I first learned about this man many years ago, reading a thin notebook with the recollections of my grandfather, an officer of the Russian army who participated in the tragic for the Russian troops East Prussian operation. Grandfather then served as an orderly officer for the head of the 22nd Infantry Division as part of the 1st Army Corps, which was part of the infamous 2nd Army of General Samsonov.
To weaken the onslaught of German troops rushing to Paris and save the allied France from defeat, the Russian command decided to strike at the Germans in East Prussia. The direction of the main attack of Samsonov's army passed through the small Prussian town of Soldau (Soldau), which was occupied by Russian troops without a fight. “The corps commander, General of Infantry, Artamonov, sent a telegram to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief: Soldau at the feet of Your Imperial Highness,” my grandfather wrote in his memoirs.
So the surname of the commander of the 1st Army Corps, General Artamonov, was sounded. The capture of Soldau was the last success in his career - a brilliant and amazing career ... But how many can say something about this man? Unlikely. For example, in the book published in 2000 by K.A. Zalessky “The First World War. Biographical Encyclopedic Dictionary "about Artamonov there is neither a separate article, nor even an indication of the date of his death.
His Majesty's chance helped to find out more about this man. Once again rummaging in my home library, I came across a small brochure published in 1979: “L.K. Artamonov. Through Ethiopia to the banks of the White Nile ”.
Here's how! Is there a connection here? After all, where is the White Nile, and where is the Prussian Soldau! But Artamanov turned out to be exactly the same. Before me was the amazing fate of a Russian officer and general, a talented explorer-geographer, now almost completely forgotten.
Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov was born on February 25, 1859 on a small farm in the Kherson province in a poor family with many children (besides him there were 7 brothers and 2 sisters). In 1869, he entered the gymnasium in the city of Nemirov, but a year later, thanks to a happy coincidence, he ended up in the Vladimir Kiev military gymnasium (at that time the cadet corps were transformed into military gymnasiums), making the first step towards a military career. Upon graduation at the age of 17, he entered the 2nd Konstantinovsky Military School, and in 1878 he was transferred to the famous Mikhailovsky Artillery School, graduated from there as a second lieutenant and sent to serve in the Caucasus as the commander of an artillery battery.
In 1880, the battery, commanded by Artamonov, was included in the detachment of General M.D. Skobelev, who carried out the so-called 2nd Akhal-Teke expedition with the aim of annexing part of present-day Turkmenistan to Russia. Here, participating in hostilities, including in the siege and storming of the Geok-Tepe fortress, Artamonov receives his first military awards, showing himself to be a brave and proactive officer.
Upon his return from Turkmenistan, Leonid Konstantinovich in 1882 entered the Nikolaev Engineering Academy, which he graduated the following year. He was elected a full member of the Russian Geographical Society for his report on the Akhal-Teke oasis, and in 1885-1888 he studied at the Academy of the General Staff, after which he again sent to serve in the Caucasus, and then in Central Asia.
Here, the young officer of the General Staff, Artamonov, has to travel a lot both to the little-studied outskirts of the Russian Empire and to neighboring countries: Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan. "As a result of these trips, voluminous volumes appeared, which contained information that has not yet lost its scientific value, especially for the study of orography, hydrography, history and economics of the areas he visited." In 1896 L.K. Artamonov becomes a colonel, and soon the most amazing journey in his life begins.
End of the 19th century. The colonial division of the world is being completed by the leading European powers. England and France have especially succeeded in this, but others are not lagging behind. As a result, only one independent state remained on the map of Africa - Ethiopia (Abyssinia), with which Russia decided to establish diplomatic relations and in 1897 sent a mission to Addis Ababa. In addition to diplomats, several military ranks were supposed to enter it.
The selection of candidates from among the officers was very strict, and the decisive factor that determined the choice of one of them was a letter from the commander of the troops of the Trans-Caspian Military District, General A.N. Kuropatkin to the Chief of the General Staff N.N. Obruchev:
In view of the seriousness of the task and the need to treat the military-political study of Abyssinia thoroughly, impartially and with great caution in dealing with representatives of the authorities and the population, it would seem necessary to entrust such an assignment to a person experienced and prepared for that by previous service. Of all the officers of the General Staff known to me personally, I recognize Colonel Artamonov as the most suitable.
The issue was resolved, and Leonid Konstantinovich went to Ethiopia. On November 9, 1897, a Russian diplomatic mission landed in the French possession of Djibouti on the shores of the Gulf of Aden. Although by that time the Franco-Russian alliance, the famous "Entente", had already existed for three years, the French were not at all happy with the appearance of the Russians on their territory and posed various obstacles for them. But, despite all the difficulties, the mission nevertheless reached Addis Ababa on February 4, 1898, and the next day entered the capital of Ethiopia, "where the envoys of Russia were given such a solemn meeting that no foreign embassy had ever received before." Here, deep in Africa, Russian diplomats and officers found themselves at the epicenter of the struggle between British and French interests.
England sought to connect its possessions in the south of the African continent with Egypt, even planning to build a trans-African railway from Cape Town to Cairo. The French, on the other hand, moved from the west, from the Sahara, with the intention of uniting their West African possessions with the colonies on the east coast of the continent. Ethiopia, finding itself at the crossroads of these interests and forced to choose the lesser of two evils, decided to draw the western border of the state along the right bank of the White Nile, agreeing that the French flag would be raised on its left bank.
To occupy the territory near the White Nile, inhabited by non-subordinate tribes, and thereby prevent the advance of the British, a detachment of Ethiopian troops was sent to this area, in which there were also two French. Apparently, Negus Menelik II did not trust them very much, since he asked the head of the Russian mission to send with the detachment also "a Russian officer, and asked to entrust him with drawing up a map of the occupied country in the White Nile basin." And Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov, along with two Don Cossacks, Arkhipov and Shchedrov, hit the road, writing in his report:
It is necessary to make about 1000 miles from Addis Ababa in a very little explored country.
At the end of June 1898, the detachment with which Artamonov was located, reached the White Nile at the confluence of the Sobat River, where the Sudanese city of Malakal is now located. And then an event occurred that showed the determination and courage of the Russian officer.
As planned, the Ethiopian warriors hoisted the flag of their country on the right bank. For the French, in order to plant their flag, it was necessary to cross to the other side of the river, but there were no means of crossing nearby, and no one dared to cross the river by swimming because of its width and the many crocodiles and hippos. Artamonov wrote:
The position of the French was really pitiful: they rushed with their flag first to the natives, then to the Abyssinians, promising a generous reward for that, but everywhere they met a cold refusal; none of the black people wanted to risk their lives for the interests of the white aliens.
The French, finally, with promises of a piece of canvas, seduced one of the natives, and he, having made a raft of straw, entered the water. And then the unexpected happened. Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov told about it this way:
The French, arrogant and quarrelsome, who caused us a lot of trouble, now, in an important, in their own words, moment for their fatherland, shamefully cowardly and instead of themselves send with a French flag to risk their lives and take possession of the country (!) Of the poor hungry savage Yambo, seducing him with a piece of canvas ; ... the fallen prestige of the white man now falls even lower.
I quickly crossed myself, tore off my shirt and rushed into the river (leaving my boots in the swamp). Behind me I heard shouts, groans and exclamations: "Oh, Yehud!" - but did not turn around. After two minutes of intensive work I hear my fellow Cossacks catching up with me. “Hold on, guys, in the name of God and the glory of Russia! Let's not put the Russian name to shame! " - “We hold on, we will not shame. Help us, God! " - answered the Cossacks.
... Finally, the Cossack Arkhipov felt the bottom and shouted. We stepped up their efforts - and everyone stood with their feet on the viscous, swampy bottom. “Thank God,” we crossed ourselves. We got to the reeds, diving into the deep tracks of the hippos. "Hurray for the Emperor and Russia!" And all of us, with our last bit of strength, shouted our joyful, victorious "hurray!" they began to shout with all their might "hurray, hurray, hurray!"
