In the history of Russia, participants in the Crimean War, like this campaign itself, occupy a special place. This page is written in the blood of tens of thousands of soldiers and is very important for all Russians. One of the heroes of the war with the Turks over the Crimea was General Baklanov. A hereditary Cossack, a fearless warrior, a thunderstorm of enemies and a wise diplomat, he left an important mark in the history of his native country, protecting his interests all his life not only in Crimea, but also in other regions. Biography Baklanova must be carefully studied. Especially those who consider themselves a patriot of Russia.
Frantic Boklu, Donskoy Suvorov, Thunderstorm of Chechnya - these nicknames earned the hero of the Caucasian War Baklanov. “If you were afraid of Allah Almighty just like Baklanov, then you would have already become holy people,” the commander-in-chief of the mountain army, Imam Shamil, told his people.
The childhood and youth of the hero
Kuban gave the world many heroes. On its fertile lands, in the village of Gugninskaya, Baklanov Yakov Petrovich was born on March 15, 1809. His father, Pyotr Dmitrievich, was a coroner of the Don Army, and his mother Ustinya (nee Malakhov) was a classic Cossack. Baklanov Sr. was distinguished by a powerful physique and fearless disposition. During his service in the army, he gained a reputation as a formidable warrior, whom his comrades respected and panicked enemies.
In between military campaigns, Petr Dmitrievich was engaged in raising his son, trying to grow a real Cossack out of him. Already at the age of three, the boy rode a horse in his yard, and at five - pranced along the street. When Yakov turned eight, his father took the heir with him to Bessarabia, where his regiment was heading. Thus began the camp life of the future hero of the Russian Empire.
And although the boy managed to learn to read and write only partially, the Cossack army was not the worst educator. Baklanov Jr. was a husband before his eyes, quickly mastered the martial arts, and soon in his native village there was no better warrior than he was.
At the age of fifteen, he began serving as a police officer, at seventeen he married (to the daughter of a priest from his native village). At the age of nineteen, he received the rank of corral and, as part of the regiment, commanded by his father, went to his first war.
Yakov Baklanov participated in crossing the Balkans and crossing the Kamchik River, together with his comrades he took Burgas and other strategically important objects of the Russian-Turkish campaign. From the very beginning he proved himself to be a brave and brave warrior. His recklessness shocked even his father, who repeatedly taunted the overly zealous heir with a whip on his back and insisted that his son behave more prudently, being in battle.
But the military authorities appreciated the heroism of the young officer in dignity, and at the end of the war he was awarded the Order of St. Anne of the third and fourth degree.
The beginning of service in the Caucasus
Having a little rest from the battles, the young Baklanov returned to service, full of desire to continue to glorify the Don Cossacks with heroism. For some time, Yakov Petrovich guarded the Russian border along the Prut, and in 1834 he was returned to the Kuban in the Zhirov regiment, as part of which he carried out his first campaigns against the highlanders.
Gallant Cossacks stormed the Trans-Kuban villages located on the banks of the rivers Psefir, Belaya, Laba and Chamlyk. During one of these expeditions, Baklanov was seriously wounded in the head, and during the other with brilliance he emerged from a seemingly hopeless situation, destroying the enemy with virtually bare hands. And this despite the fact that the highlanders were four times the number of Cossacks.
Very quickly, from a young and hot warrior, Baklanov Yakov Petrovich turned into an experienced, cunning and skillful combat officer. His fame grew, and for his exploits by this time he received the Order of St. Vladimir of the fourth degree.
Polish retreat
In 1837, Baklanov was promoted to Yesaul, and four years later, the Don Cossack Regiment No. 36, which at that time included Yakov Petrovich, was sent to Poland to guard the borders with Prussia.
The years spent in the West were not distinguished by major military achievements, but played a very important role in Baklanov's life. While in Poland, the future general took up his education, for which before he had neither time nor strength. He read classical literature, got acquainted with the monuments of European culture, studied the history of wars, etc.
The Polish period can be called a kind of cultural retreat, a little respite before the big battles.
Thunderstorm Highlanders
Returning from a western business trip, Baklanov Yakov Petrovich was promoted to sergeant major and received at the disposal of the Don Cossack Regiment number twenty, which controlled the Kurin fortification.
From this moment began the brightest period in the life of a hereditary Cossack. His career quickly went uphill, and his name thundered throughout the Caucasus and far beyond.
Confusion and vacillation reigned in the regiment entrusted to Baklanov. There was no discipline, the Cossacks wore torn clothes, indulged in drunkenness, played cards and did not differ in zeal for service.
