Barclay de Tolly in the Patriotic War. Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich

According to Western authors, he entered the history of military art as the architect of the “scorched earth” strategy and tactics - cutting off the main enemy troops from the rear, depriving them of supplies and organizing guerrilla warfare in their rear.

In Russian history he is remembered as a commander who was forced to make a strategic retreat before Napoleon in the Patriotic War of 1812 and for this was unfairly condemned by his contemporaries.

Biography

Origin

The father of the future commander, Weingold Gotthard Barclay de Tolly (German). Weinhold Gottard Barclay de Tolly , 1734-1781; Russian sources also indicate his adopted Slavic name Bogdan), retired as a lieutenant in the Russian army, receiving the rank of Russian nobleman. The mother of the future commander Margaret Elisabeth von Smitten (German) Margaretha Elisabeth von Smitten , 1733-1771) was the daughter of a local priest; according to other sources, she came from a family of Livland landowners. Mikhail Bogdanovich himself in family chronicles is called in German Michael Andreas (German. Michael Andreas). M. B. Barclay's wife is Agnetha Helena, born. von Smitten (1770-1828).

The place and year of birth of Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly until recently were considered reliably established. Early and recognized sources indicate that he was born on December 16 () of the year in the Pamūšis estate (lit. Pamūšis, now the village of Pamūšis in the Siauliai district of Lithuania), located in that part of the Zemgale region, which at that time was part of the vassal of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of Courland duchy annexed to the Russian Empire after the third partition of Poland (). Modern Russian researchers V.M. Bezotosny and A.M. Gorshman made an attempt to substantiate the earlier year of birth -. Mikhail Bogdanovich himself wrote that he was born in Riga. The publication “Rigasche Biographien nebst einigen Familien-Nachrichten” (Riga, 1881) reports that he was born in 1761 on the estate of Lude Groshof (German. Luhde-Großhoff) near Valka (German) Walk, a city divided between Latvia and Estonia (the Estonian part of the city is called Valga)). Barclay's family moved to the Pamushis estate; it is this estate that many authors indicate as the birthplace of the future field marshal.

In military service

He began active service in the ranks of the Pskov Carabinieri Regiment in , was promoted to cornet, and only eight years later - to the next officer rank - lieutenant. Barclay's humble origins affected his career advancement; it took him more than twenty years to reach the rank of colonel. In the city he was transferred to the Finnish Jaeger Corps.

In the same letter, Barclay admitted the difficult moral situation around him. He did not have a good relationship with Commander-in-Chief Kutuzov, a man of a completely different character and behavior. After the reorganization of the army by Kutuzov, General Barclay found himself in an ambiguous position. While formally maintaining his post, he was actually removed from command and control of the troops. At the end of September, having received leave, he went to Kaluga, then through St. Petersburg in late autumn he arrived at his village in Livonia.

Barclay wrote a long letter to Tsar Alexander I, in which he tried to outline his vision of the war and the reasons for the retreat of the Russian armies. In response, he received a friendly letter from the Russian Emperor, in which Alexander recognized the correctness of Barclay’s actions as commander of the 1st Army.

All Russian historians recognize that the fundamental strategic line outlined by Barclay at the initial stage of the Patriotic War was not changed by Kutuzov, and continuity of command was preserved.

After World War II

Barclay successfully led troops in the battles of Thorn, Kulm, Leipzig, and Paris. For his services, he was elevated to the rank of count; after the capture of Paris, he received a field marshal's baton on March 18 () 1814. Barclay long sought lower officer ranks, but in just 7 years he made a rapid path from major general to field marshal.

