"The injustice of contemporaries is often the lot of great people, but few have experienced this truth to the same extent as Barclay."
IN AND. Kharkevich
The famous Russian commander was a representative of the ancient Scottish family of Berkeley. In 1621, two brothers from the Berkeley-of-Tolly family left their homelands and went to wander the world. Years later, their descendants settled in Riga. In September 1721, the plenipotentiary representatives of Tsar Peter I signed a treaty that ended the Great Northern War. Under its terms, among other things, Sweden ceded Livonia to Russia along with Riga. With the new lands and cities under the scepter of the Russian tsar, thousands of new subjects passed, among whom were representatives of the Barclay family. One of them, Weingold-Gotthard, born in 1726, later served in the Russian army and retired with the rank of lieutenant. The poor officer, who had neither peasants nor land, settled in the Lithuanian village of Pamušis. Here in December 1761 (according to other sources, in 1757, in Riga) his third son was born, who was named Michael. Since the second name of his father in translation into Russian meant "God-given", in the future Barclay de Tolly was called Mikhail Bogdanovich.
When the child turned three, his parents took him to St. Petersburg. In the northern capital, he lived in the house of his maternal uncle, the brigadier of the Russian army von Vermelen. Uncle spared no expense and found excellent teachers for him, and he himself spent a lot of time with his nephew, preparing him for the service. From an early age, little Misha stood out for his excellent memory and perseverance, ability for mathematics and history. In addition, throughout his life Barclay was distinguished by: directness, honesty, perseverance and pride. At the age of six, the boy was enrolled in the Novotroitsk cuirassier regiment, which was headed by his uncle. Barclay de Tolly began to serve at the age of fourteen in the Pskov carabinernier. His training, by the way, was much more thorough than that of most of the officers. After two years of impeccable service and hard study, sixteen-year-old Mikhail received the officer's rank, and ten years later he became a captain. In 1788, together with his commander, General Lieutenant Prince Anhalt Barclay went to the first theater of military operations - to Ochakov.
The fortress was besieged by Potemkin's army from June 1788, and the general assault began in severe frosts in December. One assault column was led by Prince Anhalt. His soldiers knocked the Turks out of the auxiliary field reinforcement of the retrenchment, and then pressed them against the walls. After a fierce bayonet battle, in which Mikhail Bogdanovich was in the forefront, the soldiers broke into the fortress. By the way, the moat in front of the citadel, six meters deep, was littered with corpses - so incredibly fierce was the intensity of this battle. For the capture of Ochakov, the young man received his first award - the Order of Vladimir of the fourth degree, as well as the first staff officer rank of seconds-major.
In July 1789 Potemkin's southern army moved slowly towards the Turkish fortress of Bender. In mid-September, the vanguard of the army, approaching the town of Kaushany, located 23 kilometers from Bender, attacked the enemy's fortifications. The detachment, which included the young Seconds-Major Barclay, was commanded by the famous Cossack Matvey Platov. His soldiers scattered the Turks, captured their commander and occupied Kaushany. A couple of weeks later, Platov, under whose command Mikhail Bogdanovich continued to serve, occupied the stronghold of Ackerman. This victory was even more significant - 89 cannons and 32 banners became trophies of the Russian troops. And soon Bendery were surrendered without a fight. According to tradition, its northern ally Sweden rushed to help Turkey. In this regard, in the spring of 1790, the commander-in-chief, Count Stroganov, instructed Prince Anhalt to seize the well-fortified village of Kernikoski, located west of Vyborg. In that battle, Barclay was next to the commander. During the attack, a cannonball tore off the prince's leg. Dying, he handed his sword to Mikhail Bogdanovich, who since then has not parted with it.
