Introduction
1 At the beginning of military affairs
3 Founder of Novocherkassk
4 Patriotic War of 1812
5 Return to Novocherkassk
Conclusion
Introduction
It so happened in historical literature, local history research and public consciousness that the founder of the city of Novocherkassk, the world-famous Army Ataman, holder of many domestic and foreign orders, Matvey Ivanovich Platov, had several dates of birth, among which the most popular are two: August 6, 1753. and August 8, 1753. The first roams from edition to edition from the first biographer N. Smirnago, who wrote the book "The Life and Exploits of Count Matvey Ivanovich Platov", consisting of 3 parts and released in Moscow three years after his death, i.e. e. in 1821
From him, the date of birth, August 6, 1753, migrated to the works of L.M. Savelov, A. Strusevich, P.N. Krasnov, and other pre-revolutionary authors, and from them to Soviet encyclopedias and dictionaries. But already in the 1910s, there were reports that a register of births had been found, from which a different date of birth of M.I. Platov. “In fact, the time of his birth is precisely known: according to the parish registers of the church of St. Apostle Peter and Paul in Cherkassk, p. son Matthew was born.
This is the future military ataman, who has acquired unfading glory and worldwide fame for himself and the entire Don. Historians, local historians, public figures, such as A.A. Kirillov, P.Kh. Popov, and others adhered to this date later.
1 At the beginning of military affairs
At the beginning of the sixteenth century, on the vast expanses of the Don steppes, gangs of free people appeared, fleeing from the feudal oppression that reigned in the Muscovite state. Everyone fled here who valued a minute of liberty more than a year of slave life. They began to be called "Cossacks" - free people, brave warriors.
The Cherkasy town, in which Matvey Platov was born, was founded by the Cossacks in 1570, and since 1644 became the capital of the Don - the "Main Army". The Cossack Circle operated here - the highest body of legislative power among the Don people - from here the Cossacks went on sea and land campaigns, here they remembered the times of holy liberty, when the Cossacks themselves ruled the Don, living according to their own laws and customs. Foreign ambassadors were received here, and Cossack embassies were sent from here to neighboring peoples. The first temples on the Don, the first schools, teachers and healers appeared here, here for the first time in the history of Russia a military salute was given in honor of the Azov victory over the Turks in 1696.
The Platov family appeared on the Don at the beginning of the eighteenth century. The Platov brothers, one of whom was Ivan Fedorovich, Matvey's father, came to Cherkassk with rafts of timber that had been rafted down the Don. From here, according to the researchers, the surname arose - PLOTOV, which later turned into PLATOV. This surname became known on the Don in the middle of the eighteenth century. It was at this time that the names of the three Platov brothers: Ivan, Dmitry and Demyan Fedorovich are found in the confessional registers of the Peter and Paul Church in the city of Cherkassk. The eldest of the brothers was Ivan Fedorovich - Matvey's father. The year of birth of the father of the future hero is unknown, but based on the confessional paintings of the Peter and Paul Church, it can be assumed that Ivan Fedorovich was born between 1720 and 1723.
Ivan Platov, upon his arrival to the Don, soon left the craft of a timber rafting and took up a more profitable trade - fishing, and around 1742 he entered the military service.
First, Ivan Fedorovich was with the Cossack regiment on the Crimean line, then in the so-called Ostsee provinces, then in Georgia, from where he was transferred with the regiment to Prussia, where battles flared with the troops of the warrior king and philosopher Frederick II. As part of the Cossack regiment under the command of the Don military ataman Stepan Efremov, he participated in many battles of this war and especially distinguished himself in the battle of Kustrin on August 4, 1758. On business matters, Platov Sr. traveled to St. Petersburg several times, then he was appointed tax collector from free Little Russians who entered the ranks of the Don Cossacks.
The exemplary service of Ivan Platov was later highly awarded with two nominal sabers and a silver medal. In the early seventies, he received the rank of military foreman and went with the regiment to the Petrovsky fortress, which was part of the Dnieper fortified line. A year later, he was transferred to Lithuania, where he took part in battles against the Poles in the so-called Confederate War. During the Pugachev uprising, he, with the Don Cossack regiment, covered the Kolomensky, Kasimovsky and Vladimir highways leading to Moscow. Ivan Fedorovich died after 1778 with the rank of prime major in the Russian army.
About the mother of Matvey Platov, Anna Larionovna, who was born in 1733, the details of the biography have not been preserved. It is only known that she was buried in the village of Starocherkasskaya in the cemetery of the Transfiguration Church.
In addition to the elder Matvey, three more sons grew up in the Platov family. Stefan was nine years younger than Matvey, Andrei and Peter were twelve and fifteen years younger than their older brother, respectively.
Since ancient times, the Don Cossacks had a peculiar ritual of celebrating the birth of the first-born in the family, therefore, when Matvey was born to the Platovs, relatives and acquaintances of the Cossacks came to visit them. Each of them brought some object to the newborn "by the teeth": an arrow, a bullet, a bow, and the brothers of Ivan Fedorovich brought a gun to their nephew. The satisfied father laid out these items and hung them in the room where the newborn lay.
As soon as forty days had passed after the birth of Matvey, Anna Larionovna went to the church of Peter and Paul, where her son was baptized, and underwent a ritual of cleansing prayer. Upon returning home, according to Cossack customs, her husband joyfully met her and congratulated her on her first-born son. Ivan Fedorovich carefully took the baby in his arms, carefully put a saber on him and, despite the protests of his wife, put his son on a horse: such was the ancient Cossack custom!
When Matthew's first teeth erupted, his father and mother, putting him on a horse, took him to the Peter and Paul Church, of which they were permanent parishioners. Here the priest served the due prayer before the icon of John the Warrior, whom the father asked to make his son a brave, valiant and successful Cossack warrior and send him long life. All the upbringing of his son in those short days when he was at home, Ivan Fedorovich directed to ensure that Matvey became a real warrior. It is not surprising that the first words he uttered were "pu" - to shoot and "chu" - to go. At the age of three, Matvey, like many of his peers, rode a horse around the yard, and at five, he fearlessly rode a horse through the streets and participated in children's maneuvers.
Life in the Cossack capital of that time was interesting and original. An inquisitive natural mind, tirelessness forced Matvey to visit different parts of his native city, observe his seething life, and take part in it himself. It was especially interesting during the holidays. Nimble Matveyka ran around all the streets of Cherkassk on such days. Everywhere he met festively dressed Cossacks and Cossacks. The youth was engaged in wrestling, playing ball, leapfrog, grandmothers, aidanchiks (small bones from lamb's legs). Adult Cossacks gathered in a circle, and a song about Father Quiet Don flowed over the city.
Since the streets of Cherkassk were cramped for cheerful and active boys and young men, companies of youngsters went outside the city to the front garden and fortress walls. Here they set a goal and, some with guns, others with bows, competed in shooting accuracy. Some, especially well-aimed young men, could at a distance knock out a large coin with a bullet, which his fearless comrade held with his fingers above his head. After the shooting, sham battles were arranged.
A large crowd of youngsters in homemade military armor, with banners made of painted paper, with toy lances, were divided into two groups. Each had its chieftain. At the sign of the judge from adult Cossacks, both detachments converged in hand-to-hand combat. Often, the youngsters got really excited, and the battle sometimes took a serious turn. Finally, one of the parties could not withstand the intensity of the struggle and rushed to their heels. The "winners" pursued the "enemy", took them "prisoner", captured trophies and banners. To the sound of tambourines and the sound of fanfare plates, the Cossacks entered the city, causing the praise of the old people.
At that time, the Cossacks held horse races in high esteem, which were organized many times in the vicinity of Cherkassk. The winners of the races gained fame and popularity among the Cossacks. Cossack children arranged their races through the streets. In every house, from dawn to dusk, ceaseless firing from rifles, pistols and small cannons was heard. Those who did not have weapons drilled “seeds” in the empty bones of large animals or loaded reeds.
One of the indispensable elements of military education among the Don Cossacks was hunting for game on horseback. It contributed to the development of dexterous horseback riding and accuracy of shooting from various weapons among youngsters. Around the hometown of Matvey Platov there was a vast place where hares, foxes, wolves, wild boars, leopards, deer and other living creatures were found in abundance. Hundreds of Cossacks gathered to hunt, which was usually opened by three rifle shots. Hunting developed in young Cossacks vigilance of the eye, sensitivity of the ear, accuracy and firmness of hands, courage and courage.
During the hours of rest and entertainment, the Cossacks were divided into groups, set up shields with targets, and shooting from bows and guns at them began. Next to the adults arranged their games and children. Their indispensable participant was the frisky and smart beyond his years Matveyka Platov.
The Cossacks constantly took care of the military replenishment of their ranks. For this purpose, on the orders of the military ataman, young Cossacks gathered annually for a review in the vicinity of the Cherkasy town. They arrived on the best horses, armed with lances, sabers and guns. In a vast clearing not far from the capital city of the Don Cossacks, a camp was set up, and here for several weeks, military games took place in the presence of the military ataman Stepan Danilovich Efremov. One group of young Cossacks competed in the races, revealing the speed of the horse and the skill of the rider, his dexterity. Other youngsters at full gallop shot at the target or, throwing a whip or a large coin on the ground on the ground, picked them up at a gallop. Many Cossacks, standing on a horse, could attack the enemy, firing from guns and bows.
The Cossack cavalry rushed into the river in a swift avalanche, trying to overcome it faster and attack the "enemy". The ataman gave bridles or weapons to the Cossacks who distinguished themselves in marksmanship. These awards were highly valued by the Don people, because they indicated the accuracy, dexterity and courage of their owner - the main qualities that are extremely respected and valued among the Cossacks.
With the onset of evening, exciting fights began - fistfights. The winners traditionally received awards.
This is how young Platov prepared for his future combat life. His parents were not rich people, so they could not give their son a good education, and at that time there were no permanent schools on the Don land. But, as Platov's biographer N. Smirny notes, Matvey learned to read and write. From childhood, he was distinguished by dexterity, ambition, courage and sharpness of mind. Parents tried their best to raise their son in the spirit of love for the native land, the glorious fighting traditions of the Don Cossacks. And their efforts were not in vain: Matvey grew up as a bold and brave Cossack, a true patriot of the Don and Russia.
In the fifteenth year of his life, Matvey was appointed to serve in the military office, and soon he received the rank of constable. All this time he read a lot, improving his knowledge. The biographer of the famous chieftain Nikolai Smirny noted that "such a school, not inferior to any other, soon made a rather educated warrior out of a simple Cossack, refined him, developed his abilities and prepared a hero for the future in him."
