Tsar Paul's Infantry Codes?

[Okuto]

I was reading up some things on Suvorov the other day and I kept seeing something on Tsar Paul's Infantry code and I tried looking for it and came up with nothing, can somone plz direct me in the right direction as it's making me go crazy and I can't find what Tsar Paul's infantry code was and how bad in was

[Jihada]

it refers to the military reforms begun in the Russian Army on the Prussian model during the short reign of Tsar Paul (1796-1801). The only detailed book I've seen is unfortunately in Russian
'Military in St Petersburg during the times of Tsar Paul' but I don't know if available in English
http://cgi.ebay.com/TSAR-Paul-and-Mi...-/250640599082

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_I_of_Russia

[Swerg]

Only vague details seem to have traversed the language gap, but I know that it introduced:
-Prussian-style drills and discipline
-Metal knee plates and thigh-high boots designed to force soldiers to stand up straight and march 'correctly'
-Powdered hair in all ranks as well as queue's (ponytails)
-Uniforms copying those of Frederick the Great (long-tailed jackets and such)


Of course, what is not often mentioned is the organizational aspect, which was quite modern and efficient. The 'inspection' system basically made each division of the army into a self-contained regional unit, rather than, as previously, a mess. He also engaged in some reforms of the Russian artillery.

It's also worth noting that Paul was a bit of an idealist, considering himself a knight on the chivalric tradition. He stated in the infantry code that soldiers would perform better for officers who treat them well, rather than ones who simply beat him every time he makes a mistake.

Tsar Paul is often rather poorly treated by history, perhaps a bit too much, as recent research has shown. He was even known to have a sense of humor.

"I call myself Paul I because I am the first Tsar named Paul."

His main fault seems to have been his absolute loathing of his mother and everything to do with her.

[Prince of Essling]

I was reading up some things on Suvorov the other day and I kept seeing something on Tsar Paul's Infantry code and I tried looking for it and came up with nothing, can somone plz direct me in the right direction as it's making me go crazy and I can't find what Tsar Paul's infantry code was and how bad in was

I found this interesting extract below in "The Development of the Russian Inspectorate, 1762-1806" by Robert Goetz at http://www.napoleon-series.org/milit...c_rusorg1.html


"Administrative Changes under Tsar Paul and Establishment of the “Inspectorate”, 1796-1801

One of the first targets for Paul’s military reforms was to address the widespread corruption and inefficiency that had become endemic within the Division System. In conjunction with this major effort came the reorganization of the divisions. Paul’s military obsession left him well prepared to implement immediate reforms. Paul enacted the first series of reforms beginning in November 1796, just weeks after assuming the throne. The initial reforms raised additional regiments and reorganized the jäger corps into battalions. On 3 December 1796, Paul enacted broad administrative changes that reorganized the previous divisions, re-christening them “Inspections,” and expanded the number, function and authority of the inspectors.

While the exact geographic boundaries of the divisions remain unclear, the general region covered can be approximated by the garrisons included within the each inspection as described in Table 2.

Table 2: Divisional Organization, 1796-1801 [omitted as formatting went haywire!]

As a part of the reorganization of the divisions, the number of inspectors was increased to three per division, the three being responsible for infantry, cavalry and artillery. These inspectors were to be appointed by the Tsar and responsible directly to him, bypassing the military bureaucracy where corruption had run rampant in the last years of Catherine. Finally, the inspectors were granted greater authority and backed by authority of the Tsar to ensure that corrective action would be taken when abuses and deficiencies were revealed.[20]

Paul’s administrative reforms included the adjustment of regimental strength to two battalions of one grenadier company and five musketeer companies (6 grenadier companies in the battalions of the grenadier regiments, one designated the “flank company”) on 29 November 1796. This measure was followed by the formation of converged grenadier battalions of four companies each from the grenadier companies of the musketeer battalions and the flank companies from the grenadier battalions, leaving battalions of five companies each in the regiments (except in specific regiments). The distribution of forces among the new inspections, detailed in Table 3, demonstrates a concentration of forces in the west with smaller contingents on the northern, southern and eastern frontiers. Further expansion of forces continued. The jäger battalions were ordered to be brought up to regimental strength (17 May 1797), although this does not seem to have been anywhere near completion by 1799. On the eve of war in August 1798 six new regiments of musketeers and six new cavalry regiments (3 cuirassier, 2 dragoon, 1 hussar) were authorized to be raised from recruits. One additional regiment was added in 1800. Assignment of these new regiments to inspections is not clear, and it seems that these regiments were not fully formed until near the end of Paul’s reign. Most of the new cavalry regiments and several existing cavalry regiments were officially disbanded in March 1800. The exact assignment of artillery to the various divisions throughout this period also remains unclear.[21]

Table 3: Distribution of field forces, 1796 [omitted as formatting went haywire!]

