"United militia of Chernigov-Poltava in 1812" Topic

I'm looking for details about the composition of the troops from the opolcheniye of Chernigov and Poltava (and the related leaders) which operated between the northern districts of the Chernigov province and Mogilev in october-november 1812 under general-leutenant Gudovich.

Can you help me?

Thank you.

You win the award for most recherché question of the year.

Certainly I would 2nd that. I have many Opolchenye troops who hardly ever got near the enemy but in my games they jump in like they never actually did.

Formation of regiments.

Mounted Chernigov militia 1812.

The formation of the militia in the Chernigov province began even before the publication of the manifestos of July 6 and 18. 6 cavalry regiments were created, each with 1200 people. The zemstvo militia fielded 25,783 warriors, in addition, 217 people joined it from the nobility. From this number of people, 10 infantry, 5 cavalry regiments and artillery teams were formed. The cavalry regiments (together with the Poltava regiments) were commanded by Prince S. E. Zhevakhov. These units were used to defend the Chernigov province "from the invasion of enemy gangs from the provinces of Mogilev and Smolensk, where military operations took place." For the same purpose, a quarantine chain of Cossacks was established at the border. In addition, all border residents were armed "for security and protection from the enemy."
A zemstvo militia was also formed in the Kyiv province. 3,170 people were drafted here. The city population fielded 1,050 soldiers, and a detachment of 600 people from the gentry was formed. A total of 5,540 "fighters of the Kyiv province" were collected. The Kyiv militia was commanded by Major General Prince N. G. Shcherbatov. Regiments of the Chernigov, Kyiv and Poltava militias took part in the liberation of southern Belarus. On November 14, militia regiments entered Mogilev.

Chernigov militia.

Consisted of Cossack and Zemstvo militias.
Cossack regiments were formed on the basis of a decree of June 25, 1812; personnel were recruited from the Cossack class and partly from state-owned peasants. At a rate of 1 person. from 100 revision souls, the population fielded 4 warriors, and some counties expressed their readiness to field 5. In total, by the end of August, 6 cavalry regiments of 1200 people were created. in everyone. The horse and weapons were purchased at the expense of the Cossack society. Each warrior had a saber and a pistol or rifle. The societies paid salaries and supplied the regiments with food and fodder (until March 1813).
The zemstvo militia was created mainly from serfs, according to the norm of 1 warrior for 15 revision souls. Lieutenant General N.V. Gudovich was elected chief (from the beginning of 1813 – Major General Ya.M. Shemshukov). The total number of warriors is approx. 26,000 people Of these, 10 infantry and 5 cavalry regiments and artillery were formed. team. Only a small part of the warriors were armed with firearms. From the moment of their formation until March 1813, the zemstvo regiments were supported by the population.
Initially used for the defense of the Chernigov province, its headquarters were located in the city of Mglin. For this purpose, at the end of August – beginning of September 1812, a "cordon chain" with a length of 700 km was organized from the Cossacks. In addition, all residents of the border territory were armed "for protection and protection from the enemy." At the end of September, the 2nd, 4th and 5th Cossack regiments were placed at the disposal of Lieutenant General F.F. Ertel. In mid-October, units of the Chernigov militia took part in six-day battles for Chechersk, Rogachev and Roslavl.
On October 21, 1812, the Chernigov militia was united with the Poltava militia under the command of General Gudovich and transferred to the northern districts of the Chernigov province, along with the Poltava Cossack regiments and partisan detachments of A.P. Ozharovsky, D.V. Davydov and A.N. Seslavin. On November 2, the united militia went on the offensive and on November 10 blocked Mogilev, which was liberated on November 12 by Ozharovsky's detachment. At the end of November, units of the united militia took part in battles to eliminate the remnants of the Great Army, escorted prisoners, and guarded warehouses.
On December 1, 1812, the united militia moved to the Duchy of Warsaw and joined the corps of Lieutenant General S. L. Radt, who blocked the fortresses of Zamosc and Glogau, and then served as "the zemstvo police" in the Duchy of Warsaw. The 2nd Cossack Regiment entered the general's corps. A.P. Ermolov, the 3rd Cossack Regiment took part in the occupation of Krakow, Breslau, in the Battle of Leipzig, and reached Paris. The 5th Cossack Regiment was involved in setting up a flying mail service in the 3rd Western Army. The 1st and 4th regiments, together with the warriors of the Volga provinces, liberated Dresden and Hamburg. On September 30, 1814, the warriors of the united militia were released to "their homes." From the composition of 6 cavalry Cossack regiments in the cavalry. 1815 4854 people returned to their homeland. and 5047 horses.

