Generals of the Russian Empire of the 18th century. Yu.V

Our readers who have children have probably encountered this problem: the child is sick, and getting her to take medicine, even in the form of sweet syrup, is not so easy. Yes, and sometimes we ourselves want to treat ourselves during illness to something sweet, and at the same time healthy. In this case, there is one popular folk remedy for cough - eggnog.

Cooking methods

There are various methods for preparing this delicious cough medicine. Below are the most famous and effective of them.

It is best to cook eggnog without adding sugar to it. Take one egg yolk, 1 teaspoon of honey and a small piece of butter, beat everything well until smooth. After this, you need to add half a glass of hot milk and a little baking soda. Mix everything well - the eggnog is ready!

It is recommended to prepare eggnog for cough from the following ingredients: egg yolks (chicken or quail), sugar, butter, cocoa powder, honey, orange juice. We recommend 4-5 tablespoons of sugar per yolk of one chicken egg, everything else is up to your individual taste. Thoroughly beat the yolks with sugar until a soft white foam forms, add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Another way to prepare cough eggnog is as follows: take 1 beaten yolk, add 2-3 tablespoons of natural bee honey to it, beat well until the mixture becomes almost white. Then pour in warm milk (1 cup), whisking continuously, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. After this, in a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with two tablespoons of sugar (you can use powder). Combine both mixtures and mix everything thoroughly - the medicine is ready.

You can also make fruit and berry eggnog. Beat 2 chicken yolks until smooth, add a pinch of salt, 3 tbsp. l. sugar and a little less than half a glass of juice (fruit drink) from fruits and berries that you prefer (for example, apples or cherries), mix. Next, you need to add cognac and chilled boiled water (half a glass each) and 2 glasses of milk. The whites are whipped separately and then added to the finished medicinal mixture.

How to take it correctly?

Regardless of which recipe you choose, it is recommended to take eggnog in the morning on an empty stomach or before meals. There is no specific recommended portion, you can determine it for yourself and follow it at each dose. For example, a few tablespoons or half a glass (depending on the resulting consistency).

With regular daily use, they will quickly recede.

Why does he help?

It’s not so difficult to guess what the healing power of this dessert medicine is:

• The egg has long been known for its properties that can soften the throat, restore the voice (which singers often use), and relieve coughs;
• honey, which is part of almost all of the above methods for preparing eggnog, has strong antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties;
• butter also softens and relieves irritation of the throat and upper respiratory tract;
• Lemon juice and orange contain a large amount of vitamin C, which helps increase the body's resistance;
• milk contains easily digestible protein, which is so necessary for our body in case of illness, and when warm it also has a warming effect.

In addition, read the article “

Yu.V. Rubtsov

Field Marshals in the history of Russia

To my grandson Kirill Solovyov

Introduction

Brought up in battles

amidst the stormy weather

The epigraph to this book, which contains the biography of all Russian field marshals without exception, was given by a line from a well-known poem by A.S. Pushkin’s “Memoirs in Tsarskoe Selo”: “You are immortal forever, O Russian giants, // Raised in battles amidst bad weather!” And although the poet addressed the commanders and associates of Catherine II, his pathos, in the author’s opinion, is appropriate in relation to, if not all, then very many of the highest military ranks of the Russian Empire.

“In their gigantic thousand-year work, the creators of Russia relied on three great foundations - the spiritual power of the Orthodox Church, the creative genius of the Russian People and the valor of the Russian Army.”

The truth, cast by the military historian of the Russian diaspora Anton Antonovich Kersnovsky into an enviably minted formula, is impossible not to accept! And if you remember that it was expressed just a few years before Hitler’s attack on the Soviet Union, on the eve of one of the most brutal clashes between two civilizations in the history of our people - Slavic-Orthodox and Teutonic-Western European, then you involuntarily think about the undeniable symbolism of what was accomplished by a patriotic historian . On top of ideologies and political regimes, he passed on to his compatriots in the USSR from long-gone generations of warriors for the Russian Land, like a relay race, ideas about the eternal foundations and sources of strength of our Motherland.

The presence of an army and armed forces in their ranks is more than natural. The need to repel the aggression of numerous neighbors who wanted to profit from the country's untold riches, interest in expanding borders, and protecting geopolitical interests in various regions of the world forced Russia to constantly keep its powder dry. During the 304 years of the Romanov dynasty alone, the country experienced about 30 major wars, including with Turkey - 11, France - 5, Sweden - 5, as well as Austria-Hungary, Great Britain, Prussia (Germany), Iran, Poland, Japan and others countries.

S. Gerasimov. Kutuzov on the Borodino field.

In combat and combat, the soldier wins, but it is known that a mass of even perfectly trained fighters is worth little if it does not have a worthy commander. Russia, having shown the world an amazing type of ordinary soldier, whose fighting and moral qualities have become a legend, has also given birth to many first-class military leaders. The battles carried out by Alexander Menshikov and Pyotr Lassi, Pyotr Saltykov and Pyotr Rumyantsev, Alexander Suvorov and Mikhail Kutuzov, Ivan Paskevich and Joseph Gurko, entered the annals of military art, they were studied and are being studied in military academies around the world.

Before the formation of a regular army by Peter I in the Muscovite kingdom, to designate the post of commander-in-chief, there officially existed the position of a courtyard governor, to whom all troops were entrusted. He took precedence over the chief governor of the Great Regiment, i.e., the army. In the era of Peter the Great, these archaic titles were replaced by European ranks: the first - generalissimo, the second - field marshal general. The names of both ranks are derived from the Latin “generalis”, i.e. “general”. Generalship in all European (and later not only) armies meant the highest level of military ranks, because its owner was entrusted with the command of all branches of the military.

About the generalissimo in the Military Regulations of Peter I of 1716 it was said this way: “This rank only belongs to crowned heads and great ruling princes, and especially to the one whose army is. In his non-existence, he hands over the command over the entire army to his field marshal general.” Only three people were awarded this rank in the Russian Imperial Army: His Serene Highness Prince A.D. Menshikov in 1727, Prince Anton-Ulrich of Brunswick-Lüneburg (father of the young Emperor Ivan Antonovich) in 1740 and Prince A.V. Suvorov in 1799

The Generalissimo was outside the system of officer ranks. Therefore, the highest military rank was actually the Field Marshal General. According to Peter's Table of Ranks, he corresponded to the civil rank of chancellor and belonged to the 1st class. In the Military Regulations of Peter I, it was legally enshrined as follows: “A field marshal general or an chief is the commanding chief general in the army. His order and command should be respected by everyone, since the entire army and the real intention were handed over to him from their sovereign.”

“Military Encyclopedia” I.D. Sytina explains the origin of the term “field marshal” as follows: it is based on a combination of the German words “feld” (field) with “march” (horse) and “schalk” (servant). The term "marshal" gradually migrated to France. At first, this was the name of ordinary grooms. But since they were inseparable from their masters during numerous campaigns and hunts, their social position increased sharply over time. Under Charlemagne (8th century), the persons who commanded the convoy were already called marshals, or marshals. Gradually they gained more and more power. In the 12th century. Marshals are the closest assistants to the commanders-in-chief, in the 14th century they were inspectors of troops and senior military judges, and in the first third of the 17th century. - senior commanders. In the 16th century, first in Prussia and then in other states, the rank of field marshal (field marshal general) appeared.

The military regulations of Peter I also provided for a deputy field marshal general - field marshal lieutenant general (there were only two of these in the Russian army, these were Baron G.-B. Ogilvy and G. Goltz, invited by Peter I from abroad). Under the successors of the first Russian emperor, this rank completely lost its significance and was abolished.

Since the introduction of the rank of field marshal in the Russian army in 1699 and until 1917, 63 people were awarded it:

during the reign of Peter I:

Count F.A. GOLOVIN (1700)

Duke K.-E. CROA de CROA (1700)

Count B.P. SHEREMETEV (1701)

His Serene Highness Prince A.D. MENSHIKOV (1709)

Prince A.I. REPNIN (1724)

during the reign of Catherine I:

Prince M.M. GOLITSYN (1725)

Count J.-K. SAPIEGA (1726)

Count Y.V. BRUCE (1726)

during the reign of Peter II:

Prince V.V. DOLGORUKY (1728)

Prince I.Yu. TRUBETKOY (1728)

during the reign of Anna Ioannovna:

Count B.-H. MINICH (1732)

Count P.P. LASSI (1736)

during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna:

Prince L.-I.-V. HESSEN-HOMBURG (1742)

S.F. APRAXIN (1756)

Count A.B. BUTURLIN (1756)

Count A.G. RAZUMOVSKY (1756)

Prince N.Yu. TRUBETKOY (1756)

Count P.S. SALTYKOV (1759)

during the reign of Peter III:

Count A.I. SHUVALOV (1761)

Count P.I. SHUVALOV (1761)

Duke K.-L. HOLSTEIN-BECK (1761)

Prince P.-A.-F. HOLSTEIN-BECK (1762)

Prince G.-L. SCHLESWIG-HOLSTIN (1762)

during the reign of Catherine II:

Count A.P. BESTUZHEV-RYUMIN (1762)

Count K.G. RAZUMOVSKY (1764)

Prince A.M. GOLITSYN (1769)

Count P.A. RUMYANTSEV-ZADUNAYSKY (1770)

Count Z.G. CHERNYSHEV (1773)

Landgrave Ludwig IX OF HESSE-DARMSTAD (1774)

His Serene Highness Prince G.A. POTEMKIN-TAURICHESKY (1784)

Prince of Italy, Count A.V. SUVOROV-RYMNIKSKY (1794)

during the reign of Paul I:

His Serene Highness Prince N.I. SALTYKOV (1796)

Prince N.V. REPNIN (1796)

Count I.G. CHERNYSHEV (1796)

Count I.P. SALTYKOV (1796)

Count M.F. KAMENSKY (1797)

Count V.P. MUSIN-PUSHKIN (1797)

schedule. ELMPT (1797)

Duke W.-F. de BROGLI (1797)

during the reign of Alexander I:

Count I.V. GUDOVICH (1807)

Prince A.A. PROZOROVSKY (1807)

His Serene Highness Prince M.I. GOLENISCHEV-KUTUZOV-SMOLENSKY (1812)

Prince M.B. BARCLAY de TOLLY (1814)

Duke A.-K.-U. WELLINGTON (1818)

during the reign of Nicholas I:

His Serene Highness Prince P.Kh. WITGENSTEIN (1826)

Prince F.V. OSTENS-SACKEN (1826)

Count I.I. DIBICH-ZABALKANSKY (1829)

Your Serene Highness Prince of Warsaw,

Count I.F. PASKEVICH-ERIVANSKY (1829)

Archduke JOHANN of Austria (1837)

His Serene Highness Prince P.M. VOLKONSKY (1843)

Count R.-J. von RADETSKY (1849)

during the reign of Alexander II:

His Serene Highness Prince M.S. VORONTSOV (1856)

Prince A.I. BARYATINSKY (1859)

Count F.F. BERG (1865)

Archduke of Austria ALBRECHT-Friedrich-Rudolf (1872)

Crown Prince of Prussia FRIEDRICH WILHELM (1872)

Count H.-K.-B. von MOLTKE the Elder (1871)

Grand Duke MIKHAIL NIKOLAEVICH (1878)

Grand Duke NIKOLAI NIKOLAEVICH the Elder (1878)

during the reign of Nicholas II:

I.V. GURKO (1894)

Count D.A. MILYUTIN (1898)

King of Montenegro NICHOLAS I Njegos (1910)

King of Romania CAROL I (1912)

Even at a quick glance, this column of last names can tell a lot. It may seem paradoxical to some, but the majority of Russian field marshals were not only and even not so much professional military men as politicians, and most of the “battles” were fought not on the battlefield, but at the highest court and in high society salons, in boards and ministries . There are just a minority of genuine commanders among them. Of course, Suvorov or Gurko will not get lost in any of the most numerous surroundings, but still, how many completely unknown (and not only to the average antiquity lover) names they are surrounded by. But only a genuine commander from God knows how heavy he is, the field marshal’s baton.

The great commander and mocker Suvorov politely made this clear to Catherine II when, after Ishmael, he appeared before her. The Empress, wanting to reward the hero, offered him a choice of any of the governor generals.

“I know,” the commander answered kindly, “that the mother queen loves her subjects too much for me to punish any province.” I measure my strength against the burden I can lift. For another, a field marshal's uniform is unbearable...

Behind the allegory, so characteristic of Alexander Vasilyevich’s speech, was hidden the high opinion that he, a born military man, held about the rank of field marshal. And although a subtle, but obvious reproach is that, at the whim of the autocrat, laurels were often given to those who did not distinguish themselves on the battlefield. Moreover, anyone, let alone Suvorov, could certainly handle the field marshal’s “burden.” But even after Ishmael, the great commander had to wait another four years for him.

Russian rulers, however, did not elevate themselves to this high rank, but in their hands it was a universal tool. The field marshal's baton was used to pay for assistance provided in the struggle for the throne (A.B. Buturlin, N.I. Saltykov), and granted favors to august relatives (K.-L. Holstein-Becksky, G.-L. Holstein-Schleswigsky, Ludwig IX of Hesse -Darmstadsky), recruited allies (Ya.-K. Sapega, I.Yu. Trubetskoy), appeased the favorite who settled next to the throne (A.G. Razumovsky, A.I. Shuvalov), encouraged him for many years of public service (V. V. Dolgoruky, Z.G. Chernyshev, P.M. Field marshals, especially those located in the capital, at court (and these were the majority), made up a significant part of the ruling elite; the fate, and sometimes the life of the reigning person, often depended on their support. Therefore, the rulers naturally sought to bind them to themselves with awards and titles, at their expense to strengthen their party and weaken the rival one.

Thus, it is absolutely no coincidence that a whole group of general-in-chiefs of Catherine’s time was elevated by Paul I, as soon as he became emperor, to field marshals general - N.I. Saltykov, N.V. Repnin, I.G. Chernyshev, I.P. Saltykov. All of them, during Catherine’s life, adjoined Paul’s small court and now, having received the highest rank, significantly strengthened his regime. There is reason to believe that at one time Catherine II did not honor at least some of them with this rank, for example, N.V. Repnin for the victory at Machin (June 28, 1791), quite deliberately for the same reason: so as not to strengthen the party of his son.

The empress very clearly felt how important it was to maintain a balance of power in the ruling circles in the spring of 1776 during the period of aggravation of personal relations with G.A. Potemkin. Then cousins ​​Nikita Petrovich and Pyotr Ivanovich Panin, Prince N.V. Repnin, Princess E.R. Dashkov, having secured support in guards and church circles, planned to carry out a coup in his favor when the heir to the throne reached adulthood, removing Catherine from power. The palace coup was being prepared with the consent of Pavel Petrovich, and his wife, Grand Duchess Natalya Alekseevna, was the soul of the conspiracy.

The Panins' plan was not destined to come true. Ekaterina Alekseevna made peace with Potemkin and, relying on him and other people from the middle nobility - the Orlovs, managed to ruin the conspiracy of the aristocrats and retain power in her hands. Naturally, she was not interested in strengthening the camp of the heir to the throne opposing her later.

It is possible that A.V. Suvorov did not receive the rank of field marshal directly after Ishmael due to the fact that Catherine suspected the commander of sympathizing with her opponents. The fact is that Suvorov wooed his daughter to N.I.’s son. Saltykov, a well-known supporter of Pavel Petrovich, and they were “woven” (the words of Alexander Vasilyevich himself) by the main figure in the court intrigue against Potemkin, Prince N.V. Repnin.

Many Russian field marshals belonged to ancient and noble families and were elevated (with rare exceptions) to the rank of count and prince. But since not all Russian sovereigns professed, like Catherine II, a policy of enlightened absolutism, no merits, no most magnificent military or court rank, no high award protected their owner from the anger or displeasure of the autocrat, should the commander take a rash step or even say too much word. Many field marshals experienced royal wrath - Menshikov, Minikh, Dolgoruky, Apraksin, Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Suvorov, Kamensky, Prozorovsky... This phenomenon fully reflected the involvement of the highest military elite in big politics and the struggle of court parties.

Often, high diplomatic and dynastic considerations interfered with the awarding of the highest military ranks of the Russian Empire. That is why every fourth Russian field marshal general is a foreigner, most of whom have never been in Russian service (A. Wellington, J. Radetzky, K. Moltke the Elder).

No special calculations are required to be convinced: commanders awarded the rank of field marshal for truly outstanding victories and military merits are a noticeable minority. Moreover, they deserve special attention. The author shares the position of past historians D.F. Maslovsky, A.K. Baiova, A.A. Svechina, A.A. Kersnovsky, who spoke about the originality of the national military school as one of the main conditions for the victories of Russian weapons. Following its ideals, and not borrowing foreign doctrines, not copying foreign armies, allowed the Russian armed forces for three centuries to provide (albeit with varying degrees of success) solutions to the tasks of defending borders and expanding the geopolitical space of the empire.

By right of talent and military victories, they were awarded the rank of field marshal B.P. Sheremetev, A.I. Repnin, M.M. Golitsyn, Ya.V. Bruce, B.-H. Minikh, P.P. Lassi, P.S. Saltykov, A.M. Golitsyn, N.V. Repnin, M.F. Kamensky, I.V. Gudovich, M.S. Vorontsov...

There are always nuggets in a precious placer. They are very rare - that’s how nature works, and therefore especially expensive. To count truly outstanding commanders - field marshals, according to domestic military historians, the fingers of two hands are enough. This is A.D. Menshikov, P.A. Rumyantsev, G.A. Potemkin, A.V. Suvorov, M.I. Kutuzov, M.B. Barclay de Tolly, A.I. Baryatinsky, I.I. Dibich, I.F. Paskevich, I.V. Gurko.

Some may shorten this list; for others, on the contrary, it will seem too stingy. But one thing is undeniable: each of the persons named here showed the main, if we follow Napoleon’s observations, advantages of a true commander - first of all, the commensurability of will and mind. In addition to unconditional personal courage, readiness and ability to lead troops, commanding them with an iron hand, they also demonstrated broad knowledge of military theory (with the exception of Menshikov), the ability to foresee enemy actions, and true innovation in the art of leading troops.

A whole galaxy of commanders grew up in the confrontation with the Ottoman Empire, which lasted almost continuously from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The wars of the second half of the 18th century were especially fierce, in which P.A. gained immortal glory. Rumyantsev, G.A. Potemkin, A.V. Suvorov, M.I. Kutuzov. They also energetically advanced the art of war.

Take the teacher of the great Suvorov, Count Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev. During the war of 1768–1774. he decisively abandoned the so-called cordon strategy established in the West. In contrast to maneuvering aimed at ousting the enemy and the desire to capture cities and fortresses, Rumyantsev put forward and defended the idea of ​​​​a decisive defeat of enemy manpower in a general battle. He also said something new in tactics. Even during the Seven Years' War of 1756–1763. a crisis in the linear formation of troops emerged. The Russian commander sensitively grasped this trend and five years later, in the war with Turkey, he began to boldly move from linear infantry tactics to the tactics of columns (divisional squares) and loose formation. In the triumphantly concluded battles on the Larga and Cahul rivers (1770), Rumyantsev took full advantage of its advantages.

If God loved someone, he endows the chosen one with all kinds of virtues. The correctness of such everyday observation was confirmed by his combat practice to an even greater extent than Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky, his student Suvorov-Rymniksky. In the field of military art, he went much further. In the new war with Turkey 1787–1791. the future generalissimo abandoned the cumbersome divisional squares and began to widely use regimental, battalion and even company squares, strong in their mobility and striking power. This made it possible to fight in the full sense not with numbers, but with skill.

In 1789, on the Rymnik River, a 25,000-strong detachment of Russian-Austrian troops under the command of Suvorov fought with a 100,000-strong Turkish army and defeated it. In this battle, our commander skillfully used various forms of offensive combat, guided by the principles of eye, speed, onslaught. They used all the capabilities that each branch of the military had. The infantry operated in square and loose formation. The cavalry led the attack in columns and lava - in a deployed formation, enveloping the enemy. The artillery smashed the Turks, maneuvering with wheels and fire. The troops showed high morale. The ratio of losses speaks about the extraordinary success: seven thousand people among the Turks and only two hundred among the allies. And this is with a fourfold advantage of the enemy!

