The Commander-in-Chief’s Purpose

Article 1

The Commander-in-Chief of the Large Active Army represents the person of the Emperor and carries His Imperial Majesty’s authority

Selection process of Commander-in-Chief

Article 2

The Commander-in-Chief of the Large Active Army is appointed by His Majesty’s order [prikaz] to the army and a decree [ukaz] to the Governing Senate

Selection of Particular Army Commanders

Article 3

Commanders of particular armies are selected in a similar manner. However, the decree on their appointment must specify the limits of authority granted to them.

Authority of Commander-in-Chief’s Orders

Article 4

Commander-in-Chief’s orders, whether directed to the army or to civil officials in the neighboring regions and provinces, must be obeyed as if they were His Imperial Majesty’s commands

Appointment of Officials of the General Staff and Corps Commanders

Article 5

Senior officials of the General Staff [Generalnii shtab] and Corps Commanders are appointed on Commander-in-Chief’s nomination.

Essence of the Commander-in-Chief’s Authority

Article 6

The Commander-in-Chief can, without any consideration of rank or position, dismiss, expel from the Army and court-martial.

Article 7

He makes final confirmation of [all] capital punishments, reduction in ranks, civil death[1] due to debts for junior officers, staff officers and colonels; and all these sentences are carried out on his orders.

Article 8

He can promote non-commissioned officers to officers and award military decorations to the rank-and-file.

Article 9

He can, during operations, grant officer promotions up to the rank of captain and award, for the most distinguished and dazzling [blistatelnye] heroism, the signs of the Military Order of the 4^th class, of the Order of Equal-to-Apostle Prince St. Vladimir of the 4^th class with a bow, swords “for gallantry” and the Orders of St. Anna of 2^nd and 3^rd classes.

Limits of Awarding the Military Order

Article 10

When awarding the military order, the Commander-in-Chief must, in accordance with the order’s statute, nominate a distinguished person for consideration by the Council consisting of current chevaliers of this Order, and upon its approval, he grants the decorations.

Certificate Form for Awarding Decorations

Article 11

Military decorations are granted through the Commander-in-Chief’s certificates, drafted in a specified form.

Imperial approval of certificates

Article 12

Upon issuing such a certificate, the Commander-in-Chief must submit it for approval to His Imperial Majesty.

Article 13

The Commander-in-Chief’s certificates are approved in Imperial decrees [reskripts]

Subordination of Everyone present at the Army to the Commander-in-Chief

Article 14

All military officials and even members of the Imperial Family present in the army, enter under direct and complete authority of the Commander-in-Chief.

Unlimited Direction of All Funds

Article 15

The Commander-in-Chief can use all funds, entrusted to him, on his own discretion and his orders on issuing or spending funds remove any responsibility from officials who carry out these orders.

Concluding Armistice with an Enemy

Article 16

The Commander-in Chief can conclude an armistice with an enemy if it does not entail any specific conditions and if, due to time restraints, it cannot receive an Imperial approval.

Limits of Peace Negotiations

Article 17

The Commander-in-Chief cannot enter into peace negotiations without specific authorization to do so.

On the Emperor’s Presence in the Army

Article 18

The Commander-in-Chief surrenders his command of the army during the Emperor’s presence in the army, unless an order is issued allowing the commander-in-chief to continue acting in full capacity.

Measure of Responsibility

Article 19

The Commander-in-Chief’s responsibility is proportionate to his authority

Article 20

He is responsible for precise execution of operational plans he receives.

Article 21

He is responsible for supplying Army with all necessities.

Article 22

He is responsible for maintenance of military order, subordination and discipline, in all their severity.

Article 23

He is responsible for orderly administration of the allied, neutral or enemy lands occupied by his Army.

Article 24

He is responsible for protecting these regions from pillaging and must ensure reasonable arrangements to satisfy military necessities, on the basis of general principles listed in the present Statute.

Article 25

He is responsible for all disorders and abuses that remain unpunished and are reported to the government.

Article 26

For idleness of his authority, the Commander-in-Chief is responsible in equal measure as if he abused it. 

Consequences of the Commander-in-Chief’s responsibility

Article 27

The Commander-in-Chief might be called back, dismissed or court martialed depending on severity of his transgressions.

Article 28

In the first case [call back], the Commander-in-Chief is called back by His Imperial Majesty’s order to the army and a decree to the Governing Senate, without specifying reasons for this.

Article 29

In the second case [dismissal], the Commander-in-Chief is dismissed by the order of His majesty and a decree to the Governing Senate, with an announcement that he has failed his duty and had lost the trust of His Majesty.

Article 30

In the third case [court martial], he is tried in a specially established court.

