For the storming of Akhulgo – Imperial Russian silver medal, 22 August 1839. ЗА ВЗЯТИЕ ШТУРМОМ АХУЛЬГО, 22 авг. 1839 Г. Medal "For the storming of Akhulgo" Diameter: 28.5 mm Weight; 11.23 g; Russian empire. Award silver medal "for the storming of Akhulgo". Established on September 5, 1839. The medal was awarded to all ranks of the troops and militia, doctors and priests who took part in the battles during the siege and assault of the Avar village of Ahulgo from June 12 to August 23, 1839. The total circulation of medals is 12959. Extremely rare!!! Market price: 3900 € = $4680; https://cornet.cc/en/item/121087/medal-for-the-storming-of-akhulgo/ References: The siege of Akhulgo (1839) was a siege during the Murid War in the Caucasus. General Grabbe besieged Imam Shamil in the rock-fortress of Akhulgo. After 80 days the rock was taken and most of the defenders were killed, but Shamil managed to escape. Shamil was now shut in with about 4000 people, of whom something over 1000 were fighting men (Baddeley does not explain why the women and children were not evacuated). Grabbe had about 6000 Russians and 3500 native militia. Seeing that those on the north bank were in a dangerous position, on 14 June he withdrew them to the south bank, which was a mistake. On the night of 18–19 June, the Murids occupied Ashitla without being noticed. Had they been more aggressive they might have accomplished something, but they were driven off the next morning. Final Assault: The fifth assault began on 21 August and again failed. The next morning the attack was renewed. The Russians met almost no resistance and gained possession of New Akhulgo. They found large numbers of fugitives scaling the opposite cliff or still climbing down to reach the bridge to Old Akhulgo. Tarasevich’s column entered the gorge, climbed up and captured the bridge and reached the top of Old Akhulgo before the garrison could stop them. The two days' fighting cost the Russians 150 killed and 494 wounded. Among those killed was the Georgian cornet David Gurieli, the last Prince of Guria.[6] Since most who remained on the rock refused to surrender, the fighting, or slaughter, continued for a week. Each house or cave had to be individually taken. Men were lowered on ropes to search the caves on the cliff side. Mothers killed their children, some flung themselves off cliffs, women and children attacked bayonets with rocks and daggers. Some pretended to surrender and then killed their captors. Tarasevich died this way. More than 1000 corpses were counted and there were 900 prisoners, mostly women, children and old men. By 29 August there was no one alive on the rock but Russians. The 80-day siege cost the Russians 512 killed, 1722 wounded and 694 contused, plus uncounted losses from disease. The Russians searched for Shamil’s body but could not find it. None of the prisoners could or would say where he was. Shamil's escape Shamil’s second wife Djavarat was killed during the siege[7] and his sister Fatima threw herself off a cliff. On the night of 21/22aug, before New Akhulgo was abandoned, Shamil with his pregnant first wife Fatimat, their young son Khazi Mahommed and a few followers lowered themselves to a cave above the river.[8] The next night they descended to the river, built a raft, loaded it with dummies and set it adrift. While the pickets were distracted they went downstream along the river bank and turned south up a ravine. They met a picket and killed the officer, but Shamil and his small son were wounded. They returned to the river, bridged it with a plank {sic. Baddeley’s geography does not fit Google Earth.} and headed northwest. Within a year Shamil had re-established his rule in Chechnya. Grabbe withdrew from the mountains and dismissed his men to winter quarters. Akhulgo was never again inhabited.