The second half of the eighteenth century in the history of the Russian state is characterized, first of all, by fierce and lengthy wars that were waged with eternal tenacity by its adversary - the Ottoman Porte, the Brilliant Porte, as its statesmen liked to call Turkey. At that time, the Black Sea problem acquired special significance for Russia. The Russian population, and with it the Russian landlord colonization, developing the fertile lands of southern Russia, gradually moved towards the borders of the Crimean Khanate. But this development of the southern Russian steppes was constantly hindered by the almost incessant Turkish-Tatar raids and attacks. For the Russian merchants and the nobility at that time, access to the Black Sea for the export of agricultural and industrial products, the demand for which remained insufficient due to the weak purchasing power of the Russian population, became more and more important and necessary. The northern ports of Russia could no longer meet the needs of Russian exports. In addition, the main sales markets were not in the north, but in the countries of the Black Sea and Mediterranean basins. But the Turks did not allow Russian merchants into the Black Sea. There was a way of trade by land through Poland, but such trade was extremely unprofitable, and therefore did not receive proper development. The key to the Black Sea was the Crimea, so all these problems could be solved either by joining the Crimea to Russia, or by granting independence to the Crimean Khanate from Turkey, which was becoming more and more aggressive, because it enjoyed the broad support of France, who feared the strengthening of Russia in Western Europe and the Middle East. East.
The Russian-Turkish war of 1735-1739 did not solve those foreign policy problems that faced Russia. New wars with Turkey were inevitable. And one of these wars soon broke out ...
In the winter of 1769, the Tatar cavalry made an unexpected devastating raid on Ukraine and the Lower Don. Active military operations of the Russian troops against the Turks and Tatars began. To fight Turkey, the Russian command formed two armies under the command of general-generals P.A. Rumyantseva and A.M. Golitsyn. In the composition of these armies were up to ten thousand Don Cossacks under the command of marching atamans Sulin, Pozdeev, Grekov and Martynov.
The war found nineteen-year-old Matvey Platov on the shores of the Sea of Azov, where, on the orders of his father, who was in St. Petersburg, he watched his fishing industry. Matvey decided that it was his duty as a Cossack to be at war! Leaving the household in the care of the clerk, he rode on a frisky horse to Cherkassk, where he joined the Cossack regiment, which was sent to the theater of operations, towards battles and glory ...
By that time, the army, where Matvey arrived, was commanded by General-in-Chief V.M. Dolgorukov, in whose retinue Platov was at first. Then he moved to the active regiment and on the night of July 14, 1771, took part in the assault on Perekop. Evpatoria fell under the blows of the Russians on the twenty-second of June, and Kafa on the twenty-ninth. At the end of the month, the Crimea was in the power of Russian troops, and Khan Sahib Giray was forced to sign an agreement under which he agreed to enter into an alliance with Russia.
For differences in battles with the Basurmans, the twenty-two-year-old Platov received the rank of Yesaul. A year later, he was promoted to foreman, giving command of a Cossack regiment.
And the battles started again. Together with the regiments of Uvarov, Bukhvostov and Danilov, Platov attacked the superior enemy forces concentrated in the area of the city of Kopyl. The stubborn battle ended with the defeat of the Circassians and the capture of Kopyl. In addition to the mass of prisoners, the winners got four serviceable guns, which, with the general consent of Platov, sent to Cherkassk to strengthen their native city.
The capture of Kopyl greatly pleased the Commander-in-Chief of the Second Army, General Dolgorukov, who, in a special order for the army, declared "the most sensitive gratitude" to the troops participating in this heated affair.
The military campaign of 1771 brought a number of significant successes to the Russians, which forced the Turkish command to request a truce signed on May 19, 1772 in Zhurzh and lasted a year. Platov's regiment during this time was transferred to the Kuban.
In 1774 M.I. Platov for the first time showed the remarkable abilities of a cold-blooded and skillful military leader, who did not lose his head when his detachment and convoy were ambushed in the Kuban.
He quickly built a defensive circle from wagons and fought with the Turks of Khan Devlet Giray, who outnumbered the Cossacks by more than 20 times, until the arrival of the Cossack regiment called for help. The Turks were defeated, and the khan was soon arrested for defeat and taken to the Turkish sultan in Constantinople. In 1775-1776, the father and son of Platov pursued the scattered detachments of E. Pugachev in the central districts of Russia, capturing one of the leaders of Rumyanchikhin and up to 500 Pugachevites. For this, Platov's father and son were awarded gold medals. It was one of the first significant awards of Matvey Platov. He also distinguished himself on September 13, 1789, when in the battle of Koushany he managed to defeat a large detachment of Turks and capture the three-bunch pasha Zeynal-Hassan Bey of Anatolia. For this feat, M.I. Platov was given the rank of brigadier of the Russian army.
2 Was Platov objectionable to the courtiers
The accumulated combat and managerial experience put forward a young capable Cossack commander as the organizer of a new direction of the Cossacks. In January 1788, Prince Gr. Potemkin instructed M.I. Platov in three months to pick up 5,000 people. for the formation of several new Cossack regiments, the so-called Sloboda Ukraine. Platov called from the Don to help himself 4 military foremen, 7 lower officers and 507 best Cossacks as instructors. Already on May 9, he reported to Prince Gr. Potemkin about the formed Cossack regiments. The new Cossack army was named Yekaterinoslavsky, and M.I. Platov for his skillful leadership was appointed his Army Ataman (1790) and presented for awarding the Order of St. Vladimir 4th degree.
With the newly formed Cossack regiments M.I. Platov falls into the army of A.V. Suvorov near Izmail. On December 9, at the Military Council, he was the first to vote for an immediate assault on the heavily fortified Turkish fortress, for which he was appointed head of the 5th assault column. When the neighboring assault column of Orlov began to die, and the Cossacks of his column stopped in indecision, Matvey Platov was the first to climb the assault ladder onto the walls of the fortress and thereby ignited the victory of his donets and rangers with fire.
For the assault and capture of Izmail M.I. Platov was awarded the Order of St. George of the 3rd degree, and at the end of this military campaign he was promoted to major general. Prince Gr. Potemkin described his actions near Izmail as follows: "Platov was present everywhere and set an example of courage." All this allowed Potemkin in 1791 to introduce the young hero to Empress Catherine 11 in St. Petersburg, where, with his intelligence and resourcefulness, he received from her the right to stay in her palace during his visits to Tsarskoye Selo.
The next year, M.I. Platov already participated in the hostilities on the Caucasian line. In 1796, on the idea of Prince P.A. Zubov, Russian troops moved to conquer Persia, with the prospect of reaching Tibet. Matvey Ivanovich was appointed head of all irregular (i.e. Cossack) troops of Zubov's army. For active and skillful fighting near Derbent, M.I. Platov was awarded the Order of Vladimir, 2nd degree, and also received from Empress Catherine 11 "a magnificent saber in a velvet sheath, gold-rimmed, with large diamonds and rare emeralds," which is now Exhibited at the Museum of the History of the Don Cossacks.
After the death of Catherine 11 (1796), Emperor Paul 1 ascended the throne, who was suspicious and disapproving of all the associates of the Empress, such as Gr. Potemkin, Field Marshal A.V. Suvorov and others. He actually sent P.A. Zubov abroad, and withdrew his army from the borders of Persia. Therefore, in 1797 M.I. Platov received permission to return to the Don. But envious people in the capital and on the Don, using the unfriendly attitude of Paul 1 towards the associates of Catherine 11, set the Emperor to decide on the need to arrest M.I. Platov. Pavel 1 dismissed M.I. Platov from military service with his rescript of July 23, 1797 and ordered him to be sent to the Don under the supervision of the Army Ataman Orlov. But soon this measure of arrest was replaced by exile in the city of Kostroma.
Since the Petersburg court did not see any particular guilt for Platov, his personal weapons, including a combat saber, were returned to him. Taking it, Matvey Ivanovich said: "She will help me justify" or "She will justify me." Naturally, the scammers immediately interpreted these words to Paul 1 as a hidden threat to the Emperor, although Platov most likely meant that his fighting "girlfriend" would help him again show his best qualities as a skilled commander and regain the trust of Paul 1. Only on October 9 1800 M.I. Platov left Kostroma, but not to be released, but to be sent to St. Petersburg.
After 3 years and 9 months of imprisonment, M.I. Platov is not released, but by order of Paul 1, he is imprisoned in the Alekseevsky ravelin of the Peter and Paul Fortress. But crowded over M.I. Platov, the clouds soon dissipated thanks to the same Paul 1, who, having concluded an agreement with Napoleon, decided to fight against the British on the territory of their largest colony, i.e. India. Therefore, on January 12, 1801, the Emperor sent a rescript to the Don on the immediate and complete campaign of the Cossacks, led by Ataman Orlov, on a campaign against India. The Don people were given a loan in the amount of 2.5 million rubles, so that after the campaign and capture of production in India, they would return the entire loan to the treasury to the penny.
In connection with the emerging campaign, Paul 1 released M.I. Platov, had a personal conversation with him about the upcoming campaign, appeased him, as it were, with his good attitude, and personally laid on him the commander's cross of the Order of Malta (St. John of Jerusalem). Favored by the Emperor, M.I. Platov quickly returned to the Don and, having received from Ataman Orlov the first 13 regiments (out of the 41st scheduled for the campaign), as well as 12 guns, on February 27, 1801, he set out on a campaign. But on March 23, when the Cossacks had already suffered from many days of exhausting daily crossings, a messenger from St. Petersburg unexpectedly caught up with Platov, who brought news of the death of Paul 1 and the accession of Alexander 1, who canceled Paul 1's order to march on India. The Cossacks gladly returned to the Don.
By a rescript dated August 12, 1801, Emperor Alexander 1 appoints M.I. Platov ("for the death of Orlov") as the Army Ataman. Matvey Ivanovich took part in the solemn coronation of Alexander 1, where he was awarded the Order of St. Anna 1st degree. Ataman used his visit to St. Petersburg to solve the urgent problems of the city of Cherkassk, the main of which was the annual flooding of the Cossack capital. Alexander 1 allowed M.I. Platov to carry out large-scale work to protect Cherkassk from spring waters, up to clearing the mouth of the Don River, so that more melt water could be discharged into the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov and less flooded Cherkassk. Engineer de Romano organized in 1802 waterproofing works. But they gave little for the security of Cherkassk. Therefore, M.I. Platov gradually came to the idea of transferring the Cossack capital to another place.