For his distinction in the Battle of Kernikoski, Barclay became Prime Major and ended up in the St. Petersburg Grenadier Regiment. In 1794, commanding a battalion of the regiment, he went to Poland, where he distinguished himself during the assault on Vilna. In the battles against the rebels, Mikhail Bogdanovich earned the Order of George of the fourth class and the rank of lieutenant colonel. He became a colonel four years later, having received a jaeger regiment under the command. By that time, the professional and moral principles of the future commander were formed. Coming from a poor family, who had neither profitable land, nor serfs, living on a modest salary, Mikhail Bogdanovich treated his subordinates cordially. He preferred to devote his free time not to wine, cards and red tape, but to smart conversation, military science and reading. Ermolov left the following comment about him: “Before his ascension, he had an extremely limited state, constrained needs, restrained desires. I used my free time for useful activities and enriched myself with knowledge. In all respects, he is abstinent, unpretentious in his condition, out of habit, he takes away shortcomings without a murmur. By the superiority of talents, she does not belong to the number of extraordinary people, she overly modestly values her good abilities and therefore does not have confidence in herself …”.
The jaeger regiments recruited selected soldiers - shooters and scouts, capable of raids into the enemy's rear, swift bayonet attacks, and many kilometers of crossings. The combat training of the gamekeepers occupied the most important place. In March 1799 "for excellent training of the regiment" Barclay de Tolly was promoted to major general, but he did not receive a new post, remaining eight years as regiment commander. By the way, in 1805, with his regiment, Mikhail Bogdanovich set out on the first campaign against Napoleon, but did not manage to get to the front line - on the way, along with the order to return to winter quarters, news came of the defeat at Austerlitz. This march of Barclay was the last peaceful one - the time was coming for long and difficult wars.
Less than six months later, Napoleon unleashed a new war with Prussia. Russia also found itself embroiled in the conflict. In mid-November, the French split the Prussians at Auerstedt and Jena, and the Russians found themselves face to face with Napoleon. One of the vanguards advanced to the banks of the Vistula was commanded by Barclay, and here he first fought the Napoleonic marshals. The enemy troops, having occupied Warsaw and forcing the river, tried to encircle the Russian troops concentrated at Pultusk, but their plan was thwarted by Mikhail Bogdanovich, who in the battle at Pultusk led the end of the right flank of Bennigsen's army. Under his command, for the first time, there were five regiments (Polish cavalry, Tengin musketeer and three jaegers), which twice went with bayonets, preventing one of the best French commanders Lann from defeating Bennigsen's main forces. For his bravery shown in battle, Barclay was awarded George third class.
In January 1807 Russians from Poland moved to East Prussia. Under Yankov, Landsberg and Gough, Mikhail Bogdanovich in extremely stubborn battles held back the attacks of the main forces of the French under the leadership of Napoleon, making it possible for the rest of the army to gather at Preussisch-Eylau. An interesting message from Mikhail Bogdanovich to Commander-in-Chief Bennigsen: “… With such an inequality in forces, I would have retired in advance, so as not to lose the entire detachment without benefit. However, through the officers, he inquired that the main part of the army had not yet been assembled, was on the march and had not taken any position. In this reasoning, I considered it my duty to sacrifice myself …”. This was the whole Barclay - with his readiness for self-sacrifice, honesty and courage.
At the end of January, Mikhail Bogdanovich led his regiments near Preussisch-Eylau, where he was attacked by Soult's corps. He repulsed the attack, but he himself was seriously wounded after the explosion. Unconscious, he was taken out of the battle and sent to Memel to be cured. Barclay's hand was terribly disfigured - some surgeons insisted on amputation, others suggested a complex operation. While Mikhail Bogdanovich was under the supervision of his wife, Elena Ivanovna, who came to him, Alexander I himself came to Memel to visit the Prussian king Friedrich-Wilhelm III, who was here. Having learned about the critical condition of his general, he sent his personal physician, Jacob Willie, to him. who, having made an emergency operation, took out 32 bone fragments from the military's hand. Anesthesia, by the way, was not yet available at that time, and Mikhail Bogdanovich had to courageously endure this procedure. Later, the emperor personally visited the general. A conversation took place between them, during which Barclay expressed to Alexander a number of thoughts that obviously seemed interesting to the sovereign - after the Tsar's visit, Mikhail Bogdanovich received the rank of lieutenant general, as well as Vladimir of the second degree.
