“The heroic death of private Vasily Ryabov”
Private Vasily Ryabov received all-Russian glory during the Russo-Japanese War. During one of the forays behind the front line, he was captured by the Japanese and sentenced to death. Ryabov accepted death so courageously that the enemy informed the Russian command about the fate of the hero:
“The other day, a Japanese patrol, when meeting with our patrol, threw a package towards the latter, addressed to the headquarters of the Manchurian army. It contained a letter describing the feat of one of our soldiers. The letter is written in Russian. Here it is in full:
“Reserve soldier Vasily Ryabov, 33 years old, from the hunting team (approx. hunting teams are units that carried out the most dangerous assignments, including reconnaissance behind enemy lines) of the 284th Chembarsky Regiment, a native of the Penza province. Dressed as a Chinese peasant, on September 27th of the new style of this year, he was caught by our soldiers within our front line. According to his oral testimony, it turned out that he, of his own free will, was sent to us to reconnoiter the location and actions of our army, and made his way into our chain on September 27th. After considering the case in accordance with the established procedure, Ryabov was sentenced to death. The last one was committed on September 30th with a rifle shot. Bringing this event to the attention of the Russian army, our army cannot help but express the sincere wish of the respected army that the latter would educate more such truly wonderful warriors, worthy of full respect, as the said Ryabov.
To the question: “Do you have anything to say before death,” he replied: “I am ready to die for the Tsar, for the Fatherland and for the Faith,” and to the proposal, “We fully understand your position, we promise to try to ensure that it is passed on to your parents and wife and to the children that you so bravely and firmly went to the feat of death for the Tsar and the Fatherland. If there is something to convey to them from you, let it be said,” answered:
“I humbly thank you, tell me what happened,” and I could not help but cry.
Having crossed himself, he prayed for a long time to the four cardinal directions, kneeling, and he himself quite calmly stood in his place. Those present could not hold back their hot tears. Sympathy for this truly brave, exemplary soldier filled with a sense of duty has reached its highest limit.”
Signed: “With respect, Captain of the Japanese Army Staff”
Ryabov’s feat of speaking loudly for himself, and the letter of the Japanese captain inspires respect for the enemy.”
(“Government Gazette”, September 24 (October 7), 1904)
Ryabov left behind a family who were granted a pension:
“Ryabov, called up from the reserves, left his wife and four young children in his homeland. Ryabov did not have a land plot and was engaged in carpentry, which is how he earned his livelihood. The Ryabov family receives benefits from the zemstvo.
The Sovereign Emperor deigned to donate two thousand rubles from his own sums, of which 1000 – to the family of private Ryabov and 1000 – for the construction of a school in memory of Ryabov in the village of Lebedevka, for the construction of which, with the opening of a subscription for this purpose, a petition has already been filed by the Penza district marshal of the nobility »
(“New Time”, November 6(19), 1904)
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