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Transport of Food and Ammunition during the Crimean War

The transport of food and ammunition during the Crimean War (1853–1856) was carried out through Kherson Governorate overland along chumak and horse-drawn routes and across the Dnieper crossings, ensuring the continuous supply of the field army in Crimea.

Overview

The absence of railway connection with the Crimean Peninsula turned the horse-drawn transport of Kherson Governorate into the sole supply artery of the Crimean Army. Day and night, chumak and peasant carts moved along wagon roads and across the Dnieper crossings (Beryslav, Kakhovka), carrying gunpowder, weapons, shells, ammunition, grain, rusks, and fodder. On the way back, these same carts evacuated thousands of wounded and sick soldiers and sailors to rear hospitals. The main burden of providing transport, horses, oxen, and feed fell on the peasantry and landowners of the South Ukrainian counties.

Key Details / Subtopics

  • Wagon roads and crossings: The key hubs for the transfer of cargo were the Beryslav and Kakhovka Dnieper crossings. Through them, convoys with artillery supplies and provisions moved around the clock toward Perekop and further into the interior of Crimea.
  • Donations and provision of transport: Residents and landowners of the Tiraspol, Kherson, and Odesa counties handed over to the army thousands of carts with horses and oxen, significant volumes of flour, groats, and fodder, as well as monetary contributions.
  • Customs and border support: The movement of material valuables and provisions was regulated through the Ochakiv and Odesa customs outposts, which issued permits for the unimpeded passage of military cargo and food transports.
  • Transport difficulties and consequences: Unpaved dirt roads became impassable during the autumn and spring thaw, which led to delays in ammunition deliveries, mass mortality of draft animals, and an acute supply crisis during the defense of Sevastopol.