The way back for tired people turned out to be even more difficult. In addition, crocodiles have already rushed after them, but the swimmers managed to jump out of the water. On land, Ethiopian warriors admired the deed, exclaiming: “Russians are lions! Well done, well done! " And at night Leonid Konstantinovich felt sick from the stress, and he lost consciousness.
Colonel L.K. Artamonov with the Cossacks Shchedrov and Arkhipov upon his return from Africa (1899)
Upon his return to his homeland, Artamonov, along with the Cossacks, was received by the emperor. He made a report on the expedition to the Russian Geographical Society, receiving a gold medal named after F.P. Litke. In 1901 he was promoted to major general.
For skillful actions and courage in the Russian-Japanese war he was awarded the Orders of St. Anna and St. Stanislav - both of the first degree and with swords (which means reward for military merit), at the beginning of 1906 he was appointed to the post of commandant of the most powerful Vladivostok fortress with the rights of the interim governor-general of the Vladivostok region, and in May of the same year he was appointed head of the 22nd infantry division and a year later promoted to lieutenant general. In 1911, he took command of the 1st Army Corps, soon receiving the rank of General from Infantry. It was in this capacity that he met the First World War.
Let's go back now again to August 1914 in East Prussia, in the small town of Soldau. It was in its vicinity that one of the largest tragedies in the history of the Russian army unfolded. I will not analyze the reasons for this tragedy: mountains of special literature have been written about this. However, one of the reasons was that the Germans, on behalf of the commander of the 1st Army Corps, General Artamonov, transmitted by radio (communication was not properly protected) an order to the corps units to retreat, disorganizing the Russian troops. The commander of the 2nd Army, General A.V. Samsonov shot himself, not wanting to be taken prisoner, General Dushkevich took over his duties, and Artamonov was removed from office and put under investigation. But Russia again rescued France with its victims, and the Russian Minister of War Sukhomlinov said at the same time to the French Ambassador Maurice Paleologue, who demanded a new offensive by the Russian troops:
Do not forget, Ambassador, that we have already sacrificed the lives of 110,000 soldiers at Soldau to help the French army.
However, now all this has been forgotten, and Russia pays France debts on loans a century ago: after all, the lives and blood of Russian soldiers by the standards of the "dear" (they cost Russia very dearly!) Western "friends" are not expensive!
The officer who commanded the company that covered the last bridge under Soldau spoke about the behavior of Leonid Konstantinovich at the most critical moment of the battle:
Artamonov crossed the bridge and remained with the company, sitting on the shaft of its trench, watered by artillery. A third of the company had already left, and he sat quietly; then he looked at his watch, said that it was time, the bridge was blown up, and the company began to withdraw. Perhaps by this he thought to make up for the failure of his corps, realizing that his career was over.
Although Artamonov was rehabilitated, he no longer held high posts and retired in May 1917. He took the October Revolution calmly, from 1918 to 1921 he worked in the statistical department of the Moscow Soviet, and then until 1927 as an engineer in the Moscow Committee for State Structures and the Moscow Military Engineering Directorate, after which he retired and settled in Novgorod. The last two years he lived in Leningrad, where he died on January 1, 1932.
And Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov's notes about his journey to the great African river, to the places where he was not only the first Russian, but probably the first European, were first published only in 1979 in the brochure I have already mentioned. It is possible that this is, in general, the only publication about him.
Vladimir Agte,
member of the Union of Journalists of Russia
- Military leader, traveler, writer. General of Infantry (1913).
- He graduated from the Vladimir Kiev military gymnasium (1876), the Konstantinovsky military school (1878), the Mikhailovskoye artillery school (1878), the Academy of the General Staff (1888). In 1879 he was released as second lieutenant in the 20th artillery brigade. Participated in the Akhal-Tekin expedition (1880-1881).
- From 1888 he served in the Caucasian military district, from 1890 - in the Trans-Caspian region. He made pozdki with reconnaissance purposes in the border areas of the Ottoman Empire, Persia, Afghanistan.
- Since 1897, at the disposal of the Chief of the General Staff, he was appointed chief of the convoy of the Russian mission in Abyssinia. In 1898 he made a military expedition with the troops of Abyssinia to the White Nile. As a result, the borders of Abyssinia were recognized by all colonial powers.
- In 1899-1901. participated in the Chinese campaign (suppression of the Boxer Uprising). From 1900 he was the chief of staff of the South Manchurian detachment. From 1901 he commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 31st Infantry Division, from 1903 - the head of the 8th East Siberian Rifle Brigade (then the division), from 1904 - the 54th Infantry Division, from 1906 - the 22nd Infantry Division. Participated in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.
- Since December 1907 - the chief commander of Kronstadt, since 1910 - the commandant of the Kronstadt fortress. From March 1911 he commanded the 1st Army Corps. In August 1914, he was removed from office for unsuccessful actions in East Prussia. Then he was in the reserve ranks at the headquarters of the Minsk military district, from 1916 - at the headquarters of the Petrograd military district. In January - April 1917 he commanded the 18th Siberian Rifle Division. In May 1917 - retired.
- From 1918 to 1924 worked in Soviet institutions in Moscow, then retired.
- He was awarded nine Russian orders up to the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (1916), a gold weapon with the inscription "For Bravery", two Persian, two French, Bukhara and Abyssinian orders.
- Author of the books "Conquest of the Turkmen-Teke by Russian troops under the command of General Skobelev" (1884, 5th edition - 1905), "Persia as our enemy in the Transcaucasus" (1889), "Around Afghanistan. Herat province" (1895), " Trip to Persia. Astrabad-Shahrud region and Northern Khorosan "(parts 1-2, 1894-1897)," Northern Azerbaijan: Military-geographical sketch "(1890), etc. In 1979 his work" Through Ethiopia to the shores White Nile ".
- Brother of military leaders Major General Maximilian Konstantinovich (b. 1854) and Lieutenant General Mikhail Konstantinovich (b. 1857) Artamonovs.
- He died on January 1, 1932. He was buried at the Volkovskoe Lutheran cemetery.
General Staff Lieutenant General, b. in 1859, was educated in the Vladimir Kiev military. hymn., Konstantinovsky military. and Mikhailovsky artiller. schools, Nikolaev engineer. Academy and Nikolaev Acad. General Staff; ... ... Big biographical encyclopedia
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Artamonov, Leonid Konstantinovich- ARTAMONOV, Leonid Konstantinovich, gen. PCS. gene. leit., genus. in 1859 he received education in the Volodymyr Kiev military. hymn., Konstantinovsky military. and Mikhailovsky art. schools, Nikolaev engineer. Academy and Nikolaev Acad. gene. PCS … Military encyclopedia
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Artamonov is a Russian surname. Famous carriers Artamonov, Alexey Alekseevich Hero of the Soviet Union. Artamonov, Anatoly: Artamonov, Anatoly Anatolyevich film director Artamonov, Anatoly Dmitrievich Governor of Kaluga ... ... Wikipedia
Military Institute (engineering and technical) (VI (IT)) Year of foundation 1810 Type military temporarily use ... Wikipedia
Military Engineering-Technical University- Military Engineering Technical University Engineering castle. Main Military Engineering school with 1823, now branch of Russian Museum near VITU Motto Spiritual force and engineering competence ... Wikipedia
Until very recently, we knew almost nothing about Leonida Konstantinovich Artam Onove, who at the very end of the last century visited the then unknown regions of Ethiopia and described what he had seen and experienced on the paths he had traveled, told about the events in which he had a chance to take part.
Fate was clearly unfavorable to L.K. Artamonov. A successfully launched military career suddenly ended at its zenith. The writings he wrote were forgotten, the already typed book about the trip to Ethiopia for political reasons remained unpublished, his reputation was posthumously marred by unfair reviews based on biased and unfriendly characterization.
In the archives of the Geographical Society of the USSR, only the manuscript of “A Brief Report on the Journey from Addis Ababa to the detachment of Dajazmach Tasama to the r. Sobatu and further to the r. White Nile ". All published information about L.K. Artamonov's expedition to the White Nile through the previously unexplored regions of Ethiopia and about him was limited to a summary of his lecture given on November 29, 1899 in the Society of Zealots of Military Knowledge, the publication of the meteorological observations collected by him and a brief by reference in the "Military Encyclopedia", published in 1911, i.e. twenty years before the death of L. K. Artamonov.
