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Birthday anniversary of eminent Russian commander and military figure, Mikhail D. Skobelev
17 (29) September 1843, was born an outstanding Russian general and military leader, Mikhail D. Skobelev. His grandfather, Ivan Nikitich, during the War of 1812 was adjutant to M. I. Kutuzov and later became a general of infantry, and commandant of the Peter and Paul Fortress, and his father, Dmitri Ivanovich, was a lieutenant in the Cavalry Regiment, took part in the Crimean War and the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.
As a child, Mikhail was first brought up by a German tutor, and then was sent to France at the board, and after graduation he returned to Russia. In 1858-1860, he was preparing to enter the St. Petersburg State University under the supervision of Academician A. V. Nikitenko. Skobelev successfully passed the exams, but the university was temporarily closed due to student unrest. At the end of 1861 Skobelev joined the Cavalry Regiment; a year later he was promoted to a cadet sword belt, and in spring of 1863 - to a cornet. Soon, upon his personal request, Skobelev was transferred to the Life Guards Grodno Hussar Regiment and in April 1864 took part in the fighting against the Polish insurgents.
For the defeat of one of the detachments, Skobelev was awarded the Order of St. Anne, 4th class, and in August of that year he was promoted to lieutenant. In 1868, he successfully graduated from the Academy of the General Staff and was sent to the Turkestan Military District in the rank of lieutenant-captain. Military career of Skobelev developed rapidly: he commanded a Cossack squadron, participated in important reconnaissance missions in Central Asia, and in 1872, in the rank of lieutenant colonel, was appointed commander of an infantry battalion. In the spring of 1873, as a General Staff officer, Skobelev participated in the Khiva campaign of the Russian Army in Central Asia. After successful completion of the campaign and the capture of Khiva, he was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th class. In 1874, Mikhail was promoted to colonel and appointed aide-de-camp to the entourage of His Imperial Majesty.
In the 1875-1876, Skobelev participated in the war against the Kokand Khanate. For distinguished service in the campaign, he was promoted to major-general, and after the conquest of the Khanate in March 1876, he was appointed military governor of the newly formed Ferghana Region and commander of forces. 32-year-old Major General Skobelev for this campaign was also awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd class with swords, and the Order of St. George, 3rd class, and a gold sword with diamonds with the inscription "For Bravery". As governor, Skobelev managed to stop the internecine fighting between various clans and quickly became popular with the local population, and subordinate personnel. However, the relentless struggle that general had with local corruption and embezzlement had led to the mass of false reports on him, and, despite unconfirmed allegations, in spring of 1877 Skobelev was dismissed from the post of the military governor.
The pinnacle of Skobelev’s military career was Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. At first, he was at the headquarters and participated in small operations on a voluntary basis, but soon he was appointed chief of staff of the consolidated Cossack Division, commanded by his father. After a brilliant operation that consisted in organizing the crossing of the Danube by Russian troops, for which he was awarded the Order of St. Stanislaus 1st Class with Swords, Michael Skobelev participated in the decisive battles of the war: the capture of the Shipka Pass, taking Lovcen and battles of Plevna. Reid of the Russian army through the Balkans, the decisive battle of Sheinovo and taking Adrianople by a squad under the commandment of Skobelev triumphantly ended hostilities. For his habit of attacking the enemy in front of his troops, riding on a white horse in a white uniform, Skobelev was nicknamed "White General".
In winter of 1880, Skobelev was appointed commander of Akhal-Teke expedition - a military operation of the Russian army to conquer the tribes of Turkomans, who lived in the territory of modern Turkmenistan. In January 1881, Russian troops stormed the fortress of Geok-Tepe, and as a result the Ahalteke oasis was annexed to Russia.
General Skobelev’s career ended abruptly and tragically: while on vacation in Moscow, Mikhail died suddenly on June 25 (July 7) 1882 under mysterious circumstances. He was buried at his family estate in the province of Ryazan.
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Based on the Presidential Library’s materials: