Cossack military valor

Ataman M.I.Platov –
outstanding Russian commander

Praise, our whirlwind is the chieftain,
Leader of the unharmed, Platov!
Your enchanted lasso
A thunderstorm for adversaries.
You rustle through the clouds like an eagle,
You prowl the field like a wolf;
You fly with fear behind enemy lines,
You're pouring misfortune into their ears!
They only went to the forest - the forest came to life,
The trees are shooting arrows!
They only reached the bridge - the bridge disappeared!
Only to the villages - the villages are thriving!

V.A. Zhukovsky

He was born in 1753 on August 8 in the village of Pribylyanskaya in the town of Cherkassk (now the village of Starocherkasskaya) and spent his childhood here.

The town of Cherkassk at that time was the capital of the Don Army Region, and all life in it was imbued with a military spirit. All military orders came from here; serving Cossacks gathered here to go on campaigns. The environment, as well as the stories of old warriors about military exploits, had a great influence on young people, imitating the heroes, they spent time in games of a military nature. Horseback riding, catching animals and fish, and shooting exercises were her favorite pastimes. Among these youth, the future leader of the Don Cossack army, Matvey Ivanovich Platov, grew up, who already at that time stood out from the crowd with his sharp mind, agility and dexterity.

His father, Ivan Fedorovich Platov, was a well-known foreman in the Don, but was not distinguished by material wealth and therefore gave his son only the usual education among the Cossacks, teaching him to read and write.

At the age of thirteen, Matvey Ivanovich was assigned by his father to serve in the military chancellery, where he soon attracted attention and was promoted to the rank of non-commissioned officer.

During the Russian-Turkish War of 1768 - 1774. Platov was in the ranks of the active army under the command of Prince M.V. Dolgorukov, as commander of the Cossack hundred. For military merits during the capture of Perekop and near Kinburn, he was appointed commander of a regiment of Don Cossacks.

In 1774, even before the conclusion of peace with Turkey at Kuchuk-Kainardzhi, Platov was tasked with delivering a convoy of food and equipment to the army located in the Kuban. The regiments of Platov and Larionov, who came out with a convoy from the Yeisk fortification, were attacked on the way by the brother of the Crimean Khan Devlet-Girey. Under the green banner of the prophet there were up to 30 thousand Tatars, highlanders, and Nogais. The situation in which the convoy found itself was desperate.

Larionov handed over overall command of the detachment to Platov, not believing that it was possible to resist such a strong force. “Friends,” Platov told the Cossacks, “we face either a glorious death or victory. We will not be Russians and Donets if we are afraid of the enemy. With God's help, repel his evil plans!

By order of Platov, a fortification was quickly built from the convoy. Seven times the Tatars and their allies furiously rushed to attack the relatively weak forces of the Cossacks, and seven times the latter drove them back with great damage. At the same time, Platov found an opportunity to report the hopeless situation of the convoy to his troops, who were not slow to come to the rescue. The Tatars were put to flight, and the convoy was delivered safely to its destination. This incident brought Platov fame not only in the army, but also at court.

Platov further served under the command of Prince Potemkin-Tavrichesky and the great Russian commander A.V. Suvorov. Service under the leadership of Suvorov was the best school for Matvey Ivanovich.

During the second Turkish war in 1787-1791. Platov takes part in the battles during the siege and assault of Ochakov, during the attack and occupation of the Gassan-Pashinsky castle.

September 13, 1789 Platov with his Cossacks and rangers at Kaushany puts Turkish troops to flight and captures the “three-buncher pasha” Zainal-Gassan. For this feat, he was appointed marching ataman of the Cossack regiments.

In 1790, Platov was in Suvorov’s army near Izmail. On December 9, at the military council, he was one of the first to vote for an immediate assault on the fortress, and on December 11, during the assault itself, he led five thousand Cossacks, who honorably completed the task assigned to them by the great commander Suvorov. Suvorov wrote to Prince Potemkin about Platov and his regiments: “I cannot sufficiently praise the bravery and swift blow of the Don Army before your Lordship.” For his services in the capture of Izmail, Matvey Ivanovich was nominated by Suvorov for the award of the Order of St. George III degree, and at the end of the war he was promoted to the rank of major general.

In the last years of the reign of Catherine II, Platov took part in the Persian War. The affairs of Derbent, Baku, and Elizavetpol wove new laurels into Platov’s wreath. He was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir III degree, and Catherine II awarded him a saber in a velvet sheath and gold frame, with large diamonds and rare emeralds.

Don writer Dmitry Petrov (Biryuk) in the historical novel “Sons of the Don Steppes” writes that “Matvey Ivanovich Platov did in a short time a dizzying career. Without connections, without education, enlisted at the age of 13 to serve in the Cossack troops, Platov at the age of 19 was already commanding a regiment. He participated in all the wars and major campaigns of his time, always standing out, receiving awards, attracting the attention of major commanders and political figures of the royal court.”

Platov becomes one of the most popular people on the Don and a prominent figure in dignitary Petersburg.

Paul I, who ascended the throne after the death of Catherine II, recalled Zubov’s army, in which Platov served, from the borders of Persia. Platov is allowed to return to the Don. But then disaster struck. On the way, Matvey Ivanovich was overtaken by the tsar's courier and taken, by order of the tsar, to Kostroma, into exile. Then he was taken to St. Petersburg and imprisoned in the ravelin of the Peter and Paul Fortress. This was in 1797.

The reason for Platov's arrest was a false denunciation. It was suggested to Pavel that Platov’s enormous popularity had become dangerous. It must be said that Pavel was generally dissatisfied with the famous Cossack general for his closeness to Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, an opponent of the Prussian drill that Pavel instilled in the Russian army.

At the end of 1800, Paul I released Matvey Ivanovich from custody in order to subsequently use him in the implementation of his absurd and fantastic plan - the conquest of India. Platov understood that the campaign planned by Pavel would require many sacrifices and would not bring any benefit to Russia, but he did not dare refuse the Tsar’s offer.

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.

At the beginning of February 1801, the detachment set off.

Heavy trials befell the Cossacks in this ill-fated campaign. And only the sudden death of Paul I stopped their torment. Alexander I, who ascended the throne, ordered the Cossacks to return home. Thus ended the campaign in India, about which only legends and sorrow were preserved on the Don.

In August 1801, in the first year of his reign, Alexander I sent a letter to the Don addressed to Matvey Ivanovich Platov. The letter stated that for long-term and impeccable service he was appointed military ataman of the Don Army. Being a military ataman, Platov also discovered his remarkable talents.

On May 18, 1805, on the initiative of Platov, the capital of the Don Army was moved from Cherkassk to a new location in Novocherkassk. In the same year, Napoleon attacked Austria, which was an ally of Russia. Platov, having formed twelve Cossack regiments and an artillery horse battery, set out on a campaign to the Austrian border. However, he did not have to participate in battles, since soon after Napoleon’s victory at Austerlitz peace was concluded over the allied forces. But the war did not end there. In 1806, Napoleon attacked Prussia. At Jena and Auerstadt he inflicted a severe defeat on the Prussian troops. In a few weeks, Prussia was finished, and Napoleon entered Berlin. The Prussian king fled to Konigsberg.

Platov and his Don regiments had to fight a lot in Prussia against Napoleonic troops. The name of the Don Ataman gained even greater fame not only in Russia, but also abroad.

But the war is over. On June 25 (July 7), 1807, a meeting was scheduled for three monarchs in Tilsit to sign peace: Alexander, Napoleon and the Prussian king Frederick William. Matvey Ivanovich Platov was in Alexander’s retinue at that time.

At this time a characteristic incident occurred. At Napoleon's request, horse riding was carried out. The Cossacks rode horseback while standing on the saddle, chopped down the canes, and shot from under the belly of a racing horse at the target. The riders took coins scattered on the grass from their saddles; galloping, they pierced the effigies with darts; some spun in the saddle at this gallop deftly and so quickly that it was impossible to tell where their hands were and where their legs were...

The Cossacks also did a lot of things that took the breath away of horse riding enthusiasts and experts. Napoleon was delighted and turning to Platov asked: “Do you, general, know how to shoot a bow?” Platov grabbed a bow and arrows from the nearest Bashkir and, accelerating his horse, fired several arrows as he galloped. They all hissed into the straw effigies.

When Platov returned to his place, Napoleon said to him:

Thank you, General. You are not only a wonderful military leader, but also an excellent rider and shooter. You brought me a lot of pleasure. I want you to have a good memory of me. And Napoleon handed Platov a golden snuffbox.

Taking the snuff-box and bowing, Platov said to the translator:

Please convey my Cossack thanks to His Majesty. We, the Don Cossacks, have an ancient custom: to give gifts... Sorry, Your Majesty, I don’t have anything with me that would attract your attention... but I don’t want to remain in debt and I want Your Majesty to she remembered me... Please accept this bow and arrows as a gift from me...

An original gift,” Napoleon smiled, examining the bow. “Okay, my general, your bow will remind me that it’s difficult for even a small bird to protect itself from the arrow of the Don Ataman.” The ataman's well-aimed arrow will overtake her everywhere.

When the translator translated this, Platov said:

Yes, I have a trained, keen eye, a steady hand. Not only small, but also large birds need to be wary of my arrow.

The hint was too obvious. By the big bird, Platov clearly meant Napoleon himself, and a big conflict would not have been avoided if not for the resourceful translator.

By 1812, almost all of Western and Central Europe was subject to Napoleon. He reshaped it as he wanted, created new states, and placed his relatives on the throne in the conquered countries. The Spanish people remained unconquered on the Iberian Peninsula; across the English Channel, England, stubbornly defending its claims to world domination; in eastern Europe – Russia.

Napoleon began to carefully prepare for the campaign against Russia. In June 1812, without declaring war, Napoleon with an army of 420 thousand people with a thousand guns crossed its borders. By August of the same year, another 155 thousand entered Russian territory. By the beginning of the war, Russia could field no more than 180 thousand people against Napoleon. The vast forces of the vast country had not yet been assembled. But the Russian army had a number of advantages. The fighting spirit of the Russian soldiers, selfless patriots of their great homeland was high... The Russian soldier was distinguished by unsurpassed courage and had a keen intelligence. Among the regiments there were many participants in Suvorov’s campaigns, soldiers of the Suvorov school. Quite a few of Suvorov's students numbered among the brilliant ranks of Russian commanders. At the same time, Russia possessed abundant and strong military means - excellent artillery, strong cavalry, and well-armed infantry.