Platov Cossacks Ataman
3 Founder of Novocherkassk
By a rescript dated August 23, 1804, Alexander 1 allowed the transfer of the capital, provided that a convenient place was chosen, and the military engineer General F.P. Devolan. And already on December 31 of the same 1804, the Emperor approved the chosen M.I. Platov place and city plan, developed by F.P. Devolan. On May 18, 1805, grandiose celebrations took place to consecrate the site of New Cherkassk on a hill called Biryuchy Kut (wolf's lair).
For its construction and arrangement, M.I. Platov formed two Cossack work regiments, invited the architect Russko from St. Petersburg, engineer-lieutenant colonel Peiker, and others, puzzled many villages of the Don to supply natural materials to Novocherkassk - wood, local stone, limestone, etc. d. The Cossacks were reluctant to leave their well-equipped houses and farmsteads in Cherkassk, but the Army Ataman was inexorable. And gradually the new city, built according to the most modern models of the European type of urban planning, was filled with life.
At the same time, M.I. Platov contributed to the solution of the issue of strengthening civil rule in the army, the opening in Cherkassk in 1805 of the first male gymnasium on the Don, the creation of the Society of Don Merchant Cossacks (September 12, 1804), the beginning of the construction of the stone Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk, the resettlement of Kalmyks in the Zadonsk steppes and the organization of Kalmyk villages, etc.
4 Patriotic War of 1812
But the course of political events did not allow the administrative abilities of the Military Ataman M.I. to be deployed in full force. Platov. In 1805, the war with Napoleon began in Europe. Platov with the Don Cossack regiments was called to the Austrian border, but did not participate in hostilities, however, he was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. In 1806, during the Prussian military campaign, M.I. Platov showed his outstanding abilities. So, during the attack, he was able to capture the well-fortified city of Preussisch-Eylau and capture more than 3 thousand Frenchmen. Soon, in the battle of Heiselberg, he was able to put to flight "the entire French cavalry", destroy the enemy's infantry division and take the city by evening, cross the Alle River and burn all the bridges.
Often he had to mislead the enemy by lighting a lot of fires around the cities he besieged. The ingenuity paid off. French resistance weakened and Platov captured one city after another. When peace was concluded, M.I. Platov was awarded diamond signs for the Order of Alexander Nevsky and a precious snuff box with the face of Alexander 1, and the Prussian king awarded the brave Donets with the Orders of the Red and Black Eagle, as well as a snuff box with his image. Characterizes M.I. Platov and the fact that he persistently interceded and achieved the rewarding of a number of distinguished Cossack officers by the Prussian king.
It is also interesting that after the conclusion of peace with Napoleon in 1807 and the meeting of the warring Emperors in Tilsit, M.I. Platov refused to accept the order from the French Emperor: "I will not accept him: Why should he reward me?: I did not serve him and I can never serve him." And when he was asked if he liked Napoleon, whom M.I. Platov, he replied: "I'm not looking at your emperor at all; there is nothing unusual in him: I look at the horse like a connoisseur, I want to guess what breed it is." One way or another, Napoleon for the excellent archery demonstrated by M.I. Platov, at the insistence of Alexander 1, awarded him with a snuffbox with precious stones and his own image. Platov later "broke out" the stones and "replaced the portrait of Napoleon with some kind of cameo."
In 1809 M.I. Platov accompanied Alexander 1 to a meeting of the Finnish Diet in Borgo, after which he was released to the Don, but was soon appointed to the Moldavian army. With the beginning of active hostilities against the Turks, M.I. Platov captures the city of Girsovo on August 19, for which he is awarded the Order of St. Vladimir of the 1st degree, and on September 4 he defeats a large detachment of Turks at Rassvevat. On September 23, 1809, he defeated a five thousandth corps of Turks between Silistria and Ruschuk, for which he was promoted to general of the cavalry, i.e. became a full general.
Severe malaria and some signs of consumption forced M.I. Platov to go to the Don at the beginning of 1810 in order to improve his health, which had been shaken by endless hostilities. But the best doctors were in St. Petersburg and therefore the Ataman leaves for the capital in the summer of the same year, where the life physician Ville managed to improve his health. He lived at that time in St. Petersburg, Tsarskoye Selo, Pavlovsk and often hosted the highest capital society. Communication with the Don was carried out mainly through correspondence with Nakazny Ataman Kireev, in which the issues of building Novocherkassk, deepening the Aksai River, etc. were discussed.
With the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812, M.I. Platov joined the Russian army, leaving behind him on the Don Ataman A.K.Denisov. On the evening of July 12, 1812, Napoleon began crossing to Russia across the border river Neman. In the very first battles with the troops of Napoleon, the flying corps of M.I. Platov participated. The Don Cossacks of Platov often had to deal with the French cavalry, Polish lancers, etc. And, as a rule, the Cossacks won brilliant victories, using such purely Cossack military techniques as “lava”, “venter”, ambushes. But the personal hostility of the commander of the Russian army, General Barclay de Tolly, to Matvey Ivanovich, whom he accused, for example, of alcohol abuse, often became an obstacle to the possible victories of the Cossacks.
Moreover, he achieved the recall of M.I. Platov from the army, who was forced to surrender his cavalry corps to Rosen. But with the arrival of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army M.I. Kutuzov, the Troop Ataman M.I. Platov was in demand and arrived in the army. The Cossacks of M.I. Platov participated in the famous battle near Borodino, where for several hours they diverted the reserves of the French army from participating in the attack on the Russian fortifications and captured the main convoy of the Napoleonic army. True, this was precisely what served as a new accusation against M.I. Platov, since some officers argued that he could not keep the Cossacks from robbing the enemy convoy.
The Russian army retreated. Napoleon entered Moscow. But everyone believed that M.I. Kutuzov would still win. Platov waited and received 26 additional Cossack regiments from the Don, which caused sparkling tears of joy in the eyes of Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, who highly appreciated the merits of the Cossacks in the fight against Napoleon. In the first battle at Tarutino, the Don people utterly defeated the troops of Marshal Murat. Napoleon realized that this was the beginning of an inglorious end and left the burning Moscow. Later, M.I. Platov defeated the troops of Marshal Davout near the walls of the Kolotsky Monastery (October 19), the detachment of the Neopolitan king Murat near Dukhovshchina and on Ponar Mountain near Vilna.
On December 2, M.I. Platov overtook the troops of Marshal Ney who retreated to the border and defeated them. The war on the territory of Russia was victoriously ended. Platov, for brilliant military successes in the fight against the troops of Napoleon and, especially near the town of Krasnoye, on October 29, 1812, was elevated to the dignity of a count. And soon, on January 1, 1813, he was awarded the Honorary Rescript of Emperor Alexander 1.
Participating in foreign campaigns, M.I. Platov captured the city of Marienburg on the night of New Year 1813, then occupied the town of Dirsh and besieged the fortress of Danzig, which later surrendered to the mercy of the winner. On April 13, 1813, "in Dresden, Emperor Alexander 1 gave a gracious manifesto to the Don Army, praising his contribution and merits in the liberation of Russia from Napoleon's troops. On September 13, M.I. Platov won a brilliant victory near Altenburg, and on October 4 he participated in the famous "Battle of the Nations" near Leipzig.
Here, on October 6, he captured an entire cavalry brigade, 6 infantry battalions and 28 guns, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called here on the battlefield. . Here M.I. Platov was granted a monogrammed diamond feather with laurels for wearing on a shako. (headdress). In 1814, during the battles in France, M.I. Platov "marked himself with exploits under Laon, Epinal, Sharm and occupied Fontainebleau on February 2," in which he was supposed to release the pope from imprisonment.
But the head of the Catholics was secretly taken out before the arrival of the Cossack troops. Later M.I. Platov occupied the heavily fortified city of Namur. On March 19, 1814, the Allies entered Paris. The Cossacks settled down on the Champs Elysees. This is the end of the military exploits of Matvey Ivanovich Platov, since in the hostilities of 1815. he did not participate.
The British allies warmly welcomed the Army Ataman M.I. Platov in London, where he accompanied Emperor Alexander 1. Enthusiastic Londoners carried the Don hero from ship to shore in their arms, showing him all the attention and respect. The enthusiasm of the London ladies was so great that they cut off part of the tail of M.I. Platov's horse and dismantled the hair for souvenirs. The prince-regent, immoderately admiring the ataman horse "Leonid", received it as a gift from M.I. Platov. And the Ataman, in turn, was gifted with a portrait of the Prince Regent with diamonds to wear on his chest on the ribbon of the Order of the Garter.
In London, Count M.I. Platov personally met the writer W. Scott, the author of The History of Napoleon and many other popular historical books. Oxford University brought M.I. Platov doctoral diploma. The city of London presented M.I. Platov with a specially made saber. An English ship was named after him. And the portrait of M.I. Platov was placed in the royal palace. Porcelain, carpets and decorations with images of M.I. Platov appeared in many European countries. Platov's name is also associated with the legend that he assured Alexander 1 that Russian craftsmen were no worse than English ones and ordered the Tula Levsha to shoe a flea, which he did, shoeing a flea on both legs.
5 Return to Novocherkassk
Returning to the Don after military campaigns, Matvey Ivanovich Platov was solemnly greeted by a deputation of the townspeople on the outskirts of Novocherkassk, and then, with a chime of bells, with a large gathering of people, he drove into the Cossack capital he founded. Turning to the administrative management of the Don Territory, Matvey Ivanovich got acquainted with its economic situation and issued an order in which he noted the enormous merits of the Cossack women, who had endured all the hardships of 3 years of management in wartime, when the Don Cossacks almost without exception fought with Napoleon's troops.
Platov paid attention not only to the region and its civil rule, the further development of horse breeding and viticulture, but also to the development of the city of Novocherkassk. In particular, under him in the fall of 1817, in connection with the expected arrival of Emperor Alexander 1 in Novocherkassk, two capital stone triumphal arches were built. But on September 16, Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich (the Emperor's brother) arrived, who was solemnly greeted by the Army Ataman, Cossacks and the public at the Triumphal Arch on St. Petersburg Descent (now Herzen's Descent.). Alexander 1 visited Novocherkassk in 1818, but by that time the famous Donets was gone. Platov died on January 3, 1818 in his settlement Elanchitskaya and on January 10 was buried under the walls of the stone Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk, which was under construction.
