Michail Illarionovich Kutuzov (1745 - 1813) Michail Illarionovich Kutuzov was born in 1745 in the family of military engineer, retired general Illarion Matveevich Kutuzov. Under Peter the First all noblemen must serve in the Army and teach their kids science of war. Afther Peter's death when a son was born in a nobleman's family he was usually enlisted on military service as a private, and for the years of his boyhood he "was on home leave" and got the ranks year by year. But, for luck, not all the noblemen do the same. So young Kutuzov, who had the excellent training had been distingushed at once among the other cadets of the Artillery-Engineer School. In the age of 19 ensing ("praporshik") Kutuzov began his military service. As long ago as the beginning of the XVIII-th century the danger of the Swedish or Turkish invasion into Russia became very strong. These countries didn't want to allow Russia to the Baltic and Black Seas, and besides they had their own predatory plans. So the main for the Russian foreign policy of those times was the struggle for independence and way out to the seas. In 1764 when the Russian troops went to Poland, captain Kutuzov achieved his transferring to the acting Army. In 1764, 1765 and 1769 he took part in some small combats, got used to the field life, but as he said afterwards "he didn't understand a war yet". In 1770 Kutuzov was transferred to Rumyantsev's Army that was acting against the Turks in Moldavia and Valakhia. Kutuzov was in the Corps of very skilled General Bour, that usually executed the most important tasks in every battle. After Kutuzov was appointed the Army Ober-Quartermaster. But his service in Rumyantsev's Army had suddently stopped. Somebody of Kutuzov's ill-wishers informed Rumyantsev against Kutuzov, that he had copied his manners and his walk. The Commander-in-Chief was very touchy and young Kutuzov was saved from Rumyantsev's anger only by his military merits and excellent service. He was transferred to the Crimean Army. This event made a deep trace in Kutuzov's soul. From that time he became reserved and distrustful. In the battle at Alushta Kutuzov was seriously wounded. A turkish bullet hurted his head, but for luck it didn't touch the brain. Kutuzov had recovered . Ekatherine II gave him a leave for treatment. He went abroad for treatment. He travelled a lot over Europe, for a long time lived in Leiden, it was a big centre of science then, he met with many European scientists and generals there - Frederick II and Laudon. After coming back Kutuzov was appointed to the troops that based in the Crimea. And A.V.Suvorov served there then. Kutuzov comprehended the scence of forming columns for campaign, organization of march, rest and all Suvorov's science of training troops. Those days he was appointed the commander of the Bug Chasseur Corps. In 1787 the new war with Turkey began. Kutuzov with his Corps protected the Russian border along the Bug, then his troops were included into the acting Ekatherinoslav Army. The commander of this Army was Potemkin. He decided to seize Turkish fortress Ochakov on the Black sea coast. The Russian troops and Kutuzov's Corps among them layed siege on Ochakov. The siege lasted very long, Russian soldiers loss their lifes because of many diseases. There was very little of military actions: only small affairs, Potemkin didn't decide on the beginnig of the main assault. During one of turkish sallies they attacked the chasseurs of the Bug Corps. In this combat Kutuzov was heavily wounded. The bullet had pierced his had almost in the same place that at his first injury. The doctors thought the wound was fatal but Kutuzov began to recover, though his right eye didn't see from those days. Afterwards Kutuzov took part in the storm of big Tukrish fortress Izmail under the command of Suvorov. After seizing Izmail Kutuzov was appointed the commandant of Izmail and the commander of the troops located between the Dniester and the Bug. From 1793 the new stage of Kutuzov's life began. He became a diplomat: the Russian Ambassador Extraordinary in Turkey, in Kostantinopol (Istanbul), and showed himself as a very talented diplomat. But he was on this post for a short time - till 1794, then he was appointed the Director of the Land Cadet Corps, where he managed training of the future officers of the Russian Army. Kutuzov delivered lectures to officers by himself and he for the first time began to teach tactics in the Corps. In the same time Kutuzov was the Commander-in-Chief of the Land Forces in Finland. After the death of Ekatherine II, Pavel the First ascended the throne, and he established the Prussian rules in the russian Army. The soldiers were dressed and armed in Prussian style, and the main thing in the Army became not a war but a lot of parades. Many officers who fought under the command of Suvorov had sent in their papers. In 1801 Pavel was murdered and his son Alexander became the Emperor. But the conditions in the Army didn't change to good. There was some reforms but they were only about pensions and party about economical side: training and battle training stayed at the same level. Michail Illarionovich Kutuzov like many of Suvorov's officers was out of business. For about a year he was the General-Governor of St.Petersburg, but