Barclay de Tolly's long-unseen service, hidden in obscurity, subordinated him to the order of gradual elevation, constrained hopes, humbled ambition. Not belonging to the ranks of extraordinary people due to the superiority of his talents, he valued his good abilities too modestly and therefore did not have confidence in himself that could open up paths independent of ordinary order...
Awkward at court, he did not win over people close to the sovereign; With his coldness of treatment he did not gain the affection of his equals or the commitment of his subordinates...
Before his elevation to the ranks, Barclay de Tolly had a very limited, or rather meager, fortune; he had to subdue desires and constrain needs. Such a state, of course, does not hinder the aspirations of a noble soul, does not extinguish the mind’s lofty talents; but poverty, however, provides ways to show them in the most decent form... Family life did not fill his entire time of solitude: his wife is not young, does not have charms that can hold him in a certain charm for a long time, conquering all other feelings. Children are infancy, a military man does not have a household! He used his free time for useful activities and enriched himself with knowledge. By nature he is temperate in all respects, by nature he is unpretentious, and by habit he tolerates shortcomings without complaining. An educated, positive mind, patient in his work, caring about the work entrusted to him; unsteady in intentions, timid in responsibility; indifferent in danger, inaccessible to fear. The properties of the soul are kind, not alien to condescension; he is attentive to the works of others, but more so of people close to him... He is careful in dealing with his subordinates, does not allow them to be treated freely and unconstrained, taking it for non-observance of rank. Fearful of the sovereign, lacking the gift of explaining himself. He is afraid of losing his favors, having recently used them, having used them beyond expectation.
In a word, Barclay de Tolly has shortcomings that are inseparable from most people, but he also has virtues and abilities that currently adorn very few of our most famous generals.

Although during the retreat at the initial stage of the Patriotic War some contemporaries almost considered Barclay as a traitor, later they appreciated his merits. The great A.S. Pushkin honored him with the poem “Commander”, and also left the following lines in the unwritten 10th chapter 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?

In St. Petersburg, on Nevsky Prospekt, in the park in front of the Kazan Cathedral, there are monuments to Kutuzov and Barclay de Tolly. Both monuments by sculptor B.I. Orlovsky were inaugurated on December 25, the day of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the expulsion of the French from Russia.

Having visited the sculptor’s workshop in March, Pushkin saw the sculptures of both commanders and once again expressed his views on their role in the Patriotic War with an expressive line of the poem “To the Artist”:

Here is the initiator Barclay, and here the accomplisher Kutuzov.

In the 4th issue of his Sovremennik (November), Pushkin, having been criticized for the poem “Commander,” published the article “Explanation”:

The glory of Kutuzov is inextricably linked with the glory of Russia, with the memory of the greatest event in modern history. His title: Savior of Russia; his monument: St. Helen's Rock! His name is not only sacred to us, but shouldn’t we also rejoice, we Russians, that it sounds with a Russian sound?

And could Barclay de Tolly complete the work he began? Could he stop and propose a battle at the Borodin mounds? Could he, after a terrible battle, where there was an unequal dispute, give Moscow to Napoleon and stand inactive on the Tarutino plains? No! (Not to mention the superiority of the military genius). Kutuzov alone could propose the Battle of Borodino; only Kutuzov could give Moscow to the enemy, only Kutuzov could remain in this wise, active inaction, putting Napoleon to sleep in the conflagration of Moscow, and waiting for the fatal moment: for Kutuzov alone was vested with the people's power of attorney, which he so miraculously justified!

Should we really be ungrateful to the merits of Barclay de Tolly, because Kutuzov is great?

Contemporary, literary magazine A.S. Pushkin. 1836-1837. - M.: Soviet Russia, 1988. - P. 308.

Awards

  • Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called (09/07/1813);
  • Barclay de Tolly was one of the 4 full Knights of St. George in the entire history of the order. Along with him in those years, only M.I. Kutuzov was a full cavalier.
    • Order of St. George 1st class. (08/19/1813, No. 11) - “For the defeat of the French in the Battle of Kulm on August 18, 1813”;
    • Order of St. George 2nd class. bol.kr. (21.10.1812, No. 44) - “For participation in the battle of Borodino on August 26, 1812”;
    • Order of St. George, 3rd class. (01/08/1807, No. 139) - “In reward for the excellent courage and courage shown in the battle against the French troops on December 14 at Pultusk, where, commanding the vanguard ahead of the right flank, with special skill and prudence he held the enemy during the entire battle and knocked over onago";
    • Order of St. George, 4th class. (09.16.1794, No. 547) - “For excellent courage shown against the Polish rebels during the capture of the fortifications and the mountains themselves. Vilna";
  • Gold sword with diamonds and laurels with the inscription "for January 20, 1814" (1814);
  • Order of St. Vladimir 1st class. (09/15/1811), 2nd Art. (03/07/1807), 4th Art. (07.12.1788);
  • Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (09.09.1809) with diamonds (09.05.1813);
  • Order of St. Anne 1st class. (03/07/1807);
  • Golden Cross for the capture of Ochakov (12/07/1788);
  • Golden Cross for Preussisch-Eyslau (1807);
  • Prussian Order of the Red Eagle (1807);
  • Prussian Order of the Black Eagle (1813);
  • Austrian Military Order of Maria Theresa Commander (1813);
  • Swedish Military Order of the Sword 1st class. (1814);
  • French orders of St. Louis (1816) and Legion of Honor 1st class. (1815);
  • Honorary Knight Grand Cross, Order of the Bath of Great Britain (1815); English sword with diamonds (1816);
  • Dutch Military Order of William 1st class. (1815);
  • Saxon Military Order of St. Henry 1st class. (1815)

