Artillery of Nerchinsk District in 1658-1710 (Part 1)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the artillery of Nerchinsk fortress and Nerchinsk District in the second half of the 17th - early 18th centuries. Structurally, the study is divided into three parts. In the first part, based on a study of archival documents, the authors show how the artillery park of Nerchinsk developed from the time of the foundation of city until 1710. At the initial stage of development (1658-1684), only about 7 pieces (including “copper cannons” and iron wall guns) arrived in Nerchinsk District. In 1684-1685, due to the threat of a military conflict with China, the number of cannons sent to Transbaikalia increased sharply (abo ut 18 pieces), a significant part of them, including one mortar, were intended for subsequent shipment to the Albazin fortress in the Amur region. All these guns had a small caliber and weight. In 1686, a mortar and 20 regimental guns, with a caliber of 2 pou nds, were sent from Moscow to the south of the Far East as part of F.A. Golovin's regiment. These pieces, together with the artillery transported to Nerchinsk from Albazin, constituted the armament of the Nerchinsk District in 1690-1710. In addition to the data directly on the guns, the article provides information on the material base necessary for servicing the mortar, as well as supplies for the manufacture of explosives for its grenades. Data on the Nerchinsk gunners is also provided. The second part of the articl e examines 17th century cannons from the Military-Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineering and Signals Troops collection, brought to St. Petersburg from Nerchinsk in the 19th century (including those subsequently lost). Most of them are 2 -pound “copper” cannons, which probably were part of the artillery of F.A. Golovin's regiment. In addition, unique examples are described, such as the 15th-century arquebus by master Yakov, the copper cannon of Yakim Nikiforov, which probably participated in the defense of Alb azin in 1685, Venetian ship cannons, etc. Comparison of data from historical documents and museum descriptions allows us to correlate some of the real samples with documentary references. For example, the 3-pound cannon of Ivan Novgorodets with one of the two guns that became the first artillery of Nerchinsk in 1658. The third part includes the publication of the document “Reception list of various military equipment and supplies of the Nerchinsk, Telenbinsk and Eravinsky forts” (1690).