Miloradovich

Mikhail Andreevich

Battles and victories

Russian infantry general (1809), participant in Suvorov's campaigns, the war of 1812, military governor of St. Petersburg, a man of great personal courage, holder of many Russian and European orders.

Combat General Miloradovich forever remained an example of selfless service to Russia, and his unexpected death at the hands of the Decembrists became a bitter reproach to the Russians for internal strife.

Mikhail Andreevich came from a Serbian family who moved to Russia under Peter I. His father was a participant in the Russian-Turkish wars of the Catherine era, and with the rank of lieutenant general became governor of Little Russia. The future hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, his son Mikhail was educated at home, and also took some courses at European universities and military schools. Even as a child, Miloradovich was enrolled in the Life Guards of the Izmailovsky Regiment, in its ranks he participated in the Russian-Swedish war of 1788-1790, and in 1796 he received the rank of captain. A fit, dashing and executive officer under Paul I quickly advanced and already in 1798 became a major general and commander of the Apsheron Musketeer Regiment.

In courage, Miloradovich was not inferior to any of the famous commanders, but in luck he had no equal. “The bullets knocked the sultan off his hat, wounded and beat the horses under him,” wrote adjutant F. Glinka, “he was not embarrassed; changed his horse, lit his pipe, straightened his crosses and wrapped an amaranth shawl around his neck, the ends of which fluttered picturesquely in the air.

Participation in the Italian and Swiss campaigns in 1799 played a significant role in the development of Miloradovich as a military commander. He always went on the attack ahead of his regiment, and more than once his example turned out to be decisive for the outcome of the battle. On the battlefield, Miloradovich showed extraordinary resourcefulness, speed and courage - the distinctive features of his talents, which developed even more strongly in the school of the Russian commander Suvorov. Suvorov fell in love with Miloradovich and appointed him a general on duty, in other words, he made him a person close to himself, and did not miss the opportunity to give him the opportunity to distinguish himself.

Always dapper and exquisitely dressed, under bullets Miloradovich could calmly light his pipe, straighten his ammunition and joke. Surrendering to the music of battle, he succeeded everywhere, excited the troops personal example; he was the first to mount a horse and dismount last, when everyone was arranged for rest.

A characteristic of his fearlessness and courage can serve as an episode of the campaign through St. Gotthard. When descending from a steep mountain into a valley occupied by the French, Miloradovich's soldiers suddenly hesitated. Noticing this, Mikhail Andreevich exclaimed:

“Look how your general will be taken prisoner!” and rolled on his back off the cliff. The soldiers, who loved their commander, unanimously followed him.

For campaigns in 1799, he was awarded the Order of St. Anne 1st degree, St. Alexander Nevsky and the Order of Malta.

In 1805, during the Russian-Austrian-French war, commanding a brigade in the army of M. Kutuzov, he distinguished himself in battles near Amstetten and near Krems. In the latter, he was entrusted with a frontal attack on an enemy position. For courage and valor in the battle, which lasted all day, he was awarded the Order of St. George 3rd degree and the rank of lieutenant general.

In 1806, with the beginning of the Russian-Turkish war, Miloradovich at the head of the corps crossed the Dniester and, having occupied Bucharest, saved Wallachia from ruin. Continuing to act as part of the Moldavian army, he earned the fame of a fearless and wise commander, was awarded a golden sword with the inscription: "For courage and the salvation of Bucharest." In 1809, having shown the best features of military leadership talent, he won the battle of Rassevat and was promoted to general of infantry, becoming a full general at the age of 38. After that, due to disagreements with the commander-in-chief of the Moldavian army, Prince Bagration, he was transferred to Wallachia as the commander of the reserve corps.

In 1810, Miloradovich retired and for some time was the Kyiv governor-general. His tenure in this post was marked by unprecedented comfortable conditions service officials. The magnificent balls that he gave at the Mariinsky Palace, and to which the audience often appeared in national costumes, still remain an urban legend. The atmosphere of benevolence and tolerance created for the entire Kyiv society allowed it to successfully overcome a serious crisis: in the summer of 1811, a devastating fire destroyed almost the entire lower city. The main part of the buildings was wooden, so the number of victims and the scale of destruction caused by the natural disaster was enormous. Miloradovich was personally present at extinguishing fires, often returning home in a hat with a burnt plume.

The enormous amount of damage, the population left without a roof over their heads and livelihoods - all this fell on the shoulders of the mayor Miloradovich. He was forced to turn to the Kyiv nobility for help. The latter willingly responded to the appeal of the Governor-General. Thanks to initiative and a sense of duty, Miloradovich managed, in the end, to establish a normal life in Kyiv.

In July 1812, Miloradovich received a letter from Alexander I, in which he was instructed to mobilize the regiments of the Left Bank, Sloboda Ukraine and southern Russia to place them between Kaluga, Volokolamsk and Moscow. On August 18, 1812, M. A. Miloradovich with 15,000 reinforcements was already in the Gzhatsk region, where he joined the ranks of the army fighting Napoleon.

