On June 4, 1777, the outstanding Russian military leader Alexei Yermolov, one of the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812, was born.

According to historians, the peak of his military career was the command of Russian troops in the Caucasus.

Under him, the active phase of the accession of the northern and mountainous Caucasus to Russia began.

"Considered a note wit"

Alexey Ermolov was born in Moscow, in a noble, but not rich, noble family.

Even in early childhood, he was formally accepted into the service of the Preobrazhensky Regiment.

Having been educated at the Noble Boarding School at Moscow University, he was enrolled in the Nizhny Novgorod Dragoon Regiment, but soon transferred to the artillery.

The first military campaign for Yermolov was the suppression of the Polish uprising in 1794.

He was personally awarded the Order of St. George 4th class by Alexander Suvorov.

Later, Yermolov was appointed to the corps that took part in the Persian campaign, and distinguished himself during the assault on Derbent.

In 1798, Yermolov fell into disgrace, the real reasons for which among historians there is still no consensus.

According to one version, he was a member of the opposition Smolensk officer political circle, according to another, he suffered because his brother Alexander was one of the favorites of Empress Catherine II and therefore became the object of hatred of the new Emperor Paul I (there is even an assumption that Paul could just confuse the brothers).

Alexey Ermolov was arrested.

But when his documents, including military-theoretical notes, were handed over to the tsar, Paul became interested in the identity of the young officer and ordered his release.

However, during his release, Alexei allegedly allowed himself ironic remarks about the reasons for his arrest.

Upon a denunciation, he again found himself in custody, was brought before a military court and exiled to Kostroma.

When Alexander I came to power, he pardoned Yermolov, returned him to service and appointed him commander of a horse artillery company.

He participated in all campaigns against the French, distinguished himself in many European battles.

Near Austerlitz, when part of the Russian troops began to retreat, Yermolov did not succumb to panic and tried to stop the offensive of superior French forces.

A horse was killed under him, and he himself was captured, but repulsed by Russian cavalrymen.

“During the battle, Yermolov showed unprecedented composure and restraint,” emphasized Vitaly Zakharov, professor at Moscow State Pedagogical University, Doctor of Historical Sciences, in a comment to RT.

  • Alexey Ermolov

  • © Wikimedia

In the battle of Heilsberg, in response to the remark that the gunners were letting the French column too close to themselves, Yermolov replied: "I will shoot when I distinguish the blond from the black-haired."

And, having let the French at just such a distance, he opened fire and put the enemy to flight.

As a result of the European campaigns, Yermolov received the rank of colonel and several orders, and also won the personal favor of Konstantin Pavlovich and Pyotr Bagration.

With his courage, he gained great popularity among the troops.

However, he was denied the rank of general twice.

According to historians, this was due to its complex nature.

“Alexey Yermolov was considered a witty note,” said Viktor Bezotosny, head of the scientific expeditionary department of the State Historical Museum, in a conversation with RT.

In 1808, Yermolov was finally promoted to major general and appointed inspector of horse artillery companies.

A year later, he led the troops guarding the border in the Volyn and Podolsk provinces.

Relations with Mikhail Barclay de Tolly, who was appointed Minister of War in 1810, did not work out for Yermolov, and his further promotion took place on the personal initiative of Alexander I. Yermolov returned from the border to St. Petersburg and for some time commanded various guard units.

Suvorov school

After the outbreak of the Patriotic War of 1812, Yermolov was appointed chief of staff of the 1st Western Army, commanded by Barclay de Tolly.

According to experts, despite the peculiarities of his character, Yermolov, for the sake of a common cause, tried not only to avoid conflicts with his boss, but also smoothed out sharp corners in relations between Barclay de Tolly and the commander of the 2nd Western Army, Bagration.

Yermolov tried to prevent the caustic and harsh remarks that they made to each other from reaching the bosses.

According to historians, largely due to the personal efforts of Yermolov, both Russian armies united.

During the Battle of Borodino, Yermolov acted as chief of staff under Mikhail Kutuzov.

At the critical moment of the battle, when the French captured one of the key positions of the Russian army - the Rayevsky Battery, Yermolov personally dragged along the units that were next to him, which threw the enemy back in a fierce bayonet battle.

He commanded the defense of the Raevsky Battery until he was wounded.

Having officially become the chief of staff of the united army, Yermolov at the military council in Fili insisted on holding another battle instead of surrendering Moscow, but he could not convince the command.

In the future, he supported the partisans under the command of Denis Davydov.

According to historians, Yermolov planned the actions of the Russian army in such a way as to prevent Napoleon from penetrating into the resource-rich southern part of the Russian Empire.

As a result, the French were forced to retreat through the regions of the country already devastated by them in the face of an acute shortage of supplies.

In addition, Yermolov took a personal part in the Tarutinsky and Maloyaroslavets battles.

In 1813-1814, Yermolov successfully acted during the foreign campaigns of the Russian army.

At the head of detachments of the Russian and Prussian guards, he distinguished himself in the capture of Paris.

Later he commanded the Observation Army on the Austrian border and the Grenadier Corps.

In 1816, Yermolov was appointed commander of the Russian troops in the Caucasus and head of the civilian unit in Georgia, Astrakhan and the Caucasus provinces.

As historians note, in order to strengthen Russian positions in the Transcaucasus, he relied on establishing control over the mountainous and northern parts of the Caucasus.

To do this, he created a system of frontal advancement of troops and a strong consolidation in the occupied territories, refusing to go deep into enemy positions.

Yermolov built new fortifications that served as strongholds for Russian troops, and divided the territories controlled by the mountaineers into isolated zones.

This tactic made it possible to achieve a number of military victories over local rulers, who later recognized Russian authority.

  • Alexei Yermolov's counterattack on the captured Rayevsky battery during the Battle of Borodino.

    Chromolithography by A. Safonov

  • © Wikimedia

“In the Caucasus, Yermolov became famous as a tough manager.

Experts evaluate his actions ambiguously.

Some believe that he behaved as the situation required, others that he went too far, ”said a professor at Moscow State University in a conversation with RT.

M.V.

Lomonosov, Doctor of Historical Sciences Dmitry Volodikhin.

According to Vitaly Zakharov, the figure of Yermolov aroused such fear in the enemy that they frightened children with it.

Yermolov did a lot for the civil development of the Caucasus.

He patronized trade, was engaged in urban planning, developed transport infrastructure and healthcare in the region, and implemented Russian legislation.

According to historians, his actions raised the authority of the Russian administration in the Caucasus.

  • Alexey Petrovich Ermolov

  • © Wikimedia

Emperor Nicholas I, who came to power in 1825, was wary of Yermolov.

There were rumors about Yermolov's connections with the Decembrists.

There was no evidence of his direct involvement in the uprising, but when Yermolov had a conflict with Ivan Paskevich sent to the Caucasus with special powers during the Russo-Persian War, Nicholas I dismissed him.

Later, Yermolov returned to military service "without a position" and for some time was a member of the State Council, but did not engage in independent activities.

He died April 23, 1861.

“Alexey Yermolov was a controversial personality, distinguished by a tough and uncompromising character.

By insisting on his own, he suppressed other people.

But in the army, he was extremely popular: both as a courageous officer and as a true representative of the Suvorov school, who cared about the soldiers and hated stepping, ”summed up Vitaly Zakharov.