Alexander I was displeased with "carelessness in police service". In August of 1802 Kutuzov was dismissed under his own "petition", but in real he was just removed from St.Petersburg. Kutuzov went to his village Goroshki in Volin gubernia. In 1805 Russia was for the first time threatened with danger of Napoleon's troops invasion. Austria and England too were in a very hard situation. And the coalition of England, Russia and Austria was formed against Napoleonic France. Emperor Alexander was mede to apply to Kutuzov and ask him to command the united Russian-Austrian Army that would have to move to France. On November 20, 1805 (December, 2 - new style) at the Czech town of Austerlitz took place the big battle. Alexander I commanded the Russian Army, although the Commander-in-Chief nominally was Kutuzov. Alexander was afraid of Napoleon very much but tried to look brave. Alexander's calculation was very easy: if the battle had been won he would be the glorious winner, if no, Kutuzov would bear the responsibility for it. At the time of the Austerlitz battle the Russian Army numbered 85 thousands. Besides in a short time the big reinforcement should approach to the Russian Army and the whole number would be about 203 thousands. Kutuzov's experience said him he had to refrain from offensive activities. But there was a lack of food in the Russian camp and it was necessary to make a decision. There was a war council and Kutuzov declared for the retreat to the Rudny mountains and waiting for approaching the reinforcements and also he proposed to wait till Prussia would enter into the war, but his proposals were rejected. Just before the Austerlitz battle a disposition was made.Kutuzov realized the disposition didn't conform to the place relief and didn't take into account the real distribution of French troops, but he knew Alexander would not take any objection and kept silence during all the council, he was just napping. The battle began at 7 a.m. Napoleon waited till the allies of Russians went away from the Pratzen Hills and ordered to the part of his troops to begin an attack. On the direction of the main attack Napoleon had the decisive outnumber of forces and it had decided the outcome of the battle. Napolean divided the united Army of Allies into two parts. As a result the troops of the left flank had to retreat hastily to the Sachan Lake. The 3-rd column of General Prshibishevsky was surrounded, they couldn't break out and were taken prisoners with General Prshibishevsky. The right flank was attacked by the Corps of General Lannes and the forces of Bernadott and Murat. They met with the Guards of Tsesarevich Konstantin Pavlovich and a part of the Cavalry of Liechtestein. But the cavalry didn't stand the fire of the French artiilery batteries from the Pratzen Hills and was made to retreat to Austerlitz. Nad only the attack of the Horse Guards Regiments helped Guards to avoid the utter defeat. The crushing of Allies in the centre and on the left flank made Bagration to retreat to Rausnitz, and the Guards - to Austerlitz. On February,24, 1806 Alexander I rewarded Kutuzov with the Order of St.Vladimir of the 10st Class, but Michail Illarionovich realized the result of this battle deprived him of the Emperor's favour. In 1807 Russia had to make a peace treaty that was signed in Tilzit and was called afterwards "the Tilzit peace". In had been acting till 1812. In spring of 1809 the military actions against Turkey began again. The reason was the Serbian uprising against Turkish janizarys Russian supported the Serbians. That time Kutuzov had been in the Moldavian Army for a year. The Commander-in-Chief was General-Field-Marshal A.A.Prozorovsky. After the unsuccessful assault of Brailov fortress the terms between Kutuzov and Prozorovsky became very bad. And Prozorovsky removed Kutuzov from the Army. Michail Illarionovich was appointed the Lithuanian Military Governor and went to Vilno on June, 16, 1809. After two weeks Prozorovsky had died, and Bagration became the Commander-in-Chief of the Moldavian Army. Under his command the Russian Army began to act more active, it occupied Moldavia and Valakhia, layed siege to Izmail and Silistria. But the campaign of 1809 didn't get good results, and the Army had to raise the siege of the fortresses and move into Moldavia and Valakhia. The new Commander-in-Chief was Count N.M.Kamensky (the 2-nd), who has distinguished himself in the Swedish campaing. But after a short time Kamensky fell ill and Aexander I appointed Kutuzov the Commander-in-Chief of the Moldavian Army. This appointment didn't make Kutuzov happy. At April,1 Kutuzov took up the command of the army. He at once began to make a close study of the situation and Army conditions. Kutuzov decided not to confine to the defence of the Danube but to advance from Rushuk. Here Kutuzov showed his diplomatic talent and resourcefulness. At last the plan of military actions of the Turkish Commander-in-Chief (the Grand Vizier) became known to him. The Grand Vizier at last decided to move his main forces to Rushuk, seaze the fortress and go to Valakhia. After knowing about the Vizir Army moving, Kutuzov with the Corps of General Lanzheron went to Zhurzha, crossed the Danube and stayed near Rushuk "back to this river". The