Partisan movement in the Patriotic War of 1812 significantly influenced the outcome of the campaign. The French met fierce resistance from the local population. Demoralized, deprived of the opportunity to replenish their food supplies, ragged and frozen, Napoleon's army was brutally beaten by flying and peasant partisan detachments of Russians.
Squadrons of flying hussars and detachments of peasants
The greatly stretched Napoleonic army, pursuing the retreating Russian troops, quickly became a convenient target for partisan attacks - the French often found themselves far removed from the main forces. The command of the Russian army decided to create mobile detachments to carry out sabotage behind enemy lines and deprive him of food and fodder.
IN Patriotic War There were two main types of such detachments: flying squadrons of army cavalrymen and Cossacks, formed by order of the commander-in-chief Mikhail Kutuzov, and groups of peasant partisans, united spontaneously, without army leadership. In addition to the actual sabotage actions, the flying detachments were also engaged in reconnaissance. Peasant self-defense forces basically fought off the enemy from their villages and villages.
Denis Davydov was mistaken for a Frenchman
Denis Davydov is the most famous commander of a partisan detachment in the Patriotic War of 1812. He himself drew up a plan of action for mobile partisan formations against the Napoleonic army and offered it to Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration. The plan was simple: to annoy the enemy in his rear, to capture or destroy enemy warehouses with food and fodder, to beat small groups of the enemy.
Under the command of Davydov there were over one and a half hundred hussars and Cossacks. Already in September 1812 they were in the area Smolensk village Tsarevo-Zaimishche captured a French caravan of three dozen carts. More than 100 Frenchmen from the accompanying detachment were killed by Davydov's cavalrymen, another 100 were captured. This operation was followed by others, also successful.
Davydov and his team did not immediately find support from the local population: at first, the peasants mistook them for the French. The commander of the flying detachment even had to put on a peasant's caftan, hang an icon of St. Nicholas on his chest, grow a beard and switch to the language of the Russian common people - otherwise the peasants did not believe him.
Over time, the detachment of Denis Davydov increased to 300 people. The cavalry attacked the French units, sometimes having a fivefold numerical superiority, and defeated them, taking the carts and freeing the prisoners, it even happened to capture enemy artillery.
After leaving Moscow, on the orders of Kutuzov, flying partisan detachments were created everywhere. Mostly these were Cossack formations, each numbering up to 500 sabers. At the end of September, Major General Ivan Dorokhov, who commanded such a formation, captured suburban city I believe. United guerrilla groups could resist large military formations Napoleon's army. So, at the end of October, during a battle near the Smolensk village of Lyakhovo, four partisan detachments completely defeated the more than one and a half thousandth brigade of General Jean-Pierre Augereau, capturing him himself. For the French, this defeat was a terrible blow. On the contrary, this success encouraged the Russian troops and set them up for further victories.
Peasant Initiative
A significant contribution to the destruction and exhaustion of the French units was made by the peasants who organized themselves into combat detachments. Their partisan units began to form even before Kutuzov's instructions. While willingly helping the flying detachments and units of the regular Russian army with food and fodder, the peasants at the same time harmed the French everywhere and in every possible way - they exterminated enemy foragers and marauders, often at the approaches of the enemy they themselves burned their houses and went into the forests. Fierce resistance on the ground intensified as the demoralized French army became more and more a crowd of robbers and marauders.
One of these detachments was assembled by the dragoons Yermolai Chetvertakov. He taught the peasants how to use captured weapons, organized and successfully carried out many sabotage against the French, capturing dozens of enemy carts with food and livestock. At one time, up to 4 thousand people entered the Chetvertakov compound. And such cases when peasant partisans, led by military personnel, noble landowners, successfully operated in the rear of the Napoleonic troops, were not isolated.
State educational institution
Education Center No. 000
Heroes - partisans of the Patriotic War of 1812 D. Davydov, A. Seslavin, A. Figner, their role in the victory of Russia and the reflection of their names in the names of the streets of Moscow.
Students of 6 "A" class
Degtyareva Anastasia
Grishchenko Valeria
Markosova Karina
Project leaders:
a history teacher
a history teacher
Ph.D. head Scientific and Information Department of the State Institution of Culture “Museum-panorama “Battle of Borodino””
Moscow
Introduction | |
Chapter 1 Heroes - partisans D. Davydov, A. Seslavin, A. Figner | Page 6 |
1.1 Basic concepts used in the work | Page 6 |
1.2 Hero - partisan D. Davydov | Page 8 |
1.3 Hero - partisan A. Seslavin | Page 11 |
1.4 Hero - partisan A. Figner | Page 16 |
Page 27 |
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Page 27 |
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2.2 Monuments of the Patriotic War of 1812 in Moscow | Wed.30 |
Conclusion | Page 35 |
Bibliography | Page 36 |
Applications | |
Introduction
The Patriotic War of 1812 is one of the brightest events in the history of Russia. As the well-known publicist and literary critic 19th century : "Every nation has its own history, and in history there are critical moments by which one can judge the strength and greatness of his spirit ...". [Zaichenko [In 1812, Russia showed the whole world the strength and greatness of its spirit and proved that it was impossible to defeat it , even striking in the heart, capturing Moscow. From the first days of the war, the people rose to war with the invaders, all classes of Russian society were united: nobles, peasants, raznochintsy, clergymen.
Having visited the Museum-panorama "Battle of Borodino" we wanted to learn more about the heroes-partisans of the Patriotic War of 1812. From the guide we learned that for the first time the partisan movement arose during the Patriotic War of 1812. Kutuzov combined partisan struggle with actions regular army, D. Davydov, A. Seslavin, A. Figner played a big role in this.
Therefore, the choice of the theme of our project is not accidental. We turned to the head of the scientific information department, Ph.D. GUK "Museum-Panorama" Battle of Borodino" with a request to tell us about the heroes of the partisans and provide us with materials on the activities of partisan detachments.
The aim of our study- to show the need to create partisan detachments, the activities of their leaders D. Davydov, A. Seslavin, A. Figner, to note their personal qualities and fully appreciate their contribution to the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812.
In 2012 we will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812. It became interesting to us how the descendants paid tribute to the memory and honor, the courage of the heroes who saved Russia in that terrible time.
Hence the theme of our project "Heroes - partisans of the Patriotic War of 1812 D. Davydov, A. Seslavin, A. Figner, their role in the victory of Russia and the reflection of their names in the names of the streets of Moscow."
Object of study are the activities of partisans in the Patriotic War.
Subject of study are the personalities of D. Davydov, A. Seslavin, A. Figner and their activities in the Patriotic War of 1812.
We assume that without the action of the partisans, without their courage, heroism and dedication, the defeat of the Napoleonic army, its expulsion from Russia, is not possible.
Having studied the literature, diaries, memoirs, letters and poems on this topic, we developed a research strategy and defined research objectives.
Tasks
1. Analyze literature (essays, poems, stories, memoirs) and find out how partisan detachments acquired mass character and became widespread.
2. To study in what ways and means the partisans acted to achieve their goals and victories in the war of 1812.
3. To study the biography and activities of D. Davydov, A. Seslavin, A. Figner.
4. Name the character traits of the partisan heroes (D. Davydova, A. Seslavin, A. Figner), provide for discussion the appearance of partisans, partisan detachments, show how necessary, difficult and heroic their work was.
5. To study and visit the memorable places in Moscow associated with the war of 1812.
6. Collect material for the school - military museum and speak to the students of the education center.
To solve the tasks we used the following methods: definition of concepts, theoretical - analysis, synthesis, generalization, free interviewing, application of toponymic knowledge in search memorable places Moscow.
The work was carried out in several stages:
First stage, organizational, visit to the Museum - panorama "Battle of Borodino". Research planning. Finding sources of information (interviews, reading printed sources, viewing a map, finding Internet resources) for study. Determination in what form the result of the work can be presented. Distribution of responsibilities among team members.
Second phase stating the selection of the necessary material. Interviewing (Head of the Scientific Information Department, Candidate of Historical Sciences, GUK "Panorama Museum" Battle of Borodino ""). Studying the map of Moscow. Reading and analysis of sources of information.
