Count (1812) Matvei Ivanovich Platov(1753-1818) - chieftain of the Don Cossack army (since 1801), cavalry general (1809), who took part in all wars Russian Empire late 18th - early 19th centuries. In 1805 he founded Novocherkassk, where he moved the capital of the Don Cossack army.

Platov was born in the capital of the Don Cossacks, Cherkassk (now the village of Starocherkasskaya, Aksai district, Rostov region) and was baptized in the church of Peter and Paul that has survived to this day.

“From the senior children of the Don Cossacks” - his Cossack father was a military foreman. By birth, he belonged to the Old Believers-priests, although due to his position he did not advertise this. Mother - Platova Anna Larionovna, born in 1733. Married to Ivan Fedorovich, they had four sons - Matvey, Stefan, Andrey and Peter.

Matvey Ivanovich entered the service on the Don in the Military Chancellery in 1766 with the rank of constable, and on December 4, 1769 he received the rank of Yesaul.

In 1771 he distinguished himself during the attack and capture of the Perekop line and Kinburn. Since 1772 he commanded a Cossack regiment. In 1774 he fought against the highlanders in the Kuban. On April 3, he was surrounded by the Tatars near the Kalala River, but managed to fight back and forced the enemy to retreat.

In 1775, at the head of his regiment, he took part in the defeat of the Pugachevites.

in 1782-1783 he fought with the Nogais in the Kuban. In 1784, he participated in the suppression of uprisings of Chechens and Lezgins.

In 1788 he distinguished himself during the assault on Ochakovo. In 1789 - in the battle of Causeni (September 13) during the capture of Akkerman (September 28) and Bender (November 3). During the assault on Ishmael (December 11, 1790), he led the 5th column.

Since 1790, the ataman of the Yekaterinoslav and Chuguev Cossack troops. On January 1, 1793, he was promoted to major general.

In 1796 he participated in the Persian campaign. After the campaign was suddenly canceled by decree from St. Petersburg, disobeying the Highest command, he remained with his regiment to guard the headquarters of the commander of the General-General Count Valerian Zubov, who was threatened with Persian captivity.

He was suspected by Emperor Paul I of conspiracy and in 1797 he was exiled to Kostroma, and then imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress. In January 1801, he was released and became a participant in Paul's most adventurous enterprise - the Indian campaign. Only with the death of Pavel in March 1801, Platov, who had already advanced at the head of 27 thousand Cossacks to Orenburg, was returned by Alexander I.

On September 15, 1801, he was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed military chieftain of the Don Cossacks. In 1805 he founded the new capital of the Don Cossacks - Novocherkassk. He did a lot to streamline the management of the army.

In the campaign of 1807 he commanded all the Cossack regiments of the active army. After the Battle of Preussisch-Eylau, he earned all-Russian fame. He became famous for his dashing raids on the flanks of the French army, inflicted a defeat on several separate units. After the retreat from Heilsberg, Platov's detachment acted as a rearguard, taking on the constant blows of the French troops pursuing the Russian army.

In Tilsit, where peace was concluded, Platov met Napoleon, who, in recognition of the military successes of the ataman, presented him with a precious snuffbox. The chieftain refused the French order of the Legion of Honor, saying:

I did not serve Napoleon and I cannot serve.

Patriotic War and Foreign Campaign

During the Patriotic War of 1812, he first commanded all the Cossack regiments on the border, and then, covering the retreat of the army, had successful dealings with the enemy near the town of Mir and Romanovo. In the battle near the village of Semlevo, Platov's army defeated the French and captured a colonel from the army of Marshal Murat. Part of the success belongs to Major General Baron Rosen, who was given full freedom of action by Ataman Platov. After the battle of Saltanovka, he covered Bagration's retreat to Smolensk. On July 27 (August 8), he attacked the cavalry of General Sebastiani near the village of Molevo Boloto, overturned the enemy, took 310 prisoners and Sebastiani's briefcase with important papers.

Engraving by S. Cardelli "Matvei Ivanovich Platov", late 18th century. - 1st quarter of the 19th century 75x61

After Smolensk battle Platov commanded the rearguard of the united Russian armies. On August 17 (29) for "indiscipline" he was replaced by Konovnitsyn and expelled from the army. This was achieved by Barclay de Tolly, who reported to the king:

General Platov, as the head of the irregular troops, is put on 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 is with him, or at his outposts, in order to be sure that my instructions will be carried out.

The real reason for the expulsion is clarified by Denis Davydov:

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

From August 17 (29) to August 25 (September 6), he fought daily with the French avant-garde units. At the critical moment of the Battle of Borodino, together with Uvarov, he was sent around the left flank of Napoleon. Near the village of Bezzubovo, the cavalry was stopped by the troops of General Ornano and returned.

He called on the Cossacks to join the militia, and already in Tarutino the Cossack contingent reached 22 thousand people.

After the battle of Maloyaroslavets, Platov was instructed to organize the pursuit of the retreating great army. Participated in the battle of Vyazma, and then organized the pursuit of the Beauharnais corps. On October 27 (November 8), on the Vop River between Dorogobuzh and Dukhovshchina, he cut off part of the Beauharnais corps and took 3.5 thousand prisoners, including the chief of staff of the corps, General Sanson, and 62 guns. He took part in the battles at the Kolotsky Monastery, Smelev, Smolensk, Krasny.

For merits, by the personal decree of October 29 (November 10), 1812, the ataman of the Don army, cavalry general Matvey Ivanovich Platov, was elevated, with his descending offspring, to the dignity of a count of the Russian Empire.

Borisov occupied November 15, and the enemy lost about 5 thousand killed and 7 thousand prisoners. For three days he pursued the retreating army of the enemy from Vilna to Kovno and, without giving him time to reorganize his forces, on December 3 he entered Kovno.

During the campaign of 1812, the Cossacks under the command of Platov took about 70 thousand prisoners, captured 548 guns and 30 banners, and also recaptured a huge amount of valuables stolen in Moscow.

On December 2 (14), he was one of the first to cross the Neman and pursued MacDonald's troops to Danzig, which he overlaid on January 3, 1813.

During the Foreign Campaign, he was at the Headquarters, while from time to time he was entrusted with the command of individual detachments operating on enemy communications. In September, he received command of a special corps, with which he participated in the battle of Leipzig. In pursuit of the enemy, he captured about 15 thousand people. In February 1814, he fought at the head of his regiments during the capture of Nemours (February 4), Arcy-sur-Aube, Cezanne and Villeneuve.

In 1814, after the conclusion of the Paris Peace, he accompanied Emperor Alexander I to London, where he was greeted with a noisy ovation. Together with three particularly distinguished commanders of the armies of the anti-Napoleonic coalition - Russian Field Marshal Barclay de Tolly, Prussian Field Marshal Blucher and Austrian Field Marshal Schwarzenberg, he received a special honorary saber of jewelry work as an award from the City of London (located in Novocherkassk in the Museum of the History of the Don Cossacks). He became the first Russian to be awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of Oxford University.

Death

Memorial plaque at the site of the original burial of M. I. Platov. Farm Small Mishkin.

He died on January 3 (January 15 according to the new style), 1818. He was originally buried in Novocherkassk in a family vault near the Ascension Cathedral in 1818. In 1875, he was reburied at the Bishop's Dacha (farm Mishkin), and on October 4 (17), 1911, his ashes were transferred to the tomb of the Military Cathedral in Novocherkassk. After October 1917, Platov's grave was desecrated. The photograph of 1936 shows a shattered monument by I. Martos with the head of a military leader chipped off. The ashes were reburied at the same place in the military cathedral on May 15, 1993.

In service:

• 1766 - entered the service on the Don in the Military Chancellery as a constable;
• December 4 (15), 1769 - Yesaul;
• January 1 (12), 1772 - Colonel of the Don Troops;
• November 24 (December 5), 1784 - prime minister;
• September 20 (October 1), 1786 - lieutenant colonel;
• June 2 (13), 1787 - colonel;
• in 1788 - transferred to the Yekaterinoslav (later - Chuguevsky) Cossack cavalry regiment;
• September 24 (October 5), 1789 - as a brigadier, leaving in the same Chuguev Cossack cavalry regiment;
• January 1 (12), 1793 - major general;
• During the reign of Emperor Paul I, he was expelled from service, exiled to Kostroma and arrested, but then forgiven and ordered to lead a campaign in Orenburg:
• September 15 (27), 1801 - lieutenant general;
• 1801 - assistant to the military chieftain and military chieftain of the entire Don army;
• September 29 (October 11), 1809 - General of the cavalry.

