Participation in wars:
Russian-Swedish war. Seven Years' War.
Participation in battles:
Battle of Palzig. Battle of the village of Kunersdorf
(Pyotr Semyonovich Saltykov) G raf (1733), participant in the Russian-Swedish (1741-1743) and Seven Years' Wars (1756-1763), field marshal general (1759)
Born into the family of the general-in-chief Semyon Andreevich Saltykov, a relative of Empress Anna Ioannovna. Thanks to his origin, Pyotr Saltykov was already assured of a brilliant career. Having begun his service in 1714 as a private in the Guard, he was sent Peter I to France for maritime training. Having lived in France about 20 years old, he returned to Russia. However, Saltykov did not serve in the navy.
At this time, the Empress ascended the Russian throne Anna Ioannovna, and Saltykov, already a captain of the guard, became one of those who contributed to the restoration of limited autocracy, speaking out against the “supreme rulers.” This brought Saltykov closer to the empress, and he was renamed actual chamberlains, and in 1733, together with his father, received the dignity of count.
Saltykov did not remain in the court rank for long, deciding to devote himself to military service. He was promoted to major general, and in 1734 he took part in the Polish campaign. After the end of the campaign, Saltykov was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. During the reign Anna Leopoldovna Saltykov received the rank of lieutenant general and was appointed adjutant general and senator.
Who took the throne Elizaveta Petrovna deprived Saltykov of his previous court titles, and he was forced to leave St. Petersburg.
Lieutenant General Saltykov spent the Russian-Swedish war of 1741 - 1743 in the Finnish army as a field marshal Lassi, and in 1743 he commanded the rearguard of the detachment Keita, sent after the conclusion of peace from Helsingfors to Stockholm in case the Danish troops came out against the already allied Rossini Sweden.
After returning from Stockholm, Saltykov was appointed commander of the Pskov division. In 1754 he was promoted to general-in-chief.
July 12 (23) in the village area Paltsig, located 60 kilometers southeast of Frankfurt an der Oder, a battle took place between Russian troops and Wedel’s corps, which included
18 thousand infantry and more than 10 thousand cavalry. At heights to the east and south Paltsig Russian troops repulsed four of the enemy's strongest attacks with fire and counterattacks and, having inflicted heavy losses on him - more than four thousand people killed and wounded, put them to flight. We must pay tribute to Pyotr Semenovich that in this first battle for him as a commander, he acted impeccably, demonstrating the abilities of a talented commander. Having decided to retreat and occupy the strategically advantageous Palzig position, he did not doubt for a minute the correctness of his chosen decision. He perfectly managed to use the conditions of the terrain, thereby ensuring the hidden passage of the troops entrusted to him and took all precautions to ensure their safety. When positioning troops at the Palzig position, he was guided not by routine rules, but exclusively by common sense and the requirements of the situation. During the battle, he showed composure and precise tactical calculation, and the orders he gave in a timely manner reduced all efforts Wedel to no.
However, this victory not only was not properly appreciated in St. Petersburg as the personal merit of the commander-in-chief, but did not even add to his confidence from the court.
The Austrians never linked up with the Russian army, and contrary to the campaign plan, Saltykov began to think about linking up with the Swedes, attacking Berlin through Frankfurt and moving the theater of operations from Silesia, which the Austrians insisted on, closer to East Prussia. conquered by Russian troops. He had already sent a detachment of General Vilboa to Frankfurt and on July 21 he himself set out there. After the occupation of Frankfurt by the Russian avant-garde, three days later a 20,000-strong Austrian detachment of the general arrived there Loudon, and then the main forces of Saltykov. Daun, through Loudon, suggested that Saltykov go back to Crossen - the place of the failed junction of armies - and there join with him for joint offensive actions. However, Saltykov, in turn, demanded that Laudon move to the right bank of the Oder and at the same time prepared the count’s detachment for an attack on Berlin P.A. Rumyantseva.
On July 30, Russian patrols reported that Prussian troops were building bridges at Lebus. Realizing that the main forces of Frederick II were in front of him, Saltykov decided to accept the battle.
July 11 (August 1), 1759 near the town Kunersdorf Saltykov concentrated his entire 40,000-strong army with 200 guns. Loudon’s corps, with 48 guns, was also ready to act here.
August 30-31 army Frederick II, consisting of forty-eight thousand people and about two hundred guns, crossed north of Frankfurt to the eastern bank of the Oder. Saltykov took a position facing north along the ridges of the Mühlberg, Grossspitzberg, and Judenberg heights.
Frederick II decided to bypass the Russian position from the east and strike from the rear. Having discovered the bypass in a timely manner, Saltykov rebuilt the defense with a front to the east, southeast and south, placing troops in a linear order and allocating a reserve. Thus, Frederick II had to attack not the rear, but the left flank of the Russian troops. On the morning of the next day, the enemy began shelling Russian positions with artillery, and around noon launched an attack against the left flank of Russian positions. After a stubborn battle and frequent counterattacks, Russian troops managed to stop the Prussian advance west of Mühlberg. Saltykov, having strengthened the troops of the center, repelled the enemy’s attacks in a stubborn battle, inflicting heavy losses on him. Then Frederick II brought his last reserve into the battle - the general’s best cavalry in Western Europe at that time Seydlitz, - but it was also defeated by troops under the command of Count Rumyantsev.
After this, Saltykov launched a decisive counterattack, which ended in the complete defeat of the Prussian troops. Of the 48,000-strong army, Frederick II had only three thousand people left, and the scattered remnants of the Prussian troops were saved only because their pursuit was not brought to an end by the Austrian and Russian cavalry.
An important role in the battle was played by the excellent actions of the Russian artillery (unicorns), the stamina and interaction of the infantry and cavalry. And, of course, the skillful leadership of the battle by Saltykov himself. Control of the troops in the Battle of Kunersdorf did not leave Saltykov’s hands for a minute. He was well aware of the most important point of the battle, spent reserves in accordance with the course of the battle, remaining a calm and prudent strategist until the very end of the battle. For the Kunersdorf victory, Saltykov was awarded the rank of Field Marshal. After his two victories, he was convinced that it was now the turn to act against Frederick II beyond the Down and that the Russian army should not bear the entire brunt of the war on its shoulders.
On August 18, a meeting between both commanders-in-chief took place in Guben. It was decided to remain in their previous positions until the capture of Frankfurt, and then move together to Upper Silesia. However, the actions of Prussian troops in the rear of the Austrian army forced Commander-in-Chief Daun to follow the Prussians to Saxony. Leaving Saltykov with only 12 thousand people to help in the siege of Glogau, although according to the agreement the siege was to be carried out by common efforts, Daun put Saltykov in a very difficult position. Frederick II took advantage of this, and to warn the Russian troops at Glogau, he quickly marched forward and on September 24 reached the Oder before Saltykov. He was ready to take battle with his army of twenty thousand against the allied army of fifty thousand, but on September 11, at the Russian military council, Saltykov, taking into account both the failure of the Austrians to fulfill their obligations to food the Russian army, and the complete lack of artillery supplies, decided to transfer the entire army to the right bank Odera.
In mid-December, having stationed his army in quarters on the Lower Vistula, he went to St. Petersburg to participate in the meetings of the conference to draw up a plan for the 1760 campaign. Saltykov wanted to conduct independent military operations and tried to prove in St. Petersburg the correctness and benefit of making such a decision - to wage the war independently of the Austrians. But the machinations of the allies and the inertia of the conference members dashed Saltykov’s hopes of acting independently. He returned to the army, deciding to protect it as much as possible, avoiding any decisive action against the Prussian troops, so as not to play into the hands of the allies, who had the goal of placing the main burden of the war on the Russian troops, but to act depending on the circumstances.
On July 18, 1760, the 65,000-strong Russian army began advancing towards Breslau, but they were ahead of them by the crown prince Henry of Prussia, who managed to approach Breslav earlier and take a convenient and advantageous position.
On the same day, Russian troops led by Saltykov began to approach Breslavl. Approaching the city, Saltykov decided that Prince Henry had strengthened himself too much, and moved down the Oder to Leigus, already occupied by Russian troops, hoping to soon unite with Laudon’s detachment. But on the night of August 2 Frederick II defeated Laudon's troops at Liginets, and on August 9 approached Breslau. Thus, the plan for joint operations of Russian and Austrian troops failed. In August, Saltykov became seriously ill, apparently due to the severity of the last battles and nervous experiences. In the first days of September, he handed over command of the army to Fermor, and although Saltykov himself remained with the troops, he no longer interfered with the orders of the new commander. On October 18, he left for Poznan. Saltykov returned to the army only in January 1762, when he ascended the throne Peter III again appointed him commander-in-chief. However, hostilities ceased, and Saltykov took almost no part in the command of the scattered separate detachments of the Russian army.
On August 17, he went back to St. Petersburg, where he was met by the Empress Catherine II, who had just ascended the throne. On the day of his coronation, he was presented with a sword showered with diamonds. In 1764, Saltykov was appointed governor-general of Moscow and senator. He had troops from the Moscow garrison at his disposal, which helped him cope with numerous robberies and robberies. At the end of 1770, a plague epidemic broke out in Moscow. Catherine II refused all of Saltykov’s requests to allow the sick to be taken to the nearest monasteries. By her order, Moscow was surrounded by a quarantine line - it was impossible to enter or leave the city. Thus, the city was doomed to destruction. And Saltykov did not carry out the orders of the empress, which was perceived as the inability and inability of the decrepit commander-in-chief to act in accordance with the circumstances, and most of his responsibilities were assigned to the lieutenant general P.D. Eropkina, who also could not cope with the situation.
The epidemic developed more and more, in September the death rate reached nine hundred people a day. The city began to experience a shortage of basic necessities, and panic gripped the population.
On September 14, when Saltykov went to rest at his Marfino estate near Moscow, a “plague riot” began in the city. Only after the murder of Archbishop Ambrose did Eropkin report the riot to Saltykov, and he immediately came to Moscow. He managed, with the help of the Velikoluksky Infantry Regiment, brought to Red Square, to restore order, without the use of weapons. However, having learned about the “plague riot,” the Empress blamed Saltykov for everything and sent him to rest in the village, sending Prince G.G. to Moscow. Orlova.
Saltykov asked for his resignation, which he promptly received.
After this he did not live long. In December 1772, Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov died on an estate near Moscow. Marfino.
Having learned about the death of the former commander-in-chief, the new Moscow authorities, wanting to please the empress, who had no love for the disgraced field marshal, did not give orders for his funeral, befitting his rank and services to the Fatherland. Outraged by this, the chief general
Russian commander in the Seven Years' War. Field Marshal General.
Pyotr Semyonovich Saltykov was born in Marfino, near Moscow, into a noble family, received a good education at home, and in 1714 began military service an ordinary soldier in Peter's Guard. In the same year, with a group of young nobles, he left to study maritime affairs in France, where he remained until the early 30s. However, Pyotr Saltykov was not destined to become a military sailor; he ended up in army service.
In 1734, Saltykov, with the rank of major general, took part in the campaign of Russian troops against the Polish king Stanislav Leszczynski. However, that year the actions were limited to only small skirmishes with the Polish Gentry, but still for Saltykov that campaign became the first combat school, and for the successful actions of the Russian troops he was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky.
After this, Lieutenant General Pyotr Saltykov participated in the Russian-Swedish War of 1741-1743, which was caused by the desire of the Stockholm royal court to regain the territories lost under the Treaty of Nystadt in 1721. But in the first battle at Vilmanstrand, the Swedes were defeated and lost this fortress to the Russians. In Southern Finland, Saltykov fought as part of the Russian army, commanded by Field Marshal General P.P. Lasi. He participated in the capture of the fortresses of Friedrichsgam and Neishlot (the modern city of Savonlina in Finland), in the encirclement of Swedish troops near Helsingfors (Helsinki), which led to their surrender, and in the celebrations associated with the conclusion of the Peace of Abo.
In 1743, Lieutenant General P.S. Saltykov commanded the rearguard of the troops of General J. Keith. Then, as part of his corps, he was sent from Helsingfors to the Swedish capital of Stockholm.
After returning from Stockholm, Saltykov was appointed commander of the Pskov division, stationed on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. In 1754 he was awarded the rank of general-in-chief.
Pyotr Saltykov successfully and without disruptions moved up the career ladder, without staying long in the ranks of staff officers and generals. This was largely facilitated by his proximity to the imperial court. In 1756, General-in-Chief P.S. Saltykov was appointed commander of the Ukrainian land militia regiments that defended the southern border of the Russian Empire from the predatory raids of the Crimeans. Saltykov worked a lot in this position. He improved the organization of land militia regiments, which were an irregular part of the Russian army, and built fortifications on the border line, ensuring peaceful life in the southern provinces. His activities earned the highest praise in St. Petersburg.
Pyotr Semyonovich Saltykov gained recognition and glory as a Russian commander in the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. Then Russia, together with its allied Austria, fought against the Kingdom of Prussia, headed by the warlike monarch Frederick II, one of the outstanding commanders of the 18th century. The name of Saltykov is associated with the largest and most striking victories of the Russian army in this long pan-European war.
On the side of Prussia and England were several German states, including Hanover, Hesse-Kassel, Brunswick and others. They were opposed by Austria, France, Russia, Saxony, Sweden and most of the German states that were part of the Holy Roman Empire.
The war began with a Prussian attack on Saxony. The troops of Frederick II surrounded the Saxon army, and it capitulated. After this, the Prussian army inflicted several more defeats on its opponents, taking advantage of the disunity of their actions. The Empress of Russia Elizaveta Petrovna, under strong pressure from the Viennese court, which suffered one military defeat after another, ordered the Russian army to march to Central Europe.