Suvorov's merits as a commander were so striking that they forced Catherine II, who, with certain reservations, protected the status of the field marshal rank, to violate the procedure for assigning it. “You know,” she wrote in 1794 in a rescript to Suvorov, “that I do not put anyone through the queue, and I never offend the elders (nine chief generals, including both Saltykovs, Repnin, Prozorovsky and others, The length of service in this rank was greater than that of Suvorov. Yu.R.); but you... made yourself a field marshal.”

Russia has fought many wars as part of coalitions or alliances. Therefore, our field marshals often had to be responsible for the joint actions of the troops, and often lead them. Russia (and its military leaders) has always been faithful to its allied obligations. Alas, she was not always reciprocated.

The campaign of 1759, brilliantly carried out during the Seven Years' War, culminated in the victories of the troops of P.S. Saltykov under Palzig and Kunersdorf, was supposed to end with the capture of Berlin. The Prussian King Frederick II had already ordered the evacuation of the capital because, as he wrote to the Minister of War, “I no longer have any means, and, to tell the truth, I consider everything lost.” However, Saltykov’s plan to capture the Prussian capital was thwarted by the Austrian government, which refused to help him with artillery and food. The allies - France and Austria - were clearly alarmed by the successes of Russian weapons; they did not want to strengthen the position of St. Petersburg in Europe.

Something similar happened 40 years later, when the French (now an enemy of Russia) were successfully expelled from Northern Italy by the genius of Suvorov. The Austrians (they were again allies and still just as “reliable”), with the support of another member of the coalition - England, obtained from Paul I consent to attack France through Switzerland with the help of Russian troops. One can only imagine how Suvorov must have felt at the same time, who well understood whose interests his compatriots would have to fight for, and admitted: “I’ve been in a fever for a week now, mostly from the poison of Viennese politics...”

The Swiss campaign showed the world outstanding examples of the military genius of Suvorov; it was not without reason that Alexander Vasilyevich’s opponent, the French General Massena, by his own admission, would have given all his victories for him. In the end, it was this campaign that crowned the great commander with the rank of generalissimo. But given the opportunity to choose a more amiable one, Suvorov would probably receive another reward - not to give up his own lives where “the burden of bloodshed could fall on some Russians.”

The source of the highest victorious spirit for the Russian army was the Orthodox faith. Historians of the Soviet period tried not to notice this delicate moment. Meanwhile, the words of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich (Nevsky) “God is not in power, but in truth! Let us not fear the enemy, for God is with us!” Alexander Menshikov, Pyotr Saltykov, Grigory Potemkin, and Alexander Suvorov were led into battle. And the point, of course, is not that, for example, the correspondence of the same Suvorov is full of phrases: “I trust in the Almighty,” “If God wills,” “Crown him with laurels, Lord God”... The main thing: turning to the Almighty was the very essence of spiritual quest the entire Russian army and its leaders.

This was very clearly demonstrated during the Patriotic War of 1812. General N.N. Muravyov-Karsky recalled: “...We retreated into the night, and Smolensk began to burn behind us. The troops marched quietly, in silence, with torn and embittered hearts. An image of the Mother of God was taken out of the cathedral, which the soldiers carried all the way to Moscow during the prayers of all passing regiments.”

The memoirist's initiative was taken up by the writer. Let’s open “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy: “A church procession rose from under the mountain from Borodino...

- They are carrying Mother! Intercessor!.. Iverskaya!!

“Mother of Smolensk,” corrected another.

... Behind the battalion, walking along a dusty road, were priests in robes, one old man in a hood with a clergyman and choristers. Behind them, soldiers and officers carried a large icon with a black face in the frame. It was an icon taken from Smolensk and from that time carried with the army. Behind the icon, around it, in front of it, from all sides, crowds of military men walked, ran and bowed to the ground with their heads naked...

When the prayer service ended, Kutuzov approached the icon, knelt down heavily, bowing to the ground, and tried for a long time and could not get up from heaviness and weakness. His gray head twitched with effort. Finally he stood up and, with a childishly naive stretching of his lips, kissed the icon and bowed again, touching the ground with his hand. The generals followed his example; then the officers, and behind them, crushing each other, trampling, puffing and pushing, with excited faces, the soldiers and militia climbed.”

And here is the finale of the war with Napoleon, the allied troops in Paris. Easter 1814 fell on April 10th. An altar was erected on the Place de la Concorde, around which the entire Russian army gathered, and seven priests performed the service. The thousand-strong Christ-loving army thundered: “Christ is risen! Truly risen!”

The historian quotes the words of Alexander I: “It was a solemn moment for my heart, this moment was touching and terrible for me. Here, I thought, by the inscrutable will of Providence, from the cold homeland of the North I brought my Orthodox Russian army so that in the land of foreigners, who so recently brazenly advanced into Russia, in their famous capital, on the very spot where the royal sacrifice fell from the riot of the people, to offer a collective, cleansing and at the same time solemn prayer to the Lord.”

The war with Napoleon ended on the day of the Resurrection of the Lord. Let's not forget: the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. also ended on Easter. Somehow, Russian military leaders are not like those who were raised atheistically in the 20th century. descendants understood well: such coincidences cannot be accidental.

Believing in God, the true commanders of Russia at the same time knew that it was impossible, in accordance with the saying, to make mistakes themselves. A striking feature that distinguished them favorably from their opponents (and allies too) in the West and East was their reliance not only on the power of the order, but also on the intelligence, will, patriotism of their subordinates, and concern for them. Examples of how Suvorov ensured that “every soldier knew his maneuver”, how the field marshal ate from a soldier’s cauldron and even a 70-year-old man endured the hardships of long marches along with his miracle heroes, have long become textbook examples. But the Prince of Italy was not alone in this regard.

“Not everyone loved him, but everyone respected him and almost everyone was afraid of him,” said, for example, one of the articles in memory of Joseph Vladimirovich Gurko. “Everyone except the soldiers who believed in Gurka and loved him endlessly.” And there was a reason. The crossing of the Balkans, carried out under his command, in terrible cold, along icy paths, required the maximum effort of all forces. Gurko personally supervised the raising and lowering of the artillery, which was literally carried in their hands, and set an example of endurance and energy in Suvorov style. Having descended into the valley, the detachment defeated the Turks in two battles and occupied Sofia. “This campaign, truly unprecedented in the annals of military history, wove new laurels into the victorious wreath of the valiant Gurko,” wrote a contemporary.

Many Russian families that included field marshals were closely related. Thus, the brother of Peter the Great’s field marshal and admiral general Count Fyodor Alekseevich Golovin, Alexey, married the sister of Generalissimo Prince A.D. Menshikova - Marfa Danilovna. Through the marriage of his son Ivan with Countess Anna Borisovna Sheremeteva F.A. Golovin became the matchmaker of another Peter the Great commander B.P. Sheremetev. Another son of F.A. Golovin - Nikolai Golovin, admiral and president of the Admiralty College, married his daughter to the governor of Revel, Field Marshal Prince Peter Augustus of Holstein-Beck. In turn, Princess Catherine of Holstein-Bekskaya, born from this marriage, married Prince I.S. Baryatinsky and was the grandmother of Field Marshal Prince Alexander Ivanovich Baryatinsky, the pacifier of the Caucasus.

MM. Golitsyn had a son, Field Marshal General (Alexander Mikhailovich), and was the father-in-law of two other Field Marshals General: Count A.B. Buturlin and Count P.A. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky. U I.Yu. Trubetskoy's field marshal general was N.Yu.'s nephew. Trubetskoy, her daughter was married to Prince L.-V. in her second marriage. Gessen-Gombursky, and the niece - for P.S. Saltykov.

Today, centuries later, with genuine excitement you look at the faces of these people, elevated to the very top of the military hierarchy, you peer at their uniforms, numerous insignia... What, in fact, did the elements of a field marshal’s military suit look like?

Anyone who has ever visited the Winter Palace of St. Petersburg could not help but pay attention to the portrait of His Serene Highness Prince M.S. Vorontsova. The Governor of the Caucasus, Field Marshal General, is depicted in full height against the backdrop of mountain cliffs. He is wearing the general general's uniform, introduced a year before the portrait was painted: a caftan uniform with traditional gold embroidery, red trousers with gold stripes, and in his hands he holds a helmet with white, black and orange rooster feathers. On the epaulettes are crossed field marshal's batons and the monogram of Alexander I, indicating that under him Vorontsov joined the royal retinue and held the court rank of adjutant general. The costume is completed with a gold aiguillette and a scarf without tassels. On the field marshal's chest there is a St. Andrew's ribbon, indicating that its owner is a holder of the highest order of the Russian Empire - St. Andrew the First-Called, the star of this order, as well as the orders of St. George and St. Vladimir, on the neck is a portrait of Nicholas I. diamond frame and the cross of the Order of St. George, 2nd degree. On the boulder on top of the map lies another symbol of Vorontsov’s military rank - a field marshal’s baton trimmed in gold and enamel. Needless to say, it’s impressive!

True, it can be difficult for a specialist to understand all the attributes of a military suit, given the downright painful passion of Russian emperors, starting with Catherine II, for countless changes in the form of clothing. Until 1764, even generals did not have a specific uniform. They dressed in caftans and camisoles randomly embroidered with braid. Catherine the Great introduced a special general uniform, distinguished by gold or silver embroidery on the sides and collars of caftans, as well as on the sides of camisoles. The ranks differed in the abundance of ornaments: for brigadiers, the sewing was one line of laurel leaves, for major generals - two rows, forming a kind of garland, for lieutenant generals - two garlands, for general chiefs - two garlands and a half. But for field marshals, they also added stitching along the seams of the sleeves in the front and back and along the seams of the caftans on the back.

In 1807, epaulettes were introduced into the Russian army as insignia for all generals and officers. For twenty years, however, there were no visible insignia between a major general and a full general. And only in 1827 a certain number of stars was established for these purposes. A new type of epaulette also appeared for field marshals - with two crossed batons. Finally, in 1854, the army began introducing shoulder straps, which replaced epaulettes: the latter remained part of the dress uniform only. On the shoulder straps of field marshals, along with the special pattern of their “matting” - a zigzag, like all generals, there were the same crossed batons.

Among the valuables of the Catherine Palace in Pushkin (Tsarskoye Selo), taken out by the Nazis during the Great Patriotic War, there is still an exhibit described as follows: “Epaulettes of gilded brocade with applied silver crossing field marshal’s batons and the monogram “N” under the crown.” Dimensions: length 170 mm, width 120 mm.

