Lithuanian Separate Corps
The Lithuanian Separate Corps was a corps of the Imperial Russian Army, founded on July 1, 1817. It was associated with the Army of Congress Poland.
After the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829), the Lithuanian Corps was renamed as the VI Corps. The Lithuanian Corps was disbanded in 1831 after the Polish–Lithuanian Uprising of 1831.
The corps, except for the guard units, was recruited from Lithuanians and Poles, which set it apart from the rest of the Imperial Russian Army. The guard units were recruited mostly from Russians.
Formation
The Lithuanian Corps was formed on 1 July 1817 by Tsar Alexander I of Russia who made Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia its commander as the latter was already the commander of the Army of Congress Poland. The Lithuanian Corps recruited in the five provinces of Vilna, Grodno, Minsk, Volhynia and Podolia and Belostok Oblast, all of which together made up the Russian Empire's so-called Western Krai. The Corps was widely stationed throughout the territory of the governorates of Volhynia, Minsk and Grodno.The Lithuanian Corps consisted of 2 infantry divisions, each containing 2 brigades, 2 artillery brigades as well as guard and grenadier regiments. Together with the Polish Guard, the Lithuanian Corps' Guards and Grenadiers regiments formed the Guard Reserve Corps, also established in 1817. The Guard Reserve Corps was stationed in Congress Poland and was commanded by General Wincenty Krasiński. Together with its guard, the Lithuanian Corps included 17 infantry regiments, 7 cavalry regiments and 11 artillery batteries. The unit was disbanded in 1831.
Composition
When it was created on 1 July 1817, the corps consisted of these units:- 27th Infantry Division
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- * Vilnius Infantry Regiment
- * Lithuanian Infantry Regiment
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- 28th Infantry Division
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- 29th Artillery Brigade
- Lithuanian Life Guards Regiment
- Volhynian Life Guards Regiment
- Podolian Cuirassier Regiment
- Tsarevich Konstantin Pavlovich Uhlan Regiment
- Polish Grenadier Regiment
- 2nd Lithuanian Grenadier Regiment
- Lithuanian Carabinier Regiment
On 19 April 1819, the Lithuanian Artillery Division was formed from the 27th and 29th Artillery Brigades. On August 10 and 17 October, new separate batteries were formed for the corps, which were the Life Guards Horse Artillery Battery №3 and the Life Guards Foot Artillery Battery №5. Two years later in 1821, these batteries, together with batteries №1 and Light Grenadier №2, formed the Combined Guards and Grenadier Artillery Brigade of the Lithuanian Corps.
On 20 May 1820, the 27th and 28th Infantry Divisions were renamed the 24th and 25th. That same year on September 10, a special supply brigade was formed for the Lithuanian Corps on September 10. In 1824, the was formed for the Lithuanian Corps. Finally, the Lithuanian Pioneer Battalion was formed under the corps.
On 25 March 1825, the 1st and 2nd Lithuanian Grenadier Regiments were renamed as the Samogitian and Lutsk Grenadier Regiments, while the Lithuanian Carabinier Regiment was renamed to the.