Third stage, forming, selection of the necessary material, finding memorable places in Moscow associated with the Patriotic War of 1812.
Fourth stage, control, report of each team member on the work done.
Fifth stage, promotional, creating a presentation, collecting material for the school - military museum and speaking to the students of the education center
Chapter 1
1.1 Basic concepts used in the work.
What is Guerrilla Warfare? How is it different from ordinary war? When and where did it appear? What are the goals and significance of the Guerrilla War? What is the difference between the Guerrilla War from the Small War and from the People's War? These questions appeared in our study of the literature. In order to correctly understand and use these terms, we need to give their concepts. Using the encyclopedia "Patriotic War of 1812": Encyclopedia. M., 2004., we learned that:
guerrilla war
In the XVIII-XIX centuries. guerrilla warfare was understood as independent actions of small mobile army detachments on the flanks, in the rear and on enemy communications. The purpose of the Guerrilla War was to disrupt the communication of enemy troops with each other and with the rear, with convoys, destroy stocks (stores) and rear military establishments, transports, reinforcements, as well as attacks on milestone posts, release of their prisoners, interception of couriers. The partisan detachments were entrusted with establishing communication between the divided parts of their army, initiating people's war behind enemy lines, obtaining information about the movement and strength of the enemy army, as well as constant anxiety the enemy in order to deprive him of the necessary rest and thereby lead him "to exhaustion and disorder." Guerrilla warfare was seen as part of small war, since the actions of the partisans did not lead to the defeat of the enemy, but only contributed to the achievement of this goal.
In the XVIII-XIX centuries. the concept of a small war denoted the actions of troops in small detachments, as opposed to the actions of large units and formations. The Small War included guarding own troops (service at outposts, guards, patrols, pickets, patrols, etc.) and actions by detachments (simple and enhanced reconnaissance, ambushes, attacks). Guerrilla warfare was carried out in the form of short-term raids by relatively strong "flying corps" or in the form of long-term "search" for small partisan parties behind enemy lines.
Partisan actions were first used by the commander-in-chief of the 3rd Western Army, General. By permission, on August 25 (September 6), the party of the lieutenant colonel was sent to the "search".
The partisan war intensified in the autumn of 1812, when the army stood near Tarutino. In September, a “flying corps” was sent to the raid on the Mozhaisk road. In September, a colonel’s party was sent to the rear of the enemy. September 23 (October 5) - the party of the captain. September 26 (Oct. 8) - the party of the colonel, September 30 (12 Oct.) - the party of the captain.
Temporary army mobile detachments, created by the Russian command for short raids ("raids", "expeditions"), were also called "small corps", "detachments of light troops". The "light corps" consisted of regular (light cavalry, dragoons, rangers, horse artillery) and irregular (Cossacks, Bashkirs, Kalmyks) troops. Average number: 2-3 thousand people. The actions of the "light corps" were one of the forms of guerrilla warfare.
We learned that guerrilla warfare is understood as the independent actions of small mobile army detachments on the flanks, in the rear and on enemy communications. We also learned the goals of the Guerrilla War, that the Guerrilla War is part of a small war, that “flying corps” are temporary mobile units.
1.2 Davydov (1784 - 1839)
Nevstruev, 1998
Shmurzdyuk, 1998
1.3 Hero of the partisans - A. Seslavin
Along with Denis Davydov, he is one of the most famous partisans of 1812. His name is inextricably linked with the events immediately preceding the transition of the Russian troops to the offensive, which led to the death of the Napoleonic army.
Only shortly before World War II, Seslavin was promoted to captain. Such a modest progress along the "ladder of ranks" was the result of a two-time break in military service. Having graduated from the Artillery and Engineering Cadet Corps in 1798, the best military educational institution At that time, Seslavin was released as a second lieutenant in the guards artillery, in which he served for 7 years, being promoted to the next rank for this, and at the beginning of 1805 "resigned from service at the request." In the autumn of the same year, after the declaration of war with Napoleonic France, Seslavin returned to service and was assigned to the horse artillery.
He first took part in hostilities in the campaign of 1807 in East Prussia. In the battle of Heilsberg, he was seriously wounded and awarded a golden weapon for his bravery. Soon after the end of the war, he left the service for the second time and spent 3 years in retirement, being treated for the consequences of a wound.
In 1810, Seslavin again returned to the army and fought against the Turks on the Danube. During the assault on Ruschuk, he walked in the head of one of the columns and, having already climbed the earthen rampart, was seriously wounded in his right hand. For differences in battles with the Turks, Seslavin was promoted to staff captain and soon after to captain.
At the beginning of World War II, Seslavin was Barclay de Tolly's adjutant. Possessing a good theoretical background, a broad military outlook and combat experience, he served in the headquarters of Barclay de Tolly as a "quartermaster", that is, an officer general staff. With units of the 1st Army, Seslavin took part in almost all the battles of the first period of the war - near Ostrovnaya, Smolensk, Valutina Gora and others. In the battle near Shevardino he was wounded, but remained in the ranks, participated in the Battle of Borodino and was awarded the St. George Cross of the 4th degree among the most distinguished officers.
Soon after leaving Moscow, Seslavin received a "flying detachment" and began partisan searches, in which he fully showed his brilliant military talents. His detachment, like other partisan detachments, attacked enemy transports, destroyed or captured parties of foragers and marauders. But Seslavin considered his main task to be the tireless monitoring of the movement of large formations of the enemy army, believing that this reconnaissance activity could most of all contribute to the success of the operations of the main forces of the Russian army. It was these actions that glorified his name.
Having decided in Tarutino to unleash a "small war" and surround the Napoleonic army with a ring of army partisan detachments, Kutuzov clearly organized their actions, assigning a certain area to each detachment. So, Denis Davydov was ordered to act between Mozhaisk and Vyazma, Dorokhov - in the Vereya - Gzhatsk region, Efremov - on the Ryazan road, Kudashev - on Tulskaya, Seslavin and Fonvizin (the future Decembrist) - between the Smolensk and Kaluga roads.
On October 7, the day after the battle of Murat's corps near Tarutin, Napoleon gave the order to leave Moscow, intending to go to Smolensk through Kaluga and Yelnya. However, in an effort to maintain the morale of his army and at the same time mislead Kutuzov, Napoleon set out from Moscow along the old Kaluga road in the direction of Tarutino, thus giving his movement an “offensive character”. Halfway to Tarutin, he unexpectedly ordered his army to turn right at Krasnaya Pakhra, went by country roads to the New Kaluga road and moved along it south, to Maloyaroslavets, trying to bypass the main forces of the Russian army. Ney's corps at first continued to move along the Old Kaluga road to Tarutino and united with Murat's troops. According to Napoleon's calculation, this was to disorient Kutuzov and give him the impression that the entire Napoleonic army was marching towards Tarutino with the intention of imposing a general battle on the Russian army.
October 10 Seslavin discovered the main forces French army near the village of Fominskoye and, having informed the command about this, gave the Russian troops the opportunity to preempt the enemy at Maloyaroslavets and block his path to Kaluga. Seslavin himself described this most important episode of his military activity as follows: “I was standing on a tree when I opened the movement of the French army, which stretched at my feet, where Napoleon himself was in a carriage. Several people (French) separated from the edge of the forest and the road, were captured and delivered to the Most Serene, as evidence of such an important discovery for Russia, deciding the fate of the Fatherland, Europe and Napoleon himself ... I found General Dokhturov in Aristov by chance, not at all knowing about his stay there; I rushed to Kutuzov in Tarutino. Having handed over the prisoners for presentation to the most illustrious, I went back to the detachment in order to observe Napoleon's movement more closely.
On the night of October 11, the messenger informed Kutuzov about the "discovery" of Seslavin. Everyone remembers from War and Peace the meeting between Kutuzov and the messenger sent by Dokhturov (in the Bolkhovitinov novel), described by Tolstoy on the basis of Bolgovsky's memoirs.
