Arshak Ter-Gukasov

Arshak Ter-Gukasov (; ) (1819 – 8 January 1881) was a Lieutenant-General of the Russian Empire. Born to an Armenian family in Tiflis, he started his military career in 1850 and was subsequently involved in the Caucasian War. After being promoted to the rank of lieutenant general, and serving various governmental posts, he was then assigned as the Yerevan Forces commander of Russia's army during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. Owing to his successes in battle, Arshak Ter-Gukasov was awarded medals by Imperial Russia and other foreign powers.

Life and career Arshak Ter-Gukasov was born in the Havlabar district of Tiflis, Georgia in 1819 to an Armenian family of clergymen originally from Shamkhor (today Şəmkir, Azerbaijan). Ter-Gukasov attended the local Armenian Nersisian School. To continue his education, Ter-Gukasov moved to Saint Petersburg and studied at the St. Petersburg State University of Communication where he graduated in 1839. As an engineer, Ter-Gukasov was assigned to build roadways for the Russian army in the Caucasus between the years 1842 to 1850. He was then appointed as the 2nd Communications Manager of the Caucasus.

Military career War in the Caucasus Ter-Gukasov joined the Russian military in 1850. He then became part of the Apsheron 3rd Infantry Regiment. Due to his relative success in subsequent battles, notably in engagements with Chechen and Daghestani tribesmen in Dilim and Burtuna, he was promoted to the General of the Apsheron Infantry Regiment in 1859. Demonstrating success on the battlefield, Ter-Gukasov was bestowed the Order of St. George. It was the forces under Ter-Gukasov, numbering at around 13,000 soldiers, stationed near Yerevan, that commenced the first assault into Ottoman territory by capturing the town of Bayazid on 27 April 1877. Capitalizing on Ter-Gukasov's victory there, Russian forces advanced, taking the region of Ardahan on 17 May; Russian units also besieged the city of Kars in the final week of May, although Ottoman reinforcements lifted the siege and drove them back. Along the way to Erzurum, Ter-Gukasov managed to capture the villages of Karakilise, Diadin, and the Eleşkirt valley. With a limited number of Russian troops garrisoned in Beyazid, Ter-Gukasov marched to Beyazid on 8 July to assist in its defense. After a brief siege, Ter-Gukasov successfully repulsed Ismail Shah's troops. The Russian soldiers are widely regarded as being "saved" from an inevitable defeat by the Turkish army. Ter-Gukasov's relief of Beyazid was a key factor in Russia's hold on the city, turning the tide of war in Russia's favor. With a low loss of 100 men during the confrontation, historians William Allen and Paul Muratoff called Ter-Gukasov's engagement a "really brilliant operation".

In January 1878, Ter-Gukasov was appointed commander of the Akhaltsikhe regiment.

Post-war and death Ter-Gukasov is buried next to Russian-Armenian military commanders who fought alongside him during the Russian-Turkish war: Mikhail Loris-Melikov, Ivan Lazarev and Beybut Shelkovnikov. After the Russo-Turkish War, Ter-Gukasov was appointed commander of troops in Transcaucasus. Thereafter, he was assigned as the Caucasian Corps commander. Meanwhile, his rank was assigned as General-Adjutant, an assistant who attended the Tsar, a field marshal or a general.

Awards and decorations