Commander-in-Chief Kutuzov was pleased with this circumstance and praised the general:

You walk faster than angels fly.

In the battle of Borodino, he commanded the right wing of the 1st army of Barclay de Tolly, successfully repelling all the attacks of the French. Then he led the rearguard and managed, in front of Murat (who led the vanguard of the French troops), to organize the unhindered advance of the Russian army through Moscow. In negotiations with the French marshal, he clearly stated: "Otherwise, I will fight for every house and street and leave you Moscow in ruins."

During the transition of Russian troops to the old Kaluga road, Miloradovich's rearguard, with his energetic attacks on the enemy, unexpected and ingenious movements, ensured the covert conduct of this strategic maneuver. In hot battles and skirmishes, he more than once forced the French units rushing forward to retreat.

His adjutant Fyodor Glinka left the following portrait of M.A. Miloradovich in those battles:

“Dressed smartly, in a brilliant general's uniform; there are crosses on the neck (and how many crosses!), on the chest of a star, on a sword a large diamond burns ... Medium height, shoulder width, chest high, hilly, facial features that reveal Serbian origin ... He seemed to be dressed for a big feast! ... The French called him the Russian Bayard; we, for daring, a little dapper, were compared with the French Murat. And he was not inferior in courage to both.

When, near Maloyaroslavets, the corps of Dokhturov and Raevsky blocked the path of the French army to Kaluga, Miloradovich from Tarutino made such a swift march to their aid that Kutuzov called him "winged" and instructed the general to directly pursue the enemy. In the battle of Vyazma (October 28), Miloradovich's vanguard, supported by Platov's Cossack detachment, defeated four French corps and occupied the city. Miloradovich attacked the French without the permission of the field marshal. Instead of a disposition, Kutuzov was sent a blank sheet of paper in an envelope. On the shoulders of the French, he captured Dorogobuzh, and then distinguished himself in the battle of Krasnoe, forcing the French troops to turn along the country roads to the Dnieper.

The prisoners shouted to him:

Long live the brave General Miloradovich!

In Vilno, Alexander I personally presented the brave general with diamond signs for the Order of St. George, 2nd degree. On behalf of the tsar, Miloradovich was sent to occupy the Duchy of Warsaw, where he managed to almost bloodlessly oust the Austrians and captured Warsaw. The Patriotic War of 1812 made the name of Miloradovich unusually popular and famous.

Mikhail Andreevich confirmed the military glory of the Russian general in the foreign campaigns of the Russian army in 1813-1814. Holding back the attacks of the enemy, he rebuilt the troops with lightning speed and counterattacked. His actions delighted Alexander I himself, who watched the battle of Bautzen. Under the command of Barclay de Tolly, he successfully acted in the battle of Kulm. During the Leipzig "Battle of the Nations", he was entrusted with commanding the Russian guard. The successful actions of the commander impressed the emperor so much that Miloradovich was promoted to the dignity of a count, choosing the words “My directness supports me” as a motto, and subsequently commanded not only the Russians, but also the Prussian guards and grenadier corps.

In addition, Alexander I allowed him to wear a soldier's St. George award – silver cross on the George Ribbon by saying:

Wear it, you are a friend of the soldiers.

After returning to Russia, Count Miloradovich headed the color of the army - the guards, and in 1818 he was appointed to the post of Governor-General of St. Petersburg. Knowing for himself only one worthy occupation - war, he did not have satisfaction from the position of mayor. But during various kinds of incidents, especially during the days of floods, the general was invariably seen as managerial, courageous and energetic. Mikhail Andreevich remained true to his convictions and an atmosphere of benevolence, justice and humanity reigned in all his deeds and undertakings. Open and benevolent, he repeatedly wrote to the emperor: “I earnestly ask your Majesty not to reward me ... For me, it’s better to beg ribbons for others than to receive them sitting by the fireplace.”

Mikhail Andreevich, trying to avoid bloodshed, refused to lead a horse guard regiment against the rebels during the Decembrist revolt, instead he personally rode on Senate Square, where, having risen in the stirrups and taking out a golden blade, he turned to the soldiers:

"Tell me, which of you was with me near Kulm, Lützen, Bautzen?" It became quiet in the square. “Thank God,” exclaimed Miloradovich, “there is not a single Russian soldier here!”

The confusion that arose on the square was interrupted by a single shot by Kakhovsky, who put an end to the life of this valiant and just man.

Miloradovich spent half his life in heated battles and fights, risked often and in large quantities, but remained alive. And death in peacetime at the hands of a compatriot became a reproach and a lesson for Russia. The only thing that consoled Mikhail Andreevich before his death was that the bullet extracted from his body was not a rifle, and therefore not a soldier's. Before his death, he dictated his last will. Among other things, it read: “I ask the Sovereign Emperor, if possible, to release all my people and peasants.”

The minion of fate, he went through all the battles without a single scratch, although more than once he personally led bayonet attacks and influenced his soldiers by personal example.