It would seem that after such a stormy, controversial, but glorious and brilliant life, the ashes of the great son of the Don rested under the vaults of an Orthodox church. But the waves of historical events and destinies were so high and sometimes insidious that the remains of the famous chieftain for about 100 years will seek their resting place. Due to the fact that the Ascension Cathedral under construction, near the walls of which Matvey Ivanovich and members of his family were buried, collapsed twice (1846 and 1863), the relatives of M.I. Platov achieved the highest permission (1868) to transfer the ashes of M.I. Platov to the territory of his suburban Myshkinsky estate, popularly referred to as the Golitsinsky dacha (by the name of the son-in-law of Prince Golitsin) or the Bishop's dacha (in fact, the dacha was donated to the Novocherkassk bishop). In 1875 these wishes were realized in the family vault under the church in Hut. Mishkino, the remains of M.I. Platov and members of his family who had died by that time were transported from Novocherkassk.
But the ashes of the hero of the Don and Russia did not rest on this either. In 1911, in connection with the preparations for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812, the Cossacks decided to bring from different places and rebury the remains of the greatest people of the Don. On October 4, the remains were solemnly reburied in the tomb under the stone Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk: Platov, Orlov-Denisov, Efremov and Baklanov, as well as Archbishop John, especially loved by the townspeople. Then the February and October revolutions of 1917, the civil war on the Don, the demolition in 1923 of the monument to M.I. The opened graves turned out to be defiled, clogged with rubbish, etc. On May 16, 1993, the grandiose opening of the finally recreated monument to Count and Army Ataman, holder of many domestic and foreign orders, Matvey Ivanovich Platov, took place.
Conclusion
Matvey Ivanovich Platov is an original phenomenon in the military history of Russia and an exceptional phenomenon in the military history of the Don Cossacks. This is explained not only by the outstanding personal qualities of Platov - they are indisputable - but also by the conditions of that era, especially the era of the Napoleonic wars, in which the activities of the legendary ataman unfolded.
According to the descriptions of contemporaries who knew Platov well, he was tall, swarthy and black-haired, "with an infinitely kind expression on his face and very amiable." General Alexey Ermolov, who knew Matvey Ivanovich well, wrote that "the ataman belonged to the number of people who are very smart and very perceptive."
By nature, Platov was very quick-tempered, and all his life he brought himself up in the spirit of suppressing these unexpected outbursts of rage and succeeded a lot in this.
“He knew how to deal with people very skillfully and could charm anyone,” his biographer E. Tarasov wrote about Platov. - He was cunning, resourceful and an excellent diplomat. With simple Cossacks, he knew how to deal simply and was always affectionate. Ataman liked to tell anecdotes from military life, as well as about real military events, his stories made a great impression on the audience.
His favorite phrase "I'll tell you" richly equipped his stories and conversations. His speech was very peculiar, in a Cossack way, and he spoke very convincingly and energetically. Instead of "Warsaw" he said "Arshava", instead of "quartermaster" - "planner", instead of "pursue" - "push", instead of "search" - "rummage around".
In relation to his subordinates, the ataman was quite objective, he knew how to encourage and exact, making it clear to the Cossacks that he was destroying shortcomings, and was not looking for a reason to humiliate a person just because he had power over him.
Matvey Ivanovich was distinguished by a great love for everything native, Russian, as a result of which he had some hostility towards foreigners and their dominance in the high command of the Russian army. He especially disliked the Germans, their pedantry and doctrinairism. By nature, the ataman was a cheerful person, he loved a pleasant company, but a noisy and distracted life was not in his nature.
Being, like most Cossacks, a believer, Platov made rich contributions to churches and monasteries. However, he believed in dreams and premonitions.
In the last years of his life, his daily routine was quite rigid. He devoted most of his time to business. He slept from four in the morning until eight in the morning, but after waking up he liked to lie in bed for some time, while solving practical matters.
In food, Platov was distinguished by moderation, he loved simple dishes, which is not surprising for a person whose life was almost completely spent in the conditions of campaigns and battles. From drinks he loved coffee (“coffee”) and tea.
Occupying the high post of the Don military ataman, being a member of the imperial palace and the highest statesmen of Russia, he did not protect his relatives, rightly believing that they themselves, following his example, should make their own career and on their own. But about outsiders who were distinguished by talent, courage and honesty, Matvey Ivanovich constantly bothered with the higher authorities.
In the military history of Russia, Platov is known as a talented and original commander, personally a brave warrior. He participated in almost all the wars waged by the Russian Empire, from the second half of the 18th century until the end of the era of the Napoleonic wars. Platov passed military science on the battlefields, having entered the service for fifteen years. He was a born warrior, and from the very beginning his combat activity was distinguished by originality, the ability to make the only right decisions in the most difficult combat situation, and his courage was an example for his subordinates.
The early period of Platov's military activity is characterized by the battle on the Kalalakh River, when he, surrounded by a numerically superior enemy, made the only right decision in this situation: having sent for help, he himself began to fend off the enemy behind the carts built in a circle.
A characteristic feature of Platov's leadership talent was his ability to inspire the Cossacks in critical moments of the battle: the danger gave even greater clarity to his mind and amazing calmness. These qualities of Platov were highly appreciated by the great Suvorov.
In the conduct of hostilities, Platov adhered to the tactics of lightning strikes. So he acted in the campaign of 1807 against the French. However, if the enemy was ready to repulse the swift blow of the Cossacks, the ataman changed the battle pattern depending on the situation.
Platov's military talent sparkled with new facets during the Patriotic War of 1812, when he showed himself to be an outstanding cavalry commander, and his Cossacks successfully fought against the best cavalry in Europe, exhausting it in continuous battles, and then finishing it off with a decisive offensive. During the counter-offensive of the Russian army, Platov's corps successfully fought in isolation from the main forces of the army, which was a new phenomenon in the practice of combat use of cavalry.
Years have passed, epochs have changed, much has been forgotten, but the memory of Platov's heroic life full of incredible adventures, the courage and heroism of his Cossacks will forever remain in the memory of the Russian people, because the memory of a real feat does not die, it is eternal, like the human race is eternal ...
List of used literature
1. Astapenko M. Ataman Platov. Historical narration. Rostov-on-Don. NPK Gefest, 2003
2. Collection of the Regional Army of the Don Statistical Committee. Issue X1, Novocherkassk, 1912
3. Smirny N. Life and exploits of Count Matvei Ivanovich Platov. Parts 1 and 3. St. Petersburg, 1911
4. Saveliev E.P. Ataman M.I. Platov and the founding of Novocherkassk. Novocherkassk, 1906
5. Kirsanov E.I. Novocherkassk. Brief historical outline 1805-1995 Novocherkassk, 1995
White dense fog spreads at dusk from the river across the field. Horses roam in black shadows. The boys from the neighboring Cossack village huddle around the fire. The conversation is about horses and the autumn fair, where there will be war games and horse races - the main holiday of the year. There is also a race for teenagers, and fathers give their sons their best horses so that they do not lose face.
Red Ivan and long Matveyka are arguing over who will take the prize this year - Bay or Voronok. There they walk across the meadow, each on his own side, as if even now they are looking at each other. Matveikin Voronok looks more overweight, but when it comes to the race, he has no equal, everyone knows about it. "Well, let's see!" Ivan doesn't give up.
Matvey Platov has a special interest in this whole story. The father has long been knocking on the thresholds so that the smart boy is taken to the Cossack service - even as a clerk, even for parcels. Only he is still small, only thirteen years old. Ataman doubts. The Cossacks did not yet have such a thing, that, like the nobles in the sovereign's army, from infancy, children were recorded in the regiment. So the father says: if Matveyka shows himself to be a real daredevil at the races, the ataman will not resist - the boy will have both service and a combat uniform.
In the morning, having hobbled the horses, the guys go to bed. And at dawn, trouble comes: Voronok, having stumbled, falls into a ravine and breaks his back. The rest of the boys stand quietly at the edge of the ravine while Matvey strokes and tries to raise the horse. Even Ivan is silent. What can you say?
However, Matvey's father is not ready to give up his dream so easily. For two nights he walks from end to end of the hut darker than clouds. Matvey freezes on his bench, thinking that a thunderstorm is about to break out and he will get it to the fullest. On the third day, without saying a word, the father leaves somewhere and returns with a wild gray stallion of amazing articles. Yes, he spent all the family's savings, but the horse is a real devil. On his back, Matveyka will sweep ahead of everyone at the races, to the first reckless victory in his life, the approval of the ataman and appointment to the service at the age of thirteen, in 1766.
The father did not fail: this triumph instilled in his son a taste for honestly earned fame, made him believe in himself and his lucky star, which would make Platov a legendary hero of the war of 1812, and make the whole of Europe go crazy for the imposing, ferocious and mustachioed Russian Cossacks.
Fight check
The year was 1774. Young Platov, already in command of the Cossack hundred, served the Empress in the first Russian-Turkish war. At the end of the war, an amazing episode occurred, after which Matvey Platov was personally introduced to Catherine II and invited to the court.
It began as an unremarkable rear mission. Two Cossack colonels, Platov and Larionov, were assigned to a large convoy, which was supposed to deliver food and ammunition to the Kuban. On the steep bank of the river Kalalakh we made a stop for the night. The bath, which sweaty riders dreamed of all day, was long and fun. Then they let the horses into the meadow, set up camp, had supper and lay down.
Matvey tossed and turned from side to side in the stuffy tent for a long time and could not fall asleep at all. He went out into the cool of the night, lit a cigarette and saw the old Cossack Frol Avdotiev. A couple of years ago, Platov was appointed commander, bypassing Frol's old military merits, but he was not offended. Yes, and Matthew always treated him with respect.
Something is alarming, Frolushka, Platov complained.
- Yes, and I'm restless! he agreed. "Something's going on around here." Can you hear the birds screaming? They should sleep at night. Put your ear to the ground!
Matvey obediently got on his knees, leaned over and listened. Nothing. Although ... as if there is some kind of rumble.
Does it sound like something? - he asked.
- That's it! Frol raised his finger. - It seems to me that a large cavalry is gathering quite close. Not one hundred goals! Are the Turks preparing an ambush? Maybe jump, scout?
- Jump, dear, if you still can't sleep! Matthew agreed.