Russia entered the Seven Years' War in the summer of 1757. Initially, the Russian army was commanded by Field Marshal S.F. Apraksin, who, after the Battle of Gross-Jägersdorf, which was victorious for Russian weapons, unexpectedly withdrew troops from Königsberg to Memel, for which he was removed from office by the empress and put on trial. Apraksin was replaced as commander-in-chief by General V.V. Fermor. But since he was not distinguished by decisiveness and did not achieve success, by decision of the empress at the beginning of 1759 he was replaced in this post by Chief General Saltykov. He was entrusted with troops located outside the Russian borders, scattered from the Baltic coast to the Austrian possessions. The new commander-in-chief was ordered to concentrate the main forces of the Russian army in Poznan for subsequent advance westward to the Oder River to connect with the Austrian allies.
Subsequently, the plan of the military campaign provided for joint actions of the Russian army with the Austrians in the direction of Küstrin and Berlin. However, the Viennese imperial court tried its best to place Russian troops to cover its own borders with Prussia and thereby avoid military defeat.
In April, almost 40 thousand (including 12.5 thousand cavalry) Russian army with 248 guns under the command of Chief General Saltykov set out from the Poznan region to the Oder to cross the river and unite in the Crossen area with the Austrian army of Field Marshal L .Dawna. This greatly alarmed the Prussian king Frederick II, and he decided to prevent the union of large enemy forces.
A reinforced Prussian corps (18 thousand infantry, 10 thousand cavalry and over 100 guns) under the command of one of the best military leaders - General K.G. Wedel. His opponents met near the village of Palzig, located 60 kilometers southeast of the city of Frankfurt an der Oder.
The battle took place on July 12, 1759. On the heights east and southeast of Palzig, Russian troops were built in two lines, the cavalry stood on the flanks (which abutted the forest edges) and formed the reserve of the commander-in-chief. Battery positions were equipped for artillery. Some of the batteries could fire at the enemy over the heads of their troops. In front of the front of the Russian army, a small river flowed through which two bridges were built in front of ponds.
Approaching Palzig, General Wedel deployed his corps to attack Russian positions. Prussian troops, in the classic Friedrich oblique battle formation, launched four strong attacks on the right and one on the left flank of the Russian position. In the latter case, the Prussian infantry was not even allowed to cross the bridge over the river. And each time the Russians pushed the enemy back to their original positions with artillery and rifle volley fire and bayonet counterattacks.
In the Battle of Palzig, Russian artillerymen especially distinguished themselves, conducting concentrated battery fire from unicorns and howitzers. The Prussians completely lost the counterbattery fight. An attempt by Wedel's heavy cuirassier cavalry to attack the Russians in the flank ended in the defeat of the Prussians in hand-to-hand combat.
Wedel's corps had to hastily retreat to the south. Prussian losses amounted to over 7 thousand people, including 4 thousand people killed. The field of the Palzig battle remained with the Russian army, which lost 5 thousand people killed and wounded.
After the victory of the Russian army near Palzig, the allies opened the way for a joint attack on the Prussian capital, the city of Berlin, which at that time did not have strong cover.
Chief General Saltykov led the Russian army to Crossen, where the main forces of the Austrian army were to join it. However, there were no allies there. Then the commander-in-chief moved his troops to Frankfurt-on-Oder and on July 20 captured this Prussian city, the small garrison of which fled in advance from the approaching Russians. From Frankfurt there was a direct route to Berlin. The next day after the capture of the city, instead of the expected main forces of the allies, only the corps of General B.E. approached the Russian army. Loudon numbering about 20 thousand people.
Having assessed all the advantages of the current situation, Chief General P.S. Saltykov suggested that the Austrian commander-in-chief, Field Marshal Doun, attack Berlin in order to transfer the fighting to the internal territories of the Kingdom of Prussia. But he opposed this, wanting to transfer the main hostilities to Silesia, which was in the interests of Austria.
King Frederick decided to prevent Saltykov from attacking Berlin. At the head of the main forces of the Prussian army, he set out to meet the allied army with the intention of defeating it in a general battle. At this time, the Allied troops (41 thousand Russians, 18.5 thousand Austrians, 248 guns) were located near Frankfurt on the eastern bank of the Oder River. They were preparing to march to Silesia, where they were to join the main forces of the Austrian army.
The Prussian king, who had 48 thousand people and about 200 guns under his command, decided to defeat the enemy with a blow from the northeast to the flank and rear. Over the course of two days, July 30-31, his army crossed the Oder north of Frankfurt and moved towards the village of Kunersdorf, in the vicinity of which the Allied camp was located.
The maneuver of the enemy army did not go unnoticed. Chief General Saltykov, in order not to be attacked on the march, decided to give the enemy a battle near Frankfurt-on-Oder. Well familiar with the terrain, he positioned his troops on the heights between the city and Kunersdorf. Initially, they were located with a front to the north, so King Frederick II decided to bypass them from the rear. Saltykov guessed the enemy’s plan and early in the morning of August 1, the day of the battle, deployed his troops with a front to the south 4.5 kilometers long and 800 meters to 1.5 kilometers wide.
Russian troops deployed on three heights - Mühlberg, Gross-Spitzberg (Big Spitz) and Judenberg. The mountains were separated from each other by the wide and deep ravines Kungrund and Laudonsgrund. The Allied position at Kunersdorf was reinforced with trenches and artillery redoubts. Approaches to the heights from the west and north were made difficult by swampy terrain and the Guner River. The approaches to the village of Kunersdorf were clearly visible from the heights.
Chief General Saltykov placed his main forces in the center of the position on Mount Big Spitz and on the right-flank height of Judenberg. It was here that the roads along which the Prussian army moved approached. 17 Russian infantry regiments under the command of General P.A. fortified themselves on the Big Spitz. Rumyantseva. Most of the artillery was concentrated here. On Mount Judenberg, 9 Russian infantry regiments of General Fermor's division and the Austrian troops of General Laudon were stationed. 5 reinforced batteries were installed on the redoubts. On the left-flank height of Mühlberg, under which the Guner River flowed, the commander-in-chief stationed five infantry regiments of Prince Golitsyn, staffed with young recruits.
In reserve behind the right flank at Roteferwerk there was a Russian cavalry (71 squadron) and 6 regiments of Austrian infantry. The reserve simultaneously covered the right bank of Frankfurt an der Oder. The position chosen by Saltykov allowed reserves to maneuver along the front. Artillery batteries located on the slopes of the mountains had the ability to conduct all-round fire.
The enemy, coming out of the forest from the direction of Poznan towards Kunersdorf, immediately began to turn into an oblique battle formation for an attack. King Frederick organized his army into two lines of infantry. The cavalry stood on the flanks. Most of the heavy Prussian cuirassier cavalry, under the command of General Seydlitz, one of the best Prussian military leaders, was placed on the left flank, where the terrain allowed large masses of cavalry to move. The Prussian artillery was initially positioned in front of the royal infantry line.
The Battle of Kunersdorf began after three hours of artillery preparation. The first attack of the Prussian troops was aimed at Mount Mühlberg, where Golitsyn's regiments were attacked from the front and flank across the Guner River. A concentric attack by superior forces allowed the attackers to knock down its defenders from the heights and take possession of Mühlberg. The frustrated infantry regiments of Prince Golitsyn fought back to Mount Big Spitz.
But the attacking Prussian troops were unable to develop their success. All their subsequent attempts to overcome the Kungrund ravine and break into the Russian positions at the height of the Big Spitz ended in failure. The infantry and artillery batteries of General Rumyantsev fought steadfastly, repelling enemy attacks with rifle volleys and grapeshot. The Rumyantsev regiments carried out a strong counterattack and with a bayonet strike threw the Prussians who had burst into the mountain back into the ravine.
Meanwhile, King Frederick II ordered his general Fink, who commanded the right flank, to install artillery batteries on Mount Mühlberg. After this, they began a counter-battery fight with Russian gun crews at the height of the Big Spitz. The enemy troops gathered at the heights suffered great damage from cannon fire. During the battle, the Russian commander-in-chief reinforced General Rumyantsev's regiments with troops from the reserve and infantry removed from the position on Mount Judenberg.
There was an episode in the battle when the Prussian cuirassiers of the Prince of Württemberg broke through to the heights of the Big Spitz, but they were successfully counterattacked by the Russian cavalry. At 17 o'clock in the afternoon, Frederick II brought General Seydlitz's heavy cavalry into battle. General Rumyantsev, who led the defense of Gross-Spitzberg, threw Russian and Austrian cavalry towards it, and the onslaught of the royal cavalry was repulsed with great damage to it.
Meanwhile, the Russian forces at the height of Big Spitz increased every hour due to reinforcements from Judenberg - Chief General Saltykov helped Rumyantsev hold the height. The Prussians continued to persistently attack Russian positions on its slopes. In the evening, the Russians and their allies carried out a strong counterattack through the Kungrund ravine, recaptured Mount Mühlberg and drove back the Prussian army along the entire front.
The Prussian army, together with its king, fled from the battlefield in great disorder. It lost about 19 thousand people killed and wounded, almost all of its artillery - 172 guns, convoys and banners. During the retreat, most of the mercenary Prussian soldiers deserted. The Allies lost 15 thousand people in the battle. Of these, Russians - 2614 killed and 10863 wounded.
After Kunersdorf, Prussia found itself on the brink of military disaster. King Frederick II sent a message to Berlin: “All is lost, save the court and archives.” However, no disaster occurred. The light allied cavalry pursued the fleeing Prussians only to the borders of the battlefield. And the allied side again rejected the proposal of the Russian commander-in-chief to go to Berlin. Moreover, Saltykov and the Austrian high command had a disagreement on issues of waging war against Prussia.
For the brilliant victory over the Prussian army at Kunersdorf, Pyotr Semyonovich Saltykov was awarded the rank of Field Marshal.
The battle of Kunersdorf became the pinnacle of his military biography. He creatively used the principles of linear tactics. For counterattacks, Russian troops used the columns recommended by the 1755 charter to “break through the enemy front.” New Russian guns - the famous Shuvalov unicorns - demonstrated their superiority over Prussian artillery. Their shooting over the heads of their troops played a decisive role in repelling the attack of the heavy cuirassier cavalry of General Seydlitz.
After this reflection, the Austrian side continued to insist on using the Russian army to defend its borders. The allies now acted more on the enemy’s communications, trying to deprive him of freedom of maneuver and food supplies. On September 28, 1760, the Russian corps of General Z.G. Chernyshev took the Prussian capital Berlin. Due to disagreements between the commanders-in-chief of the allied armies, the war dragged on. Saltykov opposed the intentions of the Austrians as best he could. Numerous complaints were received against him from Vienna to St. Petersburg. In the same 1760, when the Field Marshal-General came into conflict with the Supreme Military Council in the Russian capital, he was removed from the post of commander-in-chief and recalled to Russia.
At the end of the Seven Years' War, Field Marshal General P.S. Saltykov was appointed senator. In 1764-1771 he served as commander-in-chief and governor general of Moscow. The reason for his resignation was the terrible plague epidemic in Moscow in 1770-1771, which claimed many lives. Count Saltykov was accused of lack of management and removed from business.
Alexey Shishov. 100 great military leaders
Saltykov
Petr Semenovich
Battles and victories
Russian statesman and military leader, field marshal general (1759). The largest successes of the Russian army in the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763 are associated with his name. At the beginning of the reign of Catherine II - Moscow commander-in-chief.
Saltykov combined military talent and wise love for the Russian soldier. The phenomenon of his military leadership talent, not loud, not pompous, not expected by anyone, but undoubted and happy for Russia, gave such a glorious milestone as the victory at Kunersdorf. The successors of the school of military art founded by Saltykov were Rumyantsev and Suvorov.
“A small, gray-haired old man, in a simple landmilitia caftan,” “chicken,” “simpleton” - all these are assessments once given by contemporaries of the personality of one of the outstanding commanders of the Russian Empire of the mid-18th century, Count Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov.
He was born in 1698 in the family of steward Semyon Andreevich Saltykov on the family estate Nikolskoye (Yaroslavl region). Semyon Andreevich was the nephew of Praskovya Fedorovna Saltykova, the wife of Tsar Ivan V (1682-1696), brother and co-ruler of Peter the Great. This is how the Saltykov family became related to the Romanovs.
In 1714, Pyotr Saltykov was enlisted as a soldier in the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment and sent to France to study maritime affairs, although he had no inclination towards it. He returned to Russia in 1731, after the accession to the throne of Empress Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740). Elevated to the rank of chamberlain and the rank of major general. An extremely modest, shy man, a patriot to the core, who shunned the court, the count at the beginning of the War of the Polish Succession (1733-1735) was appointed to the post of commander of a small detachment as part of the corps of Field Marshal Minich, which was besieging Danzig (Gdansk).
Minikh, having correctly assessed the situation, ensured that reinforcements were sent and began the siege. On May 14, 1734, French ships landed troops (2,400 people) under the command of field marshal Marquis de La Mothe Perouse near the Weiselmünde fortification. However, the marquis was not destined to join the garrison. While the Baltic Fleet drove the French squadron into the sea, the detachment of Major General P.S. Saltykov blocked the landing on the island. Plat. On June 11, 1734, the French detachment capitulated, and three days after the explosion of the powder magazines, Weiselmünde also fell.
The position of the garrison became hopeless and, sensing this, Stanislav Leshchinsky, disguised as a peasant, fled from the city on June 17 to Prussia. On June 26, 1734 Danzig capitulated. The liquidation of small detachments of Leshchinsky supporters continued until the end of the year. For the difference in these battles P.S. Saltykov was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky.
