The life and military exploits of one of the talented students of the Suvorov school, the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, Matvey Ivanovich Platov, represent a remarkable page in military history and still serve as lessons of courage, patriotism and high military skill. Matvey Ivanovich took part in all the wars of the Russian Empire in the late 18th - early 19th centuries. For the Cossacks, Platov was the personification of Cossack valor, loyalty to the Fatherland and readiness for self-sacrifice. The memory of Platov has been immortalized many times in the names of squares and streets, educational institutions and ships. However, it is practically unknown to the modern generation.
Matvey Ivanovich Platov was born on August 8, 1753 in the village of Priblyanskaya (Starocherkasskaya) in the family of a military foreman. His parents were not well-to-do and were able to give their son only primary education, having taught him to read and write. At the age of 13, Matvey Platov began serving in the Cossack army. The blue-eyed, tall, stately, dexterous, unusually agile young man very soon won the respect of his colleagues with his good-natured character, sociability and sharp mind. Matvey perfectly kept in the saddle and mastered all the Cossack tricks of horse riding, he skillfully used a pike, had an excellent command of a saber, accurately shot from a bow, a gun and a pistol, and made good use of the lasso. At the age of 19, Matvey Platov was promoted to an officer (esauls) and given command of a hundred, at 20 - a regiment.
In January 1781, Platov was appointed chief assistant to the military chieftain of the Don Cossack army, and soon Matvey Ivanovich himself became a military chieftain. In 1806-1807. Platov took part in the war with France, in 1807-1809 - with Turkey. He skillfully led the Cossack troops near Preussisch-Eylau (1807) and in the Danube theater of operations. For this in 1809 he was awarded the rank of General of the Cavalry. In 1812, a difficult year for Russia, Platov commanded all the Cossack regiments on the border, and then a separate Cossack corps covering the withdrawal of the 2nd Western Army, successfully fought at Borodino, for Smolensk, Vilno, Kovno, skillfully acted in the battles of 1813-1814. He enjoyed great prestige among the Cossacks and was popular and respected in Russia and Western Europe. In 1814, being part of the retinue of Alexander I, M. I. Platov participated in a trip to England, where he was given a solemn welcome and was awarded a saber inlaid with diamonds, as well as an honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford. Platov's merits are not only in exploits on the battlefield, but also in the fact that he made a significant contribution to the further improvement of the traditional forms and methods of warfare that developed in the previous period of the history of the Cossacks.
In order to understand what kind of person and warrior Matvey Ivanovich Platov was, we will cite several episodes from his combat activities.
Kalalakh battle
On a warm April night in 1774, Platov, putting his ear to the ground, listened to the distant rumble. As it later became clear, this was approaching the numerous cavalry of the Crimean Khan Davlet-Girey, who managed to find out that a transport with food and ammunition was moving towards the 2nd Russian army, located in the Kuban, under the reinforced protection of two Cossack regiments (500 people in each) with one cannon, and that the regiments commanded by the marching colonels Larionov and Platov stopped for the night at the Kalalakh River.
Platov woke Larionov, the older and more experienced commander. After consulting, they ordered the Cossacks to set up a kind of field fortification at one of the heights near the river, drive the horses inside it, make a rampart of carts and sacks with food and take up a perimeter defense. At dawn, the Cossacks saw that they were surrounded from three sides by many times superior enemy forces. Larionov was not a timid man, but realizing that resistance was useless and that they would all die in an unequal battle, he offered to surrender. Platov, deeply offended by his words, exclaimed: “We are Russians, we are the Don people! Better to die than surrender! Our ancestors have always done this! He took command of both regiments, sent two hundred horsebacks to meet the enemy, and gave two quick Cossacks the task of breaking through to Lieutenant Colonel Bukhvostov, who was standing with regular troops on the opposite bank. One of the sent Cossacks at full gallop was struck by a bullet, another used a trick: he overturned and hung on the side of the horse, pretending to be killed, and then, when the danger was over, he jumped into the saddle again, galloped to the river, swam across it and safely reached Bukhvostov's camp.
Meanwhile, the Cossack hundreds sent out to meet the enemy reached his advanced units and suddenly turned back. The khan's cavalry rushed after them in pursuit. The Cossacks, approaching their field fortification, at the signal divided into two parts and turned in opposite directions. Thus, the enemy found himself under rifle and grape-shot fire from those who defended the camp. Confused by such a surprise, the Krymchaks began to retreat in disarray, having lost several dozen soldiers and horses on the battlefield. This technique ("trap") in various versions and on a larger scale, Platov subsequently used repeatedly against the Turkish and French cavalry and, almost always with success.