Very quickly, a new foreman changed the situation radically. He banned alcohol and closely engaged in the formation of soldiers, arranging special lessons in military strategy and tactics.
The Cossack chieftain proved himself to be a wise leader, and under his command, Regiment No. 20 made many heroic campaigns. Baklanov spent almost all his salary on bribing scouts in the camp of the enemy, who promptly informed him of the enemy’s plans, and as a result, the Cossacks were always “on horseback”.
In those days, the Don Army was engaged in a confrontation with the mountaineers who regularly raided Russian villages. With the arrival of Yakov Petrovich, the enemy moved from the position of attack to the defense, for now the Cossacks burned the villages of Chechens, drove away people and livestock, and took away valuable property and food.
The mountaineers spoke the name of Baklanov in a whisper, calling him the Russian devil. They really believed that this person was supported by the unclean, and they were panicky afraid of him. A two-meter, broad-shouldered Cossack with a pockmarked face, lush mustache and bushy eyebrows was happy to support the current image. Once he, taken by surprise, jumped out onto the battlefield in a cloak worn over his naked body with a saber over his shoulder. And another time, he suddenly appeared before the enemy when he thought that Baklanov was dying after a grave wound.
These and similar cases only strengthened the reputation of an invincible warrior. And even the main highlander - the formidable Shamil - respected the Cossack chieftain. True, he scolded his subordinates for the fact that they were too afraid of him.
During his service in the Caucasus from 1846 to 1863, Baklanov Yakov Petrovich rose to the rank of lieutenant general and received many awards, including the Order of George of the fourth degree, the Order of Vladimir of the third degree and others.
When the 20th regiment was disbanded, Prince Vorontsov ensured that Yakov Petrovich remained in service and had another regiment, No. 17, at his disposal. Many considered Baklanov to be an irreplaceable officer. After all, he managed to radically change the balance of power between the Russians and the highlanders in favor of his compatriots.
Twenty years of excellent service
On April 10, 1853, Baklanov was awarded the Order of St. Stanislav of the 1st degree for the valor shown during the attack on the enemy’s positions near the village of Gurdali. On the eleventh of March of the same year he was appointed to the headquarters of the Caucasian Corps as the commander of the cavalry of the left flank. The headquarters was located in the fortress of Grozny (the current city of Grozny).
On June 14, 1854, imperial gratitude was declared to Baklanov for courage, courage and distinction shown during the defeat of the mountain forces between the fortress of Grozny and Urus-Martan. On the twenty-second of August of the same year he was awarded the honorary distinction of immaculate service for twenty years.
The fateful talisman, or Baklanov icon
The fame of the heroes of the legendary commander spread far beyond the Caucasus. Baklanov was loved and respected throughout the Russian Empire. The Don Cossacks of those times were associated with his name.
And then once the parcel was delivered to the ataman from an unknown fan. Opening it, Yakov Petrovich found inside a black silk icon with embroidery in the form of a white Adam’s head (skull with bones) and the inscription “Tea for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the future century. Amen".
Baklanov simply fell in love with this gift and did not part with it until the end of his life. The creepy badge became his mascot. It caused horror even among the Cossacks, and even the mountaineers at the sight of a fluttering black banner above the giant figure of a rider simply fell into a panic. They were sure that it was death itself rushing on them, so they ran to where. And then they told their children about the terrible giant sent to the earth by the shaitan.
The image of the Russian commander is still preserved in the legends and tales of the Chechens. He also entered the songs of the Don Cossacks.
Duel with Janem
Among the enemies from time to time there were people who claimed that they would destroy the Russian devil. They boasted that the hero leading the Cossack army would fall at their mighty hand. One of such daredevils was a mountain shooter named Janem. He threatened to kill Baklanov when he would lead the cutting of the clearing.
The scouts informed Yakov Petrovich of this intention, and he made an unexpected decision - to appear where the enemy would be waiting for him to try his luck.
Janema's first shot passed by. The second bullet pierced the edge of the Cossack's fur coat. And then the shooter could not stand the nerves, and he leaned out of his hiding place. Baklanov reacted instantly and killed the enemy on the spot with a shot from the fitting. The bullet hit right on the forehead. After this incident, even the greatest skeptics believed in the general’s magical abilities. The highlanders were convinced that the shaitan was protecting this Russian demon in the flesh.
Crimean War
As you know, in 1853 the Russian-Turkish conflict flared up with renewed vigor. And since 1855, participants in the Crimean War could contemplate the legendary General Baklanov, who was temporarily transferred to the hottest spot in the Russian Empire, next to them on the battlefield. There he was appointed commander of the regular cavalry, which guarded the fortresses that had already been repelled from the Turks and helped to take new ones.
