns of a given county.
*City Police Department - for all reservists living in cities that have their own police department.
*Bailiff - for all storekeepers living in the countries.
When changing place of residence, the storekeeper is obliged to deregister at the old place of residence and register at the new place of residence.
Reservists are called up for repeated active service on the basis of the Highest Decree in case of need to increase the size of the army. Usually when there is a threat of war.
A call can be made:
1. General, if necessary, increase the number of all troops.
2.Privately, if necessary, increase the number of troops in certain areas.
Also widely used in documents and in the Charter instead of the term “conscription” is the term “mobilization” in order to distinguish regular conscription in the usual manner, existing in both peace and war, from emergency events associated with the return to service of reservists.
Mobilization calls are handled by the District Military Commander with the help of the District Police Department.
When mobilization is announced, all reservists are given one day to organize all their personal affairs, after which they are required to report to assembly points at their place of residence. Here they undergo a medical examination. From them are formed marching teams, which are sent to military units in various ways.
State militia.
The state militia is convened only in time of war to solve auxiliary tasks of a military nature in order to free up for combat units those ranks in military service who performed these duties in peacetime. For example, protection of military facilities (warehouses, arsenals, ports, stations, tunnels), protection of the coastline, protection of the rear of the Active Army, convoy service, service in hospitals, etc.
At the end of the war or the passing of the need, the militia units are immediately disbanded.
The state militia is recruited from males under the age of 43 who are not enrolled in military service (active and reserve), but are capable of carrying weapons. Older people enlist in the militia at will. All militias have the same name "warrior", with the exception of officers.
The militia is recruited by age, starting with younger ages, as needed.
The militia is divided into two categories.
First category These are militia units and militia units to reinforce standing troops. The first category includes:
1. Persons who were subject to call-up for active service during regular annual conscription, but who were not selected for it by lot.
2. Persons enlisted in the militia upon release from military service in the reserve.
Second category these are only militia units. The second category includes all persons declared unfit for military service, but capable of bearing arms.
The following are formed from the warriors of the state militia:
*militia foot squads,
* militia horse hundreds,
*militia artillery batteries,
*militia fortress artillery companies,
*militia sapper companies,
*militia sea crews, half-crews and companies.
Foot squads can be reduced into brigades and divisions, horse hundreds and artillery batteries into regiments, fortress artillery companies and sapper companies into squads.
Warriors enjoy all the rights, privileges and are subject to the same rules and laws as the lower ranks of the standing troops. However, if they commit crimes, warriors are subject to civil rather than military court.
Officer and non-commissioned officer positions in militia units are occupied by persons who have the appropriate military ranks received in military service. It is allowed to appoint to a position one step higher or lower than the rank. For example, a staff captain may be appointed battalion commander, company commander, or junior company officer.
If there is a shortage of officers, persons who do not have officer ranks, or who have an officer rank two or more levels lower than the position, can be appointed to officer positions. In this case, they are assigned a temporary rank corresponding to the position, which they wear only while they are in this position. To distinguish it from real ranks, the word “ordinary-” is added to the name of the rank. For example, a retired army second lieutenant was appointed commander of a militia regiment. He receives the rank of "common colonel".
From the author. During the First World War, the most common rank among militia officers was the rank of ensign. This was due to the fact that there were the fewest retired officers available to occupy the lower officer positions. Therefore, these positions were filled by retired non-commissioned officers, who were awarded the rank of ordinary warrant officer.
When mediocre officers were awarded the Order of St. George, they lost the prefix “ordinary” and their officer rank changed from temporary to real.
Afterword.
This was the system of universal conscription in the Russian Empire on the eve of the First World War. Of course, after its outbreak and the further course of the war, it underwent certain changes. Something was canceled, something was introduced. But in general, this system was maintained until the 1917 revolution. Further events of the revolution and the Civil War completely broke it, both on the side of the White Movement and the Bolsheviks. The destruction of both the Russian Army and its recruitment system, and subsequently the entire Russian state, was started not by the Bolsheviks, but by liberal and democratic parties, which were multiplying at that time in incredible numbers. At the head of these parties were Russian intellectuals who were extremely far from understanding the place and importance of the army in the state (all these sworn attorneys, lawyers, writers, economists, journalists, etc., etc.), completely incapable of either building a new state or manage the existing, but possessed monstrous aplomb and conceit, spewing stormy fountains of eloquence and delusional utopian ideas.
Well, something happened that could not have happened. The army, this backbone of any state, fell apart and collapsed. And the entire Russian state instantly collapsed.
The attempts of not the most stupid and not the most mediocre generals of the old army to collect and glue the fragments of the shattered army turned out to be as unsuccessful as attempts to glue a broken jug.