An hour later, Frol returned with terrible news: just a few kilometers away, right by the road you have to go tomorrow, bonfires are burning to the horizon! Ten thousand or even twenty people there. The Turks have gathered the remnants of their army and are clearly preparing an attack. And they have only two thousand horsemen guarding the convoy!
Platov woke Larionov, and they hurriedly began to hold a council. Run with a clumsy convoy? They will not have time ... Break through? Impossible. We must build fortifications and defend ourselves, meanwhile sending a messenger to the nearest outpost! Platov thought so. Larionov said that he was resigning his command, because he did not believe that they would get out of this trap alive.
They carefully raised the entire camp and lined up the carts in a defensive square on the steep bank of the river until dawn. Two messengers were sent for help to the nearest garrison. However, it was clear that even if they jumped at the fastest gallop, reinforcements would not come until the evening of the next day. We must rely only on ourselves. With dawn, the Turks appeared on the crest of a neighboring hill. With a whoop they went down to the fortified wagon train, and Platov immediately began firing from a single cannon. Thus began the heroic siege on the Kalalakh River, which lasted eight hours and proved that the Don Cossacks could defend themselves against an enemy twenty times their number!
When the sun was setting and Platov already thought that his death hour was near, confusion suddenly began in the ranks of the Turks. From the west, they began to be pressed by fresh forces that arrived to help from the garrison, which instantly dispersed the frightened enemy army.
Catherine II wished to personally reward the hero who, with two regiments, was able to defeat "a whole army." Matvey was introduced to the court and made a good impression. The empress nodded coyly at the rustic jokes of the young mustached man and invited him to stay at the palace if he ever happened to be in Petersburg.
Ups and downs
In 1775, Platov participated in the suppression of the Pugachev rebellion. In 1780, he pacified the Chechens and Lezgins in the Caucasus. Then came a period of a short respite, when the illustrious hero was married to a Cossack woman from a good family and he prepared to actively continue the Platov family ... However, the second Russian-Turkish war began, in which the ataman again distinguished himself and was appointed commander of the Cossack army.
In 1896, Paul I came to the throne. Old favorites fell into disgrace under the new government. Platov, unaware of palace intrigues, suddenly finds himself "the organizer of a conspiracy against the emperor." He was exiled to Kostroma for four years, and then completely thrown into the dungeons of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Perhaps it was there that Matvey caught consumption, from which he was treated throughout the second half of his life. However, humiliation, Jesuit interrogations, hopelessness and surreal events did not break our hero. He acquired a bitter knowledge of secular life, without which a real military career is impossible. From a rustic and dashing warrior, Platov during this time turned into a sophisticated courtier. And he managed to break free! However, in a rather strange way.
In 1801, Platov was released from the Peter and Paul Fortress and immediately sent to Central Asia to participate in the legendary Indian campaign, which some military historians still consider a hoax. Almost no documents about this enterprise of Paul have been preserved, with the exception of a certain "Memorandum of Leibniz with the application of a project for an overland expedition to India by agreement between the first consul and Emperor Paul I." France urged Russia to send Cossacks to Central Asia and launch a land attack on India to divert the forces of the United Kingdom to the colony, after which Napoleon planned to attack the British Empire from Europe. Despite the illusory promises of "fabulous Indian riches", for the Cossacks this expedition was to end in inevitable and complete defeat. However, such was the price of freedom for Platov.
The Cossack militia was obediently assembled and sent to hell in the middle of nowhere, but, fortunately, did not have time to reach their destination. In March 1801, Paul I was strangled (it is believed that not without the participation of British intelligence, which found out about the insidious alliance). Alexander I prudently recalled the Cossacks back, especially since the evil winds of the Napoleonic wars had already blown in Europe by that time.
Platov and Napoleon
The rapid advance of France on the Russian allies, Austria and Prussia, forced Alexander I in 1805 to send reinforcements to Europe. A full part of the Russian army, "flying troops", were the Cossacks, led by Ataman Platov. The fast and unstoppable Cossack cavalry was an ideal tool for operating in the rear and pursuing the retreating enemy, the "flying troops" were also used to cover their own retreat. In Europe, for the first time, they saw the Cossacks - Asian-like rabid horsemen in Russian uniforms and with sabers unsheathed. They frightened with their unexpected appearance from some kind of forest ambush, rolled with lava, chopped without looking back and just as suddenly disappeared. Cossacks became a secret Russian weapon, which was feared abroad and proud of at home. Derzhavin even composed an ode appropriate for the occasion:
Platov! Europe already knows
That you are a terrible leader of the Don forces.
By surprise, as if a sorcerer, everywhere
You will fall like snow from clouds or rain.
However, confusion reigned in the command of the allied anti-Napoleonic troops, there was no general plan. Victories gave way to defeats, the Russian army was exhausted, it was difficult to get food and fodder on foreign territory. In 1807, the Treaty of Tilsit was concluded with Napoleon.
At diplomatic meetings in Tilsit, in addition to banquets and business negotiations, demonstration races were staged. Here the Cossacks showed themselves in all their glory: horse riding, dressage, archery right at a gallop! Napoleon was especially struck by the fact that Platov also participated in the demonstration. He approached the chieftain with compliments and offered him his diamond snuffbox as a gift. Matvey, narrowing his eyes, accepted the gift, but said that it was customary in the Don to “give away” gifts, after which he presented Napoleon with his bow and arrows.
Glorious weapon! - admired the Frenchman. - Now I know that well-aimed Cossacks can shoot even the smallest bird from it!
- Not only a small, but also a large bird should be afraid of us, - the ataman noticed.
The translators then hurried to smooth over the awkwardness, but Platov's bold remark turned out to be prophetic. Just a few years later, Napoleon's troops, violating the truce, went on the offensive against Russia.
mustard vodka
The French offensive coincided with a very difficult period in Platov's life. Even under Catherine, he noticed one thing: even if you were the most courageous hero, but without some smallest title in front of your name, you will remain in St. Petersburg drawing rooms just a funny little animal. For more than twenty years now, as soon as he got to the capital, Matvey again and again became convinced of this bitter conventionality of secular society. His treatment changed, he had the terrible experience of the Peter and Paul Fortress and solid years behind him, he was treated for lung problems by the best St. Petersburg doctors, as well as representatives of the most famous families ... In the end, he became the ataman, the official commander-in-chief of the entire Don! There were a lot of hopes for this. But all the same, all orders, sabers and royal snuffboxes did not give Ataman Platov the right to sit at the table in front of the baronet himself, and this same baronet, defiantly turning away, waited for Matvey Ivanovich to be the first to come up to him with a greeting in the secular drawing room. Platov was bitter and offended, and he had long hinted in the highest circles that it was not an order or another ribbon that he desired, but a title worthy of a faithful Russian warrior ... Yes, all in vain. What was to be done about this injustice? Just drink it with mustard vodka, yes, with a wave of your hand, go yourself to say hello and introduce yourself as if nothing had happened. However, in his younger years it was possible to drink a lot and remain on horseback, with reckless courage smashing the enemy on the battlefield or in a secular salon. But the older the ataman became, the harder it was for him to achieve alcoholic exploits. This is how Platov got into trouble during the retreat of the Russian army in 1812. Then the ataman drowned out the confusion from defeat with vodka and scolded Field Marshal Barclay. He had long held a grudge against the quick-tempered Cossack, considered him an absurd drunkard who drowned his best qualities in vodka. But formally there was nothing to complain about the ataman. And then one day the opportunity presented itself: the Cossacks missed the French offensive. Barclay immediately wrote a report to the sovereign, in which he said that Platov "slept through" the enemy due to unrestrained drunkenness. Matvey Ivanovich was removed from command of the forward detachments and sent deep into the rear.
Revenge
This second disgrace was hard for Matvey Ivanovich. Saved by his old friend Kutuzov. As soon as the multi-authority of Barclay, Bagration and Tormasov ended and the command of all Russian troops passed to Kutuzov, Platov was again returned to the front line.
The ataman appreciated this: light troops, reinforced by additional militia from the Don, arrived in time to help just at the critical moment of the Battle of Borodino. It was the Cossacks who, by their unexpected appearance in the rear, delayed the attack of the Napoleonic troops for an invaluable two hours. It was the Cossacks who did not give the exhausted French a moment of peace after the battle, appearing from the dusk of the night and cutting down the enemy who had settled down to rest. It was the Cossacks who created the general disturbing impression that, even despite the withdrawal from Moscow, Russia did not give up - it hid in a dark forest ambush and is waiting in the wings to go on the offensive.
This attack was not long in coming. And here Matvey Platov with his flying berserkers had no equal. With loud cries of "Hurrah!" they drove the enemy back to the borders of the Russian Empire, capturing endless trophies, Napoleonic generals, artillery pieces, without slowing down for a second and without letting Napoleon take a breath. The French commander, assessing his defeat in Russia, said to Caulaincourt: “We must do justice to the Cossacks: it is to them that the Russians owe their success in this campaign. They are, without a doubt, the finest light troops in existence." Already in Poland, forced out of the Russian Empire, Napoleon bitterly exclaimed: “Give me only the Cossacks - and I will go through all of Europe!” However, he did not have the Cossacks, and the French fled further and further in a panic, leaving Prussia and Austria, and Napoleon was overthrown and exiled to the island of Elba.
For Ataman Platov, the time has come for the greatest triumph and the fulfillment of all innermost desires. Even at the very beginning of the counteroffensive of the Russian army, Kutuzov procured for him the long-awaited title of count. In 1814, Platov, as part of the delegation of Alexander I, visited Union Great Britain. This trip at the peak of the glory of exotic "Cossackoffs" in Europe turned out to be the most significant test for the ataman - "copper pipes". During the journey of the imperial motorcade to London, it was constantly stopped by local residents, showered with flowers, offered pies, and shook hands. The ladies were especially curious to look at the "ataman Platoff", prancing on a war horse. At some point, the Englishwomen treacherously crept up behind and cut off a lock of the tail of the chieftain's horse, which was immediately taken apart by a hair for souvenirs. Oxford University conferred an honorary doctorate on Platov, and a new ship of the British Navy* was named after the ataman.
Another remarkable historical anecdote relates to this moment. Masters of the London arms factory presented the delegation of Alexander I with the famous miniature steel flea with a complex internal mechanism. They say that it was the desperate patriot Platov who said that Russian gunsmiths would not yield to the British. He took the insect to Tula and asked to wipe the nose of foreigners. The flea was shod, and the Tula master left his signature on each carnation
Captured the famous Cossack and some personal trophy. From England, Platov brought an English young lady to the Don, about whom Denis Davydov once joked: “It is completely incomprehensible how Platov managed to “companion” this miss without knowing a word of English.” However, the magnificent "Ataman Platoff" in such a case, again, did not need extra words. By that time, his Cossack wife had died for many years, leaving a worthy number of heirs to the count's title, and the white-faced miss successfully brightened up the advanced years of the military chieftain.
