From Serf to Russian Soldier

235 Pages·2014·8.563 MB·English

by  Elise Kimerling Wirtschafter

From Serf to Russian Soldier

F R O M S E R F T O
R U S S I A N S O L D I E R
Elise Kimerling Wirtschafter
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
Copyright © 1990 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street,
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, Oxford
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wirtschafter, Elise Kimerling.
From serf to Russian soldier
Elise Kimerling Wirtschafter.
p. cm. Bibliography: p. Includes index.
ISBN 0-691 -05585-8 (alk. paper)
I. Russia. Armiia—Military life—History—19th century.
2. Soviet Union—Armed Forces—Military life—History—19th century
3. Serfdom—Soviet Union—History—19th century. I. Title.
U77I.W57 1989 306.2'7'0947—dc20 89-10522
This book has been composed in Linotron Sabon and Gills Sans
Princeton University Press books are printed on acid-free paper,
and meet the guidelines for permanence and durability of the
Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the
Council on Library Resources
Printed in the United States of America by Princeton University Press,
Princeton, New Jersey
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 21
Designed by Laury A. Egan
To my grandfather
Max Lionel Kimerling

C O N T E N T S
LIST OF TABLES ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi
INTRODUCTION xiii
ONE Conscription 3
Two Military Society and the State 26
THREE From Peasant to Soldier: Education and Training 55
FOUR The Limits of Bureaucratic Regulation: The Regimental Economy 74
FIVE Justice with Order: Autocratic Values and Military Discipline 96
six Soldiers in Service: Expectations and Realities 120
CONCLUSION TheSemi-StandingArmy 149
NOTES AND LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 153
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 199
INDEX 209

L I ST OF T A B L ES
I. I Age and Social Origin of Recruits 10
1.2 Recruits Sent to the Azov Infantry Regiment in 1795 and 1811 II
1.3 Physical Inadequacies among Recruits 24
2.1 Mortality among the Lower Ranks 30
2.2 Illness and Mortality in the Active Army 31
2.3 Rates of Illness, Mortality, and Desertion 32
2.4 Illness, Mortality, and Desertion in the Pskov Infantry Regiment 33
2.5 Married Soldiers, 1841-44 37
2.6 Family Ties among Recruits 37
2.7 Infantry Noncommissioned Officers in 1807 44
2.8 Jager Noncommissioned Officers in 1805 45
2.9 Noncommissioned Officers in 1813 46
2.10 Garrison Noncommissioned Officers in 1816 47
3.1 Level of Skill among Recruits 63
4.1 Artel and Economic Sums per Soldier 80
5.1 Rate of Desertion I I I
5.2 Crime among Lower Ranks of Non-Noble Origin I 12
5.3 Types of Crimes Committed by Non-Noble Lower Ranks I 13
5.4 Crime among Lower Ranks of Noble Origin I 14
5.5 Crime Rate (Ratios of Accused Officers and Lower Ranks) I 15
5.6 Crime among Officers I 16
ix