For the next month and a half, Seslavin acted with his detachment with exceptional courage and energy, fully justifying the characterization given to him by one of the participants in the Patriotic War as an officer of "tried courage and zeal, extraordinary enterprise." So, on October 22, near Vyazma, Seslavin, having galloped between the enemy columns, discovered the beginning of their retreat and let the Russian detachments know about it, and he himself broke into the city with the Pernovsky regiment. On October 28, near Lyakhov, together with Denis Davydov and Orlov-Denisov, he captured the brigade of General Augereau, for which he was promoted to colonel; together with another famous partisan, Figner, he recaptured from the French transport with valuables stolen in Moscow. On November 16, Seslavin broke into Borisov with his detachment, captured 3,000 prisoners, and established communication between the troops of Wittgenstein and Chichagov. Finally, on November 27, he was the first to attack the French troops in Vilna and was seriously wounded in the process.
In December 1812, Seslavin was appointed commander of the Sumy Hussar Regiment. In the autumn of 1813 and in 1814 he commanded the forward detachments of the Allied army, participated in the battles near Leipzig and Ferchampenoise; Promoted to major general for military distinction.
Seslavin, according to him, took part "in 74 combat battles" and was wounded 9 times. tense military service and severe injuries affected his health and mental balance. At the end of hostilities, he received a long leave for treatment abroad, visited France, Italy, Switzerland, where he walked along the path of Suvorov - through St. Gotthard and the Chortov bridge, was treated on the waters, but his health did not improve. In 1820, he left the service and retired to his small Tver estate Yesemovo, where he lived alone, without meeting with any of the neighboring landowners, for more than 30 years.
Seslavin was distinguished by exceptional courage and energy, courage fully justifying the characterization given to him by one of the participants in the Patriotic War as an officer of "tested courage and zeal, extraordinary enterprise" .. () Alexander Nikitich was deeply an educated person interested in various sciences. After retiring, he wrote memoirs of which only fragments have survived. This man was undeservedly forgotten by his contemporaries, but deserves to be remembered and studied by posterity.
Nevstruev, 1998
Shmurzdyuk, 1998
1.4 Hero of the partisans - A. Figner
The famous partisan of the Patriotic War, a descendant of an ancient German family who left for Russia under Peter I, b. in 1787, died on October 1, 1813. Figner's grandfather, Baron Figner von Rutmersbach, lived in Livonia, and his father, Samuil Samuilovich, having started his service from an ordinary rank, reached the rank of headquarters officer, was appointed director of a state-owned crystal factory near St. Petersburg and shortly thereafter, renamed state councilors, he was appointed in 1809 vice-governor in the Pskov province (died July 8, 1811). Alexander Figner, having successfully completed the course in the 2nd Cadet Corps, was released on April 13, 1805 as a second lieutenant in the 6th artillery regiment and in the same year was sent to the Anglo-Russian expedition to the Mediterranean. Here he found an opportunity to be in Italy and lived for several months in Milan, diligently studying the Italian language, with a thorough knowledge of which he subsequently managed to render so many services to the fatherland. Upon his return to Russia, on January 17, 1807, Figner was promoted to lieutenant, and on March 16 he was transferred to the 13th artillery brigade. With the beginning of the Turkish campaign of 1810, he entered the Moldavian army, participated with a detachment of General Zass in the case on May 19 during the capture of the Turtukaya fortress and from June 14 to September 15 - in the blockade and capitulation of the Ruschuk fortress by the troops of gr. Kamensky. In a number of cases near Ruschuk, Figner managed to show excellent courage and bravery. Commanding, during the imposition of the fortress, in the nearest flying sap 8 guns, he, during the repulsion of one of the enemy's sorties, was seriously wounded in the chest, but did not leave the line, but soon volunteered for a new feat. When gr. Kamensky decided to storm Ruschuk, Figner volunteered to measure the depth of the moat and did it with a boldness that amazed the Turks themselves. The assault on July 22 failed, but Figner, who brilliantly participated in it, was awarded the Order of St. George, removed by the commander-in-chief from the artillery general Sievers, who was killed on the glacis of the fortress, and on December 8, 1810, he was honored to receive a personalized Most Gracious Rescript. In 1811, Figner returned to his homeland to meet with his father and here he married the daughter of a Pskov landowner, retired state councilor Bibikov, Olga Mikhailovna Bibikova. On December 29, 1811, he was promoted to staff captain, with a transfer to the 11th artillery brigade, and soon received a light company in command of the same brigade. The Patriotic War again called Figner to the military field. His first feat in this war was the courageous defense by fire of the guns of the left flank of the Russian troops in the case at the river. Stragani; here, having stopped the shooters overturned by the French, he, at the head of them, recaptured one of the guns of his company from the enemy, for which the commander-in-chief personally congratulated Figner with the rank of captain. With the retreat of Russian troops through Moscow to Tarutin, combat activity Figner changed: he handed over the command of the company to the senior officer in it, having acted shortly before in the field of partisan actions. By secret order of Kutuzov, disguised as a peasant, Figner, accompanied by several Cossacks, went to Moscow, already occupied by the French. Figner failed to fulfill his secret intention - to somehow get to Napoleon and kill him, but nevertheless his stay in Moscow was a true horror for the French. Having formed an armed party from the inhabitants who remained in the city, he made ambushes with it, exterminated lone enemies, and after his nightly attacks, many corpses of the killed French were found every morning. His actions inspired panic fear in the enemy. The French tried in vain to find a brave and secretive avenger: Figner was elusive. Knowing fluently French, German, Italian and Polish, he wandered in all sorts of costumes during the day between the heterogeneous soldiers of the Napoleonic army and listened to their conversations, and at nightfall he ordered his daring men to kill the hated enemy. At the same time, Figner found out everything necessary about the intentions of the French, and with the collected important information, on September 20, having safely got out of Moscow, he arrived at the main apartment of the Russian army, in Tarutino. The courageous enterprise and sharpness of Figner attracted the attention of the commander-in-chief, and he was instructed, along with other partisans, Davydov and Seslavin, to develop partisan actions on enemy messages. Having gathered two hundred daring hunters and backwards, putting the footmen on peasant horses, Figner led this combined detachment to the Mozhaisk road and began to carry out his disastrous raids in the rear of the enemy army. During the day, he hid the detachment somewhere in the nearest forest, and himself, disguised as a Frenchman, Italian or Pole, sometimes accompanied by a trumpeter, drove around the enemy outposts, looked out for their location and, after dark, flew into the French with his partisans and every day sent to the main apartment of hundreds of prisoners. Taking advantage of the enemy's oversight, Figner beat him wherever possible; in particular, his actions intensified when armed peasants near Moscow joined the detachment. At 10 versts from Moscow, he overtook an enemy transport, took away and riveted six 12-pound. guns, blew up several charging trucks, put up to 400 people on the spot. and about 200 people, together with the Hanoverian colonel Tink, took prisoner. Napoleon appointed a prize for the head of Figner, but the latter did not stop his courageous activities; wanting to bring his heterogeneous detachment into a larger organization, he began to introduce order and discipline into it, which, however, did not please his hunters, and they fled. Then Kutuzov gave Figner 600 people at his disposal. regular cavalry and Cossacks, with officers of his choice. With this well-organized detachment, Figner became even more terrible for the French, here his outstanding abilities as a partisan developed even more, and his enterprise, reaching insane audacity, manifested itself in full splendor. Deceiving the enemy's vigilance with skillful maneuvers and secrecy of transitions and having good guides, he unexpectedly flew into the enemy, smashed foragers, burned wagons, intercepted couriers and disturbed the French day and night, appearing at various points and everywhere carrying death and captivity. Napoleon was forced to send infantry and Ornano's cavalry division to the Mozhaisk road against Figner and other partisans, but all searches for the enemy were in vain. Several times the French overtook the Figner detachment, surrounded it with superior forces, it seemed that the death of the brave partisan was inevitable, but he always managed to deceive the enemy with cunning maneuvers. Figner's courage reached the point that once, near Moscow itself, he attacked Napoleon's guards cuirassiers, wounded their colonel and captured them, along with 50 soldiers. Before the Battle of Tarutino, he passed "through all the French outposts", made sure that the French avant-garde was isolated, reported that to the commander-in-chief and thereby had considerable benefit in the complete defeat of Murat's troops that followed the next day. With the beginning of Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, a