While Barclay was rebuilding his strength, peace was signed in Tilsit. Russia's foreign policy has changed a lot - war began with England, Austria and Sweden. In addition, hostilities with Persia and Turkey did not stop. The number of the Russian army exceeded 400,000 people, but each of them was counted. In such a situation, General Barclay could not remain out of work - having recovered, he left for Finland and led the 6th Infantry Division. In March 1809, his division crossed the Gulf of Bothnia. At the same time, Mikhail Bogdanovich proved to be an excellent organizer, who was able to competently prepare an extremely risky operation. The soldiers were given additional uniforms, food was also organized taking into account the fact that the passage on the ice will take place in secrecy, without making fires. All the horses were shod with special studded horseshoes, the wheels of the ammunition boxes and guns were notched so that they would not slip. In two days, Barclay's division covered about a hundred kilometers, taking the Swedish town of Umeå without a fight, which led to the surrender of Sweden. In the campaign of 1809, another feature of the commander was revealed - a humane attitude towards the enemy, especially towards civilians. When the soldiers of Mikhail Bogdanovich entered the territory of Sweden, he issued a military order, which sounded like this: "Do not tarnish the acquired glory and leave a memory in a foreign land that would be honored by posterity." For his successes in March 1809, Barclay was awarded the rank of General of Infantry, at the same time being appointed commander-in-chief in Finland.
A big war was imminent, and the problems of the country's defense had to be transferred into the hands of a knowledgeable and intelligent professional. At the beginning of 1810, Alexander I removed the pedant and tough administrator Arakcheev from the post of Minister of War, appointing Barclay in his place. From the first days of his activity, Mikhail Bogdanovich began preparations for war. First of all, he modified the structure of the army, bringing it all into corps and divisions, while each corps included troops of three types - cavalry, infantry and artillery and, therefore, could solve any tactical task. Barclay paid great attention to reserves, organizing a reserve of eighteen cavalry and infantry divisions and four artillery brigades before the war. He devoted considerable attention to strengthening the fortresses, but most of the activities at the time of Napoleon's invasion were incomplete. Despite this, the enemy did not manage to seize the Bobruisk fortress, which remained in the rear of the French army. In addition, in the first half of 1812, important foreign policy actions were implemented - at the end of March (thanks to Barclay's victories) an alliance agreement with the Swedes was approved, and in mid-May (thanks to Kutuzov's victories) - a peace treaty with the Turks. These treaties ensured the neutrality of the two states located on the southern and northern flanks of Russia.
Mikhail Bogdanovich devoted a lot of time and effort to work on a major military-legislative document containing new methods of command and control. This document - "Institution for the management of a large active army" - summed up the activities carried out by the Ministry of War. Also, the Minister of War took a number of measures to organize regular intelligence, which is of a systemic nature. At the beginning of 1812, a Special Chancellery was created, reporting directly to the Minister of War, carrying out its activities in strict secrecy and did not appear in the annual ministerial reports. The work of the Special Chancellery was carried out in three directions - the search and liquidation of Napoleonic agents, the collection of information about enemy troops in neighboring states and the receipt of strategic information abroad. Shortly before World War II, Napoleonic general Jacques Lauriston gave Barclay de Tolly the following characterization: "A man of about fifty-five, Minister of War, a great worker, a little emaciated, has an excellent reputation."
In the spring of 1812 Napoleon's "great army" began to slowly move towards the border with Russia. A huge mass of troops came into motion - more than 600 thousand people took part in the march to the east together with the allies. The total number of the Russian army before the start of the war was also large - 590 thousand people. But unlike Napoleon's forces, Russian troops, in addition to the western borders with Austria, Poland and Prussia, were stationed on the Turkish border in the Caucasus and Moldova, in Finland, in the Crimea, on the borders with Iran and in the countless garrisons of the country scattered to Kamchatka.