Memory of Barclay de Tolly

  • Nesvizh 4th Grenadier Regiment (at that time 2nd, then 1st Grenadier Chasseurs, Grenadier Carabineer Regiment) On February 14, the carabinery regiment of General Field Marshal Prince Barclay de Tolly was named. S - Nesvizh 4th Grenadier General Field Marshal Prince Barclay de Tolly Regiment. A bust of Barclay de Tolly is installed in the hall of fame (Walhall) in Germany.
  • In 1962, Filskoe Highway in Moscow (became part of the city in 1960 along with the village of Fili) was renamed Barclay Street.
  • In Veliky Novgorod, on the Monument “1000th Anniversary of Russia”, among the 129 figures of the most outstanding personalities in Russian history (as of 1862), there is the figure of M. B. Barclay de Tolly.
  • In Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad region (formerly Insterburg), an equestrian statue of the commander was installed on the central square of the city in 2007, and one of the streets was named after him.

Monument in St. Petersburg

Notes

Sources and links

  • Soviet military encyclopedia. M., 1978.
  • Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich, Image of military actions of 1812
  • Bantysh-Kamensky, D.N. 41st Field Marshal Prince Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly // Biographies of Russian generalissimos and field marshals. In 4 parts. Reprint reproduction of the 1840 edition. - M.: Culture, 1991.
  • Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly, biography from the 3rd edition of the album “Military Gallery of the Winter Palace” (Leningrad, “Iskusstvo”, 1981)
  • Barclay de Tolly, encyclopedic dictionary of Brockhaus F.A. and Efron I.A.
  • Dictionary of Russian generals who took part in the fighting against the army of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1812-1815. // Russian archive: Sat. - M.: studio "TRITE" N. Mikhalkov, 1996. - T. VII. - pp. 308-309.
  • Glinka V.M. , Pomarnatsky A.V. Barclay de Tolly, Mikhail Bogdanovich // Military Gallery of the Winter Palace. - 3rd ed. - L.: Art, 1981. - P. 73-76.
  • Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly [The largest selection on the topic of 100 greats]
Governors-General of the Grand Duchy of Finland
Sprengporten Barclay de Tolly Steingel Armfelt Steingel Zakrevsky Menshikov von Berg Rokasovsky Adlerberg Heyden Bobrikov Obolensky Gerard Beckman Zane Stakhovich Nekrasov

President of the Military Collegium: A. D. Menshikov | A. I. Repnin | M. M. Golitsyn | V. V. Dolgorukov | B. H. Minich | N. Yu. Trubetskoy | Z. G. Chernyshev | G. A. Potemkin | N. I. Saltykov |
Minister of War: S. K. Vyazmitinov | A. A. Arakcheev | M. B. Barclay de Tolly| A. I. Gorchakov | P. P. Konovnitsyn | P. I. Meller-Zakomelsky | A. I. Tatishchev | A. I. Chernyshev | V. A. Dolgorukov | N. O. Sukhozanet | D. A. Milyutin | P. S. Vannovsky | A. N. Kuropatkin | V.V. Sakharov | A. F. Roediger | V. A. Sukhomlinov | A. A. Polivanov | D. S. Shuvaev | M. A. Belyaev |
Minister of War and Navy (Provisional Government): A. I. Guchkov | A. F. Kerensky | A. I. Verkhovsky |
Minister of War and Navy (Provisional All-Russian Government): A. V. Kolchak
People's Commissars' Committee for Military and Naval Affairs

The outstanding Russian commander, the second field marshal general after M. Kutuzov, Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly, had to put up with the completely unfair attitude of his environment all his life. A participant in many of the most important battles of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, he was a man of bright and difficult fate.