There are memories of his behavior in the battle of Basignano in 1799, when the general drove around under the bullets and grapeshot of the enemy:

He himself was threatened with death when a French archer aimed at him three paces from behind a bush and an enemy officer, galloping up, waved his saber to cut his head, but Providence showed him clear protection that day. Three horses are killed under him, the fourth is wounded. In this battle, seeing the general confusion of the troops, he grabbed the banner and, shouting: “Soldiers! Watch how your general dies!” jumped ahead...

He lived in the war, and missed the war. He had a rare gift to speak with the soldiers and, not sparing himself, shared with them all the hardships of wartime. The soldiers loved him very much - for his boundless courage and kind attitude towards his subordinates. He was not a strategist, but he was an excellent tactician. Faith in their soldiers, in success and personal heroism often broke the outcome of a seemingly predetermined battle.

Mikhail Andreevich had an open, cheerful face, a sincere, direct character. Away from the army, the dapper Miloradovich was known as the first dancer, led an extremely wasteful life and was famous for his love for women, although he died a convinced bachelor. “I don’t understand what interest it is to live without debts,” the general joked. After his death, the sold estate was barely enough to cover the debts.

Surzhik D.V., IVI RAS

Literature

Shikman A.P. Figures national history. Biographical guide. M., 1997

Kovalevsky N.F. History of Russian Goverment. Biographies of famous military leaders of the 18th - early 20th centuries. M., 1997

Zalessky K.A. Napoleonic Wars 1799-1815. Biographical encyclopedic Dictionary. M., 2003

Glinka V.M. M.A. Miloradovich. Pushkin and Military Gallery Winter Palace. L., 1988

Soviet military encyclopedia. T. 5. M., 1973

Bondarenko A. Miloradovich. M., 2008

Internet

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05.03.2012

Not so long ago, an idea was voiced that previously might have seemed completely inappropriate: to establish a monument or at least a memorial sign to one of the victims of the "rebels" - General M. A. Miloradovich, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, near the Senate Square, covered with the memory of the Decembrists.

It would seem that everything is known about the circumstances of his death on December 14, 1825 on Senatskaya: the military governor-general of St. Petersburg was mortally wounded by P. G. Kakhovsky, so that he would stop calling on the soldiers to leave the square. However, this event should be given a little attention, because not everything in it is so simple. Even the Decembrist D. I. Zavalishin in his memoirs stated: it is not known who killed Miloradovich - Kakhovsky or someone else.

The version is all the more daring because Zavalishin himself was not in St. Petersburg on the day of the uprising. According to him (perhaps from the words of Kakhovsky himself), several people shot at Miloradovich. True, Zavalishin did not name a single name in his memoirs. But the most important thing, according to him, is that all the shooters allegedly aimed ... at Miloradovich's horse. That is, according to this version, there was no intent to kill. Moreover, members of the secret society wanted to drive Miloradovich out of the square so that the soldiers would not kill him. And they were about to do it.

The Decembrists who participated in the uprising say directly that Kakhovsky shot at Miloradovich. Here are the words of A.E. Rosen: "The bullets of Kakhovsky and two more soldiers mortally wounded a brave warrior ...". And here is V. I. Shteingel: “Kakhovsky fired a fatal bullet at him from a pistol ...”. Testimony of I. D. Yakushkin: “Kakhovsky shot him (Miloradovich. - M. F.) with a pistol, the bullet hit him in the stomach.” There are other statements along the same lines. Yes, and Kakhovsky himself told N. R. Tsebrikov (after the announcement of the verdict) that he "had the misfortune to kill Miloradovich."

By the way, about Kakhovsky. Yakushkin reports interesting details about him in his memoirs: “The Smolensk landowner, having lost and ruined to smithereens, he came to St. Petersburg in the hope of marrying a rich bride; he did not succeed in this. Converging by chance with Ryleyev, he devoted himself unconditionally to him and the Society. Ryleev and other comrades supported him in St. Petersburg at their own expense...

However, the wound inflicted on Miloradovich that day on Senate Square was not the only one. The second wound was inflicted on him with a bayonet. It is no coincidence that Miloradovich's tombstone in the Annunciation tomb of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra (he was transferred here in 1937 from the Holy Spirit Church) reads: “Here lies the ashes of the general from the infantry of all Russian orders and all European powers of the Chevalier Count Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich. Born 1771 October 1st day. He died from wounds inflicted on him by a bullet and a bayonet on St. Isaac's Square on December 14, 1825 in St. Petersburg.

Source SPb Vedomosti

member ImperialRussian Historical Society

/publ. in abbr. - journal. "Derzhava" - No. 1 (11) - M., 1998 - p. 49-56 /

Count Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich (1771-1825)… What do our compatriots know about him? Virtually nothing, except for the remaining school lessons stories of vague memories of the "tsarist general" killed during the mutiny of 1825 by the Decembrist P. Kakhovsky. Meanwhile, in the first quarter XIX century, few of the outstanding Russian commanders of his time could surpass General Miloradovich both in courage on the battlefields and in wide popularity in the Russian Army and among the people. The name of the “Russian Bayard” was firmly entrenched behind him, and Miloradovich really turned out to be worthy of it with his heroic life and sublimely tragic death.

