Naval Engineering School of Emperor Nicholas I. Military Institute (Naval Polytechnic) Vunts of the Navy “Naval Academy. Officer classes and schools

In accordance with the Order of the Minister of Defense Russian Federation dated March 15, 2012 No. 545 “On measures to improve the structure of military educational institutions of higher vocational education of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, branches of the VUNC of the Navy "Naval Academy" in the cities of St. Petersburg, Pushkin and St. Petersburg, the city of Petrodvorets from July 1, 2012 were renamed the Military Institute (naval polytechnic) -Marine Academy".

VVMUZ has no analogues in Armed Forces Russia. The concept of polytechnic education permeates the entire cadet training program for five years. Particular emphasis is placed on the first two years. It is during this period, regardless of the chosen specialty, that cadets will receive a powerful basic level of technical knowledge, which they will be able to fully use in the next three-year period of specialization. In five years, the fleet will be replenished with specialists with a solid polytechnic training foundation.

The formation and development of the Russian fleet is inextricably linked with the practical and scientific activities of the university. A whole galaxy of outstanding scientists, designers, mechanical engineers emerged from its walls over a period of more than two centuries. Thanks to their scientific and practical activities in Russia, a first-class sailing, steam, and then nuclear fleet was built. School graduates designed, built and maintained combat surface ships, ships, submarines of the Russian fleet.

The history of the Institute dates back to August 20 (31), 1798, when the Law Russian Empire No. 18634, approved by Emperor Paul I, the School of Naval Architecture was founded in St. Petersburg - the world's first naval engineering educational institution.

The school has repeatedly changed its name and location (for more than 130 years it has been located in the Main Admiralty). The buildings of the institute in Pushkin were built in the 18th-19th centuries as part of the city of Sofia. Until 1829, the buildings belonged to the Noble Boarding School of the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, and then they housed the Alexandrovsky cadet corps, from where the pupils were transferred to the Naval Cadet Corps. In 1948, a decision was made to establish the Higher Naval Engineering School named after V.I. Lenin.

In accordance with the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 29, 1998 No. 1009, by merging two well-known in the country educational institutions- The Higher Naval Engineering School named after V.I. Lenin and the Higher Naval Engineering Order of Lenin School named after F.E. Dzerzhinsky - the Naval Engineering Institute was created, which in 2009 was attached to the state educational institution of higher professional education "Naval Academy named after Admiral Fleet Soviet Union N.G. Kuznetsov.

In accordance with the resolution "On the personnel of the commanders of the Navy of the Red Army and on measures to expand naval educational institutions" of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics dated May 17, 1932 at the Leningrad Naval Engineering School. F.E. Dzerzhinsky, the School of Communications of the Navy of the Red Army and the training of "commanding staff of communications" for the Navy was formed. Over the years of its existence, more than 25 thousand highly qualified specialists have been trained within the walls of the school - college - of the Naval Institute of Radio Electronics named after A.S. Popov.

In the process of training, cadets annually pass educational practice on ships visiting foreign ports.

The Military Institute (Naval Polytechnic) of the VUNC of the Navy "Naval Academy" occupies a leading position in the training of engineering specialists of the Navy.

In the first part, based on the memoirs of V.P. Kostenko “On the “Eagle” in Tsushima”, I want to talk about how shipbuilding engineers were trained at the Kronstadt Marine Engineering School before the Russo-Japanese War.

Learning features

All enrolled in the school entered the full government dependency. First-year students of both departments listened to lectures together, and the division of shipbuilders and mechanics began from the second year.
All those accepted were obliged to serve in the Navy for 4 ½ years upon graduation to cover the costs of their education and maintenance for 3 special courses.

The school was a closed educational institution, and the presence of pupils at all lectures was mandatory. Progress was checked periodically at regular rehearsals and at spring transitional exams after the end of the academic year (according to a twelve-point system).

Every day at the end of daytime classes, pupils were allowed to leave the school until 11 pm. On Saturdays, the pupils had the right to travel to St. Petersburg until 11 pm on Sunday.

From the second year, mechanics went to sail the Baltic Sea on the ships of the training detachment of the Engineering School, and the first course practiced in Kronstadt on the old Tucha gunboat.

In the last - fourth year, shipbuilders and mechanics devoted their entire academic year preparation of diploma projects in the specialty. Project defense and final exams took place with the participation of a special commission appointed by the Main Naval Staff.