Heir to the Scots

Michael Barclay de Tolly (a short biography is described in the article) came from the German de Tolly family, which was related to the old noble family of Scotland, the Barclays, with Norman roots. One of his ancestors moved to Riga at the end of the seventeenth century from a German city that was part of the Hanseatic League, a political and economic association of trading cities. The grandfather of M.B. Barclay de Tolly, whose brief biography will be outlined below, was the mayor of Riga.

The father of the outstanding commander, Weingold Gotthard, left the service as a lieutenant, receiving the rank of nobleman. Mikhail's mother was the daughter of a priest and came from a family of Estonian landowners. Mikhail Bogdanovich himself (his father took the name Bogdan) is called Michael-Andreas in family chronicles.

Date and place of birth

The date of birth of the commander has not been reliably established. In the lifetime edition of “Galleries... of portraits of generals, officers, etc.” it was indicated that Mikhail Bogdanovich was born in 1755. Biographers also indicate the year 1755, and the Military Form of 1817 names the field marshal general’s date of birth as 1759.

Another date appears in later sources. It is indicated that Mikhail was born on December 16 (27th according to the new calendar) December 1761 in Siauliai district of Lithuania. But still, the officially recognized year of birth of the commander is considered to be 1757.

The birthplace of Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly is also unknown, whose short biography begins to present mysteries. The commander himself wrote that he was born in Riga; later biographical publications say that the Lude Groshof estate near Valka, a city that was later divided between Estonia and Lithuania, should be considered the place of his birth. In 1970, the family moved to Pamushis, a place many authors point to as the birthplace of the future military leader.

Mikhail was the second son of Weingold Gotthard's four children. In those days, there was no other path prepared for the sons of a retired officer other than the military. The entire system of Weingold’s sons followed exactly this pattern: Ivan became an outstanding military analyst, Andrei left the service as a major, and Mikhail managed to glorify his family throughout the Russian Empire and Europe.

Six year old corporal

All the sons of a Russian nobleman and retired military man did not have any privileges. Mikhail, Ivan and Andrey began their military careers from the lower ranks, achieving fame and material well-being solely on their own.

At a very young age, Mikhail Bogdanovich left his home, going to St. Petersburg. He was brought up in the family of his own aunt, who was the wife of a colonel of the Novotroitsk regiment. As soon as Mikhail's uncle became the regiment commander, the boy was registered as a corporal. Afterwards, the commander left for a unit near Orel, and young Mikhail Bogdanovich remained in the capital. Then he studied the proper sciences under the close supervision of his loving aunt.

Two years later, the boy received his first promotion and became a sergeant. He learned military history under the guidance of his uncle, who had retired by that time, and was taught mathematics by the outstanding scientist of that time, Leonhard Euler. Mikhail also became fluent in German (his native), Russian and French (necessary for any decent person of that time) languages.

In 1776, fourteen-year-old Barclay de Tolly (a brief biography of the commander in several sources then repeatedly focused on this very moment - a boy with excellent characteristics began his service) entered the Pskov regiment. Twenty-four months later he received his first officer rank.

First years of service

Lieutenant Barclay de Tolly (a short biography is posted here) achieved his next rank only eight years later, and became a colonel another twenty years later. The reasons for such slow promotion were poverty, ignorancy and modesty. Nevertheless, Mikhail, accustomed to discipline since childhood, could not go unnoticed. There was no promotion, but the young man received the necessary experience in conducting military operations.

During the years of service, M.B. Barclay de Tolly (a brief biography of the commander demonstrates a turn towards success) was an adjutant to notable military leaders, for example, Bogdan Knorring, who showed himself well in the Russian-Turkish campaign, Gregory von Patkul - Knight of the Order of St. George, Count Fedor Anhalt - head of the Finnish Corps.

At Count Feodor of Anhalt, Barclay de Tolly met Mikhail Kutuzov. Perhaps it was at that time that he adopted one of the main rules of the famous commander, which he used throughout his entire military career: Mikhail Bogdanovich never forgot about his subordinates.

Awards and promotion

On the recommendation of the commander, Barclay de Tolly (brief biography) went to serve Prince Victor of Khoimsky, the cousin of Fyodor Anhalt. During the war against the Russians of 1878-1791, he received baptism of fire near Ochakov and his first award - the Ochakov Cross.