At the end of hostilities, the count returned to court. In 1741, he received the rank of lieutenant general and was sent to the position of commander of a detachment under General-Chief Lassi, who was acting against the Swedes in Finland. The next Russian-Swedish war (1741-1743) was caused by the desire of the ruling circles of Sweden to return the territories lost during the Great Northern War (1700-1721).
On November 25, 1741, a “palace coup” took place in Russia, placing the daughter of Peter the Great, Elizabeth, on the throne. Lieutenant General Count Saltykov was dismissed from service, but after a petition from Chief General Count James Keith, he was returned to the active army. Pyotr Semenovich distinguished himself during the capture of Friedrichsham, and then commanded an expeditionary detachment of Russian troops in Sweden. For his distinction in this war, he was awarded a golden sword with diamonds. However, due to his relationship with Empress Anna Ioannovna and natural simplicity, Pyotr Semenovich did not come to the court of Elizabeth Petrovna (1741-1761). He was sent to command the Pskov division, and then the land militia regiments to Ukraine.
In 1756, the Russian Empire, faithful to its allied obligations, took the side of the Austrian Habsburgs, France, Sweden, and Saxony in the war against Prussia and Great Britain (the Russian army began military operations only in the summer of 1757). This long pan-European conflict went down in history as the Seven Years' War (1756-1763).
Chief General P.S. Saltykov took part in the bloodiest battle near the village of Zorndorf (1758), for which he received the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
In 1759, the Highest Conference under the Empress appointed Pyotr Semenovich to the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Foreign Army. Although in St. Petersburg they did not expect much success from the commander, who was rustic in the eyes of the court strategists, he amazed everyone.
Firstly, Pyotr Semenovich began to act exclusively in the interests of the Russian Empire, without looking back at Vienna, which our flighty allies, who were accustomed to fighting with the wrong hands, did not like very much.
Secondly, the commander quickly brought order to the quartermaster service, personally taking care of supplying the lower ranks with everything they needed.
Thirdly, Pyotr Semenovich, idolizing the Russian soldier, ate from the same cauldron with him, shunned pomp and idleness, for which he was loved by his subordinates.
The Russian military historian Maslovsky wrote about Saltykov:A broad, direct and true view of military affairs, purely Russian devotion to Russia and love for the soldier were the qualities inherent in the new commander-in-chief.
On the appointment of Saltykov - Surzhik D.V., researcher at the Institute of General History of the Russian Academy of Sciences:
His career is built quite traditionally, but more along the lines of a courtier than a military leader. Foreigners and compatriots spoke equally about him, saying that he was a kind, courteous and affectionate person, a passionate hunter, but he had never commanded in an active army and had not shown any positive ability to be a military general and especially a commander-in-chief.
His appointment was all the more unexpected for everyone.
Russian 3 pound unicorn.
Adopted by the beginning of the Seven Years' War
1759 is the third year of the seven-year war with Prussia. The unpopularity of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, Chief General Fermor, among the troops forces the government to look among our Russian generals for a person more worthy to occupy this responsible post, and the choice falls on P.S. Saltykova. By this time he was 61 years old, and the writer A.T. Bolotov, who saw Saltykov in Konigsberg, when he was on his way to the active army, characterizes him in his notes as follows: “An old man, gray-haired, small, simple, in a white Landmilitsky caftan, without any decorations and without all the pomp, he walked the streets and had no more than two or three people behind you. Accustomed to pomp and splendor in commanders, this seemed strange and surprising to us, and we did not understand how such a simple and apparently insignificant old man could be the main commander of such a great army and lead it against such a king who surprised throughout Europe with his courage, agility and knowledge of the art of war. He seemed to us like a real chicken, and no one even dared to think that he could do anything important.” However, it was this “old man” who managed to glorify Russia by defeating the once invincible Frederick in several battles.
According to the instructions received from the St. Petersburg conference, the upcoming actions of the new commander-in-chief were enclosed within the following framework: it was forbidden to maneuver up the Oder above Kolorat, where the Russian-Austrian forces were to unite; avoid risky operations; do not move away from the left bank of the Oder, even at the connection with the Down, then 2-3 transitions; The main thing was that it was persistently recommended to accept all the advice and suggestions of Down and, as it were, to submit to this, in the opinion of St. Petersburg, an excellent military general. Frederick II, for his part, set himself the goal of preventing the connection of enemy armies and for this, with a special detachment of Count Don, act on communications with the lower Vistula from their right flank. On June 20, the next day of his arrival in Poznan, Count Saltykov reviewed his army; 38,814 people were put into service; the troops presented themselves to the new commander-in-chief in excellent condition and in perfect order.
From this day on, a new life begins for Pyotr Semenovich, full of responsibility, anxiety and hardship: Prussian troops have already come into contact with the Russians; it was necessary to energetically begin to carry out the task outlined by the conference, that is, to somehow unite with the Austrian army.
Saltykov was ordered to act together with the Austrians, and to unite with them he moved to the Oder.
After Frederick II lost confidence in General Dona in the summer of 1759, who failed to stop the Russians, on July 20 he appointed Lieutenant General Karl Heinrich von Wedel as corps commander in his place. His troops, 27,400 in total, were dealing with an enemy that outnumbered them almost twice - up to 40,000 people. Trying to stop the Russian movement towards the Oder, General Wedel decided to attack on July 23 near Palzig.
The Russians met the attacks of the Prussian battalions with iron calm. Crushed by superior enemy forces, the Prussians had to return to their original positions. The second decisive attack they launched also failed. Wedel's losses amounted to 6,776 officers and men (almost a quarter of his forces), the Russians lost 4,833 officers and men, of whom 813 were killed.
On the course of the Battle of Palzig - Surzhik D.V., researcher at the Institute of General History of the Russian Academy of Sciences:
The occupation of Züllichau by the Prussians stopped the direct movement of Russian troops to Crossen, and our commander-in-chief had to make one of the following three decisions under these circumstances: 1) avoid a decisive battle and continue maneuvering in order to connect with Daun above or below Crossen (to which he had instructions from the conference ); 2) continue the march-maneuver to Crossen, win your communications with the Austrians and, in extreme cases, take the battle on the march and 3) attack Wedel’s army at Züllichau. Attacking the Prussians at the Züllichau position was more than risky: swampy streams, passable only at some points, swampy bushes and similar forests, the Obra River with its tributaries and finally the Oder River - all these local obstacles blocking the approaches to the position would inevitably tired and frustrated the attacking troops before they could attack. Mount Eichberg, the key to the Prussian position, commanding the entire surrounding area, would have presented an insurmountable obstacle to the already weary attacker. But if such terrain conditions did not allow attacking the enemy, then they greatly contributed to bypassing the Prussians, since those natural obstacles that would have interfered with the attack now had to hamper the Prussians to the same extent when going on the offensive against the Russian army encircling them. These considerations did not allow him to completely evade the battle, which was indicated by the conference, and Saltykov decided with all his forces to bypass the Prussians from the north side and, having occupied the village of Palzig located in the enemy’s rear, thus reach the direct road to Crossen; if the Prussians went on the offensive, take the battle, hiding behind a stream flowing in the rear of the enemy position.
The Russian army consisted of: 54 battalions, 34 squadrons of regular cavalry, 29 squadrons of hussars, 40 hundred Cossacks and 186 guns; only about 40 thousand combatants. On the day of the battle, the Prussian army had: infantry 30 battalions, i.e. up to 18 thousand people, cavalry 67 squadrons - 9380 people, the number of guns is unknown, but less than that of the Russians. Early in the morning of July 11, Count Saltykov, after a personal inspection of the enemy's location and terrain, gave orders for the army to move to the village of Palzig, bypassing the enemy's left flank and rear. After 4 o’clock in the afternoon, the Russian army, having lined up “with such caution in order-de-battle that in any case, turning only to the front of the enemy, it could meet the enemy,” set out on Klemzig to Bukov, where it safely arrived around midnight. Here the troops, remaining in the same battle formation, spent the night, and the commander-in-chief himself with the ranks of the main apartment settled down for the night in the village of Bukovo. At 3 o'clock in the morning on July 12, the Russian army set out on its further journey towards Palzig. Both the movement itself and the choice of position testify to how thoroughly our commander-in-chief became familiar with the terrain and what a correct view of the state of affairs this general, who had never before commanded troops in major battles, possessed.
The roundabout movement carried out by the Russians was a complete surprise for the Prussian commander-in-chief. Only at 5 a.m. on July 12, i.e., when the Russian army was already completing its outflanking movement, Wedel, at the head of a significant detachment, set out on reconnaissance in the direction of Langenmeil. Coming out of the adjacent forest, the Prussian cavalry discovered that instead of the Russian army, Goltsyn had only a small detachment ready for battle (cover for the convoy). Only after making sure that Saltykov, without thinking of attacking the Prussians himself, bypassed them and safely occupied the Krossen road, did Wedel decide to go on the offensive and attack the Russians in the position they had already occupied. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon the enemy called his batteries to the left bank of the stream, and cannonade caught fire on both sides. Under the auspices of artillery fire, the troops of Wedel's left column moved towards the crossings with the aim of attacking the Russians from the direction of Glocken. Four regiments of Prussian infantry and three squadrons of cavalry, covering themselves with hillocks, were to cover the first line of Count Saltykov and strike its flank, and the main forces of the left column, under the command of General Manteuffel, were ordered to pass through the sparse forest located here and attack from the front.
Pyotr Semenovich, who noticed the detour in time and had already prepared for it in advance, calmly awaited the moment when the Prussians would move on the attack. After almost an hour of incessant cannonade, General Manteuffel, without waiting for the result of the encirclement, attacked the brigade of Prince Volkonsky at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Despite favorable terrain conditions, a bold attack and the personal bravery of the wounded General Manteuffel, his troops were driven back by strong frontal artillery and rifle fire from Volkonsky's brigade. This first failure did not stop the Prussian commander-in-chief, who ordered a repeat attack. But it was repulsed just like the first, without hand-to-hand combat. At about 6 o'clock in the evening, General Wedel decided to launch a third strike in the same direction. The attack was carried out with irresistible daring and was initially successful: the Prussian cavalry managed to break through between two Russian regiments, but then it ran into the frontal fire of the battery and was thrown back in complete disorder. The Russian cavalry, under the command of Panin, who arrived at the battlefield, rushed at the enemy and sent him into complete panic flight. The Russian army, having formed a calm “on the bones”, listened to the thanksgiving prayer late in the evening. The Russians lost up to 900 people. killed and 3904 people. wounded. Prussians - 4269 people. killed, 1,394 wounded and 1,495 missing. Russian trophies consisted of 4 banners, 3 standards, 14 guns and more than 4,000 guns, “except for other ammunition.”
Analyzing Saltykov’s actions, one cannot help but come to the conclusion that in this first experience, he shows himself to be an impeccable, talented commander: having decided to bypass and occupy the Palzig position, he does not hesitate in his bold decision for a single minute; studies and uses the area - impeccably; the secrecy of the march was fully observed, due measures were taken for the possible speed of the dangerous movement. When positioning troops at the Palzig position, he is guided not by routine rules, but exclusively by common sense and the requirements of the situation. During the battle, complete composure, a faithful eye and timely orders made it possible that all the efforts of the Prussians to break the Russian army were in vain, and they, defeated, were forced to seek salvation in flight. “This victory,” says a contemporary, “produced many different consequences, some of which were especially beneficial for us. Of these, the most important thing was that all our troops were emboldened by this victory over the enemy and began to receive more hope from the old man, their leader, who had the good fortune to fall in love with the soldiers from the very beginning of his arrival; and now they fell in love with him even more, and he was already held in better esteem by all of us.”
For the success at Palzig, the empress rewarded the lower ranks with a six-month salary (which the treasury was in no hurry to pay), but the commander-in-chief himself received only written gratitude from St. Petersburg - the victory in the capital clearly remained underestimated.
Continuing the movement with the army towards the Oder, Saltykov in the Crossen area united with the Austrian corps of General Laudon and, having occupied Frankfurt-on-Oder, proposed to the Austrian commander-in-chief Daun to launch a joint attack on Berlin. While he was hesitating, Frederick II with the main forces of the Prussian army, having crossed the Oder north of Frankfurt, decided to defeat the allies with a blow from the rear.
The allied army under the command of Saltykov took positions on the heights near the village of Kunersdorf. The total number of Russian-Austrian forces concentrated at the Kunersdorf position reached 60 thousand, against the 48 thousand-strong army of Frederick II.
As soon as it was discovered that the king had bypassed the Russian right flank, Saltykov ordered the army to turn around, as a result of which the conditions under which the battle had to be accepted changed dramatically. The count had to either attack the enemy, or immediately retreat to Crossen or in an even more dangerous direction to Poznan. But he decided to give battle, taking a position with his rear to the Oder.
One of the main features of the arrangement of Russian troops in position was the massing of the Allied cavalry and Austrian infantry before the start of the battle, as if in the form of a general reserve, behind the right flank.
At about 9 o'clock in the morning, two strong Prussian batteries opened fire from the Tretino Heights. Somewhat later, enemy artillery moved to a position near the ponds south of Kunersdorf; maneuvering Prussian troops appeared in the same two directions. The Russian artillery, for its part, immediately responded with heavy fire, and at 10 o’clock in the morning the artillery cannonade was already in full swing.
Vigilantly following the maneuvers of Frederick II, Count Saltykov finally settled on the assumption that the king “will launch an attack against our right and left wings at the same time,” meaning he settled on a counter-maneuver, the main idea of which was to “bring the whole the enemy army on one left wing..."