The baton was considered the emblem of the field marshal's highest authority. It was a rod, like a folded telescope, covered with velvet and decorated with precious stones and gold state symbols. There was no fixed procedure for its presentation, just as there was no uniformity in its appearance. Here much depended on the personal disposition of the sovereign. In any case, the field marshal's baton was a genuine work of jewelry.

The rod received by Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky has been preserved. It is made of gold, 12 inches long (approximately 53 cm) and one inch thick in diameter (4.4 cm). Decorated with applied double-headed eagles, monograms of Catherine II and insignia of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called - seven pieces each, made of gold. The ends of the staff are strewn with diamonds and cut diamonds, 705 and 264 pieces, respectively. The rod is wrapped around a golden laurel branch with 36 leaves, on which 11 diamonds are placed.

All field marshals were awarded the highest orders of the Russian Empire and foreign countries. Many of them were also awarded other types of awards - golden weapons set in diamonds, breastplates of sovereigns, also decorated with diamonds, and were awarded monuments in stone, bronze and on canvas. The first monumental monument to a non-royal person in Russia appeared precisely in honor of Field Marshal General P.A. Rumyantsev - obelisk on the Field of Mars in St. Petersburg. G.A. was immortalized in personal monuments. Potemkin, A.V. Suvorov, M.I. Kutuzov, M.B. Barclay de Tolly, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder.

There were also collective monuments. The Military Gallery of the Winter Palace is widely known, where field marshals who took part in the Patriotic War of 1812 are immortalized in picturesque portraits along with their comrades.

Less known is the Field Marshal's Hall of the Hermitage, which opens the Great Ceremonial Enfilade of the Winter Palace. Motifs of military glory were used in the design of the entrances to the hall and longitudinal walls, in the decoration of gilded bronze chandeliers and in the paintings of the hall. Before the revolution, ceremonial portraits of Russian field marshals were placed in the niches of the hall, which explains its name. Today, monuments of Western European and Russian sculpture are presented here.

It is impossible not to mention another memorial structure in which some field marshals are immortalized. We are talking about the monument to the “Millennium of Russia”, erected in 1862 according to the design of M.O. Mikeshina in Veliky Novgorod. The history of our country is presented in it by the most important events and persons. The main idea of ​​the monument, which in general features resembles a bell, is expressed by the sculptural group crowning it - an angel with a cross and a female figure kneeling before him, personifying Russia. The lower tier is a high relief on which 109 figures of figures of the Russian state are placed from ancient times to the mid-19th century.

The “Military Men and Heroes” section consists of 36 figures and opens with an image of Prince Svyatoslav. Of the field marshals general, B.P. is immortalized here. Sheremetev, M.M. Golitsyn, P.S. Saltykov, B.-Kh. Minikh, P.A. Rumyantsev, A.V. Suvorov, M.B. Barclay de Tolly, M.I. Kutuzov, I.I. Dibich, I.F. Paskevich.

Finally, many holders of the highest military rank are immortalized on paper - in the book published in the mid-19th century. major publication “Biographies of Russian Generalissimos and Field Marshals” by historian and writer D.N. Bantysh-Kamensky, which has not yet lost its scientific and literary significance.

However, over the past century and a half, the names of the majority of field marshals could not withstand the social storms that swept over the country - revolutions and wars, the construction of a new society and the restructuring of the old. Fortunately, no cataclysms can completely erase the traces of the deeds of our ancestors. And if we are not lying today when we talk about the impossibility of building a new Russia without taking into account historical experience, then the time has come to pay our debt to the memory of the Russian Field Marshal Corps.

Every soldier carries a marshal's baton in his backpack, says the old saying. It has long lost its literal meaning, and people resort to it when talking about an ambitious person who wants to reach the top in any, not necessarily military, field of activity. But in order for the proverb to be born, at one time people were needed who literally dreamed of marshal laurels.

I would like Suvorov students, cadets of military universities, students of schools, lyceums, gymnasiums, colleges, and university students to think about this. In them, the author expects to find the most attentive readers because it is they, the young ones, who, figuratively speaking, keep the marshal’s baton in their backpacks. He can’t stay there in silence forever!

Oh Ross! All your blood is for the Fatherland - complete it!

Not Rome - imitate the great forefathers.

Look, their deeds are mirrored before you;

Since ancient times, the courage of the Slavs has inspired.

(A.F. Voeikov. To the Fatherland.)

Archduke of Austria Albrecht-Friedrich-Rudolph (1817–1895)

Only four commanders during the two and a half centuries of existence in Imperial Russia of the Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George became its full cavaliers. Their names speak for themselves - Kutuzov, Barclay de Tolly, Paskevich and Dibich. We believe that only an accident prevented Suvorov, Rumyantsev, and Potemkin from joining this glorious cohort. And... - Archduke Albrecht of the Austrian Empire. If this happened, it would not be an irony of fate, but an evil grimace.

Albrecht, Duke von Teschen, eldest son of Archduke Charles, was born in Vienna. He did not receive a systematic military education, having mastered basic knowledge under the guidance of his father. He was in the service at the age of 19, and four years later he received the rank of general. Until 1848, the Archduke commanded the Vienna garrison, and with the beginning of the Austro-Italian War and the national revolution in Italy, he came under the command of Field Marshal R.-J. von Radetzky. Nicholas I hastened to award the Archduke the Order of St. George, 4th degree. Such an award was clearly intended to demonstrate the solidarity of the two partners in the Holy Alliance - St. Petersburg and Vienna. The same purpose was served by the elevation in 1849 of the Austrian commander-in-chief Radetzky to the rank of Russian field marshal general (see essay about R.-J. von Radetzky).

In March 1849, Albrecht, at the head of the division, took part in the battles of Mortara and Navara, and his own emperor awarded him the highest award - the Order of Maria Theresa.

As time passed, the ranks and positions of the Archduke grew. During the Austro-Prussian War of 1850, he already commanded an army corps, however, due to the “untimely” conclusion of peace, he was unable to take part in the hostilities. Nevertheless, Nicholas I again showed poorly motivated “allied” generosity: in June 1851, Albrecht was awarded the Order of St. George, 3rd degree.

Since September of the same year, he has been the military and civilian Governor-General of Hungary. The military leader accepted this appointment without much enthusiasm, since he did not like and did not know politics. A letter written by the Archduke after he failed a certain diplomatic mission in Berlin has survived: “I am not a diplomat and I am extremely glad that I left the dark paths of diplomacy. I returned to my military interests - and again a soldier and only a soldier...”

He entered the war with Prussia and Italy in 1866 as a field marshal of the Austrian Empire. His share fell to the command of the army operating in Italy. Here, on June 24, Albrecht won an important victory for Austrian weapons at Custozza. After this, he was entrusted with command of the entire imperial army, and in the fall of 1866 he took up the post of inspector general.

Albrecht held this position for almost 20 years and left a memory of himself as an active military reformer. Under him, the reorganization and rearmament of the Austrian army was carried out. The military leader also showed himself as a military theorist.

As a participant in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871. on the side of Berlin he was awarded the rank of field marshal of Prussia.

And the Russian crown again did not stand aside. This time, Archduke Albrecht received from her the Order of St. George, already 1st degree. Alexander II awarded him in June 1870 in recognition of his “military talents and courage.” (If such a formulation were to be applied to the actions of Russian commanders, the list of cavaliers of the highest military order would increase several times. But where are the Bagrations, Baryatinskys, Gurkos, Brusilovs compared to such outstanding commanders as Albrecht!)

In addition, the Archduke in 1872 was awarded the rank of Russian field marshal general. Diplomatic considerations also played a role in the proposal to Albrecht to become the chief of the 5th Lithuanian Lancers Regiment.

Stepan Fedorovich Apraksin (1702–1758)

...The low arches of the semi-basement melted in the twilight. In the slanting rays of the setting sun, all that was visible was a cloth-covered table and a stout man standing in front of it in a shabby, but still bearing traces of his former splendor, camisole. Seated at the head of the table was Prosecutor General N.Yu. Trubetskoy, leaning towards his neighbor, whispered something in his ear and did not immediately notice how the man standing began to sink to the floor. They ran up to him and carried him out into the open air. The urgently summoned palace doctor just threw up his hands...

So on August 6, 1758, right during the trial, the earthly path of Field Marshal S.F. suddenly ended. Apraksina. But fate did not seem to promise such a cruel outcome.

The son of the steward of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, he lost his father early and was brought up in the family of a relative - a boyar, senator and actual privy councilor P.M. Apraksin, brother of Admiral General F.M. Apraksina. The remarriage of his mother Elena Leontievna, who married the influential Count A.I., was also useful for his future career. Ushakov - the head of the sinister Secret Chancellery.

As was customary in those years, Stepan, while still a child, was enlisted as an ordinary soldier in the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment. By the time of the accession of Peter II, he was already a captain; later he transferred to the Semenovsky Life Guards Regiment. As part of it, Apraksin took part in the war with Turkey of 1735–1739.

Acting during the assault on Ochakov on July 2, 1737, directly under the command of Commander-in-Chief B.Kh. Minikha, he witnessed how changeable military luck was that day. When the Turks repulsed the first onslaught of the Russians and began to pursue them, finishing off the wounded, Minikh broke his sword in despair and cried out: “Everything is lost!” Suddenly, one of the last, randomly fired cannonballs fell into the Turks' powder magazine, and half of the fortress flew into the air. The inspired Muscovites again launched an assault, during which Apraksin distinguished himself, for which he was promoted to prime major.

In the last year of the war, he was promoted to army major general, took part in the battle of Stavuchany and the capture of Khotyn (see essay about B.H. Minich). The commander-in-chief sent him with a report on the capture of the Turkish fortress to the empress, who, to celebrate, awarded the envoy the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky.

When the palace coup took place, which brought Elizabeth Petrovna to the throne, Apraksin was on the Persian border. Under the new empress, although he did not participate in the coup, he clearly fell into favor. Many contemporaries saw the reason for this in his ability to find strong patrons and friends. So, he became friends with Chancellor A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, thanks to whose support he was sent to Persia in 1742 to a prominent post as envoy. It is curious that he managed to be on friendly terms with the brothers A.I. and P.I. Shuvalov, enemies of Bestuzhev-Ryumin.