The Bolsheviks initially tried to build a new army based on Marx’s completely utopian and unimaginably stupid idea of replacing the forced army with the general arming of the people. But it turned out that two or three months in 1918 were enough to understand that even in the most democratic state it was absolutely impossible to build an army on democratic principles. And began the long journey of restoring the army and the recruitment system based on the old tsarist principles, which could not be fully completed by 1941.
Destroying is easy, fun and enjoyable. It only took a couple of years (1917-1918). Twenty years were not enough to restore.
Today the Russian Army and its recruitment system have been destroyed again. And again by democratic intellectuals. And it was destroyed much more thoroughly than in 1917.
What's next? The intellectuals of the early 20th century paid heavily and cruelly for their stupidity and wandering in the clouds of mental delusion. Executions, expulsions, camps, repressions. And rightly so!
But history has taught today's democrats nothing. Do you think that this cup will pass away from you? Oops?
Source and literature
1. S.M.Goryainov. Statutes on military service. Commissioner of military educational institutions. St. Petersburg 1913
2. Directory of necessary knowledge. All Perm, Algos-Press. Permian. 1995
3. Life of the Russian Army of the 18th - early 20th centuries. Military publishing house. Moscow. 1999
To recruit the army necessary to fight the Great Northern War of 1700-1721, Peter I introduced conscription in 1699. Russia became the first country in the world to implement compulsory “conscription” into the army.
The first intake amounted to 32 thousand people. Recruitment was not of an individual, but of a communal nature, that is, the population of a particular territory was told the number of recruits that it should supply to the state. Men from 20 to 35 years old were involved in the recruitment service. For most of the 18th century, service was for life. Only in 1793 was service limited to 25 years.
During the reign of Peter I, a record number of recruitments were carried out - 53. In total, about 300 thousand people were called up for military service. Due to losses in battle and desertion, the total number hardly exceeded 200 thousand people. To this were added more than 100 thousand irregular troops: Cossacks, mounted Tatars and Bashkirs.
By 18th-century standards, Russia had a gigantic army. Under Peter I, the population was 12-13 million people, therefore, 2.5% of the population was put under arms. In European countries at that time, the share of military personnel from the country's population did not exceed 1%. Moreover, the size of the army did not decrease after the end of the Great Northern War, but continued to grow throughout the 18th century. The intensity of recruitment reached its climax during the Seven Years' War, when 200 thousand people (mostly peasants) were conscripted during the five years of Russian participation in this conflict. By this time the army had grown to 300 thousand people. By the end of the 18th century, the Russian Empire apparently possessed the largest regular army in the world - 450 thousand people.
I. Repin “Seeing off a recruit”, 1879.
The maintenance of such an army required enormous expenditures from the treasury. Under Peter I, warring Russia devoted an average of 80% of budget income to military expenditures, and in 1705 a record was set at 96%. In fact, the entire country worked only for the development of the army and military industry. In the second half of the 18th century, in years of peace with the most negative economic conditions, the Russian army continued to absorb 60-70% of the budget. By the beginning of the 19th century, due to rapid population growth, the share of military expenditures proportionally decreased, but remained at the same high level - 50-60%.
Recruitment for most peasants was the only way to avoid serfdom. The average annual recruitment was 80 thousand people. Of these, about half each year were serfs. Russia was conditionally divided into eastern and western parts, which in turn were supposed to satisfy the needs of the Russian army for recruits. Of the seven people to be recruited into the army, usually one went to serve, completely freed from previous obligations to his owner-landowner. The serviceman passed on his new free fortune to his children. This social lift became especially important after the abolition of lifelong service. It was military retirees who became the founders of the layer of commoners who did not fit into the class system of the Russian Empire.
Meanwhile, many people tried to avoid recruiting, regardless of their social status. And if the bourgeoisie managed to pool together to buy a conscription card, which exempted them from conscription, then the peasants were usually purchased by the landowners. However, the purchase of this document was a very expensive undertaking - by the middle of the 19th century it cost 570 rubles. But thanks to this mechanism, up to 15% of potential recruits were released from service annually.
Against this background, the market for fake recruits flourished in the Russian Empire. The landowners, not wanting to lose peasants, looked for people who were ready to replace them for piecework wages. Usually people agreed to become a lifelong (later - 25 years) soldier for 100-150 rubles. Because of this practice, the Russian army has always had a high percentage of people from marginal and criminal sections of society. But the authorities turned a blind eye to this, as this allowed them to avoid shortages.
Materials: Kalyuzhny D., Kesler Y. Another history of the Russian Empire - M.: Veche, 2004; Hosking J. Russia: people and empire (1552-1917) - Smolensk: Rusich, 2001