Circassian’s expulsion

Enormous military forces were concentrates against Circassia. Besleneys were evicted to Turkey in 1861. Then Cuban Kabardians, Termiroys, Abazins were expelled too. In 1862 Natukhajses get their turn to be expelled, they lived in the region of Anapa and Cemeza (now Novorossiysk)
During the winter in 1863-1864 military forces were attacking Abzakhs.



Attacking people in winter caused losses of lives among the inhabitants. «Destroying stocks and pickles is determined for population, and hillman started to live in pain without houses, and their amount and quality of food is miserable», «only one-tenth of population died because of weapons and battles, but everyone else was killed by loses, harsh winters spend in the epicenters of snowstorms on empty mountains».
Memories of officer I. Drosdov from Pchesky squad said: «Impressive view we had during our way: widely dispersed dead bodies of women, children, old men, ripped, ate by dogs, exhausted by hunger and diseases, migrants, who aren’t able to talk walk because of weakness…»
All survivors ran to Turkey. «Turkish skippers were so greedy that they treated Circassians like goods, who used their kochermas till the beachside of Small Asia and threw them overboard if they had the smallest sign of sickness. Waves carried bodies of poor dead people to shores of Anatolia… Less than the half of the people who ran to Turkey actually came to its coast. »
28 of February in 1864 Dachovsky unit under the command of general fon Geiman, after passing Caucasian Ridge thought
Goytkh pass came to the black sea area called Shapsygia and stayed in Tyapse. And started punitive operations against
Shapsugs and Ubykhs.
Between 7th and 10th march all Circassian’s villages near the black sea were massacred. 11th and 12th march all villages in valleys called Tuapse and Ashe were annihilated. During 13th – 15th march all hamlets what were found in a valley called Psezyapse were exterminated.
23th, 24th March villages next to river “Lo” in the community called Vardthe and were set on fire.
Between 24th and 15th March 1864 all villages next to the valleys Dagomus, Shahe, Sochi, Mzumta, Bzub’ were exterminated.
«Both sides made war very hard and without any mercy. Even awful winter and even storms on the beaches of Circassian land didn’t stop this awful war. There were no days without bloody battles. The pain of Circassians who were surrounded by their enemies was so great. And they suffered because they had not enough things who could let them fight back, they didn’t had enough food and ammunition. Circassians suffered even more then you can imagine on the shores black sea. One of the bravest nations was dying under the knife of the enemy. »
Immigration had frightening size. Circassians had the miserable amount of time in which they could immigrate to Turkey. Property and animals were left behind or sold for a pittance to Kazaks.
The enormous mass of people flogged on the banks of the black sea. All coast was under the blanket of dead people mixed who is people who were still alive. Turkish ships that came to Caucasus's shores were overloaded with migrants. it was not possible to transfer all migrants at the same time. Russian empire also ordered boats. «Some Circassians after they fired shots in the air trowed there rifles to the water. It was like saying goodbye to their homeland to the places where their fathers and father‘s fathers were buried. ».
Special groups were sent to find those Circassians who tried to hide in inaccessible areas. Only one thousand from three hundred thousand of Shapsudgs left - the ones who were scattered in the most inaccessible areas. Hundred thousand of Ubyghs moved away completely. After Natukhay the only village left called Suvorov-Czerkinsky but in 1924 people moved to Adyghe Autonomous Oblast. Only one village left formes big amount of people lived in Abzakh - the village is called Hakyrinohabl’.

Official data from the Russian government is saying that 418 thousand Circassians were evicted. It showing how official governments want to hide the real scope of war and these 418 thousand people are only registered migrants, it’s logical that these numbers could not count all Circassians, who were interested in reporting where and why do they go.

Turkish “Muhagur Commission’s” data spread on of areas Osman empire: 2.8 million people and from them, 2.6 million are Circassians. This is data without considering that many people died on the beaches of the black sea and while they were traveling. And Adyghian proverb is that “you can see the road to the Istanbul by looking to Circassian's dead bodies.” And 154 years later after this events Circassians who are living next to the sea do not eat fish from the black sea and don’t even swim in it.

Massive deaths of people were even in migrants camps on Turkish land.

That death from hungriness and sickness only in the one camp called Achi-Kale was nearly two hundred fifty people at the day and camps like this were located throughout on the Turkish coastline. The Turkish government wasn’t expecting so many migrants and they weren’t able to supply food for everyone in these camps. To prevent pandemics camps were surrounded by the army and their camps. Turkey was asking to stop the migration of people, but people continued and continued to come. Parents sold their children ‘s to Turkish people, because they hoped, that their children could eat some food.

“When I was thinking about the impressive misery of these poor people, who welcome me with an open soul, my heart was full of bitterness.”, “ Poor Circassians, how miserable are they, - I said to him (to Turkish man )…
This year Circassians' woman will be cheaper if you buy them on souk, - old pirate answered me with full calmness”
21st of May last bastion of Circassian's resistance fell under attack of enemy – boundary Kbaada, region of the red valley. There in the presence of brother of imperator Alexander 2nd – great prince Mihail, they made a parade because of victory, the end of Caucasus war and expulsing Circassians to turkey.