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Thus, Count Saltykov’s defensive battle plan was to protect his right flank and not be too persistent with Frederick II during his first attack on the unimportant left flank, subsequently acting depending on the enemy’s “enterprises.” The troops were ordered to set fire to Kunersdorf, in order to reduce the convenience of the enemy deploying forces on the other side of the ravine, south of this village.
Only at 12 noon did the enemy clearly discover the direction of his attack on the troops of Prince Golitsyn. Apart from five regiments of the Russian army, there was no one here.
The disadvantages of the linear arrangement of trenches - that is, without applying them to the terrain - were immediately revealed: the hollows that were in front of the Russian fortifications could not be fired upon, as a result of which, at the most necessary time, the Russian troops “stopped shooting, but expected an unshakable enemy approaching."
The attackers significantly outnumbered the troops of Prince Golitsyn, who were forced to accept an attack from the front and flank and under extremely unfavorable conditions. The consequences of this attack were natural. The Prussians occupied Mühlberg and began to prepare to cross the Kungrud ravine.
With the occupation of Mühlberg by the king, important results were achieved: the forces of both armies were almost balanced; the Russian army immediately decreased in strength by 15 battalions and 42 guns; The morale of the Prussian troops rose from this first brilliant success. Fortunately, the tightness on Mühlberg did not allow the Prussian batteries to deploy on this mountain; but nevertheless, the fire of the artillery stationed there was so intense that in the positions on the Big Spitz “... there was almost no place where his (the enemy’s) guns would not harm, which is why many of our boxes were blown up and the carriages of the guns were damaged.”
The successful attack of Frederick II on Mühlberg convinced Count Saltykov that the enemy would mainly “fight all the way to our right wing and to the Oder River.” The regiments on the Big Spitz began to reorganize with the front towards Kungrund. The subsequent numerous attacks by Prussian infantry and cavalry were repelled with heavy losses.
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Trying to turn the situation in his favor, the king launched his last trump card - Seydlitz's cavalry - into a frontal attack on the allied fortifications. Seydlitz moved his entire cavalry across the ponds east of Kunersdorf, turned them around in full view of the Russians and then rushed into the trenches occupied by the Pskov, 3rd and 4th Grenadier, Nevsky and Kazan regiments. The infantry of the Russian center, long ago ready to defend their trenches, finally waited for the opportunity to cover their banners with new glory. In this case, she only had to share this glory with the artillery: Seydlitz’s attack “under heavy cannon fire from our batteries” was instantly repulsed with great damage to the attackers.
Only now, when the main nerve was torn, when the powerful cavalry of the enemy was driven back, the weakest cavalry of the allies had the opportunity to deploy on terrain convenient for its action.
The honor of the Russians going on the offensive fell to Brigadier Berg (2nd Moscow, Kazan and a company of the Nizovsky regiments) together with the regiments brought by Villebois (Narvsky and Voronezh). These troops “... attacked the enemy’s flank (from the right flank), liberated our batteries, on which several guns were already riveted, and drove the enemy into the very ravine (Kungrund”). The Vologda and Absheron regiments supported Berg, to the left of whom Prince Volkonsky went on the offensive with the 1st Grenadier and Azov regiments. The result of this general offensive was full retreat the enemy for Kungrund and disorder in the ranks of the Prussians who occupied Mühlberg. Unable to withstand the artillery fire, Frederick the Great's infantry fled in panic. The position of the Prussian army became critical.
Seeing this, Frederick II threw into battle everything that remained at his fingertips, including several squadrons of his life cuirassiers. However, the sacrificial attacks of the Prussian cavalry could not save the situation.
The defeat of the Prussian army was complete. The king himself was almost captured. He was rescued by the hussars of Captain Prittwitz.
The total losses that fell out of action at the Battle of Kunersdorf were:
Prussian army, (according to German sources) - up to 17,000;
Russian - up to 13,000;
Austrian - a little over 2000.
The trophies of the Kunersdorf victory were: 26 banners, 2 standards, 172 guns and a large number of firearms (more than 93,000 cartridges alone).
The battle of Kunersdorf became a landmark for the Russian army. In tactical terms, it is necessary to highlight the fact that the battlefield is well prepared in engineering terms. This is evident from the strong strengthening of important points of the Russian position, a combination of fortifications and ambushes to cover the route of retreat, as well as the construction of bridges in the rear. In addition, the disposition of troops in position corresponded to the strategic and tactical significance of different sections of the position. Finally, in Saltykov’s army there was no routine of the then reigning linear order.
Shocked by the failure, Frederick almost committed suicide. “Everything is lost, save the courtyard and archives,” he wrote to Berlin. The hat of the Prussian king, who fled after the battle, was picked up by Russian soldiers. As a relic of Kunersdorf, it is still kept under glass on a stand in the A.V. Museum. Suvorov in St. Petersburg.
For the victory at Kunersdorf, Elizabeth awarded Saltykov the rank of field marshal, the Polish king - the Order of the White Eagle, and the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa gave him a diamond ring and a snuffbox with diamonds. An award medal was minted for the army with the inscription “To the winner over the Prussians.”
It is characteristic that the commander-in-chief himself modestly assessed his role in the army, paying tribute to the Russian officers and soldiers. “Now Her Imperial Majesty,” wrote Pyotr Semyonovich to Elizabeth, “has many such brave and skillful generals as I doubt if there were so many anywhere; and all of them are theirs.”
About Saltykov’s tactics at Kunersdorf and in the Seven Years’ War - D.V. Surzhik, researcher at the Institute of General History of the Russian Academy of Sciences:
Under Kunersdorf, the Prussian king brought up more and more forces, but in the “game of reserves” he was outplayed by the Russian commander-in-chief. Saltykov, who did not adhere to dogmatically linear tactics, tightly controlled the course of the battle and continuously transferred reserves and troops from unattacked areas to threatened areas, eliminating the Prussians' superiority in strength at the points of their attacks.
Subsequently, despite the lack of coordination of actions with the allied Austrian army and conflicting instructions from St. Petersburg and Vienna, Saltykov’s troops fought successful battles in Pomerania and even took Berlin. So the former “old man” became a Russian national hero, a talented commander who combined military talent and wise love for the Russian soldier.
After Kunersdorf, the Prussian army, taking advantage of the inconsistency in the actions of the Russian and Austrian troops, which stemmed from conflicting instructions from Vienna and St. Petersburg, was still able to recover from defeat and wage a protracted defense. Since Daun avoided joint offensive actions, Saltykov in 1760 transferred the main efforts of the Russian army to Pomerania, and sent part of his forces to a raid on Berlin. On September 28 (October 9), 1760, the Berlin garrison capitulated to General Totleben.
With the news of the approach of Frederick's army, the corps of Major General Totleben and Lieutenant General Z.G. Chernyshev, who together with the Austrian corps of General Lassi took part in the Berlin expedition, retreated, by order of the command, to join the main forces of Saltykov.
Companions of the Russian field marshal noticed his dissatisfaction with the protracted positional forms of warfare. Shackled by instructions from St. Petersburg and endless coordination with Vienna, Saltykov was burdened by the fact that he actually did not have the opportunity to independently organize decisive offensive operations. At the end of 1760, citing poor health, he asked the empress to leave for Poznan for treatment and soon left the post of commander-in-chief.
Under Catherine II, Peter Semenovich became a member of the government Senate, and in 1764 he was appointed commander-in-chief and governor general of Moscow. After the plague riot of 1771, he was dismissed, and on December 26, 1772, the saddened field marshal died in Marfino. Of the noble persons, only Chief General P.I. arrived at his funeral. Panin.
In the general's uniform, wearing the St. Andrew's and St. George's ribbons, Panin bows his victorious head before the remains, draws his sword and, standing at the coffin, says out loud:Until then, I will stand here on guard until they send an honor guard to relieve me.
The hero of Palzig and Kunersdorf remained in the memory of posterity as a talented commander who raised the authority of the Russian army in Europe. It was with Saltykov that the process of strengthening national principles in the development of Russian military art began. In battles, Saltykov went beyond the then dominant linear tactics, boldly maneuvered forces and means, allocated reserves, and used columns when carrying out counterattacks. Rumyantsev and Suvorov became the successors of the school of military art he founded.
BESPALOV A.V., Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor
Literature
Bantysh-Kamensky D.N. Biographies of Russian generalissimos and field marshals. M., 1991. Part 1-2
Buganov V.I., Buganov A.V. Generals of the 18th century M.: Patriot, 1992
Military history of the Fatherland: From ancient times to the present day. In 3 volumes. Military Institute. history of the Russian Defense Ministry; Ed. V.A. Zolotareva. T. 1. M., 1995
Zolotarev V.A. Apostles of the Russian Army. M., 1993
Campaign of 1759. History of the Russian army and navy. Vol. 2. M., 1911
Korobkov N.M. Seven Years' War. Actions of Russia in 1756-1762. M., 1940
Maslovsky D.F. Russian army in the Seven Years' War. Vol. 3. M., 1891
Melenberg A. Field Marshal Count Saltykov. Military knowledge. 1992. No. 1
The defeat of Prussia by Russian troops. 1756-1762: Documents. M., 1943
Shishkov V.Ya. Battle of Kunersdorf. M., 1943
Shishov A."Victor over the Prussians." O commander in chief. rus. army in the Seven Years' War, Field General. P.S. Saltykov (1698-1773). Military messenger 1993. No. 5
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(1745-1813).
1. A GREAT Russian commander, he was an example for his soldiers. Appreciated every soldier. “M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov is not only the liberator of the Fatherland, he is the only one who outplayed the hitherto invincible French emperor, turning the “great army” into a crowd of ragamuffins, saving, thanks to his military genius, the lives of many Russian soldiers.”
2. Mikhail Illarionovich, being a highly educated man who knew several foreign languages, dexterous, sophisticated, who knew how to animate society with the gift of words and an entertaining story, also served Russia as an excellent diplomat - ambassador to Turkey.
3. M.I. Kutuzov is the first to become a full holder of the highest military order of St. St. George the Victorious four degrees.
The life of Mikhail Illarionovich is an example of service to the fatherland, attitude towards soldiers, spiritual strength for Russian military leaders of our time and, of course, for the younger generation - future military men.
Momyshuly Bauyrzhan
Fidel Castro called him a hero of World War II.
He brilliantly put into practice the tactics of fighting with small forces against an enemy many times superior in strength, developed by Major General I.V. Panfilov, which later received the name “Momyshuly’s spiral.”
Stalin (Dzhugashvili) Joseph Vissarionovich
Comrade Stalin, in addition to the atomic and missile projects, together with Army General Alexei Innokentievich Antonov, participated in the development and implementation of almost all significant operations of the Soviet troops in the Second World War, and brilliantly organized the work of the rear, even in the first difficult years of the war.
Slashchev Yakov Alexandrovich
Alekseev Mikhail Vasilievich
Outstanding employee of the Russian Academy of the General Staff. Developer and implementer of the Galician operation - the first brilliant victory of the Russian army in the Great War.
Saved the troops of the North-Western Front from encirclement during the “Great Retreat” of 1915.
Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in 1916-1917.
Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army in 1917
Developed and implemented strategic plans for offensive operations in 1916 - 1917.
He continued to defend the need to preserve the Eastern Front after 1917 (the Volunteer Army is the basis of the new Eastern Front in the ongoing Great War).
Slandered and slandered in relation to various so-called. “Masonic military lodges”, “conspiracy of generals against the Sovereign”, etc., etc. - in terms of emigrant and modern historical journalism.
Nakhimov Pavel Stepanovich
Successes in the Crimean War of 1853-56, victory in the Battle of Sinop in 1853, defense of Sevastopol 1854-55.
His Serene Highness Prince Wittgenstein Peter Christianovich
For the defeat of the French units of Oudinot and MacDonald at Klyastitsy, thereby closing the road for the French army to St. Petersburg in 1812. Then in October 1812 he defeated the corps of Saint-Cyr at Polotsk. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian-Prussian armies in April-May 1813.
Romanov Pyotr Alekseevich
During the endless discussions about Peter I as a politician and reformer, it is unfairly forgotten that he was the greatest commander of his time. He was not only an excellent organizer of the rear. In the two most important battles of the Northern War (the battles of Lesnaya and Poltava), he not only himself developed battle plans, but also personally led the troops, being in the most important, responsible directions.
The only commander I know of who was equally talented in both land and sea battles.
The main thing is that Peter I created a domestic military school. If all the great commanders of Russia are the heirs of Suvorov, then Suvorov himself is the heir of Peter.
The Battle of Poltava was one of the greatest (if not the greatest) victory in Russian history. In all other great aggressive invasions of Russia, the general battle did not have a decisive outcome, and the struggle dragged on, leading to exhaustion. It was only in the Northern War that the general battle radically changed the state of affairs, and from the attacking side the Swedes became the defending side, decisively losing the initiative.
I believe that Peter I deserves to be in the top three on the list of the best commanders of Russia.
Pokryshkin Alexander Ivanovich
Marshal of Aviation of the USSR, the first three times Hero of the Soviet Union, symbol of Victory over the Nazi Wehrmacht in the air, one of the most successful fighter pilots of the Great Patriotic War (WWII).
While participating in the air battles of the Great Patriotic War, he developed and tested in battles new tactics of air combat, which made it possible to seize the initiative in the air and ultimately defeat the fascist Luftwaffe. In fact, he created an entire school of WWII aces. Commanding the 9th Guards Air Division, he continued to personally participate in air battles, scoring 65 air victories throughout the entire period of the war.