This was the balance of forces at the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812.

From the first days, 14 Cossack regiments, united in a mounted flying corps, took part in the struggle of the Russian people against the Napoleonic hordes. This corps was commanded by Matvey Ivanovich Platov.

During the first period of the war, Platov was in the second army, commanded by Bagration. Bagration's army was heading to join the 1st Army, commanded by Barclay. Platov’s cavalry corps was entrusted with the difficult task of following in the rearguard of the army and in every possible way delaying the advance of enemy troops. As they retreated, the Cossacks constantly attacked the enemy's convoys in small groups, smashing them and instantly disappearing; destroyed enemy vanguards; carried out raids on the rear, leading him astray.

On the day of the Battle of Borodino, according to the plan of M.I. Kutuzov's corps of Platov and General Uvarov swam across the Kolocha River and headed deep into the enemy rear, to the location of his convoys, where they caused a big commotion.

Observing the actions of the corps of Platov and Uvarov, Kutuzov exclaimed with admiration: “Well done!.. Well done!.. How can this valiant service of our army be paid for?.. Glad, very glad!.. Bonaparte was misled by the operation of Platov and Uvarov. Apparently, he thought that a large force of ours had hit him in the rear. And we will take advantage of Bonaparte’s embarrassment.”

The operation of the cavalry corps of Platov and Uvarov forced Napoleon to suspend the offensive for two whole hours. During this time, the Russians managed to bring in reinforcements and deploy reserve artillery.

In the battle of Borodino, the will and art of Kutuzov defeated the will and art of Napoleon. As Napoleon himself put it, the Russians have acquired the right to be invincible.

On September 3, Platov’s Cossacks, exchanging fire with enemy lancers from Murat’s vanguard, were the last to leave Moscow.

Goodbye, Mother! We will be back! - said Platov leaving Moscow. In difficult days for Russia, when Napoleonic’s army was moving further into its territory, Platov appealed to the residents of the Don to defend their Motherland. Don fulfilled this call with honor. Twenty-four cavalry regiments of the people's militia and six cavalry guns were sent to the active army. Fifteen thousand faithful sons of the quiet Don stood up to defend their Motherland... Not only men, but also women joined the ranks of the army.

When Platov came to Kutuzov to report on the arrival of the regiments from the Don, the latter said in a voice trembling with excitement: “Thank you! Thank you, ataman!.. This service will never be forgotten by the fatherland!.. Always, until the hour when God wants to call me to himself, gratitude to the Don Army will remain in my heart for its labors and courage in this difficult time.”

After entering Moscow, the position of the enemy army became increasingly difficult. Cossack regiments and partisan detachments of Denis Davydov, Seslavin, Figner surrounded Moscow on all sides, preventing French foragers from getting food and feed for horses in the surrounding villages, or even getting what little could be found in the depopulated and devastated villages. Napoleon's troops were forced to eat horse meat and carrion. Diseases began. Enemy soldiers died by the thousands. The entire Russian people rose up for the Patriotic War. Napoleon was soon forced to leave the Russian capital. This event was a signal for the general offensive of Kutuzov’s army, which gave a special and honorable place in it to the actions of Platov’s corps.

Matvey Ivanovich Platov, at the head of his corps, pursued the enemy on his heels. “Now, brothers,” he said to the Cossacks, “our time of suffering has come... Just have time to sharpen your sabers and sharpen your darts... Now we’ll wipe off the snot of the braggart Bonaparte. Let’s make some noise, brothers, and let our little Russian know that her sons, the dashing Dons, are still alive...”

And indeed, starting from the Battle of Tarutino, the Cossacks began to make noise. Not a day passed without them distinguishing themselves in some way. Everywhere there was only talk about Cossack exploits. The news that the Cossacks near Maloyaroslavets almost captured Napoleon himself caused a lot of noise throughout the country.

On October 19, in the battle with Marshal Davout’s corps at the Kolotsky Monastery, Platov’s Cossacks again distinguished themselves. They defeated Davout's rearguard and captured huge trophies. A couple of days after this, the Cossacks encountered the corps of the Neapolitan king, defeated this corps, capturing up to three thousand prisoners and fifty cannons. And three days later, Platov with his regiments overtook the corps of the Italian Viceroy near Dukhovshchina and, after a two-day bloody battle, defeated it, again capturing up to three thousand prisoners and up to seventy guns.

These days, Kutuzov’s report to Emperor Alexander about the valor of the Platov Cossacks was published in the capital’s newspapers: “Great is God, most merciful sovereign! Falling at the feet of Your Imperial Majesty, I congratulate you on your new victory. The Cossacks are doing miracles, hitting both artillery and infantry columns!”

During the thousand-mile march from Maloyaroslavets to the borders of Prussia, the Cossacks captured from the French more than 500 guns, a huge number of convoys with things looted in Moscow, more than 50 thousand soldiers and officers prisoners, including 7 generals and 13 colonels.

By the end of December 1812, the last remnants of Napoleon's army were expelled from Russia.

The wonderful exploits of our ancestors in the Patriotic War of 1812 will forever remain in the memory of the people. The people have not and will not forget the glorious deeds of the Don Cossacks, whose services to the fatherland were clearly appreciated by the great Russian commander - M.I. Kutuzov: “My respect for the Don Army and gratitude for their exploits during the campaign of the enemy, who was soon deprived of all cavalry and artillery horses, and therefore guns... will remain in my heart. I bequeath this feeling to my descendants.”

But the war did not end with the expulsion of Napoleon’s army from Russia. On January 1, 1813, Russian troops crossed the Neman and moved west, liberating Europe enslaved by Napoleon. The campaign of 1813-1814 began, in which the Cossacks further increased the glory of Russian weapons.

In February, the Cossacks and hussars raided Berlin, which did not produce immediate military results, but made a huge impression on the Prussians. This accelerated the turn in Russian politics. Prussia broke off its relations with Napoleon and entered into a military alliance with Russia.

Platov's Cossacks, pursuing the enemy, occupied the cities of Elbing, Marienburg, Marienwerder and others.

“The fall of the glorious fortified cities of Elbing, Marienwerder and Dirschau,” Kutuzov wrote to Platov, “I completely attribute to the courage and determination of Your Excellency and the brave army led by you. A pursuit flight cannot be compared with any speed. Eternal Glory to the undaunted Donets!”

The decisive battle of the campaign of 1813-1814. The largest battle took place near Leipzig, in which up to 500,000 people took part.

Fighting on the right flank of the Russian army, the Cossacks captured a cavalry brigade, 6 infantry battalions and 28 guns. The Don Cossacks fought through all of Europe.

War of 1812-1814 brought the Don Cossacks worldwide fame. Newspapers and magazines of that time were full of reports about the Donets and their military exploits. The name of the Don Ataman Platov was extremely popular.

After the conclusion of the Peace of Paris, Platov visited London, being part of the retinue of Alexander I. London newspapers devoted entire pages to Platov, listing his real and fictitious exploits and merits. Songs were written about him, his portraits were published. In London, Platov met with the famous English poet Byron and writer Walter Scott.

Later, when Platov returned to the Don, an English officer came to him and presented him with an honorary doctorate from Oxford University and a saber from the citizens of the city of London.

Participation in the War of 1812, military merits and patriotic exploits did not, however, bring the working Cossacks, as well as the entire working Russia, a better life. A working Cossack could rightfully say about himself in the words of Russian soldiers: “We shed blood... We delivered our Motherland from a tyrant (Napoleon), and the gentlemen are tyrannizing us again.”

Platov devoted the rest of his days to administrative affairs, since the economy of the Don Army Region, neglected during the war years, required his attention.

Agarkov L.T.

Speech at a conference, 1955

Matvey Ivanovich Platov is a famous Russian military leader, a participant in many campaigns, one of the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812.

He was born in 1751, in the village of Starocherkasskaya, in the family of a military foreman. Matvey Ivanovich received a regular primary education, and at the age of 13 he entered military service.

At the age of 19 he went to the first war in his life with Turkey. In battles with the Turks, he showed bravery and courage, for which he was promoted to captain of the Russian army, and became the commander of the Cossack hundred.

The war continued - new battles, new exploits, new successes. Platov became a military foreman and commanded a regiment. But he was still very young, he was just over 20 years old.

In 1774, Matvey Ivanovich gained fame in the Russian army. His soldiers were surrounded by the Crimean Khan, accompanied by transport convoys.

Platov set up a camp, erected fortifications, and managed to repel several dashing enemy attacks. Soon reinforcements arrived. After this event he was awarded a gold medal.

In subsequent years, Matvey Ivanovich took part in the defeat of the uprising of Emelyan Pugachev, and successfully fought in the Caucasus with the mountain peoples. For successful military operations he was awarded the rank of colonel in the Russian army.

In 1782, he met Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, and subsequently they communicated quite a lot.

In 1787, another Russian-Turkish war broke out. Platov's Cossack regiment was part of the army led by Potemkin. The regiment performed best during the assault on the Ochakovo fortress, for which Matvey Ivanovich was awarded the Order of St. George, fourth degree.

For further successes in the new war with Turkey, Platov was promoted to marching atamans. December 1790 came, marked by a loud and famous victory of the Russian army - the Capture of the Izmail Fortress.

Matvey Ivanovich was one of the first to speak out in favor of storming the powerful fortress. During the assault on Izmail, he commanded one of the assault columns, and then the entire left flank of the Russian army. During the assault, the ataman led the soldiers into the attack, giving them a personal example of courage and heroism.

For his participation in the Capture of Izmail, Matvey Platov was awarded the Order of St. George, third degree.

In 1796, on behalf of Empress Catherine II, he took part in the Persian campaign of the Russian army. For his participation in this campaign, he was awarded the golden saber “For Bravery” and the Order of St. Vladimir, second degree.

In 1897, Platov fell out of favor with Emperor Paul I. On suspicion of conspiracy against the emperor, he was exiled to Kostroma. After Kostroma there was imprisonment in the Peter and Paul Fortress. In 1801, the court acquitted the ataman, and Paul I admitted the fallacy of his accusations, and granted Matvey Ivanovich the Order of Malta.

After Alexander I became the new Emperor of Russia, Platov was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed Ataman of the Don Army. In his new position, he managed to do a lot.

