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Birthday anniversary of Mikhail A. Miloradovich, Russian military man and statesman
1 (12) October 1771 in St. Petersburg was born Mikhail Andreyevich Miloradovich, Russian military man and politician, member of the State Council of the Russian Empire.
Miloradovich was a descendant of Serbian nobles who moved to Poltava province of the Russian Empire under Peter I. In November 1780 he joined the Life Guards Izmailovsky Regiment, and was educated in the universities of Göttingen and Königsberg, where he studied fortification and artillery. Miloradovich military service began in the regiments of the Guard at the rank of ensign, and in January 1788 he was promoted to lieutenant.
In 1788-90 Miloradovich participated in the Russian-Swedish war. In 1798 he was promoted to major general and appointed chief of Absheron Musketeer Regiment. An important role in his development as a military commander played his part in the Italian and Swiss campaigns led by Alexander Suvorov in 1799. In the battle of Novi the troops under the command of M. Miloradovich and P. Bagration made a decisive contribution to victory, defeating the French forces which defended the center position. The blow of Miloradovich’s detachment predestined defeat of French forces defending approaches to the Gotthard Pass near the Lake Ober Alp. For campaigns of 1799 Miloradovich was awarded the Order of St. Anne, 1st class, of St. Alexander Nevsky and the Order of Malta.
During the Russian-Austrian-French War of 1805 Miloradovich commanded a brigade in the army of M. Kutuzov. During the retreat of the Russian army from Braunau, he distinguished himself in battle against the French near Amstetten and Krems; for their courage and valor he was awarded the Order of St. George, 3rd class and the rank of lieutenant general.
At the beginning of Russian-Turkish war of 1806-12, Miloradovich, leading a corps, crossed the Dniester, entered into the Danubian principalities, and, having seized Bucharest, rescued Wallachia from ruin. Continuing his service in the Moldavian army led by I. Michelson, Miloradovich distinguished himself at Turbat and Obileshti and was awarded a gold sword with the inscription "For bravery and rescue of Bucharest." In 1809, for the battle of Rassevat, he was promoted to general of infantry, having become a full general at the age of 38. In April 1810 he was engaged in administrative work, fulfilling the duties of Governor-General in Kiev.
During the outbreak of the Patriotic War in 1812 Miloradovich began to train reserve units and came with them to the army of Kutuzov. In the battle of Borodino the general commanded the right wing of the 1st Western Army, then - the rear guard, and during the pursuit of the French - the avant-garde corps of the main army. He especially distinguished himself in battles near the village of Krasny.
Miloradovich demonstrated his military talent in foreign campaigns of the Russian Army in 1813-1814. After the battle of Lutzen in April 1813, he had covered the retreat of Russian-Prussian army for 3 weeks, preventing Napoleon from developing success. Under the command of Mikhail Barclay de Tolly, the Russian general had success in the battle of Kulm in August 1813, where the allied Russian and Austrian troops surrounded and defeated the French corps of J. D. R. Vandam. He also distinguished himself in battles of Arcy-sur-Aube, Brie-ne, Fer-Champenoise and Paris. For his martial successes in foreign campaigns of 1813-14 Miloradovich was granted the title of count and a number of awards.
After the war, Count Miloradovich first commanded the infantry reserve, and then - the Guards Corps. In August 1818 he was appointed governor general of St. Petersburg. On the day of the mutiny of Guards units on the Senate Square 14 (26) December, 1825 Governor-General personally came to the rebels and tried to persuade the soldiers to return to barracks. Fearing that calls of the general would ruin the plans of the rebels, a retired lieutenant P. G. Kakhovsky shot Miloradovich causing him a mortal wound.
On the night of 15 (27) December, 1825 Mikhail A. Miloradovich died and was buried in the church of Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg. After his death, after him was named the 38th Infantry Tobolsky Regiment. In 1937 the remains of Count Miloradovich were reburied in the crypt of the Annunciation Monastery near the tomb of Alexander Suvorov.
Lit.: Анекдоты и черты из жизни графа Милорадовича: с портретом и рисунком, изображающим смерть графа. СПб., 1886; Бобенко Г. И. Генерал Милорадович - Баярд России. СПб., 2006; Бондаренко А. Ю. Милорадович. М., 2008; Глинка Ф. Н. Подвиги графа Михаила Андреевича Милорадовича в Отечественную войну 1812 года. М., 1814; Деяния графа Михаила Андреевича Милорадовича в Италии, Швейцарии, Турции, Австрии, в достопамятную Отечественную войну в России 1812 года, в Германии и Франции 1813 1814 и 1815 годах. В 3 ч. СПб., 1816; Мамышев В. Н. Генерал от инфантерии граф Михаил Андреевич Милорадович. СПб., 1904; Милорадович Г. А. Граф Михаил Андреевич Милорадович: (Биографические сведения). Полтава, 1887; Семевский М. Граф Михаил Андреевич Милорадович // Военный сборник. 1869. № 9; Соколовский М. К. Из донесений военного губернатора графа М. А. Милорадовича: (Черты для биографии графа М. А. Милорадовича). СПб., 1904.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Доу Дж. Портрет Михаила Андреевича Милорадовича (1771-1825) [Изоматериал];