Alexander Debu
Alexander Osipovich (Iosifovich) Debu | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Alexander Debu by Russian painter Kazimir Yasevich. | |
| Born | 1802 |
| Died | 1862 (aged 59–60) Dzhulek |
| Allegiance | Russian Empire |
| Branch | Infantry |
| Rank | Lieutenant general |
| Commands | 14th Georgian Grenadier Regiment |
| Conflicts | Khivan campaign of 1839–1840 Crimean War Caucasian War Russian conquest of Central Asia |
| Awards | 4th Order of St. George Golden Weapon for Bravery 2nd Order of Saint Anna 1st Class Order of Saint Stanislaus (House of Romanov) |
Alexander Osipovich (Iosifovich) Debu (1802–1862) was a Russian general. He was a participant of the Caucasian War, Crimean War, and the Russian conquest of Central Asia.
He is particularly famous for capturing the Kokand fort of Yany-Kurgan in September 1861.
Biography
Alexander Debus was born into a noble family in the Saint Petersburg Governorate. Alexander was the son of Joseph Lvovich Debu, Joseph was a privy councilor and a senator. The Debu family was of French descent.
Debu joined the military between 1815 and 1820. On April 24, 1820 he was put into Tenginsky 77th Infantry Regiment with a rank of Praporshchik.
From 1824 to 1825 he participated in battles against Caucasian tribes during the Caucasian War. He was promoted for his courage and bravery. First to a second lieutenant, then to a lieutenant, and later to a staff-captain.
In 1829, he was transfered to the Orenburg district. He was staffed into Lithuanian Life Guards Regiment where he served until he reached the rank of captain.
Debu participated in the 1839 Khivan campaign. During that campaign, Debu got in favor with Vasily Perovsky. Debu was awarded and promoted to a colonel for his service in the campaign.
In 1841, Debu returned to the Lithuanian Regiment in Warsaw before being sent to the Caucasus in spring of 1844. For his further service and courage in battle, Debu received a 4th class Order of St. George, a Golden Weapon for Bravery, and a 2nd grade Order of Saint Anna.
In March 1846, Debu was made the commander of the 14th Georgian Grenadier Regiment. Debu continued to fight in the Caucasian War and he was promoted to a Major general in 1849. In 1851, Debu succesfully won an engagement against a Caucasian tribe. For that action, he was awarded a 1st class Order of Saint Stanislaus.
Debu continued his service in the Causasus during the 1850s. When the Crimean War broke out, Debu commanded infantry regiments in the Caucasus theatre of the war. Debu succesfully fought against both the Caucasian tribes and the Ottoman armies. For his service in the Crimean War, Debu was promoted to a Lieutenant general in 1859.
In May 1859, he was once again transfered to Turkestan. Debu became the commander of the Syr-Darya line - a logistical and a defensive line in the region.[1]
In September 1861, Debu commanded the 4th Turkestan Line Battalion and he led a campaign to capture the Kokand fort of Yany-Kurgan.[2] Debu led a brief, but a victorious, campaign during which he captured and destoryed Yany-Kurgan.[3][4][5] The capture of Yany-Kurgan was a small engagement when compared with other battles of the conquest; however, it was a significant engagement because the loss of Yany-Kurgan deprived the Kokand of strategic initiative in the region. Following the capture of Yany-Kurgan, the Russians would launch furhter campaigns and capture more cities in Turkestan.
Alexander Debu died in Fort Dzhulek in September 1862. He died while still being in command of the Syr-Darya line.
References
- ^ Lobysevich, Fyodor (1864). Сыр-Дарьинская линия [Syr-Darya Line] (in Russian) (8th ed.). Saint Petersburg: Военный сборник / Military collection. pp. 407–410.
- ^ Zaitsev, Vasily (1882). История 4-го Туркестанского линейного батальона, с картой, за период с 1771 по 1882 год, как материал к описанию движения русских в Среднюю Азию [History of the 4th Turkestan Line Battalion, with a map, for the period from 1771 to 1882, as material for describing the movement of Russians into Central Asia] (PDF) (in Russian). Tashkent: Self published. pp. 25–28.
- ^ Военный сборник. 1861, № 11-12 [Military collection. 1861, No. 11-12] (in Russian) (12th ed.). Saint Petersburg: Военный сборник. 1861. pp. 513–516.
- ^ Terentyev, Mikhail (1903). История завоевания Средней Азии. Т.1 [History of the conquest of Central Asia. Vol.1] (in Russian) (Vol. 1 ed.). Saint Petersburg: Типо-литография В.В. Комарова, Невский 136. pp. 262–263.
- ^ Хронологический указатель военных действий русской армии и флота. Том IV. 1855-1894 гг [Chronological index of military operations of the Russian army and navy. Volume IV. 1855-1894.] (in Russian) (4th ed.). Saint Petersburg: Military Printing House (in the General Staff building). 1911. p. 53.