The capital of the Don Army was moved from Starocherkassk to Novocherkassk. Here he was actively involved in the development of the Cossack troops, monitoring their weapons and combat training. Ataman Platov opened the first gymnasium on the Don.

Matvey Ivanovich took part in the Russian-French campaign of 1806-1807. For his successes in the war with France, he was awarded the Order of St. George, second degree, and the Order of St. Vladimir, second degree.

In Tilsit, where the Russian and French emperors signed the Tilsit Peace Treaty between the powers, Platov personally met Napoleon. Bonaparte gave him a commemorative snuff-box, and was going to bestow upon him the Order of the Legion of Honor - the general refused it: “I did not serve the French, and I cannot serve,” said Platov.

At the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812, Matvey Ivanovich led the Cossack corps, which was part of Barclay de Tolly’s army. It so happened that Platov’s Cossacks had to cover the retreat of Peter Bagration’s army.

On June 27, 1812, a battle took place near the town of Mir, where Platov’s Cossacks destroyed as many as nine French regiments. This victory became the first victory of the Russian army in the Patriotic War of 1812.

The Russian troops had a hard time; the endless retreats were not easy. It so happened that due to Platov’s mistake, the Russian rearguard allowed the French troops to advance.

Barclay removed Matvey Ivanovich from his position. He was already planning to return to the Don, but Mikhail Kutuzov, who led the Russian army, returned the experienced warrior to the location of the active army.

Platov took part in the Battle of Borodino, his regiments operated notably on the right flank, time after time, giving the French a worthy rebuff. At the most critical moment, Matvey Ivanovich’s Cossack troops carried out a lightning-fast counterattack, disrupting the enemy’s ranks.

After the Battle of Borodino there was a short lull in the war. During this period, Ataman Platov initiated the mobilization of the Cossacks on the Don. During the mobilization, 22 thousand Cossacks joined the ranks of the Russian army.

For his services during the Patriotic War of 1812, Platov was awarded the title of count. In subsequent years, Matvey Ivanovich, together with his Cossack troops, made a great contribution to the common cause of defeating Napoleon.

Matvey Platov died in January 1818. Under Nicholas I, on the occasion of Platov’s 100th birthday, a monument to him was erected in Novocherkassk.

An outstanding Russian military leader, participant in all Russian wars of the 2nd half of the 18th - early 19th centuries. Ataman of the Don Cossack Army (1801), cavalry general (1809), count (1812). Hero of the Patriotic War of 1812.

Matvey Ivanovich Platov was born on August 6 (17), 1751 in the city of Cherkassk (now the village in) in the family of a military foreman. He began military service in 1766.

M. I. Platov took part in the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774, in 1769 he was promoted to esaul by the commander-in-chief, Prince V. M. Dolgorukov. He commanded a hundred, and from 1771 - a Cossack regiment. In 1771, he distinguished himself during the attack and capture of the Perekop line and the Kinburn fortress.

In 1775, M.I. Platov participated in the suppression of the Peasant War under the leadership, liquidated the last rebel units in the Voronezh and Kazan provinces.

In 1782-1783, M.I. Platov served in the Kuban and Crimea under the command.

During the Russian-Turkish War of 1787-1791, M.I. Platov was in the Yekaterinoslav army under the command of, participated in the capture of Ochakov (1788), in the battle of Kaushany (1789), in the capture of Akkerman and Bender. During the storming of Izmail (1790), he successfully commanded a column, and then the entire left wing of the Russian troops. For his actions near Ochakov, M.I. Platov was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree, promoted to brigadier and appointed marching ataman of the Don Cossack Army, for participation in the assault on Izmail - the Order of St. George 3rd degree and the rank of major general.

In 1797, M.I. Platov was slandered before the emperor, suspected of conspiracy and exiled first to, and then imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress. In January 1801, he was released, awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and appointed chief assistant to the military chieftain of the Don Army. M.I. Platov was supposed to play a leading role in the campaign against India, which was not carried out due to the death of the emperor.

The administrative activities of M. I. Platov were interrupted by the Napoleonic wars. In the Russian-Prussian-French War of 1806-1807, all the Cossack regiments in the Russian troops were under his command. He took part in the battle of (1807), covered the retreat of the Russian armies to Friedland, to and beyond the Neman.

In June 1807, M.I. Platov was in the retinue during negotiations in Tilsit and was introduced to the emperor. After the conclusion of the Peace of Tilsit (1807) he was awarded the Order of St. George, 2nd degree, the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd degree, and the Order of Saint. The Prussian king Frederick William III granted him the Order of the Red and Black Eagle.

In 1807-1809, M.I. Platov took part in the Russian-Turkish War of 1806-1812. For his actions near Silistria, he was awarded the rank of cavalry general and the Order of St. Vladimir, 1st degree.

At the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812, M.I. Platov first commanded all the Cossack regiments on the border, and then, being in the rearguard, covered the retreat of the prince’s 2nd Western Army to. In June-July 1812, the Cossack corps under his command had very successful clashes with the enemy at Karelichi, Mir and Romanov.

In the Battle of Borodino on August 26 (September 7), 1812, the Cossacks of M. I. Platov, together with the cavalry corps of F. P. Uvarov, carried out a raid on the rear of the French troops, which influenced the course of the battle.

During the military council in Fili, M.I. Platov spoke out against abandonment and in favor of a new battle. The Cossacks, together with their chieftain, were the last to leave the French troops before the entry.

With the beginning of the general retreat of the Great Army from October 1812, M. I. Platov was entrusted with monitoring the movement of the enemy, but he, not limiting himself to the exemplary performance of his task, did not miss a single opportunity during the entire movement of the enemy, so as not to cause the latter possible harm and defeats. During the entire period of pursuit of the enemy from Kovno by the Cossacks, led personally by M.I. Platov, 50-70 thousand prisoners, more than 500 guns, 30 banners and almost all the silver and gold looted by the French in .

The brave and decisive actions of M. I. Platov throughout the campaign of 1812 contributed to the defeat of Napoleonic troops and allowed him to gain great popularity among the troops, in Russian society and abroad. As a result of the campaign in December 1812, he received the title of count.

M. I. Platov took part in the Foreign Campaign of the Russian Army of 1813-1814. In the Battle of Leipzig on October 16-19, 1813, his Cossack regiments were on the right flank of the allied forces. During the campaign of 1814, M.I. Platov distinguished himself during the capture of Nemur and at Arcy-sur-Aube, and was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.

In 1814, M. I. Platov accompanied the emperor on a trip to England, where he was awarded many honors, including receiving an honorary doctorate from Oxford University. Upon returning to M.I. Platov took care of the internal well-being of his native land and the Don Army, and was engaged in the improvement of the city.

M. I. Platov died on January 3 (15), 1818 in his estate Elanchinskaya Sloboda (now the village

Introduction

1 At the beginning of military affairs

3 Founder of Novocherkassk

4 Patriotic War of 1812

5 Return to Novocherkassk

Conclusion

Introduction

It just so happened in historical literature, local history research and public consciousness that the founder 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 wanders 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 published 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, reports appeared that a registry book had been found, from which a different date of birth for M.I. was revealed. Platova. “In fact, the time of his birth is precisely known: according to the metric books of the Church of St. Apostle Peter and Paul in Cherkassk, page 1, about those born in 1973, under number 22 it appears that foreman Ivan Fedorov Platov had August 8 of that year, son Matvey was born.

This is the future military ataman, who won unfading glory and worldwide fame for himself and the entire Don." This date was subsequently adhered to by historians, local historians, public figures such as A.A. Kirillov, P.Kh. Popov and others.

1 At the beginning of military affairs

At the beginning of the sixteenth century, bands of free people appeared in the vast expanses of the Don steppes, fleeing the feudal oppression that reigned in the Moscow state. Everyone who valued a minute of freedom more than a year of slave life fled here. They began to be called “Cossacks” - free people, brave warriors.

The Cherkasy town, where Matvey Platov was born, was founded by the Cossacks in 1570, and in 1644 it became the capital of the Don - the “Main Army”. The Cossack Circle operated here - the highest legislative body of the Don people - from here the Cossacks set off on sea and land campaigns, here they remembered the times of holy freedom, when the Cossacks themselves ruled the Don, living according to their own laws and customs. Foreign ambassadors were received here, and Cossack embassies to neighboring nations were sent from here. The first churches on the Don, the first schools, teachers and doctors appeared here; here, for the first time in the history of Russia, a military salute was given in honor of the Azov Victoria 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 rafted along the Don. From here, according to researchers, the surname arose - PLOTOV, which later turned into PLATOV. This surname became famous in the Don in the mid-eighteenth century. It was at this time that in the confessional metric books of the Peter and Paul Church in the city of Cherkassk the names of three Platov brothers are found: Ivan, Dmitry and Demyan Fedorovich. 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.

Upon arrival on the Don, Ivan Platov soon left the craft of a timber raftsman and took up a more profitable trade - fishing, and around 1742 he entered military service.

First, Ivan Fedorovich was with a Cossack regiment on the Crimean line, then in the so-called Baltic provinces, then in Georgia, from where he was transferred with the regiment to Prussia, where battles raged with the troops of the warrior king and philosopher Frederick the Second. As part of a 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 Kyustrin on August 4, 1758. On service matters, Platov Sr. traveled to St. Petersburg several times, then was appointed tax collector from free Little Russians who joined the Don Cossacks.

Ivan Platov’s exemplary service was subsequently highly recognized with two personalized 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 and the Don Cossack regiment covered the Kolomensky, Kasimovsky and Vladimirsky tracts leading to Moscow. Ivan Fedorovich died after 1778 with the rank of prime major in the Russian army.

No biographical details have been preserved about Matvey Platov’s mother, Anna Larionovna, who was born in 1733. It is only known that she was buried in the village of Starocherkasskaya in the cemetery of the Transfiguration Church.

In addition to the eldest 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 child in the family, therefore, when Matvey was born to the Platovs, relatives and familiar Cossacks came to visit them. Each of them brought some object for the newborn’s teeth: an arrow, a bullet, a bow, and Ivan Fedorovich’s brothers brought their nephew a gun. 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 greeted 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 his wife’s protests, put his son on a horse: this was the ancient Cossack custom!