1st Regiment (Chamberlain Count A.I. Bezborodko, then Lieutenant Colonel N.Ya. Semeka) – formed in Chernigov.

2nd Regiment (Colonel Potresov) – formed in the town of Semyonovka, Novozybkovsky district.

3rd Regiment (Captain S.S. Shaposhnikov-Sakhnov) – formed in the village. Corona of Krolevets district.

4th Regiment (Captain A.M. Bakai, then Major Miklevsky) – formed in the town of Voronezh, Glukhovsky district.

5th Regiment (Lieutenant Colonel von Scheinert) – formed in the town of Kobitsa, Kozelsky district.

6th regiment (captain Barsukov, then major Ya. I. Turchaninov) – formed in the towns of Romny and Glukhov, Starodub district.

This is a machine translation in Google Translator. Compilation of information from various sources from the Russian social network:
vk.com/topic-106582752_34184419

There are links to primary sources; if desired, you can find more extensive information.
But, of course, everything is in Russian.

Following on from Cuprum – great link & many thanks:

Poltava Militia
It consisted of Cossack and zemstvo provincial militias.

Cossack regiments were formed on the basis of a decree of June 25, 1812, from members of the Cossack class and partly from state peasants. The population of the province fielded 4 warriors per 100 revision souls (instead of one according to the norm). By the end of August, nine cavalry regiments of 9,1200 men each had been created (a total of 10800,<> men).

The Zemstvo militia was created mainly from serfs at the rate of 1 warrior per 25 revision souls. Its formation began after the publication of the Manifesto of July 6, 1812 by the decision of the provincial assembly of nobility. Retired Major General F. S. Zhevakhov was elected head of the Zemstvo Militia. The total number of warriors is 16100,6600 men, including 4,1813 cavalry. Initially, the Zemstvo militia was divided into four departments, but at the beginning of 4 it was reorganized into four infantry and seven cavalry regiments, a 7-hundredth command for non-combatant service, a battalion for hospital servants, and an artillery team of 6 (according to other sources, 24) guns of various calibers (of which 28 were not used because of the impossibility of matching shells to them). The warriors were armed with pikes, sabers, and only a small part had firearms.

At the beginning of September 1812, the militia set out to guard the Kiev and Chernigov provinces on Sept. 25, leaving four regiments in Kiev, it moved to join the main forces of the Russian army. In mid-October, 4 regiments of the Poltava militia, numbering about 8,10000 men, joined the army. The 3rd and 9th cavalry regiments were part of the "flying corps" of General A. P. Ozharovsky, the 7th was sent to Bryansk, the other five covered Kaluga, and after the unification of the Chernigov and Poltava militias on October 21, they were sent to Roslavl in the Smolensk province at the disposal of General N. V. Gudovich.

On Nov. 2, the united militia went on the offensive, blockaded Mogilev on Nov. 10 (occupied by Ozharovsky's detachment on Nov. 12), then was transferred to the territory of Volhynia Province, and on Dec. 1, 1812, moved to the Duchy of Warsaw, where it joined the corps of General S. L. Radt, which blockaded the fortresses of Zamość and Glogau, and then was part of the former Duchy of Warsaw.

On Sept. 30, 1814, the Poltava Zemstvo Militia was sent home, and the Cossack regiments returned only at the end of 1815.

Cossack Militia

1st Regiment – Major K. K. Kuklyarsky, later Staff Captain A. A. Shchekutin (formed in the towns of Goltva and Beliki, Kobelyak district)

2nd Regiment – Colonel Lukyanovich, later Major A. A. Daragan (formed in the towns of Goltva and Beliki, Kobelyak district)

3rd Regiment – Major A. I. Kulyabka, later Staff Captain Auvergne, then Prince A. Y. Lobanov-Rostovsky (formed in the town of Kamyshnya, Mirgorod district)

4th Regiment – Staff Captain N. M. Koptsevich, later Colonel M. L. Muravyov (formed in the town of Krapivnoye, Zolotonosha District)

5th Regiment – Captain I. P. Kotlyarevsky, later Staff Captain G. Rudnitsky, then Lieutenant Colonel A. Sankovsky (formed in the town of Goroshin, Khorol District)

6th Regiment – Court Counsellor N. P. Svechka (formed in the town of Yagotin, Pyriatyn District)

7th Regiment – Major V. I. Aleksandrovich (formed in the towns of Sribnoye and Ivanitsa, Prilutsky district)

8th Regiment – Colonel de Connor (formed in the towns of Sribnoe and Ivanitsa, Prilutsky district)

9th Regiment – Major Tovbichev (formed in the town of Vepryk, Gadyach district)

Zemstvo Militia
1st Cavalry Regiment – Prince Urakov (formed in Pyriatyn uyezd)