Platov spent these years surrounded by his sons and grandsons, breeding a special breed of war horses on the Don and taking care of Cossack affairs. However, problems with the lungs did not allow the honored veteran to enjoy peace for a long time. He died on January 3, 1818, and with all due honors was buried under the walls of the stone Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk, which was under construction.
Jokes about Platov
Platov's favorite drinking companion was the Prussian General Blucher. Two warriors just sat opposite each other and got drunk until Blucher fell on his side. They did not know each other's language, and the adjutants were all interested in Platov's pleasure from this acquaintance. But Matvey Ivanovich was offended: “Do words really need to be here? And so it is clear that he is a warm-hearted person! There’s only one problem: it can’t stand it!”
According to one version, the word "bistro", which is called a fast food cafe in France, was born during the stay of Platov's Cossacks in Paris. Having defeated Napoleon, the Russian army was walking in the French capital on a Moscow scale. Hot mustaches on horseback drove up to restaurants and, sometimes without even dismounting, demanded something to eat and - "quickly, quickly, quickly!".
The statesman, writer and publicist Count Fyodor Vasilyevich Rostopchin once hosted Platov. Tea was served, and the ataman poured plenty of rum into it. At this time, another friend of his, the writer Karamzin, came to Fyodor Vasilyevich. Platov joyfully got up to meet the new guest, extended his hand and remarked with all sincerity: “Very glad, very glad to meet you! I have always loved writers because they are all drunkards!”
Matvey Ivanovich Platov (1753–1818)
The number one Cossack ataman in the history of the Russian state, undoubtedly, was and remains M. I. Platov. He was born on the Don in the village of Pribylyanskaya, descended from "foreman's children of the Don Army." Father - Colonel Ivan Fedorovich Platov, who taught his son all the wisdom of military Cossack skills.
At the age of 13, Matvey Platov was enrolled as a Cossack in the military office. At the age of 15 he became a sergeant and began regimental service. Immediately attracted the attention of the innate features of an equestrian fighter. In 1770 he was promoted to regimental captain, being among the troops of Prince Dolgorukov, the future Dolgorukov-Krymsky.
He received a baptism of fire in a campaign in the Crimea, distinguished himself during the attack of Perekop (Turkish rampart), in the capture of the fortress of Kinburn. Platov ended up in the composition of those Russian troops who happened to fulfill a truly historical mission - to put an end to the Crimean Khanate, the last fragment of the Golden Horde.
In 1772, Matvey Platov received the rank of Cossack colonel and at the same time (at the age of 18!) began to command a Cossack regiment.
... In 1774, in the Kuban, he skillfully and independently repelled seven attacks of "non-peaceful" mountaineers on a Cossack camp on the Kalnakh (Canals) River. For this feat, he was awarded a gold medal by decree of Empress Catherine II. Then the words of Matvey Ivanovich Platov sounded, which became his life motto:
Honor is dearer than life!
The years 1782–1784 were spent by Platov in campaigns in the Crimea, carrying out border guards in the Kuban, in military expeditions against the “trans-Kuban peoples” and in Chechnya. He distinguished himself near the city of Kopyl, in battles with the Khan's cavalry Devlet Giray. During these years, the young Don officer served under the command of General-in-Chief A.V. Suvorov, having gone through a good combat school in the North Caucasus.
In June 1787, Platov received the rank of army colonel. On behalf of Catherine's favorite G. A. Potemkin, he formed four Cossack regiments from the same palaces of the Yekaterinoslav province. The Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791 passed from beginning to end. On December 6, 1788, Matvey Platov distinguished himself during the bloody assault on the Ochakovo fortress. A well-deserved award to him was the Order of St. George of the 4th degree.
His Serene Highness Prince G. A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky transfers the Don colonel he liked to the Chuguevsky Cossack regiment. At its head, Platov fought bravely in Bessarabia, under the fortress of Bendery, in the battle on September 26, 1789 near Kaushany, in the capture of the fortified castle of Palanka. For Causeni he receives the rank of brigadier.
Platov turned out to be one of the heroes of the assault on the Izmail fortress, which has no analogues in world military history. He commanded one of the assault columns, made up of foot Don Cossacks, armed with shortened peaks. In the course of the attack, the Cossack column found itself in a difficult position, subjected to a strong retaliatory blow from the besieged Turks. The counterattacking Ottomans then managed to drive back behind the fortress walls only with the help of a reserve that came to the rescue.
For Ishmael, brigadier M. I. Platov was awarded the Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George of the 3rd degree and production in 1793 to the rank of Major General. He was appointed ataman of the Yekaterinoslav and Chuguev Cossacks, awarded the Order of St. Vladimir of the 3rd degree.
Platov participated in the Persian campaign of 1796, when the expeditionary corps was commanded by General-in-Chief Valerian Zubov, one of the creators of the "Eastern policy" of Empress Catherine the Great in the last years of her life. For the valor shown during the capture of the ancient fortress, Derbent received an award Golden weapon - a saber decorated with diamonds with the inscription "For Courage".
During the reign of Paul I, the Cossack general was disgraced, expelled from service and exiled to the city of Kostroma. In 1800 he was arrested and imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress, but then followed by the highest forgiveness. Later, in 1801, Platov received the right to participate in the Indian campaign (or in the campaign against Orenburg) of the Don Cossacks.
On August 26, 1801, M. I. Platov received the highest rescript on his appointment as a military ataman of the Don. On September 15 of the same year, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. At the same time, he was awarded the Order of St. Anne, 1st degree. In the ataman rank, Matvey Ivanovich took up the "improvement" of the Cossack army entrusted to him, doing really a lot to improve his military organization and everyday life.
He founded the city of Novocherkassk in 1805, to which, two years later, the capital of the Don Cossacks was transferred: the village of Cherkasskaya was often flooded. The military administration is being reorganized. The Don artillery is being reformed.
In 1806, Emperor Alexander I entrusted him with the command of all the Cossack regiments of Russia, put up for war. In this regard, he is awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky.
Platov's talent as a Cossack commander "became visible and noticeable to everyone" during the wars against Napoleonic France, which shook continental Europe for more than a decade. The Russian-Prussian-French War of 1806-1807 begins. The fighting on the territory of East Prussia showed that the ataman of the Don Cossacks is capable of skillfully managing many thousands of irregular cavalry.
Platov distinguished himself with his Cossacks in the battle of Preussisch-Eylau and in the pursuit of the French retreating from Landsberg to Heilsberg. For the successful cover of the Russian army, retreating to the city of Tilsit, which stood on the border river Neman, the ataman complains of diamond signs to the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky and a premium precious snuffbox with a portrait of Emperor Alexander I Pavlovich.
In November 1807, Lieutenant General M. I. Platov was awarded the Order of St. George, 2nd degree. The Prussian king awarded him the Orders of the Red Eagle and the Black Eagle, a precious snuffbox with his portrait. The Georgievsky award rescript dated November 22 of that year stated the following about the merits of one of the most outstanding generals of the Russian army:
"... For repeated participation in battles in the position of chief of advanced posts in the war with the French in 1807."
The Russian-Turkish war of 1806-1812 became a new field of action for the ataman. The troops under his command took the city of Babadag and stormed the fortress of Girsovo, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 1st degree.
Then Platov with his Cossacks contributed to the success of the commander-in-chief of the Russian Moldavian army, infantry general P.I. Bagration in the battle of Rassevat.
The Don Cossacks achieved the biggest victory in that war on September 23, 1809. Then they utterly defeated the five thousandth Turkish corps in a field battle between the enemy fortresses of Silistra and Ruschuk. This victory brought Matvey Ivanovich the rank of general from the cavalry. The highest decree on its appropriation was signed by Emperor Alexander I almost immediately after receiving a report from the banks of the Danube about the won victory - on September 26.
Commander's glory came to the three times Knight of St. George, General of the Cavalry M. I. Platov during the Patriotic War of 1812. From the very beginning of the invasion of the Russian borders of the Great Army of the conqueror Napoleon I, the regiments of the Don Cossacks of the Platov flying (irregular) corps did not leave the battles. The corps covered the retreat of the Russian armies to Smolensk from the side of Rudnya and Porechye.
The list of battles fought by the irregular cavalry in the person of the flying corps of Ataman M.I. Platov in the first period of the war is impressive: these are Karelichi and Mir, Romanovo and Molevo Boloto, Inkovo ...
The fact that the Russian 1st Western Army of General of Infantry M.B. Barclay de Tolly and the 2nd Western Army of General of Infantry P.I. Bagration joined in the Smolensk region, a great merit belongs to the flying Cossack corps. After the connection of the two armies and their retreat to Moscow, Platov commands the rearguard battles.
In the battle of Borodino, the corps of General Platov's cavalry was on the right flank of the Kutuzov army, opposing the cavalry of the Italian Viceroy. The Don Cossacks, together with the cavalrymen of Adjutant General F. P. Uvarov, took part in the raid against the left wing of the enemy army. But Platov did not receive an award for Borodino.
After the battle of Borodino, the ataman goes to his native Don, where the Don militia is created in the shortest possible time. And 26 cavalry regiments of the Don militia in a swift forced march arrive at the Tarutinsky camp of the Main Russian Army.
During the retreat of the Russian army from Moscow, the Cossack regiments formed the rearguard forces. They managed to hold back the onslaught of the cavalry of the Marshal of France, King of Neapolitan Joachim Murat, near the city of Mozhaisk.
When the relentless pursuit of the fleeing Napoleonic army began, it was the Cossack commander Platov, the commander-in-chief, Field Marshal M. I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov, Prince of Smolensky, who was entrusted with the command of the vanguard of the Main Army. Platov did this great thing for the history of Russia, together with the troops of General M. A. Miloradovich, successfully and efficiently.
Strong blows are inflicted on the troops of the famous Marshal Davout, from whom, near the Kolotsky Monastery, the Cossacks beat off 27 guns in battle. Then the Platov cavalry takes part in the battle near the city of Vyazma, in which the French corps of marshals Michel Ney, the same Davout and the Italian viceroy are completely defeated.
