Invalid Company No. 94 in 1850: Skoptsy.

 

From the Eighth Supplement to the Compendium of Military Statutes [Svod voennykh postanovlenii] (1850):

 

Note to Article 1467. After Invalid Company No. 94, formed from skoptsy, is fully manned, skoptsy lower ranks who have become unable to continue service are absolutely not to be discharged into retirement, but rather sent to the Transcaucasus Territory for assignment to the labor detachments, invalid companies, and military labor companies in that territory. Such lower ranks who through various misunderstandings were improperly released from service are to be left in their places of residence, but if they turn out to be harmful to society and spread their heresy, then such men are to be sent to the Transcaucasus Territory as indicated.

31 March 1847 (21054)

 

Note from Mark Conrad. The various dissenting sects in Orthodox Russia were subject to various degrees of government persecution, depending on how much each one was perceived to be harmful to society. One of the most repressed sects were the skoptsy, due to their bizarre characteristics. The most striking feature of the skoptsy was that in order to better avoid earthly sin, male members were castrated.