In March 1812 Barclay left the Northern capital for the city of Vilno, where he assumed the rights of the commander of the first army, leaving behind him the post of Minister of War. In early April, he wrote to the tsar: "It is necessary for the chiefs of corps and armies to have outlined plans of operations, which they do not have to this day." The sovereign did not send any "outlined plans" in response, and the war, meanwhile, was on the threshold. In mid-April 1812 Alexander arrived in Vilna and began long meetings at the headquarters. Discussions centered on the plan of General Pfuel, a Prussian military theorist in the Russian service. Barclay was against him, but the king remained silent. The ambiguity of the current situation was noted in the notes by Secretary of State Shishkov, who reported: "The Tsar talks about Barclay as the chief steward, and Barclay replies that he is only the executor of the Tsar's orders." Alexander could be understood - he terribly wanted to lead the entire army and acquire the glory of the victor Bonaparte, but the fear of defeat stopped the emperor from this step. Not daring to become commander-in-chief, Alexander, even worse, did not appoint anyone in his place.
In mid-June, the "great army" began to cross the Neman. The news of this came to Vilna a few hours later. The sovereign, who was at the ball, silently listened to Barclay's adjutant and soon sent Mikhail Bogdanovich an order to withdraw the first army to the Sventsians, located 70 kilometers from Vilno. Bagration's second army was ordered to move to Vileika. All the next day Barclay de Tolly sent out orders to the commanders of divisions and corps, taking care above all that not a single unit was cut off by the enemy. By the way, the first army was retreating in perfect order, conducting rearguard battles, inflicting sudden blows on the enemy and delaying him at the crossings. For example, in the early days, the rearguard of the first corps under the command of Yakov Kulnev took a thousand prisoners, and in the battle at Vilkomir successfully held back the onslaught of Marshal Oudinot all day. A participant in this march-maneuver, the future Decembrist Glinka, noted in his diary: "Barclay did not allow the slightest detachment to be cut off, he did not lose a single convoy, not a single weapon."
However, the matter was complicated by the fact that the emperor constantly intervened in the orders of the commander. Over the head of Mikhail Bogdanovich, he gave many orders that often contradicted Barclay's instructions. In particular, Alexander, without devoting anyone to his plans, ordered to accelerate the advance to the Drissa camp. At the end of June Barclay wrote to him: "I do not understand what we will do there with our army … We have lost sight of the enemy, and, being imprisoned in the camp, we will be forced to wait for him from all sides." The king did not answer the letter, making it clear that his orders were not discussed. Soon the first army approached Drissa (now the city of Verkhnedvinsk), however, due to the fact that Bagration did not manage to break through to the camp, it was decided to go further. Nevertheless, a short stay in Drissa was marked by two important events - in this place the first replenishment in the form of nineteen infantry battalions and twenty cavalry squadrons awaited the troops, and a marching printing house began its work at the headquarters. Its organizers - professors of the University of Dorpat -, by Barclay's decision, printed orders and appeals of the commander to the population and troops, information leaflets and bulletins, appeals to enemy soldiers. Subsequently, at the field printing house, a circle of military writers was formed, who became the first historians of that war.
In early July, the army left the camp and headed east. At this time, Alexander left the troops and went to Moscow. Saying goodbye to Mikhail Bogdanovich, he said: "I entrust you with my army, do not forget that I do not have one more, and let this thought never leave you." The commander always remembered the parting words of the king. In fact, it became the core of his tactics - saving the army, saving Russia. Leaving, the tsar did not endow Barclay with the powers of commander-in-chief with the subordination of the rest of the armies to him. The uncertainty of Mikhail Bogdanovich's position was aggravated by the fact that Alexander asked Arakcheev "to join the administration of military affairs." This incomprehensible and unclear formulation under the current Minister of War gave rise to numerous frictions between Barclay and Arakcheev, who did not like him. Meanwhile, the unification of the first and second armies became more and more difficult - the main forces of the French were wedged between them, and the Russians had nothing to do but retreat.