In 1952, Yu. D. Dmitrievsky, in a review article about Russian researchers of the nature of Eastern Sudan in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. cited brief information about L. K. Artamonov, and then, on the basis of the manuscript of his "Report", succinctly characterized the data, new for the science of that time, contained in it. In essence, the work of I. Kozlovskaya also repeats this article. Briefly retells the content of the manuscript of L. K. Artamonov M. V. Wright. Only now, when it was possible to find his reports and notes in the archives, with a well-known claim to completeness, can one tell about Leonid Konstantinovich and about his travels in Ethiopia. The Central State Military Historical Archive (TSGVIA) preserved memoranda, reports and correspondence concerning the expeditions undertaken by him, as well as a track record brought up to 1913, which significantly supplements the encyclopedic information. But, of course, the most detailed and valuable information is contained in the works of L. K. Artamonov himself: first, they mentioned the manuscript of the unpublished book "A Brief Report on the Journey from Addis Ababa ..." and two unpublished articles - "How I got into the wild Africa "and Donets on the White Nile"; secondly, his memoirs, entitled "My autobiography (for my own children)", unfortunately, is far from being completed (brought only up to 1892). LK Artamonov began writing them in December 1928 and worked on them for two years. The last, unfinished, ninth notebook began on October 29, 1930, and in January 1932 he died. Also preserved are two notebooks with diary entries from March-May 1916 and January-March 1917 and some personal papers, allowing to clarify certain dates of the last years of life. Let us try to briefly trace the life path of L. K. Artamonov. About his origin, years of childhood and adolescence, he himself speaks in detail in his autobiography.
Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov was born on February 25, 1859 on a small farm Kapritsa, received as a dowry by his mother Klavdia Andreevna, nee Nevadovskaya, the daughter of a fairly wealthy landowner.
Father, Konstantin Andreevich, came from the impoverished Russian noblemen of the “Podolsk province, who moved to Ukraine. He was orphaned early and, due to lack of funds, was forced to leave the Vinnitsa gymnasium without completing the course. Having started his service as a postmaster, KA Artamonov by 1847 became assistant to the chief, and then the chief of the border post station in the town of Gusyatin on the river. Zbruch, through which the path to Vienna and Paris lay.
A large family - Leonid Konstantinovich had 7 more brothers and 2 sisters - and a very meager income (the insignificant salary of the postmaster and the rent received from a part of the farm) forced the parents to austerity. The children of the Artamonovs differed little on weekdays from the children of neighboring peasants. The mother, a smart, energetic and economical woman, nevertheless somehow coped with the need and, taking advantage of the fact that influential and dignified persons passed through the border station, skillfully made contacts useful for arranging children.
In 1865, Leonid Konstantinovich's father, having received a more advantageous place in the excise tax, moved with his family to Kamenets-Podolsky, and then, in 1869, to Gaisin. After going through a harsh life school, an honest, hardworking and accurate man, he brought up children in severity, resorting to measures of physical pressure. Religion was considered the basis of morality, and all prescribed rituals were strictly observed. Subsequently, the exceptional piety of L.K. Artamonov often served as a pretext for slander and ridicule of colleagues and especially ill-wishers.
In 1869 the boy was sent to a gymnasium in the town of Nemirov. LK Artamonov studied here for only a year. The accidental acquaintance of his parents with the assistant to the chief chief of military educational institutions, General Korsakov, made it possible for him to be enrolled in the state school at the Vladimir Kiev military gymnasium, which had been transformed from a cadet corps. The boy was preparing for exams by his elder brother Alexander (died in 1900), later a participant in the famous "Process of the 193s" (October 1877 - January 1878), sentenced to a three-year imprisonment in the Peter and Paul Fortress. With his help, Leonid Konstantinovich passed the exam and in August 1870 he was enrolled in the gymnasium, which he successfully completed six years later, having received an average grade of about eleven on a twelve-point system.
General Kuzmin-Karavaev, a campaigner of the old, Nikolayev-style, bourbon and embezzler, who headed the gymnasium at first after L.K Artamonov entered it, was soon replaced by Colonel Pavel Nikolayevich Yushenov, a highly educated artilleryman who devoted himself entirely to his assigned work - the education of future officers. This was the time of liberal reforms carried out by Minister of War D. A. Milyutin. LK Artamonov retained the warmest memories of PN Yushenov. Having learned that the boy was more interested in geography than other subjects, more precisely, its section - the description of land and his favorite reading - the magazine "World Traveler" published at that time, he began to subscribe it on purpose. “I think that our unforgettable Pavel Nikolayevich Yushenov planted and watered our unforgettable Pavel Nikolayevich Yushenov with his rational participation, and most importantly, a passionate desire to go everywhere, especially in wild and unexplored countries,” admits L.K. Artamonov in his autobiography, recalling the years held in the Kiev military gymnasium.
Education, naturally, was conducted in a strictly religious-monarchical spirit, based on the triune formula: "For God, Tsar and Fatherland." And if genuine patriotism and somewhat exaggerated, but sincere religiosity remained unshakable in L.K. and, possibly, the unfriendly attitude of Nicholas II towards him. In any case, he brought out solid moral principles from the gymnasium. Purposefulness inherent in him, diligence and the Spartan upbringing received in childhood prompted him to persistently continue his education: there were no other ways to "go out into people".
So, in 1876, after completing seventeen and a half years of training at the gymnasium, L.K. Artamonov decided to choose a military career and, following the example of P.N.Yushenov, become an artilleryman. However, due to the lack of vacancies at the Mikhailovsky Artillery School, he had to enter the 2nd Konstantinovsky Military School (formerly the so-called Noble Regiment), where teaching was better than in other military educational institutions, and “remained,” he said, “ old martial ... traditions, without exaggerated German martyrs. " And here he studied quite successfully, as evidenced by the graduation marks - an average of eleven points. In May 1878, he finally managed to realize his intention to become an artilleryman: he was transferred to the senior class of the Mikhailovsky Artillery School, from where he was released the next, in 1879, as a second lieutenant. It was now necessary to choose a place of service.
The financial situation did not allow to achieve an appointment to the guard. “The desire to see distant, completely new places awoke ... I was attracted not so much by the Transcaucasia and the newly conquered Turkish provinces ... - writes L. K. Artamonov in his memoirs, - as the North Caucasus, glorified by Pushkin, Lermontov and Count Tolstoy. I decided to take one of three vacancies in the 20th artillery brigade, whose headquarters were located in Vladikavkaz, and the batteries are scattered along the highway from Vladikavkaz to Petrovsk. "
In August of the following year, already in the rank of lieutenant, the young officer took part in hostilities for the first time. His battery was included in the exile of the troops of the Transcaspian detachment, sent to capture the Geok Tepe fortress in the Tekin oasis in order to counterbalance the British influence in these parts. The detachment was commanded by the hero of the Balkan War of 1877-1878: General M.D.Skobelev. Leonid Konstantinovich took an active part in the battles, in particular in the siege and assault on Geok Tepe. Here he earned his first military awards, showing himself to be a brave and proactive officer. Subsequently, even people who spoke of him very unkindly, always noted the personal courage and courage of L.K. Artamonov, qualities, as we will see later, are organically inherent in him.
After the end of hostilities, L.K. Artamonov was sent to St. Petersburg to enter the Mikhailovskaya Artillery Academy. Not going through the competition right away, he decided to take the exam at the Nikolaev Engineering Academy, where he studied from April 1882 to October 1883. After graduating from the academy, he was sent to the sapper units. For some time, already in the rank of staff captain, he served in Odessa and Sevastopol. But the usual drill, although with a technical bias, service did not satisfy Leonid Konstantinovich. Therefore, despite the difficulties associated with very serious examinations, he achieved admission to the Academy of the General Staff, where he studied for two and a half years (September 1885 - March 1888). After passing the final examinations in the 1st category for "excellent success in the sciences" he was promoted to captain, and he was sent to serve first in the Caucasian military district, and then - in 1890 - in the Transcaspian, i.e. to Central Asia. It was here that the military and administrative activities of L.K. Artamonov unfolded, unfortunately still not fully appreciated at their true worth.