“He is worthy of glory, which with a trumpet

Everywhere his deeds and deeds thunder,

And what a loud voice with a grateful tear

The offspring will repeat a hundred times later!

Be proud of this hero, dear country, forever

And heartily revere his memory!"(one)

But "later posterity" forgot the glorious deeds of Count Miloradovich, so I considered it my duty to write a few lines as a tribute to the memory of the undeservedly forgotten Hero of Russia. These notes do not pretend to be a complete biographical description of the bright and glorious life of General Miloradovich, but give readers general idea about the "Russian Bayard" they will be able to.

Forgotten hero. In memory of General M. A. Miloradovich (Part: http://www.borodino2012.net/?p=9028

Forgotten hero. In memory of General M. A. Miloradovich (part II): http://www.borodino2012.net/?p=9479

(1815, capital Russian Empire- St. Petersburg)

Close to the Sovereign, respected in high society and adored by the guards, the count indulged in the pleasures of peacetime. "An excellent avant-garde general, the bravest of the brave in battles, Miloradovich in peacetime was famous for his ability to draw beautifully and deftly dance the mazurka - and the extraordinary art of squandering money." (1) The count received several rich inheritances, but quickly spent them on arranging balls and monetary donations . Charming man, he had great success in ladies' society, but never married.

Taking advantage of the friendly disposition of the Emperor, Miloradovich, among others, accompanied Alexander I in 1817 when visiting Moscow, and the next year - Warsaw. Accompanying the Sovereign on the Highest trip to the Crimea in the summer of 1818, the count managed to gain his full confidence and on August 19 he was appointed St. Petersburg military governor-general with the provision of administration and civil affairs. In August, he was ordered to be present in the Committee of Ministers and in the State Council for the Department of Military Affairs. Such a flattering appointment forced the count to leave the command of the Guards Corps.

Not without some shortcomings, a little vain and very arrogant, Mikhail Andreevich nevertheless managed to justify the trust of the Emperor. As the military governor-general of St. Petersburg, Miloradovich “was always available, but not for those who considered themselves in the right to demand this accessibility, he was smart, affectionate, unusually original in the unexpectedness of his decisions. Injustice, oppression revolted him; tears, and most of the tears of a woman, he could hardly bear; his daily receptions, where he had time to talk with two or more hundred petitioners, were truly magnificent. ”(2)

The count always interceded with Alexander I for a multitude of persons from among the applicants who, in the opinion of the Governor-General, were worthy of the highest indulgence. An example is such a case. In 1820, Miloradovich ordered the chief of police to bring to him the still young A. S. Pushkin for a conversation about some of his poems. When Pushkin offered to voluntarily write his “free-thinking” poems and immediately wrote a whole notebook, the count appreciated this brave act and honored the poet with his knightly handshake. Later, “Miloradovich handed over this notebook to the sovereign, but at the same time interceded for the noble young man, asking him to forgive his careless antics.”(3)

In October 1820, the military governor-general took an active part in stopping the unrest of the soldiers of the Semyonovsky Life Guards Regiment. At the request of the commander of the guards corps I.V. Vasilchikov, Miloradovich personally arrived at the location of the regiment, where, using his influence on soldiers familiar from campaigns, he convinced the Semenovites not to go over to an armed uprising, but could not force them to obey the commanders. When the soldiers' indignation was suppressed, the count promised the arrested not to leave their wives and children without his patronage, which greatly won the opinion of the metropolitan society. After this incident, which ended with the dissolution of the regiment, the count began to travel to the locations of units in St. Petersburg and the surrounding area to ascertain the mood of the soldiers. Not relying on the civilian police, the general took steps to create military agents in the regiments.

In order to prevent the discontent of the civilian population, the governor-general took a number of measures to reduce the cost of food for the inhabitants of the capital. For example, for the period from August 14 to September 6, 1821, the price of beef different varieties decreased by an average of 30%. Such a rare circumstance prompted the Emperor to write “to Count Miloradovich that His Majesty, with great pleasure, deigned to see a decrease in meat prices, attributing this to his orders, expresses his highest favor to him.” (4) Listening to the complaints of relatives of civilians convicted of various crimes, the general The governor drew attention to the capital's prisons. In them, he stopped unsanitary conditions, facilitated the admission of relatives to some of the prisoners, divided those serving sentences not only by the type of crimes, but even by sex and age.

As a military governor-general, Miloradovich always personally appeared at the fires that took place in the capital and energetically led their extinguishing. The fire of the Tsarskoye Selo Palace in 1820 forced Alexander I to send an order to the count with a courier “to come to Tsarskoye Selo with a fire brigade as soon as possible. An hour later, Miloradovich was already operating with her at the palace in flames. ”(5) It took him less than an hour to gallop with firemen a distance of 22 versts from the Moscow outpost of St. Petersburg to the palace of Tsarskoe Selo, for the first quarter of the 19th century. it was a kind of speed record that allowed the palace to be saved.