The first attack was repulsed. Others followed. Davlet-Girey threw more and more forces into battle, but could not achieve success. Seven times he tried to master the height held by the Cossacks, and always rolled back. The Cossacks fiercely and stubbornly resisted all day, but their strength was melting, many were killed, wounded, a third of the horses fell, ammunition ran out. Platov encouraged his soldiers as best he could, appearing in the most dangerous directions. However, some of the defenders began to lose heart. Bravely fighting Larionov again spoke to him about surrender, so as not to destroy people in vain. But Platov was unshakable. He replied: "Honor is more precious than life!.. Better to perish than to lay down a weapon …".
Meanwhile, the enemy was going to attack the position of the Don for the eighth time. The exhausted Cossacks anxiously awaited a new and, apparently, the most decisive attack. At that moment, a cloud of dust rose on the horizon. A jubilant cry rang out among the defenders: “Ours! Our!" Platov saw the lava of galloping horsemen with darts at the ready: Lieutenant Colonel Bukhvostov sent Uvarov's regiment to the flank and the enemy rear to strike, and he himself, with the main forces, intended to strike from the other flank. The besieged with joy began to throw up their hats, hug, shout "Hurray!" Many had tears in their eyes. With an undisguised feeling of relief, they watched as Uvarov's Cossacks, with a loud cry and hooting, promptly crashed into the enemy ranks.
Platov, wasting no time, ordered the survivors: "On a horse!" - and rushed with them to the enemy from the front. The hostile army wavered, mixed and finally began to withdraw. Pursued by the Don people, the horsemen of Davlet-Giray came across the main forces of Lieutenant Colonel Bukhvostov, who met them with buckshot. Surrounded on all sides, the enemy was defeated and scattered.
In a subsequent report to the order ataman of the Donskoy army, Semyon Nikitovich Sulin, about the battle on the Kalalakh River, Lieutenant Colonel Bukhvostov wrote: “Platov was brave and courageous: he encouraged his subordinates, led them to a strong opposition to the enemy's resistance - and thus kept them from kidnapping the enemy … with me to the enemy, attacking him strongly, he struck several unbelievers: through which we could best unite with the besieged, and after all were united we punished the treacherous with common forces. Lieutenant Colonel and Cavalier Bukhvostov. April 7th day of 1774 in the Kuban at the river. Kalalah.
The Don army, the regular army, the court, and Empress Catherine II learned about the extraordinary feat of the Cossacks Matvey Platov, his personal courage, presence of spirit in moments of danger, irresistible fortitude and command. By order of Catherine II, a gold medal was knocked out for all the Cossacks who took part in the battle at the height of the Kalalakh River. The Kalalakh battle was the beginning of the brilliant military glory of Matvey Platov.
The storming of Ishmael
On December 9, 1790, before the assault on Izmail, Suvorov appointed a meeting of the military council. One by one, Lieutenant Generals Pavel Potemkin and Alexander Samoilov, Major Generals Mikhail Golenishev-Kutuzov, Pyotr Tishchev, Fedor Meknob, Ilya Bezborodko, B. P. Lassi (Lassiy), Joseph de Ribas, Sergei Lvov, Nikolai Arseniev, foremen Fedor Westfalen, Vasily Orlov, Matvey Platov.
Suvorov addressed those present with a short, expressive speech: “Twice the Russians approached Ishmael - and twice they retreated; now, for the third time, we can only take the city, or die! Having carefully examined all the members of the military council, he continued to express his opinion to everyone, and left the tent.
According to the tradition established by Peter I, Platov, as the youngest in rank and position, had to voice his opinion first. The young Cossack chieftain was deep in thought. Thoughts, overtaking one another, rushed through his head. He weighed all the pros and cons. Ishmael is a serious fortress. High shaft, deep ditch. There are many stone houses convenient for defense in the city, the garrison is 35,000 people, of which 8,000 are cavalry. Choice army. 265 fortress guns, not counting the guns of the Turkish flotilla. The garrison commander Aidos-Mehmet Pasha is an experienced general. And the Russians? A total of 31,000 fighters. No one has yet had to take fortresses with a smaller number of forces than that of the enemy. True, there are more weapons, but there are not enough people for such an assault. It will be especially hard for the Cossacks. They, trained in dashing equestrian attacks in open terrain, must climb the impregnable walls with ladders and fascines in their hands under the destructive fire of artillery. And their weapons - wooden lances - are of little use for hand-to-hand combat. The losses will be great. And yet, Ishmael must be taken now. A long siege, and even in winter, will take no less people to the next world. Thousands of people will die from cold, hunger and disease. And if we are to lose soldiers, then in battle. And the Cossacks will stand. Although most of them never took part in the storming of the fortresses on foot, they did not lack courage. The leader of the troops, Alexander Vasilyevich, apparently, is determined to take Ishmael by force of arms, although Potemkin in the last dispatch left Suvorov to act at his discretion.