people's war broke out; Taking advantage of this favorable circumstance for the partisan, Figner acted tirelessly. Together with Seslavin, he recaptured a whole transport with jewels looted by the French in Moscow; soon after, meeting with an enemy detachment at the village. Stone, broke it, put in place up to 350 people. and took about the same number of lower ranks with 5 officers captured, and, finally, on November 27, in the case of p. Lyakhov, uniting with the partisan detachments of Count Orlov-Denisov, Seslavin and Denis Davydov, contributed to the defeat of the French General Augereau, who laid down his weapons by the end of the battle. Admired by the exploits of Figner, Emperor Alexander promoted him to lieutenant colonel, with a transfer to the guards artillery, and awarded him 7,000 rubles. and, at the same time, at the request of the commander in chief and the English agent at the main apartment, R. Wilson, who was a witness to many of Figner's exploits, was released from trial and punishment by his father-in-law, the former Pskov vice-governor Bibikov. Upon his return from St. Petersburg, Figner overtook our army already in northern Germany, under besieged Danzig. Here he volunteered to fulfill the courageous commission of Mr. Wittgenstein - to get into the fortress, collect all the necessary information about the strength and location of the fortress werks, about the size of the garrison, the number of military and food supplies, and also secretly incite the inhabitants of Danzig to revolt against the French. Only with an extraordinary presence of mind and an excellent knowledge of foreign languages could Figner dare to carry out such a dangerous assignment. Under the guise of an unfortunate Italian, robbed by the Cossacks, he entered the city; here, however, they did not immediately believe his stories and put him in prison. For two months Figner languished in it, tormented by incessant interrogations; he was required to prove his true origin from Italy, every minute he could be recognized as a spy and shot. The stern commandant of Danzig himself, General Rapp, interrogated him, but his extraordinary ingenuity and resourcefulness saved this time the brave daredevil. Remembering his long stay in Milan, he introduced himself as the son of a well-known Italian family, told, at a confrontation with a native of Milan, who happened to be in Danzig, all the smallest details about how old his father and mother were, what condition, on what street they were standing. house and even what color the roof and shutters were, and not only managed to justify himself, but, hiding behind ardent devotion to the emperor of the French, even crept into the confidence of Rapp so much that he sent him with important dispatches to Napoleon. Of course, Figner, having got out of Danzig, delivered the dispatches, together with the information he had obtained, to our main apartment. For the accomplished feat, he was promoted to colonel and temporarily left at the main apartment. Following, however, his vocation, he again devoted himself to the activities of the partisan. At his suggestion, a detachment was formed from various deserters of the Napoleonic army, mostly Spaniards, who were forcibly recruited into it, as well as from German volunteers, and was called the "legion of revenge"; in order to ensure the reliability of partisan actions, a combined team from various hussar and Cossack regiments was attached to the detachment, which formed the core of the detachment. With this detachment, Figner again opened his disastrous raids on the enemy in the new theater of war. On August 22, 1813, he defeated the enemy detachment, which he met at metro station Niske, three days later, appeared already in the vicinity of Bautzen, on August 26 at Koenigsbrück he passed 800 paces past a puzzled enemy who did not even fire a single shot, and on August 29 attacked the French general Mortier at Speyrsweiler and took several hundred people prisoner. Continuing further movement ahead of the Silesian army, illuminating the area, the Figner partisan detachment met on September 26 at Eulenburg with the corps of General Sacken, but on the same day, separated from it, took the direction of the Elbe. Twice the detachment then encountered enemy detachments, so few in number that their extermination could be certain, but Figner evaded attacks and did not even allow the Cossacks to chase the lagging behind. The brave partisan was obviously saving men and horses for some more important undertaking. Seeing from the movements of the belligerents that the fate of Germany would be decided between the Elbe and Sala, Figner assumed that in early October, Napoleon, in view of the decisive battle, would remove his troops from the left bank of the Elbe, and therefore, in anticipation of this movement, he wanted, holding out for several days near Dessau, then invade Westphalia, which remained loyal to the Prussian government, and raise its population against the French. But his assumptions were not justified. Napoleon, due to changed circumstances, took the intention to cross to the right bank of the Elbe, and, according to the orders given to them, Marshals Renier and Ney moved to Wittenberg and Dessau to master the crossings. On September 30, one of the patrols informed Figner about several squadrons of enemy cavalry that had appeared on the road from Leipzig to Dessau, but he, confident that the French troops had already begun a retreat towards Sala, explained the appearance of the squadrons by foragers sent from the enemy. Soon a party of Prussian black hussars ran into the detachment, explaining that the enemy squadrons belonged to a strong vanguard, followed by the entire army of Napoleon. Realizing the danger, Figner immediately turned the detachment into the gap between the main roads that went to Wörlitz and Dessau, and approached the Elbe with a forced march towards evening. Here news was received from the head of the Prussian troops stationed at Dessau that, in view of the unexpected advance of the French army towards this city, the Tauenzin corps would retreat to the right bank of the river, leaving not a single detachment on the left. But the people and horses of the Figner detachment were tired of the reinforced transition in the vicinity of Dessau, devastated by the French and allies; in addition, Figner was sure that the French movement was only a demonstration to divert the attention of Bernadotte and Blucher, and that Tauentzin, convinced of this, would cancel the proposed retreat to the right bank of the Elbe. Figner decided to stay on the left bank. On the next day, he planned to hide his detachment in the dense bushes of a small island near Wörlitz and then, letting the French pass, rush, depending on the circumstances, either to Westphalia or to the Leipzig road to search for enemy carts and parks. Based on all these considerations, Figner deployed his detachment seven versts above Dessau; the left flank of the detachment adjoined the coastal road to this city, the right flank to the forest, which stretched for a verst along the river, in front, about seventy sazhens, lay a small village; in it, as in the forest, were the Spaniards, and two platoons of Mariupol and Belorussian hussars stood between the village and the forest, the Don Cossacks - on the left flank. The patrols sent in all directions reported that the enemy was nowhere to be seen at a distance of 5 versts, and the reassured Figner allowed the detachment to make fire and indulge in rest. Ho, this was the last rest for almost the entire detachment. Before dawn on October 1, the partisans roused themselves with a drawn-out command: "to the horses!" Rifle shots and the cries of the fighting were heard in the village. It turned out that two or three platoons of the enemy cavalry, taking advantage of the night and the carelessness of the Spaniards, tore off their picket and rushed through the streets, but, met by the hussars, turned back and, pursued by shots, scattered across the field. Several captured Polish lancers showed that they belonged to the vanguard of Ney's corps advancing along the Dessau road. Meanwhile, dawn began, and no more than a hundred fathoms from the village, the formation of the enemy cavalry was discovered. The situation became critical, moreover, with the rising of the sun, the presence of the enemy was detected not on one, but on all sides. Obviously, a detachment of brave men was bypassed and pressed against the Elbe. Figner gathered the officers of the detachment. “Gentlemen,” he said, “we are surrounded; we need to break through; if the enemy breaks our ranks, then don’t think about me anymore, save yourself in all directions; I told you about this many times. on the Torgau road, about ten versts from here ... "The detachment entered the gap between the village, occupied by a platoon of Spaniards, and the forest and prepared for a friendly attack. Commanding words of enemy officers were heard in the fog. "Akhtyrians, Alexandrians, peaks at the ready, march - march!" Figner commanded, and the detachment cut into the enemy, making his way with bayonets and pikes. Inspired by the example of their leader, a handful of brave men performed miracles of courage, but, crushed by disproportionately superior forces, were pushed back to the very bank of the Elbe. The partisans fought to the death: their ranks were broken through, the flanks were covered, most of the officers and lower ranks were killed. Finally, the detachment could not stand it and rushed into the river, seeking salvation by swimming. Weakened and wounded people and horses were carried by the current and died in the waves or from enemy bullets raining down on them from the shore. Figner was among the dead; on the shore they found only his saber, taken by him in 1812 from a French general. Thus ended the days of the famous partisan. His name became the best asset in the history of the exploits of the Russian troops, to increase the glory of which, it seemed, he devoted all his strength.