During the first campaign, Mikhail Bogdanovich managed to receive the Order of St. Vladimir and met Suvorov. Later, the military man was sent to Finland, where on the fields of the Russian-Swedish war he first fully demonstrated his talents. In 1970, Michael Barclay de Tolly received the highest award - the Order of St. George. He earned the next order in 1807, then in 1812.

“For courage” near Borodino

When hostilities with France began, Mikhail Bogdanovich commanded the brigade. In 1806-1807 he was the commander of the vanguard, but during the battle of Preussisch-Eylau he was seriously wounded. Recovering from a battle wound, Mikhail met with Emperor Alexander II, with whom he shared his vision of the further course of the war with Napoleon.

Barclay then suggested that the emperor use the “scorched earth” tactic - destroying all objects during the retreat so that they would not fall to the enemy.

Later, Mikhail Bogdanovich attended many more battles and was appointed to the post of Minister of War. Two days before the famous battle of Borodino, Barclay de Tolly was removed from his high position, and during the battle he took command of the right wing of the troops. He showed courage and outstanding knowledge of the art of war.

Many eyewitnesses pointed out that the military man was repeatedly exposed to enemy fire during the battle. He was tired of moral stress and condemnation in his direction (the soldiers believed that it was Mikhail Bogdanovich, as a military commander and minister, who was responsible for several devastating battles that had occurred earlier).

In October 1812, Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly was awarded the honorary Order of St. George for courage in the Battle of Borodino. The news of the award overtook him already at the Bekhof estate in Livonia.

Return to duty

Barclay returned to the troops only almost a year later. He took command of the army in the campaign against Napoleon. Mikhail Bogdanovich managed to regain his military glory after several successful battles, justifying the scorched earth tactics and receiving the post of commander of the Russian-Prussian army.

The last award awaited the commander in 1815. After the final defeat of Napoleon, Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly (his short biography as a military leader ended at this point) was granted the princely title.

After just three years, the great commander felt unusually tired. He received leave and went to mineral waters in Germany. On the way there, Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly died prematurely at the age of 56.

Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich (Mikhail Andreas) (1761-1818), prince (1815), Russian commander, field marshal general (1814).

Born on December 24, 1761 on the Pamushise estate in Livonia province. Grandson of the mayor of Riga, son of a Russian army officer. He came from a Scottish family in the 17th century. moved to the Baltic states.

He entered military service in 1776. During the storming of Ochakov on December 17, 1788, Barclay de Tolly showed courage and composure, for which he received the rank of second major. After that, he took part in the Russian-Swedish war of 1788-1790; commanded a battalion of the St. Petersburg Grenadier Regiment during the war with Poland (1792-1794). For the capture of Vilna (now Vilnius) he was awarded the Order of St. George, 2nd degree and another promotion in rank.

In January 1807, in the battle of Preussisch-Eylau, he was seriously wounded in the right arm, then was treated in Memel, where Alexander I visited him. From that time on, Barclay enjoyed the personal favor of the emperor.

In 1809, Barclay became an infantry general, commander-in-chief of the Russian troops in Finland and governor-general of this province, and in 1810 he was appointed by the emperor to the post of minister of war. Since March 12, 1812 - he was the commander of the 1st Western Army. Retreat from the borders at the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812. Barclay explained this: “The fate of the empire depended on the preservation of the army entrusted to me... I tired and restrained the enemy.”

After the surrender of Smolensk, many reproaches were brought against the general, including accusations of cowardice and treason. The troops stopped greeting the commander with shouts of “Hurray!” On August 17, a new commander-in-chief, M.I. Kutuzov, arrived in the army, called upon to replace the unpopular general and stop the enemy.

On the day of the Battle of Borodino (August 26, 1812), Barclay, by his own admission, “was looking for death - and did not find it.” Five horses were killed under him. The heroism of Mikhail Bogdanovich was awarded the Order of St. George, 2nd degree. “Providence has spared the life that burdens me,” he wrote to Alexander I shortly after the battle. Illness and a feeling of uselessness forced him to leave the army and the post of minister.

In Kaluga, stones were thrown at the commander’s carriage, and shouts were heard: “Here comes the traitor!” However, Alexander I retained confidence in the military leader and waited for an opportunity to return him to the active army.