In 1882 L. K. Artamonov was elected a full member of the Russian Geographical Society for his report on the Akhal-Tekinsky oasis. The interest in geography and geographical research, which had arisen back in the Kiev military gymnasium, intensified. When I was in the Caucasus, a trip to a mountain village “sparked ... a long-hidden desire to wander around the world, especially in unknown and not spoiled parts of the world, to see real, grandiose mountains, rivers, seas and even the ocean. In a word, everything that has not yet been possible to see for yourself, but the description of which has always been so ... carried away and captivates. " In terms of character and interests, L. K Artamonov was, obviously, to a much greater extent a scientist-researcher than a military one.
For a decade, almost every year, he went on more or less long trips, both abroad - to Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and to areas bordering with these countries, in order to collect information necessary to strengthen the defense capability of Russia in connection with incessant intrigues and aggressive aspirations of England in Central Asia. So, at the end of 1888 L. K. Artamonov was sent on an assignment to Turkey to conduct "military-statistical research." A year later, with exactly the same task, he went to Persian Azerbaijan. Two more years later, already by order of the commander of the Trans-Caspian Military District A. N. Kuropatkin, L. K. Artamonov studies the Astrabad region and North Khorasan in Iran. As a result of these trips, voluminous volumes appeared, which contained information that has not yet lost its scientific value, especially for the study of orography, hydrography, history and economics of the regions he visited. In the northern part of Khorasan, L.K. Artamonov visited places on the then maps marked with a blank spot (from Mount Sengez to the road to Kuchan) and had not been visited by any Europeans before.
In Persia, in Mashhad, Leonid Konstantinovich received a warm welcome at the Russian Consulate General. The consul then was Pyotr Mikhailovich Vlasov, with whom later fate brought him together in Ethiopia.
In between travels, L. K. Artamonov was assigned various assignments: he pursued the "robbers" in Kizil-Arvat and Uzun-Su (1892), headed the quarantine there during the cholera epidemic (1892), on the Afghan border in the mixed international commission, as an assistant to the delegate of Russia, was engaged in regulating the issue of the use of the waters of the r. Kushki (1893), participated in maneuvers, terrain reconnaissance and tactical exercises, temporarily acted as chief of staff of the Trans-Caspian Military District, headed various units and formations. In 1896 L.K. Artamonov received the rank of colonel. For the successful completion of tasks, he was repeatedly awarded various orders.
In 1897-1898. L. Artamonov had a chance to take a direct and rather active part in the events that almost led the then world to war. As the note in his service record says, on February 4, 1897, L. K. Artamonov was "sent to this headquarters by order of the General Staff in view of the upcoming appointment to the mission sent to Abyssinia."
Since the end of the XIX century. a well-known interest in Ethiopia began to appear in Russia . He awakened not only because the Ethiopians were considered “brothers in faith,” although at that time this circumstance was also of no small importance. It should not be forgotten that tsarist Russia was as much an imperialist power as its western neighbors.
First of all, Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod merchants were not averse to finding a new sales market for their goods. Their aspirations found expression in the adventurous attempt of the "Cossack" NI Ashinov to found the colony "New Moscow" in Sagallo on the Red Sea coast in 1889, an attempt that so quickly and ingloriously ended under the first volleys of the French cruiser "Primangue". Russia had nothing against getting a coal station somewhere on the shores of the Red Sea on the routes leading to its Far Eastern ports, for example, in Raheit, provided, of course, that this would not cause any complications. And nevertheless, in those specific conditions, the role of Russia in the history of Ethiopia turned out to be positive.
During the first Italo-Ethiopian war, which ended with the crushing defeat of the Italian army at Adua (March 1896), Russia tried to both morally and materially support Ethiopia, in whose unity and integrity it was interested, since this limited the freedom of action of England in Africa , which to a certain extent linked her aggressive aspirations in Central Asia. It is not for nothing that Russia, despite the indignation of the Italian Foreign Ministry, resolutely refused to recognize the legality of the famous 17th article of the Uccialla Treaty, which fraudulently turned Ethiopia into a vassal of Italy, and joined Menelik's protests. By the end of the summer of 1897, a decision was made to establish diplomatic relations with Ethiopia and to send a mission to Addis Ababa. It was headed by an experienced diplomat who had worked for many years in Persia, a real state councilor, which according to the table of ranks corresponded to Major General, Peter Mikhailovich Vlasov. Before the departure of the mission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave him instructions, which, among other things, indicated: "We do not pursue any mercenary or mercantile goals in Abyssinia and are sympathetic to the enterprises of the Negus, the direction towards strengthening his power and establishing calm and developing prosperity in his country." ... And further: "For now, your main and immediate task is to earn the trust of the negus and, if possible, protect it from the intrigues of our political rivals, especially the British, who are pursuing such ambitious and predatory goals."
Thus, Russia's policy objectively contributed to the preservation of the integrity and independence of Ethiopia. Contemporaries were fully aware of the goals of this policy. So, on November 13, 1896, an article appeared in St. Petersburg Vedomosti, signed by S. D. M. (most likely Colonel S. D. Molchanov), the conclusions of which were as follows: 1) the Ethiopian empire by the very the nature of things is an enemy of the British and a natural ally of Russia; 2) it is a formidable force and can serve as a serious counterbalance to British influence in Africa; 3) an alliance with Ethiopia is not only beneficial to Russia, but, like the Franco-Russian alliance, is a political necessity. Therefore, Russia is called upon to support it to the best of its ability and capabilities.
The Russian public, primarily progressive, expressed ardent sympathy for the freedom-loving Ethiopian people, which was clearly manifested in the formation of the Red Cross sanitary detachment, sent in 1896 to Addis Ababa, and in the collection of funds to provide assistance to the wounded and sick Ethiopian soldiers.
As usual in such cases, a diplomatic mission sent to Ethiopia was to be accompanied by a convoy and officers attached to it. When this became known, General A.N. Kuropatkin, then commander of the troops of the Trans-Caspian Military District, sent a letter to the Chief of the General Staff N.N. He wrote: “According to his moral merits, energy, abilities, scientific training, independence of character and ability to work, Colonel Artamonov will successfully cope with the upcoming difficult task in Africa ... I sent Colonel Artamonov where there was an urgent need for a reliable worker, to you can rely on in every way.
In view of the seriousness of the task and the need to treat the military-political study of Abyssinia thoroughly, impartially and with great caution in dealing with representatives of the authorities and the population, it would seem necessary to entrust such an assignment to a person experienced and prepared for that by previous service.
Of all the officers of the General Staff known to me personally, I recognize Colonel Artamonov as the most suitable. "
On the basis of the ensuing relationship of N.N. Obruchev, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs approved L.K. Artamonov's candidacy, about which Deputy Minister V.N. namely: “for the success of the mission, it is absolutely necessary that P. M. Vlasov, commanded by ... by special order, should be considered our only representative and that all other members of the expedition, including Colonel L. K. Artamonov, were placed under unconditional subordination. to the chief of that ". The General Staff agreed with this, because in the note entitled "On the appointment of personnel and on the equipment of the military unit of the diplomatic mission sent to Abyssinia," it was said: ...
This officer, undoubtedly subordinate to the head of the mission, will have to: with his knowledge and consent and, depending on the circumstances, use every opportunity to travel around the country in order to study both the country itself and its population and especially the military forces, and in case of separation from a small part of the convoy will be assigned to this officer. "
On October 19, 1897, the mission headed by P.M.Vlasov departed from Edessa. The mission included an officer of the Life Guards of the Gusar Regiment A.K. Bulatovich, who had already visited Ethiopia in 1896, accompanying a Red Cross detachment sent there by the Russian government after the Battle of Adua to help wounded Ethiopian soldiers.
