Runny nose

Pyotr Rumyantsev: how a hooligan and rowdy became the best commander in Europe. Petrov Mikhail Trofimovich

Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky Petr Alexandrovich(1725-96), count, Russian commander, Field Marshal General (1770). During the Seven Years' War he captured the fortress of Kolberg (Kołobrzeg). Since 1764, president of the Little Russian Collegium. In the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-74 he won victories at Ryaba Mogila, Larga and Kagul (1770). For the first time he used divisional squares in combination with a loose formation of riflemen, which meant a departure from linear tactics. Military theoretical works.

Rumyantsev (Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky) Petr Alexandrovich, count, field marshal general, outstanding Russian commander and statesman.

Childhood, education

Born into an old noble family. His father, Chief General Alexander Ivanovich Rumyantsev, was an associate, a participant in all the most important battles of the Northern War and the Persian Campaign, and later a Kazan governor and senator. His mother Maria Andreevna is the granddaughter of A. S. Matveev, in whose family the mother of Peter I, Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna, was raised. The rumor of that time considered Pyotr Alexandrovich the son of the emperor. The baby's godmother was Catherine I. Peter Alexandrovich was already enrolled in the regiment at the age of six. At home he was taught to read and write and foreign languages, and in 1739 he was assigned to the Russian embassy in Berlin, apparently believing that being abroad would contribute to his education. Here the young man, who had escaped from his father’s strict supervision, fully showed his character as an uncontrollable spendthrift and rake and was recalled to St. Petersburg to continue his studies in the Corps of Gentry. But, apparently, even in the capital, he compromised his father so much with his behavior that he sent him to a distant regiment in Finland.

Start of a career

With the beginning of the Russian-Swedish War of 1741-43, Rumyantsev took part in hostilities with the rank of captain. The subsequent peace of Abo was signed by his father, who sent his son to the empress with the text of the treaty. To celebrate, she immediately promoted the eighteen-year-old captain to colonel. The important rank did not moderate his energy, however, and rumors of the scandalous adventures of Pyotr Alexandrovich reached the ears of the empress; she ordered the father to punish his son, which the obedient general did, personally flogging the eighteen-year-old colonel with rods.

Seven Years' War

With the beginning of the Seven Years' War, Rumyantsev, already a major general, with his actions first played a decisive role in the victory at Gross-Jägersdorf, then took part in the campaign in East Prussia, the capture of Tilsit and Koenigsberg, distinguished himself at Kunersdorf, and in 1761 he stormed the key to the victory over Prussian fortress Kolberg. But at the moment when Rumyantsev’s report on the assault on Kolberg was printed in the Senate printing house, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna died. Peter III, who ascended the throne, summoned him to St. Petersburg, promoted him to general-in-chief and ordered him to lead the army against Denmark.

The beginning of the reign of Catherine II. New appointments

In March 1762, Rumyantsev went to Pomerania, where he began training troops. Here he was caught by the news of the coup in St. Petersburg. Rumyantsev remained faithful to the oath and did not take a new one until he received news of his death. Having taken the oath, he began to ask to resign. However, the empress answered him that he was in vain to believe that the favor of the former emperor would be blamed on him and that, on the contrary, he would be accepted in accordance with his merits and ranks. Perhaps the fact that his sister Praskovya (1729-86), the wife of Count Ya. A. Bruce from 1751, was a lady of state and a close friend of Catherine II, played a role in this attitude towards Rumyantsev. However, Pyotr Alexandrovich was in no hurry and returned to St. Petersburg only in next year and then soon ask for leave again. At the end of 1764, Rumyantsev was appointed governor-general of Little Russia and president of the Little Russian Collegium.

This appointment followed the destruction of the hetmanate and testified to the highest trust of the empress, who provided Rumyantsev with extensive secret instructions. The main significance of his new mission was the gradual elimination of the remnants of Ukrainian autonomy and the transformation of Little Russia into an ordinary province of the Russian Empire. The result of his activities was the disappearance of the traditional administrative division of Ukraine, the destruction of traces of the former Cossack “freedom” and the spread of serfdom. Rumyantsev also tried a lot to improve the system of collecting state taxes from Ukrainians, postal services and legal proceedings. At the same time, he tried to fight drunkenness and from time to time sought tax benefits for the residents of the region under his control.

Back in the military field

However, Pyotr Alexandrovich’s real “finest hour” struck with the beginning of the Russian-Turkish War in 1768. True, he spent the first year of the war as commander of the 2nd Army, which was assigned a supporting role in the plans of St. Petersburg strategists. But since in this post he turned out to be more active than A.M. Golitsyn, who commanded the 1st Army, by the beginning of the second company Rumyantsev took his place. Having reformed and significantly strengthened the army, the general went on the offensive in the spring of 1770 and won a series of brilliant victories, first at Ryabaya Mogila, then at Larga, where the Turks lost about 3 thousand people against a hundred killed Russians and, finally, at the river. Cahul. Over the next few months, Rumyantsev's army successfully moved forward, capturing more and more fortresses. And although the war continued for several more years, during which the commander continued to command the Russian troops with the same brilliance, its fate was decided precisely at Larga and Kagul. When in July 1774 Rumyantsev concluded a peace beneficial for Russia, the Empress wrote to him that this was “a most famous service... to us and the fatherland.” A year later, during the official celebration in St. Petersburg of the victory over the Turks, Pyotr Alexandrovich received a field marshal's baton, an honorary title - Transdanubian, a diamond-strewn star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, a laurel wreath and an olive branch and, according to the custom of those times, five thousand souls of peasants.

Rivalry with Potemkin

Having returned after the war to his previous duties as Little Russian Governor-General, Rumyantsev, however, was soon somewhat pushed into the background by the appearance of G.A. on the Russian political horizon. About twenty subsequent years of the commander’s life passed in rivalry with him, and when a new war with the Turks began in 1787, Rumyantsev, who did not want to be subordinate to the favorite, said he was ill. But even after Potemkin’s death, having received the appointment in 1794 as commander of the troops sent to Poland to suppress the uprising of T. Kosciuszko, Rumyantsev could not accept it and led the army only formally, giving the reins of power into the hands of A.V.

Innovative commander

As a commander, theorist and practitioner of military art, Rumyantsev became one of the initiators of the transition from linear tactics to the tactics of columns and scattered formations. In battle formations, he preferred to use divisional, regimental and battalion squares, and gave preference to light cavalry over heavy cavalry. In his opinion, troops should be evenly distributed in the theater of military operations; he was convinced of the superiority of offensive tactics over defensive ones, great value contributed to the training of troops and their morale. Rumyantsev outlined his views on military affairs in the “General Rules” and “Rite of Service,” which had a significant influence on G. A. Potemkin and A. V. Suvorov.

In 1799, a monument to Rumyantsev was erected on the Field of Mars in St. Petersburg in the form of a low black stele with the inscription: “Rumyantsev’s victories.” Currently, the monument is located in Rumyantsevsky Park on Universitetskaya Embankment.

Pyotr Rumyantsev: how a hooligan and rowdy became the best commander in Europe On January 15, 1725, Pyotr Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky was born - a commander who created a new Russian school of military strategy and tactics. Tags: Pyotr Rumyantsevhistory of Russiawar with Prussia Illegitimate son of the emperor

When it comes to talking about the most famous and successful commanders in the history of Russia, the name of Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev is rarely mentioned among the first. Meanwhile, it was he who was the founder of the principles of offensive strategy and tactics that brought glory to the Russian army.

But it’s not that Rumyantsev himself was spared fame, but he clearly received it to a lesser extent than he deserved. There were many reasons for this, including the difficult character of the military leader himself...

Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev was born on January 15, 1725 in the family of General-Chief Alexander Ivanovich Rumyantsev and his wife Maria Andreevna Rumyantseva.