While Napoleon was in Vitebsk, Mikhail Bogdanovich broke away from him and went to Smolensk. Many Russians resented this maneuver. It was believed that it was worth giving the enemy a general battle in front of Vitebsk. Bagration was especially angry - a straightforward and honest man, brought up under the Suvorov banners and from a young age committed to offensive tactics, could not put up with a constant withdrawal. The retreat of the first army from Vitebsk enraged Bagration. He sent a message full of reproaches to Barclay, claiming that the departure from Vitebsk opened the way for Napoleon to Moscow. Subsequently, Ermolov, the chief of staff of the first army, wrote about Mikhail Bogdanovich: "He is unhappy, because the campaign outwardly is not in his favor, for he is constantly retreating … I protect him not out of bias, but in true justice." By the way, "true justice" was such that half of the "great army" gathered at Smolensk - in the forty days of the war, the French lost and left more than two hundred thousand people in the rear garrisons.
Soon after the entry of the first army into Smolensk, Bagration also came there. The joy of meeting the commanders pushed aside all the troubles and strife - having met Peter Ivanovich, Barclay embraced him in a friendly way. The unification of the armies by almost all the military was perceived not only as a great success, but also as an indispensable condition for the long-awaited general engagement. Soon, both armies moved towards the enemy. After a series of maneuvers, the first got up on the Porechensky tract, and the second - to the south, on the way to Rudnya. For three days the troops stood in complete inactivity. Finally, Barclay learned that the main forces of the French were assembled near the second army. In this regard, the commander considered it necessary to cross to the Rudnenskaya road, while Pyotr Ivanovich, without waiting, moved back to Smolensk. Both armies approached the city on 4 August. Near Smolensk 120 thousand Russians opposed 180 thousand of Napoleon's soldiers. After painful deliberation, Mikhail Bogdanovich rejected the idea of a general battle. Having ordered Bagration to leave Smolensk, he remained to cover the retreat. The battle continued until nightfall, and the French were unable to achieve even the slightest success. Before Barclay, the question of launching a counteroffensive arose again, however, after weighing the circumstances, the commander ordered to leave the city.
Soon the tsar sent a letter to Mikhail Bogdanovich, in which he reproached him for his actions near Smolensk. Leaving the city completely spoiled relations with Bagration - in letters to the emperor, he demanded to appoint another commander. Barclay's authority in the eyes of most generals, officers and soldiers of all Russian armies was rapidly falling. The question of the commander-in-chief that came up again was this time transferred by the tsar for consideration to a specially created emergency committee, which included six people close to Alexander. They discussed five candidates, the last was Kutuzov, who was immediately recognized as the only one worthy. Three days later, Alexander I put an end to this issue. Immediately, the following rescripts were sent to Barclay, Chichagov, Bagration and Tormasov: “Various important inconveniences … impose the obligation to appoint one chief commander over all four armies. For this I have chosen Prince Kutuzov … ". Having received the appointment, Mikhail Illarionovich personally wrote a letter to Barclay. In it, he expressed his hopes for the success of their joint work. Barclay answered him: "In such an extraordinary and cruel war, everything should contribute to one goal … Under the leadership of Your Lordship, we will now strive to achieve it, and may the Fatherland be saved!"
In mid-August, in the village of Tsarevo-Zaymishche, Barclay outwardly calmly surrendered his command. However, his pride, of course, was wounded. Mikhail Illarionovich found the soldiers preparing for battle - the regiments took up positions, the fortifications were being built, and reserves were arriving. The commander-in-chief, greeted by stormy jubilation, drove around the troops and … ordered to retreat.