On November 9, the mission landed in Djibouti, then French. I had to stay here because of the obstacles put by the administration in the purchase of pack animals. Despite the Franco-Russian alliance concluded three years earlier, the colonial authorities were not enthusiastic about the possibility of Russian penetration into Ethiopia. The French resident in Djibouti, Lagarde, who had just been appointed ambassador of France to Ethiopia, fearing that PM Vlasov's mission might get ahead of him on the way to the Negus's residence, hastened his departure to Addis Ababa.
L.K. Artamonov, with his characteristic enterprise, decided to use this time and turned to P.M. sultanate. He knew about a hypothetical project to create a coal station in this harbor to supply Russian ships heading through the Red Sea to the Far East. Not without reason a year earlier the officers of the gunboat "Zaporozhets" made measurements of the seabed there and an eye survey of the coast.
P. M. Vlasov, who was distinguished by extreme caution, feared that such a trip would undermine “the credibility of the disinterested goals pursued in Abyssinia and thus complicate the fulfillment of the assigned tasks, especially since the designated headquarters officer (ie L. K. Artamonov - I. K.) is not sufficiently restrained and careful in words and is not at all familiar with diplomatic techniques and customs. "
Despite his fears, as subsequent events showed - fully justified, P.M. Vlasov obtained permission from the French representative in Djibouti, Manigo, who replaced Lagarde, for the trip planned by the colonel, although he did not hide the possibility of complications with Italy.
We are aware of this expedition from the detailed report of L.K. Artamonov, addressed to the chief of the Asian part of the General Staff, Lieutenant General A.P. Protsenko. November 13, 1897 L. K. Artamonov set off on a felucca from Djibouti to Obock. Describing this path, he sets out his considerations in connection with the rumor about the possibility of Obok's concession to Russia for setting up a coal station. As you know, the matter was limited to a project, and the fears of the colonel, who did not approve of such an action at all, were in vain. Reading the report, one can only marvel at his observation and efficiency: in less than two days, he collected a lot of valuable information.
From Obok LK Artamonov and his companions set out as a caravan. The road went along a low-lying coastal terrace, schematically and far from accurately mapped, which apparently prompted him to give a more or less detailed description of the area, mentioning briefly about the Danakil tribes that lived here. Having fluently surveyed the Turba Bay, he arrived on November 19 at the residence of the local Sultan Raheitu, where he stayed for a day and a half, getting to know the surroundings. Fearing to displease the French and Italians, the colonel abandoned topographic surveys, but photographed the area rather diligently; in the Raheiggskoy Bay, he checked the shooting carried out by officers from the Zaporozhets in 1896, and compiled a legend for it. In his report, he briefly described the area in terms of ease of use for anchorage of ships and as a starting point on the way to the capital of Ethiopia. Further, L.K. Artamonov describes the Raheit Sultanate, whose population, according to rough estimates, did not exceed 15 thousand Danakils, divided into clans, the list of which is given. It tells in detail about the Sultan Raheyta Hummed-Muhammad and his relatives, more briefly - about the Sultanate of Aussa and the ruler of the last Mohammed-Amfari.
Sultan Raheity, in a conversation with the colonel, expressed a desire not to have any further business with Italy and to become a citizen of Russia. LK Artamonov, in spite of the strict and definite instructions received, showed imprudence, supporting this conversation and advising the Sultan to contact PM Vlasov. The Colonel's negotiations with the Sultan immediately became known to the French, and as a result L.K. Artamonov was nearly recalled from Ethiopia.
On November 20, the colonel set off on his return journey: the day of the mission caravan from Djibouti was approaching. The whole journey took 12 days: of which two days were spent on moving by sea, seven and a half days had to go on foot. About 240 miles were covered under the scorching sun. Returning to Djibouti on November 24, L. K. Artamonov did not find the mission there. On the way to the capital, she settled down five kilometers from the coast in the Ambuli camp. Due to the obstacles imposed by the French administration in the acquisition of camels and mules, as mentioned earlier, the mission was forced to remain in the Ambuli camp until December, until the pack animals, bought in Zeile with the help of the English resident of Garrington, arrived. On December 21, the caravan reached Jeldessa. One crossing before this then border town, the head of the Ato-Mersha district left to meet the mission. On December 24, the mission entered Harer, where it received a reception. In the next report sent from here on December 26, L. K. Artamonov mentions both road difficulties and the lack of allocated funds. On the way, they made notes, made barometric and other observations, cropped bivouacs and made a descriptive route. The next report was sent on January 11, 1898 from the Dara tract; it also spoke about the difficulties in organizing the caravan and transporting goods due to the exorbitant requests of the owners of pack animals and the lack of porters.
Two days later - January 13 - in the tract of the river. Burka LK Artamonov is another report containing essential information about the actions planned by Menelik II, not suspecting that he will soon have to take an active part in them. The colonel reported that the Negus declared the southern border of his country to be 2 ° north latitude, the north - 14 ° north latitude, and the west - the right bank of the White Nile, on the way to which inhabited tribes that were not subject to anyone. Menelik was forced to make such a statement by the then situation on the southwestern and western borders of the country. It was quite clear to Menelik that in the event of a victory over the Mahdists in Sudan, the British would move further to the borders of his country in order to carry out the construction of the railway they were designing from Kapstadt (Cape Town) to Cairo. From the south, from Uganda, a detachment of Major MacDonald was supposed to march with Kitchener's troops in Sudan. By giving freedom of action to the British, the Negus would thereby endanger the independence of his country. Thus, Menelik's desire to secure the specified area for Ethiopia was of a preventive nature and was undoubtedly progressive.
Artamonov wrote that Menelik "collected 200 thousand infantry, cavalry with 40-60 mountain Italian guns ... Abyssinian soldiers are brave, courageous soldiers." Italy has extremely limited opportunities, and its moral and political authority in the eyes of the Abyssinians has fallen sharply. As for England, one should not expect any real opposition from her side until the fall of 1898.
As we now know, L.K. Artamonov in this case was absolutely right: Kitchener was able to reach Fashoda on the Upper Nile (modern.Kodok) in September 1898. According to L.K. Artamonov, France in this part of Africa by military force did not have it at all. She was ready to assist Menelik in the implementation of his plans in order to articulate for herself the exclusive right to trade and exploit the newly conquered countries. Thus, especially if we take into account the difficulties caused by the possibility of movement around the country, namely, “the aggravation of the hostile attitude of the local population towards the Europeans after the Italo-Abyssinian war, any hostile actions of the colonial powers will encounter serious obstacles. All this frees the hands of Menelik, who is making every effort to arm his army. "
In a report sent from the tract r. Burka, it is reported about the deployment of the Ethiopian army's formations, their number, and also an assessment of the intentions of England, and there are more or less significant discrepancies with the information collected by A.K. Bulatovich. It should be admitted that LK Artamonov's forecasts turned out to be more accurate, although they were made earlier. In conclusion, he writes: “The Abyssinians differ from other blacks in Africa in their awakened consciousness of statehood and national pride, close to patriotism. These are undeniable signs of strength and victory. Therefore, I think that the plans of the negus Menelik will be successfully carried out and, perhaps, even this year, Menelik's troops, led by excellent loyal military leaders, will widely expand the boundaries of his empire, actually occupying the newly annexed regions. "
On February 4, 1898, the mission finally arrived at the Negus' newly established residence, Addis Ababa, and camped an hour's march away. The next day, the entry into the capital took place, where the envoys of Russia were given such a solemn meeting that no foreign embassy had ever received before.
At the end of 1897, three expeditionary armies began to implement Menelik's plans: the Makonnyn races marched with a thirty thousandth corps to Beni Shangul, the Walde Giyorgis races, the conqueror of Kafa (Kaffa), moved with his troops to the southwest to seize the "no-man's" territory adjacent to the lake. Rudolph, and then to reach the new boundaries set by Menelik at 2 ° north latitude. He was accompanied by A.K.Bulatovich, who left a detailed description of this campaign . The armies of Dajazmachs Damisse (Demesye) and Tesemma (Tasama) went to the lower reaches of the river. Sobat in order to reach the banks of the White Nile.