According to the widespread version, Pyotr Rumyantsev was born in Transnistria, in the village of Stroentsy, where Maria Rumyantseva was waiting for the return of her husband, sent by Emperor Peter I on a diplomatic mission to Turkey. However, according to another version, Pyotr Rumyantsev was born in Moscow.

Belonging to the ancient Rumyantsev family promised little Petya a great career in the public service. Some, however, believe that his origins were even more noble.

The fact is that, according to contemporaries, Peter the Great had the most tender feelings for the wife of his associate Alexander Rumyantsev. Simply put, Maria Rumyantseva was called the emperor's mistress. In this regard, some believed that Petit’s father was not Chief General Rumyantsev, but Peter I.

Hooligan and spendthrift

The newborn was indeed named in honor of the emperor, and his godmother was the wife of Peter I, the future Empress Catherine I.

With the accession of Empress Anna Ioannovna in 1730, the Rumyantsevs fell into disgrace and spent several years in exile on the territory of the Sarov district.

Article on the topic Operation “Successor”. Why didn't Peter the Great prepare a replacement for himself? This, however, did not prevent 10-year-old Petya from enlisting in the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment.

At the same time, the boy himself did not strive to live up to either his high origin or the high hopes of his parents. Peter grew up as a real hooligan who terrified the area and made his father and mother blush with shame.

In 1739, a 14-year-old teenager, educated at home, was assigned to serve in the Russian diplomatic mission in Berlin.

The father hoped that this status would bring his son to reason, but it turned out the other way around - the European air of freedom hit Peter’s head, and the young man went into all sorts of troubles. A year later, Pyotr Rumyantsev was dismissed from the diplomatic mission with the wording “for extravagance, laziness and bullying.” The hooligan and troublemaker were assigned for training to the Land Noble Corps.

And in vain - the only person The one who gave him control was Rumyantsev Sr. Dad simply flogged his son like Sidorov’s goat, and for a while it helped.

And in the gentry corps, without the supervision of his father, Pyotr Rumyantsev continued to have fun, so much so that in just four months the most experienced and persistent teachers howled at his pranks, begging - take him away from us, for God’s sake, while at least something remains from the educational institution.

From second lieutenant to colonel in two years

In 1741, Pyotr Rumyantsev was promoted to second lieutenant and sent to the active army, to the Russian-Swedish war. And here the unexpected happened - yesterday’s hooligan turned into a very capable and courageous young officer who showed himself excellently at Vilmanstrand and Helsingfors.

The 16-year-old second lieutenant shared the hardships of service with his soldiers, did not disdain to eat from the soldier’s cauldron, and strictly ensured that his subordinates were always dressed, shod and fed.

During the two years of the war, Pyotr Rumyantsev rose in the rank of captain and was awarded the high honor - he was tasked with delivering to St. Petersburg a report on the conclusion of the Abos peace, which ended the Russian-Swedish war.

Upon arrival in St. Petersburg, the young officer received the rank of colonel and was appointed commander of the Voronezh infantry regiment.

Article on the topic Chief in the city. Why did Prince Golitsyn become the beloved governor of Moscow One could say that Empress Elizaveta Petrovna considered the gift of a commander in the 18-year-old officer, but in fact, Pyotr Rumyantsev owed his dizzying career growth in this case to his surname. Elizaveta Petrovna, unlike her predecessor, favored the Rumyantsevs, especially Peter’s father, and it was with this that the appropriation was connected high rank son.

“Either sew up your ears, or renounce you...”

In 1744, the parents married the 19-year-old colonel to Ekaterina Golitsyna, the daughter of another Peter the Great’s associate and outstanding Russian commander, Prince Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn.

This marriage turned out to be unsuccessful - the young people did not experience any feelings for each other, and their relationship always remained cold, despite the fact that they had three sons.

Pyotr Rumyantsev went on sprees from his unloved wife, and on such wild sprees that all of Russia gossiped about them. The Empress herself, in letters to Rumyantsev Sr., advised flogging the colonel, who had lost all shame. And Alexander Ivanovich Rumyantsev once said bitterly to his son: “It came to me: either sew up my ears and not hear your bad deeds, or renounce you...”

In 1749, Alexander Ivanovich Rumyantsev died. And only then it became clear how much he meant to his son. The death of his father turned out to be a real shock for Pyotr Rumyantsev, after which he completely changed. Yesterday's reveler became a serious man who devoted himself entirely to military service.

At the beginning of glorious deeds

In 1755, Pyotr Rumyantsev was awarded the rank of major general, and a year later the Seven Years' War began, during which he was revealed in to the fullest his gift as a commander.

On August 30, 1757, in the battle with the Prussian army at Gross-Jägersdorf, General Rumyantsev commanded a reserve of four infantry regiments - Grenadier, Trinity, Voronezh and Novgorod - which was located on the other side of the forest bordering the Jägersdorf field.

Article on the topic Traitor of the Motherland. How Field Marshal Apraksin deprived Russia of a historic victory At the height of the battle, when the Russian right flank began to retreat under the attacks of the Prussians, Rumyantsev, without orders, on his own initiative, threw his fresh reserve against the left flank of the Prussian infantry. The volley and bayonet attack of Rumyantsev's soldiers tipped the scales of the battle in favor of the Russian army. Pyotr Rumyantsev was promoted to lieutenant general and given command of a division.

In 1758, the name of Rumyantsev began to strike fear among experienced Prussian military leaders. Already in January of that year, the troops of Russian generals Rumyantsev and Saltykov occupied all of East Prussia. In the summer of 1758, General Rumyantsev, at the head of the cavalry, covered the maneuvers of the Russian army and did not give the Prussians a single chance to strike at the main forces.

After the Battle of Zorndorf, General Rumyantsev once again demonstrated his ability to baffle the Prussians: covering the withdrawal of the main forces, 20 dismounted dragoons and horse-grenadier squadrons of Rumyantsev’s detachment detained the 20,000-strong Prussian corps for the whole day.

How General Rumyantsev destroyed the pride of the Prussian army

On August 12, 1759, the Battle of Kunersdorf took place, in which to the best forces The Prussian army of Frederick II was opposed by the allied Russian-Austrian forces.

Rumyantsev's division was located in the center of Russian positions, at the height of the Big Spitz. The Prussian army broke through the left flank and hit Rumyantsev's division. Enemy artillery fell on his soldiers, after which the famous Prussian heavy cavalry under the command of Friedrich Seydlitz delivered its terrible blow.

It seemed impossible to withstand this onslaught, but the Russians did not give up their positions. And at the decisive moment, Pyotr Rumyantsev personally led his soldiers in a bayonet counterattack. Frederick's army began to retreat, and then completely ran. The Prussian king also fled, having lost his famous cocked hat on the battlefield, which became a trophy of the Russian army. And Seydlitz's cavalry, the pride of the Prussian army, was completely defeated.

For the victory at Kunersdorf, Pyotr Rumyantsev was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky.

Rumyantsev acted unconventionally on the battlefield, forcing the enemy to get confused in his own rearrangements. His actions not only led to the defeat of the Prussian army, they completely dispelled the myth that the strategy and tactics of Frederick II's army were the best in the world.

Capture of Kohlberg

In 1761, General Rumyantsev played key role in the last major battle of the Seven Years' War - the siege and capture of Kolberg. Rumyantsev with 18 thousand Russian troops, separately from the rest of them, approached Kolberg and attacked the fortified camp of the Prince of Württemberg (12 thousand people), which covered the approaches to the city. By capturing the camp, Rumyantsev began the siege of Kolberg. The Baltic Fleet assisted him in the blockade of the city. The siege lasted 4 months and ended on December 16 with the surrender of the garrison. The siege turned out to be difficult - the fortress was powerful, had large reserves of food and ammunition, and Prussian detachments operated effectively in the rear of the Russian troops. During these 4 months, the Military Council decided three times to lift the blockade, the same recommendation was given by the commander-in-chief of the Russian troops, Buturlin, but Rumyantsev, in defiance of everyone, continued the siege, forcing Kolberg to capitulate. After the victory, 3,000 prisoners, 20 banners, 173 guns were taken.

