The Parson George, abbot of St. Nicolas' Cathedral in Sevastopol story about Priesthood in Russian army in Crimean War.

The year of 2008 marks 300th anniversary of the Uglitsk Chasseur Regiment formed in 1708 of several Grenadier companies of the Kazansky, Pskovsky, Sibirsky, Novgorodsky, Moskovsky, Kargopolsky and Ustuzhsky infantry regiments and named after a small old Russian town 200 km from Moscow. Already in 1709 the regiment took part in the battle at Poltava against Swedes. For military valour in the 1812 Patriotic War against Napoleon it was rewarded silver horns with the inscription: 'For merit at the defeating and driving the enemy out of the limits of Russia in 1812'.; During the Eastern War the Uglitsk Chasseur Regiment under Lieutenant-Colonel Popov formed a part of the 2d Brigade of the 16th Infantry Division of the 6th Infantry Corps took part in the Alma battle on 20 September 1854. In the besieged Sevastopol the regiment was from 17 October 1854 till 8 September 1855.; The regiment took part in the Inkerman Battle on 5 November 1854. At night on 23 March 1855 the soldiers of the Uglitsk Regiment participated in the sorties from the Kamchatsk lunet and covered restoring earthworks in front of the Shvarts Redoubt.; All in all the regiment's losts when a part of the Sevastopol garrison reached 1864 men.; For courage and fortitude the Uglitsk Chasseur Regiment as well as his 1st, 2nd and 3d battalions were rewarded Georgean banners with the honourary inscription: 'For Sevastopol in 1854-1855' - four banners of 260 colours and flags military units were awarded by overall results of the Sevastopol epic.; The Uglitsk Chasseur Regiment is enlisted on the marble slab of the St. Nicolas church at the Memorial Crimean War Cemetry on the Northern Side and on the facade of the Black Sea Fleet Museum in Sevastopol.; In 2006 by initiative of the Uglich Municipal Region administration and support of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia the the Uglitsk Chasseur Regiment's memorial plaque was installed in the wall of the house No.1 on Uglitsk street on the Korabel Side not far from the Lazarev's Barracks .; The glory of a regiment is comprised by deeds of its soldiers even if they did little.; Below is the translated extract from Staff-Captain A.Rosin's Memorials ('About the Sevastopol Defence by sevastopolers', St. Petersburg,1872).; ---------------------------------------; On 23 October it rained. Our camp sited on the clay soil was covered with mud. In the evening drenched and chilled I went to bed and fell asleep, but soon was called to the commander of the division. Having arrived in there I found Baron Delvig and immediately received the order to take command of the 1^st Batallion the commander of which was to take the post of Baron Delvig who was appointed acting Commander of the Brigade. General Zhabokritsky said that I was taking the batalion at the grave moment for Sevastopol. At the same time battalion commanders of other regiments assembled. Everyone got spikes and hammers with the order to hand them out to the bravest and quickest men in the companies to jam enemy’s guns in the coming battle. On coming back I immediately gave out spikes to the select and explained the task and how to use them in detail.; At that time cadet Rutkovsky, a youth of 17 (as far as I remember a noble from Tver province) attached from the Uglitsk regiment - came up and asked me to give him a spike.; I knew his brother - a lieutenant attached to us from the Uglitsk regiment as well. I was aware of their family matters: considering difficulties of wartime their mother long did not want to part with the younger son and at last giving in to his urgent request to enter the army had to agree. Tearfully she asked her senior son to take care of him. Lieutenant Rutkovsky passed me his charge of the brother while he was being taken to hospital. Keeping my promise I refused flatly to give the cadet a spike and joked that he himself was it. (In Russian a rod used for this purpose is 'yorsh'; this word has three meanings - ruff (fish), wire brush, and mixture of vodka and beer. In this context - obstinate, inflexible guy - Y.K.).; Rutkovsky was offended but continued to insist.; ' I won’t give you a spike, I was beyond a joke that time, 'due to two reasons. Firstly, because your brother asked me to charge of you and, secondly, it’s not to be a trifle to jam a gun - just to reach it perhaps you will have to do with several enemies.'; ' Do you think I won't have enough presence of mind?' Rutkovsky blazed up. 'Now I give you my word in your sight to jam a gun, just give me a spike'.; ' I can't', I answered.; ' So, you won't give?'; ' So, I won't'.; He left. I lay down and fell asleep but at midnight again was called to General Zhabokritsky. There I found Rutkovsky who had already been at the regimental commander with his request for a spike and been refused as well.; ' Why, staff-captain, don't you want to give him a spike ?' the General asked me half in jest.; I explained the reason. Rutkovsky hardly let me end.; ' I, Your Excellency', he began speaking hotly, 'have already promised staff-captain to jam a gun in his sight, and I will'.; ' Will you?'; ' I will, Your Excellency'.; ' All right, give him a spike .'; I had to obey.; The Inkerman Battle. On 24 October at 4 o'clock in the morning having left the muddy clay camp the companies were already in the ranks. After numberring off the 3 battalion - strong regiment {1} marched from the Apollo Gorge down streets of the Korabel Side... (Shipquarters - one of three historically formed parts in Sevastopol. - Y.K.); ... Having reached the plateau we found ourselves facing the parapet of an enemy's battery {2}. That's why skirmishers and men with spikes immediately were sent forward; having reached the parapet they shouted that Englishmen were running from the battery and there were not many them. Baron Delvig who lately went with my battalion directed me to watch the skirmishers and men with spikes running towards embrasures that could be seen in the left and immediately led the Vladimir regiment's battalions in to the attack, but several sazhen before the parapet, as I knew afterwards, he was met with the battallion fire of Zuavs who appeared behind the parapet in big amount.; According to dead bodies of our chasseurs of the 11th and 17th divisions at and in the battery, one could conclude that the assault against it had been recommenced not once. Besides, having rushed in to the battery chasseurs saw guns already jammed.; At that very moment cadet Rutkovsky by his heroic death proved his readiness to hold the promise to jam a gun in my sight. As soon as he reached the gun he was bayoneted by the French.; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------; {1} In 'The Description of the Sevastopol Defence' by General Totleben, part 1, p.421, 4 battalions are mentioned.; {2} Taking into consideration the direction of the Vladimir regiment's marching and the map of 'The Account of the Sevastopol Defence' this was English battery No.1 (batterie des sacs a terre).

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