The Cossack cavalry also won a brilliant victory on October 27 in the case on the banks of the Vop River, defeating the French troops of Marshal Eugene Beauharnais and recapturing 23 artillery pieces from them. For this genuine victory, the ataman of the Don Cossacks was elevated by Alexander I to the dignity of a count of the Russian Empire.
On November 8, the flying corps of cavalry general Count M. I. Platov, while crossing the Dnieper River, utterly defeated the remnants of the corps of Marshal Ney. Three days later, the Cossacks occupied the city of Orsha. On November 15, they captured the city of Borisov with a fight.
Irregular cavalry also had great success on November 28 in the battle near the city of Vilna (now Vilnius, Lithuania), where a 30,000-strong enemy corps was utterly defeated, trying to cover the retreat of the remnants of the Great Army behind the border Neman.
Then on December 2, the French were defeated near the city of Kovno (modern Kaunas). On the same day, the Cossacks successfully crossed the Neman River and transferred the fighting of the Russian army to the territory of East Prussia. Emperor Alexander I repeatedly expressed the monarch's "favor" to the Cossack commander from the banks of the Don.
The effectiveness of the combat activity of the Cossack troops under the command of ataman Count M. I. Platov during the Patriotic War of 1812 is amazing. They captured 546 (548) enemy guns, 30 banners and captured more than 70 thousand Napoleonic soldiers, officers and generals. Commander M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov wrote the following words to the military leader of the Cossacks of Russia:
“The services you rendered to the Fatherland have no examples, you proved to the whole of Europe the power and strength of the inhabitants of the blessed Don ...”>
Platov, a general from the cavalry, fought no less successfully during the foreign campaigns of the Russian army in 1813 and 1814. He participates in the siege of the powerful fortress of Danzig. On September 16, in the first foreign campaign, the Platov cavalry near the city of Oltenburg (Altenburg) defeats the French corps of General Lefebvre and pursues it to the city of Zeiss. The reward was a precious portrait (decorated with diamonds) of the All-Russian Sovereign to be worn on the chest.
The Cossack regiments of the Platov flying corps also distinguished themselves in the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig on October 4, 6 and 7, 1813. When pursuing the retreating Napoleonic troops, the Cossacks captured about 15 thousand soldiers and officers.
For the Leipzig case, Matvey Ivanovich was awarded the highest award of the Russian Empire - the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. For the persecution of the French, he was awarded a diamond pen (cheling) with the monogram of the sovereign to wear on his headdress. For Russia, this was a rare award, which was traditional in Sultan's Turkey.
On October 10, the flying corps of the Don ataman inflicts a new defeat on the French troops of General Lefebvre. The battle took place near the German city of Weimar.
From October 16 to 18, the Cossack regiments supported the allied Bavarian troops under the command of General Wrede in the battle near the city of Hanau. Now his Golden Saber "For Courage" was decorated with premium gold laurels.
... 1814 was marked for the Cossack cavalry by many victories already on French soil. The flying corps distinguished itself in the battles of Laon, Epinal, Sharm, in the assault on the fortified city of Namur, in defeating the enemy at Aris, Arcy-sur-Aube, Villeneuve ... Near the city of Cezanne, the Platov Cossacks captured a detachment of the elite troops of Emperor Napoleon I - part of his forces Old Guard. Then they took, under the very enemy capital, its suburb - the town of Fontainebleau.
Ataman M. I. Platov, at the head of his light-horse regiments, who surprised Europe for three years - from 1812 to 1814, solemnly entered the defeated Paris as part of the Russian army. The Don people then pitched their bivouac on the famous Champs Elysees.
... From Paris, cavalry general Platov accompanied Emperor Alexander I on his trip to London, where he was received with special attention. The British, admiring the exploits of the Don ataman in the wars against Napoleonic France, presented him with an honorary saber and named a warship after him. Count Matvei Ivanovich Platov was solemnly awarded an honorary doctoral diploma from the aristocratic Oxford University.
After 1815, the commander settled on the Don, in the military capital of the city of Novocherkassk. In the last years of his life, Platov founded a gymnasium and a military printing house in Novocherkassk. Matvey Ivanovich died three years later in the village of Epanchitskaya.
Initially, the ataman was buried in the city itself in a family crypt near the Ascension Cathedral. In 1875, he was reburied at the Bishop's Dacha (on the Mishkin farm). On October 4, the ashes of Ataman Platov were solemnly transferred to the tomb of the Military Cathedral in Novocherkassk.
After the desecration of the grave of the Cossack commander in Soviet times, his ashes were reburied for the third time in the same place on May 15, 1993.
... In 1853, with the money collected on the Don by subscription, in the city of Novocherkassk a monument was erected by P. K. Klodt to the most famous Cossack chieftain in the history of Russia. The inscription on the monument read:
"Ataman Count Platov for military exploits from 1770 to 1816, grateful Donets"
In 1923, the monument was demolished, and in 1993 it was recreated.
From August 26, 1904, the 4th Don Cossack Regiment began to bear his name, as an eternal boss.
One of the most interesting figures of the Patriotic War of 1812 is Matvey Platov, the chieftain of the Don Cossacks. He was a rather unusual and interesting person. In addition to the Patriotic War, ataman Platov participated in many other battles. The biography of this person will be the subject of our discussion.
Youth
The future ataman Matvey Ivanovich Platov was born in August 1751 in Cherkassk, which at that time was the capital of the Don Army. His father, Ivan Fedorovich, belonged to the estate of the Cossack foreman, and his mother, Anna Illarionovna (b. 1733), was a faithful companion of life to her husband.
In addition to Matvey, there were three more children in the family, all male: Andrei, Stefan and Peter.
There was no doubt about what path of activity the future ataman M.I. Platov would choose. Of course, the son of a Cossack could only be a Cossack.
At the age of fifteen, Matvey entered the service in the office of the Don Cossacks, while having the rank of constable. Three years later he received the next title - Yesaul.
On the battlefields
The future chieftain Matvey Platov took part in the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774. In 1771, he participated in the attack on the Perekop line and Kinburn, where he distinguished himself well. A year later, he was already entrusted with commanding a regiment of the Don Cossacks. In 1774, Matvey Ivanovich went to the Caucasian front, where he participated in the suppression of the uprising of the highlanders in the Kuban, who supported the Ottoman Empire.
After the end of the Russian-Turkish war in 1775, M. Platov took part in the suppression of the Pugachev rebellion. In the subsequent period, he returned to the North Caucasus, where in 1782-1784 he fought against the rebellious Lezgins, Nogais and Chechens.
In the next Russian-Turkish war (1787-1791), Platov also took on the most active work. With his participation, there were assaults on such fortresses as Ochakov (1788), Akkerman (1789), Bendery (1789), Izmail (1790). In 1789 he also fought in the ranks of the Russian army in the battle near Causeni.
His exploits on the battlefields did not go unnoticed. Since 1790, Platov was the chieftain of the Chuguevsky and Yekaterinoslav regiments, and in 1793 he received the rank of major general.
In 1796, Matvey Ivanovich took part in which, however, was soon canceled.
Opala
M. I. Platov knew not only joys. Ataman was suspected by Emperor Paul of plotting against him and exiled to Kostroma. It happened in 1797. After some time, he was transferred to the Peter and Paul Fortress, which meant an even greater aggravation of guilt.
Platov's disgrace lasted until 1801, when Pavel decided to release him from prison so that the ataman would take part in the upcoming Indian campaign. However, the adventurism of this plan, as well as the death of the emperor, did not allow the plan to come true.
At the head of the Don Army
The son of Paul Alexander I, who after the death of his father became the Russian emperor, patronized Matvey Ivanovich. Since 1801, Platov has been the ataman of the Don Cossacks. This meant that from that moment on he became the leader of the entire Don Cossacks. In addition, Matvey Ivanovich received the rank of lieutenant general.
The new position provided for an even greater level of responsibility to the emperor and the state. Of course, the burden of responsibility could break any person, but Platov was not such a person. Ataman reorganized the Don Cossacks, whose structure until then had been very disordered. In addition, in 1805 Platov founded the new capital of the Don Cossacks - Novocherkassk.
War against Napoleon
The Cossacks of Ataman Platov, led by their commander, took part in the war of the Fourth Coalition against Napoleon. The fighting took place mainly in the territory of the Kingdom of Prussia.
Platov personally commanded his detachment in the Battle of Preussisch-Eylau, after which he gained worldwide fame. His Cossacks acted atypically for the battles of that period, which greatly puzzled the enemy. They used guerrilla tactics of war, making quick raids on the flanks of the enemy and inflicting significant damage on him.
After the signing of the Tilsit peace treaty between Russia and France in 1807, Napoleon personally noted the merits of Platov. He handed him a valuable snuffbox. Also, the Order of the Legion of Honor was to be awarded to Platov. The chieftain refused such an honor, citing the fact that he could not serve a foreign sovereign.
One of the significant companies of that period should be called the Russian-Turkish war of 1806-1812, in which Platov's Cossack detachment also acted successfully. Then he received a new rank - a general from the cavalry.
Patriotic War
But the years with Napoleon left the greatest mark on Platov's biography.
At the beginning of the Napoleonic invasion, Platov directly commanded all the Cossack troops, but then the situation forced him to lead separate detachments. As in the previous campaign against Napoleon, the actions of Platov's Cossacks, due to their suddenness, caused many problems for the enemy. It was Platov's detachments who managed to capture the French colonel, as well as capture important papers of General Sebastiani.
The first successful battle against the Napoleonic troops Platov held in June near the village of Mir, where he defeated the detachment of General Rozhnetsky. After the battle of Saltykovka, the Cossacks covered the retreat of General Bagration, and after the Battle of Smolensk, Platov took command of the entire rearguard of the Russian troops, who continued to retreat.
But soon the situation changed. In August, at the request of the Emperor, Commander-in-Chief Barclay de Toli, Platov was expelled from the army. According to official papers, "for indiscipline." But, according to authoritative sources, the main reason for Platov's dismissal was his increased craving for alcohol.
However, Platov soon returned and participated in as well as in And at this meeting, he opposed the retreat from Moscow.
When Napoleon's army began to leave Russia, it was Platov who led its pursuit. According to the leadership, his mobile units could inflict maximum damage on the enemy.
Foreign campaign and the image of the Cossacks in European culture
The detachments of Platov, who by that time had received the title of count for his merits, were among the first to cross the borders of the Russian Empire near the Neman and began to pursue Napoleon's army outside the country. They began the siege of Danzig, in which General MacDonald sat down.
