«Хлопочу около колесницы» (И. С. Аксаков в ополчении)

Abstract

This article is about Ivan Sergeevich Aksakov’s service in the Moscow Militia in 1855. Aksakov joined the Militia as a volunteer on the last day of Nicholas I’s reign. Since the Crimean War was going on, Aksakov thought it dishonest not to serve his fatherland in those hard times. As a quartermaster of the Serpukhov regiment of the Moscow Militia, he immediately faced unpleasant supply problems, mainly theft. According to his observations, cases of theft occurred in the military department more frequently than in the civil department. During the campaign, Aksakov did his best to protect soldiers from their mercenary-minded company commanders. Regiments of the Moscow Militia advanced to Odessa and Bender but did not engage in actual combat action since peace negotiations were already underway. Aksakov regarded his year-long stay in the company of peasants during that military campaign as an experience that was very useful in his later life.