On August 23, the main forces of the Russians entered a huge field located between the New and Old Smolensk roads. The night before the Battle of Borodino, Barclay and the chief of artillery of the first army, General Kutaisov, spent in a peasant hut. According to the recollections, Mikhail Bogdanovich was not happy, he wrote all night and forgot himself to sleep just before dawn, hiding what he had written in his coat pocket. Kutaisov, on the other hand, was having fun and joking. The next day he was killed, his will was the order on artillery: “The artillery is obliged to sacrifice itself. Let them take you with guns, but make the last shot at point-blank range ….
For the headquarters of the first army, the battle began at dawn. Barclay's adjutant wrote: “The general at the orders, in full dress uniform, wearing a hat with a black feather, was on the battery … The village of Borodino, located at our feet, was occupied by the brave Life Guards Jaeger Regiment. The fog hid the enemy columns advancing directly at it. The general, observing the area from the hill, sent me with the order that the regiment immediately set out from the village, destroying the bridge behind it … After this business, going down the hill, the general drove around the entire line. The grenadiers stood calmly and greeted him. " However, Bonaparte struck the main blow on the left flank, and at the decisive moment Mikhail Bogdanovich, having correctly assessed the situation, sent help to Bagration. Reinforcements arrived when Bagration's soldiers were barely holding on, and their commander lay mortally wounded on the ground. Pyotr Ivanovich told Barclay's adjutant: “Tell the general that the fate and salvation of the army now depend on him. God bless him. " These words cost Bagration dearly, meaning both complete reconciliation and recognition of the commander's talents. Konovnitsyn took command of the second army, and Barclay himself led his troops against the enemy's cavalry corps. Two officers fell near him and nine were wounded, but he did not withdraw from the battle until the grandiose slaughter ended in victory. Alexander Pushkin, in his poem "The General" dedicated to Barclay, wrote: "There, an outdated leader! like a young warrior, / Lead a cheerful whistle heard for the first time, / You rushed into the fire, looking for the desired death, - / Vile! " Late in the evening, Kutuzov ordered Mikhail Bogdanovich to prepare to continue the battle. The commander gave the necessary orders to his generals, but at midnight he received a new order to retreat.
After Borodino, the remnants of Bagration's army were combined with Barclay's army, however, his position was conditional - the commander-in-chief stood over him. And soon an order came to dismiss the commander from the post of Minister of War. In addition to this, Mikhail Bogdanovich fell ill with a fever and in mid-September sent Kutuzov a letter of dismissal from service. On the day he entered the Tarutino position, Mikhail Illarionovich granted his request. Saying goodbye to his adjutants, Barclay de Tolly said: “The great deed is done, it remains only to reap the harvest … I handed over to the field marshal a preserved, undemoralized, well-dressed and armed army. This gives me the right to the gratitude of the people, who will now throw a stone at me, but then give justice."
Being out of the army for more than four months, Mikhail Bogdanovich was engaged in comprehending everything that happened. The fruit of these reflections was the "Notes" compiled by him. And in early November, the commander suddenly filed a petition to the tsar to be reinstated in the service. He was appointed commander of the third army, which was previously headed by Admiral Chichagov.
Soon the fighting spread to Europe. In early April 1813 Torun surrendered, and the French governor handed over the keys to the fortress to Barclay de Tolly. Three weeks later, after the death of Kutuzov, the soldiers of Mikhail Bogdanovich entered Frankfurt an der Oder. In May, in the battle of Konigswart in Saxony, which lasted for many hours, the commander, at the head of a 23,000th detachment, suddenly attacked and defeated Perry's Italian division. Only prisoners the enemy lost the division commander, 3 brigadier generals and about 2,000 soldiers. This battle was a prelude to the Battle of Bautzen, which was lost by the Allied forces. By the way, at Bautzen Barclay, the only of the allied generals, did without mistakes. Denis Davydov wrote that among the soldiers there was a proverb: "Look at Barclay, and fear does not take." For the victory at Konigswart, the commander was awarded the highest award of the Russian Empire - the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. In addition, Barclay replaced Wittgenstein, who commanded the combined Russian-Prussian army after Kutuzov. The change this time proceeded differently than nine months ago - Wittgenstein himself recommended Mikhail Bogdanovich to his place, informing the emperor that "it would be a pleasure to be under his command." At the same time, a new anti-Napoleonic coalition was formed, which included Russia, Prussia, Austria, Sweden and England. A former ally of Bonaparte, the Austrian Schwarzenberg, was appointed commander-in-chief of all allied armies. Barclay, in the new conditions, took a more modest post - the chief of the Russian-Prussian reserve as part of one of the armies.