Disregarding life, he volunteered to carry out the most dangerous assignments, led the most risky enterprises, selflessly loving his homeland, he seemed to be looking for an opportunity for cruel revenge on Napoleon and his hordes. The entire Russian army knew about his exploits and highly appreciated them. Back in 1812, Kutuzov, sending a letter to his wife with Figner, punished her: “Look at him closely: this is an extraordinary person; I have never seen such a high soul; he is a fanatic in courage and patriotism, and God knows what he won't do it." , Comrade Figner. by occupation, he decided to cast a shadow on the glorious partisan, explaining, in his letter to, all the heroism of Figner only with a thirst to satisfy his immense feelings of ambition and pride. Figner is depicted in different colors according to the testimony of his other comrades and contemporaries, who valued in the famous partisan his true heroism, bright mind, captivating eloquence and outstanding willpower.
Despite different opinions about Figner's personal qualities, this man was bold, courageous, daring, fearless. Knew a few foreign languages. The French assigned a large sum for the capture, they called him a “terrible robber”, who is elusive like the devil .. This man deserves the attention and memory of his descendants.
Conclusion
During the preparation of the counteroffensive, the combined forces of the army, militias and partisans fettered the actions of the Napoleonic troops, inflicted damage on the enemy's manpower, and destroyed military property. The troops of the Tarutinsky camp firmly covered the paths to the southern regions not devastated by the war. During the stay of the French in Moscow, their army, not conducting open hostilities, at the same time suffered significant losses every day. It became more and more difficult for Napoleon from Moscow to communicate with the rear troops, to send urgent dispatches to France and other Western European countries. The Smolensk road, which remained the only protected postal route leading from Moscow to the west, was constantly subjected to partisan raids. They intercepted French correspondence, especially valuable ones were delivered to the Headquarters of the Russian army.
The actions of the partisans forced Napoleon to send large forces to guard the roads. So, to ensure the safety of the Smolensk road, Napoleon advanced to Mozhaisk part of the corps of Marshal Victor. Marshals Junot and Murat were ordered to strengthen the protection of the Borovsk and Podolsk roads.
The heroic struggle of the army, partisans, the people's militia, led by Kutuzov and his headquarters, the feat of the people in the rear created favorable conditions for the Russian army to go on the counteroffensive. The war entered a new phase.
Analyzing the actions of military partisans and summing up their activities during the army’s stay in the Tarutino camp, Kutuzov wrote: “During the six-week rest of the Main Army at Tarutino, my partisans instilled fear and horror in the enemy, taking away all means of food.” Thus was laid the foundation for the impending victory. The names of Davydov, Seslavin, Figner and other brave commanders became known throughout Russia.
Denis Davydov, one of the first theorists of the partisan war in 1812, reasonably believed that during the retreat of the Napoleonic army, the partisans participated, together with the main parts of the Russian army, in all the most important military operations, inflicting enormous damage on the enemy. He emphasized that “partisan warfare also has an impact on the main operations of the enemy army” and that partisan detachments “help the pursuing army to push back the retreating army and use local benefits for its final destruction” 55. More than a third of the prisoners, a huge number of rifles, even cannons, various wagons were taken by the partisans. During the retreat of the Napoleonic army, the number of prisoners increased so rapidly that the command of the advancing Russian troops did not have time to allocate detachments for their escort and left a significant part of the prisoners in the villages under the protection of armed villagers.
Kutuzov had every reason to inform the tsar that "my partisans instilled fear and horror in the enemy, taking away all means of food."
Chapter 2 Gratitude of the descendants to the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812 in Moscow
2.1 Patriotic War of 1812 in the names of Moscow streets Many architectural ensembles and the monuments of Moscow today remind of the feat of the people in 1812. At Poklonnaya Hill on Kutuzovsky Prospekt, the Triumphal Arch rises. Not far from the Arc de Triomphe are the Battle of Borodino Panorama Museum, a monument to the heroes of this battle, and the famous Kutuzovskaya Hut. The monument was erected on Victory Square.
From here, the road to the center of Moscow leads through the monument to the heroes of Borodino - the Borodino Bridge. And there, not far from Kropotkinskaya Street, where the partisan's house of 1812 is located, and to the Khamovniki barracks (on Komsomolsky Prospekt), where the Moscow militia was formed in 1812. Not far from here is the Manege located next to the Kremlin - also a monument to the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812, built for the 5th anniversary of victory in this war.
Every place, every house or other monument associated with the Patriotic War of 1812,
gives rise to a sense of pride: for the heroic past of our people
Street names are also reminiscent of the war of 1812. So, in Moscow, a number of streets are named after the heroes of 1812: Kutuzovsky Prospekt, Bagrationovsky, Platovsky, Barclay Drives, streets of General Yermolov, D. Davydov, Seslavin, Vasilisa Kozhina, Gerasim Kurin, st. Bolshaya Filevskaya, st. Tuchkovskaya and many others.
Metro stations Bagrationovskaya, Kutuzovskaya, Fili, Filevsky Park are also reminiscent of the war.
https://pandia.ru/text/77/500/images/image002_13.jpg" align="left" width="329" height="221 src=">
Fig.1 Seslavinskaya street
Seslavinskaya street (July 17, 1963) Named in honor of A.N. Seslavin () - lieutenant general of the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812
· 
Denis Davydov Street (May 9, 1961) Named after DV Davydov () - a poet one of the organizers of the partisan movement in 1812
https://pandia.ru/text/77/500/images/image005_7.jpg" align="left" width="294" height="221 src=">
One thousand eight hundred and twelfth year (1812) street (May 12, 1959) Named in honor of the feat committed by the peoples of Russia in 1812 to protect their Fatherland
· Kutuzovsky Prospekt (December 13, 1957). Named after -Kutuzov ()
Field Marshal General, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army during https://pandia.ru/text/77/500/images/image007_5.jpg" width="296" height="222">
Rice. 3 on
2.2 Monuments of the Patriotic War of 1812 in Moscow
· The 1812 memorial at Poklonnaya Gora includes several objects.
Triumphal Arch
Kutuzov hut
Church of the Archangel Michael near the Kutuzov hut
Panorama Museum "Battle of Borodino"
Kutuzov and glorious sons of the Russian people
Fig. 4 Arc de Triomphe
https://pandia.ru/text/77/500/images/image011_4.jpg" align="left" width="235" height="312 src=">
Fig. 5 Kutuzov and the glorious sons of the Russian people
Fig.6 Kutuzovskaya hut
Rice. 7 Church of the Archangel Michael near the Kutuzov hut
Monuments of the Patriotic War of 1812 in Moscow
Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Kremlin arsenal
Moscow Manege
Alexander Garden
Georgievsky Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace
Borodinsky bridge
Fig. 8 Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Fig. 9 Kremlin arsenal
Rice. 10 Moscow Manege
Fig. 11 Alexander Garden
Fig. 12 Georgievsky Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace
Fig.13 Borodinsky bridge
Conclusion
In the process of working on the project, we studied a lot of material about partisans and their activities during the Patriotic War of 1812.
Even from literature lessons, we know the name of Denis Davydov, but he was known as a poet. Having visited the Museum-panorama "Battle of Borodino", we recognized Denis Davydov from the other side - a brave, brave partisan, a competent commander. Reading his biography in more detail, we became aware of the names of Alexander Seslavin,
Alexander Figner, who were also leaders of partisan detachments.
The partisans made daring raids on the enemy, mined important information about enemy activities. highly appreciated the activities of military partisans for their courage, unbridled courage,
Denis Davydov after the Patriotic War of 1812 summarized and systematized
military results of the actions of military partisans in two works of 1821: "Experience in the theory of partisan actions" and "Diary of partisan
actions of 1812”, where he rightly emphasized the significant effect of the new
for the 19th century forms of war to defeat the enemy. [12 c.181]
The collected material replenished the information fund of the school museum.