The production of graduates and their release into the fleet took place in a solemn atmosphere on the "royal day" on May 6. Shipbuilders received the title of "junior assistant shipbuilder" with one star on a narrow silver shoulder strap, corresponding to the rank of midshipman of naval officers, and were appointed to available vacancies in naval ports for the construction and repair of ships. Mechanics were issued into the fleet with the title of "Junior Mechanical Engineer".

At the school, lectures began at 8 o'clock in the morning, and until 3 o'clock 6 lectures were held daily, and after 6 o'clock in the evening work began in workshops and laboratories.

Since lectures and interviews with teachers are mandatory, training courses are usually assimilated before rehearsals and almost no time is required to prepare for the test.

Mandatory and well-organized three-month summer practice reinforces the knowledge gained during the theoretical courses taken.

It takes no more than one and a half months for holidays and rest in a year, and 10 ½ months remain for study.

Waking up at 6 ½ in the morning and finishing the working day at 11 pm gives more than 16 hours a day for lectures, classes, reading and walking.

It is also impossible not to note the influence that a close connection with the life of the fleet, port and factories has. The fleet brings up young cadres for itself. Cadets in the port have access to all ships under construction, armed and ready, standing in the roadstead.

Pupils of the school had the opportunity in their free time to visit new ships, study their internal layout and equipment, and receive the latest information from the personnel. This living and direct connection with everyday life of the fleet involved both shipbuilders and mechanics from the school bench into the life of the fleet and made them imbued with its urgent tasks.

Ship mechanics and officers always attentively introduced us to all the novelties in ship equipment. This communication with the personnel of the fleet drew the younger generation of specialists into the circle of the current life and interests of the naval forces.

Entrance exams

Of the 50 who held competitive exams<на кораблестроительное отделение>5 people were enrolled. Those who did not qualify for the shipbuilding department could, if desired, enter the mechanical department. Mechanics were accepted 32 people out of 80 who took the exams.

Practice after the first year of study

In the summer, after the transitional exams, shipbuilders went to St. Petersburg for a three-month industrial practice and distributed among the Admiralty plants. At the end of the summer practice, a verification exam was carried out by the commission of engineers of the St. Petersburg port, after which the pupils were given a month's vacation.

Every day at 9 o'clock in the morning we set off across the Nikolaevsky bridge on the left bank of the Neva to the Admiralty factories. One group, which worked in practice for the first year, remained at the plant of the New Admiralty, and the other two courses went to the shipyard of Galerny Island.

In the first year of practice, we had to study the construction of wooden keel boats in the boat workshop for three months, and then get acquainted with the location and equipment of all workshops for cold and hot processing of sheet and profile steel going to the construction of ship hulls.

Further, the program included the study of plaza works and the assembly of the hull on the slipway. By the end of the practice, a detailed written report was required, illustrated with copies of drawings, freehand sketches, drawings and photographs. To collect all the information, copies of drawings and technical data, we could turn to engineers in the offices of builders, to designers in drawing rooms and to foremen on buildings, as well as to all workers at the machine tools and assemblers on the stocks.

Practice after the second year of study

In 1902<после второго года обучения>our practice has been different. We were seconded to the construction of the battleship "Eagle", and we ended up with Mikhail Karlovich Yakovlev. Preparations were underway for the launch of the ship, we got the opportunity to see the laying of the foundation, the preparation of the skids and the assembly of the skids between the ship's hull and the skids. Of particular interest was the assembly of spears in the bow and stern.

Before the end of the summer, we had to study the entire internal location of the battleship, its ventilation and drainage systems, the flooding of the cellars and the ship's heeling from the kingstons. Yakovlev often tested our knowledge of all the schemes of ship systems. This second year of practice greatly expanded our understanding of all the interconnected devices of the ship and more fully illuminated the future duties of a ship engineer in construction.

During the summer, we also managed to get acquainted with the construction of all ships at other St. Petersburg plants. We were present at the descent of destroyers from Creighton's Okhtensky plant and visited the Nevsky plant, where the light cruisers Zhemchug and Izumrud were laid down, built according to the drawings of the Novik cruiser, ordered in Germany at the Shihau plant in Danzig.