Reproduction from the painting “The Capture of the Kolberg Fortress” by Alexander Kotzebue Rumyantsev was talked about as the best commander in Europe, who replaced existing military models with completely new tactical and strategic techniques, in particular the conduct of high-speed maneuverable warfare. These techniques were subsequently developed and perfected by Alexander Suvorov.

King Frederick II of Prussia considered the war lost and was thinking about abdicating the throne. Only a miracle could save him. That's what happened. The seriously ill Empress Elizaveta Petrovna managed to receive a report from Rumyantsev about the capture of Kolberg, but died the next day.

Commander against the coup

Question and answer What reforms did Peter III want to carry out? The new Emperor Peter III, a passionate admirer of Frederick II, immediately ended the war, returned all the territories conquered by the Russians, and offered the Prussians military assistance in the fight against Russia's former allies. The Russian Guard took this as an insult. What emotions Pyotr Rumyantsev himself experienced inside is known only to him. But here’s a strange thing - yesterday’s hooligan, who did not recognize any rules, this time turned out to be one of those Russian generals who followed the old military wisdom “Orders are not discussed - orders are carried out.”

Rumyantsev, promoted to general-in-chief, was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian army in Pomerania and was preparing, together with yesterday’s enemies, to invade Denmark.

Article on the topic From Fike to the Mistress of Russia. 10 facts about the early years of Catherine the Great The coup of 1762, during which Catherine II ascended the throne, caught him behind this preparation. And again, General Rumyantsev behaved in a way that was not expected from him - he did not swear allegiance to the new empress until the death of Peter III became known.

Such demonstrative disapproval of the coup could have backfired on Pyotr Rumyantsev serious consequences. Without waiting for them, the general resigned, believing that his career was over.

However, the new empress considered that losing such a valuable person as Rumyantsev was unacceptable, despite the fact that she, of course, was not very pleased with the general’s behavior during the coup.

Governor-General of Little Russia

In 1764, Pyotr Rumyantsev was appointed governor-general of Little Russia with instructions to promote a closer unification of Little Russia with Russia administratively. Pyotr Rumyantsev held this position until his death.

Rumyantsev proved himself to be a talented administrator, starting, so to speak, with taking inventory. A “general inventory” of Little Russia was carried out, which went down in history under the name of the Rumyantsev inventory. This made it possible for the first time to establish the exact population of the region, as well as its property status.

Under Rumyantsev, Little Russia, which previously was, as they now say, a “subsidized region,” turned into a developed “donor region.”

Article on the topic Prince of Tauride. The genius and vanity of Grigory Potemkin In 1768, the Russian-Turkish war began, at the first stage of which Rumyantsev was entrusted with command of the Second Army, which was entrusted with auxiliary functions.

However, the slowness and indecision of the commander of the main forces, Prince Golitsyn, forced Catherine II to replace him with Rumyantsev.

Rumyantsev remained faithful to the tactics that brought him success during the Seven Years' War - he needed to act quickly, decisively, moving forward.

Turkish nightmare

On July 18, 1770, at Larga, Rumyantsev’s 25,000-strong corps defeated the 80,000-strong Turkish-Tatar corps.

On August 1, 1770, on the Cahul River, Rumyantsev’s 32,000-strong army, which had 118 guns, fought a battle with a 150,000-strong Turkish-Tatar army, which had 140 guns. Despite the overwhelming numerical superiority of the enemy, Rumyantsev's well-trained and well-organized soldiers defeated the enemy, putting him to flight. The ratio of losses looked simply incredible - less than 400 for the Russians versus 20,000 for the Turks.

Even his old enemy, the Prussian King Frederick, congratulated Rumyantsev on this victory with a personal letter.

Rumyantsev continued to pursue the Turks, taking city after city, leading the enemy army into complete disorder.

The war, however, dragged on for several years, since the Turks, having a large reserve of manpower, counted on a radical change in the situation.

In 1774, Rumyantsev with a 50,000-strong army opposed the 150,000-strong Turkish army, which, avoiding battle, concentrated on the heights near Shumla. Rumyantsev with part of his army bypassed the Turkish camp and cut off the vizier's communication with Adrianople, which caused such panic in the Turkish army that the vizier accepted all peace terms.

Question and answer To whom and for what is the Order of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called awarded? On July 21, 1775, the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace Treaty was concluded. On the same day, Empress Catherine II, by personal Highest Decree, ordered Field Marshal Count Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev to add the name “Zadunaysky” to his surname (“to glorify the dangerous crossing of the Danube”) and to be called Count Rumyantsev-Zadunaysky; granted a certificate describing his victories, a field marshal's baton with diamonds (“for reasonable military leadership”), a sword with diamonds (“for brave enterprises”), laurel and Maslenitsa wreaths decorated with diamonds (“for victories”), and the same cross and the star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. The Empress also presented the commander with a village in Belarus of 5 thousand souls, 100 thousand rubles from his office to build a house, silver service and paintings for decorating the rooms. The Empress also immortalized Rumyantsev’s victories with obelisk monuments in Tsarskoe Selo and St. Petersburg. He was even offered to “enter Moscow on a triumphal chariot through the ceremonial gates,” but Rumyantsev refused.

Rumyantsev and favorite

Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev reached the zenith of his fame. To the post of Governor-General of Little Russia, he added the posts of governor of Kursk and Kharkov, thanks to which he soon became the owner of a huge fortune and huge land holdings. At the same time, which is typical, the territories entrusted to his leadership successfully developed and did not fall into decay.

Article on the topic “Crimea is yours”. This is what Potemkin wrote to Catherine II back in 1782. With the start of the new Russian-Turkish war in 1787, Rumyantsev was again appointed commander of the second army, this time under the commander of the main army, Grigory Potemkin.

However, the new campaign did not bring glory to Rumyantsev - the 62-year-old military leader became very fat, became inactive, and was often sick. But most importantly, Rumyantsev did not have a good relationship with Potemkin. Peter Alexandrovich did not consider the empress’s favorite a professional military man and was burdened by subordination to him. Potemkin, in turn, dreamed of personal triumphs, on the way to which he considered Rumyantsev an obstacle.

In fact, thanks to Potemkin, Rumyantsev was deprived of any powers and was bound in his actions. In 1789, the field marshal submitted his resignation, which was granted.

Special honor

He left for Little Russia, to the Tashan estate, which he never left. In 1794, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian army operating against Poland, but in reality this was a nominal appointment - Rumyantsev did not leave his estate.

He lived in complete solitude, not even accepting his own children, and died on December 19, 1796. The commander was buried in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

Two episodes testify to Rumyantsev’s authority in Europe. The Austrian Emperor Joseph II always kept an extra utensil at his dinner table - as he said, for Rumyantsev, mentally believing him to be present at his meal.

When Field Marshal Rumyantsev arrived in Berlin in 1776, his old enemy, King Frederick II of Prussia, gave him a reception that no crowned person had ever received. In honor of the hero of Kunersdorf and Cahul, the regiments of the Prussian army marched in front, and the entire German generals were required to attend the military review.

Outstanding Russian commander, count (1744), field marshal general (1770).

P. A. Rumyantsev was born into the family of General-in-Chief A. I. Rumyantsev (1680-1749), an associate. Many contemporaries and later historians believed that the commander was the illegitimate son of the emperor.

In 1731, P. A. Rumyantsev was recorded as a private in the Life Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment. Until the age of 14 he lived in Little Russia and was educated at home. In 1740, he studied for 4 months in the Land Noble Corps. By order of the Field Marshal General he was sent to the active army with the rank of second lieutenant.

