Lietuvos istorijos institutas

The aim of the article is to highlight the peaceful functioning of the military garrison in Vilnius from the mid-1760s to the early 1790s. In addition to other issues, the article presents the peaceful composition and structure of the garrison, the form of accommodation, the functions performed by the army, as well as conflict situations.

The article presents a description of the service and contributions to Lithuania’s armed forces made by Petras Tarasenka, a Lithuanian archaeologist, prose writer, museum employee, pedagogue, and army officer. Tarasenka’s life is traced from 1919, when he joined the Lithuanian army until 1932, when he was promoted to the rank of colonel and retired to the reserves. It also describes his involvement in Lithuanian Wars of Independence, the march to Klaipėda, and his accomplishments in military instruction and preparing teaching aids for officers. It investigates the issues of an officer retiring from active service and overviews his military awards and decorations as well as his military positions and jobs. It presents chronological and geographical links between his military service and his significant archaeological contributions.