In campaigns and cases against the enemy was:

• in 1771 - during the first Turkish war during the capture of the Perekop line and Kinburn;
• 1774 - in the Kuban, where he distinguished himself at the river. Kalalakh, with weak forces repulsing seven attacks of Khan Devlet-Girey and mountain princes;
• 1775 - during the search for Pugachev and the scattering of his gangs;
• 1782-1783 - in the Kuban;
• 1784 - against Lezgins and Chechens;
• 1788 - during the siege and assault of Ochakov, for which he was awarded on April 14 (25), 1789 the Order of St. George 4th class;
• 1789 - in the battle of Causeni, where he captured 3 guns, 2 banners and 160 prisoners, including Gassan Pasha, for which he was promoted to foreman and appointed field chieftain, during the capture of Ackerman and Bender;
• 1790 - during the assault on Izmail, for which he received the Order of St. George 3rd class on March 25 (April 5), 1791, after which he was appointed ataman of the Yekaterinoslav and Chuguev Cossacks;
• 1796 - in the Persian campaign, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir 3 tbsp. and a golden saber with diamonds and the inscription "for bravery";
• 1801 - on a campaign to Orenburg;
• 1807 - in Prussia, commanding all the Cossack regiments, in cases against the French at Preussish-Eylau, Ortelsburg, Allenstein, Heilsberg, retreat after Friedland, for which he was awarded the Order of St. George 2nd class, Vladimir 2nd class. and Alexander Nevsky and Prussian - Red and Black Eagle;
• 1809 - in cases against the Turks: under Babadag, Girsov, Rassevat, Silistria and Tataritsa, for which he was awarded the rank of general from the cavalry and the Order of St. Vladimir 1st class;
• in 1812 - during the invasion of French troops into Russia, he retreated from Grodno to Lida and Nikolaev, from where he sent detachments to open the enemy, had clashes with him at Korelichi, Mir - on June 28 and Romanov - on July 2; went to Mogilev, where he dealt with the enemy on July 11; passing from there to Dubrovka, he opened a message with the 1st Army; making up the vanguard during the offensive on Rudnya, he defeated two hussar regiments at Molev Bolot, and then covered the army during the retreat to Smolensk; after the battle of Smolensk, he formed the rearguard and held the enemy at Mikhalev and on the banks of the river. axes; On August 26, at Borodino, he attacked the left wing of the enemy from the rear and caused confusion in the wagon trains; from August 27, followed to Moscow, in the rearguard of the army, and after Napoleon's speech from Moscow, he observed the road from Mozhaisk to Kaluga; during the battle at Maloyaroslavets, he observed the road from Borovsk to Maloyaroslavets, and also disturbed the enemy in the rear and right flank; on the night of October 13, he dealt with the enemy at the river. puddle; from October 14, he followed the movements of the enemy and had business with him near the Kolotsk monastery (October 19), at the village. Fedorovsky (October 22), Semlevo, Gusin, Orsha (November 8), Borisov - 6 (November 15), Zenbine, Pogulyanka near Vilna (November 28) and Kovna; at the end of December, occupied Mühlhausen and Elbin; On October 29 (November 10), 1812, he was elevated to the hereditary count of the Russian Empire;
• 1813 - January 3 overlaid Danzig, but was soon recalled to the main apartment; then he participated in the battles at Altenburg, Leipzig and Weimar, for which he received the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (for Leipzig) and a diamond feather with the sovereign's monogram and laurels to wear on his hat; On October 21, he occupied Frankfurt and then pursued the enemy to Mainz, and had a heated affair between Hochheim and the village of Wickert;
• in 1814 - within France, he first constituted the vanguard, keeping communications with Blucher's army, and after joining it with the main army, he was sent in search of the enemy to Nemours, Fontainebleau and Melun; in February he took Nemours (February 4) and Arsis-sur-Aube and had a clash at the city of Villeneuve, and then was called to the main apartment, where he remained until the end of the campaign.

By the highest order on January 26 (February 7), 1818, he was excluded from the lists of the deceased (he died on January 3 (15), 1818).

Family

Lifetime portrait of M. I. Platov, painted during his stay in London (1814)

From M. I. Platov comes the count family of Platovs. He was married twice.

• In February 1777, he married Nadezhda Stepanovna, daughter of the field ataman Stepan Efremov and granddaughter of Major General Daniil Efremov. From his first marriage, Matvey Ivanovich had a son, Ivan (Ist) (1777-1806). After the death of N. S. Platova (11/15/1783), M. I. Platov married a second time.
• In 1785, his second wife was Marfa Dmitrievna (b. ca. 1760 - 12/24/1812/1813), the widow of Colonel Pavel Fomich Kirsanov (1740-1782), the sister of the ataman Andrei Dmitrievich Martynov. On August 11, 1809, she was awarded the Order of St. Catherine of the Small Cross. In the second marriage, Matvey Ivanovich had four daughters and two sons:
  • Marfa (1786-1821) - married to Colonel Stepan Dmitrievich Ilovaisky (1778-1816);
  • Anna (1788-?) - married to Kharitonov;
  • Maria (1789-1866) - wife of Major General Timofey Dmitrievich Grekov;
  • Alexandra (1791-?);
  • Matvey (1793-after 1814) - major general, awarded the Order of St. George, 4th class. "for differences in battles with the French" (1813);
  • Ivan (II-th, 1796-1874) - colonel, participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, holder of the Order of the Legion of Honor.

In addition, the children of Marfa Dmitrievna from their first marriage were brought up in the Platov family - Khrisanf Kirsanov, the future major general, and Ekaterina Pavlovna Kirsanova, later the wife of the chief ataman Nikolai Ilovaisky.

Having been widowed, Platov cohabited with the Englishwoman Elizabeth, whom he met during a visit to London. After his death, she returned to her homeland.

Awards

• Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called (10/08/1813)
• Order of St. George 2nd class (11/22/1807) - " For repeated participation in battles in the position of chief of advanced posts in the war with the French in 1807»
• Order of St. George 3rd class (03/25/1791) - " In respect for the diligent service and excellent courage shown during the capture of the city and fortress of Ishmael by storm with the extermination of the Turkish army that was there, commanding the column.»
• Order of St. George 4th class (04/14/1789) - " For excellent bravery during the attack on the Ochakov fortress.»
• Order of St. Vladimir, 1st class (1809)
• Order of St. Vladimir 2nd class (1807)
• Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd class (1796)
• Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (11/18/1806)
• Diamond signs to the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky (1807)
• Order of St. Anne, 1st class (1801)
• Order of St. John of Jerusalem, commander's cross (1801)
• Golden saber with diamonds and the inscription "For bravery" (1796)
• Silver medal "In memory of the Patriotic War of 1812"
• Diamond pen with the monogram of Emperor Alexander I and laurels on a shako (1813)
• Order of the Black Eagle (Prussia, 1807)
• Order of the Red Eagle (Prussia, 1807)
• Precious snuffbox presented by the French Emperor Napoleon I (France, 1807)
• Military Order of Maria Theresa, 3rd class (Austria, 1813)
• Austrian Order of Leopold 2nd Class (Austria, 1813)
• Saber adorned with diamonds, from the City of London (Great Britain, 1814);

Refused the Order of the Legion of Honor (1807)

Memory

Monument to M. I. Platov with the words: “To Ataman Count Platov for military exploits from 1770 to 1816 Appreciative Donets”. Novocherkassk.

In 1853, a monument to Platov was erected in Novocherkassk with the money collected by subscription (authors P. K. Klodt, A. Ivanov, N. Tokarev). In 1923, the monument was removed and transferred to the Donskoy Museum, and in 1925, a monument to Lenin was erected on the same pedestal. In 1993, the monument to Lenin was dismantled, and the restored monument to Platov returned to the pedestal. In 2003, an equestrian monument to Platov was erected in the same city. After another 10 years, an equestrian monument to the ataman was also erected in Moscow. As the traditions of the Don Cossacks are restored, the name of one of the most famous chieftains continues to be immortalized both in the Rostov region and beyond.

Some personal belongings of Ataman Platov, in particular a saddle and a goblet, are in the Museum of the Life Guards of the Cossack Regiment near Paris in France.

The role of Platov in the movie "Suvorov" was played by Yuri Domogarov.

The world-famous Don Cossack Choir under the direction of N. Kostryukov was named after the ataman General Platov.

Platov's name was given to a new airport opened near Rostov-on-Don on December 7, 2017. The decision was made by the Government of the Rostov Region based on the results of the voting in March 2016, final decision by the name of the airport is adopted at the federal level.

In 2012, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation issued a coin (2 rubles, nickel-plated steel) from the series "Commanders and Heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812" with the portrait of Ataman Platov on the reverse.

Platov Matvey Ivanovich (1753-1818) - Russian military man, count (1812), cavalry general (1809), Cossack.

