Set out in the form of a father's parting words.
My friend! The position entrusted to you by the Fatherland and its Sovereign is one of the best in the army.
Your deputy, a wise warrior, had no less reason to get this position than you, but they preferred you. Remember this and always treat him with dignified respect for his long and useful service.
Many officers are older than you, and each of them, judging by their personal merits, are not inferior to you, but you become their boss.
Do not forget this never.
I will not say that you tried to earn the respect of officers, this rule is already too hackneyed, but I will tell you that you should try to earn not just respect, but the love of your subordinates.
Any boss, to whom this feeling is nurtured, easily achieves the most difficult, and, on the contrary, the one who does not deserve love, with difficulty achieves the easiest things.
Win the love of your subordinates and the difficult duty of a military leader will become a pleasant experience for you.
You would be cruelly mistaken if you imagined that in order to gain the love of your subordinates you need to relax discipline, or to please the desires of each of the officers too much - this means is neither true nor glorious!
It would be just as wrong to think that virtue alone, no matter how brilliant, can arouse this feeling in you. Just as in a woman we are attracted not only by her eyes, but by the whole, harmony in her features and figure, so surely you can only by combining virtues and knowledge in yourself, which I will talk about in this parting words, - you will deserve love their subordinates.
Having the greatest respect for your deputy, do not rush to give orders without his advice. If, following the example of some bosses, you did not have respect for your deputy, you would soon become a victim of your indiscretion. Among the officers, divided between you and him, parties would be formed, and then you could not do anything good.
Have full attention to experienced officers, consult with them more often, show them friendship and trust.
Be a support, friend, father of young officers, talk to them more often and always respectfully, sometimes consult with them.
It is always good for a boss to have this kind of popularity, and it has often served me well. Try to get to know all your officers completely.
Without knowing them, you will be mistaken at every step and will not distinguish:
- modesty from lack of ability;
- self-confidence from empty arrogance;
- striving for order from ill will;
- love for justice and goodness from denunciation, envy or excessive ambition;
- moderation from indifference;
- severity from tension;
- you will accept advice given out of flattery or interest at face value.
It will seem to you that you are rewarding virtues, but meanwhile your reward will go to cunning.
It will seem to you that you are patronizing true talents, but in fact you will extol the ostentatious, imaginary talents.
Having devoted a long time to studying the qualities of your officers and having recognized them, choose between the eldest two friends in whom you will find true dignity, knowledge, love of truth and order; bind them to you with friendship, entrust them with the important duty of reminding you of your shortcomings with frankness, and expressing your mistakes to you. Listen to the advice of these officers with attention, but run away to have blind credulity towards them and show too clearly to other officers the preference that you give to the first two, because this could become a source of disagreement.
Further, I would like to warn you against using harsh expressions with subordinates, shameful nicknames, do not utter low and contemptuous words when speaking to them, the boss who uses these words in a conversation with subordinates humiliates himself, and if he addresses officers with similar expressions, he compromises himself in the most obvious way.
Never forget that your officers are noble people!
Your co-workers are your equal comrades, and therefore, when giving orders, remember that your tone and expressions must be adapted to persons whose engine is honor; believe, my friend, that this is the only best way in which your orders will be respected, will be accepted; their execution will be accelerated and the officers will take that power of attorney to you, which serves as the basis for discipline and success.
Never use punishments that are unlawful by law and intolerable by the national spirit. When you exact, your face should show the suffering that you feel when you are forced to use strict measures.
Do not miss the opportunity to provide insignificant services to your officers; if you timidly expect times when you will be able to do something important for them, you risk never doing anything for them.
Just as petty precautions preserve virtue, so petty favors bind hearts.
Intercede diligently and persistently for the awards your officers have earned. The generals may refuse what you ask, but they will be pleased to see your concern for your subordinates and your subordinates will love you more.
Never arouse in officers your hopes that you are not sure of. When the persons to whom it was promised will see that the promises have not been fulfilled, they will accuse you of not observing their benefits and the inability to keep your word.
With the assumption of a new position, time in particular will be precious to you.
Get used to getting up earlier!
You will have enough worries, as well as subjects for study and execution.
Having received a new position in a relatively young age, you will apparently become a general; then you will no longer have time to study the theory of military operations and, therefore, now you must study it. But even if you never had to take a more important place, believe me, my friend, that the duties of a staff officer and commanding duties require information of the most varied and extensive.