1. 1812 in Russian poetry and memoirs of contemporaries. M., 1987.
2. . Moscow: Moscow worker, 1971.
3. Heroes of 1812: Collection. M .: Young Guard, 1987.
4. , . Military Gallery Winter Palace. L .: Publishing house "Aurora", 1974.
5. Davydov Denis. Military notes. Moscow: Gospolitizdat, 1940.
6. Moscow. Big illustrated encyclopedia. Moscow studies from A to. Eksmo, 2007
7. Moscow magazine. History of Russian Goverment. 2001. No. 1. p.64
8. Moscow is modern. Atlas. M. Print, 2005.
9. "Thunderstorm of the twelfth year ..." M. "Science" 1987 p.192
10. Patriotic War of 1812: Encyclopedia. M., 2004.
11. Popov Davydov. Moscow: Education, 1971.
12. Sirotkin war of 1812: Prince. For students Art. environment classes. school-M.: Enlightenment, 198s.: ill.
13. Khataevich. Moscow: Moscow worker, 1973.
14. Figner Posluzhn. list, store in the archives of St. Petersburg. artillery. museum. - I. R .: "Travel notes of an artilleryman from 1812 to 1816", Moscow, 1835 - "Northern Post", 1813, No. 49. - "Rus. Inv.", 1838, No. No. 91-99. - "Military Collection", 1870, No. 8. - "To All. Illustr.", 1848, No. 35. - "Russian Star", 1887, v. 55, p. 321- 338. - "Military encyclical lexicon", St. Petersburg, 1857. D.S. [Polovtsov]
The partisan movement in the Patriotic War of 1812 significantly influenced the outcome of the campaign. The French met fierce resistance from the local population. Demoralized, deprived of the opportunity to replenish their food supplies, ragged and frozen, Napoleon's army was brutally beaten by flying and peasant partisan detachments of Russians.
Squadrons of flying hussars and detachments of peasants
The greatly stretched Napoleonic army, pursuing the retreating Russian troops, quickly became a convenient target for partisan attacks - the French often found themselves far removed from the main forces. The command of the Russian army decided to create mobile detachments to carry out sabotage behind enemy lines and deprive him of food and fodder.
During World War II, there were two main types of such detachments: flying squadrons of army cavalrymen and Cossacks, formed by order of the commander-in-chief Mikhail Kutuzov, and groups of peasant partisans, united spontaneously, without army leadership. In addition to the actual sabotage actions, the flying detachments were also engaged in reconnaissance. Peasant self-defense forces basically fought off the enemy from their villages and villages.
Denis Davydov was mistaken for a Frenchman
Denis Davydov is the most famous commander of a partisan detachment in the Patriotic War of 1812. He himself drew up a plan of action for mobile partisan formations against the Napoleonic army and offered it to Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration. The plan was simple: to annoy the enemy in his rear, to capture or destroy enemy warehouses with food and fodder, to beat small groups of the enemy.
Under the command of Davydov there were over one and a half hundred hussars and Cossacks. Already in September 1812, in the area of the Smolensk village of Tsarevo-Zaimishche, they captured a French caravan of three dozen carts. More than 100 Frenchmen from the accompanying detachment were killed by Davydov's cavalrymen, another 100 were captured. This operation was followed by others, also successful.
Davydov and his team did not immediately find support from the local population: at first, the peasants mistook them for the French. The commander of the flying detachment even had to put on a peasant's caftan, hang an icon of St. Nicholas on his chest, grow a beard and switch to the language of the Russian common people - otherwise the peasants did not believe him.
Over time, the detachment of Denis Davydov increased to 300 people. The cavalry attacked the French units, sometimes having a fivefold numerical superiority, and defeated them, taking the carts and freeing the prisoners, it even happened to capture enemy artillery.
After leaving Moscow, on the orders of Kutuzov, flying partisan detachments were created everywhere. Mostly these were Cossack formations, each numbering up to 500 sabers. At the end of September, Major General Ivan Dorokhov, who commanded such a formation, captured the city of Vereya near Moscow. The combined partisan groups could withstand the large military formations of Napoleon's army. So, at the end of October, during a battle near the Smolensk village of Lyakhovo, four partisan detachments completely defeated the more than one and a half thousandth brigade of General Jean-Pierre Augereau, capturing him himself. For the French, this defeat was a terrible blow. On the contrary, this success encouraged the Russian troops and set them up for further victories.
Peasant Initiative
A significant contribution to the destruction and exhaustion of the French units was made by the peasants who organized themselves into combat detachments. Their partisan units began to form even before Kutuzov's instructions. While willingly helping the flying detachments and units of the regular Russian army with food and fodder, the peasants at the same time harmed the French everywhere and in every possible way - they exterminated enemy foragers and marauders, often at the approaches of the enemy they themselves burned their houses and went into the forests. Fierce resistance on the ground intensified as the demoralized French army became more and more a crowd of robbers and marauders.
One of these detachments was assembled by the dragoons Yermolai Chetvertakov. He taught the peasants how to use captured weapons, organized and successfully carried out many sabotage against the French, capturing dozens of enemy carts with food and livestock. At one time, up to 4 thousand people entered the Chetvertakov compound. And such cases when peasant partisans, led by military personnel, noble landowners, successfully operated in the rear of the Napoleonic troops, were not isolated.
DAVYDOV DENIS VASILIEVICH (1784 - 1839) - lieutenant general, ideologist and leader of the partisan movement, participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, Russian poet of the Pushkin Pleiades.
Born July 27, 1784 in Moscow, in the family of brigadier Vasily Denisovich Davydov, who served under the command of A.V. Suvorov. A significant part of the childhood years of the future hero passed in a military situation in Little Russia and Slobozhanshchina, where his father served, commanding the Poltava light horse regiment. Once, when the boy was nine years old, Suvorov came to visit them. Alexander Vasilyevich, looking at the two sons of Vasily Denisovich, said that Denis "this daring one will be a military man, I will not die, but he will win three battles already." Denis remembered this meeting and the words of the great commander for the rest of his life.
In 1801, Davydov entered the service of the Guards Cavalry Guard Regiment and the following year he was promoted to cornet, and in November 1803 to lieutenant. Because of the satirical poems, he was transferred from the guard to the Belarusian hussar regiment with the rank of captain. From the beginning of 1807, Denis Davydov, as an adjutant to P.I.Bagration, took part in military operations against Napoleon in East Prussia. For exceptional bravery shown in the battle of Preussisch-Eylau, he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir IV degree.
During Russian-Swedish war 1808-1809 in the detachment of Kulnev he went through all of Finland to Uleaborg, occupied the island of Carlier with the Cossacks and, returning to the vanguard, retreated across the ice of the Gulf of Bothnia. In 1809, during the Russian-Turkish war, Davydov was under Prince Bagration, who commanded troops in Moldova, participated in the capture of Machin and Girsovo, in the battle of Rassevat. When Bagration was replaced by Count Kamensky, he entered the vanguard of the Moldavian army under the command of Kulnev, where, according to him, "he completed the course of an outpost school begun in Finland."
At the beginning of the war of 1812, Davydov, with the rank of lieutenant colonel of the Akhtyrsky hussar regiment, was in the vanguard troops of General Vasilchikov. When Kutuzov was appointed commander-in-chief, Davydov, with the permission of Bagration, appeared to the most illustrious prince and asked for a partisan detachment to be in his command. After the battle of Borodino, the Russian army moved to Moscow, and Davydov, with a small detachment of 50 hussars and 80 Cossacks, went west, to the rear of the French army. Soon the successes of his detachment led to the full-scale deployment of the partisan movement. In one of the very first sorties, Davydov managed to capture 370 Frenchmen, while recapturing 200 Russian prisoners, a cart with cartridges and nine carts with provisions. His detachment, at the expense of the peasants and the liberated prisoners, grew rapidly.