After Ataman M. Platov was mainly at the Emperor's Headquarters, although the Cossack detachments continued to operate just as effectively, pursuing the enemy. Sometimes Matvey Ivanovich was entrusted with the command of individual units. In particular, he led a unit in the battle of Leipzig, called the Battle of the Nations.
Cossack detachments went through all of Europe, all the way to France, where Napoleon signed the capitulation. Platov's Cossacks, with their appearance, as well as a lower level of discipline than regular army units, terrified not only enemy troops, but also ordinary Europeans. After this campaign, the image of the Russian Cossack became archetypal in European culture.
Death of chieftain
Matvey Platov died in January 1818, in a village near Taganrog, in his native Don land, at the age of 66. So did not become one of the most active personalities in the history of the Don Cossacks.
Platov was buried initially in Novocherkassk, but then a series of reburials followed. The ataman's grave was desecrated by the Bolsheviks. In the end, in 1993, the remains of Matvey Platov were buried in the same place.
Family and descendants
Matvey Platov was married twice. His first marriage was with Nadezhda Stepanovna Efremova, who was the granddaughter of the chieftain of the Don Cossacks. In this marriage, in 1777, the son Ivan was born, who, however, died in 1806, long before the death of his father. Shortly after the birth of her son, in 1783, Nadezhda Stepanovna also died.
By the second marriage, Platov was combined with Marfa Dmitrievna Martynova, for whom this was also a second marriage. She also came from a Cossack elder family. They had two sons (Matthew and Ivan) and four daughters (Martha, Anna, Maria, Alexandra).
Marfa Dmitrievna died at the end of 1812. After that, M. Platov lived in a civil marriage with a subject of the British king, Elizabeth.
The descendants of Ataman Platov, through his sons Matvey and Ivan, have the dignity of a count.
Characteristics of the chieftain
Ataman Platov was a rather interesting person who devoted a lot of energy to the service of the Motherland. His heroism is undoubtedly an example for posterity. It is also difficult to overestimate the contribution of Matvey Ivanovich to the formation of a truly powerful fighting force from the irregular Don Cossacks, terrifying the enemy.
Of course, like any person, the legendary ataman had his shortcomings. These include, for example, excessive addiction to alcohol. Nevertheless, his positive qualities largely prevailed over the vices.
As you can see, Ataman Platov seems to be one of the most prominent figures of his time. Unfortunately, there is no photo of him, since at the beginning of the 19th century the art of photography was not yet known to the world. Nevertheless, there are a fairly large number of portraits made by talented artists, which provide us with the opportunity to contemplate the image of the great ataman.
One of these works is a posthumous portrait of Platov by the famous English artist of that time, George Doe. This picture is above. Judging by the external features of the person depicted on it, Ataman Platov was a determined and strong-willed person. Through such works we can see what the greatest of the past centuries were.
Matvey Platov proved with his fate: a Cossack can do anything. "Vikhr-ataman" became a count and professor at Oxford, the British idolized him, and the Cossacks, who fell in love with their hero with all their hearts, composed songs about his victories.
Indian hike
1800 year. Platov is sitting in the Peter and Paul prison because of a denunciation: he allegedly dreams of overthrowing the new emperor from the throne, because by this time the glory of Matvey Ivanovich thundered throughout the empire. Evil tongues said that Paul I was not a nice Don Cossack. However, a year later, Paul I, together with the French, opposes England. The plans include a trip to India, where one of the strongest British colonies was based.
The emperor offers Platov to lead the best Cossack troops. The emperor knew that thousands of Cossacks would follow Platov to hell.
In a short time, 41 cavalry regiments and two companies of horse artillery were prepared for the campaign, which amounted to 27,500 people and 55,000 horses. The Cossacks with the army went on a long and difficult journey through all of Asia. However, they failed to reach their cherished goal - on the way they received the news of the death of Paul and the accession to the throne of Alexander I. By this time, the Cossack troops had reached Orenburg and were planning a campaign through Bukhara. Already on the Don, Platov received an imperial letter, which said: “Your merits known to me and a long-term impeccable service prompted me to elect you to the military atamans of the Don Army ...”. Thus began the ataman life of Matvey Ivanovich Platov. And the Indian campaign was remembered as a fantastic plan of Paul I.
city planner
Almost every year, the capital of the region of the Don Cossacks - Cherkassk - was flooded. The location on the islands created a lot of problems for both residents of the capital and visitors. Ataman Platov had been hatching a project to create a new capital for a long time. A place for it was found on Biryuchy Kuta ("Wolf's Lair"). In 1804, Emperor Alexander I approved the idea of Matvey Ivanovich "on the foundation of a new city on the Don, which will be called the new Cherkasy."
The city plan was developed by the famous French engineer Franz Devolan. And in 1805, on the day of the Ascension of the Lord, a solemn laying of the city took place, which received the name Novocherkassk.
Rumor has it that when the military cathedral was laid, a golden casket was hidden under it with the inscription "The city of the Don army, called New Cherkassk, was founded in the reign of the Sovereign Emperor and autocrat of All-Russian Alexander the First."
The historic event was marked by 101 shots from guns. To this day, Novocherkassk stands, now the capital of the world Cossacks, and in the center, near the Military Cathedral, there is a monument to the founder of the city - Ataman Matvey Ivanovich Platov.
“Tolerate a Cossack, you will be a count!”
There is a proverb “tolerate a Cossack, you will be an ataman”, it accurately characterizes the life of Matvey Ivanovich. From childhood, showing great interest in military affairs, Platov quickly earned his first officer rank.
For heroism, Matvey Ivanovich repeatedly received awards and honors, receiving ranks and titles with surprising speed. Empress Catherine II herself gave him a magnificent saber ...
By 1812, Platov had become one of the oldest generals in the Russian army. The Great War became an opportunity for him to show his strength and skill in spite of all the haters.
It got to the point that the highest ranks accused him of drunkenness, and some directly expressed their distrust in the military abilities of the Cossack ataman.
Contrary to all, Platov was noted for successful military operations that turned Napoleon's troops to the West. Already on the border of the Russian Empire, Platov reached the troops of Marshal Ney and defeated them. For all this, on October 29, 1812, Platov was elevated to the dignity of a count.
Platov and Napoleon
Even before the Great War, Platov met with Napoleon. In 1807, when the Treaty of Tilsit was concluded between Alexander I and Napoleon. Matvey Platov was included in the emperor's retinue. During one of the meetings of the emperors, Napoleon decided to mark the Russian generals with the Order of the Legion of Honor. This number included Platov. Learning about this, the Cossack chieftain said: “Why should he reward me? After all, I did not serve him, and I can never serve him. The officers conveyed these words to Napoleon, who did not make him wait long for an answer.
Getting acquainted with the Russian generals, Napoleon did not honor only one Platov with a handshake. The Don Cossack remembered this insult.
At one of the military reviews, Platov acted more cunningly. He looked long and intently at Napoleon, which excited his vanity. A general from his retinue rode up to Platov and asked: “Ataman doesn’t like the great emperor, why is he looking at him so intently?” “I’ll tell you that I’m not looking at your emperor at all, because there is nothing unusual in him, the same as other people. I look at his horse, and as a connoisseur himself, I really want to know what breed it is, ”Platov answered him.
Only diplomacy stopped Napoleon and Platov from conflict. In the end, they even exchanged gifts. Napoleon presented the Cossack with a snuffbox with his own portrait, and Platov presented the emperor with a combat bow. This snuffbox became for Platov in some way a military trophy. Only after 1814 and the victory over Napoleon Platov replaced the portrait on the snuffbox with a "more decent antique." So the Don chieftain "replaced" Napoleon.
How the British became Cossacks
When Paris was captured by the Allies, the British invited Alexander I, who was again accompanied by Matvey Platov. In foggy Albion, the news that Platov was traveling with the emperor spread very quickly. Already upon arrival in London, Platov was enthusiastically greeted by the inhabitants of the city. "Hurrah, Platov!" could be heard throughout the city.
The Don Cossack became a living legend for the British. Eyewitnesses of those events said that once, after the service, the crowd carried Platov out of the temple in his arms and carried him to the very carriage.
The visit of the ataman to the theaters suspended the performance. Platov was awarded an honorary doctorate in law from the University of Oxford. Walter Scott, when meeting with the Don Cossack, was surprised by his knowledge of history, he used much of the conversation with Platov in his future works, and the British government gave the newest ship the name "Count Platov". In British society, there was a great interest in the Cossacks, they were so in love with these heroes of the great war that some Britons began to call themselves Cossacks. Including the famous Lord Byron once said: “And I am a Cossack!” This is how the British, in love with Platov, became Cossacks.
"Platov" with a face value of 250 rubles
Not only in the paintings, engravings and book covers flaunted the portrait of Ataman Platov. In 1918, Platov's full face was depicted on Don banknotes in denominations of 250 rubles and on coupons of 50 kopecks. At all times Ataman Platov remained a hero for the Cossacks. The money printed by the Rostov office of the State Bank was in use until 1920. Banknotes with Platov could be found in restaurants in Sevastopol or in markets in Central Asia. About 25 million rubles were produced on the Rostov printing press. It was very difficult to forge them, because the banknotes were printed on special paper with watermarks, a unique number and signed by the bank manager R. E. Gulbin. It was planned that Don money was to begin official circulation throughout the South of Russia, but their use ceased in 1920, when the evacuation of whites began. Now "Platov's" 250 rubles is a legend of numismatists and a real historical relic.
Gifts of France on the Don land
Matvey Ivanovich cared about everything, if it concerned the Don region. In every way Platov supported the cultivation of grapes among the Cossacks. The wine made by the Cossacks was famous in the 18th century. For example, in 1772, after traveling along the Don, the French traveler Pallas was so delighted with the noble drink that he compared it with excellent samples of Italian wine. Platov, having read the laudatory notes of the Frenchman, decided that viticulture should be actively developed on the Don. In 1815, a Cossack general brought the best and famous grape varieties from the French province of Champagne, which gave their first harvest a couple of years later. The Cossacks made wine from it together with eminent German winegrowers who came to the Don from the banks of the Rhine at the invitation of Platov. To this day, in different villages and farms, the very bushes of grapes, brought from a military campaign from France, grow. As the historian E. P. Savelyev noted, “white wines of Razdorsky and red Tsimlyansky, with skillful invention, can compete with the best foreign ones.”