As L.K. Artamonov reported in a report dated March 1, 1898, Menelik, having learned that Tesemma's detachment included members of the French expedition of C. de Bonchamp, who had failed in his attempts to reach the White Nile, asked the envoy of Mr. Vlasov to send him to Tasama Russian officer, and asked to entrust him with drawing up a map of the occupied country in the White Nile basin. Mr. Vlasov instructed me to carry out this task, to which Negus Menelik expressed his full consent and made all the orders to assist me on the way. G. Vlasov, with a special instruction, forbade me to provide any assistance and give advice to both the French and the Abyssinians, as well as enter into any political conversations with them. " - In the written instructions given by P.M. Vlasov to L.K. Artamonov, it is said that since L.K. on the colonies, I consider it my duty to recommend you, both on the way and during your stay in ... the detachment, extreme caution and humbly ask you to adhere in your work to the tasks assigned to you by the General Staff ... without pulling out suspicions. " P. M. Vlasov further emphasizes that if the course of action of L. K. Artamonov causes any diplomatic or political complications, then he relinquishes all responsibility "in its entirety".
Further, L.K. Artamonov writes in his report: “I have to make about 1000 miles from Addis Ababa across a very little explored country, and from Bure across enemy territory in wartime conditions, where I have to be only an impassive observer studying the Abyssinian army ... The return date is May. "
It is easy to be convinced from the published "Report" by L. K. Artamonov that he was not an "impassive observer". The return time dragged on for months.
The events that L. K. Artamonov mentions in the "Report" were in the center of everyone's attention at that time
In September 1898, the Fashoda crisis broke out. British troops, striving to occupy the entire Nile valley, forced the French expeditionary detachment of J. B. Marchand to leave Fashoda. If dozens or even hundreds of books and articles are devoted to the incident in Fashoda itself, which put England “on the verge of a war with France,” then about the accompanying episodes, for example, the expedition of C. de Bonshan, which was supposed to unite at the White Nile with the expedition G B. Marchand, wrote much less. Ethiopian archives apparently disappeared during the 1934 Italian-Ethiopian war; some materials were in the possession of Emperor Haile-Sillase, but they were not available. Thus, LK Artamonov's "Report" is probably the only eyewitness testimony at the disposal of historians about the campaign of the Tesemma army and the detachment he sent to the White Nile. Of the five Europeans who took part in it and reached the banks of the river (three Russians and two French - Potter and Febvre), Potter was killed on the way back, and Febvre, as far as we know, left no memories or notes. Naturally, this increases the value of LK Artamonov's reports. Of course, we have to regret that they cannot be compared with other sources telling about the same events. They were compiled under fresh impressions, so they may have reflected the emotions of the author, caused by the difficulties of the path and personal relationships, not always and not with everyone friendly.
But be that as it may, only from LK Artamonov's "Report" became known the exact route of the army and the reconnaissance detachment of Tesemma, which ran partly in places where the foot of a European had never set foot. These places were first mapped by a Russian officer. Unfortunately, the information he collected has not come down to us in full. The descriptions of the nature of the Sudan regions from the Abyssinian highlands along the Sobat to the banks of the White Nile, given in the "Report", are accurate and clear, despite their brevity; meteorological observations were also carried out here for the first time.
We learn from the "Report" about the life and customs of various strata of the population of Ethiopia at that time, about its internal situation, about the intrigues of the imperialist powers, about their intrigues and rivalry. All this gives LK Artamonov's records an enduring value as a primary source, and, moreover, as we have seen, a unique one, which, no doubt, will be repeatedly referred to by historians. At the same time, it should be noted that, paying tribute to the courage of the Ethiopians and correctly noticing the growing sense of national identity among them, he cannot refrain from a certain neglect, inspired by his upbringing and the environment, for them, especially for the servants, which is reflected both in terminology and in epithets.
For several months there was no news from L. K. Artamonov. His last letter, sent on April 9, 1898 from the Bako tract, PM Vlasov received on June 1. Copies of PM Vlasov's reports to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which he reported about the absence of information about the colonel, were sent to the War Ministry. On September 19, A.N. Kuropatkin reported to the tsar about the disappearance of L.K.
On October 23, 1898, upon arriving in Port Said, Lieutenant Arnoldi reported to the General Staff that he met Captain Baratier, who was in Fashoda with Marchand, according to whose stories L.K. Artamonov on June 21 and. Art. reached the confluence of the Sobat and the White Nile as part of the Ethiopian detachment. But the captain knew nothing about his further fate. A month later, Arnoldi arrived in Addis Ababa and, accompanied by ten Ethiopian soldiers attached to him, went in search of L.K. Artamonov, whom he met on December 13, 250 km south-west of Addis Ababa.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seeking to insure against any complications, drew up a certificate for the tsar, and sent a letter to A. N. Kuropatkin. Both documents contained new complaints about the actions of L. K. Artamonov, based on information received from the manager of the Russian diplomatic agency in Cairo, to whom they were handed over by Marchand, who was returning home through Egypt. It was about the fact that in the presence of L. K. Artamonov in some settlements contracts were concluded between the local sheikhs and the French, and this caused "the energy and decisiveness of the way of action of General Kitchener", who destroyed the contracts.
However, A. N. Kuropatkin noted in his resolution that “during Artamonov’s mission to the Tasama detachment, the question of Fashoda was simple: it was assumed that the efforts of three nations were directed at this point: France, England and Abyssinia, and that which of them would be the first to reach Fashoda , she will receive the right to own this item. Reached the first French people. Only by violence are they driven out of there. I was afraid that Artamonov would prevent the French from taking this point, and help the Abyssinians to the detriment of the interests of the French. If, at the request of the French or Abyssinians, he expressed his consent to be a witness of certain agreements concerning the French or the Abyssinians, then I definitely do not see what he can be accused of. To certify that this or that act was committed in his presence does not mean to interfere in the political affairs of the French or Abyssinians ... ".
In accordance with this resolution, a response was drawn up to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on December 26, 1898: the actions of L. K. Artamonov were fully justified in it.
Colonel L.K.Artamonov and Lieutenant Arnoldi arrived safely in Addis Ababa on December 16, 1898, but on November 23, L.K. and the French flags and that the latter was hoisted by him personally. In a report sent from Addis Ababa on December 30, i.e. five days before departure, it is emphasized that "the travel direction I have chosen turned out to be the most vital and important one, where the most serious interests of England, France and Abyssinia collided." Having installed the French flag on the left bank of the Nile, L.K. Artamonov actually intervened on the side of both Ethiopia and France, whose interests in this case coincided. For Ethiopia, France was still a less dangerous potential enemy than England and Italy.
When, in January 1899, A.N. Kuropatkin got acquainted with all the reports of L.K. However, in his reply MN Muravyov strongly condemned the actions of L.K. Artamonov: “The named officer abruptly deviated from ... instructions, since not only did he not reject the Abyssinians' requests to witness the hoisting of the Abyssinian flag on the right bank of the Sobat estuary, but accepted on himself a duty that runs directly counter to the instructions received ... A simple retelling of events from the words of Colonel Artamonov himself clearly enough notes how this headquarters officer exceeded the instructions given to him, having resorted to a step that he had no reason to take. " ...
We must pay tribute to A. N. Kuropatkin, who, probably under the influence of sympathy, inspired by the courage and decisiveness of an officer well known to him from the Trans-Caspian Military District, wrote on the complaint of M. N. Muravyov: “Chief [avny] piece [ab]. And yet he did well. We must protect him. 20/2 ".
P. M. Vlasov also showed nobility. When L. K. Artamonov, despite constant friction between them, turned to him with a request to “supply him with a paper on the results of his activities,” P. M. Vlasov wrote: “Colonel Artamonov endured many difficult trials and hardships during his trip and repeatedly subjected his life in danger, than he had to undermine his physical and moral strength, while all this, he not only did not lose his dignity as a Russian, but, on the contrary, proved what a Russian officer, selflessly devoted to the oath, duty of service and loyalty to the throne, is capable of and fatherland. Energy, courage and willingness to sacrifice their lives for the glory of the Russian name and weapons, manifested, as, for example, during the heroic crossing of the river. In order to hoist the French banner, the White Nile, regardless of the military experience that struck the Abyssinians, should have won the sympathy of Colonel Artamonov not only from the military leaders, but from the entire army, which was a witness to all this, and contribute a lot to raising the prestige of our name among the Ethiopians and to increasing trust and respect for Russia.