Will you be able to judge the knowledge of your subordinates if you do not know better than any of them everything that gradually needs to be passed in order to be worthy of their respect? Will you correctly assess the dignity of officers if you yourself do not know the full extent of their duties?
Yes, my friend, only by the ability to fulfill all the positions that are lower than yours can you become worthy to occupy the position entrusted to you, and force everyone to fulfill their duties.
Needless to say, the study of military regulations. I advise you never to deviate from them. In the eyes of every good citizen, good warrior, the law is the most sacred deed. They say the letter kills, the soul lives, but as I have always seen - under the pretext of this revival, many allow themselves the greatest digressions.
Also respect ancient customs and traditions. If you find evil in which of them, then you need to destroy it, but proceed to its destruction with prudence and prudence, prepare with your actions and speeches those changes that you intend to introduce; let me feel the benefits of them. Never attempt to eradicate several abuses at the same time. First, pay attention to the most essential ones. If at the same time they begin to fix all parts of the building, then it hesitates, and sometimes collapses. Destroy when something has already been prepared that should replace the destroyed. Remember that there is always more harm than good if you propose rash changes, even the most beneficial ones, and use hasty efforts to introduce them. Consult experienced officers about the innovations you are planning, their consent will entail the consent of others.
I have already told you about the necessity and benefits of studying the art of war. I will confine myself to repeating the fact that military history is a source from which you must constantly draw. Read history not to study military facts, but to study the meaning of war, morality and politics. History has always been the subject of my studies and I owe everything I know to it.
You must be brave, but beware of the extreme in this case. Courage, the first of the qualities of a soldier, in a military leader must obey prudence. However, I would rather mourn your death than your glory or honor. Remember that the people who most of all will advise you to take care of yourself will be the first and criticize you severely if you follow their advice.
Love the fatherland and the sovereign. This is the duty of every citizen, and for you it is the first duty, because the fatherland and the sovereign have shown you high confidence and honor - to have officers subordinate to you.
Love glory, the desire to achieve it should always burn in your heart. This love of fame supported me on the difficult path I have traveled.
I will not tell you about honesty, as the first duty of an officer, I would advise you to monitor the honesty of your subordinates.
If, over time, the Fatherland and the sovereign entrust you with a regiment - a key and main position in the Russian Army, it is no coincidence that our sovereigns, starting with Peter the Great, assigned themselves to the regiments, I want to give you some more specific advice for the future.
Tips for the regiment commander
Try to make your regiment better, this vanity is permissible for the commander, but do not get carried away by the outside, splendor and marathon.
Make sure that the companies are always staffed with people capable of military affairs, even to the detriment of other teams.
Do not allow, out of false compassion for the officers, to receive salaries for people who are not on their lists; the one who allows himself this covetousness, deceives the state and violates the duties of honor.
Also, he is not entirely honest, who does not observe perfect justice in the distribution of material wealth and, in particular, does not prevent his subordinates from having illegal benefits at the expense of the soldiers.
This is one of the main points that the regiment commander should pay attention to.
Be present at all the exercises of your regiment, be always the first at the place of assembly, be concerned only with your duties, be active, vigilant, accurate and your officers will be neat, attentive and zealous, otherwise - gloomy and cold apathy will seize your regiment. The negligence of the commander leads to the inattention of the officers to their duties.
Never get carried away by impatience or anger, the first impulses of passions are always followed by repentance: "if you want to do something stupid," said one wise man, "follow the inspiration of anger." A hot-tempered boss often allows himself to act reprehensible for his honor, fraught with danger to his life and, most often, to the life of his subordinates.
Obey the laws and those persons who, by the election of the Emperor, are the organs of these laws. Disobedience to the authorities is the greatest of the crimes of the military, it spreads with extraordinary speed and grows in strength as it spreads. Can a commander who disobeys his superiors demand obedience from his subordinates?
Be the judge, the guardian of order and the father of your regiment; as a guardian of order and a judge, observe the execution of laws; as a father - for the preservation of the purity of morals, pay attention to this last subject, always almost forgotten and neglected by the bosses. Where good morals are established, laws are respected, and, even better, laws are loved there and, therefore, try to improve morals, but do not think that this can be done on request. They are communicated, they are suggested, they must be introduced by example. The power of example here, as elsewhere, is the manifestation of volitional efforts over oneself. It would be useless to look out for and notice the shortcomings of others for which one can reproach oneself.
If your own morals are impeccable, the regiment will also be distinguished by morality. Your authority will be strengthened, you will gain a lot of time, reject many bad habits from yourself, you will never be a toy of circumstances, and general respect will reward you for the hardships to which you will doom yourself.