Turkish Army 60 thousands in number approached to Rushuk and camped 8 kilometers from the fortress. On June, 22 the Turkish Cavalry attacked, broke through the Russian defence and rushed to Rushuk. Another mass of cavalry went to the Danube to attack the fortress from the other side. The garrison of Rushukcounter-attacked and threw back the Turks. At the same time Kutuzov sent his Cavalry to attack the Turkish cavalry in the Russian rear, the Turks retreated and began to prepare the new attack. But Kutuzov opened the strong artillery fire and made the Turkish Cavalry to retreat to the main Vizier Army. At 2 p.m. the Vizier saw the defeat of his Cavalry and retreated into his fortified camp between Pisanitsy and Kadikva villages. The Russian troops pursued the enemy till their camp. After that Kutuzov sent the Cavalry and it pursued the Turks for 10 versts more. For this victory Kutuzov was rewarded with a portrait of Alexander I. But the Vizier didn't want to surrender so easily. He began to fortify his camp. But Kutuzov left Rushuk and withdrew his troops on the left bank of the Danube. The Vizier realized this as his victory. For the "victory" he got a rich award from the Sultan. But Kutuzov wanted the Vizier to relax his vigilance. He could entrap the Vizier and after surround his troops from the land and the river. And as a result, the Turks blocked up on the Danube left bank sustained terrible losses. And winter had come, many people in the Turkish Army died of cold, diseases and a lack of food. They even began to eat their horses. At last the Grand Vizier Army was made to surrender. The Russian-Turkish war of 1810-1812 was finished by a peace treaty signed in Bucharest, at May,16 when it was the danger of Napolen's invasion into Russia. In according to this treaty Russia got Bessarabia and all the Transcaucasian regions stayed the part of the Russian Empire. Emperor Alexander removed Kutuzov from the command and sent Admiral Chichagov to command the Moldavian Army. Kutuzov went to his estate Goroshki and was there till the beginning of the war of 1812. Kutuzov was appointed the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army 10 days before the Borodino battle, in the end of August, 1812. Before this appointment in August Kutuzov was a commander of the St.Peterburg Milita. He made the rules for training of militiamen that would become afterwards the base to the militiamen training in all Russian provinces. The Borodino battle began at August, 26 (September,7 -new style) at 5 a.m. and lasted about 15 hours. On August,27, at 2 a.m. the Russian Army left the field of the battle and in two columns retreated to Mozhaysk to Zhukovo village. The French vanguard was not able to seize Mozhaysk at once, and only at August,28 Napoleon entered into Mozhaysk. He was there for 3 days putting his troops in order. Kutuzov's Headquarters was in Fili village. In the hut of peasant A.S.Frolov was made a War Council, all Russian generals were present at it. There was only one question: "Have we to wait the enemy on our positions and give battle or to surrender our capital without battle?" Kutuzov had heard all proposals ans said what Russian would nor be lost after the surrender of Moscow and proposed to save the Army and don't give battle, to approach the coming reinforcements and "by surrendering Moscow prepare the death for the enemy". The Russian Army was ordered to retreat along the Ryazan road. At September,2 after leaving Moscow the Russian Army stayed at Panki village. Next day it continued its retreat and went to the Old Kaluga road to approach the fresh troops coming to the aid. On September,8 the Russian Army stopped near Krasnays Pakhra village and then after one more march camped in Tarutino village. Kutuzov was occupied with reforming the army, providing food, arms, equipment and solving other problems. The Russian Army got the necessary reinforcements and began to attack the French Army, that had left Moscow at that time. With great losses Napoleon retreated slowly to the Berezina and there was the final death of the Grande Armee. For Kutuzov the war against Napoleon was finished when Marshal Ney with his troops crossed the Neman and left the Russian territory. But for Alexander I it was only the beginning. It was the old, constant and hopeless disagreement between the Emperor and the old Field-Marshal. Russia had already been saved, and was there a need to "save" Europe or it would be better to make peace with Napoleon and let European states fight for their freedom by themselves, and let the Great Britain fight for its industrial and trading superiority by itself too? "Yes, we must save Europe and help England" - answered Alexander; "No" - replied Kutuzov. Shortly after liberation of Russia Kutuzov fell ill very seriously. Just before his death Alexander I came to him and asked his pardon for his bad attitude to the old general. Kutuzov said :"Of,course, I forgive you, but will Russia forgive you, Your Majesty?" On April, 28, 1813 M.I.Kutuzov died in the town of Bunzlau. For one and a half months the coffin with his body moved to St.Petersburg. 5 versts before the city the horses were unharnessed and people carried the coffin on their shoulders to the Kazan Cathedral where he was buried solemnly.