Now we can say with confidence that if Colonel Artamonov had not been with the detachment of Dajazmach Tasama, the troops of Emperor Menelik would never have seen not only the White Nile, but also r. Sobata, and the Negus himself would forever be deprived of the right to legitimately claim the ownership of the valley-right bank ... just like France - to take possession of the left bank; so vetoMenelik and France, he rendered invaluable services and at the same time made a brilliant page in the history of the valiant exploits of the Russian army. " In May 1899 Menelik awarded L.K. Artamonov with the Order of the Ethiopian Star, 2nd degree.
It should be noted that Febvre and Potter in the message to Menelik about the installation of the French flag, sent from Agul on September 17, 1898, did not mention the Russian officer at all. They did not specify who exactly hoisted the French flag, or even ascribed this merit to themselves. But when the true state of affairs became public, in a note announcing L.K. Artamonov's departure to his homeland, which was made fun of in a newspaper published in Djibouti, it was told about the act of the colonel and both Cossacks. In conclusion, it was concluded that "the Franco-Russian alliance is undoubtedly strong." Articles appeared in the capital press of France and Russia. They praised the courage of the Russian officer. This, apparently, somewhat reassured the Foreign Ministry, especially since there was no protest against its actions on the part of England. The French government awarded L.K. Artamonov, who had received the officer's cross of the Legion of Honor in 1897, with a large officer's cross of the Order of Nishan.
On March 27, 1899, the colonel, along with his faithful companions, the Cossacks, was received by the tsar. The Cossacks received the insignia of St. Anna. The full instruction of the Minister of War in the note about the audience, placed in the "Russian Invalid", should not have mentioned either the flag or the French. It was instructed to report that "the regiment [sheep] Artamonov, being on such and such an expedition and having the need to cross the Nile for reconnaissance, rushed into the water, without warning the lower ranks, who, seeing their commander in the water, immediately rushed after him." This order, of course, was also caused by reinsurance.
The testimony of persons who were part of Tesemma's expedition, collected by P.M.Vlasov at the request of the Ministry of War, about LK Artamonov's participation in it, generally did not differ from his reports. Of particular interest is the diary of Azza Dubbala (Azaj Dubal), the only document of this kind that belongs to an Ethiopian. This gave A. N. Kuropatkin a basis in a report presented on November 29, 1899 to the tsar, to assert that the reports about L. K. Artamonov's campaign, as well as about his behavior during the campaign, "fully confirmed the previously available information." Then he reported: “As for the risky crossing of Artamonov across the White Nile and the raising of the French flag, this act by the representative of French interests in Abyssinia, Mr. Lagarde, apparently appreciated and considered one of the proofs of friendly relations between Russia and France ". An interview given by Lagarde in Djibouti was attached.
Soon after his return to Russia, L. K. Artamonov made a presentation at the Russian Geographical Society, where, having briefly described the results (of the expedition and the collected materials, he petitioned for rewarding the Cossacks who accompanied him and Lieutenant Arnoldi. All three were awarded small silver medals. K. Artamonov was awarded the FP Litke gold medal. The mineralogical collections collected by him were taken for study by specialists. The fate of this collection is unknown. Ethnographic "botanical collections disappeared during the revolution. Despite the fact that LK Artamonov's" Report "was it was even typed for printing, although not without gaps explained by political considerations, and the manuscript contained A. N. Kuropatkin's resolution on its publication in a print run of 1,500 copies, the book was never published. Oldenburg: “The general part of my trip, prepared for publication, was not published for reasons beyond my control, it seems more on political issues, so as not to touch the big question about Fashoda ... In a word, it was the knot of that big politics, which they tried not to talk about. That is why I could not publish my book on time, and all subsequent events completely slowed down this publication ” .
The chairman of the Russian Geographical Society, Professor Yu. M. Shokalsky, highly appreciated the works of L. K. Artamonov, applying for a personal pension: “L. K. Artamonov has been a full member of the Russian Geographical Society since 1882 and is known for his travels across Asian Turkey, Persia, Transcaucasia and Africa, where he made a number of valuable research and observations. These travels, combined at that time with significant personal dangers, were carried out by L.K. Artamonov with great energy and perseverance in the implementation of the tasks, which is why they gave noticeable scientific results that contributed to a more complete knowledge of the countries mentioned. At the same time, the trip to Africa should be noted in the sense that here L.K. Artamonov was one of the few Russian geographers who studied this part of the world ... distinguish [him] ... among Russian geographers and travelers. " Prior to the outbreak of the First World War, L.K. Artamonov's career was a continuous ascent up the career ladder. In June 1900, he was seconded to the command of the Commander of the Kwantung Region, where in 1901 he was promoted to major general.
During the Russo-Japanese War, L. K. Artamonov did not withdraw from the battles from October 1904 to May 1905; he was especially active during the battle of Mukden. His courage was marked by two military orders: hers. Stanislav and St. Annas - both 1st degree with swords. At the beginning of 1906 L.K. Artamonov received the responsible post of the commandant of the Vladivostok fortress with the rights of the interim governor-general of the Vladivostok region . In May of the same year he was recalled to St. Petersburg and appointed commander of the 22nd Infantry Division, and the next year he was promoted to lieutenant general.
Soon he was entrusted with even more responsible positions - first the chief commander of Kronstadt, and then the commandant of the Kronstadt fortress and the chief leader of the defensive work carried out there, which, of course, was facilitated by the military engineering education he received in his time. According to individual deaf mentions in later diaries, his relations with the naval authorities were by no means the most friendly, for reasons that have not yet been clarified. However, the land authorities, apparently, had no complaints against him, because he received the tsar's gratitude "for the quick and successful completion of the work caused by a special assignment" and was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd degree. Either because of disagreements with the sailors, or for other reasons, but four years later - in March 1911 - L.K. Artamonov was transferred back to combat units and appointed commander of the 1st Army Corps, and two years later he was generals from infantry, i.e. gave a "complete general". Here his career reached its peak. Failure followed failure.
From the first days of the war 1914-1918. The 1st Army Corps became part of the 2nd Army of the Northwestern Front. It was commanded by General A.V. Samsonov. In the battles that unfolded in East Prussia on August 13 and 14, 1914, the corps was supposed to provide the left flank of the army in the area of Soldau and Uzdau. On the second day, the Germans handed over to the Russian troops on behalf of the commander of the 1st Army Corps, i.e. LK Artamonova, false order to withdraw. The same, not suspecting anything about the beginning of the retreat of his divisions, which opened the flank of the army and ultimately served as one of the reasons for its defeat, informed A.V. Samsonov about the strength of the positions he occupied. The latter, without understanding, dismissed L.K. Artamonov from the command for allegedly false information. A government commission appointed to investigate the death of the 2nd Army completely rehabilitated him .
It is conceivable that as the commander of a large formation LK Artamonov was not up to the mark; perhaps he lacked the experience or ability to do this, or perhaps both. But even the well-known historian of the revolutionary movement in Russia M.K. Lemke, who was at that time at the Main Headquarters, did not deny the personal courage of L.K. Artamonov, although his general judgments about him are biased, unfair and far from flattering. The episode recorded by MK Lemke in his diary refers to the evening of the day when L.K. Artamonov was removed from command of the corps: “However, we must give him (L.K. I. K) justice, he is not devoid of personal courage. Here is the story of an officer of the Lithuanian Life Guards Regiment, who personally commanded the company that covered the last bridge near Soldau. Artamonov crossed the bridge and remained with the company, sitting on the shaft of its trench, watered by artillery. A third of the company had already left, and he sat quietly; then he looked at his watch, said that it was time, the bridge was blown up, and the company began to withdraw. Perhaps by this he thought to make up for the failure of his corps, realizing that his career was over. He was subsequently rehabilitated. " For a long time after that, L.K. Artamonov could not get permanent value for a command position. Nicholas II clearly did not favor him. Only just before the collapse of tsarism, in January 1917, LK Artamnov was offered the command of the 3rd Division of the VI Siberian Corps, that I, a full general, a former corps commander, was even offended. However, he did not hold this post for long. Soon after the fall of the autocracy in May 1917, they submitted a letter of resignation "due to illness and concussion".