Experienced Suvorov hardly sought advice. He needed support … Platov's thoughts were interrupted by Suvorov, who quickly entered the tent. The chieftain's eyes flashed. He jumped up, loudly and decisively said: "Storm!" All joined him amicably. The Cossack chieftain went up to the table and, under the decision of the military council to storm Ishmael, was the first to put his signature: "Brigadier Matvey Platov."
According to Suvorov's disposition, the attacking troops were divided into three groups (detachments) of three columns each. The detachment of the future founder of Odessa, Major General de Ribas (9000 people) was supposed to attack from the river side; the right detachment under the command of Lieutenant-General Pavel Potemkin (7,500 people) was intended to strike from the west, the left one - Lieutenant-General Alexander Samoilov (12,000 people) - from the east. The attacks of the right and left detachments ensured the success of de Ribas's strike from the southern, riverside side.
Don Cossacks, who lost their horses during the siege of Ochakov in 1788, were brought into foot regiments and sent to assault columns. The 5th Column of Platov (5,000 people) was supposed to climb the rampart along the ravine that separated the old and new fortresses, and then assist in the landing of troops from the flotilla and, together with him, seize the new fortress from the south. The 4th column of Brigadier Orlov (2000 Cossacks) was assigned to attack the rampart east of the Bendery Gate and to support Platov. The column of Matvey Ivanovich consisted of 5 battalions. The battle formation was built in two echelons: in the first three battalions equipped with fascines and ladders, in the second - two, brought together in one square. In front of each column of the first echelon, 150 well-aimed shooters (snipers) and 50 soldiers with a trench tool moved.
In the early morning of December 11, 1790, the columns began to attack. It was dark, the sky was covered with clouds, a thick fog hid the approach of the Russians. Suddenly the thunder of hundreds of fortress guns and naval guns of the Turkish flotilla broke the silence. Platov's battalions, without losing order, quickly approached the ditch, threw fascines into it, then, overcoming obstacles, hurried to the rampart. At its base, the Cossacks set up ladders, quickly climbed up and, leaning on shortened darts (peaks), climbed the very crest of the rampart. At this time, the arrows, who remained below, struck the defenders of the rampart with fire, determining their location by the flashes of shots.
Orlov's column came out to the ditch on the left side of the Bendery Gate, and part of it had already climbed the rampart along the stairs, the rest were still on this side of the ditch. The Bendery gates suddenly swung open and a large detachment of Turks quickly rolled into the ditch and, passing along it, struck the flank of the Cossack column, threatening to divide it. A hot hand-to-hand fight broke out. At this time, the battalion, which included Platov and the commander of both columns, Major General Bezborodko, approached the fortress along the ravine, between the old fortress and the new one. The moat in this place was flooded. The Cossacks hesitated. Then Platov was the first to plunge into the ice water to the waist and overcame this obstacle. Others followed the example of the commander. After the soldiers climbed the rampart, the young chieftain led them to the attack and took possession of the Turkish cannons that were standing there. During the attack, General Bezborodko was wounded and carried away from the battlefield. Platov took command of both columns.
Hearing loud shouts and the noise of the battle on the right, Platov ordered Colonel Yatsunekiy, commander of two battalions of the Polotsk Musketeer Regiment, which formed the reserve of both Cossack columns, to bayonet the Janissaries. At the beginning of the attack, the colonel was mortally wounded. Platov, coordinating the actions of his column with the battalions of the Polotsk regiment, the battalion of the Bug rangers sent by Kutuzov to rescue the neighbors, and also interacting with the cavalry allocated by Suvorov, helped Brigadier Orlov repulse the Janissaries' sortie. Most of them died, and the survivors rushed into the fortress, firmly closing the gates behind them. Then Platov helped Orlov in taking over the shaft. After that, part of the Cossacks penetrated the ravine to the river and united with the landing force of Major General Arsenyev.
The coming dawn cleared the fog. It became clear that the rampart had been taken by the Russians along its entire length. After a short rest, the Cossacks, lined up in columns, with peaks at the ready, moved to the city, whose narrow streets were filled with Turks. Janissaries settled in stone houses and mosques. Shots rang out from everywhere. Almost every building had to be taken with a fight.
By 4 o'clock Ishmael was already completely in the hands of the Suvorov soldiers. The defeat of an entire army, which was in an impregnable fortress, shocked not only the Turkish Empire, but also Europe. He had a significant impact on the further course of the war and eventually led to the conclusion of peace in 1791. The participants in the assault were awarded: the lower ranks - silver medals, and the officers - gold badges. Many officers received orders and golden swords, some were promoted. Matvey Platov was awarded the Order of George III degree and the rank of Major General.
battle of Borodino
August 26, 1812. The battle of Borodino is in full swing. After eight attacks, at the cost of significant losses, the French troops managed to capture the Bagration flushes. In an effort to complete the breakthrough of the Russian positions, Napoleon concentrated his main efforts on the Rayevsky battery. There, 35,000 men and about 300 guns were assembled for a decisive attack.
