1st Ukrainian Insurgent Division

In early September 1918, the Central Committee of the Communist Party (b) of Ukraine decided to form in the so-called neutral zone established between Soviet Russia and the German occupation zone in Ukraine by the Brest Peace Treaty , two rebel divisions - the 1st Rebel Division from the Tarashchansky and Novgorod- Seversky counties of the Chernigov province , stationed in the area of Surazh - Unecha - Starodub - Novgorod-Seversky - Glukhov , and the 2nd Rebel Division , located in the southern districts of Kursk province ^[1] .

On September 22, on the basis of this decision, order No. 6 of the All-Ukrainian Central Military Revolutionary Committee on the formation of the 1st and 2nd Rebel Divisions was signed ^[1] .

Ataman of the 1st Rebel Division (later, the division head) was appointed N. G. Krapivyansky ^[2] , the chief of staff - Petrikovsky (Petrenko) S. I. ^[1] .

The partisans were reduced to 3 infantry smokers (later a regiment) of 1000 people each:

• 2nd Rebel Regiment, called Tarashchansky (commander V. S. Balyas, then M. D. Baron , then V. N. Bozhenko ^[3] );
• 3rd Rebel Regiment. Bogun, who received the name Bogunsky (commander N. A. Schors ^[4] ) (the formation of the regiment was completed on September 24, 1918);
• 4th Rebel Regiment (commander J. A. Kisel) ^[1] .
• The first regiment of the Red Cossacks — Ataman V. M. Primakov ^{[5] [6] [1]} was also originally part of the division.

By the end of September, the division consisted of personnel: 6,700 infantrymen and 450 horsemen, armed with 14 guns, each regiment from 10 to 18 Maxim machine guns and 5-6 Colt machine guns , 20-30 Lewis machine guns ^{[ 1]} .

In September - October, decisions were made on the formation of new organizational units - teams:

• The 1st Brigade of the Red Cossacks (commander V.M. Primakov) as part of the 1st and 2nd regiments of the Red Cossacks (formed by order of Division No. 5 of September 2, 1918).
• The 2nd Brigade (commander N. A. Shchors) as part of the 3rd Bogunsky and 2nd Tarashchansk Regiments (formed by order of Division No. 6 of October 4, 1918) ^[1] .

The headquarters of the brigades were not formed, and the functions of brigades were performed by regiment commanders V. M. Primakov and N. A. Shchors ^[1] .

At the end of October, the 4th Rebel Regiment received a new number in the division and became known as the 6th Rebel Regiment ^[1] .

At the headquarters of the division, a security company of about 700 people was formed. It was planned to later form the 5th regiment from it and use it as a reserve for the division commander ^[1] .

In late October - the first half of November, the leadership of the Communist Party (b) U attempted to transfer the Soviet rebel units to the Red Army and send them to the front against the White Cossacks. This caused extreme discontent among the rebels and led to mass desertion ^[1] .

The next episode also dates back to this time: when the division received an order in preparation for the offensive against Kharkov , only the 1st regiment of the Red Cossacks and the 4th rebel regiment completed it. The remaining regiments refused to speak, referring to the directive of V.I. Lenin, according to which their purpose was to "liberate Ukraine." According to the results of the investigation in this matter, having started N. G. Krapivyansky, he was removed from command, the commissioner was put on trial. The new chief of the division was appointed I. S. Lokatosh (formerly an employee of the Tsaritsyn GubChK), the commissioner was I. Panafidin, and the chief of staff was Fateev ^[1] .

In November, the 1st Regiment of the Red Cossacks and the 6th Rebel Regiment were transferred to the 2nd Rebel Division. In the same period in the 1st Rebel Division were created:

• 3rd Rebel Regiment, known as Novgorod-Seversky (commander Chernyak T.V.), - renamed 2nd Regiment of the Red Cossacks;
• Nezhinskaya company (commander P. Nesmeyan) - formed from the guard company of the division headquarters. Subsequently, the company was transformed into a battalion, and then into the 4th Rebel Nezhinsky Regiment (order on division No. 2 of 11.24.1918).
• on the basis of part of the regimental artillery batteries, the 1st light artillery division was formed (commander of the Khomichenko division) ^[1] .

In November, the division was part of the Reserve Army of the Oryol Military District ^[7] , and in November – December it was part of the Kursk Group of Forces formed on November 18, 1918.

By the resolution of the Military Council of the Group of Forces of the Kursk direction N 3 of November 21, 1918 it became known as the Special Insurgent Division (order for division N 21 of November 24, 1918) ^[8] .

On November 30, the Ukrainian Soviet Army was formed, which included the 1st Rebel Division ^[9]

On December 6, 1918, on the basis of the order of the Military Council of the Group of Forces of Kursk, it was renamed the 1st Ukrainian Soviet Division (order for division N 42 of December 6, 1918) ^[8] .

In November-December 1918, the division participated in battles against the Haidamaks, German troops, in the liberation of the cities of Starodub, Novgorod-Seversky ^[8] .

1st Rebel Division

Heads of the division (chieftains):

• Nikolai G. Krapivyansky (09/22/1918) ^{[2] [6]}
• I. S. Lokatosh ^[6] (beginning of November 1918 -)

• 1st Tarashchansky Kuren - Ataman V. S. Balyas (09/22/1918, wounded) ^[6] , later V. N. Bozhenko ^{[3] [6] [1]}
• 2nd Bogunsky Kuren - Ataman N.A. Shchors (October-November 1918) ^{[4] [6] [1]}
• 3rd Novgorod-Seversky Kuren - Ataman T.V. Chernyak (09.22.1918- ...). ^{[6] [1]}
• The 1st Kuren of the Red Cossacks - Ataman V. M. Primakov ^{[5] [6] [1]}

At the end of September 1918:

• Division management in the Novgorod-Seversky district of the Chernigov province. ^[6]
• 1st Tarashchansky Kuren (formation started on September 22, numbering 1000 people, later a regiment). ^[6]
• 2nd Bogunsky Kuren (formation began on September 22 and completed on September 24, 1918, numbering 1,000 people, later a regiment). ^[6]
• 3rd Novgorod-Seversky Kuren (formation started on September 22, numbering 1,000 people, later regiment). ^[6]
• 1st Kuren of the Red Cossacks. ^[6]

Changes in the composition of the 1st Rebel Division in October-November 1918:

• The 1st regiment of the Red Cossacks - Ataman Primakov V.M. (until November 1918, then the regiment was transferred to the 2nd Rebel Division );
• 1st rebel Tarashchansky regiment (1,000 people) - ataman Balyas V.S. (later Baron M.D. , then Bozhenko V.N. );
• 2nd rebel regiment named after Bogun (from November 1918 - 1st Bogunsky) (1,000 people) - chieftain Shchors N. A .;
• 3rd rebel Novgorod-Seversky regiment (1,000 men) - Ataman Chernyak T.V. (formed in November 1918);
• 4th Rebel (in October 1918 renamed the 6th Rebel) regiment - until October 1918, Ataman Kisel Y. A.;
• 4th rebel Nezhinsky regiment (since November 1918) - Ataman Nesmeyan P .;
• 5th rebel regiment (in fact - a guard company of 700 people);
• 6th rebel regiment - in October-November 1918, Ataman T. Chernyak (in November 1918, the regiment was transferred to the 2nd Rebel Division);
• 1st light artillery division (14 guns) - ataman Khomichenko (since November 1918);
• headquarters and rear units and units.

• Military Encyclopedic Dictionary. M., Military Publishing House, 1984.
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