Constantly maneuvering and attacking, Davydov's detachment haunted the Napoleonic army. Only in the period from September 2 to October 23, he captured about 3,600 enemy soldiers and officers. Napoleon hated Davydov and ordered him to be shot on the spot upon arrest. The French governor of Vyazma sent one of his best detachments to capture him, consisting of two thousand horsemen with eight chief officers and one staff officer. Davydov, who had half as many people, managed to drive the detachment into a trap and take him prisoner along with all the officers.
During the retreat of the French army, Davydov, together with other partisans, continued to pursue the enemy. Davydov's detachment, together with the detachments of Orlov-Denisov, Figner and Seslavin, defeated and captured the two thousandth brigade of General Augereau near Lyakhov. Pursuing the retreating enemy, Davydov defeated a three thousandth cavalry depot near the town of Kopys, dispersed a large French detachment near Belynichi and, having reached the Neman, occupied Grodno. During the campaign of 1812, Davydov was awarded the Orders of St. Vladimir, 3rd class and St. George, 4th class.
During the foreign campaign of the Russian army, Davydov distinguished himself in the battles of Kalisz and La Rothiere, entered Saxony with the vanguard, captured Dresden. For the heroism shown by Davydov during the storming of Paris, he was awarded the rank of major general. The fame of the brave Russian hero thundered throughout Europe. When Russian troops entered a city, all the inhabitants went out into the street and asked about him in order to see him.
After the war, Denis Davydov continued to serve in the army. He wrote poetry and military-historical memoirs, corresponded with famous writers of his era. Participated in Russo-Persian War 1826-1828 and in the suppression of the Polish uprising of 1830-1831. He was married to Sofya Nikolaevna Chirkova, with whom he had 9 children. Last years D. V. Davydov spent his life in the village of Upper Maza, which belonged to his wife, where he died on April 22, 1839, at the age of 55, from an apoplexy. The ashes of the poet were transported to Moscow and buried in the cemetery of the Novodevichy Convent.
SESLAVIN ALEXANDER NIKITICH (1780 - 1858) - major general, participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, famous partisan.
He was educated in the 2nd Cadet Corps, served in the Guards Horse Artillery. In 1800, Emperor Paul awarded Lieutenant Seslavin with the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. Participated in the wars with Napoleon in 1805 and 1807. In 1807 he was wounded at Heilsberg, awarded a golden sword with the inscription "For Bravery", then he distinguished himself near Friedland. During the Russian-Turkish war of 1806-1812 he was wounded for the second time - in the arm, with crushing of the bone.
At the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812, he served as adjutant to General M. B. Barclay de Tolly. Participated in almost all the battles of the 1st Russian army. For the special courage shown in the Battle of Borodino, he was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree.
With the beginning of the guerrilla war, Seslavin was given command of a flying detachment and proved to be a talented intelligence officer. The most outstanding feat of Seslavin was the discovery of the movement of Napoleon's army along the Borovskaya road to Kaluga. Thanks to this information, the Russian army managed to block the French road at Maloyaroslavets, forcing them to retreat along the already devastated Smolensk road.
On October 22, near Vyazma, having galloped through the French troops, Seslavin discovered the beginning of their retreat and, having reported this to the Russian command, personally led the Pernovsky regiment into battle, breaking into the city first. Near Lyakhov, together with the detachments of Davydov and Figner, he captured the two thousandth brigade of General Augereau, for which he was promoted to colonel. On November 16, Seslavin captured the city of Borisov and 3,000 prisoners, establishing a link between the armies of Wittgenstein and Chichagov. On November 23, attacking the French near Oshmyany, he almost captured Napoleon himself. Finally, on November 29, on the shoulders of the retreating French cavalry, Seslavin broke into Vilna, where he was again seriously wounded in the arm.
During the foreign campaign of the Russian army, Seslavin often commanded advanced detachments. For distinction in Leipzig battle In 1813 he was promoted to major general. Since 1814 - retired. The wounded hero was treated abroad for a long time. Seslavin died in 1858 in his estate Kokoshino, Rzhevsky district, where he was buried.
FIGNER ALEXANDER SAMOYLOVICH . (1787 - 1813) - Colonel, participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, an outstanding partisan, scout and saboteur.
Born in the family of the head of the Imperial glass factories, a graduate of the 2nd cadet corps. In 1805, with the rank of officer, he was assigned to the troops of the Anglo-Russian expedition in Italy, where he mastered Italian. In 1810 he fought against the Turks in the Moldavian army. For distinction during the assault on Ruschuk, he was promoted to lieutenant and awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree.
At the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812, Figner was the captain of the 3rd light company of the 11th artillery brigade. In the battle near Smolensk, the fire of his battery repelled the onslaught of the French on the left wing of the Russian army.
After the occupation of Moscow by the French, he, with the permission of the commander-in-chief, went there as a scout, but with the secret intention of killing Napoleon, for whom he had a fanatical hatred, as well as for all the French. He failed to fulfill his intentions, but thanks to his extraordinary sharpness and knowledge of foreign languages, Figner, dressing in different costumes, freely moved among the enemy soldiers, obtained the necessary information and reported it to our main apartment. During the retreat of the French, having recruited a small detachment of hunters and backward soldiers, Figner, with the assistance of the peasants, began to disturb the rear communications of the enemy. Irritated by the activities of the Russian intelligence officer, Napoleon put a reward on his head. However, all efforts to capture Figner were fruitless; several times surrounded by the enemy, he managed to escape. Strengthened by Cossacks and cavalrymen, he began to annoy the enemy even more importunately: he intercepted couriers, burned carts, once, together with Seslavin, recaptured an entire transport with treasures stolen in Moscow. For actions in the Patriotic War, the sovereign promoted Figner to lieutenant colonel with a transfer to the guard.
With a brilliant education and appearance, Figner had strong nerves and a cruel heart. In his detachment, prisoners were not left alive. As Denis Davydov recalled, once Figner asked him to give him the French captured in battle - so that they would be “torn apart” by the Cossacks of his detachment, who were still “not incited”. “When Figner entered into feelings, and his feelings consisted solely in ambition and pride, then something satanic was revealed in him, .... when placing up to a hundred prisoners nearby, he killed them with a pistol one after another with his own hand, ”wrote Davydov. As a result of this attitude towards the prisoners, Figner's detachment very soon left all the officers.
Figner's nephew, trying to justify his uncle, cited the following information: “When the masses of prisoners were given into the hands of the winners, my uncle was at a loss for their large number and report to A.P. Yermolov asked what to do with them, because there were no means and opportunities to support them. Yermolov answered with a laconic note: "those who enter the Russian land with weapons - death." To this, my uncle sent back a report of the same laconic content: “From now on, Your Excellency will no longer disturb the prisoners,” and from that time on, the cruel extermination of prisoners, who were killed by the thousands, began.
In 1813, during the siege of Danzig, Figner entered the fortress under the guise of an Italian and tried to anger the inhabitants against the French, but was captured and imprisoned. Released from there for lack of evidence, he managed to infiltrate the confidence of the commandant of the fortress, General Rapp, to such an extent that he sent him to Napoleon with important dispatches, which, of course, ended up in the Russian headquarters. And soon, having recruited hunters, including fugitives (Italians and Spaniards) from the Napoleonic army, he again began to act on the flanks and behind enemy lines. Surrounded as a result of betrayal near the city of Dessau by enemy cavalry and pinned to the Elbe, he, not wanting to give up, rushed into the river, bandaging his hands with a handkerchief.
DOROKHOV IVAN SEMYONOVYCH (1762 - 1815) - lieutenant general, participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, partisan.
Born in 1762 in a noble family. From 1783 to 1787 he was brought up in the Artillery and Engineering Corps. In the rank of lieutenant, he fought against the Turks in 1787-1791. He distinguished himself near Focsani and Machin, served at the headquarters of A.V. Suvorov. During the Warsaw Uprising of 1794, fighting for 36 hours with his company surrounded, he managed to break through to the main Russian forces. Among the first broke into Prague. In 1797 he was appointed commander of the Life Guards Hussars. Participated in the campaign of 1806-1807. Was awarded with orders St. George 4th and 3rd degree, St. Vladimir 3rd degree, Red Eagle 1st degree.