In the two-day battle of Dresden in mid-August 1813, the allies under the command of Schwarzenberg were defeated and driven back to Bohemia. Wanting to cut off the retreating troops' escape routes, the French began pursuit, but with a swift maneuver Barclay's troops blocked their way, encircling and imposing a battle on destruction. This battle, which unfolded near the village of Kulm, remained in the history of military art as an example of tactical skill. For the defeat of the thirty-thousandth French corps, Barclay received the Order of George of the fifth class, which before him had been awarded only to Kutuzov. The defeat at Kulm forced the French to retreat to Leipzig, where the "Battle of the Nations" took place in October, bringing the war to French territory.
In 1814, Mikhail Bogdanovich took part in the battles of Arsis-sur-Aub, at Brienne and at Fer-Champenoise. In mid-March, his soldiers entered the streets of Paris. After the victory, Alexander I, who was circling the troops with Barclay, suddenly took the commander by the hand and congratulated him on the rank of field marshal. On May 18, 1814, the new French government signed a peace treaty, and four days later the Russian emperor went to London. His new field marshal went there together with the tsar. The next three weeks were filled with receptions, festivities and balls, which greatly weighed the military, who was accustomed to the field life. In October 1814 he received the command of the first army, headquartered in Warsaw. Mikhail Bogdanovich was pleased with his appointment - far from St. Petersburg he was given almost complete independence. His most notable work of those years was the "Instructions", setting out the commander's ideas about the duty of commanders in relation to subordinates. Along with the requirement of a conscientious attitude towards service and strict discipline, Barclay urged to treat people with care, not to allow arbitrariness, cruelty and violence to flourish.
In the spring of 1815, after the appearance of Napoleon in Europe, Barclay set out on a campaign. Before reaching the Rhine, he learned of the defeat of the "Corsican monster" at Waterloo. Nevertheless, the army of the commander continued the campaign and in July occupied Paris for the second time. Here, for political reasons, Alexander decided to demonstrate to the allies the strength and beauty of his troops. The grand parade in Vertu lasted for several days - Barclay commanded an army of 150,000 with 550 guns. All infantry battalions, cavalry squadrons and artillery batteries showed impeccable bearing and training, coordination of maneuvers and perfection of movements. Ermolov wrote to his brother: “The condition of our troops is amazing. There are troops from all over Europe in this place, but there is no Russian soldier like this! " For the excellent condition of the entrusted army, Mikhail Bogdanovich was awarded the title of prince.
The motto on his coat of arms was the words: "Loyalty and patience."
In the fall of 1815, the bulk of the Russian troops returned to their homeland. This time Barclay's headquarters was located in Mogilev. The commander still led the first army, which after 1815 included almost 2/3 of all land forces. In the spring of 1818, Mikhail Bogdanovich went to Europe for treatment. His path passed through Prussia. There, fifty-six-year-old Barclay fell ill and died on May 14. His heart was buried on a hill near the Shtilitzen estate (now the village of Nagornoye in the Kaliningrad region), and the commander's ashes were delivered to his wife's family estate in Livonia, located not far from the present Estonian town of Jigeveste. In 1823, the widow built a beautiful mausoleum on the grave, which has survived to this day.