When Matvey cut his first teeth, his father and mother, putting him on a horse, took him to the Peter and Paul Church, of which they were regular parishioners. Here the priest served the required prayer service in front of the icon of Jon the Warrior, whom the father asked to make his son a brave, valiant and successful Cossack warrior and send him long life. Ivan Fedorovich directed all his son’s upbringing in those short days when he was at home to ensure that Matvey became a real warrior. It is not surprising that the first words he uttered were “pu” - shoot and “chu” - drive. 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 unusual. An inquisitive natural mind and tirelessness forced Matvey to visit different parts of his native city, observe its vibrant life, and take part in it himself. It was especially interesting during the holidays. The nimble Matveyka ran around all the streets of Cherkassk on such days. Everywhere he met festively dressed Cossacks and Cossack women. The youth practiced wrestling, playing ball, leapfrog, babki, and aidanchiki (small bones made from lamb legs). Adult Cossacks gathered in a circle, and the song about Father Quiet Don flowed over the city.

Since the streets of Cherkassk were too small for cheerful and active boys and young men, groups of youngsters went outside the city to the front garden and fortress walls. Here they set a target and, some with guns, others with bows, competed in shooting accuracy. Some especially accurate young men could, at a distance, knock out a large coin with a bullet, which his fearless comrade was holding with his fingers above his head. After the shooting, fake battles were held.

A large crowd of young children in homemade military armor, with banners made of painted paper, with toy lances, were divided into two groups. Each had its own chieftain. At a sign from the judge from the 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 sides could not withstand the intensity of the struggle and ran away. The “winners” pursued the “enemy,” took “prisoners,” and captured trophies and banners. To the sound of tambourines and the ringing of fanfare cymbals, the Cossacks entered the city, earning praise from the elders.

At that time, the Cossacks held horse races in high esteem, which were held many times in the vicinity of Cherkassk. The winners of the races gained fame and popularity among the Cossacks. Cossack children staged their races through the streets. In every house, from dawn to dusk, continuous shooting from rifles, pistols and small cannons was heard. Those who did not have weapons drilled “seeds” into the empty bones of large animals or loaded reeds.

One of the indispensable elements of military education among the Don Cossacks was hunting game on horseback. She contributed to the development of dexterous horse riding and shooting accuracy from various weapons in young children. Around the hometown of Matvey Platov there was a vast area where hares, foxes, wolves, wild boars, leopards, deer and other living creatures were found in abundance. Hundreds of Cossacks gathered for the hunt, which was usually opened by three rifle shots. Hunting developed in young Cossacks vigilance of the eye, sensitivity of the ear, accuracy and steadiness of hands, courage and bravery.

During hours of rest and entertainment, the Cossacks divided into groups, set up shields with targets, and began shooting at them with bows and rifles. Children also played their games next to the adults. Their indispensable participant was the frisky and smart beyond his years Matveyka Platov.

The Cossacks constantly took care of the combat replenishment of their ranks. For this purpose, by order of the military ataman, young Cossacks gathered annually for a review in the vicinity of the Cherkassy town. They arrived on the best horses, armed with pikes, 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, in the presence of the military chieftain Stepan Danilovich Efremov, war games took place. One group of young Cossacks competed in horse racing, testing the speed of the horse and the skill of the rider, his agility. Other youngsters, at full gallop, shot at the target or, throwing a whip or a large coin onto a cloak spread on the ground, picked them up at a gallop. Many Cossacks, standing on horseback, could attack the enemy, shooting from guns and bows.

The Cossack cavalry rushed into the river like a swift avalanche, trying to quickly overcome it 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 were extremely respected and valued among the Cossacks.

With the onset of evening, exciting fights began - fist fights. 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. Since childhood, he was distinguished by dexterity, ambition, courage and sharpness of mind. The parents tried their best to raise their son in the spirit of love for his native land and the glorious military traditions of the Don Cossacks. And their efforts were not in vain: Matvey grew up as a brave and courageous Cossack, a true patriot of the Don and Russia.

At the fifteenth year of his life, Matvey was assigned to serve in the military chancellery, and soon he received the rank of constable. All this time he read a lot, improving his knowledge. The biographer of the famous ataman Nikolai Smirny noted that “such a school, not inferior to any other, soon made a fairly educated warrior out of a simple Cossack, refined him, developed his abilities and prepared him for a hero for the future.”

The second half of the eighteenth century in the history of the Russian state is characterized, first of all, by fierce and long wars, which were waged with eternal tenacity by its enemy - the Ottoman Porte, the Sublime Porte, as its statesmen liked to call Turkey. At this time, the Black Sea problem acquired special significance for Russia. The Russian population, and with it the Russian landowner 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 hampered by almost incessant Turkish-Tatar raids and attacks. For the Russian merchants and nobility at this 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 increasingly important and necessary. The northern ports of Russia could no longer satisfy 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 remained a trade route by land through Poland, but such trade was extremely unprofitable and therefore did not receive proper development. The key to the Black Sea was Crimea, so all these problems could be solved either by annexing Crimea to Russia, or by granting the Crimean Khanate independence from Turkey, which was becoming more and more aggressive, because it enjoyed broad support from France, which feared the strengthening of Russia in Western Europe and the Middle East. East.

The Russian-Turkish War of 1735-1739 did not solve the 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 and devastating raid on Ukraine and the Lower Don. Active military operations of Russian troops began against the Turks and Tatars. To fight Turkey, the Russian command formed two armies under the command of Chief General P.A. Rumyantsev and A.M. Golitsyn. These armies included up to ten thousand Don Cossacks under the command of the 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 oversaw his fishing farm. Matvey decided that his duty as a Cossack was to be at war! Leaving the farm in the care of the clerk, he rode on a fast horse to Cherkassk, where he joined the Cossack regiment that was leaving for the theater of military operations, towards battles and glory...

The army where Matvey arrived was by that time commanded by Chief General V.M. Dolgorukov, in whose retinue Platov was at first. Then he transferred 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, Crimea found itself in the hands of Russian troops, and Khan Sahib-Girey was forced to sign an agreement under which he agreed to enter into an alliance with Russia.

For his distinction in battles with the infidels, twenty-two-year-old Platov received the rank of captain. A year later he was promoted to sergeant major, giving command of a Cossack regiment.

And the streak of fighting began again. Together with the regiments of Uvarov, Bukhvostov and Danilov, Platov attacked 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 received four serviceable cannons, which, with general consent, Platov sent to Cherkassk to strengthen his 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 who participated in this heated matter.

The military campaign of 1771 brought the Russians a number of significant successes, which forced the Turkish command to request a truce, signed on May 19, 1772 in Zhurzh and lasting a year. During this time, Platov's regiment was transferred to Kuban.

In 1774 M.I. For the first time, Platov 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 of carts and fought with the Turks of Khan Devlet-Girey, who outnumbered the Cossacks by more than 20 times, until the Cossack regiment called for help arrived. The Turks were defeated, and the khan was soon arrested for the defeat and taken to the Turkish Sultan in Constantinople. In 1775-1776, father and son Platov pursued the scattered detachments of E. Pugachev in the central districts of Russia, capturing one of the leaders Rumyanchikhin and up to 500 Pugachevites. For this, father and son Platov were awarded gold medals. This was one of Matvey Platov’s first significant awards. He also distinguished himself on September 13, 1789, when at the Battle of Kousani he managed to defeat a large detachment of Turks and capture the three-bunchu Pasha Zeynal-Hassan Bey of Anatolia. For this feat, M.I. Platov was given the rank of brigadier in the Russian army.

2 Was Platov displeasing to the courtiers?

The accumulated combat and management experience promoted the young, capable Cossack commander to become the organizer of a new direction for the Cossacks. In January 1788, Prince Gr. Potemkin instructed M.I. Platov to select 5,000 people in three months. for the formation of several new Cossack regiments, the so-called Sloboda Ukraine. Platov summoned 4 military sergeants, 7 lower officers and 507 best Cossacks from the Don to help him as instructors. Already on May 9 he reported to Prince Gr. Potemkin about the formed Cossack regiments. The new Cossack army was called Ekaterinoslav, and M.I. For his skillful leadership, Platov was appointed his Troop Ataman (1790) and presented for awarding the Order of St. Vladimir 4th degree.

With the newly formed Cossack regiments M.I. Platov ends up in 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 lit the fire of victory for his Donets and rangers.

For the assault and capture of Izmail M.I. Platov was awarded the Order of St. George 3rd degree, and at the end of this military campaign he was promoted to major general. Prince Gr. Potemkin characterized 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 visits to Tsarskoe Selo.

The next year, M.I. Platov already took part in hostilities on the Caucasian line. In 1796, according to 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 military operations 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 frame, with large diamonds and rare emeralds,” which is now exhibited in 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 Empress’s associates, such as Gr. Potemkin, Field Marshal A.V. Suvorov and others. He actually sent P.A. Zubov abroad, and recalled 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 unkind attitude of Paul 1 towards the associates of Catherine 11, set the Emperor up to make a decision on the need to arrest M.I. Platova. Pavel 1 dismissed M.I. Platov from military service with his rescript dated July 23, 1797 and ordered to send him to the Don under the supervision of Military Ataman Orlov. But soon this measure of arrest was replaced by exile to the city of Kostroma.

Since the St. Petersburg court did not find Platov particularly guilty, his personal weapons, including his combat saber, were returned to him. Receiving her, Matvey Ivanovich said: “She will help me justify myself” or “She will justify me.” Naturally, the informers immediately interpreted these words to Pavel 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 Pavel 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 condensed over M.I. The Platovo clouds soon cleared thanks to the same Paul 1, who, having concluded a Treaty 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 about the immediate and complete march of the Cossacks, led by Ataman Orlov, on a campaign against India. The Donets were given a loan in the amount of 2.5 million rubles, so that after the campaign and seizure of booty in India, they would return the entire loan to the treasury, down to the penny.

In connection with the emerging campaign, Pavel 1 released M.I. from custody. Platov, had a personal conversation with him about the upcoming campaign, appeased him as if with his good attitude and personally placed on him the commander’s cross of the Order of Malta (St. John of Jerusalem). Kindly treated by the Emperor, M.I. Platov quickly returned to the Don and, having received from Ataman Orlov the first 13 regiments (from the 41st planned for the campaign), as well as 12 cannons, set out on a campaign on February 27, 1801. But on March 23, when the Cossacks had already suffered from many days of exhausting daily marches, suddenly Platov was caught up with a messenger from St. Petersburg, bringing the news of the death of Paul 1 and the accession of Alexander 1, who canceled the order of Paul 1 to march on India. The Cossacks happily returned to the Don.