Miloradovich showed himself even more actively during the St. Petersburg flood that occurred on November 7, 1824. This flood is known for the rise in the water level in the Neva by more than three meters, the partial flooding of the capital and numerous human casualties. “Count Miloradovich at the beginning of the flood rushed to Yekateringof, but in the morning he was not there, and the wheels of his carriage, like steamship wings, dug the abyss, and he could hardly get to the palace, from where, taking a boat, he saved several.” (6) Against the violence The power of the governor-general was powerless in the elements, but at about two o'clock in the afternoon Miloradovich appeared on Nevsky Prospekt in a twelve-oared boat to save and encourage the inhabitants. Immediately after the water receded in St. Petersburg, committees were established to distribute benefits to the victims, measures were taken to set up temporary shelters, allocate bread and clothes for those who lost all their property. After a rather short time, thanks to the count's energetic orders, life in the capital returned to its former norm.

Quite satisfied with his position as governor-general and accustomed to moving in high society, Mikhail Andreevich dreamed of peace and quiet in the life of a landowner. Wanting to retire on his estate (the village of Voronki, Poltava province), the count ordered the best architects to plan his village house and surrounding buildings, improved the life of the peasants subject to him, and even wanted to increase the land allotments of his serfs. "AT last years life of Miloradovich, his favorite dream was to end his glorious days in rural solitude, but Providence prevented the fulfillment of the wishes of the bravest of the brave, whom his contemporaries rightly called the Russian Bayard.

In September 1825, Alexander I went south, but caught a cold in the Crimea and died on November 19 in the city of Taganrog. As early as 1822, the Emperor accepted Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich's renunciation of the rights of succession to the throne, and in 1823 decided to officially make Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich his successor. For a number of reasons, the abdication of Konstantin Pavlovich and the Sovereign's manifesto regarding the succession to the throne were not made public, which gave rise in November 1825 to a situation of interregnum and became the reason for the Decembrists to act.

On the morning of November 27, the courier delivered the news of the death of Alexander I, after which Nikolai Pavlovich declared his rights to the throne, but did not meet with the understanding of the highest dignitaries of the Empire. Count Miloradovich directly pointed out the impossibility of bringing the army and people to the oath of allegiance to Nicholas without publishing the abdication of Constantine, frankly warning the Grand Duke of possible unrest and open disobedience of the guards in this case. Having become, after the death of the Emperor, the chief commander of all the troops of St. Petersburg and its environs, Miloradovich simultaneously became one of the main actors period of the interregnum. “He held the fate of Russia in his hands and saved the capital from general indignation, which would certainly have flared up if the oath to Nicholas had been demanded immediately after the death of Alexander.” (8)

Considering the count's arguments worthy of respect, Nikolai Pavlovich took the oath to Emperor Konstantin, after which Miloradovich and other generals followed the example of the Grand Duke. Then they took the Guards units to the oath of allegiance to the new Sovereign, which forced State Council and other government agencies also recognize Constantine as Emperor. Konstantin Pavlovich, in turn, took an oath of allegiance to Emperor Nicholas and swore all of Poland.

The interregnum situation that arose, always fraught with possible confusion in Russia, did not go unnoticed by the secret society that had already existed for 9 years. Although the police reported to the military governor-general about the meetings of various people at K. F. Ryleev's, the count considered them literary and did not pay attention to the reports. As early as December 10, Nikolai Pavlovich became aware of the existence of a conspiracy and a network of secret societies in Russia, about which he did not hesitate to inform the governor-general in charge of the police and other persons. On the morning of December 12, 1825, Miloradovich already had a list of conspirators, but the count limited himself to collecting information about the suspects and did not take decisive measures to prevent a possible conspiracy. “The “Revolt of the Guard” could not alarm the Governor-General of the capital, who personally knew many of those whose names appeared in his elegant notebook.<…>Mikhail Andreevich had no doubts about the nobility of their goal - to return the throne to the rightful heir Konstantin.

On this day, around 7 o'clock in the morning, Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich read to the guards generals and regimental officers a manifesto about his accession to the Throne, the testament of the late Sovereign and documents on the abdication of Constantine, which finally dispelled all the doubts of those present. Having sworn, among others, allegiance to the new Emperor right in the palace, Count Miloradovich, two hours later, assured Nicholas I of the complete calm of the capital, and an hour later the rebellious life guards of the Moscow regiment lined up in a square on Senate Square. Understanding the failure of the plan for a peaceful action of the guards in favor of Konstantin, Miloradovich, as a military governor-general, had to stop the armed rebellion in the capital.

Having warned the Emperor about what had happened, the count, on the orders of Nicholas I, set off for the already sworn Horse Guards Regiment. Not waiting for the exit horse guard, Miloradovich, together with his adjutant A.P. Bashutsky, left the location of the unit, deciding to go to the rebellious square. The commander of the horse guards, A.F. Orlov, persuaded him not to ride, but the count answered in French: “What kind of governor-general is this if he is afraid to shed his blood when bloodshed is inevitable?” (10) Knowing Russian soldiers for about 40 years , the general did not believe in the very possibility of dying from Russian weapons. I did not believe it, despite the prediction of the German fortune-teller Kirchhoff about her imminent death, received on a visit to Prince Shakhovsky two weeks before the tragic day.