Upon his return from Persia in 1743, the Empress promoted him to lieutenant general, lieutenant colonel of the Semenovsky Life Guards Regiment and appointed him vice-president of the Military Collegium. Three years later he received a new rank - general-in-chief, and in 1751 he was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. And with the beginning of the Seven Years' War in September 1756, Apraksin was promoted to field marshal general and placed at the head of the troops intended for action against Prussia.

At this point, the Russian army had not fought for a decade and a half. The soldiers, officers and even many generals had no combat experience. From a military point of view, it is difficult to call the choice of the commander-in-chief successful, given that Stepan Fedorovich had clearly insufficient combat and military-administrative experience for a commander-in-chief, and was not distinguished by the necessary determination and perseverance. But we should not forget that he was opposed by one of the best commanders of that time, King Frederick II.

However, Elizaveta Petrovna did not have much choice. The field marshals who were in Russia, except Apraksin, were even less suitable for leading the army. A.G. Razumovsky did not serve in the army at all, N.Yu. Trubetskoy, although he participated in the war with Turkey of 1735–1739, but only in quartermaster positions, A.B. was completely mediocrity in military terms. Buturlin.

Meanwhile, it turned out to be extremely difficult to prepare and concentrate on the Neman, near the Polish border, as planned, an army of 90-100 thousand people. There was a large shortage of personnel in the regiments (in the Butyrsky Regiment, for example, 60% of staff officers were missing, 50% of chief officers were missing), the cavalry staff was neglected, food and financial support was extremely limited. What can we say if a plan for a military campaign was not even developed in advance?

Apraksin himself initially perceived the upcoming events without due seriousness. Known as a dandy, he did not change his habits even in the front-line situation. While at headquarters in Riga, he did not fail to send an adjutant to St. Petersburg for a dozen new caftans. The wits joked that the field marshal intended to open a campaign against the Prussians, but against the ladies of Riga.

It turned out, however, that the main obstacle was not even the personal qualities of the commander-in-chief, but the constant pressure on him from the Conference at the highest court. This highest body of military leadership, composed of Chancellor A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Field Marshal A.B. Buturlin, Prosecutor General N.Yu. Trubetskoy, Vice-Chancellor M.I. Vorontsov and brothers A.I. Shuvalov, head of the Secret Chancellery, and P.I. Shuvalov, vice-president of the Military Collegium, extremely constrained the initiative of the commanders of the troops, who turned into performers, almost completely deprived of independence. For every little thing Apraksin had to communicate with St. Petersburg and without consent from there he could not even move troops from the place ( see essay about A.B. Buturline). In addition, as the historian A.A. wrote. Kersnovsky, the Conference immediately came under Austrian influence and, commanding an army a thousand miles from St. Petersburg, was guided primarily by the interests of the Vienna cabinet.

In order not to seem unfounded, it is enough to cite her instructions addressed to Apraksin, drawn up by Chancellor Bestuzhev-Ryumin and expressing the main idea of ​​the campaign of 1757: to maneuver in such a way that “it doesn’t matter whether you march straight to Prussia or to the left across all of Poland to Silesia.” The goal of the campaign seemed to be to capture East Prussia, but Apraksin, not without reason, feared that part of the troops could be sent to Silesia to reinforce the Austrian army.

According to the instructions, it turned out that the Russian army was simultaneously ordered to move, and stand still, and take fortresses, and not move away from the border. Only one instruction was extremely definite: report everything and wait for instructions from St. Petersburg. At the same time, all political and military responsibility for any actions fell on Apraksin.

All this forced the panicked commander-in-chief to delay the start of hostilities as long as possible. Only by June 1757 was the Russian army able to concentrate on the Neman. Command and control of the troops was complicated by the fact that Apraksin did not have a headquarters; he did not even have an assistant. To transmit orders throughout the army, he gathered all the senior commanders for many hours of military councils, replacing collegiality with unity of command.

The signal for the opening of the campaign was the capture on June 25 by the corps of General-Chief V.V. Fermor of the Memel fortress. On July 10, the main Russian forces crossed the border of East Prussia and slowly moved towards Verzhbolovo and Gumbinen. The march was made difficult by imperfect control, an abundance of artillery and... the personal train of the commander-in-chief. It was not for nothing that a contemporary wrote: “... During the campaign, all the peace, all the pleasures followed. His tents were the size of a city, his train was weighed down by more than 500 horses, and for his own use he had with him 50 clockwork, richly decorated horses.”

To counter the Russians, Frederick sent the 30,000-strong corps of H. Lewald. Gradually drawing closer, both sides approached the village of Groß-Jägersdorf on August 17. The Russian army took a fortified position, and Apraksin began to wait for the enemy. Without reliable information about him, Stepan Fedorovich decided to withdraw from his position on the morning of August 19. At dawn, the Russian army was attacked by the Prussians. The forces of the latter numbered 22 thousand people, Apraksin had 57 thousand, of which no more than half took part in the battle.

Lewald failed to take advantage of his advantages, and the fault was Major General P.A. Rumyantsev. When the Prussians broke through the front, the future field marshal, knowing the lack of determination of his commander-in-chief and therefore without waiting for his order, at the head of the vanguard regiments made his way through the forest, went to the rear of the Prussian infantry and struck with bayonets ( see essay about P.A. Rumyantsev). This was the first victory, which showed the troops that the superstitious fear of the “German”, which appeared during the reign of Anna Ioannovna, was in vain: the Prussian is just as afraid of the Russian bayonet as the Swede or the Turk.

Stepan Fedorovich reported to St. Petersburg: “The Most Serene Great Empress and Autocrat of All Russia, the Most Gracious Empress! By the grace of God, the control of his almighty right hand and the happiness of Your Imperial Majesty, yesterday a perfect and glorious victory was won over a proud enemy... in this cruel action between the town of Norkiten, the villages of Gross-Jägersdorf and Amelshof, such a cruel action, which, according to the recognition of foreign volunteers... has never happened in Europe... ".

Having learned about the victory, Elizaveta Petrovna ordered two crossed cannons to be added to the Apraksin family coat of arms. It is obvious that great honors awaited the field marshal if he decided to build on his success. But he did not pursue the defeated enemy. At the military council, it was decided, due to the lack of food and the large number of sick people, to retreat beyond the Neman and settle in winter quarters in Courland. The retreat became chaotic and hasty, even part of the convoy was abandoned and many weapons were destroyed. Among the rank and file, who suffered great hardships, they silently started talking about the betrayal of the commander-in-chief, and, knowing his passion for luxury, they did not rule out bribery on the part of Frederick.

The hasty retreat after a brilliant victory aroused suspicion in court circles. On September 28, Apraksin received an order from the empress to surrender the army to Fermor and hastily leave for Narva. Here he was accused of state crimes and arrested. Elizaveta Petrovna, who had just recovered from a serious illness, had a suspicion that Apraksin’s maneuvers were explained not so much by military-strategic reasons as by political ones. Namely: the desire of Chancellor A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, who had a great influence on Apraksin, to have military force not in distant Prussia, but at hand in case of the death of the empress.

Stepan Fedorovich, together with Bestuzhev-Ryumin, was brought into the investigation. Some of the interrogations were conducted personally by the head of the Secret Chancellery, Count A.I. Shuvalov, with whom the field marshal had a close friendship, as well as with his brother, Field Marshal General P.I. Shuvalov. This factor became decisive in the investigation. The charge of treason grew weaker. The investigation, which lasted almost a year, showed that Apraksin made the decision to retreat not individually, but at a military council with the generals. Fermor also testified in favor of his former commander-in-chief, showing that the troops were severely short of men and horses and were starving. The case, although slowly, was moving towards acquitting the field marshal, but on August 6, 1758, unexpectedly, right during the interrogation, the heart could not stand it.

They said that the Jesuit plan of Apraksin’s longtime enemy, Prince Nikita Trubetskoy, worked. It was he, as the prosecutor general, who headed the investigation. Since the witnesses testified in favor of the disgraced field marshal, Trubetskoy received an order from Elizabeth: if the field marshal himself could withdraw the charges, he should be granted a royal pardon. And so, when Apraksin’s interrogation was coming to an end, and the Prosecutor General had no choice but to announce the will of the Empress, Nikita Yuryevich asked in a deliberately ominous tone: “Well, gentlemen, let’s move on to the last thing?” The poor prisoner decided that they were going to torture him...

He was buried as a person under investigation, without the honors due to his rank. “He was treated unfairly,” said A.A. Kersnovsky. “Apraksin did everything that any boss of average talents and abilities could have done in his place, placed in a truly impossible position and tied hand and foot by the Conference.”

By the way, the second defendant, Bestuzhev-Ryumin, also did not receive an acquittal. Having been convicted and almost literally losing his head, he was stripped of all ranks and exiled to the village.

The charge of a serious crime weighed heavily on Apraksin until the early 90s of the 19th century, until he was dropped by the famous military historian D.F. Maslovsky. In a major study, “The Russian Army in the Seven Years’ War,” he was able to irrefutably prove that Apraksin was not to blame and all his actions were caused by the situation at the theater of military operations. The scientist’s conclusion was shared in 1891 by the top military leadership: by order of Emperor Nicholas II, the name of Field Marshal S.F. Apraksin began to be worn by the 63rd Uglitsky Infantry Regiment.

Prince Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly (1761–1818)

“At a time when the hottest battle was taking place in Smolensk, which passed from hand to hand several times before our eyes... I saw Barclay... What anger and indignation everyone had at him at that moment for our constant retreats, for the Smolensk fire, for the ruin of our relatives, for the fact that he is not Russian!.. The screams of children, sobs tore our souls, and many of us involuntarily shed tears, and more than one curse burst out to the one whom we all considered the main culprit of this disaster.”

And today, when nearly two hundred years of ashes of time have covered the hot coals of the Patriotic War of 1812, one cannot read these memoirs of one of its participants, I. Zhirkevich, without emotion. And what was it like for the one who, gritting his teeth, stoically endured these curses addressed to himself, knowing how unfair they were? The inability of contemporaries to judge objectively and fairly is a common fate of great people, but few were convinced of the truth of this truth as strongly as Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly.