By rescript of August 12, 1801, Emperor Alexander 1 appoints M.I. Platov (“after the death of Orlov”) as Troop 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 urgent problems of the city of Cherkassk, the main one 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, including clearing the mouth of the Don River, so that more meltwater could be discharged into the Sea of ​​Azov and less would flood Cherkassk. Engineer de Romano organized water protection work in 1802. But they gave little for the security of Cherkassy. Therefore, M.I. Platov gradually came to the idea of ​​moving the Cossack capital to another place.

Platov Cossacks ataman

3 Founder of Novocherkassk

With a rescript dated August 23, 1804, Alexander 1 authorized the transfer of the capital, provided that a convenient location was chosen and the city plan was drawn up by 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 foundation site of New Cherkassk on a hill called Biryuchiy Kut (wolf's lair).

For its construction and arrangement, M.I. Platov formed two Cossack working regiments, invited the architect Russko, engineer-Lieutenant Colonel Peyker and others from St. Petersburg, asked many Don villages to supply natural materials to Novocherkassk - timber, local stone, limestone, etc. d. The Cossacks were reluctant to leave their established houses and farmsteads in Cherkassk, but the Army Ataman was relentless. 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 resolution of the issue of strengthening civil rule in the army, the opening in Cherkassk in 1805 of the first men's gymnasium on the Don, the creation of the Society of Don Trade Cossacks (September 12, 1804), the beginning of the construction of the stone Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk, the resettlement of Kalmyks to the Zadonsk steppes and organization of Kalmyk villages, etc.

4 Patriotic War of 1812

But the course of political events did not allow the administrative abilities of Military Ataman M.I. to develop to their full potential. Platova. 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, nevertheless, for services to the Fatherland he was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. In 1806, during the Prussian military campaign, M.I. Platov showed his extraordinary abilities. Thus, during the attack he was able to capture the well-fortified city of Preussisch-Eylau and capture more than 3 thousand French. Soon, in the Battle of Heiselberg, he was able to put “the entire French cavalry” to flight, destroy the enemy infantry division and by the evening occupy the city, cross the Alle River and burn all the bridges.

Often he had to mislead the enemy by lighting many fires around the cities he besieged. The trick paid off. The 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 snuffbox with the face of Alexander 1, and the Prussian king awarded the brave Don the Orders of the Red and Black Eagle, as well as a snuffbox with his image. M.I. Platov is also characterized by the fact that he persistently petitioned and achieved the awarding 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 it: Why should he reward me?: I did not serve him and I can never serve him.” And when he was asked whether he liked Napoleon, whom M.I. looked intently at. Platov, he replied: “I’m not looking at your emperor at all; there’s nothing unusual in him: I’m looking at a 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 a snuffbox with precious stones and his 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 Sejm 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 captured the city of Girsovo on August 19, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir 1st degree, and on September 4 defeats a large detachment of Turks at Rassvevat. On September 23, 1809, he defeated a five-thousand-strong Turkish corps between Silistria and Rushchuk, for which he was promoted to cavalry general, 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 to improve his health, which had been weakened by endless military operations. But the best doctors were in St. Petersburg and therefore Ataman left for the capital in the summer of the same year, where the physician Villier managed to improve his health. At that time he lived in St. Petersburg, Tsarskoe Selo, Pavlovsk and often hosted the highest metropolitan society. Communication with the Don was carried out mainly through correspondence with Nakazny Ataman Kireev, in which 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 Ataman A.K. Denisov in charge of himself on the Don. On the evening of July 12, 1812, Napoleon began crossing into Russia across the border river Neman. M.I. Platov’s flying corps took part in the very first battles with Napoleon’s troops. Platov's Don Cossacks often had to deal with 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, towards 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 M.I. Kutuzov as Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, Troop Ataman M.I. Platov was in demand and arrived in the active army. M.I. Platov’s Cossacks took part in the famous battle of Borodino, where for several hours they diverted the reserves of the French army from participating in the attack on Russian fortifications and captured the main convoy of the Napoleonic army. True, this was precisely what served as a new charge against M.I. Platov, since some officers argued that he could not keep the Cossacks from robbing the enemy convoy.

The Russian army was retreating. 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 sparking 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 very first battle of Tarutino, the Donets completely defeated the troops of Marshal Murat. Napoleon realized that this was the beginning of an inglorious end and left burning Moscow. Later, M.I. Platov defeated the troops of Marshal Davout at the walls of the Kolotsky Monastery (October 19), the detachment of the Neopolitan king Murat at Dukhovshchina and on the Ponar Mountain near Vilna.

On December 2, M.I. Platov overtook the troops of Marshal Ney who had retreated to the border and defeated them. The war on Russian territory was victoriously ended. Platov, for his brilliant military successes in the fight against Napoleon’s troops and especially near the town of Krasnoye, was elevated to the rank of count on October 29, 1812. And soon, on January 1, 1813, he was awarded an Honorary Rescript from 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 Dirsch 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, highly appreciating its 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. On October 20, Platov occupied Frankfurt on the Main, where the main headquarters and leaders of the allied states were then located . Here M.I. Platov was granted a monogram diamond feather with laurels to wear on his shako. (headdress). In 1814, during battles on French territory, M.I. Platov “distinguished himself with exploits at Laon, Epinal, Charmes and occupied Fontainebleau on February 2,” in which he was supposed to free the Pope from captivity.

But the head of the Catholics was secretly taken out before the approach 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 on the Champs Elysees. This is the end of the military exploits of Matvey Ivanovich Platov, since in the hostilities of 1815. he didn't participate.

The English allies warmly welcomed the Military Ataman M.I. Platov in London, where he accompanied Emperor Alexander 1. Enthusiastic Londoners carried the Don hero from the ship to the shore in their arms, showing him every attention and respect. The delight of the London ladies was so great that they cut off part of the tail of M.I. Platov’s horse and took the hair for souvenirs. The Prince Regent, who immoderately admired the Ataman's horse "Leonid", received it as a gift from M.I. Platov. And Ataman, in turn, was presented with a portrait of the Prince Regent with diamonds to be worn 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 presented 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 jewelry with images of M.I. Platov appeared in many European countries. The name of Platov is also associated with the legend that he assured Alexander 1 that Russian craftsmen were no worse than English ones and ordered the Tula Lefty 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 townspeople on the outskirts of Novocherkassk, and then, with bells ringing in front of a large crowd of people, he entered the Cossack capital he founded. Having moved on to the administrative management of the Don region, Matvey Ivanovich became familiar with its economic situation and issued an order in which he noted the enormous merits of the Cossack women, who bore on their shoulders all the hardships of 3 years of management in wartime, when the Don Cossacks almost completely fought Napoleon’s troops.

Platov paid attention not only to the region and its civil government, to 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, two capital stone Triumphal Arches were built in connection with the expected arrival of Emperor Alexander 1 in Novocherkassk. 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 Descent). Alexander 1 visited Novocherkassk in 1818, but by this time the famous Donets was no longer there. Platov died on January 3, 1818 in his settlement of Elanchitskaya and on January 10 he was buried under the walls of the stone Ascension Cathedral under construction in Novocherkassk.

It would seem that after such a stormy, contradictory, but glorious and brilliant life, the ashes of the great son Don rested under the arches of the Orthodox church. But the waves of historical events and destinies were so high and sometimes treacherous that the remains of the famous chieftain will continue to search for their resting place for about 100 years. Due to the fact that the Ascension Cathedral, which was 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 obtained the Highest permission (1868) to transfer the ashes of M.I. Platov to the territory of his country estate Myshkinsky, popularly called the Golitsinsky dacha (after the surname of Prince Golitsin’s son-in-law) or the Bishop’s dacha (after the fact of the donation of the dacha to the Novocherkassk bishop). In 1875, these wishes were realized in the family crypt under the church in the hut. Mishkino, the remains of M.I. Platov and members of his family who had died by this time were transported from Novocherkassk.

But even this did not rest the ashes of the hero of Don and Russia. In 1911, in connection with 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 of the generals 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 beloved by the townspeople. Then the February and October revolutions of 1917, Civil War on the Don, the demolition of the monument to M.I. Platov in Novocherkassk in 1923. In 1992, the city Cossacks, who obtained permission to examine the graves in the tomb of the cathedral, were shocked by what they saw. The opened graves turned out to be desecrated, filled with garbage, etc. On May 16, 1993, the grand opening of the finally recreated monument to the Count and Military Ataman, holder of many domestic and foreign orders, Matvey Ivanovich Platov, took place.

Conclusion

Matvey Ivanovich Platov is a unique 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 Platov’s outstanding personal qualities - 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 chieftain unfolded.

According to the descriptions of contemporaries who knew Platov well, he was tall, dark and black-haired, “with an infinitely kind expression on his face and very kind.” General Alexei Ermolov, who knew Matvey Ivanovich well, wrote that “the ataman was one of the very smart and very insightful people.”

By nature, Platov was very hot-tempered, and all his life he raised himself 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. He knew how to treat simple Cossacks simply and was always affectionate.” Ataman loved to tell anecdotes from military life, as well as about real military events; his stories made a great impression on his listeners.

His favorite phrase, “I’ll tell you,” richly enriched his stories and conversations. His speech was very original, in the Cossack style, and he spoke very convincingly and energetically. Instead of “Warsaw” he said “Arshava”, instead of “quartermaster” he said “planner”, instead of “pursue” he said “stuff”, instead of “search” he said “rummage”.

In relation to his subordinates, the ataman was quite objective, he knew how to encourage and discipline, making it clear to the Cossacks that he was eliminating 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 harbored some hostility towards foreigners and their dominance in the high command of the Russian army. He especially disliked the Germans, their pedantry and doctrinaireism. By nature, the ataman was a cheerful person, he loved pleasant company, but a noisy and distracted life was not his nature.

Being, like most Cossacks, a believer, Platov made rich contributions to churches and monasteries. However, he believed 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 a while, solving practical matters.

When it came to food, Platov was distinguished by moderation and loved simple dishes, which is not surprising for a man whose life was spent almost entirely in the conditions of campaigns and battles. For drinks, he loved coffee (“coffee”) and tea.

Occupying the high post of Don military ataman, having access to the imperial palace and the highest statesmen of Russia, he did not patronize his relatives, rightly believing that they themselves, following his example, should make their own careers and on their own. But Matvey Ivanovich constantly bothered his superiors about strangers who were distinguished by their talent, courage and honesty.