P. A. Rumyantsev received his first combat experience in Finland, where he was with his father during the Russian-Swedish War of 1741-1743. He delivered the text of the Abo peace treaty of 1743, for which the empress promoted him to colonel and appointed commander of the Voronezh infantry regiment. In 1744, the commander's father was elevated to the dignity of count of the Russian Empire along with his offspring.

In 1748, P. A. Rumyantsev took part in the campaign of Prince V. A. Repnin’s corps to the Rhine during the War of the Austrian Succession of 1740-1748.

During the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763, P. A. Rumyantsev successfully commanded a brigade near Gross-Jägersdorf (1757) and a division in the Battle of Kunersdorf (1759). The battle of Kunersdorf nominated P. A. Rumyantsev among the best commanders of the Russian army, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. Commanding the corps, he led the siege and capture of the Prussian fortress of Kolberg (now Kolobrzeg in Poland) (1761).

At the end of the war, he awarded P. A. Rumyantsev the Orders of St. Anne and St. Andrew the First-Called, and also awarded him the rank of General-in-Chief. Researchers believe that the emperor planned to put Rumyantsev in a leadership position in his planned campaign against Denmark.

In 1762, she rejected P. A. Rumyantsev’s resignation request. In 1764-1796, he served as president of the Little Russian Collegium and governor-general of Little Russia. P. A. Rumyantsev actively pursued the policy of eliminating the autonomy of Ukraine, in 1783 he introduced the poll tax, and extended the effect of the Charter of the Nobility of 1785 to Ukraine.

At the beginning of the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774, P. A. Rumyantsev commanded the 2nd Army, in 1769 - the occupation expedition, and from August 1769 - the 1st Army. In the summer of 1770, he defeated superior Turkish forces at Ryaba Mogila, Larga and Kagul and occupied the left bank of the lower Danube, for which he was promoted to field marshal general. In 1774, with a successful attack on Shumla, the commander forced Turkey to conclude the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace Treaty. In 1775, P. A. Rumyantsev received an honorary addition to his surname - “Zadunaisky” and was appointed commander of the heavy cavalry.

P. A. Rumyantsev's victories over the Turks were immortalized by obelisk monuments in Tsarskoe Selo (1771) and St. Petersburg (1799).

In February 1779, by decree of the Empress, P. A. Rumyantsev was appointed governor of the Little Russian, Sloboda-Ukrainian and Kursk and viceroyalties. He led the preparations for the opening of the Kursk and Kharkov governorships in 1779 - early 1780, after which he returned to Little Russia.

During the Russian-Turkish War of 1787-1791, P. A. Rumyantsev commanded the 2nd Army. Due to a conflict with the commander-in-chief, he actually withdrew from command and control of the troops. In 1794, the field marshal was nominally listed as the commander-in-chief of the army operating against Poland, but due to illness he did not leave the estate.

P. A. Rumyantsev died on his estate - the village of Tashan, Zenkovsky district, Poltava province (now in Ukraine). He was buried in the Assumption Church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.

The military leadership of P. A. Rumyantsev largely determined the development of domestic military art in the 2nd half of the 18th century. His ideas, set out in the “Instructions” (1761), “Rite of Service” (1770) and “Thoughts” (1777), were used in the development of regulations and reorganization of the Russian army.

Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky- outstanding Russian commander, statesman, count (1774), field marshal general. Knight of the Russian orders of St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Alexander Nevsky, St. George 1st class and St. Vladimir 1st class, Prussian Black Eagle and St. Anna 1st. Honorary member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences and Arts (1776).

P.A. Rumyantsev was born on January 4 (15), 1725, village of Stroentsy(Transnistria) - died December 8 (19), 1796, Tashan village(Zenkovsky district of Poltava province). He was buried in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra near the left choir of the Cathedral of the Church of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin.

His mother temporarily lived in the village. Stroentsy, waiting for the return of her husband, Chief General A.I. Rumyantsev, who traveled to Turkey on behalf of Peter I (after whom he was named). Great-grandson of a famous statesman A.S. Matveeva. Rumyantsev's mother was Countess Maria Andreevna Rumyantseva (nee Matveeva). The godmother of the future commander was Empress Catherine I. At the age of six, he was enlisted as a private in the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment. Until the age of 14, he lived in Little Russia and received home education under the guidance of his father, as well as the local teacher Timofey Mikhailovich Senyutovich. In 1739 he was appointed to the diplomatic service and enlisted in the Russian embassy in Berlin. In 1740 he was enrolled in the Land Noble Corps. By order of Field Marshal B.K. Minikha Rumyantsev was sent to the active army with the rank of second lieutenant.

The first place of service of P.A. Rumyantsev became Finland, where he participated in the Russian-Swedish war of 1741-1743. He distinguished himself during the capture of Helsingfors. In 1743, with the rank of captain, his father sent St. Petersburg with the news of the conclusion of the Abo Peace Treaty. Upon receipt of this report, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna immediately promoted him to colonel and appointed him commander of the Voronezh infantry regiment. Also in 1774, she elevated his father, chief general and diplomat Alexander Ivanovich Rumyantsev, who took part in drawing up the agreement, to the dignity of count along with his offspring. Thus P.A. Rumyantsev became a count. During this period he married Princess E.M. Golitsyna.

In 1748, he took part in the campaign of Repnin’s corps to the Rhine (during the War of the Austrian Succession of 1740-1748) and by the age of 30 (in 1755) he received the rank of major general. During the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763, Rumyantsev, as a brigade commander, participated in the Battle of Gross-Jägersdorf. The battle took place on August 19 (30), 1757. Russian troops under the command of Field Marshal S.F. Apraskin (55,000 people) and Prussian troops under the command of Field MarshalH. Levalda (24,000 people).

Battle of Gross-Jägersdorf

Russian troops, after capturing Insterburg on July 30 (August 10), continued to move deeper into East Prussia. Prussian troops took up a position at Wehlau, blocking the path to Königsberg. Having found out that the enemy’s position was strongly fortified, Apraskin turned his troops towards the city of Allenburg, bypassing the position of Prussian troops from the south. Having reached the river Pregel, Russian troops crossed to the left bank and settled in a wooded area northeast of Gross-Jägersdorf. Apraskin, believing that the Prussian troops would not enter the battle first, but would strive to prevent the advance of Russian troops to Koenigsberg, began to withdraw his troops to the positions by the shortest route - through a dense forest, along the only impassable road. Lewald, having guessed Apraskin's intentions and taking advantage of his slowness, suddenly attacked the Russian troops. This caused confusion in Apraskin’s troops, but Levald, in a hurry to take advantage of the advantageous situation, did not organize reconnaissance and, instead of a pre-planned attack on the flank, launched it at the center of the Russian troops (at the 2nd division of V.A. Lopukhin). The first attack of Prussian troops was repulsed. Russian troops were unable to hold back a repeated attack in the same direction. Prussian infantry began to enter the rear of the 2nd division and forced it to retreat. The enemy could attack the rest of the Russian troops directly when leaving the forest, without giving them the opportunity to deploy into battle formations. General P.A. found a way out of the difficult situation of the Russian army. Rumyantsev, commander of the brigade. He made a bold decision to counterattack the enemy, quickly led two regiments through the forest, deployed them at the edge of the forest and struck at the enemy’s flank and rear. This gave the retreating Russian units the opportunity to reorganize and change the course of the battle in their favor. The Don Cossacks, operating on the left flank, distinguished themselves. Retreating in front of the Prussian cavalry, they brought it under fire from the Russian infantry and artillery of the Rumyantsev brigade, and when the enemy’s cavalry was upset and began to retreat, they went into pursuit, destroying the enemy. The defeat of the enemy cavalry and the build-up of attacks by Russian troops led to a general retreat of the Prussian troops. A difficult but very important victory was won. The Prussian army lost more than 5,000 men and 29 guns. Decisive factors The victory of the Russian troops was due to the steadfastness of the soldiers, the initiative of Rumyantsev, who correctly determined the direction and moment of the counter-attack. Next year P.A. Rumyantsev was awarded the rank of lieutenant general and headed the division. In January 1758, the columns of Saltykov and Rumyantsev (30,000 people) went to new trip and occupied Königsberg, followed by the whole of East Prussia. In the summer, Rumyantsev’s cavalry covered the maneuvers of Russian troops in Prussia, and its actions were considered exemplary. Covering Fermor's retreat to Pomerania, 20 dismounted dragoon and horse-grenadier squadrons of Rumyantsev's detachment detained the 20,000-strong Prussian corps at Pass Krug for the whole day.