2nd Cavalry Regiment – Major A. M. Kanchielov, later Major A. I. Kulyabka (formed in Khorol district)

3rd Cavalry Regiment – Lieutenant Colonel N. L. Sergienko (formed in Lokhvitsa district)

4th Cavalry Regiment – Major K. V. Borozdin (formed in Lubny District)

5th Cavalry Regiment – Lieutenant Colonel Prince Kavkasidzev (formed in Romny District)

6th Cavalry Regiment – Major Paskevich (formed in Konstantinograd district)

7th Cavalry Regiment – Major Makov (formed in Konstantinograd district)

1st Infantry Regiment – Major Sankovsky (formed in Pyriatyn district)

2nd Infantry Regiment – Lieutenant Colonel Shostak (formed in Lokhvitsa Uyezd)

3rd Infantry Regiment – Lieutenant Colonel Potocki (formed in Kobelyak district)

4th Infantry Regiment – Lieutenant Colonel Klimenko (formed in Mirgorod district)

Six-hundredth team – Lieutenant Colonel Levitsky (formed in Zolotonosha district)

Battalion of Hospital Servants – Captain Fomin (formed in Kobelyak uyezd)

V. P. Totfalushin; with the participation of S. V. Potrashkov (Encyclopedia "1812")

Thank you very much.

About the Zemstvo militia infantry regiments of Chernigov, so far I was able to collect the following details.

Concerning the different infantry regiments, I found a double identification, one with the number brought in the Chernigov militia and another with the name related to the recruiting district.

Flags are known for the following numbered regiments:
- 1st regiment of Chernigov opolcheniye (lead by major Podgaisky or Pidgaisky);
- 2nd regiment of Chernigov opolcheniye (lead by major Dubinovsky);
- 6th regiment of Chernigov opolcheniye.

I also found references about a 3rd and a 4th infantry regiment, combined in a single battalion in december 1813.

Once I found the first two regiments reported as 1st and 2nd Bryansk-Chernigov infantry regiments.

The following regiments were named after the recruitment district:
- Glukovsky infantry regiment;
- Krolovetsky infantry regiment (lead by fleet captain Shchytynsky);
- Konotopsky  infantry regiment;
- Novogorod-Seversky infantry regiment;
- Surazhsky infantry regiment (organized by Troitsky);
- Starodubsky infantry regiment (lead by major Chernolusky);
- Mglinsky infantry regiment (organized by Lishen);
- Novozybkovsky infantry regiment;
- Nezhinsky infantry regiment (lead by lt. colonel Levitsky)

Some other militia units:
- Zhitomir opolcheniye
- Borznyansk opolcheniye
- Bryansk Opolcheniye (lead by lt-colonel Tyutchev and by major Witte)
- Trubchevsky Opolcheniye (lead by Bodisko e Pokhvisnev)

In April 1813 the infantry  regiments Glukhovsky, Krolovetssky, Konotopsky, Surazhsky and Novgorod-Seversky were ordered to take part in the campaign abroad.

In december 1813, the Chernigov infantry militia in general lieutenant Radt's corps figured under general major Shemshukov.
It was organized at the time in a combined battalion (formed with elements from 3rd and 4th regiment) and  four brigades commanded by colonel Podgaisky (or Pidgaisky), colonel Karpek (or Karpeka), Col. Borschevskiy and major Chernolusky, with a total of 25 battalions (presumably each brigade comprised two regiments with three battalions each, plus the combined battalion).

Any  information about the correspondence between the numbered regiments and the recruiting districts, and  any further detail about the leaders of the units will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again.

For the uniforms download Viskovatov Volume 18 – partially partially in colour (though all uniforms are) at PDF link

Relevant plates (Thanks to Mark Conrad's translation):
2558. Cossack. Horse Regiments of the Chernigov Mass Levy,, 1812-1815.
2559. Cossack and Non-Commissioned Officer [Unter-Ofitser]. Horse Regiments of the Poltava Mass Levy, 1812-1815.
2560. Company-Grade Officer. Horse Regiments of the Poltava Mass Levy, 1812-1814.
2561. Field-Grade Officer and Cossack. Foot Regiments of the Poltava Mass Levy, 1812-1815.
2573. Flags of the 1st Regiment of the Chernigov Mass Levy, 1812.
2574. Flags of the 2nd Regiment of the Chernigov Mass Levy, 1812.
2575. Flags of the 6th Regiment of the Chernigov Mass Levy, 1812.
2576. Flags of the Novozybkov and Grodnitsk Regiments of the Chernigov Mass Levy, 1812.
2577. Flag of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment of the Poltava Mass Levy, 1812.