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, starting from the second half of the 18th century until the end of the Napoleonic wars. Platov studied military science on the battlefields, having entered the service at the age of fifteen. He was a born warrior, and from the very beginning his combat activities were distinguished by his originality, his ability to make the only right decisions in the most difficult combat situations, and his courage set an example for his subordinates.

The early period of Platov’s military activity was characterized by the battle on the Kalalakh River, when he, surrounded by a numerically superior enemy, made the only correct decision in this situation: having sent for help, he himself began to fight off the enemy behind carts built in a circle.

A characteristic feature of Platov’s talent as a commander was his ability to inspire the Cossacks in critical moments of battle: danger gave even greater clarity to his mind and amazing calm. These qualities of Platov were highly valued by the great Suvorov.

In conducting military operations, Platov adhered to the tactics of lightning strikes. This is how he acted in the 1807 campaign against the French. However, if the enemy was ready to repel the rapid attack of the Cossacks, the ataman changed the pattern of the battle 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, wearing them down in continuous battles, and then finishing them 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, eras have changed, much has been forgotten, but the memory of the heroic life of Platov, full of incredible adventures, the courage and heroism of his Cossacks will forever remain in the memory of the Russian people, for the memory of a real feat does not die, it is eternal, just as the human race is eternal...

List of used literature

1. Astapenko M. Ataman Platov. Historical narrative. Rostov-on-Don. NPK "Hephaestus", 2003

2. Collection of the Regional Troops of the Don Statistical Committee. Issue X1, Novocherkassk, 1912

3. Smirny N. Life and exploits of Count Matvey Ivanovich Platov. Parts 1 and 3. St. Petersburg, 1911

4. Savelyev E.P. Ataman M.I.Platov and the founding of Novocherkassk. Novocherkassk, 1906

5. Kirsanov E.I. Novocherkassk. Brief historical sketch of 1805-1995. Novocherkassk, 1995

Heroes of Imperial Russia

Platov Matvey Ivanovich

Count Matvey Ivanovich Platov (1751–1818) - ataman of the Great Don Army (since 1801), cavalry general (since 1809), who took part in all the wars of the Russian Empire of the late 18th - early 19th centuries. Founder of the city of Novocherkassk. According to the metric books of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in the city of Cherkassk, number 22, it appears that foreman Ivan Fedorov Platov had a son, Matvey, on August 8, 1751. This is the future military chieftain, who has won for himself and the entire Don unfading glory and worldwide fame.

At the beginning of the sixteenth century, bands of free people appeared in the vast expanses of the Don steppes, fleeing the feudal oppression that reigned in the Moscow state. Everyone who valued a minute of freedom more than a year of slave life fled here. They began to be called “Cossacks,” that is, free people, brave warriors.

The Cherkasy town, where Matvey Platov was born, was founded by the Cossacks in 1570, and since 1644 it became the capital of the Don - the “Main Army”. The Cossack Circle, the highest legislative body of the Donets, operated here; from here the Cossacks set off on sea and land campaigns; here they remembered the times of holy freedom, when the Cossacks themselves ruled the Don, living according to their own laws and customs. Foreign ambassadors were received here, and Cossack embassies to neighboring nations were sent from here. The first churches on the Don, the first schools, teachers and doctors appeared here; here, for the first time in the history of Russia, a military salute was given in honor of the Azov Victoria 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 rafted along the Don. From here, according to researchers, the surname “Plotov” arose, which later turned into “Platov”. This surname became famous in the Don in the mid-eighteenth century. It was at this time that in the confessional metric books of the Peter and Paul Church in the city of Cherkassk the names of three Platov brothers are found: Ivan, Dmitry and Demyan Fedorovich. The eldest of the brothers was Ivan Fedorovich - Matvey's father.

Ivan Platov, upon arriving on the Don around 1742, entered military service. First, Ivan Fedorovich was with a Cossack regiment on the Crimean line, then in the so-called Baltic provinces, then in Georgia, from where he was transferred with the regiment to Prussia, where battles raged with the troops of the warrior king and philosopher Frederick the Second. As part of a 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 Kyustrin on August 4, 1758.

Ivan Platov’s exemplary service was subsequently highly recognized with two personalized 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 and the Don Cossack regiment covered the Kolomensky, Kasimovsky and Vladimirsky tracts leading to Moscow. Ivan Fedorovich died after 1778 with the rank of prime major in the Russian army.

No biographical details have been preserved about Matvey Platov’s mother, Anna Larionovna, who was born in 1733. It is only known that she was buried in the village of Starocherkasskaya in the cemetery of the Transfiguration Church.

Since ancient times, the Don Cossacks had a peculiar ritual of celebrating the birth of the first child in the family, therefore, when Matvey was born to the Platovs, relatives and familiar Cossacks came to visit them. Each of them brought some object for the newborn’s teeth: an arrow, a bullet, a bow, and Ivan Fedorovich’s brothers brought their nephew a gun. 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 greeted 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 his wife’s protests, put his son on a horse: this was the ancient Cossack custom!

When Matvey cut his first teeth, his father and mother, putting him on a horse, took him to the Peter and Paul Church, of which they were regular parishioners. Here the priest served the required prayer service in front of the icon of Jon the Warrior, whom the father asked to make his son a brave, valiant and successful Cossack warrior and send him long life. Ivan Fedorovich directed all his son’s upbringing in those short days when he was at home to ensure that Matvey became a real warrior. It is not surprising that the first words he uttered were “pu” - shoot and “chu” - drive. 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.

At that time, the Cossacks held horse races in high esteem, which were held many times in the vicinity of Cherkassk. The winners of the races gained fame and popularity among the Cossacks. Cossack children staged their races through the streets. In every house, from dawn to dusk, continuous shooting from rifles, pistols and small cannons was heard. Those who did not have weapons drilled “seeds” into the empty bones of large animals or loaded reeds.

During hours of rest and entertainment, the Cossacks divided into groups, set up shields with targets, and began shooting at them with bows and rifles. Children also played their games next to the adults. Their indispensable participant was the frisky and smart beyond his years Matveyka Platov.

The Cossacks constantly took care of the combat replenishment of their ranks. For this purpose, by order of the military ataman, young Cossacks gathered annually for a review in the vicinity of the Cherkassy town. They arrived on the best horses, armed with pikes, 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, in the presence of the military chieftain Stepan Danilovich Efremov, war games took place. One group of young Cossacks competed in horse racing, testing the speed of the horse and the skill of the rider, his agility. Other youngsters, at full gallop, shot at the target or, throwing a cloak, a whip or a large coin onto a cloak spread out on the ground, picked them up while galloping. Many Cossacks, standing on horseback, could attack the enemy, shooting from guns and bows.

The Cossack cavalry rushed into the river like a swift avalanche, trying to quickly overcome it 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 were extremely respected and valued among the Cossacks. With the onset of evening, exciting fights began - fist fights. 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 Matvey learned to read and write. Since childhood, he was distinguished by dexterity, ambition, courage and sharpness of mind. The parents tried their best to raise their son in the spirit of love for his native land and the glorious military traditions of the Don Cossacks. And their efforts were not in vain: Matvey grew up as a brave and courageous Cossack, a true patriot of the Don and Russia.

At the fifteenth year of his life, Matvey was assigned to serve in the military chancellery, and soon he received the rank of constable. All this time he read a lot, improving his knowledge.

The second half of the eighteenth century in the history of the Russian state is characterized primarily by fierce and long wars, which were waged with eternal tenacity by its enemy - the Ottoman Porte, the Sublime Porte, as its statesmen liked to call Turkey. At this time, the Black Sea problem acquired special significance for Russia. The Russian population, and with it the Russian landowner 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 hampered by almost incessant Turkish-Tatar raids and attacks. For the Russian merchants and nobility at this 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 increasingly important and necessary. The northern ports of Russia could no longer satisfy 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 remained a trade route by land through Poland, but such trade was extremely unprofitable and therefore did not receive proper development. The key to the Black Sea was Crimea, so all these problems could be solved either by annexing Crimea to Russia, or by granting the Crimean Khanate independence from Turkey, which was becoming more and more aggressive, because it enjoyed broad support from France, which feared the strengthening of Russia in Western Europe and the Middle East. East.

The Russian-Turkish War of 1735-1739 did not solve the 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 and devastating raid on Ukraine and the Lower Don. Active military operations of Russian troops began against the Turks and Tatars. To fight Turkey, the Russian command formed two armies under the command of Chief General P.A. Rumyantsev and A.M. Golitsyn. These armies included up to ten thousand Don Cossacks under the command of the 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 oversaw his fishing farm. Matvey decided that his duty as a Cossack was to be at war! Leaving the farm in the care of the clerk, he rode on a fast horse to Cherkassk, where he joined the Cossack regiment, which was heading to the place of hostilities, towards battles and glory...

The army where Matvey arrived was by that time commanded by Chief General V.M. Dolgorukov, in whose retinue Platov was at first. Then he transferred 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 June 22, and Kafa on the twenty-ninth. At the end of the month, Crimea found itself in the hands of Russian troops, and Khan Sahib-Girey was forced to sign an agreement under which he agreed to enter into an alliance with Russia.

For his distinction in battles with the infidels, twenty-two-year-old Platov received the rank of captain. A year later he was promoted to sergeant major, giving command of a Cossack regiment.

And the streak of fighting began again. Together with the regiments of Uvarov, Bukhvostov and Danilov, Platov attacked 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 received four serviceable cannons, which, with general consent, Platov sent to Cherkassk to strengthen his 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 who participated in this heated matter.

The military campaign of 1771 brought the Russians a number of significant successes, which forced the Turkish command to request a truce, signed on May 19, 1772 in Zhurzh and lasting a year. During this time, Platov's regiment was transferred to Kuban.

In 1774 M.I. For the first time, Platov 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 of carts and fought with the Turks of Khan Devlet-Girey, who outnumbered the Cossacks by more than 20 times, until the Cossack regiment called for help arrived. The Turks were defeated, and the khan was soon arrested for the defeat and taken to the Turkish Sultan in Constantinople. In 1775-1776, father and son Platov pursued the scattered detachments of E. Pugachev in the central districts of Russia, capturing one of the leaders, Rumyanchikhin, and up to 500 Pugachevites. For this, father and son Platov were awarded gold medals. This was one of Matvey Platov’s first significant awards. He also distinguished himself on September 13, 1789, when at the Battle of Kousani he managed to defeat a large detachment of Turks and capture the three-bunchu Pasha Zeynal-Hassan Bey of Anatolia. For this feat M.I. Platov was given the rank of brigadier in the Russian army.