Avoid gambling, especially gambling, completely drive out this habit among the officers of your regiment, most of the military people die through it.
Beware of addiction to wine, it humiliates a person, always have a good, but no frills, table, invite officers of your regiment to it - preferably in front of generals, colonels and other senior commanders. Receive your guests with the respect they deserve.
Limit the number of your personal crews as necessary. You must set an example of simplicity and modesty, because you are a regiment commander. This moderation will not cost you much. Remove from yourself all the luxury that turns some of our officers into pampered women.
The splendor, which is so decent for a person who represents the Emperor's retinue, becomes a disadvantage for the military in general and detrimental to the regimental commander, since the subordinates consider it a duty to imitate him.
I could never look, without strong indignation, at the young regimental commanders when they introduced luxury and courtesy to the camp and in the garrison, when they tried to be distinguished by the number and splendor of the carriages, the multitude of servants, the beauty of the horses, the refinement of the table, in a word, they competed between itself alone in the art of multiplying pleasure. Is this the ambition that should inspire military leaders?
But enough about that, the annoyance is ready to take over me. However, in this case my advice is probably less useful to you than in many others.
You should never look at a suffering being without a strong desire to end or alleviate their suffering. Preserve, my friend, this precious sensitivity. It can sometimes be the cause of torment for you, but more often it will be the source of the joys of the most living and purest.
I advise you to be humane and generous as much for your glory as for happiness. Humanity and generosity attract to us the hearts of the people with whom we live and over whom we rule. No matter what expense you make to relieve suffering humanity, people will appreciate it, the rumor about your charity will be more persistent than the rumor about your ability to arrange festivities. Let them rather be surprised at the large number of those who are blessed with you than at the large number of nobles whom you tried to amuse. The memory of the celebration leaves no pleasant traces either in the soul or in the heart, but how sweet is the memory of the unfortunate one we have comforted for us. On some important occasion, you can distribute a general award to the soldiers of your regiment - I am not against this, but it would be wiser if you kept this money for the wounded and sick, for those who distinguished themselves in some brave deed, or for those who fulfilling their duties, they suffered an important loss for them.
At least once or twice a week, visit the sick of your regiment, speak to each of them affectionately, listening to their complaints, and try to calm them down, this condescension will not less than medicine contribute to their speedy recovery.
Visit the prisoners of your regiment more often, the guilty person should be punished, but should not be imprisoned in places with inhuman conditions.
I will not tell you that you must save the blood and sweat of your soldiers in war, he is not worthy of the name of a person who, in order to gain fame, exposes them to unnecessary danger and suffering. In general, know, my friend, that the glory that is acquired at such a price is neither brilliant nor lasting.
Soldier's love is a special love, it is not by chance that our great commanders Suvorov, Kutuzov, and not only them, so treasured it.
Let me remind you of one little-known example: General Miloradovich, mortally wounded by Lieutenant Kakhovsky on Senate Square on December 14, 1825, was an unconditional "servant of the tsar", but he was also a true "father to the soldiers." Hero of the Italian and Swiss campaigns of Suvorov, the battle of Austerlitz and the Turkish campaign, he became one of the most outstanding military leaders in the Patriotic War against Napoleon, showing amazing personal courage and unprecedented care for the soldier.
His moral character was also revealed in such an episode - as a military governor of St. Petersburg, on behalf of the sovereign, having exceeded his powers, he allowed young Pushkin to return from exile to Mikhailovskoye to the capital, in this way granted forgiveness to the poet and thus put the Sovereign Emperor Alexander I in front of necessity show nobility. And the way he valued the soldier's love was once again manifested in his last suicide phrases, when the bullet extracted from his chest by the doctor clinked on the surgical utensils, he came out of half-forgotten and asked the enemy: "Some bullet?" "From a pistol," he answered. "Thank God," said the dying man, "it was not a soldier who shot."
Russian officers have long been famous for their politeness, dignity and high culture. I am sure that no offensive exception will be made for you in this case. I hope that you will surpass the previous samples in this.
Unfortunately, in our time, most of the officers are polite only with women, with superiors and peers, you, I suppose, will be polite with subordinates. Never speak to the officers of your regiment, or even about them, in an imperative or contemptuous tone, as some chiefs do. Remember, I repeat, many of your subordinates deserve command of the regiment much more than you, and that they lacked only happiness or fate to rise above you, and therefore be available, kind, polite, courteous even more with subordinates than with equals. Politeness with peers and elders is only a consequence of hypocrisy, skillful politics; with subordinates - this is a sign of a good heart. The praises I deserve are from the fact that I never made my power feel. Follow this example.