Together with the adjutant, Miloradovich broke through the chain of soldiers lined up by the rebels and drove up to the square of the rebellious Moscow regiment, which met the illustrious general with a cry of "Hurrah!" and salute. “Miloradovich came to the square to save the Russian soldier, to avert the lost from their disastrous undertaking, to stop the failed turmoil. Probably, he wanted to do this before it was too late, the troops loyal to the emperor did not approach, did not bring up artillery. Knowing Nicholas, the count understood that everything would be exactly like this, and sought to prevent bloodshed. (11) Approaching close to the soldiers deceived by the conspirators, the governor-general eloquently and intelligibly convinced them of the truth of the abdication of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich.

Realizing what effect the speech of the illustrious general would have on the confused soldiers who firmly believed in the defense of Emperor Constantine, the chief of staff of the conspirators, Lieutenant Prince E. P. Obolensky, tried to convince the count to move away from the square. Honored with the friendship of Grand Duke Konstantin since the time of the Italian campaign of 1799, Miloradovich addressed the soldiers with that selfless passion of speech, which, better than any promises and promises, made the ranks of the rebels waver. It seemed that a little more, and the soldiers, convinced by the general of the need to stop the rebellion, would leave the Senate Square, ready to beg the new Sovereign for their forgiveness.

At that moment, Prince Obolensky, who unsuccessfully tried to drive the count's horse away from the square with a soldier's gun, seriously wounded Miloradovich with a bayonet, and retired lieutenant P. G. Kakhovskiy, who was nearby, shot the count from a pistol. “The bullet went into Miloradovich's Andreev ribbon, into the left side and stopped in the right side of the chest. The count began to fall off his horse, his hat fell off his head; a frightened, wounded horse escaped from under the rider, his legs clattered heavily with spurs on the ground. ”(12) Adjutant Baschutsky managed to put his shoulder under the collapsed body of the count, softening his fall, and then drag the wounded man to an empty place towards the arena. There he forced four people from the crowd of watching mob to transfer Miloradovich to the officers' room of the Horse Guards barracks. On the way, these four managed to rob the wounded Governor-General, stealing a watch, several orders, a ring donated by the Dowager Empress.

After examining the count, the doctors stated that his wounds were fatal and were surprised that Miloradovich was still alive. Medicines were not used, but the doctors managed to cut a pistol bullet out of the body of the wounded man, and the Governor-General took it in his hands. “His face brightened with a noble smile, and suddenly, slowly crossing himself, looking proudly at everyone, he loudly, joyfully, victoriously said in a silent room like a grave: “Oh, thank God! this bullet is not a soldier's. Now I am completely happy ... "" (13) For a general, preserved by fate in fifty battles, where he was never even wounded in his whole life, death from a bullet of a Russian soldier would be truly unbearable.

Shot Kakhovsky in Miloradovich. Lithograph from a drawing by A.I. Charlemagne. 1861

Suffering severely from wounds without the slightest groan for half a day, the count managed to get acquainted with the letter of Nicholas I, sent by the Sovereign to support the wounded hero, and make the last orders in his life. Soon the priest arrived St. Isaac's Cathedral, former confessor of the Governor-General. Having confessed to him in the presence of other people, Miloradovich died at about a quarter past three in the morning.

Touched by the death of the count, Emperor Nicholas I in a letter to his brother Konstantin Pavlovich could not restrain his feelings: “Poor Miloradovich has died! His last words there were orders to send me the sword that he received from you, and to set free his peasants! I will mourn him all my life; I have a bullet; the shot was fired almost point-blank... "(14) The Sovereign himself with family members came to the evening and morning services at the coffin of the deceased, the military and civilians, secular and spiritual people arrived, - everyone who knew Miloradovich during his lifetime went to pay his last debt . For six days, residents of St. Petersburg went almost around the clock to bow to the ashes of the governor-general of the capital, who did so much for them during his lifetime.

Infantry General M. A. Miloradovich was buried in the Spiritual Church of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, not far from the grave of the great commander A. V. Suvorov. Adjutant A. Bashutsky, who witnessed the last feat of the "Russian Bayard", honored the memory of the deceased with verses worthy of becoming an epitaph:

"Cunning scourge, a thunderstorm to enemies,

Defender of the fiery homeland,

Hero by feelings and deeds,

You lived and fell without reproach.

Sleep brave! Your glorious destiny

Fate lit up with immortality.-

Your best laurel is your grave,

Tombstone - a series of brilliant cases. "(15)

In 1937, the ashes of Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich and the tombstone wood plate were transferred to the Annunciation tomb, where they are to this day. The inscription on the tombstone reads: “Here lies the ashes of the general from the infantry of all Russian orders and all European powers, Chevalier Count Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich. Born 1771 October 1st day. He died from wounds inflicted on him by a bullet and a bayonet on St. Isaac's Square on December 14, 1825 in St. Petersburg.

Notes:

1) "Anecdotes and traits from the life of Count Miloradovich." - St. Petersburg, 1886 - p. 64.