On August 1 (12), 1759, near Kunersdorf, a village east of Frankfurt an der Oder, the most major battle between the Prussian and Russian-Austrian armies in the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. The Russian-Austrian army (41,000 Russians, 18,500 Austrians, 248 guns) was commanded by Chief General P.S. Saltykov, Prussian (48,000 and 200 guns) - Prussian king Frederick II.

P.S. Saltykov

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On July 20, Saltykov’s army occupied Frankfurt-on-Oder, posing a threat to Berlin. On July 30-31, the army of Frederick II crossed the Oder north of Frankfurt with the goal of striking in the rear of the Allies and defeating them. Saltykov stationed his troops near Kunersdorf on the heights of Mühlberg, B. Spitz, Judenberg, separated by deep ravines. Approaches to the heights from the west and north were made difficult by swampy terrain and the Guner stream. The Russian infantry was located in two lines; in reserve (behind the right flank) there were cavalry and Austrian infantry. The main forces of Russian infantry and artillery were aimed at holding the central and right-flank heights; the position on the 4.5 km front was reinforced with trenches.

Battle of Kunersdorf

Prussian infantry and cavalry lined up in two lines. Frederick II decided to use an oblique attack to break the left flank of the Russian troops on the Mühlberg heights, and then capture the entire Allied position. On August 1, after a 3-hour artillery bombardment of Russian positions, the Prussian army went on the offensive and, having created numerical superiority in the direction of the main attack, captured the Mühlberg heights. Having brought up artillery, Frederick II directed the efforts of the troops to capture the height of B. Spitz, defended by the regiments of P.A. Rumyantseva. The Russian troops of the center, reinforced by units of the right flank and reserves, drove back the Prussian infantry with powerful counterattacks. Then Frederick II brought his best units into battle - the cavalry of General F. Seydlitz. Rumyantsev's troops repulsed the cavalry attacks with artillery and rifle fire and forced them to retreat with heavy losses, after which, under the leadership of Rumyantsev, they launched a counterattack with a bayonet attack, overturning the Prussian infantry, forcing them to flee the battlefield in panic.

cavalry attack by F. Seydlitz

In this battle, the Allies lost 15,000 people, and the army of Frederick II was completely defeated, losing 19,000 people, almost all the artillery and convoys. During his flight, Frederick II lost his cocked hat, which is now kept in the State Hermitage. Unicorns - new Russian howitzer-type guns designed by General P. Shuvalov, which fired explosive shells over the heads of their troops - proved to be brilliant.

howitzer P. Shuvalo va

The Battle of Kunersdorf brought forward P.A. Rumyantsev was among the best commanders of the Russian army, for whom he was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky.

The last major event of the Seven Years' War, in which P.A. participated. Rumyantsev - the siege and capture of Kolberg. On August 13 (24), 1761, General Rumyantsev's corps, consisting of 24 infantry battalions, 2 dragoon and 2 hussar regiments, as well as thousands of Cossacks, about 15,000 people in total, took a position south of Kolberg. The garrison of the fortress had by that time been strengthened to 3,000 people, in addition, the 8,000-strong corps of the Duke of Württemberg was camped under the cannons of the fortress. In addition to the existing defensive structures, the fortress was surrounded by a retrenchment stretching for more than 20 miles. On August 27 (September 7) a squadron arrived at Kolberg Baltic Fleet consisting of 19 battleships, 2 frigates and 3 bombardment ships, large quantity transport ships under the command of Vice Admiral A.I. Polyanovsky, which delivered 7,000 reinforcements, received siege weapons on August 31.

The first serious clash with the enemy occurred in early September: the Duke of Württemberg sent cavalry, useless during a siege, with a small detachment of infantry on a raid behind the Russian rear; on the way back, the Prussian cavalry, returning to the fortress with the transport of fodder and food, was intercepted by a detachment of Colonel Bibikov, completely defeated. Bibikov was given, in addition to the trucks with supplies, 800 prisoners led by General Varneri,commander of the Prussian detachment.

siege of Kolberg

On September 7 (18), Rumyantsev stormed two separate fortifications in front of the retranchement; One of which, on the seashore, was captured; the second, which changed hands several times, remained with the Prussians. The fight was extremely fierce on both sides. Major General Eropkin (later commander-in-chief in Moscow) was seriously ill at that time. Not having the strength to stay on a horse, he ordered himself to be tied to it and so participated in the battle until the end.

The remnants of the cavalry of the Prince of Württemberg, defeated by Bibikov, united with the corps of the Prussian general Platen, who had approached from Posen. Platen took a position southwest of Kolberg. Unable, due to the fact that his corps was so stretched, to allocate sufficient forces against Platen, Rumyantsev limited himself to sending detachments to disrupt communications between Kolberg and Stettin, where significant Prussian reserves were located. With the assistance of General Fermor, sent by Buturlin from the main army, it was possible to completely cut off communications between Kolberg and Stettin, making it impossible to supply provisions, ammunition and reinforcements to the defenders of the fortress. The Prussian general Knobloch, who had left Fermor for Treptau, whose task was to cover communications with Stettin, was besieged there by a detachment sent for this purpose by Rumyantsev. After a short siege of Treptau, the Prussian detachment capitulated on October 14. General Knobloch was captured by the Russians. Hunger and lack of ammunition forced the Prince of Württemberg to abandon the defenders of the fortress. On October 31, the prince's corps, having left the camp near the walls of the fortress, tried to go behind the Russian troops. This attempt was stopped by Rumyantsev, who divided his troops into two corps; siege and observant. The latter inflicted defeat on November 1st against the troops of the Duke of Württemberg. This victory finally sealed Kohlberg's fate. The garrison defended for some more time, but on December 5 it was forced to capitulate. The winners received 173 guns, 20 banners, and 3,000 garrison soldiers were captured. During the siege of Kolberg P.A. For the first time in the history of Russian military art, Rumyantsev used a new tactical system“column - loose formation.” The Seven Years' War had a huge impact on the future fate of P.A. Rumyantsev, predetermining his further career growth. After her, they started talking about Rumyantsev as a commander of the European level. Here he showed himself to be a talented military leader, here he put into practice his ideas on the development of tactics and command and control, which would form the basis of his works on the art of war and his further victories.

Emperor Peter III, who ascended the Russian throne after the death of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, awarded Rumyantsev the Orders of St. Anne and St. Andrew the First-Called and awarded him the rank of General-in-Chief. When Empress Catherine II ascended the throne, P.A. Rumyantsev, assuming that his career was over, submitted his resignation. Catherine left him in the service, and in 1764, after dismissal from the post of Hetman Razumovsky, she appointed him governor-general of Little Russia, giving him extensive instructions, according to which he was supposed to promote a close connection between Little Russia and Russia.