The Crimean Cossack regiment of ataman Baklanov was famous for his successes on the battlefield, and he himself was well known to the enemy, who was afraid of him and called him “bataman-toothfish” (a hero with a sword in the afternoon).
During the Russian-Turkish war, Yakov Petrovich was seriously shell-shocked in the head, but remained in service. For military merits, he was awarded the Order of St. Anne of the first degree.
At the end of 1855, Baklanov left the Crimea and plunged into peaceful life, settling in Novocherkassk. But the rest did not last long. Already in 1857 he was again sent to the Caucasus.
Service in Vilna
Another important period in the life of Yakov Petrovich Baklanov was his service in Vilna, where he stood at the head of the Don Cossack regiments from 1863 to 1867.
The brave southern warriors were thrown here to suppress the uprising that took place in Poland, and the leadership decided that an experienced general would be of great benefit in this situation. True, Baklanov did not take part in power operations, but helped Count Muravyov in suppressing the rebellion in other ways.
The latter had a very bad reputation among the local population, and when a two-meter Cossack appeared in his assistants, people were overwhelmed by real fear. Baklanov was credited with animal cruelty and a sharp temper. But soon the opinion of him changed dramatically.
Muravyov entrusted his assistant to manage the August province, swarming with forest gangs of rebels. Two weeks after Baklanov’s arrival, the province turned into a model of calm and obedience. Yakov Petrovich managed to achieve such a result, successfully combining military prosecution with administrative measures. Local residents began to treat him with deep respect.
General Baklanov personally traveled around the territory entrusted to him and conducted several hundred conversations with the local population, trying to find out the mood of the people. He tried to meet all those who wanted a peaceful and quiet life. Often, he even allowed himself to disobey Muravyov and did not take property from the rebels, although the "boss" insisted on mandatory confiscation. Baklanov, however, believed that in this way he would only set the locals against himself, and the conflict would flare up even more. He wanted to dispel the rumors of Russian ferocity, and he succeeded.
Upon learning that Yakov Petrovich was helping the young heirs to preserve the flavors of their parents sent to Siberia, Muravyov was furious, but eventually took the position of Baklanov.
last years of life
Even during his Lithuanian business trip, Yakov Petrovich Baklanov fell seriously ill - he passed his liver. In 1864, he went home to regain his health, and then returned to Vilna again. In the summer of the same year in Novocherkassk all the chieftain's property and money burned, which, of course, did not affect the well-being of the elderly Cossack.
In 1867, the hero of the Caucasian War and other high-profile campaigns returned to the Don, and then moved to Petersburg, where his last years passed.
Baklanov led a quiet, inconspicuous life, after losing his savings barely making ends meet. I no longer thought of battles, I only remembered the past, working on the memoirs “My Combat Life”.
The disease did not recede, and on October 18, 1873, Yakov Petrovich died. He was buried in the cemetery of the Novodevichy Convent. The ceremony was funded by the Don Army.
Memory of the hero
Five years after the hero’s death, a monument was erected over his grave for voluntary donations, which is a rock with a cloak and hat thrown at it. And from under the hat you can see the legendary Baklanovsky badge.
In 1911, the general "returned home." His ashes were transported to their homeland and reburied in Novocherkassk. Near Baklanov, in the tomb of the Ascension Cathedral, there are other heroes of Russia - Platov, Orlov-Denisov, Efremov ...
The memory of a fearless warrior, a wise general, a great patriot of his country and just a good soul man with a harsh appearance is still alive today. From generation to generation, songs of the Cossacks are transmitted , in which there is an image of a brave ataman and his legendary “Cormorant strike”, in which the saber cut the rider in half with the horse. The name of the Russian general is mentioned in the legends of the peoples of the Caucasus.
In 1909, the 17th Don Cossack Regiment was named in honor of Baklanov. Also, his name now bears the village where Yakov Petrovich was born. And the inhabitants of Novocherkassk received in memory of the hero Baklanovsky Prospekt (formerly called Troitsky) and several monuments. Also, a monument to the ataman stands today in Volgodonsk.
Immortalized in stone, Yakov Baklanov looks the same as in life - severe, formidable, sharp. Just the sight of the general at one time caused panic among the enemies. But friends and relatives knew that under a powerful, impregnable shell, a sensitive heart and a vulnerable soul were hidden.
The hero of Don Baklanov is a model of a real warrior who enters the battlefield not because he wants blood or adrenaline, but because he loves his homeland and is ready to fight for it until the last breath. The personality of a brave Cossack should not be forgotten by descendants and deserves to become an example for the young.