The most brilliant commanders and dedicated people refused to serve under his command. In the most difficult days of the retreat of two Russian armies near Smolensk on July 29, 1812, P.I. Bagration wrote to A.A. Arakcheev: “The will of my sovereign: I am in no way together with the minister (Barclay de Tolly, commanding the 1st Western Army, simultaneously held the post of Minister of War. - Yu.R.) I can't. For God’s sake, send me anywhere, although to command a regiment - to Moldova or the Caucasus, but I can’t be here, and the whole main apartment is filled with Germans, so it’s impossible for a Russian to live...” And after the French captured Smolensk, in a new letter he warned that “the minister indecisive, cowardly, stupid, slow” and “in the most masterful way leads the guest to the capital,” i.e. Napoleon.

German, indecisive, cowardly, traitor... There is so much passion, blind anger and elementary untruth in these words about Barclay. Let's start with the origin. He was not a “German” at all: his family roots connected him with Scotland. And Mikhail was born in the Russian province - Livonia province in the family of a retired lieutenant. He received the princely title when he was already at the zenith of his glory. He made his way to the heights of military glory on his own, having neither fortune nor influential relatives or patrons.

At first I received ranks slowly. Having entered active military service at the age of 15 and received his first officer rank at 17, he was awarded the next rank - captain - only ten years later. But as soon as the young man found himself in real business, where the main word was behind the bullet and the bayonet, his career growth went much faster: the next decade was enough to become a general. There was no war like those that Russia was then waging - with Turkey (1787–1791), Sweden (1788–1790) and the Polish Confederates (1794), unknown to Mikhail Bogdanovich from personal participation.

He was baptized by fire in the Russian-Turkish war. Under the command of Suvorov himself, he showed enviable courage during the assault on Ochakov in December 1788 and was awarded. And his complete success in the battle during the assault on Vilna and near Grodno (July 1794) - with his subordinates he destroyed a detachment of Poles that was superior in strength - the command appreciated the new rank of lieutenant colonel and the Order of St. George, 4th degree. And then they started calling such a person a coward?

Major General Barclay de Tolly (he received this rank in 1799 for the excellent condition of the 4th Chasseurs Regiment entrusted to him) had to prove his leadership maturity in the wars with France (1805, 1806–1807). How he succeeded is evidenced by the Order of St. George, 3rd degree, for the campaign of 1806. On December 14, Barclay, masterfully commanding an advance detachment near Pultusk, not only repelled the attack of Marshal Lannes, but also, going on the offensive, overthrew the French division.

In January of the following year, he had the opportunity to cover the retreat of the Russian army, commanded by General L.L. Bennigsen, to Landsberg and Preussisch-Eylau (the territory of the modern Kaliningrad region of Russia, and then East Prussia). Mikhail Bogdanovich was not embarrassed by the fourfold superiority of the French. During the battle of Preussisch-Eylau on January 26–27, 1807, he distinguished himself again. Was wounded. In Memel, where the general was sent for treatment, he was visited by Alexander I. Barclay shared with the august visitor his thoughts on how to act in the event of a war with Napoleon on Russian soil - retreat, dragging the enemy into our vast expanses, exhaust him there and force , like Charles XII, somewhere on the banks of the Volga “to find a second Poltava.” Exactly three years later they will meet in St. Petersburg: the emperor and his new minister of war.

In the meantime, the newly appointed Lieutenant General Barclay de Tolly took command of the 6th Infantry Division. The war with Sweden that began the following year, 1808, called him and the entrusted division to the theater of military operations. Here, among the accomplishments of Mikhail Bogdanovich, the 100-verst crossing of Russian troops across the ice of the Gulf of Bothnia of the Baltic Sea to the territory of Sweden is worthy of mention (before that the war took place within Finland). A column of 3 thousand people concentrated near the town of Vasy and on the night of March 7 set out through the Kvarken Strait to the town of Umeå. “The transition was the most difficult,” the commander later wrote. “The soldiers walked through deep snow, often above their knees... The difficulties suffered in this campaign are only possible for a Russian to overcome.” On March 12, the detachment attacked Umeå and captured it. Soon news arrived here about the conclusion of a truce.

General of the Infantry Barclay de Tolly was appointed in May 1809 by the Finnish Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of the troops stationed here. And a little more than six months later, a new appointment followed - Minister of War (instead of Arakcheev).

Mikhail Bogdanovich looked, figuratively speaking, far beyond the horizon. He foresaw a new war with Napoleon and prepared for it. Already in the first months of his new post, he presented the tsar with several memos in which he substantiated measures to strengthen the country’s defense capability.

As a result of such efforts, the size of the armed forces of the Russian Empire grew to 1.3 million people - a figure previously unprecedented. The system of recruitment and training of recruits was improved, old fortresses were strengthened on the western borders and new ones were created.

Another extremely useful measure is connected with Barclay’s activities as Minister of War. According to his report to the Tsar, in 1810 a military attache system began to operate in Russia (by the way, for the first time in the world). Special military agents were assigned to foreign embassies and, under the cover of diplomatic immunity, conducted covert intelligence activities.

The main attention, of course, was paid to France. One of the most talented Russian intelligence officers, Colonel (in the future - cavalry general, Minister of War and Chairman of the State Council) A.I., was sent here. Chernysheva. For a year and a half, he delivered the most important information about Napoleon’s military preparations to St. Petersburg. Russian intelligence managed to make even the former French Foreign Minister Sh.M. their informant. Talleyrand, so Bonaparte’s plans for our Fatherland were not a secret to the Russian government.

But how exactly to act in the event of a French attack? The proposals were different. General Bennigsen, who belonged to the category of “hot heads,” proposed, for example, to attack first, attacking French units in the territory of the Duchy of Warsaw and East Prussia. By the way, Napoleon had high hopes for such a reckless step by the Russian command, who was thus preparing a trap. And the role of Barclay de Tolly is great in the fact that his hopes did not come true. It was he who, having become the Minister of War, intensively developed before the Tsar the ideas that the interlocutors first discussed in the Memel infirmary: to wage a defensive war first, exhausting the enemy, avoiding a general battle, while covering all three strategic directions - St. Petersburg, Moscow and Kyiv.

The king accepted this strategy. Accordingly, Western armies were stationed in the western border areas: 1st (commander-in-chief - Barclay de Tolly) - between Vilna and the upper reaches of the Neman River, 2nd (P.I. Bagration) - to the south, at intervals of 100 km, 3 -ya (A.P. Tormasov) – even further south, in Volyn, in the Lutsk region.

On June 12, 1812, Napoleon’s 600,000-strong “grand army” began crossing the Neman. Barclay, faithful to the strategy planned in advance, withdrew his troops from Vilna to the north, to the town of Sventsyany, and then to the Dris camp. Napoleon sent his best units to pursue - Murat's cavalry and Oudinot and Ney's infantry. Of course, the 1st Western Army seemed to the French emperor, who was immediately striving for a decisive battle, the most tasty morsel: having defeated it (120 thousand soldiers with 550 guns), he reduced the number of all Russian troops by more than half. But Barclay, taking advantage of the inconsistency of the French generals, methodically and organizedly withdrew the troops. A delay in the Drissa camp, which was so poorly constructed that it became a real trap, threatened defeat, and the commander-in-chief of the 1st Western Army moved to Polotsk, and then south to Vitebsk, seeking to link up with Bagration's 2nd Army. He remembered well the words of Alexander I during their last meeting: “I entrust you with my army. Don’t forget that I don’t have another, and let this thought never leave you.”

By July 13, Murat caught up with the pursued near the village of Ostrovno. The two-day battle did not give the French an advantage. Napoleonic marshal was waiting for reinforcements in order to surely put an end to the stubborn ones. But that was not the case! The bivouac fires in the Russian camp, maintained by specially left soldiers, continued to burn all night, dulling the attention of the French, but there was no one around the fire: under the cover of darkness, Barclay led the army to Smolensk. On July 20, the troops entered the ancient Russian city, albeit tired (more than 500 kilometers remained behind them since June 12), but inspired by the hope of finally truly hitting the enemy.

The military genius of Napoleon should not be underestimated. From the first days of the war, he took advantage of the 100-kilometer gap between the 1st and 2nd armies and, introducing troops into it, tried to cut the retreating troops like a wedge in order to defeat them piece by piece. But he faced worthy opponents. Bagration, like Barclay, having received the emperor’s order to join forces, did not, as they say, rush ahead, but inventively maneuvered. When entering a battle, he did not get deeply involved in it and tried to break away from the French. On July 22, the two Russian armies finally united in the Smolensk area. The main task - to preserve the troops, not to disperse them in border battles - was solved.

But what should we do next? How to retreat before? In the army, however, the question was increasingly heard: how long? He also turned out to be central at the military council in Smolensk, held on August 6. Bagration ardently, even furiously, advocated going on the offensive. Barclay, who took command of both united armies, was in favor of further withdrawal, but remained in the minority. However, he found the courage to carry out his plan.

The Battle of Smolensk (August 4–6), contrary to the wishes of Bagration and other “hot heads,” as well as Napoleon, did not become a general battle. After hot battles and skirmishes in the vicinity of the city and under its walls, in which the French lost only 20 thousand people killed, and the Russians half as many, Barclay ordered a retreat...

Making a strategically correct decision, Mikhail Bogdanovich simultaneously anticipated his resignation. The influence on the tsar of those who demanded the removal of the “German” - generals P.I. Bagrationa, L.L. Bennigsen, A.P. Yermolov, brother of Tsar Grand Duke Constantine, was too great. On August 17, M.I. became the new commander-in-chief of the entire Russian army. Kutuzov, whom Alexander I was forced to appoint, despite his long-standing hostility towards the commander. Barclay, suffering severely from the ambiguous situation, on the eve of the Battle of Borodino on August 24, sent a letter to the emperor in which he asked for dismissal from service: “I cannot find expressions to describe the deep sorrow that sharpens my heart when I am forced to leave the army, with which I wanted to both live and die. If it were not for my painful condition, then fatigue and moral anxieties should force me to do this ... "

Reader on Russian military history. Comp. L.G. Bloodless. M., 1947. pp. 171–172.

Kersnovsky A.A. Decree. op. T. 1. P. 99.

History of the families of the Russian nobility. In 2 books. M., 1991. Book. 2. P. 13.

Quote By: Beskrovny L.G.. Russian military art of the 19th century. M., 1974. P. 87.

End of free trial.

Portraits of the highest officials of the Russian Empire. Field Marshals General.

PORTRAIT
Chin Field Marshal General introduced by Peter I in 1699 instead of the existing position of “Chief Governor of a Large Regiment”. The rank was also established Field Marshal Lieutenant General, as a deputy field marshal, but after 1707 he was not assigned to anyone.