CatherineII

In 1765, having arrived in Little Russia and, having traveled around it, he proposed to the Little Russian Collegium to produce a “general inventory” of Little Russia. This is how the famous Rumyantsev inventory arose, according to which a population census was carried out in order to study the country’s economy and increase tax revenues. Pursuing the policy of tsarism, Rumyantsev eliminated the remnants of the autonomous structure, divided it into provinces (1772), established a poll tax, which actually meant the enslavement of the peasantry, and extended the Charter of Grant to the nobility to Ukraine. At the same time, Rumyantsev reorganized the defense of the southern borders of the state from raids Crimean Tatars, improved the quartering of troops, their training and supplies.

During the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774 P.A. Rumyantsev was appointed (November 7, 1768) commander of the 2nd Army, and in August 1769 - commander of the 1st Army operating against the main forces of the Turks.

In the summer campaign of 1770, Russian troops under the leadership of Rumyantsev defeated numerically superior Turkish-Tatar troops at Ryaba Mogila, Larga and Kagul in one month.

The battle at the Ryabaya Grave, a mound on the western bank of the river. Prut, near the mouth of the river. Kalmatsuy (Limatsuy) occurred on June 17 (28), 1770. The Russian army under the command of General P.A. Rumyantsev (39,000 people, 115 guns) concentrated on the eastern bank of the river on June 11. Prut in front of the fortified positions of the Turkish-Tatar troops, led by the Crimean Khan Kaplan-Girey (22,000 Turks, 50,000 Tatars, 44 guns). Despite the enemy's numerical superiority, Rumyantsev decided to take fortified positions with a surprise attack. To do this, he divided the army into four detachments. Detachments of Rumyantsev (main forces) and F.V. Boura were intended for frontal attacks, the other two detachments - General G.A. Potemkin and N.V. Repnin (with the cavalry of General I.P. Saltykov) to attack the flank and rear. On June 17, at dawn, having secretly completed a march-maneuver, Russian troops began their offensive. The active actions of Bour's detachments and the main forces of Rumyantsev diverted the enemy's attention, allowing the detachments of Potemkin and Repnin to reach the flank and rear of the fortified positions and created the threat of complete encirclement. Having struck from the front, flank and rear, the Russian army turned the Turkish-Tatar army into a disorderly flight. The Russian cavalry pursued the enemy for 20 km. The brilliant victory of the Russian army at the Ryabaya Grave created the preconditions for the complete defeat of the Turkish army in subsequent battles on the Larga and Cahul rivers.

battle on the Larga river

On July 7 (18), 1770, a battle took place between the 1st Russian Army(38,000 people and 115 guns) under the command of General-Chief P.A. Rumyantsev and the troops of the Crimean Khan Kaplan-Girey (65,000 Tatar cavalry and 15,000 Turkish infantry). After the defeat of the Turks at the Ryaba Grave, the Russian army continued its offensive to the south with the goal of finally defeating the Turkish army and capturing the lower reaches of the Danube. On July 3, reconnaissance established the concentration of large forces of Turks and Tatars across the river. Larga, as well as the approach of significant forces from the south. P.A. Rumyantsev decided to defeat the enemy before reinforcements arrived, delivering the main blow between the river. Larga and R. Babikul. Leaving part of the forces against the enemy front (the corps of P.G. Plemyannikov), he secretly concentrated the main forces at night (the corps of F.V. Bour, N.V. Repnin, followed by a reserve - 11,000 infantry and 8,000 cavalry, about 30,000 people in total) against the enemy's right flank and at dawn suddenly attacked the Turkish fortifications, forming troops in several squares and placing artillery in the gaps. The battle lasted from 4 a.m. to noon - more than 8 hours. The enemy retreated south in disarray, losing over 1,000 people killed, 2,000 prisoners, all the artillery (33 guns) and most of the convoy. In the Battle of Larga, dismembered battle formations were successfully used - divisional and regimental squares with artillery attached to them, each of which acted independently.

Russian army P.A. Rumyantseva

Battle of the river Cahul, the left tributary of the Danube, occurred on July 21 (August 1) between the 1st Army of P.A. Rumyantsev and the main forces of the Turkish army of the Grand Vizier Khalil Pasha. The Turkish army (50,000 infantry, 100,000 cavalry, 130-180 guns, in addition, up to 80,000 Crimean Tatars) settled in a fortified camp east of the village of Vulcanesti, preparing to strike the 1st Russian Army from the front.

The troops of the Turks' ally, the Crimean Khan, who was in the lake area. Yalpug, the task was to attack the Russian army from the rear.

Despite the numerical superiority of the enemy P.A. Rumyantsev decided to forestall him and give battle. Rumyantsev's plan was to cover himself from the rear with a detachment of 11,000 from the Tatars and defeat the army of Khalil Pasha with concentric attacks of the main forces (27,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry, 118 guns). On the night of July 21, the Russians set out in five groups from the Grecheni (Grisesti) camp. The battle groups formed into divisional squares. The cavalry was located between the squares and behind them. Each square received a combat mission and an independent direction for action.

P.A. Rumyantsev in the Battle of Kagul

The attack on the enemy’s left flank was carried out by F.V. Bauer (Bowra) and P.G. Plemyannikov, from the front - P.I. Olitsa. In total, two-thirds of the enemy's forces were concentrated against the enemy's left flank. Heavy cavalry (35,000 sabers, under the command of P.S. Saltykov and V.V. Dolgorukov) and artillery (the brigade of P.I. Melissino) were in reserve. Such a dismembered battle formation of the Russian army ensured the fulfillment of Rumyantsev’s plan and the repulsion of counter-attacks by thousands of Turkish cavalry. During the advance, Russian troops (from 6 to 8 a.m.) were attacked by Turkish cavalry. Having successfully repelled enemy attacks and eliminated the breakthrough of enemy cavalry to the rear of A.Ya. Bruce, Russian troops approached the Turkish camp. During the attack of Plemyannikov's square of 10,000, a detachment of Janissaries counterattacked the Russians, broke into the square and upset it. Rumyantsev brought Melissimo's artillery into the battle, and from the reserve of the Olitsa division the 1st Grenadier Regiment. The artillery met the attacking Turks with grapeshot. With the attack of the 1st Grenadier Regiment, the reserve cavalry, and then the recovered square of Plemyannikov, the counterattack of the Janissaries was repelled and the enemy was thrown back to their original position. This was followed by a general attack by the Russians on the enemy’s fortified camp. At about 10 o'clock the Turks, unable to withstand the onslaught, fled in panic. The Crimean Tatar troops did not dare to attack and retreated to Akkerman. Bauer pursued the retreating army of Halil Pasha. On July 23, Russian troops overtook her at Kartal while crossing the Danube. Here they inflicted a new defeat on the Turkish army. The Turkish losses in killed and captured amounted to 20,000 people and 130 guns, the Russians lost about 1,500 people. The victory at Kagul testified to the high skill of P.A. Rumyantsev, who applied his main principle - crushing the enemy’s manpower in a field battle.

In March 1774, Russian troops, having crossed the Danube, inflicted a final defeat on the Turkish army and forced Turkey to conclude the Kyuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace Treaty of 1774, which was beneficial for Russia, which secured Russia’s access to the Black Sea.

For his victories, Rumyantsev was awarded the rank of Field Marshal and the title of Count with the honorary title “Transdanubian”. After the war, Rumyantsev held the previous post of Governor-General of Little Russia and at the same time the post of chief of the Russian heavy cavalry. Since the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791, P.A. Rumyantsev took command of the Ukrainian army. Due to the personal hostility of Empress Catherine II towards him, as well as intrigues on the part of G.A. Potemkin Rumyantsev was recalled in 1789 to St. Petersburg.

G.A. Potemkin

In 1794 he was commander-in-chief of the Russian troops operating in Poland. P.A. Rumyantsev attached great importance to the military education of soldiers and always took care of their food, uniforms, and equipment. He improved the organization of the Russian army and increased its mobility. The new forms of warfare and combat used by Rumyantsev had a great influence on the development of Russian military art of the 18th century and on the formation of the views and art of generalship of A.V. Suvorov, who highly valued Rumyantsev and considered himself his student.

