Russkii Arkhiv, 2015, Vol. (10), Is. 4 278 юopyright © нлмр by ьcademic Publishing House Researcher Published in the Russian Federation Russkii Arkhiv Has been issued since 1863. ISSN: 2408-9621 E-ISSN 2413-726X Vol. 10, Is. 4, pp. 278–287, 2015 DOI: 10.13187/ra.2015.10.278 www.ejournal16.com Publication of sources UDC 94(47) The Low Volga Region and Territory of the Don Cossacks in the Unpublished Fragment of Memories by Doctor J.J. Lerche (1749) Preparation for publication, translation, introduction and commentary Alexander L. Kleitman Volgograd Branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Russian Federation 8, Gagarin Street, Volgograd, 400131 PhD (History) E-mail: alexander.kleitman@gmail.com Rostislav L. Kovalevsky Volgograd Branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Russian Federation 8, Gagarin Street, Volgograd, 400131 PhD (Philology), Professor E-mail: rkovalevskij@gmail.com Galina K. Savchenko Volgograd Branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Russian Federation 8, Gagarin Street, Volgograd, 400131 PhD (Pedagogy) E-mail: ppevmel@yandex.ru Abstract Fragment of the diaries by the traveler, scholar Dr J.J. Lerche which describes his journey on the Low Volga Region and the Territory of the Don Cossacks in spring 1749 is published in the Russian translation. This text was never published before; manuscript of the diary is kept in the National Library of Russia. The document is of interest as a source of social and economic history of the South of Russia, the history of Russian science, the history of Russian-German relations. Keywords: The Low Volga Region, Territory of the Don Cossacks, Astrakhan, Tsaritsyn, regional history, 18 th century.