in the campaign “Forest clearings and famine: Yevdokimov's conquest of Chechnya (1857-1859)”
Historian N. I. Pokrovsky writes: "Throughout January 1857 the Chechen and Kumyk detachments are cutting clearings", and "On 10 November a new expedition into Aukh began. The Aukhovites could not hold out and surrendered, 'brought submission'"[1]. In 1858 General Yevdokimov's troops entered the Argun gorge: "The tsarist troops are advancing along the Argun valley. In January the Chechen detachment occupied the exit from the Argun gorge onto the plain... only in July 1858 did Yevdokimov move further... on 4 July he crossed Mesken-Duk and penetrated into the Shatoy society"[1]. The course of the summer expedition can be seen from the journal of General Yevdokimov himself, submitted to Minister of War Sukhozanet with a report of 11 August 1858, No. 237: on 4 August imam Shamil approached the Argun "with all his cavalry from the Nazran expedition" and took position with two guns beyond the Verdy-akhk ravine; "having satisfied himself of our intention to remain on the right bank of the Chanty-Argun, he ordered the camp to be struck", after which the imperial "2 light guns and 2 half-pud mortars opened, at my order, fire on the highlanders". That same day Yevdokimov "inspected the site on which the main fortification was to be built, and at once ordered that its laying-out begin"[2]. In February 1859 the troops approached Vedeno, the capital of the Imamate and residence of imam Shamil (leader of the resistance of the highlanders of Dagestan and Chechnya to the Russian conquest) - the fortress fell on 1 April 1859[1].