Mikhail Kutuzov
Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, Prince of Smolensk (Михаил Илларионович Кутузов) (16th September 1745 – 28th April 1813 Gregorian Calendar, 5th September 1745 - 16th April 1813 Julian Calendar) served as a Russian Field Marshal. (He bore the full Russian surname of "Golenishchev-Kutuzov" (Голенищев-Кутузов); many texts use a semi-German transliteration of his name as Kutusov. Some sources, both English and Russian, sometimes give his middle name incorrectly as Ilarionovich (Иларионович) with one L.)
Kutuzov, born at Saint Petersburg, entered the Russian army in 1759 or 1760. He saw active service in Poland (1764 – 1769), and against the Turks (1770 – 1774); lost an eye in action in the latter year; and after that travelled for some years in central and western Europe. In 1784 he became a major-general, in 1787 governor-general of the Crimea; and under Suvorov, whose constant companion he became, he won considerable distinction in the Russo-Turkish War of 1787 - 1792, at the taking of Ochakov, Odessa, Benda and Ismail, and the battles of Rimnik and Mashin. He was now (1791) a lieutenant-general, and successively occupied the positions of ambassador at Constantinople, governor-general of Finland, commandant of the corps of cadets at Saint Petersburg, ambassador at Berlin, and governor-general of Saint Petersburg. In 1805 he commanded the Russian corps which opposed Napoleon's advance on Vienna, and won the hard-fought action of Dürrenstein on 11 November 1805.
On the eve of Austerlitz Kutuzov tried to prevent the Allied generals from fighting a battle, and when he was overruled took so little interest in the event that he fell asleep during the reading of the orders. He was, however, present at the battle itself (2 December 1805), and was wounded.
From 1806 to 1811 Kutuzov served as governor-general of Lithuania and Kiev, and in 1811, being then commander-in-chief in the war against the Turks (see Russo-Turkish War, 1806-1812), he became a prince. After the controversy between him and Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly about strategy was decided in his favor, Kutuzov was given command of the army that was retreating before Napoleon's advance (following the scorched earth principle).
Kutuzov gave battle at Borodino (7 September 1812) in the Patriotic War against Napoleon, and after its undecisive results he fell back on the strategy of his predecessor: withdraw in order to save the Russian army from possible defeat. This came at the price of losing Moscow, its population evacuated. After retreating to the south-west of Moscow and reorganization of the Russian army, he forced Napoleon into retreat following the battle at Maloyaroslavets. The old general's cautious pursuit evoked much criticism, but at any rate he allowed only a remnant of the Grand Army to regain Prussian soil.
Kutuzov now held the rank of Field Marshal and had become Prince of Smolensk - having achieved this title for a victory over part of the French army at that place in November 1812.
Early in 1813 Kutuzov fell ill and died on 28 April 1813 at Bunzlau/Boleslawiec. Memorials have been erected to him at that place and at Saint Petersburg.
Mikhailovsky-Danilevski's life of Kutuzov (St Petersburg, 1850) has a French translation by A. Fizelier (Paris, 1850).
