Sheikh
Shamil brought new organization different from other imams. He devided his region into
twenty provinces and assigned assistants for each province. Assistants were in charge of
both administrative and military matters. Alongside courts, he built boards for supplying
military preparations. There had been ranks at the army from corporal to captain and
major. Assistant was equal to general in Russian army, and an assistant was commanding a
battalion of thousand or more soldiers. All
men from 16 to 60 years old were obliged to military service. If a man had three sons, all
of them were taken under military service. But, when a man had four sons, the youngest
stayed at home. Every man should have a rifle, pistol and a sword. If they stayed at home
for illness or any other reason, they gave their animals to the others gone for war.
Recorder number of soldiers were 60,000. Every capable man was a soldier when necessary.
The main forces of Sheikh Shamil’s army were cavalrymen. Both cavalrymen and infantry
troops arrived an once in the determined gathering phace. Before Sheikh Shamil
administration, soldiers were granted some presents and guns when they served
successfully. But later in his period, these were granted silk medallions.
Except these, medals were given for great
successful services. On these medals, it wrote in Arabic, “You cannot be bold if you
think of your end”, “Sword is a key to Heaven”, Heaven’s door is open for brave
men”, “Be slow for insult and quick for revenge”, "Don’t be coward at war, be
patient for difficulties, you won’t die until your time come”. Apart from these
medals, there were also different signs in order to recognize infantry, cavalry and
artillery troops. Sheikh Shamil had always a guards troop of 600 cavalrymen. This
group consisted of bodyguards.
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