Practice after the third year of study, preparation of diploma projects

Arriving for summer practice in the spring of 1903.<после третьего года обучения>, we received assignments for the preparation of graduation projects, approved by the design manager, engineer Nevrazhin.

In the free evening time of summer practice, we began to study the issues that were subject to theoretical and constructive solutions in graduation projects, and at factories and technical bureaus we tried to collect preliminary information and factory data on the weights of various ship structures and weapons to substantiate our design assumptions. It was also required to give a technical justification for the selected types of ships, their weapons and main elements.

Inspired by this project, I did not take advantage of my vacation in 1903, and at the end of my summer practice, I entered the design bureau of the Baltic Plant and worked there for another month and a half before the start of autumn classes in Kronstadt. This additional practice gave me access to the factory technical archive and allowed me to collect valuable materials for the project.

When the regular classes began in the fourth year, I already had a draft of the whole project, a theoretical drawing of the hull shape, general arrangement and main structural drawings were drawn up. It remained to make all the theoretical calculations of stability at large angles of inclination and calculations of unsinkability in case of damage.

Final exams and defense of diploma projects

The period of transitional exams has begun at the school, and our graduation course of shipbuilders must, in addition, defend graduation projects. Therefore, I don’t leave the school anywhere and sit up every day in the design class until 12 o’clock at night.

The defense is scheduled after all the final exams for May 4th. On May 6, production will take place, after which all new shipbuilders are supposed to appear at their destination and immediately begin work.

Finally, all the examination fever was over. Yesterday our projects were defended, which was attended by specially invited engineers from the Kronstadt port. Our entire group of seven people was recognized as worthy of production and graduation into the corps of shipboard engineers of the fleet. We receive the title of "junior shipbuilder's assistants" and are civilian ranks of the fleet, like marine doctors.

Already now we approximately know who and where will get for further service. I and Kuteinikov will be enrolled in the port of St. Petersburg at the Admiralty factories. We will immediately get to the construction of new ships. And two of our issue will remain in Kronstadt. The rest will be sent to Sevastopol and to the ports of the Finnish coast.

After the arrest of Menshikov, the palace was transferred to the treasury. Here was located the Chancellery of the Kronstadt Canal, then the Customs, then other institutions.

On May 31, 1771, after the fire of the Naval Cadet Corps in the Military District, he was transferred to the Kronstadt Italian Palace, in connection with which a number of reconstructions were carried out. () The Naval Cadet Corps was located here from 1771 to 1798. (Green A.I....)

Here, on February 15, 1772, a church was consecrated in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The church of the same name existed at the building since 1761 and was located in the building of the building on Vasilyevsky Island. The corps remained in Kronstadt until 1796, when it was returned to St. Petersburg by decree of Paul I. The church was also transferred to a new building in the capital. (p. 185)

Emperor Pavel Petrovich, having ascended the throne, turned his attention to the fleet and ordered the naval cadets to be transferred from Kronstadt to Petersburg. At the same time, he established two Navigator Schools, one for the Baltic and the other for the Black Sea Fleets. To accommodate the navigational classes of the school, a house was appointed in Kronstadt, in which the Naval Cadet Corps had previously been located. (Green A. I. Historical essay on the Navigational School 1798-1871, Kronstadt, 1872. P.5-6)

In 1798, the Navigator School was located in the Italian Palace. In 1826 the Navigator School was renamed into the Navigator Company, and on March 10, 1827 into the First Navigator's Crew. In 1829-1831. the palace was repaired according to the drawings of arch. E. Anerta. The interiors of the church hall were designed by arch. V. Stasov. The single-tiered iconostasis was quite complete in the style of classicism.

In 1843, Nicholas I decided to rebuild the building. The restructuring commission was headed by the chief of the crew, Major General A.K. Davydov. On May 19, 1843, the project for the reconstruction of the palace was approved by arch. A. N. Akutina.

According to the new project, a large extension of 18 axes was added to the western building of the palace. The building that previously connected the western and eastern buildings was demolished, and a new covered passage was built in its place to the north. A gallery was built on the south side of the courtyard building. An extension of 8 axes for the church was made to the building perpendicular to the Peter the Great Canal. (c.75-80)

The former church was handed over to the Training crew in the Minikhov House, and in one of the rooms of the Italian Palace a new house church was built, consecrated on February 1, 1847. It was located in a large double-height hall. In the absence of a belfry, a small bell was hung on a pole in the school yard.

Initially, the church, like all churches of educational institutions, was under the jurisdiction of the diocesan and under the supervision of the Ministry public education. In 1907 the church was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Protopresbyter of the military and naval clergy. (S. 186-187)

On the walls of the school were installed black marble plaques with the names of the navigators who were killed and died from wounds, starting from the Battle of Chesme, and gray boards with the names of those who died in the line of duty. (p. 186)

In 1846, a fourth floor superstructure with 11 axes was designed over the central part of the main southern building. An astronomical arbor is erected above it.

According to the project of arch. Reimers in 1847, stone service buildings were erected on the site - a bathhouse, a laundry, a stable with sheds and glaciers.

Construction work continued from 1843 to 1848.

On May 9, 1856, the half-crew was again renamed the Navigator School, which in 1867 was merged with the artillery school, under the name Navigator-Artillery School. In 1872, it became part of the Technical School of the Naval Department. (Green A. I. Historical essay on the Navigational School 1798-1871, Kronstadt, 1872. P.5-6). Since 1898 - Naval Engineering School of Emperor Nicholas I.

For the latter, a large new building was added, extending the main facade along Pomorskaya (Makarovskaya) Street. to the west. Another building was added at an angle from the north side. The facades of the new buildings completely repeated the old building, united into one whole.

In 1910, a new signal tower of a slightly different type was built to replace the outdated one. (c.75-80)

In 1926, a fire broke out in the building, after which it was reconstructed, and the building itself received the status of the House of Officers.

The theater is located here. Baltic Fleet. In 2011 the theater moved.

In 1974, the restoration of the House of Officers (Italian Palace) began. During the restoration of the palace, vestibules that distorted its facades were removed, and lost architectural details were restored (molding on the pediment, etc.). (c.131)

(text Mary, Natalia)

Coordinates : 59°42′32″ s. sh. 30°24′00″ E d. /  59.709° N sh. 30.4° E d. / 59.709; 30.4 (G) (I) K: Educational institutions established in 1998 This article is about the institution of higher education that existed before 1998. For the current university, see

Leningrad Higher Naval Engineering School named after V. I. Lenin founded April 8, 1948.

After merging with VVMIU named after F. E. Dzerzhinsky - the Naval Engineering Institute.

After the merger of the VMII and VMIRE named after A. S. Popov - the Naval Polytechnic Institute.

School names

• 1948-1964 - 2nd Higher Naval Engineering School (2nd VVMIU)
• 1964-1974 - Leningrad Higher Naval Engineering School (LVVMIU)
• 1974-1998 - Leningrad Higher Naval Engineering School (LVVMIU named after V. I. Lenin)
• from August 29, 1998 - Naval Engineering Institute
• Naval Polytechnic Institute