He participated in all the wars of Russia at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries. Since 1801 - ataman of the Don Cossack army.

Yes, my eye is trained, sharp-sighted, my hand is firm. Not only small, but also large birds need to be wary of my arrow.

Platov Matvei Ivanovich

"From the foremen's children of the Don Cossacks" - his father was a military foreman. By birth, he belonged to the Old Believers-priests, although due to his position he did not declare this. Matvey Ivanovich entered the service on the Don in the Military Chancellery in 1766, and on December 4, 1769 he received the rank of Yesaul. In 1771 he distinguished himself in the attack and capture of the Perekop line and Kinburn. From 1772 he began to command a Cossack regiment.

In the 1st Russian-Turkish war in the battle near the Kallah River in 1774, Platov, commanding a thousand Cossacks, defeated a twenty-five thousandth army Crimean Tatars. Matvey Ivanovich was then only 23 years old and he was in the rank of colonel. This victory of his is one of the most remarkable in the history of Russian weapons.
During the 2nd Turkish war, he distinguished himself during the assault on Ochakov. Order of St. George 4th class. No. 278 was awarded April 14, 1789.

During the Persian War of 1795–96 he was a marching ataman. Under Paul I in 1797 he was suspected of conspiracy, exiled to Kostroma, then imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress. But in January 1801 he was released and became a participant in Paul's most adventurous enterprise - a campaign in India. Only with the death of Pavel in March 1801, Platov, who had already advanced at the head of 27 thousand Cossacks to Orenburg, was returned by Alexander I, promoted to lieutenant general and appointed military chieftain of the Don Cossacks. Participated in the battle of Preussisch-Eylau, then in the Turkish war. He was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky and on November 22, 1807 - the Order of St. George, 2nd class. No. 36.

During the Patriotic War, he first commanded all the Cossack regiments on the border, and then, covering the retreat of the army, had successful business with the enemy near the town of Mir and Romanovo. In the battle near the village of Semlevo, Platov's army defeated the French and captured a colonel from the army of Marshal Murat.

Part of the success belongs to Major General Baron Rosen, who was given full freedom of action by Ataman Platov. During the retreat of the French army, Platov, pursuing her, defeated her at Gorodnya, the Kolotsk Monastery, Gzhatsk, Tsarevo-Zaimishcha, near Dukhovshchina and while crossing the Vop River. For merit he was elevated to the dignity of a count. In November, Platov occupied Smolensk from battle and defeated the troops of Marshal Ney near Dubrovna.

At the beginning of January 1813 he entered the borders of Prussia and overlaid Danzig; in September, he received command of a special corps, with which he participated in the battle of Leipzig and, pursuing the enemy, captured about 15 thousand people. In 1814 he fought at the head of his regiments in the capture of Nemur, at Arcy-sur-Aube, Cezanne, Villeneuve. He was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. At the conclusion of peace, he accompanied Emperor Alexander to London, where he was greeted with a noisy ovation.

A well-known Russian military leader, military ataman of the Don Cossack army (since 1801), cavalry general (1809), count (1812). He took part in all the wars of the Russian Empire at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th century. In 1805 he founded Novocherkassk, where he moved the capital of the Don Cossack army. Matvey Ivanovich Platov by birth belonged to the Old Believers-priests, although due to his position he did not openly declare this. In "Historical essays on priesthood" P. I. Melnikov directly calls Platov an Old Believer. Matvey Platov was born in the capital of the Don Cossacks, Cherkassk (now the village of Starocherkasskaya, Aksai district, Rostov region). His father is a Cossack Ivan Fyodorovich Platov was a military sergeant. Mother - Platova Anna Larionovna, was born in 1733. Married to Ivan Fedorovich, they had four sons: Matvey, Stephen, Andrei and Peter.

Matvey Ivanovich entered the service on the Don in the Military Chancellery in 1766 with the rank of constable, and on December 4, 1769 he received the rank of Yesaul. His entire military career was accompanied by good luck. In 1771, he distinguished himself in the attack and capture of the Perekop line and Kinburn. Since 1772 he commanded a Cossack regiment. In 1774 he fought against the highlanders in the Kuban. On April 3, he was surrounded by the Tatars near the Kalala River, but managed to fight back and forced the enemy to retreat. Skillfully and independently repulsed seven attacks of "non-peaceful" highlanders on the Cossack camp. For this feat, he was awarded a gold medal by decree of Empress Catherine II. Then the words of Matvey Ivanovich Platov sounded, which became his life motto:

Honor is dearer than life!

In 1774 (according to other sources - in 1775), at the head of his regiment, he took part in the pacification Pugacheva. In 1782-1783 he fought against the Nogais in the Kuban. In 1784, he participated in the suppression of uprisings of Chechens and Lezgins. He distinguished himself near the city of Kopyl, in battles with the Khan's cavalry Devlet Giray. During these years, the young Don officer served under the command of General-in-Chief A.V. Suvorov having passed a good combat school in the North Caucasus. In June 1787, Platov received the rank of army colonel. On behalf of G.A. Potemkin he formed four Cossack regiments from the same palaces of the Yekaterinoslav province.

Platov went through the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791 from beginning to end. In 1788, he distinguished himself during the assault on Ochakovo, for which on April 14, 1789 he was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th class. "For the excellent bravery shown during the attack of the Ochakov fortress." Most Serene Prince G.A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky transfers the Don colonel to the Chuguev Cossack regiment. At its head, Platov fought bravely in Bessarabia. In 1789, he distinguished himself in the battle of Causeni (September 13), in the capture of the fortified Palanka castle, in the capture of Akkerman (September 28) and Bender (November 3). For Causeni he receives the rank of brigadier.

Since 1790 - ataman of the Yekaterinoslav and Chuguev Cossack troops. Participated in the capture of Ishmael, was noted by A.V. Suvorov as a valiant warrior and on March 25, 1791 was awarded the Order of St. George, 3rd class. "In respect for the diligent service and excellent courage shown during the capture of the city and fortress of Ishmael by storm with the extermination of the Turkish army that was there, commanding the column." On January 1, 1793 he was promoted to major general, awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd degree. In 1796 he participated in Persian campaign, appointed commander of all Cossack units. After the campaign was suddenly canceled by decree from St. Petersburg, disobeying the Highest command, he remained with his regiment to guard the headquarters of the commander of the General-in-Chief Count Valeriana Zubova who was threatened with Persian captivity. For the valor shown during the capture of the ancient fortress, Derbent received an award Golden weapon - a saber decorated with diamonds with the inscription "For Courage".

In 1797, during the reign Paul I, Platov was suspected by the emperor of a conspiracy, expelled from service and exiled to Kostroma. In 1800 he was arrested and imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress. In January 1801, he was released and, by decree of Paul I, became a member of the Indian campaign of the Don Cossacks. Only with the death of Pavel in March 1801, Platov, who had already advanced at the head of 27 thousand Cossacks to Orenburg, was returned. Alexander I. August 26, 1801 M.I. Platov receives the highest rescript on his appointment as a military ataman of the Don Cossacks. On September 15 of the same year, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general, while being awarded the Order of St. Anne, 1st degree.

In the rank of ataman, Matvey Ivanovich took up the "improvement" of the Cossack army entrusted to him, doing a lot to improve its military organization and Everyday life. Under his leadership, the military administration was reorganized, the Don artillery was being reformed. One of the significant events in the history and biography of Matvey Ivanovich Platov is the founding of the city of Novocherkassk by him, and the transfer of the capital of the Don Cossack army to a new city.

Founding of Novocherkassk

The foundation of the city of Novocherkassk - the idea and its implementation - belongs to M.I. Platov. Reasons for founding new capital the Don Cossacks were as follows: firstly, the village of Starocherkasskaya is located on the right side of the Don River, and it was flooded almost every year with the waters of the Don overflowing in the spring; secondly, in the former Cossack capital, built randomly, without master plan, there were frequent fires, in the fire of which up to half of the wooden buildings burned out. In addition, there were no reliable land access roads to Cherkassk.

Ataman Platov has long been hatching a project to create a new capital of the Don Cossack army. In 1804, Emperor Alexander I approved the submission of M.I. Platov "On the founding of a new city on the Don, which will be called the new Cherkasy". A well-known French engineer worked on the city plan Franz de Vollan. He was the first engineer in the armies G.A. Potemkin, and A.V. Suvorov, the first architect of Voznesenka, Odessa, Novocherskassk, Tiraspol, Ovidiopol and other cities, the builder of the first cast-iron bridge in St. Petersburg, the first engineer at the head of the Department of Communications, the first member of the Committee of Ministers of this department. Under his leadership, the Tikhvin and Mariinsky water systems were created.