The French marshals insistently demanded that the reserve, the old and young imperial guard (27 thousand selected troops), be brought into action. Napoleon replied that three thousand miles from France he could not risk his last reserve. The marshals insisted. The retinue insisted. The murmur grew. Time passed, and it was necessary to do something. The emperor was ordered to send a young guard into battle, but immediately canceled his order, since Kutuzov abandoned the cavalry corps of Platov and Uvarov, who were in reserve, bypassing the left French army and they suddenly attacked Napoleon's troops in the area of the villages of Valuevo and Bezzubovo.
The Cossack Corps of Ataman Platov and the 1st Cavalry Corps of General Uvarov at about noon, ford the Kolocha River, rushed to the French. Uvarov led his cavalry to Bezzubovo, where Napoleon's infantry regiment and a division of Italian cavalry were stationed. The Italians galloped away, not accepting the battle, and the French, rebuilding themselves in squares, blocked the road for our cavalry, occupying the mill dam - the only narrow passage into the village. Uvarov's cavalrymen went on the attack several times, but had no success. Finally, suffering significant losses, they managed to push the French to the western outskirts of the settlement, but they could no longer develop their success.
Platov with the Cossacks freely bypassed Toothless from the north. But what to do next? Strike in the rear of the enemy infantry regiment and help Uvarov defeat it? It will take time, and the result will be small. Attack an infantry division at Borodino? It is useless - too unequal forces. And Platov makes a decision: to cross another river - Voynu, go deep into the French rear and begin to smash the enemy carts. His calculation turned out to be correct - panic arose in the rear of the Napoleonic troops. Carts and individual carts on horseback with chopped off trimmings rushed, pursued by the Cossacks, towards the location of the main forces. Some of them shouted loudly: “Cossacks! Cossacks! galloped to the Shevardin redoubt, on which the emperor and his retinue were. Almost at the same time, he was informed that the Russians were attacking Toothless. All this had an overwhelming effect on Napoleon. He detained the young guard, stopped the attack of the Raevsky battery, sent part of his troops to the left flank and, moreover, personally went there to accurately assess the situation. About two hours of such precious time in the battle was lost, until Napoleon was able to make sure that the number of Russian cavalry attacking his left flank was small. In addition, Platov and Uvarov had Kutuzov's orders not to get involved in battle. Kutuzov has already achieved his goal, having gained the time he needed.
Why did the attack of Platov's Cossacks on the French left flank so frightened Napoleon? What made the emperor interrupt the offensive in the main direction and cancel the introduction of the young guard into battle? Why did he send additional units to the left flank, and even rushed there himself, having lost so much time? Everything is explained simply: the emperor was afraid to lose the transports with ammunition that were there, whose loss could turn into a disaster for the entire French army.
Kutuzov's gain in time decisively influenced the outcome of the Battle of Borodino, since the commander-in-chief of the Russian army managed to regroup, strengthening the center and left wing of his troops with the 2nd and 3rd corps. And although the French captured the Raevsky battery after the renewed attacks, they could no longer build on the success. The emperor did not dare to send the last French reserve into battle.
The end of the Borodino battle is known. Napoleon did not achieve victory in the general battle and withdrew his troops to their original positions. Kutuzov had every reason to be pleased with the results of cavalry actions on the French left flank, especially with Platov's Cossacks.
Many other feats were accomplished by the Cossack army of M. I. Platov during the Patriotic War of 1812 and in the campaigns of 1813-1314. M. I. Kutuzov praised the heroic actions of both the ataman Platov himself and the Cossack regiments led by him. “The services you rendered to the fatherland … are unparalleled! - he wrote to M. I. Platov on January 28, 1813. - You have proved to the whole Europe the power and strength of the inhabitants … of the blessed Don ….
The merits of M. I. Platoffs were highly appreciated in their time. He was awarded: the orders of Alexander Nevsky with diamonds, St. Andrew the First-Called, St. George II degree, St. Vladimir I degree, John Erusalimsky, the Commander's cross, the Austrian Maria-Terezny III degree, the Prussian Black and Red eagle 1 degree, a portrait of the English prince-regent, as well as a saber decorated with diamonds with the inscription "For courage" (from Catherine II), with a diamond pen on his cap, gold medals for the battle at the Kalalakh River, the storming of Izmail, for the heroic deeds in the Patriotic War of 1812.
M. I. Platov January 3, 1818, 65 years old. In the city of Novocherkassk, a monument was erected to him with the inscription "Grateful Donets to their Ataman." Several medals were struck in honor of Platov: a gold one (1774), two pewter ones (1814), as well as tokens and medallions with his portraits made in Russia and abroad.