Russian commander. Field Marshal General.

Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev was born in Moscow. He received a good education at home and his first military experience under the leadership of his father, General A.I. Rumyantsev - an associate of Peter I the Great and an active participant in the Northern War against Sweden. According to the tradition of that time, the son of an eminent father was enrolled in the guard at the age of six and promoted to officer in 1740.

During the Russian-Swedish War of 1741-1743, he was in the ranks of the Russian army under his father. The position of a parent provided Peter with a decent career. At the age of 18, Pyotr Rumyantsev, with the rank of colonel, was appointed commander of the Voronezh infantry regiment, and soon his regiment was among the best.

In 1748, he took part in the campaign of Russian troops on the Rhine, but participated on the side of Austria in hostilities against French army they didn't have to. This campaign greatly contributed to the end of the War of the Austrian Succession of 1740-1748.

The Seven Years' War of 1756-1763, in which half of Europe took part, became a real combat school for Rumyantsev. He quickly rose to command positions in the active army, first successfully commanding an infantry brigade and then a division.

August 19, 1757 on the territory of East Prussia near modern Russian city Chernyakhovsk Russian 55,000-strong army of Field Marshal S.F. Apraksina, with 79 guns, crossed the Prussian border and moved towards the city of Konigsberg. However, the path to it was blocked by the troops of Field Marshal Lewald (24 thousand people with 64 guns). The Russian commander-in-chief decided to bypass the enemy’s position and, having crossed the Pregel River, settled down to rest.

Having learned about this from his intelligence, Field Marshal Lewald also crossed to the opposite bank of the river and unexpectedly attacked the Russian troops, who were lining up to continue the march to Allenburg. The main blow fell on the 2nd division of General Lopukhin, which had just begun moving in marching formation. In the first minutes of the Prussian attack, the Narva and 2nd Grenadier regiments lost up to half of their strength. The Russian infantry deployed into battle formation and repelled all enemy attacks in the center, but the right flank of the Lopukhin division remained open.
In such a critical situation, the commander of the infantry brigade of the 1st division, General Rumyantsev, took the initiative and led the brigade into battle. The Rumyantsev regiments, having managed to quickly make their way through the swampy forest, unexpectedly struck the flank of the attacking Prussian infantry. This blow, supported by the entire Russian army, tipped the scales in its favor. Field Marshal Lewald's troops, having lost about 5 thousand people and 29 guns, retreated in disarray to Velau, their rear base. The Russians, who lost 5.4 thousand people due to the fault of the commander-in-chief, pursued them sluggishly.

After the victory, Apraksin, unexpectedly for everyone, withdrew the Russian army from East Prussia, for which he was removed from office and accused of high treason.

On August 1, 1759, the second major battle of the Seven Years' War took place near the village of Kunersdorf east of the city of Frankfurt an der Oder. Then the royal army of Prussia under the command of Frederick II and the Russian army under the command of Chief General P.S. met on the battlefield. Saltykov with the allied Austrian corps.

In this battle, Rumyantsev commanded the troops defending the heights of Gross Spitzberg; With rifle salvoes at point-blank range, artillery fire and blows, they repulsed all attacks of the Prussian infantry and cavalry. Frederick II's attempts to capture Gross Spitzberg ultimately resulted in the complete defeat of the Prussian army.

After this victory, Lieutenant General P.A. Rumyantsev received a separate corps under his command, with which in 1761 he besieged the powerful Prussian fortress of Kolberg (now the Polish city of Kolobrzeg) on the shores of the Baltic Sea. During the Seven Years' War, Russian troops unsuccessfully besieged this seaside fortress twice. For the third time, Kolberg was blocked from land by the 22,000-strong (with 70 guns) Rumyantsev corps from land, and from the sea by the Baltic squadron of Vice Admiral A.I. Polyansky. A detachment of the allied Swedish fleet also took part in the naval blockade.

The garrison of the Kolberg fortress numbered 4 thousand people with 140 guns. The approaches to the fortress were covered by a well-fortified field camp, located on an advantageous hill between the river and the swamp. The defense in the camp was held by the 12,000-strong corps of the Prince of Württemberg. The routes of communication between Kolberg and the Prussian capital Berlin were covered by royal troops (individual detachments) numbering 15-20 thousand people.

P.A. Rumyantsev, before laying siege to the enemy fortress, trained his troops to attack in columns, and light infantry (future rangers) to operate in loose formation on very rough terrain, and only after that he headed to the Kolberg fortress.

With the support of naval artillery and a landing of sailors, Rumyantsev's corps captured the advanced field fortifications of the Prussians and in early September came close to the camp of the Prince of Württemberg. He, unable to withstand the shelling of Russian artillery and seeing the enemy’s readiness to storm his camp, secretly withdrew his troops from the fortress on the night of November 4.

The Russians occupied the enemy camp fortifications and besieged the fortress from all sides, starting to bombard it from land and sea. The Prince of Württemberg, together with other royal military leaders, tried more than once to help the besieged, but was unsuccessful. Cossack patrols informed Rumyantsev in time about the approach of the Prussians, and they were always met fully armed. On December 5, the Kolberg garrison, unable to withstand the siege, capitulated to the Russians. For Prussia, the surrender of this fortress was a huge loss.

During the Seven Years' War, General Rumyantsev became one of the best commanders of Empress Catherine II.

In 1764-1796 P.A. Rumyantsev was president of the Little Russian Collegium, without leaving military service. At the same time, he was also the Governor-General of Little Russia, to whom the troops stationed there were subordinate.

The name of Rumyantsev is associated with the legal establishment of serfdom in Ukraine in 1783. Before this, Ukrainian peasants were formally personally free people. Count Rumyantsev himself was one of the largest feudal landowners in the Russian Empire. Empress Catherine II gifted her favorites, those close to her, and victorious military leaders with many thousands of serf souls, estates, and villages.

As the head of Little Russia, Rumyantsev did a lot to prepare the troops entrusted to him for the war with Turkey. Empress Catherine II decided to recapture the Northern Black Sea region from the Ottoman Porte in order to provide Russia with access to the Black Sea and at the same time put an end to the raids of the Krymchaks, who had been disturbing the border territories of the Russian state for several centuries.

At the beginning of the first Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774, the Little Russian governor-general became the commander of the 2nd Russian army in the field. In 1769, he led expeditionary forces sent to capture the Turkish fortress of Azov. In August of the same year he was appointed commander of the 1st Russian Army. At its head he achieved his main victories - in the battles of Ryaba Mogila, Larga and Kagul. In all three battles, Rumyantsev, choosing offensive tactics, demonstrated the ability to maneuver troops and achieve complete victory over superior enemy forces.

The Pockmarked Grave is a mound on the right bank of the Prut River near the mouth of the Kalmatsui (Limatsui) River. Not far from this mound, on June 17, 1770, the Russian army attacked complete defeat Turkish troops and the cavalry army of the Crimean Khan. 1st Army General-in-Chief P.A. Rumyantsev numbered about 39 thousand people with 115 guns. On the 11th, she concentrated on the eastern bank of the Prut in front of the enemy’s field fortified positions. Opposed to the Russians were 22 thousand Turks and 50 thousand mounted Crimean Tatars with 44 guns. These forces were commanded by the Crimean Khan Kaplan-Girey.