Organization of the Main Staff

Article 31

The Main Field Staff [Glavnii Polevoi Shtab] of the Army is divided into four Main Sections [otdeleniye]:

1. Chief of the Main Staff
2. Engineer [Inzhenernoye]
3. Artillery [Artilleriiskoye]
4. Intendancy [Intendantsvo]

Designation of Sections’ Heads

Article 32

The Heads of Sections of the Main Staff are named as follows:

1. Chief of the Main Staff [nachalnik glavnogo shtaba]
2. Chief of Engineers [nachalnik inzhenerov]
3. Chief of Artillery [nachalnik artilerii]
4. General-Intendant

Ranks belonging to these Sections

Article 33

These Sections include [the following ranks]:

1. Quartermaster-General [general-kvartimeister] with all ranks under his authority
2. Duty General [dezhurnii general], with his Administration [upravlenie].
3. Field General Proviantmaster, and
4. Field General-Kriegscommissar, with their main Administrations.
5. Field General-Auditor
6. Senior Adjutants
7. General-Hevaldiger
8. Commandant of the Main Staff
9. Wagonmaster General
10. Director of Military Communications
11. Director of Hospitals
12. Field General-Staff-Doctor
13. Field Mail Director
14. Army Regional Governors [armeiskie zemskie praviteli] or Commissars
15. Captain of the Guides [kapitan nad vozhatymi]
16. Field Chaplain [ober-svyashenik]
17. Convoy of the Main Quarters [konvoi glavnoi kvartiry]

The Commander-in-Chief’s Chancellery

Article 34

Commander-in-Chief is entitled to have a Chancellery [kantselyariya].

Definition

Article 35

Main Staff of the Army is a focal point that concentrates all sections of the Field Army Administration [Polevoe Voinskoye Upravleniye].

Extent of its Authority

Article 36

The Main Staff’ authority includes

1. Drafting maps and plans for the troop movement and battles
2. Preparing reports and rosters reflecting conditions in various sections of the Army Administration.
3. Drafting a Military Journal and reports
4. Distribution of troops and assignment of commanders
5. Considering urgent and other reports from detached corps, divisions and fortresses.
6. Issuing orders [prikaz] and commands [povelenia].
7. Providing the Army with all its necessities, including provision, forage, ammunition, pay, weapons, Artillery, [artillery] munitions.
8. Maintaining order and discipline through police and Court
9. Establishing camps, trains and moving transports and Hospitals.
10. Providing provisions and defending fortresses located in the theater of war occupied by the army.
11. Exchanging prisoners of war, and directing, distributing and sending them to various Depots.
12. Securing roads and issuing and validating passes and passports.
13. Examining complaints on various sections of the Administration.

Corps Commander’s Authority

Article 37

When, as a result of enemy’s actions, interruption in communications or dispatch on a specific mission, a corps is detached from the army personally commanded by the Commander-in-Chief, the authority of a Corps Commander extends beyond the limits sets in the current Statutes and is subject to the following special regulations

Article 38

The Corps Commander’s orders must be executed as if the Commander-in-Chief issued them.

Article 39

Authorities of border regions [oblast] and provinces [gubernia] must equally accept his instructions, if they are informed by the Commander-in-Chief that the Corps was detached from the Army.

Limits of Corps Commander’s Authority

Article 40

Corps Commander can, without consideration of rank and position, dismiss, send away from the Corps or court martial junior officers [ober-offitser] and staff officers [shtab-ofitser]

Article 41

Corps Commander must report to the Commander-in-Chief about court martialing generals

Article 42

Corps Commander issues final approvals of death sentences and the reduction in ranks in trials involving junior officers and staff officers up to the rank of colonel and these sentences are executed on his orders.

Article 43

He has the authority to award military decorations to the lower ranks.

Subordination of All Ranks Arriving to a Corps to a Corps Commander

Article 44

All military officials, in spite of their ranks or positions, enter under direct and complete authority of a Corps Commander upon their arrival to the Corps.

Unlimited Control over Corps Funds

Article 45

Corps Commander can manage all funds entrusted to him on his own discretion and his orders on issuing or spending these funds removes any responsibility from the executing officials.

About the Commander-in-Chief’s Presence in a Corps

Article 46

Corps Commander loses command over his Corps when a Commander-in-Chief is present, unless a specific order is issued allowing a Corps Commander to remain in full capacity.

Responsibility of a Detached Corps  Commander

Article 47

Detached Corps Commander [Otdelnii Korpusnyi Nachalnik] carries a full responsibility of a Commander-in-Chief, as explained in the Section Two of Chapter One.