The accumulated combat and management experience promoted the young, capable Cossack commander to become the organizer of a new direction for the Cossacks. In January 1788, Prince G. Potemkin instructed Matvey Platov to select 5,000 people in three months to form several new Cossack regiments, the so-called Sloboda Ukraine. Platov summoned 4 military sergeants, 7 lower officers and 507 best Cossacks from the Don to help him as instructors. Already on May 9, he reported to Prince Potemkin about the formed Cossack regiments. The new Cossack army was called Ekaterinoslav, and M.I. Platov, for his skillful leadership, was appointed his Military Ataman (1790) and presented for awarding the Order of St. Vladimir 4th degree.

With the newly formed Cossack regiments M.I. Platov ends up in 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 lit the fire of victory for his Donets and rangers.

For the assault and capture of Izmail M.I. Platov was awarded the Order of St. George 3rd degree, and at the end of this military campaign he was promoted to major general. Prince G. Potemkin characterized his actions near Izmail as follows: “Platov was present everywhere and set an example of courage.” All this allowed Potemkin to introduce the young hero to Empress Catherine in St. Petersburg in 1791, where with his intelligence and resourcefulness he received from her the right to stay in her palace during visits to Tsarskoe Selo.

The following year M.I. Platov had already taken part in hostilities on the Caucasian line. In 1796, according to 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 military operations near Derbent M.I. Platov was awarded the Order of Vladimir, 2nd degree, and also received from Empress Catherine “a magnificent saber in a velvet sheath, gold frame, with large diamonds and rare emeralds,” which is now exhibited in the Museum of the History of the Don Cossacks.

After the death of Catherine (1796), Emperor Paul I ascended the throne, who was suspicious and disapproving of all the empress’s associates, such as G. Potemkin, Field Marshal A.V. Suvorov and others. He actually expelled P.A. Zubov went abroad, and his army was recalled 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 unkind attitude of Paul I towards Catherine’s associates, set the emperor up to make a decision on the need to arrest M.I. Platova. Paul I removed M.I. Platov from military service with his rescript dated July 23, 1797 and ordered to send him to the Don under the supervision of Military Ataman Orlov. But soon this measure of arrest was replaced by exile to the city of Kostroma.

Since the St. Petersburg court did not find Platov particularly guilty, his personal weapons, including his combat saber, were returned to him. Receiving her, Matvey Ivanovich said: “She will help me justify myself” or “She will justify me.” Naturally, the informers immediately interpreted these words to Paul I as a hidden threat to the emperor, although Platov most likely meant that his military “girlfriend” would help him again show his best qualities as a skilled commander and regain the trust of Paul I. Only on October 9, 1800 year 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 I is imprisoned in the Alekseevsky ravelin of the Peter and Paul Fortress. But condensed over M.I. The clouds soon cleared thanks to the same Paul I, who, having concluded a Treaty 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 about the immediate and complete march of the Cossacks, led by Ataman Orlov, on a campaign against India. The Donetsk people were given a loan in the amount of 2.5 million rubles, so that after the campaign and seizure of booty in India, they would return the entire loan to the treasury, down to the penny.

In connection with the emerging campaign, Paul I released M.I. from custody. Platov, had a personal conversation with him about the upcoming campaign, and personally placed on him the commander’s cross of the Order of Malta (St. John of Jerusalem). Caressed by the Emperor M.I. Platov quickly returned to the Don and, having received from Ataman Orlov the first 13 regiments (from the 41st planned for the campaign), as well as 12 cannons, set out on a campaign on February 27, 1801. But on March 23, when the Cossacks had already suffered from many days of exhausting daily marches, suddenly Platov was caught up with a messenger from St. Petersburg, bringing the news of the death of Paul I and the accession of Alexander I, who canceled the order of Paul I to march on India. The Cossacks happily returned to the Don.

By rescript of August 12, 1801, Emperor Alexander I appoints M.I. Platov (“behind the death of Orlov”) by Troop Ataman. Matvey Ivanovich took part in the solemn coronation of Alexander I, where he was awarded the Order of St. Anna 1st degree.

Ataman used his visit to St. Petersburg to solve urgent problems of the city of Cherkassk, the main one of which was the annual flooding of the Cossack capital. Alexander I allowed Platov to carry out large-scale work to protect Cherkassk from spring waters, including clearing the mouth of the Don River, so that more melt water could be discharged into the Sea of ​​Azov and less flood Cherkassk. Engineer de Romano organized water protection work in 1802. But they did little to improve the security of Cherkasy. Therefore, Platov gradually came to the idea of ​​moving the Cossack capital to another place.

With a rescript dated August 23, 1804, Alexander I allowed the transfer of the capital on the condition that a convenient location be chosen and the city plan drawn up by 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 foundation site of New Cherkassk on a hill called Biryuchiy Kut (wolf's lair).

For its construction and arrangement M.I. Platov formed two Cossack worker regiments, invited architect I.I. from St. Petersburg. Russko, engineer-lieutenant colonel I.-Yu. Peyker, obliged many Don villages to supply materials to Novocherkassk - timber, local stone, limestone, etc. The Cossacks were reluctant to leave their established houses and farmsteads in Cherkassk, but the Army Ataman was relentless. 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 men's gymnasium on the Don, the creation of the Society of Don Trade Cossacks (September 12, 1804), the beginning of the construction of the stone Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk, the resettlement of Kalmyks to the Zadonsk steppes, the organization Kalmyk villages, etc.

But the course of political events did not allow the administrative abilities of Military Ataman M.I. to develop. Platov in full force. 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 the hostilities; nevertheless, for services to the Fatherland he was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. In 1806, during the Prussian military campaign, M.I. Platov showed his extraordinary abilities. Thus, during the attack he was able to capture the well-fortified city of Preussisch-Eylau and capture more than 3 thousand French. Soon, in the Battle of Heiselberg, he was able to put “the entire French cavalry” to flight, destroy the enemy infantry division and by the evening occupy the city, cross the Alle River and burn all the bridges.

Often he had to mislead the enemy by lighting many fires around the cities he besieged. French resistance weakened, and Platov captured one city after another. When peace was concluded, M.I. Platov was awarded diamond insignia for the Order of Alexander Nevsky and a precious snuff-box with the face of Alexander I, and the Prussian king awarded the brave Don 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 petitioned and achieved the awarding of a number of distinguished Cossack officers by the Prussian king.

Platov and his Don regiments had to fight a lot for Prussia against Napoleonic troops. The name of the Don Ataman gained even greater fame not only in Russia, but also abroad. But the war is over. A meeting of three monarchs was scheduled for June 25, 1807 in Tilsit to sign peace: Alexander, Napoleon and the Prussian king Frederick William. Matvey Ivanovich Platov was in Alexander’s retinue at that time.

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 it: 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. looked intently at. Platov, he replied: “I’m not looking at your emperor at all; there’s nothing unusual in him: I’m looking at a horse like a connoisseur, I want to guess what breed it is.”

At this time a characteristic incident occurred. At Napoleon's request, horse riding was carried out. The Cossacks rode horseback while standing on the saddle, chopped down the canes, and shot from under the belly of a racing horse at the target. The riders took coins scattered on the grass from their saddles; galloping, they pierced the effigies with darts; some were spinning in the saddle at full gallop, deftly and so quickly that it was impossible to tell where their hands were and where their legs were...

The Cossacks also did a lot of things that took the breath away of horse riding enthusiasts and experts. Napoleon was delighted and, turning to Platov, asked: “And you, general, know how to shoot a bow?” Platov grabbed a bow and arrows from the nearest Bashkir and, accelerating his horse, fired several arrows as he galloped. They all hissed into the straw effigies. When Platov returned to his place, Napoleon said to him:

- Thank you, General. You are not only a wonderful military leader, but also an excellent rider and shooter. You brought me a lot of pleasure. I want you to have a good memory of me. And Napoleon handed Platov a golden snuffbox. (Platov later broke out the stones and replaced the portrait of Napoleon). Taking the snuff-box and bowing, Platov said to the translator:

- Convey my Cossack thanks to His Majesty. We, the Don Cossacks, have an ancient custom: to give gifts... Sorry, Your Majesty, I don’t have anything with me that would attract your attention... but I don’t want to remain in debt and I want Your Majesty to she remembered me... Please accept this bow and arrows as a gift from me...

“An original gift,” Napoleon smiled, examining the bow. “Okay, my general, your bow will remind me that it’s difficult for even a small bird to protect itself from the arrow of the Don Ataman.” The ataman's well-aimed arrow will overtake her everywhere.

When the translator translated this, Platov said:

- Yes, I have a trained, keen eye, a steady hand. Not only small, but also large birds need to be wary of my arrow.

The hint was too obvious. By the big bird, Platov clearly meant Napoleon himself, and a big conflict would not have been avoided if not for the resourceful translator.

In 1809 M.I. Platov accompanied Alexander I to a meeting of the Finnish Sejm 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 captured the city of Girsovo on August 19, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 1st degree, and on September 4 he defeated a large detachment of Turks at Rassvevat. On September 23, 1809, he defeated a five-thousand-strong Turkish corps between Silistria and Rushchuk, for which he was promoted to cavalry general, that is, he became a full general.

Severe malaria and some signs of consumption forced M.I. Platov at the beginning of 1810 went to the Don to improve his health, which had been shaken by endless military operations. But the best doctors were in St. Petersburg, and therefore the ataman left for the capital in the summer of the same year, where the physician Villier managed to improve his health. At that time he lived in St. Petersburg, Tsarskoe Selo, Pavlovsk and often hosted the highest metropolitan society. Communication with the Don was carried out mainly through correspondence with Nakazny Ataman Kireev, in which 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 the Punished Ataman A.K. in charge of himself on the Don. Denisova. On the evening of July 12, 1812, Napoleon began crossing into Russia across the border river Neman. The flying corps of M.I. took part in the very first battles with Napoleon’s troops. Platova. Platov's Don Cossacks often had to deal with French cavalry and Polish lancers. 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, towards Matvey Ivanovich, whom he accused, for example, of alcohol abuse, often became an obstacle to the possible victories of the Cossacks.

