Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - an haifi Gorshkov a ranar 20 ga Satumba 1902 a kan "khutor" na Olshanka, Don Host Oblast. A lokacin yakin basasa na Rasha, Sojojin Kudancin Rasha sun mamaye yankin har zuwa watan Agusta 1919, kuma Gorshkov ya ci gaba da yin aikin gona. An tattara shi cikin Red Army a watan Satumbar 1920, an aika shi don yin karatu a 7th Borisoglebsk Cavalry Course. Tare da rukunin 'yan bindigar da aka zana daga hanya, Gorshkov ya yi yaƙi a cikin dakile Tawayen Tambov
a matsayin shugaban tawagar. Don ayyukansa a cikin fadace-fadace, an ba shi lambar yabo ta Red Banner.