Authority of Detached Divisional Commander

Article 48

When a Division is detached from a Corps, which is commanded by a Corp Commander, as a result of enemy’s actions, interruption in communications or dispatch on a specific mission: then the authority of a Divisional Commander extends beyond the limits sets in the current Statutes and is subject to the regulations of Detached Corps Commanders explained in the Section One of current Chapter, but with the following limitations.

Limitations of Authority

Article 49

Detached Divisional Commander can court martial junior officers and staff officers up to the rank of colonel, and must report cases involving colonels to a Corps Commander.

On Corps Commander’s Presence in a Division

Article 50

Divisional Commander loses command over his Division when a Corps Commander is present, unless a specific order is issued allowing a Division Commander to remain in his capacity.

Responsibility of a Detached Divisional Commander

Article 51

Detached Divisional Commander [Otdelnii Divizionnii Nachalnik] carries the full responsibility of a Corps Commander.

Ranks of the Corps Staff

Article 52

The Corps Staff of the Army [Korpusnii shtab Armii]  consists of [the following ranks]:

1. Chief of the Corps Staff [nachalnik korpusnago shtaba]
2. Ober-Quartermaster [ober-kvartirmeister]
3. Duty Staff Officer [dezhurnii shtab-ofitser]
4. Senior Adjutants [starshii adjutant]
5. Ober-Proviantmeister [ober-proviantmeister]
6. Ober-Kriegscommissar [ober-krigs-komisar]
7. Ober-Hevaldiger [ober-hevaldiger]
8. Ober-Wagonmeister [ober-wagenmeister]
9. Ober-Auditor [ober-auditor]
10. Corps Staff Physician [korpussnii shtab-doktor]
11. Corps Commander’s Chancellery [kantselyaria korpusnogo nachalnika]

Ranks of the Detached Corps Staff

Article 53

When a Corps is ordered to operate independently, its Headquarters also includes:

1. Chief of Engineers
2. Chief of Corps Artillery
3. Corps Chaplain
4. Corps Postmeister
5. Army Land Governors [armeiskii zemskii pravitel] or Commissars
6. Convoy of the Corps Staff

Definition

Article 54

The Corps Staff is a focal point through which the orders or instructions received from the Main Staff are executed and which communicates reports and information to the Commander-in-Chief

Extent of Authority

Article 55

Thus, the Corps Staff’ authority extends to:

1. Submitting reports and rosters on various parts of the Administration on scheduled time and prescribed form.
2. Creating the Corps journal
3. Executing orders and instructions of the Commander-in-Chief
4. Examining reports and rosters from divisions, and reporting on them.
5. Maintaining order and subordination through the Corps Police.
6. Distribution and sending off prisoners to the Main Staff.
7. Validating passes, furloughs and passports.
8. Examining, satisfying and reporting on complaints on various parts of the Administration.

Responsibility of the Corps Staff when Corps operates independently.

Article 56

When a Corps receives an order to operate independently, all responsibilities of the Main Staff of the Army, as explained in the Article 35 and 36 of the Section Two of Chapter two, transfer to the Corps Staff.

Ranks of the Divisional Staff

Article 57

The Divisional Staff consist of [the following ranks]:

1. Divisional Quartermaster
2. Senior Adjutant
3. Proviantmeister
4. Hevaldiger
5. Ober-Wagonmeister
6. Ober-Auditor
7. Divisional Physician
8. Chancellery of Divisional Commander

Ranks of Detached Division Headquarters

Article 58

When a Division receives an order to act independently, its Staff receives the following ranks:

1. Head of the Divisional Staff
2. Head of Engineers
3. Head of the Divisional Artillery
4. Kriegscommissar
5. Army Land Governors [armeiskii zemskii pravitel] or Commissars
6. Convoy of the Divisional Staff.

Definition

Article 59

Divisional Staff of the Army is a focal point through which the orders of instructions received from a Corps Commander are executed and which communicates reports on all aspects of Administrating Division.

Extent of Authority

Article 60

Thus, the authority of the Divisional Staff extends to:

1.        Submitting reports and rosters on various parts of the Administration to a Corps Commander.

2.        Creating the Divisional journal

3.        Executing orders of the Corps Commander

4.        Examining reports and rosters from brigade commanders, and reporting on them.

5.        Maintaining order and subordination through the Divisional Police.

6.        Distribution and sending off prisoners to the Corps Staff.

7.        Validating passes, furloughs and passports.

8.        Examining complaints on various parts of the Administration and presenting them to Corps Commander.

Responsibilities of Divisional Staff when Division operates independently.

Article 61

When a Corps receives an order to operate independently, all responsibilities of the Staff of detached Corps, as explained in Article 56 of Section Two of Chapter Four, transfer to the Divisional Staff.