After the Battle of Smolensk, Platov was expelled from the active army for “lack of management.” This was achieved by Barclay de Tolly, who reported to the Tsar: “General Platov, as the head of the irregular troops, was placed at too high a level, not having enough nobility in character to correspond to his position. He is an egoist and has become a sybarite to the highest degree. His inactivity is such that I must send my adjutants to him, so that one of them will be with him, or at his outposts, in order to be sure that my orders will be carried out.” Denis Davydov clarifies the real reason for the expulsion:

“Prince Bagration, who always had great influence on Platov, who loved to indulge in drunkenness, taught him in 1812 to some abstinence from mustard vodka - in the hope of soon receiving the dignity of a count. Ermolov managed to deceive Platov for a long time, but the ataman, having finally lost all hope of being a count, began to drink terribly; He was therefore expelled from the army to Moscow.”

With the arrival of M.I. as Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army. Kutuzova Troop Ataman M.I. Platov was in demand and arrived in the active army. Cossacks M.I. Platov took part in the famous battle of Borodino, where for several hours they diverted the reserves of the French army from participating in the attack on Russian fortifications and captured the main convoy of the Napoleonic army. True, this is precisely what served as a new charge against M.I. Platov, since some officers argued that he could not keep the Cossacks from robbing the enemy convoy.

The Russian army was retreating. 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 sparking 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 very first battle of Tarutino, the Donets completely defeated the troops of Marshal Murat. Napoleon realized that this was the beginning of an inglorious end, and left the burning Moscow.

December 2 M.I. Platov overtook the troops of Marshal Ney who had retreated to the border and defeated them. The war on Russian territory was victoriously ended. October 29, 1812 for brilliant military successes in the fight against Napoleon’s troops and, especially, for the battles near the village. Krasnoe Platov was elevated to the dignity of count. And soon, on January 1, 1813, he was awarded the Honorary Rescript of Emperor Alexander I. On the march, the ataman learned that the emperor had granted him the title of count. The title was also accompanied by a coat of arms, the motto of which read: “For loyalty, courage and tireless work.” Kutuzov wrote to Platov about this: “What I wanted, God and the sovereign fulfilled, I see you as the count of the Russian Empire... My friendship with you from the seventy-third year has never changed, and that now and in the future something pleasant will happen to you, I am sure I'm participating."

During foreign trip M.I. Platov captured Marienburg on the night of New Year 1813, then occupied the town of Dirsch and besieged the fortress of Danzig, which later surrendered to the mercy of the winner. On April 13, 1813, in Dresden, Emperor Alexander I gave a gracious manifesto to the Don Army, highly appreciating its contribution and services to the liberation of Russia from Napoleon’s troops. 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. On October 20, Platov occupied Frankfurt on the Main, where the main headquarters and leaders of the allied states were subsequently located. Here M.I. Platov was granted a monogram diamond feather with laurels to wear on his shako (headdress). In 1814, during battles on French territory, M.I. Platov “distinguished himself with exploits at Laon, Epinal, Charmes and occupied Fontainebleau on February 2,” in which he was supposed to free the Pope from captivity.

But the head of the Catholics was secretly taken out before the approach 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 on the Champs Elysees. This is where the military exploits of Matvey Ivanovich Platov end, since he did not participate in hostilities.

The British allies warmly welcomed Military Ataman M.I. Platov in London, where he accompanied Emperor Alexander I. Enthusiastic Londoners carried the Don hero from the ship to the shore in their arms, showing him every attention and respect. The delight of the London ladies was so great that they cut off part of the tail of M.I.’s horse. Platov and sorted the hair into souvenirs. The Prince Regent, who immoderately admired the Ataman's horse "Leonid", received it as a gift from M.I. Platova. And the chieftain, in turn, was presented with a portrait of the Prince Regent with diamonds to be worn 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 presented M.I. Platov doctoral diploma. The city of London gave him 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 jewelry with images of M.I. appeared in many European countries. Platova. The name of Platov is also associated with the legend that he assured Alexander I that Russian craftsmen were no worse than English ones and ordered the Tula Lefty to shoe a flea, which he did, shoeing a flea on both legs.

Returning to the Don after military campaigns, Matvey Ivanovich Platov was solemnly greeted by a deputation of townspeople on the outskirts of Novocherkassk, and then, with bells ringing in front of a large crowd of people, he entered the Cossack capital he founded. Having moved on to the administrative management of the Don region, Matvey Ivanovich became familiar with its economic situation and issued an order in which he noted the enormous merits of the Cossack women, who bore on their shoulders all the hardships of 3 years of management in wartime, when the Don Cossacks almost completely fought Napoleon’s troops.

Platov paid attention not only to the region and its civil government, to 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, two capital stone Triumphal Arches were built in connection with the expected arrival of Emperor Alexander I in Novocherkassk. 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 Descent).

Alexander I visited Novocherkassk in 1818, but by that time the famous Donets was no longer there. Platov died on January 3, 1818 in his settlement of Elanchitskaya and on January 10 he was buried under the walls of the stone Ascension Cathedral under construction in Novocherkassk. It would seem that after such a stormy, contradictory, but glorious and brilliant life, the ashes of the great son Don rested under the arches of the Orthodox church. But the waves of historical events and destinies were so high and sometimes treacherous that the remains of the famous chieftain will continue to search for their resting place for about 100 years. Due to the fact that the Ascension Cathedral, which was under construction, near the walls of which Matvey Ivanovich and members of his family were buried, collapsed twice (1846 and 1863), relatives of M.I. Platov obtained the Highest permission (1868) to transfer the ashes of M.I. Platov to the territory of his country estate Myshkinsky, popularly called the Golitsinskaya dacha (after the surname of Prince Golitsin’s son-in-law) or the Bishop’s dacha (after the fact of the donation of the dacha to the Novocherkassk bishop). In 1875, these wishes came true and the remains of M.I. were transported from Novocherkassk to the family crypt under the church on the Mishkino farm. Platov and his family members who had died by this time.

But even this did not rest the ashes of the hero of Don and Russia. In 1911, in connection with 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, in the tomb under the stone Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk, the remains of generals Platov, Orlov-Denisov, Efremov and Baklanov, as well as Archbishop John, especially beloved by the townspeople, were solemnly reburied. This was followed by the February and October revolutions of 1917, the civil war on the Don, and the demolition of the monument to M.I. in 1923. Platov in Novocherkassk.

In 1992, city Cossacks, who obtained permission to examine the graves in the cathedral tomb; they were shocked by what they saw. The opened graves turned out to be desecrated and filled with garbage. On May 16, 1993, the grand opening of the finally recreated monument to the Count and Military Ataman, holder of many domestic and foreign orders, Matvey Ivanovich Platov, took place.

Matvey Ivanovich Platov is a unique 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 Platov’s outstanding personal qualities, 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 chieftain unfolded.

According to the descriptions of contemporaries who knew Platov well, he was tall, dark and black-haired, “ with an infinitely kind expression on his face and very kind" General Alexey Ermolov, who knew Matvey Ivanovich well, wrote that “ the ataman was one of the very smart and highly perceptive people».

By nature, Platov was very hot-tempered, and all his life he raised himself 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,” contemporaries wrote about Platov. He was cunning, resourceful, and an excellent diplomat. He knew how to treat simple Cossacks simply and was always affectionate.” Ataman loved to tell anecdotes from military life, as well as about real military events; his stories made a great impression on his listeners.

His favorite phrase is “ I will tell you"richly enriched his stories and conversations. His speech was very unique, in the Cossack style, and he spoke very convincingly and energetically. Instead of “Warsaw” he said “Arshava”, instead of “quartermaster” he said “planner”, instead of “pursue” he said “stuff”, instead of “search” he said “rummage”.

In relation to his subordinates, the ataman was quite objective, he knew how to encourage and discipline, making it clear to the Cossacks that he was eliminating 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 harbored some hostility towards foreigners and their dominance in the high command of the Russian army. He especially disliked the Germans, their pedantry and doctrinaireism. By nature, the ataman was a cheerful person, he loved pleasant company, but a noisy and distracted life was not to his taste.

Being, like most Cossacks, a believer, Platov made rich contributions to churches and monasteries. However, he believed 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 a while, solving practical matters.

When it came to food, Platov was distinguished by moderation and loved simple dishes, which is not surprising for a man whose life was spent almost entirely in the conditions of campaigns and battles. For drinks, he loved coffee (“coffee”) and tea.

Occupying the high post of Don military ataman, having access to the imperial palace and the highest statesmen of Russia, he did not patronize his relatives, rightly believing that they themselves, following his example, should make their own careers and on their own. But Matvey Ivanovich constantly bothered his superiors about strangers who were distinguished by their talent, courage and honesty.

In the military history of Russia, Platov is known as a talented and original commander, a brave warrior. He participated in almost all the wars waged by the Russian Empire, starting from the second half of the 18th century until the end of the Napoleonic wars. Platov studied military science on the battlefields, having entered the service at the age of fifteen. He was a born warrior, and from the very beginning his combat activities were distinguished by his originality, his ability to make the only right decisions in the most difficult combat situations, and his courage set an example for his subordinates.

Years have passed, eras have changed, much has been forgotten, but the memory of the heroic life of Platov, full of incredible adventures, the courage and heroism of his Cossacks will forever remain in the memory of people, for the memory of a real feat does not die, it is eternal, just as the human race is eternal...

In different eras, historians described the life and deeds of M.I. in different ways. Platov, either distorting or suppressing controversial facts of his biography, trying to create an idealized or negative image of the Don hero. For example, little is known about the fact that, together with his father, young Platov took part in the suppression of the uprising of E. Pugachev, for which both were awarded gold medals. Or about the fact that during Platov’s atamanship on the Don, the military sergeant major received a new social status and was legally equal in rights to the Russian nobility. Platov himself had large lands and several hundred assigned (serf) peasants. These contradictions are largely explained by the conditions of the era in which he lived.

Not until M.I. Platov, not after him was there an ataman on the Don with such an independent, free character in his behavior and actions. Paradoxically, this is why he was sometimes compared to Stepan Razin. And the tsarist government took all measures to ensure that such wayward atamans would not appear on the Don in the future. Matvey Ivanovich Platov did so much for the glory of the Don Cossacks, Russia, that this more than offset his shortcomings, and for this he earned the noble memory of his descendants.