Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly
Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly (16th/27th of December 1761– 14th/26th of May 1818) – Russian field marshal and war minister during Napoleon's invasion in 1812 and the War of the Sixth Coalition.
Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly descended from an old Scottish family which settled in Riga in the 17th Century.
He was born on 16th of December 1761 on the territory of modern Lithuania. He began military service already at the age of 14 and has become an outstanding commander.
In the 18th century Barclay de Tolly took part in Russian-Turkish and Russian-Swedish wars, in 1799 he was promoted to the rank of general-major.
He excelled in the battle against Napoleon near Preisish Eilau. As a division commander M. Barclay de Tolly manifested his military skills in many other battles at the beginning of the 1800s.
In 1810 he became a war minister and on this position he managed to improve the Russian army, to increase its numbers and armament.
During the Patriotic War of 1812 Barclay de Tolly was a commander-in-chief of Russian army and heroically fought against the French troops. However, his decision to recede and leave Moscow was not accepted by the public.
After the Russian-French war he took part in many other military campaigns.
His services were appreciated. In the spring of 1814 after the seizure of Paris he was promoted to the rank of general field marshal.
Michael Andreas Barclay-de-Tolly’s funeral ceremony was held in Riga, but he was buried on his native estate of Helm (now Estonia).
Michael Andreas Baclay de Tolly was awarded a number of orders of Russia and other countries (Prussia, the Netherlands, France etc.).
Monuments dedicated to him can be seen in Estonia and Russia.
Alexander Gurin