In 1805, on the day of the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, a solemn laying of the new city took place. A festively arranged move to New Cherkassk took place on May 9, 1806 and was marked by 101 shots from guns. In the same 1806, Emperor Alexander I entrusted Platov with the command of all the Cossack regiments of Russia put up for war. In this regard, he is awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky.

All-Russian fame

The talent of the Cossack commander at Platov "became visible and noticeable to everyone" during the wars against Napoleonic France. From 1806 to 1807 There is a Russian-Prussian-French war. Fighting in the area East Prussia showed that the ataman of the Don Cossacks is able to skillfully manage thousands of irregulatory cavalry. In the campaign of 1807, Matvey Ivanovich commanded all the Cossack regiments of the active army. After the Battle of Preussisch-Eylau, Platov earned all-Russian fame. He became famous for his dashing raids on the flanks of the French army, defeating several separate units. After the retreat from Heilsberg, Platov's detachment acted as a rearguard, taking on the constant blows of the French troops pursuing the Russian army. For the successful cover of the Russian army, retreating to the city of Tilsit, which stood on the border river Neman, the ataman was awarded diamond badges to the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. In Tilsit, where peace was concluded, Platov met Napoleon who recognized the military successes of the ataman. However, the chieftain refused the French Order of the Legion of Honor, saying:

I did not serve Napoleon and I cannot serve.

November 22, 1807 Matvey Ivanovich was awarded the Order of St. George 2nd class "For repeated participation in battles in the position of chief of advanced posts in the war with the French in 1807." The Prussian king awarded him the Orders of the Red Eagle and the Black Eagle.

In the Russian-Turkish war of 1806 - 1812. troops under the command of Platov took the city of Babadag and by assault captured the fortress of Girsovo, for which the ataman was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 1st degree. Then Platov, with his Cossacks, contributed to the success of the commander-in-chief of the Russian Moldavian army, General of Infantry P.I. Bagration in the battle of Rassevat. The Don Cossacks achieved the biggest victory in that war on September 23, 1809. Then they utterly defeated the five thousandth Turkish corps in a field battle between the enemy fortresses of Silistria and Ruschuk. For this victory, Matvey Ivanovich was promoted to cavalry general on September 27, 1809.

Patriotic War and Foreign Campaign

During the Patriotic War of 1812, Matvey Ivanovich Platov first commanded all the Cossack regiments on the border, and then, covering the retreat of the army, had successful business with the enemy near the town of Mir and Romanovo. The battle near Mir in July 1812 is called "the case of Platov's Cossacks."

The main forces of the French Grand Army crossed the Neman in Lithuania, the 1st and 2nd Russian armies stationed there were separated by the advancing French. The commander of the 2nd Army, Bagration, who was in Volkovysk, received an order to urgently move to join the 1st Army Barclay de Tolly. From the west Bagration was pursued by an army Jerome Bonaparte. On July 1, the retreating army of Bagration headed for the formation, but on July 3, avoiding a battle with the army of Marshal Davout, turned back to Nesvizh. On July 8, Bagration's army stopped to rest near Nesvizh, and Bagration ordered Ataman Platov to send patrols and hold back the enemy's movement while the army was resting.

Under the command of Platov there were 5.5 Cossack regiments, numbering 2,600 sabers. On July 9, the ataman ordered an ambush and detain the advance detachment of the enemy. V. A. Sysoev(lieutenant general, also a Don Cossack) divided his regiment into three groups: one hundred was defiantly put forward; two hundred were placed before the World; on the road south of Mir, the main Cossack forces with mobile artillery were secretly located. So the ambush "Cossack Venter" was prepared. The Polish lancers were ambushed, during two days of fighting near Mir, 6 lancers regiments were defeated; Platov captured 18 officers and 375 lower ranks. Almost all the prisoners were wounded due to the extremely fierce battle.

Platov's rearguard battle delayed the movement of Napoleon's troops and ensured the withdrawal of Bagration's 2nd Army to Slutsk. Napoleon Bonaparte was furious, he blamed his own brother Jerome, commander of the right wing of the army, for the defeat of the division, and he returned to the Kingdom of Westphalia. Marshal Davout took command of Jerome's troops.

In the battle near the village of Semlevo, Platov's army defeated the French and captured a colonel from the Marshal's army Murat. Part of the success belongs to Major General Baron Rosen, to whom Ataman Platov granted complete freedom of action. After the battle of Saltanovka, the ataman covered Bagration's retreat to Smolensk. On July 27 (August 8), he attacked the cavalry of General Sebastiani, overturned the enemy, took 310 prisoners and Sebastiani's briefcase with important papers. After the Battle of Smolensk, Platov commanded the rearguard of the united Russian armies.

From August 17 (29) to August 25 (September 6), Matvey Ivanovich fought daily with the French avant-garde units. At the critical moment of the Battle of Borodino, together with Uvarov sent around the left flank of Napoleon. Near the village of Bezzubovo, the cavalry was stopped by the troops of General Ornano and returned back. The ataman called on the Cossacks to join the militia, and already in Tarutino the Cossack contingent reached 22 thousand people. After the battle of Maloyaroslavets, Field Marshal General M.I. Kutuzov Platov was entrusted with the command of the vanguard of the Main Army and the organization of the pursuit of the retreating Great Army. Ataman did this great thing for the history of Russia together with the troops of General M.A. Miloradovich successfully and efficiently. Strong blows were dealt to the troops of the famous Marshal Davout, from whom the Cossacks recaptured 27 guns near the Kolotsky Monastery.

The Platovskaya cavalry participated in the battle near Vyazma, in which the French corps of marshals suffered a complete defeat. Michel Ney, the same Davout and the Italian Viceroy. Then Platov organized the persecution of the corps Beauharnais. On October 27 (November 8) on the Vop River between Dorogobuzh and Dukhovshchina, the Cossack cavalry cut off part of the Beauharnais corps and took 3.5 thousand prisoners, including the chief of staff of the corps, General Sansona, and 62 guns. For merits, by the personal decree of October 29 (November 10), 1812, the ataman of the Don army, cavalry general Matvey Ivanovich Platov, was elevated, with his descendants, to Count of the Russian Empire dignity .

On November 8, the flying corps of the cavalry general Count M.I. Platov, when crossing the Dnieper River, utterly defeated the remnants of the corps of Marshal Ney. Three days later, the Cossacks occupied the city of Orsha. On November 15, the city of Borisov was captured with a fight, and the enemy lost about 5 thousand killed and 7 thousand prisoners. Big success On November 28, he accompanied the irregular cavalry in the battle near the city of Vilna (nene - Vilnius, Lithuania), where the 30,000th enemy corps was utterly defeated, trying to cover the retreat of the remnants of the Great Army behind the border Neman. For three days, Platov pursued the retreating enemy army from Vilna to Kovno and, without giving him time to reorganize his forces, on December 3 entered Kovno (modern Kaunas). On that day, the Cossacks successfully crossed the Neman River and moved fighting Russian army on the territory of East Prussia. Emperor Alexander I repeatedly expressed the monarch's "favor" to the Cossack commander from the banks of the Don.

The effectiveness of the combat activities of the Cossack troops under the command of Ataman Count M.I. Platov during the Patriotic War of 1812 is amazing. They captured 546 (548) enemy guns, 30 banners and captured more than 70 thousand Napoleonic soldiers, officers and generals; and also recaptured a huge amount of valuables stolen in Moscow. Commander M.I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov wrote to M.I. Platov the following words:

The services rendered by you to the Fatherland have no examples, you proved to the whole of Europe the power and strength of the inhabitants of the blessed Don ...

During the Foreign Campaign, Matvey Ivanovich was at the Headquarters, while from time to time he was entrusted with the command of individual detachments operating on enemy communications. In 1813, Platov fought in Prussia, took part in the siege of the powerful Danzig fortress. On September 16, in the first foreign campaign, Platov's cavalry near the city of Oltenburg (Altenburg) defeated the French corps of General Lefebvre and pursued him to the city of Zeiss. The reward was a precious portrait (decorated with diamonds) of the All-Russian Sovereign to be worn on the chest.

In September, Matvey Ivanovich received command of a special corps, with which he participated in the battles of Leipzig on October 4, 6 and 7, 1813. The Cossack regiments of Ataman Platov's flying corps, pursuing the enemy, captured about 15 thousand soldiers and officers.

For services, on October 8, 1813, M. I. Platov was awarded the highest award of the Russian Empire - the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. For the persecution of the French, he was given a diamond pen with the monogram of Emperor Alexander I to wear on his headdress. On October 10, the flying corps of the Don ataman inflicts a new defeat on the French troops of General Lefebvre. The battle took place near the German city of Weimar. From October 16 to 18, the Cossack regiments supported the allied Bavarian troops under the command of General Wrede in the battle of Hanau. Matvey Ivanovich's golden saber "For Courage" was adorned with premium golden laurels.