Having made a mistake, admit it immediately, and most importantly, try to correct it, although this course of action is very natural and does not deserve praise, but you will be praised for it, you will attract hearts to yourself, and your mistakes will be excused, I myself experienced it.
Love and distinguish officers who show military abilities and those who, in fulfilling their duties, indulge in creativity, develop their intellect, are fond of literature, music, art. Talents need help, mediocrity will creep in on their own. Engage in particular with the young officers of your regiment, observing for yourself their behavior, their occupations, their morality; be, as I said, their mentor, support and, if necessary, their father.
Your regiment will be good only when your officers are rich in information, and when they are distinguished by constant and strong zeal for service. Believe that you will achieve brilliant results only by paying attention to young officers and accustoming them to a correct life. Try to make senior officers feel the love of a father for his sons for the young, or at least a mentor for his pupils; watch that the latter show their elders the attention and respect that kind and well-bred sons have them for their father.
Try to maintain agreement in your regiment, eradicate enmity, envy and gossip, or at least prevent their destructive consequences. This, my friend, is one of the true and essential duties of a regiment commander.
Everything that is done in the regiment should be known to you, but for this, never resort to espionage. Anyone who denounces his comrades is a dishonest person who does not deserve any trust.
Run to other people's eyes, someone else's hands, in a decent sense, only in those cases when it is impossible for you to see everything and do everything yourself. Go into all the details. Only then is it possible to fulfill well what is entrusted to us when all the details are known.
The regimental commander does not have to look down on things, do not try, however, to appropriate the duties that are entrusted to your subordinates by law and regulations; content yourself with observing everyone, or make everyone perform their duties.
And finally, my last admonition: never forget, my friend, that you have been appointed commander of the regiment for the good of your service and the regiment that is entrusted to you. The glory of the Fatherland should be your main goal. Your constant occupation should be the arrangement of the happiness of your subordinates, because many of them have so little been given life - from one war to another.
If you manage to be guided by your noble motives in your regiment and increase the glory of the Fatherland, then each of its members will consider it a duty and pleasure to contribute to your aspirations, then all obstacles will disappear, and you will deserve pure glory, you will attract the hearts of others and the grace of the Sovereign.
Remember, my friend, the words of the great sage Khayyam: “The peaks of power are like impregnable rocks. Eagles sometimes fly on them, but more often snakes crawl. Try to become an eagle!
In conclusion, I would like all staff officers and regimental commanders to take note of this advice of mine. Let each of them ponder and apply them to his position, see in them his duties to the Fatherland, the Emperor, subordinates and to themselves.
If it is true that one cannot judge people without first studying them; that you cannot teach them what you yourself do not know, that you cannot judge their knowledge and give justice to their talents, if you do not exceed their knowledge and abilities; that it is impossible to decide how they use their duties, if he himself is not familiar with the laws that prescribe them - then it is also true that one cannot have any influence on subordinates if one does not possess the art of convincing them and earning their favor. The example of a boss is the strongest and most faithful encouragement to all that is good.
Military leaders must be learned, hardworking and just, more diligent than any of their subordinates and must have all the knowledge and qualities necessary for a perfect warrior.
Assuming that the commander does not have some of the knowledge and merits necessary for a warrior, we will soon create a big disorder in his part, or abuses will take root in them so much that he will move away from that degree of perfection, without which the existence of the Russian army is unthinkable.
Now many of our headquarters and regiments are made up of worthy officers - everywhere they are perfect people. With such a composition of the officer corps, is it possible to leave a military leader without developing and improving his abilities? He must prepare himself to profitably occupy the most important position.
For a senior officer, it is a shameful thing to seek the rank of colonel or major general as a pension, and to do the most useless little things - just like old age amuses itself with children's toys.
Every officer, looking at his sword, should remember the words of the great Suvorov, who said: "The sword is a weapon of glory, a treasure of valor and few would dare to accept it if they knew what it obliges."
And if he really dared, as Suvorov advised: “Take the hero of the ancients as an example, study him, follow him, catch up, overtake him. Glory to you. I chose Caesar,”said Suvorov.
And for me an example of military talent and high morality was Suvorov's pupil, General Mikhail Miloradovich.
With the greatest respect for you, my friend, and sincere humility, D. A. Milutin January 30 days 1879 from the birth of Christ.
