Opening the text

The heart of Asia : $b A history of Russian Turkestan and the Central Asian Khanates from the earliest timesSkrine, Francis Henry

History

The heart of Asia : $b A history of Russian Turkestan and the Central Asian Khanates from the earliest times

Name: The heart of Asia : $b A history of Russian Turkestan and the Central Asian Khanates from the earliest times
Author: Skrine, Francis Henry

Skrine, Francis Henry

Asia, Central -- History; Asia, Central -- Relations -- Russia; Russia -- Relations -- Asia, Central

the second city of the Khānate, eighty miles south of Chimkent, he
determined to anticipate attack by adopting the only safe policy in
dealing with Orientals. He advanced with every available man, and, on
the 2nd October 1864, attacked Tashkent. The want of a breaching-train
and scaling-ladders was an insuperable obstacle to success, and
the Russians were fain to retire, baffled by the lofty ramparts
of Tashkent. The effect of this disaster on the excitable Asiatic
character was marked and instantaneous. A Kokandi force of 10,000 men,
under the Khān in person, burned Chimkent, and attacked Turkestān far
in its rear. They surprised a squadron of Cossacks during a halt near
the fortress, but met with a reception which should have convinced them
of the superiority of the Russian arms.[544] The Khān was compelled to
raise the siege of Turkestān and retreat on Tashkent. But this incident
rendered it clear that no peace could be expected on the frontier while
a town of 72,000 inhabitants, inspired by the fiercest fanaticism,
remained unsubdued in the proximity of the outposts. General Chernaieff
resolved to plant his country’s flag on the fortifications of Tashkent;
but his master, Tsar Alexander II., was a monarch who loved peace from
a personal knowledge of war’s horrors, and on learning of the failure
of Chernaieff’s first attempt he positively forbade a repetition. The
general, however, postponed taking cognisance of His Majesty’s orders
till he had made a second onslaught on Tashkent. It was delivered by
a column of 951 men with 10 pieces of artillery, and in spite of the
vast disproportion in numbers the city was stormed with a loss of
125 men only. Then only did the daring commander peruse his master’s
despatches, and his reply was a characteristic one. “Sire,” he wrote,
“your Majesty’s order forbidding me to take Tashkent has reached me
only in the city itself, which I have taken and place at your Majesty’s
feet.”[545] The Tsar was furious at the breach of discipline, but he
did not refuse the fruits of his lieutenant’s too daring enterprise. In
1865 Turkestān was constituted a frontier district, with Tashkent as
its capital.




CHAPTER III

THE STRUGGLE WITH THE KHĀNATES

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The heart of Asia : $b A history of Russian Turkestan and the Central Asian Khanates from the earliest timesSkrine, Francis Henry

History

The heart of Asia : $b A history of Russian Turkestan and the Central Asian Khanates from the earliest times

Skrine, Francis Henry

Asia, Central -- History; Asia, Central -- Relations -- Russia; Russia -- Relations -- Asia, Central

the second city of the Khānate, eighty miles south of Chimkent, he
determined to anticipate attack by adopting the only safe policy in
dealing with Orientals. He advanced with every available man, and, on
the 2nd October 1864, attacked Tashkent. The want of a breaching-train
and scaling-ladders was an insuperable obstacle to success, and
the Russians were fain to retire, baffled by the lofty ramparts
of Tashkent. The effect of this disaster on the excitable Asiatic
character was marked and instantaneous. A Kokandi force of 10,000 men,
under the Khān in person, burned Chimkent, and attacked Turkestān far
in its rear. They surprised a squadron of Cossacks during a halt near
the fortress, but met with a reception which should have convinced them
of the superiority of the Russian arms.[544] The Khān was compelled to
raise the siege of Turkestān and retreat on Tashkent. But this incident
rendered it clear that no peace could be expected on the frontier while
a town of 72,000 inhabitants, inspired by the fiercest fanaticism,
remained unsubdued in the proximity of the outposts. General Chernaieff
resolved to plant his country’s flag on the fortifications of Tashkent;
but his master, Tsar Alexander II., was a monarch who loved peace from
a personal knowledge of war’s horrors, and on learning of the failure
of Chernaieff’s first attempt he positively forbade a repetition. The
general, however, postponed taking cognisance of His Majesty’s orders
till he had made a second onslaught on Tashkent. It was delivered by
a column of 951 men with 10 pieces of artillery, and in spite of the
vast disproportion in numbers the city was stormed with a loss of
125 men only. Then only did the daring commander peruse his master’s
despatches, and his reply was a characteristic one. “Sire,” he wrote,
“your Majesty’s order forbidding me to take Tashkent has reached me
only in the city itself, which I have taken and place at your Majesty’s
feet.”[545] The Tsar was furious at the breach of discipline, but he
did not refuse the fruits of his lieutenant’s too daring enterprise. In
1865 Turkestān was constituted a frontier district, with Tashkent as
its capital.




CHAPTER III

THE STRUGGLE WITH THE KHĀNATES

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The heart of Asia : $b A history of Russian Turkestan and the Central Asian Khanates from the earliest times

The heart of Asia : $b A history of Russian Turkestan and the Central Asian Khanates from the earliest times

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