2) Bashutsky A.P. “The murder of Count Miloradovich. (The story of his adjutant). //"Historical Bulletin" - No. 1 - St. Petersburg, 1908 - p.163-164.

3) Field P. N. "The history of Russian literature from ancient times to the present day." T. III. - St. Petersburg, 1900 - p. 43.

4) Sokolovsky M. “From the reports of the military governor Count M. A. Miloradovich. (Features for the biography of Count M.A. Miloradovich.) "- St. Petersburg, 1904 - p.4.

5) "Anecdotes and traits ..." - p.66.

6) Griboedov A. S. "Special cases of the St. Petersburg flood." //"Compositions". - M., 1988 - p.374.

7) "Anecdotes and traits ..." - p. 21.

8) "Records of S. P. Trubetskoy (on "Notes of V. I. Shteingel")." //“Memoirs of the Decembrists. northern society". - M., 1981 - p. 259.

9) Bondarenko A. "Killed on the Senate Square." // "Leningrad Panorama" - No. 12 - L., 1989 - p.30.

10) “Famous Russians of the XVIII-XIX centuries. Biographies and portraits. - St. Petersburg, 1995 - p. 700.

11) Bondarenko A. -Decree. op. - p.31.

13) Memoirs of Bashutsky. //"Change" - No. 3 - M., 1993 - p.216.

14) “The Interregnum of 1825 and the Decembrist Revolt in Correspondence and Memoirs of Members royal family". - M.-L., 1926 - p.146.

15) Bashutsky A.P. - Decree. op. - With. 164.

Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich - an outstanding general, student of A.V. Suvorov, hero and other Russian battles. The Miloradovich family comes from Serbia. His father excelled in military service. He was a lieutenant general, participated in the Russian-Turkish wars.

Born in St. Petersburg on 1.(12). October 1771 At the age of 7 he was sent to study in Germany, then in France. Good knowledge of languages ​​and exact sciences studied history and architecture. As a child, Mikhail was enrolled in the Life Guards of the Izmailovsky Regiment.

He studied at the universities of Germany and France. In 1787 he became an ensign of the Russian army. A year later, he participated in the Russian-Swedish war. Mikhail Miloradovich quickly received army ranks. Already in 1798 he had the rank of major general.

Mikhail Andreevich takes command of the Apsheron Musketeer Regiment. With him, he participates in foreign campaigns of the Russian army under the command of a. In the battle of Lekko on April 14, 1799, Miloradovich managed to prove himself. He, with the regiment entrusted to him, like a tornado demolished the enemy. The fighting prowess of the young major general was appreciated even by Suvorov. He bribed Alexander Vasilyevich with quickness of mind, courage and quickness. Mikhail was set as an example to older and more experienced comrades.

He was very well liked in the army. He was the first to go under bullets, and always showed the soldiers how to act by example. Miloradovich could not be wounded by the enemy. The general attacked in the forefront, and the bullet missed him. In the army they began to joke, they say, the general is a charmer. In 1805, Mikhail loudly declared himself, having achieved a heavy victory over French army at Krems. For the capture of the city, Miloradovich receives a new rank of lieutenant general.

Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich hero of the Patriotic War of 1812. During the Battle of Borodino he commanded a cavalry corps on the right flank of the Russian troops. Wards repel all attacks of the enemy. The soldiers did not forget about the attacks either. Thus, one very important strategic height was taken, on which the weapons of the enemies were deployed. Miloradovich covered the retreat of Russian troops from Borodino, skillfully repelling enemy attacks.

He also participated in the foreign campaigns of the Russian army against Napoleon. So, in 1813, with a small detachment, he held back the 37,000th French detachment. The general distinguished himself near Leipzig, his army showed all its best qualities in battle. For his success, Miloradovich receives the St. George Cross.

In 1818, Mikhail Andreevich was appointed governor-general of St. Petersburg. He did a lot in this post: he conducted an anti-alcohol campaign, closed taverns, banned gambling, saved from exile, thought about the project of "abolition of serfdom." Miloradovich's death was tragic. In 1825, it broke out in St. Petersburg.

Miloradovich rode out to the rebels on horseback and invited them to disperse without bloodshed. The general urged the soldiers and officers to swear allegiance to the new emperor Nikolai ... One of the organizers of the uprising, Obolensky, snatched a gun from a soldier and shot at Miloradovich's horse. Kakhovsky continued the work of Obolensky, who shot at the general. The general was glad that the bullet was not an officer's, but a soldier's. The attitude of the soldiers towards him was very important for Miloradovich.

Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich - an officer of the Russian army, who took the oath to the emperor, and never retreated from it. He is a hero, a hero of Russia, a brave officer and a caring commander. It was people like Miloradovich who wrote Russian history, unfortunately, the name of this hero today is not known to everyone.

