Military actions taken for the capture of the kingdoms. General-governorate of turkistan

DISCUSSION The issue of conquering the Central Asian khanates was discussed by Tsar Alexander II (1855-1881) in the councils of political circles of the empire held in 1859 and 1861. By this time, the military ministry of the Russian Empire had gathered enough intelligence information about the economic, political and military situation of the Central Asian khanates. The information of the chief of the general staff of the empire, count N. Ignatev, who was promoted to the rank of general, about the real situation of the Uzbek khanates and how to implement their control by Russia, was especially distinguished among these information. According to Count Ignatev's suggestion, first of all, military operations were started against Kokan Khanate.
On the eve of military operations of the Russian Empire, the social and political situation in the Kokan Khanate was in a difficult situation. This situation can be explained by the fact that, firstly, the nomadic and semi-nomadic population of the khanate did not recognize the authority of the Kipchaks. Secondly, there was a mutual struggle among the Kipchaks to occupy a high position in the khan's authority and influence the khan. Thirdly, the Kipchaks committed violence against the settled population, entered the cities and seized the houses and places of the residents. Due to these reasons, the population of the Kokan Khanate could not be sufficiently united in the fight against the Russian invasion.
And the Russian invasion caused further tension in the already fragile political processes. The military circles gave the following information: "...new, still unknown forces were approaching from behind. These were the Russians who were gradually but firmly occupying the lower reaches of the Syrdarya. Khudoyar Khan certainly did not understand the importance and importance of this action, and he did not even imagine the consequences."
Despite this, Kokhan Khan Sultan Sayyid Khan (1863-1865) and Amirilashkar Alimkuli tried to take some measures to maintain stability in the Khanate. In particular, the khan sent an appeal to the Kazakh tribes and called them to join the alliance, while on the order of Alimkuli, Nurmohammed Kushbegi went to Avliyota and called on the Kyrgyz chieftains living in the upper reaches of the Talas River to cooperate in the fight against the external enemy. However, all these efforts were wasted.
In the summer of 1860, the military operations of the Russian Empire against the Khanate of Kokand revived. The Russian troops under the command of Colonel Zimmerman first occupied Tokmok and then Pishpak (Bishkek) fortresses by force. In May 1864, the imperial troops led by Colonel Chernyaev from the east and Colonel Veryovkin from the west invaded the territory of the Kokan Khanate. Chernyaev's troops besieged the city of Avliyoota. Despite the fact that the mayor of the city, Niyaz Ali, left the city and fled to Turkistan , the residents of Avliyoota bravely fought against the enemy on their own initiative. However, military equipment and forces were not equal. After the capture of the city, Chernyaev ordered it to be looted and was promoted to the rank of major general. And Veryovkin's troops captured the city of Turkistan and captured the holy tomb of Ahmed Yassavi.
After conquering the cities of Turkistan and Avliyota, Kokand Khan Sultan Sayid Khan and Amirilashkar Alimquli gathered large forces in the Mingorik district of Tashkent and held exercises. In the meantime, Russian troops began to march to Shymkent. The battle for Shymkent with Khanate soldiers and Russian troops began at dawn on July 14, 1864. Historian Muhammad Salih gives the following information about this battle. This battle, which lasted for three days, was started by soldiers led by Mingboy Kipchak. After that, the men of Tashkent led by Mirza Davlat and the men of Khojand Governor Mirza Ahmad Qushbegi entered the battle. After that, Margilon, Ko'kan, Andijan, Osh, Namangan groups joined the battle.
According to sources, about 12,000 people were killed in this brutal battle, and the survivors of the Russian troops led by Staff Captain Meyer and Colonel Lerkh retreated towards Avliyota and Turkistan . The victorious Amirilashkar Alimquli will be offered a truce by the Russian troops. And in the Council of Chiefs of Staff, the people of Tashkent opposed negotiations with the Russians, and this opinion was supported by the majority.
Fearing the defeat of Shymkent, the Russian authorities, in particular, General Chernyaev, Colonel Lerkh and Captain Meyer, gathered all their forces in Okbulok near Shymkent, where they prepared for a decisive battle for two months. Amirilashkar Alimquli was inspired by the victory in Shymkent and took measures to recover the lost cities. However, it was reported that the troops of the Bukhara emir Muzaffar invaded the lands of the Khanate in a situation where the danger of the Russian invasion of the territories of the Kokan Khanate was increasing. In this situation, Alimquli was forced to send the main army to protect Kokan from the troops of the Bukhara Emirate, and appealed to Turkey for help from the British representation in India. Unfortunately, he could not get any help from them.
General Chernyaev took advantage of this situation. On September 14, 1864, Chernyaev's troops, united with the Ural and Orenburg Cossacks and artillerymen in Sairam, began the second march to Shymkent . At this time, Amirilashkar Alimquli was fighting against the troops of the Bukhara emir in Khojand and Oratepa. Chernyaev captured the city of Shymkent on September 22.
After that, Chernyaev started his march to Tashkent, and on October 1, 1864, he reached a place called Darvishak Kopka on the eastern side of the city. At that time, the city of Tashkent was divided into 4 large districts (Shaikhontokhur, Sebzor, Beshyogoch and Kokcha) and was surrounded by a 25-mile thick wall. There are ditches around the wall, filled with water. The inhabitants of the city were aware of the enemy's invasion and prepared for defense.
According to historical sources, from the morning of October 2, 1864, both sides fired cannons and started shooting. After the wall of Tashkent was shelled by cannons, Lt. Col. Obukh went on the attack with 2 companies of soldiers and 4 cannons and managed to pierce a part of the wall. Russian soldiers under the leadership of lieutenant colonels Obukh and Lerkh tried to cross the moat to enter the city from this place. However, due to the brave resistance of the defenders of Tashkent, this movement of the Russian soldiers was broken. Russian troops lost 72 officers and soldiers and had to retreat to Shymkent. Lieutenant Colonel Obukh was also seriously wounded.
Encouraged by this victory, the troops of the Kokan Khanate under the leadership of Amirilashkar Alimquli attacked the Russian soldiers in November 1864. Near the village of Ikan near Tashkent, the Russian troops led by Major Serov clashed with the troops of Alimquli. In this battle, Russian troops were defeated, 57 of them were killed and 43 were wounded.
These defeats greatly worried the Russian colonial authorities. That is why General Chernyaev spent the winter season of 1864-1865 with strict military training. His troops were replenished with military forces arriving from Siberia and Orenburg - weapons, new battalions, companies of sappers.
In the spring of 1865, the second attack of Russian troops led by Chernyaev on Tashkent began. On April 28, Chernyaev occupied the Niyozbek fortress on the Chirchik River. After that, with the advice of the traitors, the Bozsuv dam, which supplies water to the city of Tashkent, was demolished and diverted to the Chirchik river. During this period of cultivation, the inhabitants of the city ran out of water.
It should be noted that by this time traitors and traitors who sympathized with the Russian invaders also appeared. One of them was the son of Abdurahmonbek Shodmon, who advised Chernyaev to demolish the Bozsuv Dam and volunteered to serve the Russian Empire. Muhammad Soatboy, one of the richest men of Tashkent city, also joined him. He was a well-known merchant, he was in close contact with the trade circles of cities such as Petropavlovsk, Troitsk, Orenburg, and he provided information to Chernyaev about the economic, political and military situation in Tashkent. Another one of the traitors was the son of Saidazimboy Muhammad, an honorary citizen of the Russian Empire, a holder of the gold medal "Saint Anna".