The year 1814 was marked for the Cossack cavalry under the command of Platov with many victories already on French soil. The flying corps distinguished itself in its battles at Laon, Epinal, Sharm. Matvey Ivanovich fought at the head of his regiments during the capture of the fortified city of Nemours (Namur) (February 4), in the defeat of the enemy at Aris, at Arcy-sur-Aube (battle on March 20-21 between Napoleon's army and the Main Allied Army on the Ob River during campaign in France in 1814. This was the last battle of Napoleon, where he personally commanded the troops before his first abdication), Cezanne and Villeneuve. Near the city of Cezanne, Platov's Cossacks captured a detachment of the elite troops of Emperor Napoleon I - part of the forces of his Old Guard. Then they took under the very enemy capital its suburb - the town of Fontainebleau. Ataman M.I. Platov, at the head of his light-horse regiments, for three years - from 1812 to 1814 - surprising Europe, as part of the Russian army, solemnly entered the defeated Paris. The Don people then pitched their bivouac on the famous Champs Elysees.

In the same 1814, after the conclusion Parisian world, cavalry general M.I. Platov accompanied the emperor Alexander I to London, where he was received from special attention. Together with three particularly distinguished commanders of the armies of the anti-Napoleonic coalition - the Russian field marshal Barclay de Tolly, Prussian field marshal Blucher and Austrian Field Marshal Schwarzenberg received a special honorary saber of jewelry work as an award from the municipality of London (located in Novocherkassk in the Museum of the History of the Don Cossacks).

Matvey Ivanovich Platov became the first Russian to be awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of the aristocratic Oxford University. A royal ship was named after him. naval forces, and bronze medals were minted in his honor by the London Mint.

Last years of life. Death

After 1815, the commander settled on the Don, in the military capital - the city of Novocherkassk, where he worked hard for the benefit of the city and the entire Don Cossacks. In the last years of his life, Platov founded a gymnasium and a military printing house in Novocherkassk. Matvey Ivanovich died three years later, on January 3 (January 15, according to the new style), 1818. Initially, the ataman was buried in Novocherkassk, in the family crypt near the Ascension Cathedral in 1818. In 1875, his reburial took place at the Bishop's Dacha (on the Mishkin farm), and on October 4 (17), 1911, his ashes were transferred to the tomb of the Military Cathedral in Novocherkassk. After October 1917, Platov's grave was desecrated. The ashes were reburied at the same place in the military cathedral on May 15, 1993.

Count family of Platovs

It is known that Matvey Ivanovich Platov was married twice, from him comes the count family of Platovs. In February 1777 he married Nadezhda Stepanovna, daughters of the marching ataman Stepan Efremov and granddaughter of Major General Daniel Efremov. From his first marriage, Matvey Ivanovich had a son Ivan(I-st) (1777 - 1806). After the death of N.S. Platova (November 15, 1873), M.I. Platov married a second time.

In 1785, his second wife was Marfa Dmitrievna(b.c.1760 - December 24, 1812/1813), widow of a colonel Pavel Fomich Kirsanov(1740 - 1782), sister of the ataman Andrey Dmitrievich Martynov. On August 11, 1809, she was awarded the Order of St. Catherine of the Small Cross. In the second marriage, Matvey Ivanovich had four daughters and two sons:
Martha(1786 - 1821) was married to Colonel Stepan Dmitrievich Ilovaisky (1778 — 1816);
Anna(1778 -?) - married Kharitonov;
Maria(1789 - 1866) - Major General's wife Timofey Dmitrievich Grekov;
Alexandra (1791 — ?);
Matvey(1793 - after 1814) - Major General, awarded the Order of St. George 4th class. "For differences in battles with the French" (1813);
Ivan(II-th) (1796 - 1874) - colonel, participant in the Patriotic War of 1812.

In addition, the children of Marfa Dmitrievna from their first marriage were brought up in the Platov family - Khrisanf Kirsanov, a future major general, and Ekaterina Pavlovna Kirsanova, later the wife of the chief ataman Nicholas Ilovaisky.

Ataman Platov and the Old Believers

Matvey Ivanovich Platov rendered an invaluable service to the Old Believers: while in Moscow after the expulsion of Napoleon, he donated the Rogozhsky cemetery at the request of the priest Fr. John Yastrebova a marching linen church in the name of the Holy Trinity of pre-Nikonian consecration, which, together with an Old Believer priest (possibly a usher) was with his detachment during the campaign against Napoleon. Moscow Old Believers received permission from the authorities to serve liturgy in this church. Prior to that, the liturgy at Rogozhsky was served secretly and therefore very rarely. Since 1813, they began to celebrate the liturgy at the Rogozhsky cemetery on major holidays, setting up a camp church right in the altar. This field church was later the efforts of the Moscow Metropolitan Filareta (Drozdova) taken from the old believers.

The Old Believers still keep the memory of Ataman Platov. So, in 2012, in the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church, on Rogozhsky, anniversary celebrations were held dedicated to the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812, and on December 7, 2013, the metropolitan took part in the grand opening of the monument to ataman Matvey Ivanovich Platov, which was installed in the park of the Cossack Glory of the district Lefortovo South-Eastern Administrative District of Moscow.

Memory of Matvey Platov

In 1853, with the money collected on the Don by subscription, a monument was erected in the city of Novocherkassk (the authors P. K. Klodt, A. Ivanov, N. Tokarev) to the most famous to the Cossack ataman in the history of Russia. The inscription on the monument read "To Ataman Count Platov for military exploits from 1770 to 1816 grateful Donets." In 1923, the monument was demolished and rebuilt in 1993. At present, Novocherkassk is the capital of the world Cossacks, and in the city center, near the Military Cathedral, there is a monument to the founder of the city - ataman Matvey Ivanovich Platov.

There is also an equestrian monument to M. I. Platov in Novocherkassk, erected in 2003 to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of the ataman. In the same city there is a monument to the Great Don Army.

On August 26, 1904, the 4th Don Cossack Regiment began to bear the name of Matvey Ivanovich Platov, as the eternal boss.

The name of Matvey Platov is the branded railway train "Rostov - Moscow".

In Moscow in 1976, Platovskaya Street was named after the ataman. The name was transferred from the built-up Platovsky Proyezd, which was named so back in 1912.

The village of Budyonnovskaya (Proletarsky district of the Rostov region) used to be called Platovskaya.

September 1, 2008 in the "Moscow Cadet Cossack Corps. Sholokhov” a bust of M.I. Platov as part of the Alley of Russian Glory project.

Until the first half of the 1920s, there was Platovskaya Street in Novocherkassk, renamed Podtelkovsky Prospekt. Now called Platovsky Prospekt.

The square in the town of Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, which previously bore the name of Shchadenko since September 2010, has been named after Platov, at the direction of which the architect De Vollan carried out the initial layout of the village of Kamenskaya. A memorial stele and a bronze bust of the ataman are installed on the square.

The name of the ataman General Platov was the name of the well-known Choir of the Don Cossacks under the direction of N. Kostryukova.

In 2012, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation issued a coin (2 rubles, nickel-plated steel) from the series "Commanders and Heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812" with the portrait of Ataman Platov on the reverse.

Platov's name was given to a new airport opened near Rostov-on-Don on December 7, 2017. The decision was made by the Government of the Rostov Region based on the results of a vote in March 2016, the final decision on the name of the airport was made at the federal level.

The memory of Matvey Platov is kept not only in Russia, but also abroad. Some personal belongings of Ataman Platov, in particular a saddle and a goblet, are in the Museum of the Life Guards of the Cossack Regiment near Paris in France.

M. Kochergin. Platov, Ivan Matveevich (Art.) // Russian biographical dictionary: in 25 volumes / Under the supervision of the chairman of the Imperial Russian Historical Society A. A. Polovtsev. - St. Petersburg, 1905. - T. 14: Melters - Primo. - S. 21.
. Sulin I.M. Pages of the Past // Don Regional News. 1902. Jan. 1 (No. 1). C. 3.
. V. G. Levchenko. Heroes of 1812: a collection. Young Guard, 1987. Pp. 114.
. Matvei Ivanovich Platov. General. Ataman. Graph. Founder of the city of Novocherkassk.
. Astapenko M., Levchenko V. M.I. Platov // Heroes of 1812. - M: Young Guard, 1987. - S. 53-118. — 608 p. — (Life of remarkable people). - 200,000 copies.
. Cavalry Ladies of the smaller cross // Court calendar for 1824.