On February 16, 1813, Barclay replaced Admiral P.V. Chichagov as commander of the small 3rd Army and began with the successful siege of the Tron fortress, taken on the same day, and the defeat of the French division at Koenigswart. In the Battle of Bautzen (May 8-9, 1813), he prevented the French Marshal M. Ney from bypassing the right wing of the Allies. In May 1813, Alexander I granted the request of the commander-in-chief of the Russian-Prussian army, Count P. X. Wittgenstein, to appoint Barclay to his position.

For participation in the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig (October 4-6, 1813), Mikhail Bogdanovich was elevated to the dignity of count. By the end of the war, awards literally showered him: the Prussian Black Eagle ribbon, a sword with diamonds and laurels, the rank of field marshal general (for the capture of Paris), the post of commander-in-chief of the army.

However, by the beginning of 1818, the commander’s health had deteriorated so much that he asked the emperor’s permission to go to Germany for treatment. Died on May 14, 1818 on the way (Stilitzen Manor near Insterburg).

    The wonderful poem by A.S. Pushkin “Commander” Gives a sad picture of the end of Barclay de Tolly’s life... Here is the ending...
    ъ Oh people! a pitiful race worthy of tears and laughter!
    Priests of the moment, fans of success!
    How often does a person pass by you
    over whom the blind and violent age curses,
    But whose high face is in the coming generation
    The poet will be delighted and moved!

Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich - prince, field marshal general, originally from an ancient Scottish family that settled in Livonia, the son of a poor retired lieutenant of the Russian service, was born in 1761. In 1776, having received a thorough home education, Barclay de Tolly entered the Pskov carabinieri regiment He received subsequent ranks and awards slowly; He first distinguished himself with the rank of second major in 1788 during the siege of Ochakov, when he was awarded the Order of Vladimir, 4th degree. In 1794, Barclay de Tolly took an active part in the Polish War, was awarded George of the 4th degree, in 1798 he received the rank of colonel and in 1799 major general.

In 1810, Barclay de Tolly was called to the post of Minister of War; During the years of his active management, they were preparing for a possible war with Napoleon: they strengthened the fortresses in Kyiv and Riga, built the Bobruisk and Dinaburg fortresses. At the same time, the rights and responsibilities of military officials in the highest approved “Institution for the management of a large active army” were determined.

In 1812, Barclay de Tolly was appointed commander-in-chief of the main (first Western army), which had an apartment in Vilna. When Napoleon crossed the Neman, Barclay retreated first to Sventsyany, then to the fortified camp in Drissa, and from there through Polotsk to Vitebsk, where he arrived on July 11. The Minister of War managed to unite with the second army (Prince Bagration) only on July 22 near Smolensk. After this, Barclay de Tolly became the head of the united armies. Following the persistent battle near Smolensk, where both the Russians and Napoleon suffered a lot, the cautious Barclay retreated further to Porech and Dorogobuzh. Near Dorogobuzh near Utolye, having crossed the Dnieper, he intended to give a general battle to Napoleon, but found the position too tight and moved to Tsarev-Zaimishch, where he prepared for battle, but was replaced there by Kutuzov.

Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly. Portrait by J. Doe, 1829

At the Battle of Borodino, Barclay de Tolly commanded the center and right wing of our army and showed both personal courage and remarkable management. He reinforced Prince Bagration during the attack on him by Davout and Ney, attacked the left wing of the French and defended the center of our army, for which he was awarded George of the 2nd degree. In mid-September, due to health problems, Barclay left the military theater.

At the beginning of 1813, Barclay de Tolly was reappointed commander of the 3rd Western Army and besieged Thorn, and on May 17, after Battle of Bautzen, where he commanded the right wing of the army, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian-Prussian army. In the subsequent war, Barclay de Tolly distinguished himself with Dresden, Kulme(awarded the Orders of George 1st degree and St. Andrew the First-Called), as well as Battle of Leipzig, where he led the second column of the main army and after which he received the dignity of count and many foreign orders. After many battles with Napoleon's troops in France, Barclay, leading the middle column of the main army, withstood battle under the walls of Paris and there on March 18, 1814 he was elevated to field marshal general by Emperor Alexander I.