Antonov Alexey Inokentevich
Chief strategist of the USSR in 1943-45, practically unknown to society
"Kutuzov" World War II
Humble and committed. Victorious. Author of all operations since the spring of 1943 and the victory itself. Others gained fame - Stalin and the front commanders.
Margelov Vasily Filippovich
Creator of modern airborne forces. When the BMD with its crew parachuted for the first time, its commander was his son. In my opinion, this fact speaks about such a wonderful person as V.F. Margelov, that's it. About his devotion to the Airborne Forces!
Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich
To a person to whom this name means nothing, there is no need to explain and it is useless. To the one to whom it says something, everything is clear.
Twice hero of the Soviet Union. Commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front. The youngest front commander. Counts,. that he was an army general - but just before his death (February 18, 1945) he received the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union.
Liberated three of the six capitals of the Union Republics captured by the Nazis: Kyiv, Minsk. Vilnius. Decided the fate of Kenicksberg.
One of the few who drove back the Germans on June 23, 1941.
He held the front in Valdai. In many ways, he determined the fate of repelling the German offensive on Leningrad. Voronezh held. Liberated Kursk.
He successfully advanced until the summer of 1943, forming with his army the top of the Kursk Bulge. Liberated the Left Bank of Ukraine. I took Kyiv. He repulsed Manstein's counterattack. Liberated Western Ukraine.
Carried out Operation Bagration. Surrounded and captured thanks to his offensive in the summer of 1944, the Germans then humiliatedly walked through the streets of Moscow. Belarus. Lithuania. Neman. East Prussia.
Pozharsky Dmitry Mikhailovich
In 1612, during the most difficult time for Russia, he led the Russian militia and liberated the capital from the hands of the conquerors.
Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky (November 1, 1578 - April 30, 1642) - Russian national hero, military and political figure, head of the Second People's Militia, which liberated Moscow from the Polish-Lithuanian occupiers. His name and the name of Kuzma Minin are closely associated with the country’s exit from the Time of Troubles, which is currently celebrated in Russia on November 4th.
After the election of Mikhail Fedorovich to the Russian throne, D. M. Pozharsky plays a leading role at the royal court as a talented military leader and statesman. Despite the victory of the people's militia and the election of the Tsar, the war in Russia still continued. In 1615-1616. Pozharsky, on the instructions of the tsar, was sent at the head of a large army to fight the detachments of the Polish colonel Lisovsky, who besieged the city of Bryansk and took Karachev. After the fight with Lisovsky, the tsar instructs Pozharsky in the spring of 1616 to collect the fifth money from merchants into the treasury, since the wars did not stop and the treasury was depleted. In 1617, the tsar instructed Pozharsky to conduct diplomatic negotiations with the English ambassador John Merik, appointing Pozharsky as governor of Kolomensky. In the same year, the Polish prince Vladislav came to the Moscow state. Residents of Kaluga and its neighboring cities turned to the tsar with a request to send them D. M. Pozharsky to protect them from the Poles. The Tsar fulfilled the request of the Kaluga residents and gave an order to Pozharsky on October 18, 1617 to protect Kaluga and surrounding cities by all available measures. Prince Pozharsky fulfilled the tsar's order with honor. Having successfully defended Kaluga, Pozharsky received an order from the tsar to go to the aid of Mozhaisk, namely to the city of Borovsk, and began to harass the troops of Prince Vladislav with flying detachments, causing them significant damage. However, at the same time, Pozharsky became very ill and, at the behest of the tsar, returned to Moscow. Pozharsky, having barely recovered from his illness, took an active part in defending the capital from Vladislav’s troops, for which Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich awarded him new fiefs and estates.
Yudenich Nikolai Nikolaevich
October 3, 2013 marks the 80th anniversary of the death in the French city of Cannes of the Russian military leader, commander of the Caucasian Front, hero of Mukden, Sarykamysh, Van, Erzerum (thanks to the complete defeat of the 90,000-strong Turkish army, Constantinople and the Bosporus with the Dardanelles retreated to Russia), the savior of the Armenian people from the complete Turkish genocide, holder of three orders of George and the highest order of France, the Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honor, General Nikolai Nikolaevich Yudenich.
Platov Matvey Ivanovich
Ataman of the Great Don Army (from 1801), cavalry general (1809), who took part in all the wars of the Russian Empire at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries.
In 1771 he distinguished himself during the attack and capture of the Perekop line and Kinburn. From 1772 he began to command a Cossack regiment. During the 2nd Turkish War he distinguished himself during the assault on Ochakov and Izmail. Participated in the battle of Preussisch-Eylau.
During the Patriotic War of 1812, he first commanded all the Cossack regiments on the border, and then, covering the retreat of the army, won victories over the enemy near the towns of Mir and Romanovo. In the battle near the village of Semlevo, Platov’s army defeated the French and captured a colonel from the army of Marshal Murat. During the retreat of the French army, Platov, pursuing it, inflicted defeats on it at Gorodnya, Kolotsky Monastery, Gzhatsk, Tsarevo-Zaimishch, near Dukhovshchina and when crossing the Vop River. For his merits he was elevated to the rank of count. In November, Platov captured Smolensk from battle and defeated the troops of Marshal Ney near Dubrovna. At the beginning of January 1813, he entered Prussia and besieged Danzig; in September he received command of a special corps, with which he participated in the battle of Leipzig and, pursuing the enemy, captured about 15 thousand people. In 1814, he fought at the head of his regiments during the capture of Nemur, Arcy-sur-Aube, Cezanne, Villeneuve. Awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky Pyotr Alexandrovich
Rurikovich Svyatoslav Igorevich
Great commander of the Old Russian period. The first Kiev prince known to us with a Slavic name. The last pagan ruler of the Old Russian state. He glorified Rus' as a great military power in the campaigns of 965-971. Karamzin called him “Alexander (Macedonian) of our ancient history.” The prince freed the Slavic tribes from vassal dependence on the Khazars, defeating the Khazar Khaganate in 965. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, in 970, during the Russian-Byzantine War, Svyatoslav managed to win the battle of Arcadiopolis, having 10,000 soldiers under his command, against 100,000 Greeks. But at the same time, Svyatoslav led the life of a simple warrior: “On campaigns he did not carry carts or cauldrons with him, did not cook meat, but, thinly slicing horse meat, or animal meat, or beef and roasting it on coals, he ate it like that; he did not have a tent , but slept, spreading a sweatshirt with a saddle in their heads - the same were all the rest of his warriors. And he sent envoys to other lands [envoys, as a rule, before declaring war] with the words: “I’m coming to you!” (According to PVL)
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War. Under his leadership, the Red Army crushed fascism.
Alekseev Mikhail Vasilievich
One of the most talented Russian generals of the First World War. Hero of the Battle of Galicia in 1914, savior of the Northwestern Front from encirclement in 1915, chief of staff under Emperor Nicholas I.
General of Infantry (1914), Adjutant General (1916). Active participant in the White movement in the Civil War. One of the organizers of the Volunteer Army.
Ushakov Fedor Fedorovich
During the Russian-Turkish War of 1787-1791, F. F. Ushakov made a serious contribution to the development of sailing fleet tactics. Relying on the entire set of principles for training naval forces and military art, incorporating all the accumulated tactical experience, F. F. Ushakov acted creatively, based on the specific situation and common sense. His actions were distinguished by decisiveness and extraordinary courage. Without hesitation, he reorganized the fleet into battle formation even when approaching the enemy directly, minimizing the time of tactical deployment. Despite the established tactical rule of the commander being in the middle of the battle formation, Ushakov, implementing the principle of concentration of forces, boldly placed his ship in the forefront and occupied the most dangerous positions, encouraging his commanders with his own courage. He was distinguished by a quick assessment of the situation, an accurate calculation of all success factors and a decisive attack aimed at achieving complete victory over the enemy. In this regard, Admiral F. F. Ushakov can rightfully be considered the founder of the Russian tactical school in naval art.
Duke of Württemberg Eugene
General of the Infantry, cousin of the Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas I. In service in the Russian Army since 1797 (enlisted as a colonel in the Life Guards Horse Regiment by Decree of Emperor Paul I). Participated in military campaigns against Napoleon in 1806-1807. For participation in the battle of Pułtusk in 1806 he was awarded the Order of St. George the Victorious, 4th degree, for the campaign of 1807 he received a golden weapon “For Bravery”, he distinguished himself in the campaign of 1812 (he personally led the 4th Jaeger Regiment into battle in the Battle of Smolensk), for participation in the Battle of Borodino he was awarded the Order of St. George the Victorious, 3rd degree. Since November 1812, commander of the 2nd Infantry Corps in Kutuzov's army. He took an active part in the foreign campaigns of the Russian army in 1813-1814; units under his command particularly distinguished themselves in the Battle of Kulm in August 1813, and in the “Battle of the Nations” at Leipzig. For courage at Leipzig, Duke Eugene was awarded the Order of St. George, 2nd degree. Parts of his corps were the first to enter defeated Paris on April 30, 1814, for which Eugene of Württemberg received the rank of infantry general. From 1818 to 1821 was the commander of the 1st Army Infantry Corps. Contemporaries considered Prince Eugene of Württemberg one of the best Russian infantry commanders during the Napoleonic Wars. On December 21, 1825, Nicholas I was appointed chief of the Tauride Grenadier Regiment, which became known as the “Grenadier Regiment of His Royal Highness Prince Eugene of Württemberg.” On August 22, 1826 he was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1827-1828. as commander of the 7th Infantry Corps. On October 3, he defeated a large Turkish detachment on the Kamchik River.
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
He led the armed struggle of the Soviet people in the war against Germany and its allies and satellites, as well as in the war against Japan.
Led the Red Army to Berlin and Port Arthur.
Rurikovich Yaroslav the Wise Vladimirovich
He dedicated his life to protecting the Fatherland. Defeated the Pechenegs. He established the Russian state as one of the greatest states of his time.
Margelov Vasily Filippovich
Minikh Christopher Antonovich
Due to the ambiguous attitude towards the period of Anna Ioannovna’s reign, she is a largely underrated commander, who was the commander-in-chief of the Russian troops throughout her reign.
Commander of Russian troops during the War of the Polish Succession and architect of the victory of Russian weapons in the Russian-Turkish War of 1735-1739.
Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich
Participant of the First World War (served in the 186th Aslanduz Infantry Regiment) and the Civil War. During the First World War, he fought on the Southwestern Front and took part in the Brusilov breakthrough. In April 1915, as part of the guard of honor, he was personally awarded the St. George Cross by Nicholas II. In total, he was awarded the St. George Crosses of III and IV degrees and medals “For Bravery” (“St. George” medals) of III and IV degrees.
During the Civil War, he led a local partisan detachment that fought in Ukraine against the German occupiers together with the detachments of A. Ya. Parkhomenko, then he was a fighter in the 25th Chapaev Division on the Eastern Front, where he was engaged in the disarmament of the Cossacks, and participated in battles with the armies of generals A. I. Denikin and Wrangel on the Southern Front.
In 1941-1942, Kovpak's unit carried out raids behind enemy lines in the Sumy, Kursk, Oryol and Bryansk regions, in 1942-1943 - a raid from the Bryansk forests to Right Bank Ukraine in the Gomel, Pinsk, Volyn, Rivne, Zhitomir and Kiev regions; in 1943 - Carpathian raid. The Sumy partisan unit under the command of Kovpak fought through the rear of the Nazi troops for more than 10 thousand kilometers, defeating enemy garrisons in 39 settlements. Kovpak's raids played a big role in the development of the partisan movement against the German occupiers.
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union:
By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated May 18, 1942, for the exemplary performance of combat missions behind enemy lines, the courage and heroism shown during their implementation, Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 708)
The second Gold Star medal (No.) was awarded to Major General Sidor Artemyevich Kovpak by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated January 4, 1944 for the successful conduct of the Carpathian raid
four Orders of Lenin (18.5.1942, 4.1.1944, 23.1.1948, 25.5.1967)
Order of the Red Banner (12/24/1942)
Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, 1st degree. (7.8.1944)
Order of Suvorov, 1st degree (2.5.1945)
medals
foreign orders and medals (Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia)
Voronov Nikolay Nikolaevich
N.N. Voronov is the commander of artillery of the USSR Armed Forces. For outstanding services to the Motherland, N.N. Voronov. the first in the Soviet Union to be awarded the military ranks of “Marshal of Artillery” (1943) and “Chief Marshal of Artillery” (1944).
...carried out general management of the liquidation of the Nazi group surrounded at Stalingrad.
Karyagin Pavel Mikhailovich
Colonel Karyagin's campaign against the Persians in 1805 does not resemble real military history. It looks like a prequel to "300 Spartans" (20,000 Persians, 500 Russians, gorges, bayonet attacks, "This is madness! - No, this is the 17th Jaeger Regiment!"). A golden, platinum page of Russian history, combining the carnage of madness with the highest tactical skill, amazing cunning and stunning Russian arrogance
Istomin Vladimir Ivanovich
Istomin, Lazarev, Nakhimov, Kornilov - Great people who served and fought in the city of Russian glory - Sevastopol!
Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich
Because he inspires many by personal example.
Uvarov Fedor Petrovich
At the age of 27 he was promoted to general. He took part in the campaigns of 1805-1807 and in the battles on the Danube in 1810. In 1812, he commanded the 1st Artillery Corps in the army of Barclay de Tolly, and subsequently the entire cavalry of the united armies.
Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich
An outstanding Russian commander. He successfully defended the interests of Russia both from external aggression and outside the country.
Svyatoslav Igorevich
Grand Duke of Novgorod, from 945 of Kiev. Son of Grand Duke Igor Rurikovich and Princess Olga. Svyatoslav became famous as a great commander, whom N.M. Karamzin called “Alexander (Macedonian) of our ancient history.”
