The Plague Riot in Sevastopol (1830)

In 1828, a plague epidemic began in southern Russia. Given that Russia at that time was at war with Turkey , as well as the strategic importance of Sevastopol, quarantine was introduced in the city. There was no plague in the city, so quarantine was more likely a preventive measure.

In May 1828, a quarantine cordon was established around the city. All movement from and to the city took place through specially arranged outposts. In the summer of 1829 the quarantine was tightened, each passing one had to be kept for 2-3 weeks in the quarantine zone, all suspicious patients in the city were subject to isolation. As a result, local peasants tried to refrain from traveling to the city. Food supply turned out to be monopolized by quarantine officials, which contributed to a large number of abuses. The city quickly experienced a shortage of food. Food supplied to the garrison, residents sick in isolation cells was inadequate and of poor quality, which contributed to the development of disease and increased mortality. The poorest areas of the city suffered the most from quarantine, in which the hygienic situation worsened and the number of patients increased.

The situation in Sevastopol escalated so much that a commission was sent from Petersburg headed by the adjutant wing N.P. Rimsky-Korsakov to investigate the situation. The investigation found widespread abuse, but orders were received from Petersburg to stop all investigations of the commissaries. In November 1829, the commission completed its work.

In March 1830, quarantine was tightened and residents were barred from leaving home. The ban was lifted in May, but quarantine was extended for 7 days in the poorest Ship Settlement. However, after 7 days, the inhabitants of the settlement were ordered to leave the city and extend the quarantine for 2 weeks. This caused outrage among the inhabitants of the settlement, as well as sailors who had relatives and friends there. The population refused to comply with the order despite the entreaties of Rear Admiral I.S. Skalovsky and Archpriest Sofroniy Gavrilov.

The quarantine cordon of the settlement was reinforced by 2 infantry battalions. Driven to despair, residents were preparing for an armed rebuff, armed groups were formed under the leadership of retired military personnel. The cordon soldiers and many officers sympathized with the inhabitants. Both sides refrained from the outbreak of hostilities that could blow up the situation in the city and the navy.

On June 3, the military governor Stolypin , taking into account the emergency situation in the city, strengthened the guards on the streets and guarded the governor's house. These measures outraged the Sevastopolites, who in crowds moved to the governor's house and the admiralty. The governor was killed by a mob. Sailors joined the rebels. Some of the rebels went to the removal of the quarantine cordon on the Ship settlement, the soldiers attacked from both sides joined the rebels.

By 10 p.m. the city was in the hands of the rebels, the police fled the city, and the garrison refused to suppress the rebellion. The crowd beat up the “plague” officials and officers, demanding a receipt from them that there was no plague in the city, and smashed their houses and apartments.

On June 4, the commandant of the city Turchaninov , who, after the death of Stolypin, was the military governor, under pressure from the rebels issued an order to terminate quarantine:

Meanwhile, the authorities pulled to the city part of the 12th Division of General Timofeev, who entered the city on June 7 ^[1] . The Investigation Commission, led by the Governor General of New Russia and Bessarabia M.S. Vorontsov, examined the cases of about 6,000 people. 7 people who led the uprising were executed, about 1,000 townspeople and sailors were sent to hard labor. About 4,200 civilians were deported to other cities. Officers received disciplinary punishments.

• Polkanov A.I. Sevastopol Uprising of 1830: based on archival materials. - Simferopol, 1936 .-- 145 p.: Ill.