In 1722, the rank of field marshal was introduced into the Table of Ranks as a military rank of 1st class. It was awarded not necessarily for military merit, but also for long-term public service or as a sign of royal favor. Several foreigners, not being in Russian service, were awarded this rank as an honorary title.
In total, 65 people were awarded this rank (including 2 field marshal-lieutenant generals).

The first 12 people were granted by Emperors Peter I, Catherine I and Peter II:

01. gr. Golovin Fedor Alekseevich (1650-1706) from 1700
Copy of Ivan Spring from an unknown original of the early 18th century. State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg.

02. grc. Croagh Karl Eugen (1651-1702) from 1700
No portrait found. There is only a photograph of his preserved body, which until 1863 lay in a glass coffin in the Revel (Tallinn) Church of St. Nicholas.

03. gr. Sheremetev Boris Petrovich (1652-1719) from 1701
Ostankino Palace Museum.

04. Ogilvy George Benedict (1651-1710) from 1702 (Field Marshal-Lieutenant General)
Engraving from an unknown 18th century original. Source: Beketov’s book “Collection of portraits of Russians famous for their deeds...”, 1821.

05. Goltz Heinrich (1648-1725) from 1707 (Field Marshal-Lieutenant General)

06. St. book Menshikov Alexander Danilovich (1673-1729) from 1709, generalissimo from 1727.
Unknown artist of the 18th century. Museum "Kuskovo Estate".

07. book. Repnin Anikita Ivanovich (1668-1726) from 1724
Portrait of work unknown. artist of the early 18th century. Poltava Museum.

08. book. Golitsyn Mikhail Mikhailovich (1675-1730) from 1725
Unknown artist of the 18th century.

09. gr. Sapieha Jan Casimir (1675-1730), from 1726 (Great Hetman of Lithuania in 1708-1709)
Unknown artist of the 18th century. Rawicz Palace, Poland.

10. gr. Bruce Yakov Vilimovich (1670-1735) from 1726
Unknown artist of the 18th century.

11. book. Dolgorukov Vasily Vladimirovich (1667-1746) from 1728
Portrait by Groot. 1740s. State Tretyakov Gallery.

12. book. Trubetskoy Ivan Yurievich (1667-1750) from 1728
Unknown artist of the 18th century. State Tretyakov Gallery.

Field Marshals promoted to the rank by Empresses Anna Ioannovna, Elizaveta Petrovna and Emperor Peter III:

13 gr. Minich Burchard Christopher (1683-1767) from 1732
Portrait by Buchholz. 1764. State Russian Museum.

14 gr. Lassi Petr Petrovich (1678-1751) from 1736
Unknown artist of the 18th century. Source M. Borodkin "History of Finland" vol. 2 1909

15 Ave. Ludwig Wilhelm of Hesse-Homburg (1705-1745) from 1742
Unknown artist ser. XVIII century. Private collection.

16 books Trubetskoy Nikita Yuryevich (1700-1767) from 1756
Unknown artist ser. XVIII century. State Museum of Art of Georgia.

17 gr. Buturlin Alexander Borisovich (1694-1767) from 1756
copy of the 19th century from a painting by an unknown artist from the mid-18th century. Museum of the History of St. Petersburg.

18 gr. Razumovsky Alexey Grigorievich (1709-1771) from 1756
Unknown artist of the 18th century.

19 gr. Apraksin Stepan Fedorovich (1702-1758) from 1756
Unknown artist of the 18th century.

20 gr. Saltykov Pyotr Semyonovich (1698-1772) from 1759
Copy of Loktev from the portrait by Rotary. 1762 Russian Museum.

21 gr. Shuvalov Alexander Ivanovich (1710-1771) from 1761
Portrait of Rotary work. Source - Vel. Book Nikolai Mikhailovich "Russian portraits of the 18th-19th centuries"

22 gr. Shuvalov Pyotr Ivanovich (1711-1762) from 1761
Portrait by Rokotov.

23 Ave. Peter August Friedrich of Holstein-Beck (1697-1775) from 1762
Lithograph of Tyulev from unknown. original from the 18th century. Source: Bantysh-Kamensky’s book “Biographies of Russian Generalissimos and Field Marshals”, 1840.

24 ave. Georg Ludwig of Schleswig-Holstein (1719-1763) from 1762
Lithograph of Tyulev from unknown. original from the 18th century. Source - Bantysh-Kamensky's book "Biographies of Russian generalissimos and field marshals" 1840. Follow the link: http://www.royaltyguide.nl/images-families/oldenburg/holsteingottorp/1719%20Georg.jpg - there is another portrait of him of unknown origin and questionable authenticity.

25 grz. Karl Ludwig of Holstein-Beck (1690-1774) from 1762
He was not in Russian service; he received the rank as an honorary title. Unfortunately, despite a long search, it was not possible to find his portrait.

Field Marshals promoted to the rank by Empress Catherine II and Emperor Paul I. Please note that gr. I.G. Chernyshev was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal in 1796 "by fleet".

26 gr. Bestuzhev-Ryumin Alexey Petrovich (1693-1766) from 1762
Copy by G. Serdyukov, from the original by L. Tokke. 1772. State Russian Museum.

27 gr. Razumovsky, Kirill Grigorievich (1728-1803) from 1764
Portrait by L. Tokke. 1758

28 books Golitsyn Alexander Mikhailovich (1718-1783) from 1769
Portrait of work unknown. artist of the late 18th century. State military history Museum of A.V. Suvorov. St. Petersburg

29 gr. Rumyantsev-Zadunaysky Peter Alexandrovich (1725-1796) from 1770
Portrait of work unknown. artist. 1770s State Historical Museum.

30 gr. Chernyshev Zakhar Grigorievich (1722-1784) from 1773
A copy of a portrait by A. Roslen. 1776 State. military history Museum of A.V. Suvorov. St. Petersburg

31 lgr. Ludwig IX of Hesse-Darmstadt (1719-1790) from 1774. He was not in Russian service, he received the rank as an honorary title.
Portrait of work unknown. artist ser. XVIII century. Museum of History. Strasbourg.

32 St. book Potemkin-Tavrichesky Grigory Alexandrovich (1736-1791) from 1784
Portrait of work unknown. artist. 1780s State Historical Museum.

33 books. Suvorov-Rymniksky Alexander Vasilievich (1730-1800), from 1794, generalissimo from 1799
Portrait of work unknown. artist (Levitsky type). 1780s State Historical Museum.

34 St. book Saltykov Nikolai Ivanovich (1736-1816) from 1796
Portrait by M. Kvadal. 1807 State Hermitage Museum.

35 books Repnin Nikolai Vasilievich (1734-1801) from 1796
Portrait of work unknown. artist con. XVIII century. State Historical Museum.

36 gr. Chernyshev Ivan Grigorievich (1726-1797), Field Marshal General of the Navy from 1796
Portrait by D. Levitsky. 1790s. Pavlovsk Palace.

37 gr. Saltykov Ivan Petrovich (1730-1805) from 1796
Miniature by A.H. Ritt. end of the 18th century. State Hermitage Museum. St. Petersburg

38 gr. Elmpt Ivan Karpovich (1725-1802) from 1797
Lithograph of Tyulev from unknown. original from the 18th century. Source: Bantysh-Kamensky’s book “Biographies of Russian Generalissimos and Field Marshals”, 1840.

39 gr. Musin-Pushkin Valentin Platonovich (1735-1804) from 1797
Portrait by D. Levitsky. 1790s

40 gr. Kamensky Mikhail Fedotovich (1738-1809) from 1797
Portrait of work unknown. artist con. XVIII century. State military history Museum of A.V. Suvorov. St. Petersburg

41 grc de Broglie Victor Francis (1718-1804), from 1797 Marshal of France from 1759
Portrait of work unknown. fr. artist con. XVIII century. Museum "Invalides" Paris.

Field Marshals promoted to the rank by Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas I.

42 gr. Gudovich Ivan Vasilievich (1741-1820) from 1807
Portrait by Breze. Source book N. Schilder "Emperor Alexander I" vol. 3

43 books Prozorovsky Alexander Alexandrovich (1732-1809) from 1807
Portrait of work unknown. artist of the late 18th - early 19th centuries.

44 St. book Golenishchev-Kutuzov-Smolensky Mikhail Illarionovich (1745-1813) from 1812
Miniature by K. Rosentretter. 1811-1812 State Hermitage Museum. St. Petersburg

45 books Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich (1761-1818) from 1814
Copy unknown artist from the original by Senf, 1816. State Museum. Pushkin. Moscow.

46 grz Wellington Arthur Wellesley (1769-1852) from 1818 British field marshal from 1813. He was not in Russian service, he received the rank as an honorary title.
Portrait by T. Lawrence. 1814

47 St. book Wittgenstein Peter Christianovich (1768-1843) from 1826

48 books Osten-Sacken Fabian Wilhelmovich (1752-1837) from 1826
Portrait by J. Doe. 1820s Military gallery of the Winter Palace. St. Petersburg

49 gr. Dibich-Zabalkansky Ivan Ivanovich (1785-1831) from 1829
Portrait by J. Doe. 1820s Military gallery of the Winter Palace. St. Petersburg

50 St. book Paskevich-Erivansky-Varshavsky Ivan Fedorovich (1782-1856) from 1829
Miniature of S. Marshalkevich from a portrait of F. Kruger, 1834. State Hermitage Museum. St. Petersburg

51 Erzgrts. Johann of Austria (1782-1859) from 1837 Austrian field marshal from 1836. He was not in Russian service, he received the rank as an honorary title.
Portrait by L. Kupelweiser. 1840 Schenna Castle. Austria.

52 gr. Radetzky Joseph-Wenzel (1766-1858) since 1849 Austrian field marshal since 1836. He was not in Russian service, he received the rank as an honorary title.
Portrait by J. Decker. 1850 Military Museum. Vein.

53 St. book Volkonsky Pyotr Mikhailovich (1776-1852) from 1850
Portrait by J. Doe. 1820s Military gallery of the Winter Palace. St. Petersburg

The last 13 people were awarded the rank of field marshal by Emperors Alexander II and Nicholas II (there were no awards under Emperor Alexander III).