Cossack military prowess

Ataman M.I. Platov -
outstanding Russian commander

Praise, our whirlwind - chieftain,
Leader of the unharmed, Platov!
Your enchanted lasso
Thunderstorm for adversaries.
An eagle rustles through the clouds,
You roam the field like a wolf;
You fly with fear behind enemy lines,
You whistle in their ears with trouble!
They are only to the forest - the forest came to life,
The trees are shooting arrows!
They are only to the bridge - the bridge is gone!
Only to the villages - the villages are bursting!

V.A. Zhukovsky

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 Cossack Region, and all life in it was imbued with a military spirit. From here came all orders for the military unit, service Cossacks gathered here to go on campaigns. The surroundings, as well as the stories of old warriors about feats of war, 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, shooting exercises were her favorite pastimes. Among these young people, the future leader of the Don Cossack army Matvey Ivanovich Platov grew up, who already at that time stood out from total mass sharpness of mind, agility and dexterity.

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

At the age of thirteen, Matvey Ivanovich was appointed by his father to serve in the military office, where he soon attracted attention and was promoted to constable.

During the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774. Platov was in the ranks of the army under the command of Prince M.V. Dolgorukov, as commander of the Cossack hundreds. Behind military merit 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-Kaynardzhi, Platov was instructed to deliver a convoy with food and equipment to the army located in the Kuban. On the way, the brother Crimean Khan Devlet Giray. Under the green banner of the prophet there were up to 30 thousand Tatars, highlanders, Nogais. The situation in which the convoy found itself was desperate.

Larionov handed over the 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 will either have a glorious death or victory. We will not be Russians and Donets if we are afraid of the enemy. With god help ward off his evil designs!"

By order of Platov, a fortification was hastily arranged from the convoy. Seven times with a frenzy the Tatars and their allies rushed into the attack on the relatively weak forces of the Cossacks, and seven times the latter threw 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 intact 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-Tauride 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 to flight Turkish troops and captures the "three-bunch pasha" Zainal-Ghassan. For this feat, he was appointed field 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: “Courage, a swift blow Don army I can't praise enough before your lordship." For services in the capture of Izmail, Matvey Ivanovich was presented 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 takes part in Persian War. Cases under Derbent, Baku, Elizavetpol wove new laurels into Platov's wreath. He was awarded the order St. Vladimir of the III degree, and Catherine II awarded him with a saber in a velvet sheath and a gold frame, with large diamonds and rare emeralds.

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

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

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

The reason for Platov's arrest was a false denunciation. Pavel was told that Platov's enormous popularity had taken on a dangerous character. It must be said that Pavel was generally dissatisfied with the illustrious Cossack general for his closeness to Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, an opponent of the Prussian drill, which Pavel planted in the Russian army.

At the end of 1800, Paul I released Matvey Ivanovich from custody in order to later use him in the implementation of his ridiculous and fantastic plan - the conquest of India. Platov understood that the campaign conceived by Paul would require many sacrifices and would not bring any benefit to Russia, but he did not dare to refuse the tsar's proposal.

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.

In early February 1801, the detachment set off.

Severe trials fell on the lot of the Cossacks in this ill-fated campaign. Only sudden death Paul I put an end to their torment. Alexander I, who ascended the throne, ordered the Cossacks to return home. Thus ended the campaign to India, about which only legends and grief 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 said 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 Cossack 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 cavalry battery, set out on a campaign to the Austrian border. However, he did not have to participate in the battles, since soon after Napoleon's victory at Austerlitz, peace was concluded over the allied forces. But the war didn't 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 the Napoleonic troops. The name of the Don ataman became even more famous not only in Russia, but also abroad.

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

At this time, a characteristic incident occurred. At the request of Napoleon, horse riding was carried out. The Cossacks rode horseback riding, chopped up lozina, shot from under the belly of a galloping horse at a target. The horsemen took out coins scattered on the grass from the saddle; rushing at a gallop, they pierced effigies with darts; some spun in the saddle at this gallop dexterously and so quickly that it was impossible to make out where their hands were and where their legs ...

A lot more was done by the Cossacks, which took the breath away from lovers and connoisseurs of horse riding. Napoleon was delighted and, turning to Platov, asked: “And you, General, can you shoot a bow?” Platov grabbed a bow with arrows from the nearest Bashkir and, having dispersed his horse, fired several arrows at a gallop. They all slammed into the straw dummies with a whistle.

When Platov returned to his seat, Napoleon told him:

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

Taking the snuffbox and bowing, Platov said to the interpreter:

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

An original gift, - Napoleon smiled, examining the bow. - Well, my general, your bow will remind me that it is difficult for even a small bird to protect himself from the arrow of the Don chieftain. The well-aimed arrow of the chieftain will overtake her everywhere.

When the translator translated this, Platov said:

Yes, my eye is trained, sharp-sighted, my hand is firm. Not only small, but also large birds need to be wary of my arrow.

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

By 1812, almost all of Western and Central Europe was subject to Napoleon. He reshaped it as he wanted, created new states, put 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 the east of Europe - Russia.

Napoleon began to carefully prepare for a 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 155,000 had entered Russian territory. By the beginning of the war, Russia could put up no more than 180 thousand people against Napoleon. The huge forces of the vast country had not yet been assembled. But the Russian army had a number of advantages. The fighting spirit of Russian soldiers, selfless patriots of their great homeland, was high ... The Russian soldier was distinguished by unsurpassed courage, had a sharp mind. Among the regiments there were many participants in the Suvorov campaigns, soldiers of the Suvorov school. Quite a few Suvorov students numbered 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.

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

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

In the first period of the war, Platov was in the second army, commanded by Bagration. The army of Bagration went to connect with 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. Departing, the Cossacks incessantly flew in small groups on the enemy's carts, smashing them and instantly disappearing; destroyed the vanguards of the enemy; made raids on the rear, led him astray.

On the day of the Battle of Borodino, according to the plan of M.I. The Kutuzov corps of Platov and General Uvarov crossed the Kolocha River and went deep into the enemy rear, to the location of his carts, where they raised a big commotion.

Observing the actions of the Platov and Uvarov corps, Kutuzov exclaimed with admiration: “Well done! .. Well done! .. How can this valiant service of our army be paid? In all likelihood, he thought that our big force had hit him in the rear. And we will use Bonaparte's embarrassment."

The operation of the cavalry corps of Platov and Uvarov forced Napoleon to suspend the offensive for two whole hours. The Russians during this time managed to bring reinforcements and put up reserve artillery.

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

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

Farewell, Mother! We will be back! - said Platov leaving Moscow. In difficult days for Russia, when the Napoleonic army was moving deeper and deeper into its territory, Platov appealed to the inhabitants of the Don to defend their homeland. Don honorably complied with this call. Twenty-four cavalry regiments of the people's militia and six cavalry guns were sent to the active army. Fifteen thousand faithful sons Quiet Don stood up for the defense of the motherland... Not only men, but also women joined the ranks of the army.

When Platov came to Kutuzov to report the arrival of 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 him, gratitude to the Don army for its labors and courage in this difficult time will remain in my heart.

After entering Moscow, the position of the enemy army became more and more difficult. Cossack regiments and partisan detachments Denis Davydov, Seslavin, Figner surrounded Moscow from all sides, preventing French foragers from getting food and fodder for horses in the surrounding villages, getting even the little that could be found in depopulated and devastated villages. Napoleon's troops were forced to eat horsemeat, carrion. Illnesses have begun. Enemy soldiers were dying by the thousands. The entire Russian people rose to 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 assigned a special and honorable place 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 miserable time has come ... Just have time to sharpen your sabers and sharpen your darts ... We will now wipe the snot of the braggart Bonapartishka. Come on, brothers, let's make noise, let our Russian woman know that her sons, dashing Donets, are still alive ... "

And indeed, starting from the Tarutinsky battle, the Cossacks made a noise. Not a day went by that they didn't do something. Everywhere there was only talk about the exploits of the Cossacks. A lot of noise around the country was caused by the news that the Cossacks near Maloyaroslavets almost captured Napoleon himself.

On October 19, in the battle with the corps of Marshal Davout at the Kolotsky Monastery, Platov's Cossacks again distinguished themselves. They defeated Davout's rearguard and captured huge booty. A couple of days after that, 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 him, 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, beating both artillery and infantry columns!

For a thousand-mile transition from Maloyaroslavets to the borders of Prussia, the Cossacks captured more than 500 guns from the French, a huge number of convoys with things looted in Moscow, more than 50 thousand soldiers and officers captured, 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 deeds of our ancestors in the Patriotic War of 1812 will forever remain in the memory of the people. The people have not forgotten and will not forget the glorious deeds of the Don Cossacks, whose merits to the fatherland were vividly appreciated by the great Russian commander - M.I. Kutuzov: “My reverence for the Don Army and gratitude for their exploits during the enemy’s campaign, soon deprived of all cavalry and artillery horses, therefore, guns ... will remain in my heart. I bequeath this feeling to my offspring.”