In the Moscow House of Nationalities, a Round Table meeting was held to create a Committee for the Memory of the heroes of the feat of self-sacrifice - the spiritual brothers of Private Alexander Matrosov, who closed the embrasure of the enemy bunker during the Great Patriotic War

Participated in the Italian and Swiss campaigns; always went on the attack ahead of his regiment, and more than once his example turned out to be decisive for the outcome of the battle. Upon returning to Russia, Miloradovich with his regiment stood in Volhynia. In 1805, as part of the forces of the anti-Napoleonic coalition, he led one of the detachments sent to help the Austrians. For his qualities he received the rank of lieutenant general and other awards. He took part in the battle of Austerlitz. AT Russian-Turkish war 1806-1812 - commander of the corps, which on December 13, 1806 liberated Bucharest from the Turks, in 1807 defeated the Turks at Turbat and Obileshti. On September 29, 1809, for the victory at Rassevat, he was promoted to general of infantry. On August 14, 1812, M. A. Miloradovich, in the campaign against Napoleon Bonaparte, forms a detachment of troops for the army between Kaluga and Volokolamsk and Moscow, and then goes to war with this detachment. In the Battle of Borodino he commanded the right wing of the 1st Army. Then he led the rearguard, held back the French troops, which ensured the withdrawal of the entire Russian army. The main quality that won respect among his soldiers and the enemy was courage, fearlessness, bordering on recklessness.

In 1825, when the Decembrists came to Senate Square, Miloradovich appeared in full dress on the square to convince the troops to stop the uprising. In more than fifty battles, having happily escaped injury, he received two wounds that day, one of which turned out to be fatal, from the revolutionary conspirators. Before his death, he dictated his last will. Among other things, it read: “I ask the Sovereign Emperor, if possible, to release all my people and peasants.” In total, according to the will of Miloradovich, about 1,500 souls were freed from serfdom.

He was buried in the Spiritual Church of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, in 1937 his ashes and tombstone were transferred to the Annunciation tomb in St. Petersburg. The inscription on the tombstone reads: "Here lies the ashes of the General of Infantry of all Russian orders and all European powers, Chevalier Count Mikhail Andreevich Miloradovich. He was born on October 1, 1771, on the 1st day. day of 1825 in St. Petersburg".

Russian commander Barclay de Tolly

December 27, 1761 was born Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly (d. 1818), Russian commander, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812.

By blood he was a Scot, by spirit - a Russian hereditary warrior, whose grandfather served as burgomaster in Riga, and his father served under Catherine II in the army. From the age of 15, Barclay also ended up in military service, to which he devoted his whole life.

He met the Patriotic War of 1812 as an army commander. He was distinguished by strategic talent, combined with endurance and reasonable courage. After the Battle of Borodino, during which he showed a rare example of selflessness, at the council in Fili, Barclay was the first to vote in favor of retreat without a fight: “It is sad to leave the capital, but if we do not lose courage and are active, then the capture of Moscow will prepare the death of Napoleon.”

After winning in Patriotic War Barclay de Tolly again showed his talent as a commander during the Foreign Campaign in the battles of Kulm and Leipzig, the capture of Paris. He became a full Knight of St. George, Field Marshal General, elevated to princely dignity, awarded the highest awards European states. He was loved by the troops for justice, impartiality, affectionate and meek treatment. But the old wounds made themselves felt, and at the age of 56 he died without leaving the service.

The death of General Miloradovich

Storming of Amin's Palace

On December 27, 1979, Amin's palace in Kabul (Afghanistan) was stormed - a special operation code-named "Storm-333", preceding the entry Soviet troops and the beginning Afghan war 1979-1989

In its course, the special forces of the KGB of the USSR and the Soviet Army in the residence "Taj-bek" in the Kabul region killed the President of Afghanistan, Hafizullah Amin. years, when the leader of the PDPA N. Taraki was arrested and then killed on the orders of H. Amin, who removed him from power, caused serious concern among the Soviet leadership. It warily followed the activities of Amin at the head of Afghanistan, knowing his ambitions and cruelty in the struggle to achieve personal goals. Under Amin, terror unfolded in the country not only against the Islamists, but also against members of the PDPA who were supporters of Taraki. Repression also affected the army, the main pillar of the PDPA, which led to the fall of its already low morale, caused mass desertion and riots. The Soviet leadership was afraid that further aggravation of the situation in Afghanistan would lead to the fall of the PDPA regime and the coming to power of forces hostile to the USSR. Moreover, information was received through the KGB about Amin's connection with the CIA in the 1960s and about secret contacts of his emissaries with American officials after the assassination of Taraki.

As a result, it was decided to prepare for the removal of Amin and his replacement by a leader more loyal to the USSR. As such, B. Karmal was considered, whose candidacy was supported by the chairman of the KGB, Yu. Andropov.

When developing an operation to overthrow Amin, it was decided to use Amin's own requests for Soviet military assistance (in total, from September to December 1979, there were 7 such requests). In early December 1979, the so-called “Muslim battalion” (detachment special purpose GRU, specially formed in the summer of 1979 from Soviet military personnel of Central Asian origin to protect Taraki and perform special tasks in Afghanistan).

The decision to eliminate Amin and to bring Soviet troops into Afghanistan was made at a meeting of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU on December 12, 1979.