Anatoly Mikhaylovich Stessel | |
|---|---|
 Anatoly Stessel in the 1890s. | |
| Born | (1848-06-28)28 June 1848 |
| Died | 18 January 1915(1915-01-18) (aged 66) Khmelnik,Podolia Governorate, Russian Empire |
| Allegiance |  Russia |
| Branch | Imperial Russian Army |
| Years of service | 1866–1906 |
| Rank | General |
| Battles / wars | |
Anatoly Mikhaylovich Stessel (Russian:Анато́лий Миха́йлович Сте́ссель;German:Anatolij Stößel; 10 July [O.S. 28 June] 1848 – 18 January [O.S. 5 January] 1915) was a Russianbaron of German descent, a military leader, and general.
Anatoly Stessel, born in 1848 as the son of Lieutenant General Ivan Matveevich Stessel, graduated from thePavel Military School in 1866. Stessel participated in theRusso-Turkish War (1877–1878). He subsequently commanded the 16th Ladoga Infantry Regiment in 1897, and then from 1897 to 1899 the 44th Kamchatka Infantry Regiment. He was appointed to head the 3rd East Siberian Brigade (1899–1903), and distinguished himself for his role in the suppression of theBoxer Movement of 1899–1901 inQing China, being wounded in combat during theBattle of Tientsin in July 1900. He was subsequently awarded theOrder of St. George (4th degree).[1]
From 12 August 1903 Stessel commanded the Russian garrison ofPort Arthur inManchuria – a total of over 50,000 men.Imperial Russia had occupied Port Arthur from 1897, and had heavily enhanced and modernized its defenses in the intervening years – its position was considered[by whom?] one of the most heavily fortified in the world.
TheRusso-Japanese War of 1904-1905 started in February 1904; Stessel was promoted to governor of the Kwantung Military District in March 1904, and Lieutenant GeneralKonstantin Smirnov was appointed as his successor at Port Arthur. However, Stessel chose to interpret the orders to mean that Smirnov was his subordinate, and remained at Port Arthur, countermanding Smirnov's orders and denying his requests for supplies and reinforcements, and sending misleading telegrams to the Tsar blaming Smirnov for any setbacks. He also ignored orders from GeneralAleksei Kuropatkin (the commander-in-chief of the Russian land forces in Manchuria) to leave Port Arthur on a destroyer on 3 July 1904.[1] Stessel's command of the Port Arthur defenses was ineffective throughout theSiege of Port Arthur (July 1904 to January 1905). In August 1904, after the Japanese victory at theBattle of Nanshan in May 1904, Stessel refused Japanese offers to evacuate the women and non-combatants from Port Arthur, and by autumn food was in short supply.
Following the death of GeneralRoman Kondratenko on 15 December 1904 at Fort Chikuan, Stessel appointed the incompetentAlexander Fok in his place. On 18 December 1904 the Japanese exploded an 1800-kilogram mine underFort Chikuan (東鶏冠山北堡塁 in Japanese), which fell that night. On 28 December 1904 mines under Fort Erhlung were detonated, destroying that fort as well.
On 31 December 1904 a series of mines were exploded under Fort Sungshu, Port Arthur's sole surviving major fortress, which surrendered that day. On 1 January 1905 Wantai finally fell to the Japanese. On the same day, Stessel and Fok sent a message to a surprised Japanese GeneralNogi Maresuke, offering to surrender. None of the other senior Russian staff had been consulted, and many were outraged.
General Nogi accepted the offer of surrender, and the two sides signed a ceasefire agreement on 2 January 1905 atShuishiying. After occupying the city, the Japanese were surprised to find large stores of food and ammunition; the Japanese, along with some of the Russian officials, believed Stessel had surrendered prematurely. While the Japanese interned the surviving men and officers of the Russian garrison at Port Arthur asprisoners-of-war, they allowed Stessel to return toSt. Petersburg in comfortable quarters on a British passenger-liner.[1] However, Stessel was discharged from the Imperial Russian Army on 30 September 1906 and was soon arrested (with several other members of the Russian military) and facedcourt-martial charges forcowardice and for surrendering Port Arthur to the Japanese. After a year of deliberations, he wassentenced to death on 7 February 1908.[1] This sentence was later commuted to ten years imprisonment.
On 6 May 1909 EmperorNicholas II pardoned Stessel with all rights, titles, and privileges.[2][3] Stessel continued his military service through the start ofWorld War I.[citation needed] He died in 1915 inKhmilnyk (in present-dayVinnytsia Oblast,Ukraine).
Order of St. George, 4th class
Order of St. George, 3rd class
Order of St. Anne 3rd degree, 2nd degree, 1st degree
Order of St Vladimir 4th degree, 3rd degree.
Order of St. Stanislaus 1st degree, 2nd degree, 3rd degree
Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd degree, (Japan)
Order of the Red Eagle, (Prussia)
Pour le Mérite, (Prussia)
Order of Bravery (Bulgaria)
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