Conscription in the Russian Empire
Conscription in the Russian Empire was introduced by Peter I of Russia. The system was called "conscript obligation" (Template:Lang-ru).
Prior to 18th century
Russian tsars before Peter maintained professional hereditary musketeer corps (streltsy in Russian) that were highly unreliable and undisciplined. In times of war the armed forces were augmented by peasants. Peter I introduced a modern regular army built on German model, but with a new aspect: officers not necessarily from nobility, as talented commoners were given promotions that eventually included a noble title at the attainment of an officer's rank. Conscription of peasants and townspeople was based on quota system, per settlement. Initially it was based on the number of households, later it was based on the population numbers.[1]
18th century to Napoleonic Wars
The term of service in 18th century was for life. In 1793 it was reduced to 25 years. Individual conscripts were drawn from urban and rural men of Russian nationality who paid poll-tax (including serfs) upon reaching the age of twenty. Because of the large population pool available exemptions were common with the decisions largely being left to the village elders of each community. The final stage in the selection process involved the drawing of names by lot, according to the actual requirements of the army in any given year.[2] This might mean that virtually no recruits would be required in years where the Empire was at peace and limited replacements were available through re-enlistment. Alternatively, in the French invasion year of 1812 three separate levies were needed, calling up a total of fifteen males from each hundred.[3]
1825 to Milyutin reforms
In 1825 the duration of active service remained at 25 years for line regiments, with shorter periods of 22 years for the Imperial Guard and 15 in support and technical corps.[4]In 1834 it was reduced to 20 years plus 5 years in the reserve and in 1855 to 12 years plus 3 years of reserve commitment.[1] Following the 1834 changes depot battalions were established in recruiting districts for each regiment to enable basic training for conscripts. Allocation to a particular corps was on the basis of build and appearance (regiments of the Imperial Guard), education (literate conscripts became clerks or went to the technical branches), and skills (lighter men with equine experience went to the cavalry). The great mass of conscripted recruits were allocated to the line infantry.[5] At least in peace-time this system of arbitrary allocation was to continue until the end of the Russian Empire with no provision for individual preferences.
After the Russian defeat in the Crimean War during the reign of Alexander II, the Minister of War Dmitry Milyutin introduced sweeping proposals for military reform, with draft provisions presented in 1862. As part of these reforms, on January 1, 1874 , a conscription statute was approved by the tsar making military service theoretically compulsory for all males at the age 20 The period of service was reduced to 6 years full-time plus 9 years in the reserve. This conscription measure created a large pool of military reserves ready to be mobilized in the event of war, while permitting a smaller active army during peace-time. Prior to the Milyutin reforms the Russian army had effectively been a long-service force with limited reserves, since many men who had completed their 25 years of service would not be physically fit for active service if recalled to the colours.[6]
Families with only one son were exempted from conscription.
Final years of the Empire
See also
References
- ^ a b Jerome Blum (1971) "Lord and Peasant in Russia: From the Ninth to the Nineteenth Century", ISBN 0691007640, pp. 465,466
- ^ Seaton, Albert. The Russian Army of the Crimea. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0-85045-121-3.
- ^ Haythornthwaite, Philip. The Russian Army of the Napoleonic Wars (1): Infantry, 1799-1814. p. 4. ISBN 0-85045-737-8.
- ^ Seaton, Albert. The Russian Army of the Crimea. p. 14. ISBN 0-85045-121-3.
- ^ Seaton, Albert. The Russian Army of the Crimea. p. 15. ISBN 0-85045-121-3.
- ^ Seaton, Albert. The Russian Army of the Crimea. p. 13. ISBN 0-85045-121-3.