| General Bebut Shelkovnikian |
| General Bebut Shelkovnikian was born to a well to do family in 1837 in Nuhi, Karabagh. At a young age Shelkovnikian was sent to Moscow to a military academy, from which he graduated in 1855. After graduation he was sent to the 21st Artillery Brigade. The brigade was nowhere near any military action; action which the young officer longed for. Longing for excitement, Shelkovnikian asked to be transfered to Chechnya. There he showed himself a great commander, taking part in the capture of Vedeno. Soon after the battle he concluded his service in the northern Caucasus fully decorated. After his leave from the northern Caucasus, Shelkovnikian decided to enter a military academy for higher ranking officers. He did not finish the required courses because of a failure to pass all the examinations, so Shelkovnikian took leave on 15 July, 1863. Thus with the official begining of his professional military career, Shelovnikian was sent to fight against the Polish rebels, commanding a division of dragoons. I do not want to dwell at all on the occurances in the Polish rebellion, because the majority of the biographical sketch on the merits of this Karabagh general will primarily focus on the major fighting against the Turks in Western Armenia, where many Armenian generals made their glorious reputations. So as to give an idea of the time Shelkovnikov spent in Poland, I will simply say that he was involved in the taking of Vera, where he was wounded in the arm. His actions in the affair was of such high caliber that he was promoted to captain and was decorated further for his merits. By 1864, Shelkovnikian was made the General Quartermaster of the Caucasian Army. In March of 1867 Shelkovnikian was transfered to the Zakatelsky Circle to look over Muslim tribes that were newly incorporated into the Russian Empire. Unlike the Russian officers who only looked upon these people as barbarians, Shelkovnikov treated the Muslims as equals. He learned the Tatar language, thus earning their trust and respect. He helped to solve tribal conflicts, and other such disputes that were common in the region. His diplomacy earned Shelkovnikian two military orders by 1876. In the same year of 1876, Shelkovnikian was chosen to be the commander of an expedition party whose aim was to colonize the eastern part of the Black Sea coast. On 28 July, 1876 the company of cavalry and a mountain artillery division were ready to march. By 8 August, after 11 days Shelkovnikian defeated the Abhazian and Turkman forces and took the first fort of the region. By 20 August he took the capital. Shelovnikian was made a general for the succeful colonization of Abhazia. By 1877 war came to Western Armenia. The war against the Turks brought forth all Armenian men living in Eastern Armenia to fight, and all Armenians officers were ready to take charge of the forces so as to retake their ancestral homeland from Turkish control. General Shelkovnikian was of course no different. By 18 September, Shelovnikian and his division were attacking Kanbin. He took the post and was forced to take Kizil-Gul as well. The next step was to march on Aladzhi. To take the fortress he needed more then his single division. But the request Shelkovnikian made for two more divisions was denied by Count Loris-Meliokov, so the general decided to take an unplanned route to the fortress of Aladzhi, that had to be taken at night. At 8 a.m on 20 September, the forces under the command of Shelkovnikian crossed the Naharchi mountains to obtain an advantage of surprise upon the Turks. To get to Aladzhi he had to first take Avliyar and Yagni. The fight was long and bloody. Simple artillery and ammunition did not last to win the battle that day. The forces had to use bayonnets to drive the Turks back. But that wasn't won by Shelkovnikov alone. A young Armenian by the name of Count Baktabekian had made it possible with the few men he had at his disposal to make way for Shelkovnikian's main charge. By the time nightfall ended the 20 Septmber, Shelovnikian was on the Arpachay shore. The fate of Aladzhi was sealed. Smaller battles took place after the magnificent victory at Avliyar, but Shelkovnikian found himself again on the front of major action. His division met up with General Lazarian and together they marched on the Turkish line to take the Armenian province of Erzerum on 2 October. On 3 October Erzerum was taken, and Shelovnikian was made governor of the province. General Bebut Shelkovnikian did not last long as governor of Erzerum. On 10 February, 1878 the general died of the infection of the lungs. He was burried on the grounds of an ancient Armenian monastery called Vank in Tiflis. |