Battle of Barnaul (1918)

Battle for Barnaul, a series of fights during Russian Civil War during June 13–15, 1918.

Background
Soon after the October Revolution of 1917 there began a Revolt of Czechoslovak Legion. Czechoslovaks wanted to capture the Trans-Siberian railway for providing the safe passage for themselves. At the same time as the Czechs moved in, Russian officers' organizations overthrew the Bolsheviks in Petropavlovsk and Omsk.

Novonikolaevsk was an important city: it was a node, where Altai Railway (part of future Turkestan–Siberia Railway) came from the South and connected to Trans-Siberian Railway. Whites revolted in Novonikolaevsk during the night of May, 25–26, and captured the city. At the next day civilians, former soldiers and officers began to organize anti-Bolsheviks detachments.

For the cover from the south, Czechoslovak's leader Radola Gajda sent a train on the Altai Railway. Czechoslovaks began slowly move south, repairing the railway, but later returned to the Novonikolaevsk. Red Guards of Barnaul, hearing about the rebellion in Novonikolaevsk, went to the north. They claimed martial law on the whole line of Altai Railway, made Altayskaya station its capital, and decided to meet attackers near the Cherepanovo.

At June, 1, Provisional Government of Autonomous Siberia created a Siberian Army from volonteurs and former officers. One of the first tasks of new-born Army was capturing the Altai Railway. At June, 4, White's forces left Novonikolaevsk and began to move south; there were two Czechoslovak companies (commander - podporuchik Czesnovsky), Novonikolaevsk Regiment (commander - poruchik V.S.Sergeev) and Tomsk Officer Detachment (commander - captain N.D. Travin), commander-in-chief - Czech poruchik K.Gusarek.

At June, 5, Red's train left Cherepanovo and began to move north. Two trains (White's and Red's) met near the Evsino station. After some shots reds began to retreat, destroying the way and bridges.

At June, 8, Whites tried to cross the Chumysh River, but had to retreat under the fire of Reds. Then Whites went down near the river, and crossed it during the night near the Kashkaragaihi village. Whites planned to destroy the way behind the Reds, and later to strike from the front and the rear.

At June, 9, Reds received an information about Whites in the rear area. In the evening part of Reds without a noise left the position and attacked White column, which tried to encircle the Red's position. At first Reds was lucky, but later Whites counterattacked, and Reds had to retreat to the Altayskaya station.

At June, 10, members of Barnaul Revolution Committee came to the Altayskaya. They organized a meeting with local population, explained the necessity of keeping such an important railway station, and then Red Guards and local population began to dig tranches near the bridge over the Chesnokovka river.

But in the evening Whites, using the opportunity, began a revolt in Barnaul. At June, 11, Red Guards had to left the tranches and return to the city for suppressing the rebellion. Whites from the Novonikolaevsk captured Altayskaya without a fight at June, 12. There they found a map of Barnaul and its surroundings and received an information about reinforcements – 200 men on the ship from Novonikolaevsk under the command of colonel A.A.Budkevich.

The Battle
Reds fortified the bridge over the Ob River, which connected Barnaul and railway station: they destroyed a part of the bridge near the station, and placed a barricade with machinegun on the other end. The right bank of the Ob river (where Barnaul is located) was high, and Reds fortified it. Whites decided not to storm the bridge, and began to use cannons.

Gusarek decided to cross a river in another place. During the night of June, 13–14, a company of soldiers crossed the Ob river at 20 km north-west of Barnaul, near the Gonba village, and joint with the detachment of Budkevich and the Barnaul rebellers, which retreated from the city to the Vlasikha village. At the evening of June, 14, Barnaul was attacked from the all directions. Reds hadn't enough shells, hence they decided to leave the city and went to the Aleysk.

Aftermath
Whites captured about 200 Red Guardsmen in Barnaul, and on the next day killed all Reds of Hungarian nationality.

Those Reds, who retreated from Barnaul to Aleysk, united into one partisan detachment under the command of P.F. Sukhov. This detachment fought in White's rear area during two months before crushing.