LK Artamonov accepted the October socialist revolution quite loyally.
From 1918 to 1924 L. K. Artamonov worked in Soviet institutions in Moscow: until 1921 in the statistical department of the Moscow City Council, and then as an engineer in the Moscow Committee for State Structures and the Moscow Military Engineering Directorate. From 1927 to 1930 he lived in Novgorod, where he was given a significant pension for those times - 400 rubles. Here he began to write his memoirs. He spent the last two years of his life in Leningrad.
Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov died on January 1, 1932 and was buried at the Volkov cemetery. The surviving works of L.K. Artamonov have enduring scientific value, which fully justifies the characterization given to him by Yu.M. Shokalsky, and allows him to enter his name in the list of outstanding Russian travelers to Africa and the Middle East.
The surviving works of L.K. Artamonov collected in the book are published for the first time. They are published from original manuscripts, with the exception of the first article, "How I got into the wilds of Africa," which came in a typewritten copy.
Written on behalf of the Cossack ataman regiment Arkhipov, the essay "Donets on the White Nile", in all likelihood, belongs to LK Artamonov. The essay supplements the official "Report" with a number of everyday details and characteristic episodes and therefore deserves publication.
When publishing the texts, some erroneous and outdated provisions that have no scientific significance have been omitted. In proper names, geographical names and terms, as a rule, the author's transcription is preserved. The introductory article and editor's comments provide the currently accepted transcription. in almost all cases, except for the spelling of Menelik's name (correctly - Mynilik), which has become widespread.
In LK Artamonov's text, the parentheses belong to the author himself; editorial text is enclosed in square brackets; ellipsis in square brackets [...] indicates a gap or ambiguity in handwritten text that cannot be restored; angle brackets< >marked are the places removed during the recruitment by the tsarist censorship and crossed out in the manuscript.
LK Artamonov's notes are marked with asterisks, editor's notes - with numbers.
Photos of L. K. Artamonov provided by his daughter M. L. Rickman. The rest of the illustrations are taken from the funds of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the USSR Academy of Sciences. These photographs were taken by Russian travelers who visited Ethiopia at the beginning of the century and are being published for the first time.
Photocopies of the articles "How I got into the wilds of Africa" and "Donets on the White Nile" were sent by the author's son - Yu. L. Artamonov. M. L. Rikman handed over for use the notes and diaries of L. K. Artamonov, the location of which was established with the help of M. A. Soldatchenko. I offer my sincere gratitude to all these persons.
I. S. Katsnelson
Leonid Konstantinovich Artamonov(February 25, 1859 - January 1, 1932) - Russian general and traveler, participant in the Russian-Japanese and World War I.
Biography
Born on February 25, 1859 on the Kapritsa farm of the Ananievsky district of the Kherson province. He graduated from the Vladimir Kiev military gymnasium, the Konstantinovskoe and Mikhailovskoe artillery schools (1879, graduated as second lieutenant in the 20th artillery brigade). Member of the Akhal-Tekin expedition in 1880-1881. In 1883 he graduated from the Nikolaev Engineering Academy, served in the sapper units in Nikolaev and Odessa. After graduating from the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff in 1888, he was sent to serve in the Caucasian Military District, and in 1890 - in the Trans-Caspian region. Repeatedly made pozdki with reconnaissance purposes in the border regions of Turkey (1888), Persia (1889, 1891), Afghanistan (1893). In 1896 he received the rank of colonel. In 1897 he was appointed chief of the convoy of the Russian mission in Abyssinia, as a military adviser and representative of the Negus Menelik II, in 1898 he made a successful military expedition to the White Nile with the troops of Abyssinia, opposing the British colonial expansion. These events and actions of the Ethiopian troops are directly related to the Fashoda crisis, but Colonel Artamonov and his troops were late to change the balance of power, nevertheless, these actions were enough to recognize the borders of Ethiopia by all colonial powers.
Member of the Chinese campaign against the boxers in 1899-1901. Since 1900 - Chief of Staff of the South Manchurian Detachment. Since 1901 - Major General, Commander of the 2nd Brigade of the 31st Infantry Division. Member of the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905.
In 1904 - Chief of the 8th East Siberian Rifle Division, 54th Infantry Division. In January 1906, he was temporarily commander of the 8th East Siberian Rifle Division, and. d. commandant of the fortress of Vladivostok. From July 7, 1906 to December 14, 1908 - Chief of the 22nd Infantry Division. Lieutenant General (1907). Since December 1907, Chief Chief of Kronstadt. From March 5, 1911, he commanded the 16th Army Corps. From March 17, 1911, he commanded the 1st Army Corps. General of Infantry (1913).
An even greater crime was committed by General Artamonov on August 14, 1914, commanding the 1st Army Corps in the 2nd Army of General Samsonov. General Artamonov's corps provided the 2nd Army's left flank at Soldau. On this day, August 14, General Artamonov personally reported to General Samsonov by telephone that his corps "stands like a rock" and that the army commander "can fully rely on him", and after 10 minutes he gave the order to withdraw the entire corps, not informing General Samsonov about this (taken from Colonel Bogdanovich's book "Invasion of East Prussia" pp. 144-145, investigation of Adjutant General Panteleev's commission on the reasons for the death of the 2nd Army).Camp gathering in 1907 (From the letters of M.V. Alekseev)
On August 18, 1914, he was removed from office after unsuccessful actions in East Prussia. Since 1914 he has been in the reserve of ranks at the headquarters of the Minsk Military District. Since 1916, in the reserve ranks at the headquarters of the Petrograd Military District. From January 29 to April 12, 1917, he commanded the 18th Siberian Rifle Division.
Member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society since 1882.
After the October Revolution he lived in Moscow, worked in the Moscow Soviet, from 1927 to 1930 he lived in Novgorod, from 1930 - in Leningrad. He died on January 1, 1932, and was buried at the Volkovskoye cemetery in Leningrad.
Selected bibliography
- Armed Forces of Serbia. SPb., 1911
- Persia as our enemy in Transcaucasia. Tiflis, 1889
- Afghanistan. Herat province, Askhabad, 1895
- Trip to Persia. Astrabad-Shahrud region and North Khorasan. At 3 o'clock Tiflis, 1894-1897
- Collection of routes in the area of Olty-Saganlug-Erzurum, Tiflis, 1890
- Military-geographical sketch of Northern Azerbaijan, Tiflis, 1890
- Through Ethiopia to the banks of the White Nile. M., 1979
As the lead editor, he worked on multivolume editions:
- A collection of materials on the Boer War in South Africa. SPb., 1899-1902
- Collection of materials on China and the fight against the insurrectionary movement "Big kulaks". SPb., 1900
Awards
Had the Order of St. Stanislav 3rd degree with swords and bow (1881); St. Anna, 4th degree (1881); St. Anna 3rd degree with swords and bow (1882); St. Vladimir 3rd degree (1899); Golden weapon with the inscription "For Bravery" (1901); St. Stanislav 1st degree with swords (1904); St. Anna 1st degree with swords (1905); St. Vladimir, 2nd degree (December 9, 1909); White Eagle (December 6, 1913); St. Alexander Nevsky (March 16, 1916), the Abyssinian Order of the Star of Ethiopia, 2nd degree (1900), and the Persian Order of the Lion and the Sun, 3rd degree.
Russians in Abyssinia
- Leontiev, Nikolay Stepanovich
- Bulatovich, Alexander Ksaveryevich
- Gumilyov, Nikolay Stepanovich
- Mashkov, Victor Fedorovich
- Ashinov, Nikolay Ivanovich