After the military campaigns of Svyatoslav Igorevich (965-972), the territory of the Russian land increased from the Volga region to the Caspian Sea, from the North Caucasus to the Black Sea region, from the Balkan Mountains to Byzantium. Defeated Khazaria and Volga Bulgaria, weakened and frightened the Byzantine Empire, opened routes for trade between Rus' and eastern countries
Chichagov Vasily Yakovlevich
Superbly commanded the Baltic Fleet in the campaigns of 1789 and 1790. He won victories in the battle of Öland (7/15/1789), in the Revel (5/2/1790) and Vyborg (06/22/1790) battles. After the last two defeats, which were of strategic importance, the dominance of the Baltic Fleet became unconditional, and this forced the Swedes to make peace. There are few such examples in the history of Russia when victories at sea led to victory in the war. And by the way, the Battle of Vyborg was one of the largest in world history in terms of the number of ships and people.
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
During the Patriotic War, Stalin led all the armed forces of our homeland and coordinated their military operations. It is impossible not to note his merits in competent planning and organization of military operations, in the skillful selection of military leaders and their assistants. Joseph Stalin proved himself not only as an outstanding commander who competently led all fronts, but also as an excellent organizer who carried out enormous work to increase the country's defense capability both in the pre-war and during the war years.
A short list of military awards of I.V. Stalin received by him during the Second World War:
Order of Suvorov, 1st class
Medal "For the Defense of Moscow"
Order "Victory"
Medal "Golden Star" of the Hero of the Soviet Union
Medal "For victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945"
Medal "For Victory over Japan"
Participated in the Russian-Turkish War of 1787-91 and the Russian-Swedish War of 1788-90. He distinguished himself during the war with France in 1806-07 at Preussisch-Eylau, and from 1807 he commanded a division. During the Russian-Swedish war of 1808-09 he commanded a corps; led the successful crossing of the Kvarken Strait in the winter of 1809. In 1809-10, Governor-General of Finland. From January 1810 to September 1812, the Minister of War did a lot of work to strengthen the Russian army, and separated the intelligence and counterintelligence service into a separate production. In the Patriotic War of 1812 he commanded the 1st Western Army, and, as Minister of War, the 2nd Western Army was subordinate to him. In conditions of significant superiority of the enemy, he showed his talent as a commander and successfully carried out the withdrawal and unification of the two armies, which earned M.I. Kutuzov such words as THANK YOU DEAR FATHER!!! SAVED THE ARMY!!! SAVED RUSSIA!!!. However, the retreat caused discontent in noble circles and the army, and on August 17 Barclay surrendered command of the armies to M.I. Kutuzov. In the Battle of Borodino he commanded the right wing of the Russian army, showing steadfastness and skill in defense. He recognized the position chosen by L. L. Bennigsen near Moscow as unsuccessful and supported M. I. Kutuzov’s proposal to leave Moscow at the military council in Fili. In September 1812, due to illness, he left the army. In February 1813 he was appointed commander of the 3rd and then the Russian-Prussian army, which he successfully commanded during the foreign campaigns of the Russian army of 1813-14 (Kulm, Leipzig, Paris). Buried in the Beklor estate in Livonia (now Jõgeveste Estonia)
Denikin Anton Ivanovich
One of the most talented and successful commanders of the First World War. Coming from a poor family, he made a brilliant military career, relying solely on his own virtues. Member of the RYAV, WWI, graduate of the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff. He fully realized his talent while commanding the legendary “Iron” brigade, which was then expanded into a division. Participant and one of the main characters of the Brusilov breakthrough. He remained a man of honor even after the collapse of the army, a Bykhov prisoner. Member of the ice campaign and commander of the AFSR. For more than a year and a half, possessing very modest resources and much inferior in numbers to the Bolsheviks, he won victory after victory, liberating a vast territory.
Also, do not forget that Anton Ivanovich is a wonderful and very successful publicist, and his books are still very popular. An extraordinary, talented commander, an honest Russian man in difficult times for the Motherland, who was not afraid to light a torch of hope.
Skopin-Shuisky Mikhail Vasilievich
A talented commander who distinguished himself during the Time of Troubles at the beginning of the 17th century. In 1608, Skopin-Shuisky was sent by Tsar Vasily Shuisky to negotiate with the Swedes in Novgorod the Great. He managed to negotiate Swedish assistance to Russia in the fight against False Dmitry II. The Swedes recognized Skopin-Shuisky as their undisputed leader. In 1609, he and the Russian-Swedish army came to the rescue of the capital, which was under siege by False Dmitry II. He defeated detachments of adherents of the impostor in the battles of Torzhok, Tver and Dmitrov, and liberated the Volga region from them. He lifted the blockade from Moscow and entered it in March 1610.
Denikin Anton Ivanovich
Russian military leader, political and public figure, writer, memoirist, publicist and military documentarian.
Participant in the Russo-Japanese War. One of the most effective generals of the Russian Imperial Army during the First World War. Commander of the 4th Infantry "Iron" Brigade (1914-1916, from 1915 - deployed under his command to a division), 8th Army Corps (1916-1917). Lieutenant General of the General Staff (1916), commander of the Western and Southwestern Fronts (1917). An active participant in the military congresses of 1917, an opponent of the democratization of the army. He expressed support for the Kornilov speech, for which he was arrested by the Provisional Government, a participant in the Berdichev and Bykhov sittings of generals (1917).
One of the main leaders of the White movement during the Civil War, its leader in the South of Russia (1918-1920). He achieved the greatest military and political results among all the leaders of the White movement. Pioneer, one of the main organizers, and then commander of the Volunteer Army (1918-1919). Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia (1919-1920), Deputy Supreme Ruler and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army Admiral Kolchak (1919-1920).
Since April 1920 - an emigrant, one of the main political figures of the Russian emigration. Author of the memoirs “Essays on the Russian Time of Troubles” (1921-1926) - a fundamental historical and biographical work about the Civil War in Russia, the memoirs “The Old Army” (1929-1931), the autobiographical story “The Path of the Russian Officer” (published in 1953) and a number of other works.
Rokhlin Lev Yakovlevich
He headed the 8th Guards Army Corps in Chechnya. Under his leadership, a number of districts of Grozny were captured, including the presidential palace. For participation in the Chechen campaign, he was nominated for the title of Hero of the Russian Federation, but refused to accept it, stating that “he has no moral right to receive this award for military operations on his own territory.” countries".
Yudenich Nikolai Nikolaevich
One of the most successful generals in Russia during the First World War. The Erzurum and Sarakamysh operations carried out by him on the Caucasian front, carried out in extremely unfavorable conditions for Russian troops, and ending in victories, I believe, deserve to be included among the brightest victories of Russian weapons. In addition, Nikolai Nikolaevich stood out for his modesty and decency, lived and died as an honest Russian officer, and remained faithful to the oath to the end.
Markov Sergey Leonidovich
One of the main heroes of the early stage of the Russian-Soviet war.
Veteran of the Russian-Japanese, First World War and Civil War. Knight of the Order of St. George 4th class, Order of St. Vladimir 3rd class and 4th class with swords and bow, Order of St. Anne 2nd, 3rd and 4th class, Order of St. Stanislaus 2nd and 3rd th degrees. Holder of the St. George's Arms. Outstanding military theorist. Member of the Ice Campaign. An officer's son. Hereditary nobleman of the Moscow Province. He graduated from the General Staff Academy and served in the Life Guards of the 2nd Artillery Brigade. One of the commanders of the Volunteer Army at the first stage. He died the death of the brave.
The fierce battle for the fortress lasted over 5 hours. About 8,000 people from the Anapa garrison died, 13,532 defenders led by the commandant and Sheikh Mansur were taken prisoner. A small part (about 150 people) escaped on ships. Almost all the artillery was captured or destroyed (83 cannons and 12 mortars), 130 banners were taken. Gudovich sent a separate detachment from Anapa to the nearby Sudzhuk-Kale fortress (on the site of modern Novorossiysk), but upon his approach the garrison burned the fortress and fled to the mountains, abandoning 25 guns.
The losses of the Russian detachment were very high - 23 officers and 1,215 privates were killed, 71 officers and 2,401 privates were wounded (Sytin's Military Encyclopedia gives slightly lower data - 940 killed and 1,995 wounded). Gudovich was awarded the Order of St. George, 2nd degree, all the officers of his detachment were awarded, and a special medal was established for the lower ranks.
Shein Mikhail
Hero of the Smolensk Defense of 1609-11.
He led the Smolensk fortress under siege for almost 2 years, it was one of the longest siege campaigns in Russian history, which predetermined the defeat of the Poles during the Time of Troubles
Skopin-Shuisky Mikhail Vasilievich
During his short military career, he knew practically no failures, both in battles with the troops of I. Boltnikov, and with the Polish-Liovian and “Tushino” troops. The ability to build a combat-ready army practically from scratch, train, use Swedish mercenaries in place and at the time, select successful Russian command cadres for the liberation and defense of the vast territory of the Russian northwestern region and the liberation of central Russia, persistent and systematic offensive, skillful tactics in fight against the magnificent Polish-Lithuanian cavalry, undoubted personal courage - these are the qualities that, despite the little-known nature of his deeds, give him the right to be called the Great Commander of Russia.
Kondratenko Roman Isidorovich
A warrior of honor without fear or reproach, the soul of the defense of Port Arthur.
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
The largest figure in world history, whose life and government activities left a deep imprint not only on the fate of the Soviet people, but also on all humanity, will be the subject of careful study by historians for many more centuries. The historical and biographical feature of this personality is that she will never be consigned to oblivion.
During Stalin's tenure as Supreme Commander-in-Chief and Chairman of the State Defense Committee, our country was marked by victory in the Great Patriotic War, massive labor and front-line heroism, the transformation of the USSR into a superpower with significant scientific, military and industrial potential, and the strengthening of our country's geopolitical influence in the world.
Ten Stalinist strikes is the general name for a number of the largest offensive strategic operations in the Great Patriotic War, carried out in 1944 by the armed forces of the USSR. Along with other offensive operations, they made a decisive contribution to the victory of the countries of the Anti-Hitler Coalition over Nazi Germany and its allies in World War II.
Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich
One of the best Russian generals of the First World War. In June 1916, troops of the Southwestern Front under the command of Adjutant General A.A. Brusilov, simultaneously striking in several directions, broke through the enemy’s deeply layered defenses and advanced 65 km. In military history, this operation was called the Brusilov breakthrough.
Peter I the Great
Emperor of All Russia (1721-1725), before that the Tsar of All Rus'. He won the Northern War (1700-1721). This victory finally opened up free access to the Baltic Sea. Under his rule, Russia (Russian Empire) became a Great Power.
Kornilov Lavr Georgievich
KORNILOV Lavr Georgievich (08/18/1870-04/31/1918) Colonel (02/1905). Major General (12/1912). Lieutenant General (08/26/1914). Infantry General (06/30/1917). Graduated from the Mikhailovsky Artillery School (1892) and with a gold medal from the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff (1898). Officer at the headquarters of the Turkestan Military District, 1889-1904. Participant in the Russian-Japanese War 1904 - 1905: staff officer of the 1st Infantry Brigade (at its headquarters). During the retreat from Mukden, the brigade got surrounded. Having led the rearguard, he broke through the encirclement with a bayonet attack, ensuring freedom of defensive combat operations for the brigade. Military attaché in China, 04/01/1907 - 02/24/1911. Participant in the First World War: commander of the 48th Infantry Division of the 8th Army (General Brusilov). During the general retreat, the 48th Division was surrounded and General Kornilov, who was wounded, was captured on 04.1915 at the Duklinsky Pass (Carpathians); 08.1914-04.1915. Captured by the Austrians, 04.1915-06.1916. Dressed in the uniform of an Austrian soldier, he escaped from captivity on 06/1915. Commander of the 25th Rifle Corps, 06/1916-04/1917. Commander of the Petrograd Military District, 03-04/1917. Commander of the 8th Army, 04/24-07/8/1917. On 05/19/1917, by his order, he introduced the formation of the first volunteer “1st Shock Detachment of the 8th Army” under the command of Captain Nezhentsev. Commander of the Southwestern Front...
Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich
It's simple - It was he, as a commander, who made the greatest contribution to the defeat of Napoleon. He saved the army under the most difficult conditions, despite misunderstandings and grave accusations of treason. It was to him that our great poet Pushkin, practically a contemporary of those events, dedicated the poem “Commander.”
Pushkin, recognizing Kutuzov's merits, did not oppose him to Barclay. In place of the common alternative “Barclay or Kutuzov,” with the traditional resolution in favor of Kutuzov, Pushkin came to a new position: both Barclay and Kutuzov are both worthy of the grateful memory of posterity, but Kutuzov is revered by everyone, but Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly is undeservedly forgotten.
Pushkin mentioned Barclay de Tolly even earlier, in one of the chapters of “Eugene Onegin” -
Thunderstorm of the twelfth year
It has arrived - who helped us here?
The frenzy of the people
Barclay, winter or Russian god?...
Petrov Ivan Efimovich
Defense of Odessa, Defense of Sevastopol, Liberation of Slovakia
Makhno Nestor Ivanovich
Over the mountains, over the valleys
I've been waiting for my blue ones for a long time
Father is wise, Father is glorious,
Our good father - Makhno...
(peasant song from the Civil War)
He was able to create an army and conducted successful military operations against the Austro-Germans and against Denikin.