54 St. book Vorontsov Mikhail Semyonovich (1782-1856) since 1856

55 books Baryatinsky Alexander Ivanovich (1815-1879) from 1859

56 gr. Berg Fedor Fedorovich (1794-1874) from 1865

57 Archgrtz Albrecht of Austria-Teschen (1817-1895) from 1872, Field Marshal of Austria from 1863. He was not in Russian service, he received the rank as an honorary title.

58 Ave. Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia (Frederick III, Emperor of Germany) (1831-1888) since 1872, Prussian Field Marshal General since 1870. He was not in Russian service, he received the rank as an honorary title.

59 gr. von Moltke Helmut Karl Bernhard (1800-1891) from 1872, Field Marshal of Germany from 1871. He was not in Russian service, he received the rank as an honorary title.

60 Ave. Albert of Saxony (Albert I, Cor. Saxony) (1828-1902) from 1872, Field Marshal of Germany from 1871. He was not in Russian service, he received the rank as an honorary title.

61 vel. book Nikolai Nikolaevich (1831-1891) since 1878

62 vel. book Mikhail Nikolaevich (1832-1909) since 1878

63 Gurko Joseph Vladimirovich (1828-1901) since 1894

64 gr. Milyutin Dmitry Alekseevich (1816-1912) since 1898

65 Nicholas I, King of Montenegro (1841-1921) from 1910. He was not in Russian service, he received the rank as an honorary title.

66 Carol I, King of Romania (1839-1914) from 1912. He was not in Russian service, he received the rank as an honorary title.

Field Marshal General (German) Feldmarschall ) - in the Russian army the second most senior (after generalissimo) military rank (in old terminology - military rank).

Borrowed from Europe, it was introduced by Peter the Great in 1699 instead of the existing position of Chief Voivode of the Big Regiment (the Army was called the Big Regiment at that time). The Military Charter of 1716 stated: “Field Marshal General or Anchief is the commanding chief general in the army. His order and command should be respected by everyone, since the entire army and the real intention were handed over to him from their sovereign.”

For more than 200 years (from the date of its establishment until the abolition of the old system of ranks and ranks in 1917), there were 63 field marshals in Russia, including two lieutenant generals.

B. P. Sheremetyev (1701), A. D. Menshikov (1709), P. S. Saltykov (1759), P. A. Rumyantsev (1770), A. V. Suvorov (1759), M. I. Golenishchev -Kutuzov (1812), M. B. Barclay de Tolly (1814), I. I. Dibich (1829), I. F. Paskevich (1929), M. S. Vorontsov (1856), A. I. Baryatinsky (1859), Grand Dukes Nikolai Nikolaevich and Mikhail Nikolaevich (1878) received the title for outstanding victories in wars.

Other field marshals were awarded this rank for repeated defeat of the enemy, courage, and also out of respect for the glory they acquired in Europe: , For example : A. I. Repnin (1724), M. M. Golitsyn (1725), Ya. V. Bruce (1726), Minikh (1732), Lassi (1736), A. M. Golitsyn (1769), G. A Potemkin (1784), N.V. Repnin (1796), M.F. Kamensky (1797), A.A. Prozorovsky (1807), I.V. Gudovich (1807), P.H. Wittgenstein (1826) , F.V. Saken (1826), F.F. Berg (1865), I.V. Gurko (1894).

Rank of Field Marshal for long-term military and civil service was assigned: F. A. Golovin (1700), V. V. Dolgoruky (1728), I. Yu. Trubetskoy (1728), N. Yu. Trubetskoy (1756), A. B. Buturlin (1756), S. F. Apraskin (1756), A. P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin (1762), Z. G. Chernyshev (1773), N. I. Saltykov (1796), I. K. Elmp (1797), V. P. Musin-Pushkin ( 1797), P. M. Volkonsky (1850), D. A. Milyutin (1898).

It should be noted that A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, who had the highest civilian rank of chancellor and was not even listed in the military lists, was elevated to field marshal general by Empress Catherine II, N. Yu. Trubetskoy was known more as a prosecutor general than a commander , and I. G. Chernyshev, who did not serve in the ground forces, was elevated by Pavel the First to the rank of Field Marshal General of the Navy “provided, however, that he is not an admiral general.”

Honorary title of Field Marshal were awarded due to their high birthPrince of Hesse-Gomborg, Duke Karl-Ludwig of Holstein-Beck (only called Russian Field Marshal General, never served in Russian service ), Prince Peter of Holstein-Beck, Duke George-Ludwig of Holstein-Schleswig (uncle of Emperor Peter III), Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (father of Grand Duchess Natalya Alekseevna, first wife of Paul the First), Archduke Albrecht of Austria, Crown Prince of Germany Friedrich Wilhelm.

Some field marshals, who received this title thanks to court connections, were simply darlings of fate. This Y. Sapega (1726), K. G. Razumovsky (1750), A. G. Razumovsky (1756), A. I. and P. I. Shuvalov (1761).

Among the field marshals were also: Duke of Croix , notorious in the battle of Narva (he was in Russian service for only 2.5 months ); Duke of Broglio (renamed Field Marshal General by Paul the First from Marshal of France), like Croix, he remained in Russian service for a very short time. Were not in active Russian service, but foreigners were awarded the rank of Field Marshal in recognition of their European fame and loud military glory – Duke of Wellington, Radetzky and Moltke . Two foreigners – Ogilvius And Goltz - were accepted into the Russian service by Peter the Great as field marshal-lieutenant generals, but with the provision of primacy over full generals.

He bore the rank of Field Marshal King Nicholas the First of Montenegro.

I wonder how many Russian emperors awarded the rank of field marshal general? According to very rough calculations, the following picture emerges:

Peter the Great - 8 times; Catherine the First – 2; Peter the Second – 2; Anna Ioannovna – 3; Elizaveta Petrovna – 8; Peter the Third – 1; Catherine the Second – 7; Pavel the First – 5; Alexander the First – 7; Nicholas the First - 5; Alexander II – 5; Alexander the Third – 1; Nicholas II -2.

Bantysh-Kamensky D. N. “Biographies of Russian generalissimos and field marshals. Reprint. Ed. 1840, M., 1991.

Author - Bo4kaMeda. This is a quote from this post

Brought up in battles, in the midst of harsh weather | Portraits of field marshals of the Russian army

Russian Army

You are immortal forever, O Russian giants,
Trained in battle in the midst of harsh weather!
A. S. Pushkin, “Memories in Tsarskoe Selo”

“In their gigantic thousand-year work, the creators of Russia relied on three great pillars - the spiritual power of the Orthodox Church, the creative genius of the Russian People and the valor of the Russian Army.”
Anton Antonovich Kersnovsky

His Serene Highness Prince Pyotr Mikhailovich Volkonsky. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1850

In combat and combat, the soldier wins, but it is known that a mass of even perfectly trained fighters is worth little if it does not have a worthy commander. Russia, having shown the world an amazing type of ordinary soldier, whose fighting and moral qualities have become a legend, has also given birth to many first-class military leaders. The battles carried out by Alexander Menshikov and Pyotr Lassi, Pyotr Saltykov and Pyotr Rumyantsev, Alexander Suvorov and Mikhail Kutuzov, Ivan Paskevich and Joseph Gurko, entered the annals of military art, they were studied and are being studied in military academies around the world.

Field Marshal - the highest military rank in Russia from 1700 to 1917. (The Generalissimo was outside the system of officer ranks. Therefore, the highest military rank was actually field marshal general.) According to the “Table of Ranks” of Peter I, this is an army rank of the first class, corresponding to admiral general in the navy, chancellor and actual privy councilor of the first class in the civilian service. In the military regulations, Peter retained the rank of generalissimo, but he himself did not assign it to anyone, since “this rank only belongs to crowned heads and great sovereign princes, and especially to the one whose army is. In his non-existence, he gives command over the entire army to his field marshal general.”

His Serene Highness Prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov (the same one whose wife Pushkin molested). The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1856

His Serene Highness Prince Ivan Fedorovich Paskevich. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1929

Count Ivan Ivanovich Dibich-Zabalkansky (a native of Prussia in Russian service). The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1729.

His Serene Highness Prince Peter Christianovich Wittgenstein (Ludwig Adolf Peter zu Sein-Wittgenstein). The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1826

Prince Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1814

1812 - His Serene Highness Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov of Smolensk. Promoted to field marshal general 4 days after the battle of Borodino.

Count Valentin Platonovich Musin-Pushkin. A courtier and a very mediocre commander, whom Catherine II favored for his zeal in enthroning her. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1797.

Count Ivan Petrovich Saltykov. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1796

Count Ivan Petrovich Saltykov.

Count Ivan Grigorievich Chernyshev - Field Marshal General of the Fleet (this strange rank, awarded in 1796, was invented for him by Paul I in order not to give the rank of admiral general). He was more of a courtier than a military man.

Prince Nikolai Vasilyevich Repnin. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1796

His Serene Highness Prince Nikolai Ivanovich Saltykov. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1796

Prince Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1794. Five years later, in 1799, he received the title of generalissimo.

His Serene Highness Prince Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin-Tavrichesky. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1784

Count Zakhar Grigorievich Chernyshev. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1773

Count Zakhar Grigorievich Chernyshev.

Count Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1770

Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Golitsyn. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1769

Count Kirill Grigorievich Razumovsky, the last hetman of the Zaporozhye Army from 1750 to 1764. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1764

Count Alexey Petrovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin. In 1744-1758 - State Chancellor. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1762.

Count Alexey Petrovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin.

Duke Peter August of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck. Quite a “career” general in Russian service. Governor-General of St. Petersburg from 1761 to 1762. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1762

Count Pyotr Ivanovich Shuvalov (Mosaic portrait, workshop of M.V. Lomonosov). The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1761

Count Pyotr Ivanovich Shuvalov

Count Alexander Ivanovich Shuvalov. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1761

Stepan Fedorovich Apraksin. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1756.

Count Alexey Grigorievich Razumovsky. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1756.

Count Alexander Borisovich Buturlin. Better known as the Moscow mayor. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1756.

Prince Nikita Yuryevich Trubetskoy. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1756.

Pyotr Petrovich Lassi. An Irishman in Russian service. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1736.

Pyotr Petrovich Lassi.

Count Burchard Christopher Minich. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1732.

Count Burchard Christopher Minich.

Prince Ivan Yuryevich Trubetskoy. The last boyar in Russian history. The rank of Field Marshal was awarded in 1728.