Despite the enemy's numerical superiority, Rumyantsev decided to capture his fortifications with a surprise attack. To do this, he divided his army into four detachments. The main forces, commanded by Rumyantsev himself, and the detachment of General F.V. The bowra were intended to attack from the front. Two other detachments - General G.A. Potemkin and Prince N.V. Repnin (together with the cavalry of General I.P. Saltykov) was to strike at the flank and rear.
The Russians went on the offensive at dawn. The main forces, with their frontal attack, diverted the attention of Khan Kaplan-Girey from their flanks. The detachments of Potemkin (who crossed the Prut south of the enemy camp) and Repnin immediately created a threat of encirclement for the Sultan’s army, and they fled. The Russian cavalry pursued those who fled for 20 kilometers.

After the victory at Ryaboya Mogila, the Rumyantsev army moved south. The second battle took place on July 7 on the banks of the Larga River, which flowed into the Prut. Here General-in-Chief Rumyantsev was again confronted by Khan Kaplan-Girey, the ruler Crimean Khanate. This time he had under his banners 65 thousand Crimean cavalry, 15 thousand Turkish infantry with 33 guns.

The enemy fortified himself in a camp near the mouth of the Larga on its opposite bank, awaiting the approach of the Russian army. Rumyantsev’s plan was as follows. Divisions of Lieutenant General P.G. Plemyannikov (about 6 thousand people with 25 guns) was to pin down the enemy with an attack from the front. The main army forces were supposed to deliver a powerful blow to the enemy’s right flank.

At night, the Russian troops, leaving fires in the camp, crossed Larga and formed divisional squares in front of it with artillery and cavalry between them. Each of the three divisional squares acted independently in the battle. A strong reserve was created just in case. The battle began at 4 o'clock in the morning. Under the cover of fire from 7 batteries, the main forces of the Rumyantsev army began a flanking maneuver.

Khan Kaplan-Girey in vain sent his huge cavalry against the advancing squares. She struck either at the flank or at the rear of the Russian square, but each time she retreated with heavy losses for the Krymchaks. It was especially difficult for General Repnin’s division, which was advancing on the left flank of the main forces. She sometimes found herself completely surrounded by enemy light cavalry.

In the end, fired by longitudinal fire from Major Vnukov’s battery advanced forward and attacked by the cavalry of Lieutenant General Saltykov and the infantry brigade of Major General A.V. Rimsky-Korsakov, the Crimean cavalry retreated to their fortified camp. At this time, Plemyannikov’s battalions decisively attacked it and, during the first bayonet attack, broke into the camp. The Turkish infantry, not accepting hand-to-hand combat, was the first to flee. The Crimean cavalry also ran after her.

By 12 noon, the battle on the banks of the Larga River ended with the complete victory of Russian weapons. Only a hasty retreat allowed the Turks and the Crimean cavalry to avoid heavy losses. Their losses amounted to over a thousand people killed and up to 2 thousand captured. The trophies of the winners were all the enemy artillery, 8 banners and a huge convoy. The losses of the Russian troops amounted to only 90 people, so noticeable was their superiority in the ability to professionally fight over the Turkish infantry and Crimean cavalry.

The troops of the Crimean Khan Kaplan-Girey, defeated in the battles of Ryabaya Mogila and on the Larga River, turned out to be only the vanguard of the Turkish army under the command of the Grand Vizier Khalil Pasha. It was just crossing the full-flowing Danube and concentrated in the southern part of Bessarabia.

The Turks awaited the enemy's approach in a well-fortified field camp east of the village of Vulcanesti (now the Republic of Moldova). Khalil Pasha's army consisted of up to 50 thousand infantry, mainly Janissaries, 100 thousand cavalry and 130-180 guns. The nearly 80,000-strong cavalry of the Crimean Khan stayed not far from the Turkish camp near Lake Yalpug, ready to strike Rumyantsev’s army in the rear and capture his convoys.

The Russian commander knew about the numerical superiority of Halil Pasha's army, but decided to be the first to attack his fortified field camp. Having covered himself with an 11,000-strong detachment from the rear from the Crimean cavalry, Rumyantsev led the main forces of his army on the offensive: 21,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry and 118 guns.

On the night of July 21, Russian troops set out in five columns from a camp camp near the village of Grechani (Grisesti). Having crossed the Trajan Wall, they again formed into divisional squares. The cavalry positioned itself between them and behind the square. Two-thirds of the forces were dispatched to attack the enemy’s left flank. Heavy cavalry and artillery brigade of General P.I. Melissino made up the army reserve.

From 6 to 8 o'clock in the morning, Russian troops moved to their starting positions to storm the camp of the Grand Vizier. During this time, thousands of Turkish cavalry repeatedly attacked squares slowly moving across the steppe. Approaching the enemy fortifications, the Russians launched an attack. During the attack of the square of Lieutenant General Plemyannikov, a 10,000-strong detachment of Janissaries successfully counterattacked and managed to break into the square and disrupt its ranks. Then Rumyantsev brought into action Melissino’s artillery, and from the reserve of General Olits’ division, the 1st Grenadier Regiment, which immediately launched a bayonet attack on the Janissary infantry. The reserve cavalry was also sent to help.

Plemyannikov's square, having recovered from the blow of the Janissaries, moved forward again. The Janissaries had to retreat behind the fortifications of the camp. Soon a general assault on the Turkish camp began. The Janissaries were driven out of their trenches. At about 10 o'clock in the morning, the Turkish army, unable to withstand the onslaught of the Russians and the fury of hand-to-hand combat, fled in panic. The Grand Vizier Khalil Pasha lost the ability to control his troops and also hurried to the saving banks of the Danube, where the powerful Turkish fortress of Izmail stood. The Crimean Khan and his cavalry did not dare to get involved in the battle and moved away from Cahul to Akkerman (now Belgorod-Dnestrovsky).

Rumyantsev sent part of his troops to pursue the Turks. Two days later, on July 23, the Russians overtook them at the Danube crossings near Kartal and inflicted another defeat on them. The Supreme Vizier again found himself powerless - his soldiers refused to obey him, thinking only about how to get to the right bank of the Danube.

This time the enemy losses were huge: about 20 thousand people were killed and captured. The Turks threw 130 guns onto the battlefield, taking with them only a small number of light guns. The losses of the winners amounted to about 1.5 thousand people. The trophies of the Russians again became the convoy of the Sultan's army and its camp with many thousands of tents and huts.
Empress Catherine II generously rewarded Russian military leaders and officers for the Cahul victory. Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev was awarded the Order of St. George, 1st degree. He became the second person in Russian history to receive such a high award. The first was the empress herself, who with her own sovereign hand placed on herself the insignia of the 1st degree.

Advancing along the Prut River, the Russian army reached the banks of the Danube and occupied the left bank of its lower reaches. To force Turkey to admit that it was defeated in the war, Rumyantsev, now a field marshal general, led his troops to the Shumlu fortress. The Russians, having crossed the Danube, found themselves on Bulgarian soil.

This forced the Ottoman Empire to conclude the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace Treaty with Russia, which secured Russia’s status as a Black Sea power. To commemorate the victories won, the Russian commander in 1775, by decree of the empress, began to be called Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky.

At the end of the war, Pyotr Alexandrovich was entrusted with command of the heavy cavalry of the Russian army.

At the beginning of the new Russian-Turkish War (1787-1791), Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky was appointed commander of the 2nd Russian Army. However, due to a conflict with the Empress's favorite Grigory Potemkin, Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky was soon removed from command of the army and in 1789 recalled from the theater of military operations to perform governor-general duties in Little Russia.

P.A. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky made a great contribution to the development of Russian military art. He perfectly organized the process of training the regular army and applied new, more progressive forms of combat. He was an adherent of offensive strategy and tactics, which were later improved by another great Russian commander - A.V. Suvorov.

For the first time in the history of military art, Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky used divisional squares in combination with a loose formation of riflemen, which meant a departure from linear tactics.

The Russian commander wrote several military theoretical works. His “Instructions”, “Rite of Service” and “Thoughts” were reflected in the military regulations of the Russian army and influenced its organization in the second half of the 18th century.