Reorganization of artillery and engineering corps management (late 18th – early 19th centuries)

The article discusses how, prior to Emperor Alexander I's accession to the throne, the Russian Army's Artillery and Engineering Corps were managed by the Artillery Expedition, a central administrative body within the Military Collegium. As the Artillery Expedition's scope expanded due to the emergence of new artillery institutions, it became increasingly difficult to devote sufficient attention to managing the engineering division still under its purview. During Paul I's reign, preparatory measures were undertaken to reorganize the overall military administration system and specifically the management of the Artillery and Engineering Corps, laying the groundwork for fundamental changes these departments would undergo in the early 19th century. The analysis concludes that during his brief reign, Paul I could not fully address the deficiencies and oversights in engineering affairs that had emerged in previous reigns. The study utilizes little-examined archival and other sources introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time.