The second most substantive administrative change implemented by Paul targeted the corruption in regimental management. In order to ensure that regiments were adequately maintained during peacetime, Paul created a position of shef, a general assigned to each regiment. The intention was that this general would monitor the activities of the colonel and thereby discourage the more flagrant abuses. The implementation of this change appears to have been gradual, first being applied to newly formed regiments (starting in November 1796), then being extended to individual regiments, and finally being extended to all regiments by decree of 31 October 1798. The position of shef was largely titular and it is unclear how successful this measure was in curbing the abuses in regimental management, although the absence of further measures at curbing abuses suggests that it achieved its purpose. In practice, the shef seems to have often accompanied the regiment on campaign, acting as the de facto commander. This was a double-edged sword, as it produced a rather top-heavy regimental structure, but placed the most conscientious generals with the army and provided a supply of spare generals to act as brigade commanders and as replacements for other generals who were sick, wounded or killed.[22]

During his reign, Paul made additional adjustments to the Inspections. Paul had demonstrated conciliatory policies towards the Polish territories annexed at the end of Catherine’s reign, and did not impose any specific military obligations on them aside from the raising of two lancer regiments raised from the Polish territories (Tatar-Lithuanian Horse Regiment and Polish Horse Regiment, both raised in June 1797). This does not necessarily mean that troops were not quartered in Polish territories but rather that the regiments remained formally associated with their divisions and the Polish territories initially were not responsible for the upkeep of the regiments.

Over time additional military obligations were imposed on the Polish territories however. In the summer of 1797, Paul extended an invitation to the Prince of Condé and his corps of French émigrés, stranded in Germany by the peace, to enter Russian service. The Corps crossed into Russian territory on 1 January 1798. Paul established a separate “division” for Condé’s corps in Volyhynia and Podolia and the forces were consolidated into a grenadier regiment, two infantry regiments, and two dragoon regiments.[23] Paul’s withdrawal from the Anglo-Austrian alliance and his shift towards France resulted in the dismissal of the corps of Condé from Russian service on 23 February 1800. On 6 October 1800 the Polish territories were incorporated into the Inspections. In the north, the Litov Inspection was extended to the new frontier, apparently incorporating Vilna and Kovno. The central portion around Brest-Litovsk and Minsk was formed into the Brest Inspection. The region of Volhynia and Podolia that had been assigned to Condé was absorbed into the Ukraine Inspection, while the eastern half of that inspection became the new Kharkov Inspection.[24]


Though much maligned for his ill-advised reforms of uniforms, tactics and regimental names, Paul should be credited for addressing the problem of widespread abuse of power within the army administration. The assignment of a shef to each regiment and the elevation of the inspectors to a position of real authority and responsibility to the Tsar created a lasting solution to the serious problems the army faced on Paul’s accession. The system of inspectorates survived Paul into Alexander’s reign and was only changed after the disastrous 1805 campaign prompted broader organizational reform."

You can see illustrations of the reformed Russian Uniforms in Volumes VII, VIII & IX (sorry illustrations are in black & white and the text is in Russian but google translate does a passable job) at http://www.memorandum.ru/viskowatov/imglist.html#T09 See post 6 below for links to English translations.

[Swerg]

I'd never noticed that article before...I must have been missing it this whole time

In any case, a note to the above:
'Shef' was more or less the Russian term for an honorary regimental commander. For example, the Tsar was the shef of the Preobrazhensky Lifeguard Regiment and it was, generally speaking, possible to be shef of multiple regiments. The de facto regimental commander was usually one step down and called, simply, the 'regimental commander'.

Paul's inspection reforms were mostly unpopular with the troops because, as mentioned, the regimental naming scheme basically involved each regiment taking the name of its shef...every time a new shef was appointed. This meant that a regiment could change names several times in a year and led to a great deal of confusion on the part of various soldiers.

As I recall, there's a story about a man asking a Russian soldier what unit he was with, his reply was, "I used to be with (such and such) regiment, but now the Tsar's given me to some German."

[Prince of Essling]

I have been able to find an English translation of the earlier illustrations by A.V. VISKOVATOV and other text that accompanied the original illustrations. The second link has full details of the infantry uniform changes which are substantial. Other changes are detailed in the other links.

http://marksrussianmilitaryhistory.info/V7Org.html VOLUME 7a Organization 1796-1801
http://marksrussianmilitaryhistory.info/Visk7B.html VOLUME 7b Field, or Army, Infantry 1796-1801
http://marksrussianmilitaryhistory.info/Visk8.htm VOLUME 8 Army Cavalry, Artillery, Engineers, and Garrisons 1796-1801
http://marksrussianmilitaryhistory.info/V09.html VOLUME 9 Guards Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery; Military Educational Institutions, Irregular and National Troops, Military Administration, Provincial Companies, Retired Personnel, and Orderlies 1796-1801

[Okuto]

ah you have my thanks, it was annoying to keep wondering what it was