And for * carts * even if he was not awarded the Order of the Red Banner, it should be done now
Rurik Svyatoslav Igorevich
Year of birth 942 date of death 972 Expansion of state borders. 965 conquest of the Khazars, 963 march south to the Kuban region, capture of Tmutarakan, 969 conquest of the Volga Bulgars, 971 conquest of the Bulgarian kingdom, 968 founding of Pereyaslavets on the Danube (the new capital of Rus'), 969 defeat of the Pechenegs in the defense of Kyiv.
Defense of Crimea in 1919-20. “The Reds are my enemies, but they did the main thing - my job: they revived great Russia!” (General Slashchev-Krymsky).
Drozdovsky Mikhail Gordeevich
He managed to bring his subordinate troops to the Don in full force, and fought extremely effectively in the conditions of the civil war.
Vasilevsky Alexander Mikhailovich
Alexander Mikhailovich Vasilevsky (September 18 (30), 1895 - December 5, 1977) - Soviet military leader, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1943), Chief of the General Staff, member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command. During the Great Patriotic War, as Chief of the General Staff (1942-1945), he took an active part in the development and implementation of almost all major operations on the Soviet-German front. From February 1945, he commanded the 3rd Belorussian Front and led the assault on Königsberg. In 1945, commander-in-chief of Soviet troops in the Far East in the war with Japan. One of the greatest commanders of World War II.
In 1949-1953 - Minister of the Armed Forces and Minister of War of the USSR. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945), holder of two Orders of Victory (1944, 1945).
Outstanding Russian commander, one of Ivan the Terrible's close associates, drafter of the regulations for the guard and border service
The winner of Frederick the Great - “a gray-haired old man, small, simple, in a white Landmilitsky caftan, without any decorations and without pomp - had the good fortune from the very beginning ... to be loved by the soldiers.” He was loved for his simplicity and accessibility and respected for his equanimity in battle. P.S. Saltykov had a great deal of common sense and combined great civic courage with military courage. The campaign of 1759 placed him above all the commanders of the anti-Prussian coalition.
Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov was born in 1698 in the village of Marfino, Moscow province. His father, Semyon Andreevich, was a close relative of John V’s wife, Tsarina Praskovya Feodorovna, and successfully pursued a career at court. In 1714, the scion of a noble family joined the guard and was sent by Peter the Great to France to study maritime affairs. Pyotr Semenovich lived in a foreign land for about 20 years, but did not acquire a love for naval service.
In 1730, Anna Ioannovna, Duchess of Courland, ascended the Russian throne. The affairs of the Saltykovs, her relatives, went uphill: in 1732 Semyon Andreevich was awarded the title of count, and before that he became a holder of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, general-in-chief and adjutant general. Returning from France, Pyotr Semenovich was promoted to chamberlain and major general by a royal relative.
In 1732, Augustus II, King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, an ally of Peter I, died. The Polish throne became vacant, and two candidates laid claim to it: the son of the late king Augustus III of Saxony and Stanislav Leszczynski, a protégé of France and an enemy of Russia. In 1733, Leszczynski was elected king, and the Russian army of Field Marshal Lassi moved to Poland. Together with others, General P. Saltykov also went on a campaign. Military operations concentrated around Danzig, where Leshchinsky settled with a 20,000-strong army. The siege of Danzig lasted four months and ended with the surrender of the garrison and the flight of Leszczynski. Saltykov gained military experience and was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky (1734). In 1741, ruler Anna Leopoldovna promoted Saltykov to lieutenant general.
The War of the Polish Succession brought Russia into conflict with France, which, having failed in Poland, began an intrigue in Sweden.
The machinations of the French government led to Sweden declaring war on Russia on July 28, 1741. On August 13, the decree of Emperor John VI on the war with Sweden was promulgated, and on August 26, the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Lassi, completely defeated the corps of the Swedish general Wrangel near Vilmanstrand.
Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, who ascended the Russian throne on November 25, 1741, indignantly rejected the Franco-Swedish demands for the concession of the Vyborg region. The war continued. General P.S. Saltykov took an active part in it.
He fought excellently, and in 1744 Empress Elizabeth, although she had little sympathy for the relative of the overthrown Brunswick dynasty, awarded him a sword studded with diamonds. Subsequently, Saltykov commanded the Ukrainian land militia. At this time, tens of thousands of Serbs flocked to Russia, fleeing oppression by the Turks. The Serbs were settled partly on the right bank of the Dnieper - in New Serbia (Elizavetgrad), partly on the left - in Slavic-Serbia (Slavyansk). Through the efforts of Saltykov, Depreradovich and Shevich, by the 1760s, twelve hussar regiments were formed from the settlers. Moving away from the court obviously turned out to be useful for Pyotr Semenovich: he got to know and love ordinary people well, became close to them, and developed traits in his character that attracted the mass of soldiers to him. By the beginning of the Seven Years' War, the characteristics of his leadership talent were fully determined.
In October 1756, a campaign of the Russian army was announced. Although victory was won at Gross-Jägernsdorf on August 19, overall the 1757 campaign ended in vain for the Russians. In 1758, the Russian army was led by General Fermor. Already on January 1, the columns of Saltykov and Rumyantsev (30 thousand) crossed the border. On January 11, Koenigsberg was occupied, and after that the whole of East Prussia. On July 2, Russian troops moved to Frankfurt. Frederick II himself hastened to the rescue of Brandenburg. On August 14, a bloody battle took place near Zorndorf, where both armies “broke into each other.” P.S. Saltykov took an active part in the battle, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and the rank of general-in-chief.
In June 1759, General Saltykov became commander-in-chief of the Russian army. Not embarrassed by the presence of a 30,000-strong Prussian group on his left flank, he moved on July 6 from Poznan in a southerly direction to link up with the Austrians. An army of 40,000 under his leadership made a risky and courageous flank march. The Russian commander took measures in case the army was cut off from its base - Poznan.
The Prussians hurried after Saltykov to get ahead of him at Crossen. However, on July 12, in the battle of Palzig, they were defeated and thrown back beyond the Oder - under the walls of the Krossen fortress. The battle pitted 40,000 Russians against 28,000 Prussians. Against the linear battle formation of the latter, the Russian commander used a tactical novelty - echeloning in depth and playing with reserves. This gave the Russians victory.
Saltykov also saw through the intentions of his Austrian allies to expose the Russians to the enemy’s first strike. After the Palzig victory, he decided to move to Frankfurt and threaten Berlin. Having captured Frankfurt on July 19, the general-in-chief intended to move Rumyantsev's cavalry to Frederick's capital, but the appearance of the king there with the army forced him to abandon this plan.
Having united with the Austrian general Laudon, he had 58,000 soldiers, with whom he took a strong position at Kunersdorf, 80 versts from Berlin. Two groups of Austrians threatened the capital from the south and west (95,000 in total). Frederick II decided to attack Saltykov’s troops with all his forces (50,000).
On August 1, the Prussians attacked the Russian positions. Frederick II intended to bypass Saltykov's troops from the rear, but the Russian commander immediately turned the front around. The Russian army was highly echeloned in depth on a relatively narrow front. The Germans shot down two lines, captured up to 70 guns, but their attack floundered. At the same time, Seydlitz's cavalry was killed, rushing untimely towards the undisturbed Russian infantry. Having launched a crushing counter-offensive to the front and flank, Saltykov’s troops overthrew the Prussian army, and Rumyantsev’s cavalry completed the defeat of the Prussians. The inaction of the Austrian allies helped Frederick II gather troops near Berlin. Prussia was saved.
Empress Elizabeth awarded Count Saltykov the field marshal's baton; in the 1759 campaign he proved himself worthy of such a high award. On February 19, 1760, the commander arrived in St. Petersburg, where he received a very warm welcome. He spent three months in the capital. Elizabeth gave the field marshal the right to develop plans for the 1760 campaign together with the Austrians.
Saltykov planned to capture Danzig, Kolberg and Pomerania that year, and from there strike Berlin. However, the St. Petersburg “strategists” again sent the victorious Russian army to defend Austrian interests. At the end of August 1760, Field Marshal Saltykov became dangerously ill and handed over command to Farmer.
Until 1762, the talented commander remained out of work. Then Catherine II invited him to serve again. On the day of her coronation, the honored warrior received a sword studded with diamonds and became a senator and adjutant general. He then received the appointment to become commander-in-chief (governor general) in Moscow.
Service in the old capital did not bring glory to the conqueror of Frederick the Great. In 1770, he showed weakness during a pestilence and left Moscow entrusted to him. The Empress's trust was lost. Saltykov requested his resignation and received it on April 7, 1772. In December of the same year, the disgraced field marshal died.
Centuries have passed, and now it has become obvious that the remarkable Russian commander P. S. Saltykov combined a sharp mind with military courage and great civic courage. He knew how to talk with arrogant Austrian generals, and flatly refused to comply with the demands of the St. Petersburg Court Conference, which ran counter to the interests of the Russian army and was incompatible with the dignity of Russia. The operations of 1759 indicate that Field Marshal Saltykov, ahead of his time, used innovative combat techniques (playing with reserves, changing the front by 180 degrees, etc.) and surpassed all the commanders of the Seven Years' War.
Petr Semenovich Saltykov
Saltykov Pyotr Semenovich (1698-1772) - military leader, from the nobility. During the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. in 1759 he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian army. He won a victory at Kunersdorf. From 1764 - Moscow governor, could not cope with the Plague Riot (1771), after which he resigned.
Orlov A.S., Georgieva N.G., Georgiev V.A. Historical Dictionary. 2nd ed. M., 2012, p. 458.
Saltykov Pyotr Semenovich (12/11/1698-12/26/1772), count, field marshal general. He began serving as a private in the guard, in 1714 he was sent to study navigation in France, from where he returned to Russia in 1734. In 1735 he took part in Keyen's expedition to the Rhine, and in 1742 - in the war with the Swedes. In 1759 Saltykov was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian army and defeated the Prussians at Zulihau and Kunersdorf. In 1760, Saltykov fell dangerously ill and handed over command of the army to General Fermor, but in 1762 he took office again. At the end of the Seven Years' War, Saltykov was appointed senator, and in 1763 - commander-in-chief of Moscow. In 1771, during the plague epidemic, Saltykov left the capital, which incurred the wrath of the empress, and in 1772 he was dismissed from service.
Materials used from the site Great Encyclopedia of the Russian People - http://www.rusinst.ru
Saltykov Pyotr Semenovich (1698 - 1772, Marfino, Moscow province) - military leader. Son of the General-in-Chief, Count S.A. Saltykova. In 1714, by order Peter I was sent to France to study maritime affairs and lived there for approx. 20 years. He returned to Russia during the reign of Anna Ivanovna, who promoted S. to major general in gratitude for the assistance provided by his father in accession to the throne. In 1734 she took part in military operations against the king Poland S. Leshchinsky and in the Russian-Swedish war of 1741 - 1743. During the Seven Years' War of 1756 - 1763, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian. army in 1759-1760 and in 1762. He was calm in battle and loved by the soldiers. Skillfully combined the actions of infantry and artillery, winning brilliant victories over the Prussian army Frederick II under Palzig and Kunersdorf, for which he was promoted to field marshal general. In 1764-1771 he was Governor-General of Moscow. After the plague riot in Sept. 1771 was dismissed for inactivity.
Book materials used: Shikman A.P. Figures of Russian history. Biographical reference book. Moscow, 1997
Warlord
Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov 1698-1772 Field Marshal General. The name of P. Saltykov is associated with the largest successes of the Russian army in the Seven Years' War of 1756 - 1763, when Russia confronted Prussia, helping Austria and its other allies. At first glance, Saltykov’s gift for leadership appeared unexpectedly, since neither before nor after the Seven Years’ War he showed himself to be anything special. It was with Saltykov that the process of strengthening national principles in the development of Russian military art began.
The future field marshal was born in 1698 and was the son of General-in-Chief S.A. Saltykov, a relative of Empress Anna Ioannovna. Proximity to the reigning house provided him with his initial career. In 1714, he was enlisted in the guard and sent to France for maritime training, although he had no inclination for naval service. In the early 30s. returned to Russia, and was soon granted the rank of full chamberlain and the rank of major general. In 1734, as part of the troops of Field Marshal Minich, he took part in the campaign in Poland against S. Leshchinsky, who declared himself king. In 1742, Lieutenant General Saltykov went to the Russian-Swedish war, took part in military operations, first under the command of General Keith, then Field Marshal Lassi, and was awarded a sword with diamonds for distinguished service in battles.
After the war, Saltykov commanded the Pskov division, land militia regiments in Ukraine, and achieved the rank of general-in-chief. In 1756 he was transferred to St. Petersburg to the post of commander of the Shuvalov Corps, stationed in the capital. Poor conduct of the war against Prussia in the campaigns
1757 - 1758 and the unpopularity of Commander-in-Chief V.V. Fermor among the troops forced Elizabeth to look for another candidate for the post of Commander-in-Chief among the Russian generals. The choice fell on Saltykov, who in June 1759 led the Russian army. According to contemporaries, few people believed that this “gray-haired, small and simple old man,” “a real chicken,” would be able to successfully resist the troops of the famous Frederick II the Great. But the 60-year-old Russian general showed himself at his best, demonstrating military leadership, firmness, common sense, and knowledge of the Russian soldier.
The Russian military historian Maslovsky wrote about Saltykov: “A broad, direct and true view of military affairs, purely Russian devotion to Russia and love for the soldier were the qualities inherent in the new commander-in-chief.”