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, freeing Europe enslaved by Napoleon. The campaign of 1813-1814 began, in which the Cossacks further increased the glory of Russian weapons.

In February, Cossacks and hussars made a raid on Berlin, which did not give direct military results, but made a huge impression on the Prussians. This hastened 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 you lead. The flight of pursuit cannot be compared with any speed. Eternal glory to the fearless Don people!”

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

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

War of 1812-1814 brought worldwide fame to the Cossacks of the Don. Newspapers and magazines of that time were full of reports about the Donets, their military exploits. The name of the Don ataman Platov was very 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 composed about him, his portraits were printed. In London, Platov met with the famous English poet Byron and writer Walter Scott.

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

Participation in the war of 1812, military merit and patriotic deeds did not bring, however, the labor Cossacks, like the whole of labor Russia, a better life. The labor Cossack could rightfully say about himself in the words of Russian soldiers: “We shed blood ... We saved the Motherland from the tyrant (Napoleon), and the gentlemen again tyrannize us.”

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

Agarkov L.T.

Conference speech, 1955

White dense fog spreads at dusk from the river across the field. Horses roam in black shadows. The boys from the neighboring Cossack village huddle around the fire. The conversation is about horses and the autumn fair, where there will be war games and horse races - the main holiday of the year. There is also a race for teenagers, and fathers give their sons their best horses so that they do not lose face.

Red Ivan and long Matveyka are arguing over who will take the prize this year - Bay or Voronok. There they walk across the meadow, each on his own side, as if even now they are looking at each other. Matveikin Voronok looks more overweight, but when it comes to the race, he has no equal, everyone knows about it. "Well, let's see!" Ivan doesn't give up.

Matvey Platov has a special interest in this whole story. The father has long been knocking on the thresholds so that the smart boy is taken to the Cossack service - even as a clerk, even for parcels. Only he is still small, only thirteen years old. Ataman doubts. The Cossacks did not yet have such a thing, that, like the nobles in the sovereign's army, from infancy, children were recorded in the regiment. So the father says: if Matveyka shows himself to be a real daredevil at the races, the ataman will not resist - the boy will have both service and a combat uniform.

In the morning, having hobbled the horses, the guys go to bed. And at dawn, trouble comes: Voronok, having stumbled, falls into a ravine and breaks his back. The rest of the boys stand quietly at the edge of the ravine while Matvey strokes and tries to raise the horse. Even Ivan is silent. What can you say?

However, Matvey's father is not ready to give up his dream so easily. For two nights he walks from end to end of the hut darker than clouds. Matvey freezes on his bench, thinking that a thunderstorm is about to break out and he will get it to the fullest. On the third day, without saying a word, the father leaves somewhere and returns with a wild gray stallion of amazing articles. Yes, he spent all the family's savings, but the horse is a real devil. On his back, Matveyka will sweep ahead of everyone at the races, to the first reckless victory in his life, the approval of the chieftain and appointment to the service at the age of thirteen, in 1766.

The father did not fail: this triumph instilled in his son a taste for honestly earned fame, made him believe in himself and his lucky star, which would make Platov a legendary hero of the war of 1812, and make the whole of Europe go crazy for the imposing, ferocious and mustachioed Russian Cossacks.

Fight check

The year was 1774. Young Platov, already in command of the Cossack hundred, served the Empress in the first Russian-Turkish war. At the end of the war, an amazing episode occurred, after which Matvey Platov was personally introduced to Catherine II and invited to the court.

It began as an unremarkable rear mission. Two Cossack colonels, Platov and Larionov, were assigned to a large convoy, which was supposed to deliver food and ammunition to the Kuban. On the steep bank of the river Kalalakh we made a stop for the night. The bath, which sweaty riders dreamed of all day, was long and fun. Then they let the horses into the meadow, set up camp, had supper and lay down.

Matvey tossed and turned from side to side in the stuffy tent for a long time and could not fall asleep at all. He went out into the cool of the night, lit a cigarette and saw the old Cossack Frol Avdotiev. A couple of years ago, Platov was appointed commander, bypassing Frol's old military merits, but he was not offended. Yes, and Matthew always treated him with respect.

Something is alarming, Frolushka, Platov complained.
- Yes, and I'm restless! he agreed. "Something's going on around here." Can you hear the birds screaming? They should sleep at night. Put your ear to the ground!

Matvey obediently got on his knees, leaned over and listened. Nothing. Although ... as if there is some kind of rumble.

Does it sound like something? - he asked.
- That's it! Frol raised his finger. - It seems to me that a large cavalry is gathering quite close. Not one hundred goals! Are the Turks preparing an ambush? Maybe jump, scout?
- Jump, dear, if you still can't sleep! Matthew agreed.

An hour later, Frol returned with terrible news: just a few kilometers away, right by the road you have to go tomorrow, bonfires are burning to the horizon! Ten thousand or even twenty people there. The Turks have gathered the remnants of their army and are clearly preparing an attack. And they have only two thousand horsemen guarding the convoy!

Platov woke Larionov, and they hurriedly began to hold a council. Run with a clumsy convoy? They will not have time ... Break through? Impossible. We must build fortifications and defend ourselves, meanwhile sending a messenger to the nearest outpost! Platov thought so. Larionov said that he was resigning his command, because he did not believe that they would get out of this trap alive.

They carefully raised the entire camp and lined up the carts in a defensive square on the steep bank of the river until dawn. Two messengers were sent for help to the nearest garrison. However, it was clear that even if they jumped at the fastest gallop, reinforcements would not come until the evening of the next day. We must rely only on ourselves. With dawn, the Turks appeared on the crest of a neighboring hill. With a whoop they went down to the fortified wagon train, and Platov immediately began firing from a single cannon. Thus began the heroic siege on the Kalalakh River, which lasted eight hours and proved that the Don Cossacks could defend themselves against an enemy twenty times their number!

When the sun was setting and Platov already thought that his death hour was near, confusion suddenly began in the ranks of the Turks. From the west, they began to be pressed by fresh forces that arrived to help from the garrison, which instantly dispersed the frightened enemy army.

Catherine II wished to personally reward the hero who, with two regiments, was able to defeat "a whole army." Matvey was introduced to the court and made a good impression. The empress nodded coyly at the rustic jokes of the young mustached man and invited him to stay at the palace if he ever happened to be in Petersburg.

Ups and downs

In 1775, Platov participated in the suppression of the Pugachev rebellion. In 1780, he pacified the Chechens and Lezgins in the Caucasus. Then came a period of a short respite, when the illustrious hero was married to a Cossack woman from a good family, and he prepared to actively continue the Platov family ... However, the second Russian-Turkish war, in which the chieftain again distinguished himself and was appointed commander of the Cossack army.

In 1896, Paul I came to the throne. Old favorites fell into disgrace under the new government. Platov, unaware of palace intrigues, suddenly finds himself "the organizer of a conspiracy against the emperor." He was exiled to Kostroma for four years, and then completely thrown into the dungeons of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Perhaps it was there that Matvey caught consumption, from which he was treated throughout the second half of his life. However, humiliation, Jesuit interrogations, hopelessness and surreal events did not break our hero. He acquired a bitter knowledge of secular life, without which a real military career is impossible. From a rustic and dashing warrior, Platov during this time turned into a sophisticated courtier. And he managed to break free! However, in a rather strange way.

In 1801, Platov was released from the Peter and Paul Fortress and immediately sent to Central Asia to participate in the legendary Indian campaign, which some military historians still consider a hoax. Almost no documents about this enterprise of Paul have been preserved, with the exception of a certain "Memorandum of Leibniz with the application of a project for an overland expedition to India by agreement between the first consul and Emperor Paul I." France urged Russia to send Cossacks to Central Asia and launch a land attack on India in order to divert the forces of the United Kingdom to the colony, after which Napoleon planned to attack british empire from Europe. Despite the illusory promises of "fabulous Indian riches”, for the Cossacks, this expedition was to end with an inevitable and complete defeat. However, such was the price of freedom for Platov.

The Cossack militia was obediently assembled and sent to hell in the middle of nowhere, but, fortunately, did not have time to reach their destination. In March 1801, Paul I was strangled (it is believed that not without the participation of British intelligence, which found out about the insidious alliance). Alexander I prudently recalled the Cossacks back, especially since the evil winds of the Napoleonic wars had already blown in Europe by that time.

Platov and Napoleon

The rapid offensive of France on the Russian allies, Austria and Prussia, forced Alexander I in 1805 to send reinforcements to Europe. A full part of the Russian army, "flying troops", were the Cossacks, led by Ataman Platov. The fast and unstoppable Cossack cavalry was an ideal tool for operating in the rear and pursuing the retreating enemy, the "flying troops" were also used to cover their own retreat. In Europe, for the first time, they saw the Cossacks - Asian-like rabid horsemen in Russian uniforms and with sabers unsheathed. They frightened with their unexpected appearance from some kind of forest ambush, rolled with lava, chopped without looking back, and just as suddenly disappeared. Cossacks became a secret Russian weapon, which was feared abroad and proud of at home. Derzhavin even composed an ode appropriate for the occasion:

Platov! Europe already knows
That you are a terrible leader of the Don forces.
By surprise, as if a sorcerer, everywhere
You will fall like snow from clouds or rain.

However, confusion reigned in the command of the allied anti-Napoleonic troops, there was no general plan. Victories gave way to defeats, the Russian army was exhausted, it was difficult to get food and fodder on foreign territory. In 1807, the Treaty of Tilsit was concluded with Napoleon.

At diplomatic meetings in Tilsit, in addition to banquets and business negotiations, demonstration races were staged. Here the Cossacks showed themselves in all their glory: horse riding, dressage, archery right at a gallop! Napoleon was especially struck by the fact that Platov also participated in the demonstration. He approached the chieftain with compliments and offered him his diamond snuffbox as a gift. Matvey, narrowing his eyes, accepted the gift, but said that it was customary in the Don to “give away” gifts, after which he presented Napoleon with his bow and arrows.

Glorious weapon! - admired the Frenchman. - Now I know that well-aimed Cossacks can shoot even the smallest bird from it!
- Not only a small, but also a large bird should be afraid of us, - the ataman noticed.

The translators then hurried to smooth over the awkwardness, but Platov's bold remark turned out to be prophetic. Just a few years later, Napoleon's troops, violating the truce, went on the offensive against Russia.

mustard vodka

The French offensive coincided with a very difficult period in Platov's life. Even under Catherine, he noticed one thing: even if you were the most courageous hero, but without some smallest title in front of your name, you will remain in St. Petersburg drawing rooms just a funny little animal. For more than twenty years now, as soon as he got to the capital, Matvey again and again became convinced of this bitter conventionality of secular society. His address changed, he had behind him scary experience Peter and Paul Fortress and solid years, he was treated for lung problems by the best St. Petersburg doctors, as well as representatives of the most famous families... In the end, he became the chieftain, the official commander-in-chief of the entire Don! There were a lot of hopes for this. But all the same, all orders, sabers and royal snuffboxes did not give Ataman Platov the right to sit at the table in front of the baronet himself, and this same baronet, defiantly turning away, waited for Matvey Ivanovich to be the first to come up to him with a greeting in the secular drawing room. Platov was bitter and offended, and he had long hinted in the highest circles that it was not an order or another ribbon that he desired, but a title worthy of a faithful Russian warrior ... Yes, all in vain. What was to be done about this injustice? Just drink it with mustard vodka, yes, with a wave of your hand, go yourself to say hello and introduce yourself as if nothing had happened. However, in younger years it was possible to drink a lot and remain on horseback, with reckless courage smashing the enemy on the battlefield or in a secular salon. But the older the ataman became, the harder it was for him to achieve alcoholic exploits. This is how Platov got into trouble during the retreat of the Russian army in 1812. Then the ataman drowned out the confusion from defeat with vodka and scolded Field Marshal Barclay. He had long held a grudge against the quick-tempered Cossack, considered him an absurd drunkard who drowned his best qualities in vodka. But formally there was nothing to complain about the ataman. And then one day the opportunity presented itself: the Cossacks missed the French offensive. Barclay immediately wrote a report to the sovereign, in which he said that Platov "slept through" the enemy due to unrestrained drunkenness. Matvey Ivanovich was removed from command of the forward detachments and sent deep into the rear.

Revenge

This second disgrace was hard for Matvey Ivanovich. Saved by his old friend Kutuzov. As soon as the multi-authority of Barclay, Bagration and Tormasov ended and the command of all Russian troops passed to Kutuzov, Platov was again returned to the front line.

The ataman appreciated this: light troops, reinforced by additional militia from the Don, arrived in time to help just at the critical moment of the Battle of Borodino. It was the Cossacks who, by their unexpected appearance in the rear, delayed the attack of the Napoleonic troops for an invaluable two hours. It was the Cossacks who did not give the exhausted French a moment of peace after the battle, appearing from the dusk of the night and cutting down the enemy who had settled down to rest. It was the Cossacks who created the general disturbing impression that, even despite the withdrawal from Moscow, Russia did not give up - it hid in a dark forest ambush and is waiting in the wings to go on the offensive.

This attack was not long in coming. And here Matvey Platov with his flying berserkers had no equal. With loud cries of "Hurrah!" they drove the enemy back to the borders of the Russian Empire, capturing endless trophies, Napoleonic generals, artillery pieces, without slowing down for a second and without letting Napoleon take a breath. The French commander, assessing his defeat in Russia, said to Caulaincourt: “We must do justice to the Cossacks: it is to them that the Russians owe their success in this campaign. This is undeniably best lungs troops that exist." Already in Poland, forced out of the Russian Empire, Napoleon exclaimed bitterly: “Give me only the Cossacks - and I will go through all of Europe!” However, he did not have the Cossacks, and the French fled further and further in panic, leaving Prussia and Austria, and Napoleon was overthrown and exiled to the island of Elba.

For Ataman Platov, the time has come for the greatest triumph and the fulfillment of all innermost desires. Even at the very beginning of the counteroffensive of the Russian army, Kutuzov procured for him the long-awaited title of count. In 1814, Platov, as part of the delegation of Alexander I, visited Union Great Britain. This trip at the peak of the glory of exotic "Cossackoffs" in Europe turned out to be the most significant test for the ataman - "copper pipes". During the journey of the imperial motorcade to London, it was constantly stopped locals, threw flowers, brought pies, shook hands. The ladies were especially curious to look at the "ataman Platoff", prancing on a war horse. At some point, the Englishwomen treacherously crept up behind and cut off a lock of the tail of the chieftain's horse, which was immediately taken apart by a hair for souvenirs. Oxford University awarded Platov the title of an honorary doctor, a new ship of the English navy was named after the ataman *.

Another remarkable historical anecdote relates to this moment. Masters of the London arms factory presented the delegation of Alexander I with the famous miniature steel flea with complex internal mechanism. They say that it was the desperate patriot Platov who said that Russian gunsmiths would not yield to the British. He took the insect to Tula and asked to wipe the nose of foreigners. The flea was shod, and the Tula master left his signature on each carnation

Captured the famous Cossack and some personal trophy. From England, Platov brought an English young lady to the Don, about whom Denis Davydov once joked: “It is completely incomprehensible how Platov managed to “companion” this miss without knowing a word of English.” However, the magnificent "Ataman Platoff" in such a case, again, did not need extra words. By that time, his Cossack wife had died for many years, leaving a worthy number of heirs to the count's title, and the white-faced miss successfully brightened up the advanced years of the military chieftain.

Platov spent these years surrounded by his sons and grandsons, breeding a special breed of war horses on the Don and taking care of Cossack affairs. However, problems with the lungs did not allow the honored veteran to enjoy peace for a long time. He died on January 3, 1818, and with all due honors was buried under the walls of the stone Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk, which was under construction.

Jokes about Platov

Platov's favorite drinking companion was the Prussian General Blucher. Two warriors just sat opposite each other and got drunk until Blucher fell on his side. They did not know each other's language, and the adjutants were all interested in Platov's pleasure from this acquaintance. But Matvey Ivanovich was offended: “Do words really need to be here? And so it is clear that he is a warm-hearted person! There’s only one problem: it can’t stand it!”

According to one version, the word "bistro", which is called a fast food cafe in France, was born during the stay of Platov's Cossacks in Paris. Having defeated Napoleon, the Russian army was walking in the French capital on a Moscow scale. Hot mustaches on horseback drove up to restaurants and, sometimes without even dismounting, demanded something to eat and - "quickly, quickly, quickly!".

The statesman, writer and publicist Count Fyodor Vasilievich Rostopchin once hosted Platov. Tea was served, and the ataman poured plenty of rum into it. At this time, another friend of his, the writer Karamzin, came to Fyodor Vasilyevich. Platov joyfully got up to meet the new guest, extended his hand and remarked with all sincerity: “Very glad, very glad to meet you! I have always loved writers because they are all drunkards!”