After the conclusion of peace in 1814, the main quarters of Barclay de Tolly's troops were moved to Warsaw; Exhausted by wounds and labors, the field marshal general asked for leave, but the appearance of Napoleon from the island of Elba (One Hundred Days) forced him to become the head of the Russian army, moving to France to Nancy. Napoleon was defeated; Barclay de Tolly, for his stewardship and exemplary condition of the troops, was elevated to prince of the Russian Empire and received many orders from foreign governments.

After returning to Russia, Barclay de Tolly occupied the main apartment in Mogilev on the Dnieper and used all his efforts to improve the army units entrusted to him. In 1818, he took leave to Germany for treatment, but did not reach the place and died on May 14 near Konigsberg. Barclay de Tolly was buried on his own Bekgov estate in Livonia. A monument to him and Kutuzov was erected near the Kazan Cathedral.

See Description of the Patriotic War in 1812 by Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky, Biography of Russian Generalissimos and Field Marshals, ed. 1840, etc.

The fate of this commander is an example of historical injustice. All the glory went to Bagration and, while Barclay de Tolly’s contemporaries obstructed him, and his descendants “relegated” him to minor characters. To use Pushkin’s expression, he has become something like a “Russian god” - it is recognized that he exists, but no one really counts on him.

Scottish German

The national question played a significant role in this matter (at that time Great Russian chauvinists already existed). The ancestors of Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly, Scottish monarchists, emigrated to the Baltics to escape Cromwell. There their blood mixed with the blood of the Livonian Germans.

As a result, Mikhail Bogdanovich (years of life: 1761-1818) was considered a “thin-born” person and generally questionable in his origin. He received an excellent upbringing and education, began military service (real, not on paper!) at less than 15 years old, and it took him 20 years to rise to the rank of colonel.

At the same time, the officer managed to take part in the capture of Ochakov and Ackerman, the war with Sweden, military operations against the Kosciuszko rebels, and the conquest of Finland (where he later served as governor).

In 1807, Barclay made an invaluable military discovery. He proposed a “scorched earth” strategy to the Tsar, proposing to use it in the event of an attack by France. Contemporaries used it, but did not praise it, and later generations also found the invention useful.

Minister of War

In 1810-1812, Barclay was Minister of War. In this post, he sought to reform the management of the army and make it more organized. The country owes him the increase in combat effectiveness on the eve of the war - he spent 1811-1812. 4 additional recruits, increasing the army by 1.5 million people. Some of them were already combat-ready by the beginning of the war, others could replace trained soldiers in remote garrisons.

Thanks to the efforts of Barclay, Russia did not lack both military equipment and artillery.

Did not get along

At the beginning of the war, Barclay commanded the 1st Army in Lithuania, ignored the worthless plan to repel Napoleon (drafted by General Foul) and began to “burn the earth” and retreat, avoiding a pitched battle.

Appointed commander in chief in August, he did the same. But his contemporaries recognized him as a genius, and Barclay, for the same actions, as a coward and almost a traitor.

The fact is that Barclay was decidedly at odds with the majority of the senior officers. Hussar prowess was in fashion, and Barclay was a polite, reserved, cautious “German”, and the violent Bagration was preferred to him, although he, with his thirst for a decisive battle, directly played into the hands of Napoleon (he also really wanted a big battle). But this German was such a patriot of Russia that for her sake he endured ridicule and bullying, dodged and flattered, but knew how to insist on his own. It was he who saved the army not only for Borodino, but also for the subsequent offensive. It was Barclay who was the first to support in Fili the idea of ​​leaving Moscow for the sake of saving Russia, although everyone present (including Kutuzov!) chose not to notice this. And it was he who created the scorched “corridor” in which the retreating “Grand Army” perished.

After the war

When Napoleon was defeated, Russia's allies valued Barclay very highly, the tsar also expressed gratitude to him, but ignored the “light” almost demonstratively. The landowners, who preferred the “estate” to the Motherland, did not forgive him for the “scorched earth.” And the field marshal (he received this title in 1815) further spoiled their mood by speaking out against military settlements and demanding that retiring soldiers be given land...

He died a natural death before reaching the resort where he was heading for treatment...

In 1837, a double monument by the sculptor Orlovsky was erected in St. Petersburg: to Kutuzov and Barclay. So history finally recognized that it was the two of them who achieved victory in 1812.



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