Saltykov was ordered to act together with the Austrians, and to unite with them he moved to the Oder. The Prussian corps of General Wedel tried to block the road for the Russian army, but thanks to good reconnaissance and skillful movements, Saltykov was constantly ahead of the enemy, leaving him in positions inconvenient for attacks. On July 12, near the village of Palzig, Wedel, despite the unfavorable location of his troops, decided to give battle to the Russians. Saltykov deployed his army in two lines on the heights and equipped artillery batteries, some of which were armed with so-called unicorns, capable of firing over the heads of his troops. The Prussian corps, having overcome the defile between the swamps and heights with losses, launched desperate attacks on the enemy’s flanks. The Russians disrupted the enemy's ranks with active bayonet fighting and destructive artillery fire. Then Saltykov, with a flanking movement of the first line, put the Prussian brigades in a hopeless position and defeated them one by one.
For the success at Palzig, the empress rewarded the lower ranks with a six-month salary (which the treasury was in no hurry to pay), but the commander-in-chief himself received only written gratitude from St. Petersburg - the victory at Palzig in the capital clearly remained underestimated.
Continuing the movement with the army, Saltykov in the Crossen area united with the Austrian corps of General Laudon and, having occupied Frankfurt-on-Oder, suggested that the Austrian commander-in-chief Daun launch a joint attack on Berlin. While he was hesitating, Frederick II with the main forces of the Prussian army, having crossed the Oder north of Frankfurt, decided to defeat the allies with a blow from the rear. On August 1, the largest battle between the Prussian and Russian-Austrian armies in the Seven Years' War took place near the village of Kunersdorf. In this battle, Frederick had at his disposal 48 thousand people and about 200 guns, Chief General Saltykov had 41 thousand Russians, 18.5 thousand Austrians, 248 guns.
Saltykov, having occupied the dominant heights with the center and right flank and strengthened them in engineering terms, deliberately prompted Frederick to attack the left flank of the Russian troops. With great difficulty, the Prussians managed to capture positions on the enemy’s left flank, but then the attacks of the Prussian army crashed against the center of the Russian-Austrian troops, where General P. Rumyantsev, the future famous commander, acted especially skillfully. The attacks of the best Prussian cavalry in Europe, F. Seydlitz, were also unsuccessful, retreating with heavy losses. The battle, which lasted all day, ended in a disorderly retreat of the Prussian army, which lost about 19 thousand people, all artillery and convoys.
Shocked by the failure, Frederick almost committed suicide. “Everything is lost, save the courtyard and archives,” he wrote to Berlin. The hat of the Prussian king, who fled after the battle, was picked up by Russian soldiers. As a relic of Kunersdorf, it is still kept under glass on a stand in the A.V. Suvorov Museum in St. Petersburg.
For the victory at Kunersdorf, Elizabeth awarded Saltykov the rank of field marshal, a special medal with the inscription: “To the winner over the Prussians,” and the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa gave him a diamond ring and a snuff box with diamonds. It is characteristic that the commander-in-chief himself modestly assessed his role in the army. paying tribute to Russian officers and soldiers. “Now Her Imperial Majesty,” wrote Pyotr Semyonovich to Elizabeth, “has many such brave and skillful generals as I doubt if there were so many anywhere; but all of them are her own.”
After Kunersdorf, the Prussian army, taking advantage of the inconsistency in the actions of the Russian and Austrian troops, which stemmed from conflicting instructions from Vienna and St. Petersburg, was still able to recover from defeat and wage a protracted defense. Since Daun avoided joint offensive actions, Saltykov in 1760 transferred the main efforts of the Russian army to Pomerania, and sent part of his forces to a raid on Berlin. On September 28, General Z. Chernyshev’s corps managed to occupy the Prussian capital, but when Frederick’s army approached, he retreated to join Saltykov’s main forces.
Companions of the Russian field marshal noticed his dissatisfaction with the protracted positional forms of warfare. Shackled by instructions from St. Petersburg and endless coordination with Vienna, Saltykov was burdened by the fact that he actually did not have the opportunity to independently organize decisive offensive operations. At the end of 1760, citing poor health, he asked the empress to leave for Poznan for treatment and soon left the post of commander-in-chief.
With the accession of Peter III to the throne (1761), the war with Prussia was ended. During the short reign of Peter, Saltykov was inactive, but in 1762 the new Empress Catherine II returned him to service. On the day of her coronation, she presented the field marshal with a golden sword sprinkled with diamonds. The following year, Pyotr Semenovich became a member of the governing Senate, and in 1764 he was appointed commander-in-chief and governor general in Moscow. There he successfully managed administrative affairs, but an unforeseen situation awaited him: in 1770 -1771. A plague epidemic broke out in Moscow, accompanied by riots.
In an unusual situation for him, the 70-year-old field marshal became confused, acted indecisively and retired to the village of Marfino near Moscow, where he waited out the events. In April 1772, she lost interest in him
Catherine allowed Saltykov to retire, and on December 26, the saddened field marshal died in Marfino. Of the noble persons, only Chief General P. Panin arrived at his funeral.
The hero of Palzig and Kunersdorf remained in the memory of posterity as a talented commander who strengthened the authority of the Russian army in Europe. In battles, Saltykov went beyond the then dominant linear tactics, boldly maneuvered forces and means, allocated reserves, and used columns when carrying out counterattacks. Rumyantsev and Suvorov became the successors of the school of military art he founded.
In a combat situation, Saltykov showed himself to be unusually calm: when the cannonballs flew past him, he waved his whip after them and joked. For his courage and kind attitude towards soldiers, he was very popular among the troops.
Book materials used: Kovalevsky N.F. History of Russian Goverment. Biographies of famous military figures of the 18th - early 20th centuries. M. 1997
Saltykov Pyotr Semenovich (1698-12/26/1772), count, field marshal general. Son of Chief General S.A. Saltykov, a relative of Empress Anna Ivanovna. Proximity to the reigning house provided him with his initial career. In 1714, he was enlisted in the guard and sent to France for maritime training, although he had no inclination for naval service. In the early 30s. returned to Russia, and was soon granted a full chamberlain and the rank of major general. In 1734, as part of the troops of Field Marshal B.Kh. Minikha took part in the campaign in Poland against Stanislav Leszczynski, who declared himself king. In 1742, Lieutenant General Saltykov took part in the Russian-Swedish war, in military operations, first under the command of General Keith, then Field Marshal Lassi, and was awarded a sword with diamonds for distinction in battles. After returning from Stockholm, Saltykov was appointed head of the Pskov division; in 1754 he was promoted to general-in-chief, and in 1756 he was appointed commander of the Ukrainian land militia regiments. Received the rank of general-in-chief. In 1756 he was transferred to St. Petersburg to the post of commander of the Shuvalov Corps, stationed in the capital. The unsatisfactory conduct of the war against Prussia in the campaigns of 1757-1758 and the unpopularity of Commander-in-Chief V.V. Fermor forced Empress Elizaveta Petrovna to look among the Russian generals for another candidate for the post of commander-in-chief. The choice fell on Saltykov, who in June 1759 led the Russian army. According to contemporaries, few people believed that this “gray-haired, small and simple old man,” “a real chicken,” would be able to successfully resist the troops of the famous Frederick II the Great. However, Saltykov showed himself at his best, demonstrating military leadership, firmness, common sense, as well as knowledge of the Russian soldier. The Russian military historian Maslovsky wrote about Saltykov: “A broad, direct and true view of military affairs, purely Russian devotion to Russia and love for the soldier were the qualities inherent in the new commander-in-chief.” Saltykov was ordered to act together with the Austrians, and to unite with them he moved to the Oder. The Prussian corps of General Wedel tried to block the road for the Russian army, but thanks to good reconnaissance and skillful movements, Saltykov was constantly ahead of the enemy, leaving him in positions inconvenient for attacks. On July 12, near the village of Palzig, despite the unfavorable location of his troops, Wedel decided to give battle to the Russians. Saltykov deployed his army in two lines on the heights and equipped artillery batteries, some of which were armed with so-called unicorns, capable of firing over the heads of his troops. The Prussian corps, having overcome the path between the swamps and heights with losses, launched desperate attacks on the enemy’s flanks. The Russians disrupted the enemy's ranks with active bayonet fighting and destructive artillery fire. Then Saltykov, with a flanking movement of the first line, put the Prussian brigades in a hopeless position and defeated them one by one. For his success at Paltsig, Saltykov received written gratitude from St. Petersburg. Continuing the movement with the army, Saltykov in the Crossen area united with the Austrian corps of General Laudon and, having occupied Frankfurt-on-Oder, suggested that the Austrian commander-in-chief Daun launch a joint attack on Berlin. While he was hesitating, Frederick II with the main forces of the Prussian army, having crossed the Oder north of Frankfurt, decided to defeat the allies with a blow from the rear. On August 1, near the village of Kunersdorf, the largest battle took place between the Prussian and Russian-Austrian armies in the Seven Years' War. Frederick had at his disposal in In this battle there were 48 thousand people and about 200 guns, general-in-chief Saltykov had 41 thousand Russians, 18.5 thousand Austrians, 248 guns.Saltykov, having occupied the commanding heights and strengthened them, deliberately encouraged Frederick to attack the left flank of the Russian troops With great difficulty, the Prussians managed to capture positions on the enemy’s left flank, but then the attacks of the Prussian army crashed against the center of the Russian-Austrian troops, where General P. A. Rumyantsev acted especially skillfully.The attacks of the best Prussian cavalry in Europe, F. Seydlitz, were also unsuccessful. retreated with heavy losses.The battle, which lasted all day, ended in a disorderly retreat of the Prussian army, which lost about 19 thousand people, all the artillery and convoys. Shocked by the failure, Frederick almost committed suicide. For the victory at Kunersdorf, Elizabeth awarded Saltykov the rank of field marshal, a special medal with the inscription: “To the winner over the Prussians,” and the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa gave him a diamond ring and a snuffbox with diamonds. It is characteristic that the commander-in-chief himself modestly assessed his role in the army, paying tribute to the Russian officers and soldiers. “Now Her Imperial Majesty,” wrote Pyotr Semyonovich to Elizabeth, “has many such brave and skillful generals as I doubt if there were so many anywhere; and all of them are theirs.” After Kunersdorf, the Prussian army, taking advantage of the inconsistency in the actions of the Russian and Austrian troops, which stemmed from conflicting instructions from Vienna and St. Petersburg, was still able to recover from defeat and wage a protracted defense. Since Daun shied away from joint offensive actions, Saltykov in 1760 transferred the main actions of the Russian army to Pomerania, and sent part of his forces to Berlin. Corps of General Z.G. Chernyshev managed to occupy the Prussian capital on September 28, but when Frederick’s army approached, he retreated to join Saltykov’s main forces. Companions of the Russian field marshal noticed his dissatisfaction with the protracted positional forms of warfare. Shackled by instructions from St. Petersburg and endless coordination with Vienna, Saltykov was burdened by the fact that he actually did not have the ability to independently organize decisive offensive operations. At the end of 1760, citing poor health, he asked the empress to leave for Poznan for treatment and soon left the post of commander-in-chief. After the accession of Peter III to the throne (1761), the war with Prussia was ended. During the short reign of Peter, Saltykov was inactive, but in 1762 Empress Catherine II returned him to service. On the day of her coronation, she presented the field marshal with a golden sword studded with diamonds. The following year, Pyotr Semenovich became a member of the governing Senate, and in 1764 he was appointed commander-in-chief and governor general in Moscow, where a plague epidemic broke out in 1770-1771, accompanied by riots. In an unusual situation for him, the 70-year-old field marshal became confused, acted indecisively and retired to the village of Marfino near Moscow, where he waited out the events. In April 1772, Catherine II allowed Saltykov to retire, and on December 26 Saltykov died in Marfino.
Book materials used: Sukhareva O.V. Who was who in Russia from Peter I to Paul I, Moscow, 2005
Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov was born in Marfino, near Moscow, into a noble family, received a good education at home, and in 1714 began military service as an ordinary soldier in Peter’s Guard. In the same year, with a group of young nobles, he left to study maritime affairs in France, where he remained until the early 30s.
In 1734, Saltykov, with the rank of major general, took part in the campaign of Russian troops against the Polish king Stanislav Leszczynski.
After this, Lieutenant General Pyotr Saltykov participated in the Russian-Swedish War of 1741-1743, which was caused by the desire of the Stockholm royal court to regain the territories lost under the Treaty of Nystadt in 1721.
In 1743, Lieutenant General P.S. Saltykov commanded the rearguard of the troops of General J. Keith. Then, as part of his corps, he was sent from Helsingfors to the Swedish capital of Stockholm.
After returning from Stockholm, Saltykov was appointed commander of the Pskov division, stationed on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. In 1754 he was awarded the rank of general-in-chief.
In 1756, General-in-Chief P.S. Saltykov was appointed commander of the Ukrainian land militia regiments that defended the southern border of the Russian Empire from the predatory raids of the Crimeans.
Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov gained recognition and glory as a Russian commander in the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763. Then Russia, together with its allied Austria, fought against the Kingdom of Prussia, headed by the warlike monarch Frederick II, one of the outstanding commanders of the 18th century. The name of Saltykov is associated with the largest and most striking victories of the Russian army in this long pan-European war.
For the brilliant victory over the Prussian army at Kunersdorf, Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov was awarded the rank of Field Marshal.
At the end of the Seven Years' War, Field Marshal General P.S. Saltykov was appointed senator. In 1764-1771 he served as commander-in-chief and governor general of Moscow. The reason for his resignation was the terrible plague epidemic in Moscow in 1770-1771, which claimed many lives. Count Saltykov was accused of lack of management and removed from business.
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Read further:
Saltykov Ivan Petrovich(1730 - 1805), count, son of Pyotr Semenovich.
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