At the very beginning of the war of 1812, Dorokhov, cut off from the 1st Army with his brigade, decided, on his own initiative, to join the 2nd Army. For several days he advanced between the French columns, but managed to elude them and joined Prince Bagration, under whose command he participated in the battles of Smolensk and Borodino.
On the day of the Battle of Borodino, he commanded four cavalry regiments of the 3rd Cavalry Corps. Successfully carried out a counterattack on the Bagration flushes. For his bravery, he was promoted to lieutenant general.
Since September, Dorokhov commanded a partisan detachment consisting of one dragoon, one hussar, three Cossack regiments and half a company of horse artillery and caused a lot of harm to the French, exterminating their separate teams. In just one week - from September 7 to September 14, 4 cavalry regiments, an infantry and cavalry detachment of 800 people were defeated, carts were captured, an artillery depot was blown up, about 1,500 soldiers and 48 officers were taken prisoner. Dorokhov was the first to inform Kutuzov about the French movement to Kaluga. During the Tarutinsky battle, the Cossacks of his detachment successfully pursued the retreating enemy, killing the French general Deri. Under Maloyaroslavets, he was wounded by a bullet through the leg.
The main success of the partisan detachment of Dorokhov was the capture on September 27 of the city of Vereya, the most important point of communications of the enemy. The battle was carefully planned, fleeting, with a sudden bayonet attack and almost no shooting. In just an hour, the enemy lost more than 300 people killed, 15 officers and 377 soldiers were taken prisoner. Russian losses were 7 killed and 20 wounded. Dorokhov's report to Kutuzov was brief: "By order of Your Grace, the city of Vereya was taken by storm on this date." Kutuzov announced this "excellent and brave feat" in an order for the army. Later, Dorokhov was awarded a gold sword, decorated with diamonds, with the inscription: "For the liberation of Vereya."
The wound received by the general near Maloyaroslavets did not allow him to return to duty. On April 25, 1815, Lieutenant General Ivan Semenovich Dorokhov died. He was buried, according to his dying will, in Vereya, liberated by him from the French, in the Nativity Cathedral.
CHEVERTAKOV YERMOLAY VASILIEVICH (1781 - after 1814) Non-commissioned officer, participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, partisan.
Born in 1781 in Ukraine into a family of serfs. Since 1804, a soldier of the Kyiv Dragoon Regiment. Participated in the wars against Napoleon in 1805-1807.
During the Patriotic War of 1812, being in the regiment in the rearguard of the troops of General P.P. Konovnitsyn, he was captured in the battle on August 19 (31) near the village of Tsarevo-Zaimishche. Chetvertakov stayed in captivity for three days, and on the night of the fourth he fled from the French, when they had a day in the city of Gzhatsk, having obtained a horse and weapons.
He formed a partisan detachment from 50 peasants from several villages of the Gzhatsk district of the Smolensk province, which successfully operated against the invaders. He defended villages from marauders, attacked passing transports and large French units, inflicting significant losses on them. The inhabitants of the Gzhatsk district were grateful to Chetvertakov, whom they considered their savior. He managed to protect all the surrounding villages “in the space of 35 versts from the Gzhatsk pier”, “while all around all the surrounding villages lay in ruins”. Soon the size of the detachment increased to 300, and then 4 thousand people.
Chetvertakov organized shooting training for peasants, established reconnaissance and guard services, and attacked groups of Napoleonic soldiers. On the day of the Battle of Borodino, Chetvertakov with a detachment came to the village of Krasnaya and found 12 French cuirassiers there. During the battle, all the cuirassiers were killed. By the evening of the same day, an enemy foot team of 57 people with 3 wagons approached the village. The squad attacked them. 15 French were killed, the rest fled, and the partisans got the trucks. Later, at the village Skugarevo, at the head of 4 thousand peasants Chetvertakov, defeated the French battalion with artillery. Skirmishes with marauders took place during c. Antonovka, der. Krisovo, in with. Flowers, Mikhailovka and Drachev; at the Gzhatskaya pier, the peasants recaptured two cannons.
The officers of the French units who had combat clashes with Chetvertakov were amazed at his skill and did not want to believe that the commander of the partisan detachment was a simple soldier. The French considered him an officer with the rank no lower than a colonel.
In November 1812 he was promoted to non-commissioned officer, joined his regiment, in which he participated in the foreign campaigns of the Russian army in 1813-1814. For initiative and courage, E. Chetvertakov was awarded the Distinction of the Military Order.
KURIN GERASIM MATVEEVICH (1777 - 1850) Member of the Patriotic War of 1812, partisan.
Born in 1777 in the Moscow province, from state peasants. With the advent of the French, Kurin gathered around him a detachment of 200 daredevils and began fighting. Very quickly, the number of partisans increased to 5300 people and 500 horsemen. As a result of seven clashes with Napoleonic troops from September 23 to October 2, Kurin captured many French soldiers, 3 guns and a grain convoy, without losing a single person. Applying the maneuver false retreat, lured and defeated the punitive detachment of two squadrons of dragoons sent against him. With their active actions, Kurin's detachment actually forced the French to leave the city of Bogorodsk.
In 1813, Gerasim Matveyevich Kurin was awarded the St. George Cross, 1st class. In 1844, Kurin participated in the opening of Pavlovsky Posad, which was formed at the confluence of Pavlov and four surrounding villages. 6 years after this event, in 1850, Gerasim Kurin died. Buried at the Pavlovsky cemetery.
ENGELHARDT PAVEL IVANOVICH (1774-1812) - retired lieutenant colonel Russian army, commanded a partisan detachment in the Smolensk province during the Patriotic War of 1812. Shot by the French.
Born in 1774 in a family of hereditary nobles of the Porech district of the Smolensk province. He studied in the land cadet corps. Since 1787 he served in the Russian army with the rank of lieutenant. He retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel and lived in his family estate Dyagilevo.
When French troops captured Smolensk in 1812, Engelhardt, together with several other landowners, armed the peasants and organized a partisan detachment that began to attack enemy units and transports. Engelhardt himself participated in sorties against enemy units, in skirmishes he personally killed 24 Frenchmen. Was issued by his serfs to the French. On October 3, 1812, a French military court sentenced Engelhardt to death. The French tried for two weeks to persuade Engelhardt to cooperate, they offered him the rank of colonel in the Napoleonic army, but he refused.
On October 15, 1812, Engelhardt was shot at the Molokhov Gates of the Smolensk fortress wall (now they do not exist). On his last journey, he was accompanied by the priest of the Hodegetrievskaya Church, the first Smolensk historian, Nikifor Murzakevich. This is how he described the execution of the hero: “He was calm all day and spoke with a cheerful spirit about the death assigned to him by fate ... - Behind the Molokhov Gates, in the trenches, they began to read the sentence to him, but he did not let them finish reading, shouted in French : “It’s full of lies, it’s time to stop. Charge quickly and fire! In order not to see the ruin of my fatherland and the oppression of my compatriots anymore. They began to blindfold him, but he did not allow it, saying: “Get out! No one has seen his death, but I will see it.” Then he prayed briefly and ordered to shoot.
Initially, the French shot him in the leg, promising to cancel the execution and cure Engelhardt if he went over to their side, but he again refused. Then a volley of 18 charges was fired, 2 of which went through the chest and 1 into the stomach. Engelhardt remained alive even after that. Then one of the French soldiers shot him in the head. On October 24, another member of the partisan movement, Semyon Ivanovich Shubin, was shot at the same place.
Engelhardt's feat was immortalized on a marble plaque in the church of the 1st Cadet Corps, where he studied. Russian emperor Alexander I provided the Engelhardt family with an annual pension. In 1833, Nicholas I gave money for the construction of a monument to Engelhardt. In 1835, a monument with the inscription: “To Lieutenant Colonel Pavel Ivanovich Engelhardt, who died in 1812 for loyalty and love for the Tsar and Fatherland” was erected at the place of his death. The monument was destroyed under the Soviet regime.
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