Alexander J. Kravtsov (', October 11, 1893 – 1920) was a Russian Imperial Army

Yesaul Yesaul, osaul or osavul (, ) (from Turkic yasaul - ''chief''), is a post and a rank in the Russian and Ukrainian Cossack units. The first records of the rank imply that it was introduced by Stefan Batory, King of Poland in 1576. Cossacks in R ...

during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and a Commander of the Northern Group of the

Orenburg Independent Army The Orenburg Independent Army () was an anti-Bolshevik Army on the Eastern Front during the Russian Civil War. History The Army was formed on 17 October 1918 from Orenburg Cossacks and others troops which rebelled against the Bolsheviks, und ...

in the

White movement The White movement,. The old spelling was retained by the Whites to differentiate from the Reds. also known as the Whites, was one of the main factions of the Russian Civil War of 1917–1922. It was led mainly by the Right-wing politics, right- ...

during the Ataman

Alexander Dutov Alexander Ilyich Dutov (; – 7 February 1921) was a Russian Cossack ataman and lieutenant general who led the Orenburg Cossacks in a revolt against the Bolsheviks. Biography Dutov was born in Kazalinsk in Syr-Darya Oblast (now Kazaly ...

s revolt against the Soviet authorities in

Orenburg Orenburg (, ), formerly known as Chkalov (1938–1957), is the administrative center of Orenburg Oblast, Russia. It lies in Eastern Europe, along the banks of the Ural River, being approximately southeast of Moscow. Orenburg is close to the ...

in 1918. He was also one of the Orenburg Army officers who participated in the march across the Turgaj

steppe In physical geography, a steppe () is an ecoregion characterized by grassland plains without closed forests except near rivers and lakes. Steppe biomes may include: * the montane grasslands and shrublands biome * the tropical and subtropica ...

Background and early life

Alexander Kravtsov was born in a settlement Vozdvízhenskaya, in a

noble family Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the rea ...

of Kravtsov on October 11, 1893, son of cavalry officer Jacob S. Kravtsov and his wife Marie. In 1914, Kravtsov graduated from Orenburg Military School for the 1st Class and later served in the 14th

Orenburg Cossacks The Orenburg Cossack Host () was a part of the Cossack population in pre-revolutionary Russia, located in the Orenburg province (today's Orenburg Oblast, part of the Chelyabinsk Oblast and Bashkortostan). History After having constructed for ...

Regiment.

Military career

Kravtsov received the

Gold Sword for Bravery The Gold Sword for Bravery () was a Russian award for bravery. It was set up with two grades on 27 July 1720 by Peter the Great, reclassified as a public order in 1807 and abolished in 1917. From 1913 to 1917 it was renamed the Saint George ...

during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

on the Eastern Front for personal bravery on the battlefield in 1915. After the revolution and the collapse of the front, Alexander Kravtsov returned home. Like most of the Cossacks, he was an outspoken opponent of the

Bolshevik The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, were a radical Faction (political), faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split with the Mensheviks at the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, ...

s and took the first opportunity to form and join a partisan band. This group was under the command of the North Army Group of the Orenburg Army during the Ataman

s revoltGanin A.V.: Orenburg Cossack Army in Civil War and in immigration 1917—1945. 2006
/ref> against the Soviet authorities in

in 1918. Kravtsov was appointed Assistant Commandant of Orenburg Army HQ (November 1918). He was seriously wounded during the Battle for

Orsk Orsk () is the second largest city in Orenburg Oblast, Russia, located on the steppe about southeast of the southern tip of the Ural Mountains. The city straddles the Ural River. Population: It lies adjacent to the Kazakhstan–Russia border. ...

on July 29, 1918.

Awards and decorations

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kravtsov, Alexander J. 1893 births 1920 deaths Cossacks from the Russian Empire Russian military personnel of World War I People of the Russian Civil War White movement people Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir Recipients of the Gold Sword for Bravery Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 2nd class Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 3rd class Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 4th class Russian military personnel killed in action

Background and early life

Military career

Awards and decorations

See also

References