School history

• April 8, 1948 - Order No. 23 of the MVS of the USSR was signed on the formation of the 2nd Naval Engineering School (military unit 62750) for the training of specialists in steam-powered and diesel-electric power plants of the Navy based in Pushkin, Leningrad Region.
• July-August 1948 - The beginning of the formation of the VMIU training contingent in Leningrad on the basis of VVMIOL named after. F. E. Dzerzhinsky. Captain 1st rank D. G. Zhmakin was appointed the first head of the 2nd VMIU.
• October 1, 1948 - Started training sessions with first-year cadets of VMIU on the basis of VVMIOLU them. F. E. Dzerzhinsky.
• December 28, 1948 - Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR 2nd VMIU was categorized as the Higher Educational Institution of the Navy and was given the name 2nd Higher Naval Engineering School.
• October 31, 1949 - The first meeting of the Academic Council of the 2nd VVMIU
• February 23, 1950 - On the basis of the Directive of the PS of the USSR Navy dated February 8, 1950, the school was awarded the Battle Red Banner and the Diploma of the Presidium Supreme Council USSR, signed on October 28, 1949.
• October 12, 1953 - The State Examination Commission for the first time began to work in the 2nd VVMIU.
• March 21, 1954 - The first graduation of the 2nd VVMIU (those who entered the F.E. Dzerzhinsky VVMIOL).
• September 1, 1954 - Classes began at the new - fuel department
• November 5, 1956 - Opening of the monument to V. I. Lenin in the school
• October 1, 1957 - Based on the directive of the Civil Code of the Navy dated September 26, 1957, the diesel faculty began training mechanical engineers for the operation of ship gas turbine installations.
• On October 6, 1957, the first graduation of fuel technicians took place, and on November 5, the first graduation of diesel mechanics. Training of fuel technicians and diesel mechanics took place until 1958.
• April 25, 1959 - The steam-power department was transferred to the school from the VVMIOL. F. E. Dzerzhinsky.
• July 29, 1959 - Based on the directive of the General Staff of the Navy dated July 6, 1958, a correspondence department was opened, and the fuel department was transferred from September 1, 1959 to the Military Academy of Logistics and Transport.
• April 27, 1960 - On the basis of the directive of the Minister of Defense of the USSR of April 11, 1960, a special department was created.
• September 1, 1962 - Based on the directive of the USSR Ministry of Defense dated May 29, 1962, 10-month advanced training courses were created for mechanical officers, graduates of secondary technical institutions.
• September 1, 1963 - On the basis of the order of the General Staff of the Navy dated February 19, 1963, a 10-month course for officers was created at the diesel faculty to train specialists from among those who graduated from civilian institutions and were called up to the ranks of the Navy. On the basis of the directive of the General Staff of the Navy No. OMU / 3/7296 of August 8, 1963, a division for the training of divers with a 3-year training period was organized.
• April 16, 1964 - Based on the directive of the General Staff of the Navy No. OMU / 3/701556 dated April 16, 1964, the 2nd VVMIU was given the name "Leningrad Higher Naval Engineering School".
• September 1, 1964 - Based on the directive of the General Staff of the Navy No. OMU / 3 / 702051 of July 18, 1964, the special department of the LVVMIU was transformed into a special faculty (for training foreign cadets and students).
• December 1966 - On the basis of the directive of the General Staff of the Navy dated November 14, 1966, retraining courses for officers were excluded from the staff of the LVVMIU.
• March 23, 1971 - By Order No. 7 / VAK of the USSR Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education, the Academic Council of the LVMMIU is allowed to accept candidate dissertations for defense.
• January 24, 1974 - By the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 66 of January 24, 1974, the school was named after V.I. Lenin.
• September 1, 1977 - On the basis of the directive of the General Staff of the Navy dated August 10, 1977, the diving technicians training department was closed.
• May 1992 - The military-patriotic unit "Guards Naval Crew" was created.
• November 1992 - The first graduation of officers for the Russian Navy took place.
• April-May 1993 - VVMIU them. V. I. Lenin, the Faculty of Chemistry was transferred from the Sevastopol VVMIU.
• September 1, 1993 - In accordance with the directive of the General Staff of the Russian Navy dated December 25, 1992 at VVMIU. V. I. Lenin created an electrical and chemistry faculties in which the training of specialists for the maintenance of nuclear power plants began.
• June 25, 1994 - The first graduation of officers of chemical engineers for the Navy took place.
• May 29, 1995 - Based on the decision of the Presidium of the Higher Attestation Commission of the Russian Federation dated May 26, 1995, by order of the Higher Attestation Commission of the Russian Federation at VVMIU. V. I. Lenin created a doctoral dissertation council. It is also entrusted with the right to receive PhD theses. The Candidate Dissertation Council ceased to exist.
• September 1, 1996 - Studies resumed at the special faculty of VVMIU. V. I. Lenin
• Since 1997 - VVMIU them. V. I. Lenin switched to curricula and programs completely identical to similar civilian universities in Russia.
• September 1, 1997 - handed over to the school The educational center and a town in the village of Nizino, Leningrad Oblast, formerly belonging to the Pushkin Higher Engineering and Construction School.
• August 29, 1998 - The Government of the Russian Federation adopted Decree No. 1009, which determined the creation of the Naval Engineering Institute (Pushkin, Leningrad Region) on the basis of VVMIU named after F. E. Dzerzhinsky (St. Petersburg) and VVMIU (Pushkin , St. Petersburg).

Awards

• November 1963 - 2nd VVMIU was awarded the Red Banner of the USSR Navy "For an exemplary military town".
• October 29, 1967 - For success in training specialists for the Navy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the LVMMIU was awarded the commemorative Red Banner of the Ministry of Defense of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
• October 16, 1972 - Based on the decision of the Bureau of the Central Committee of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League dated October 11, 1972, the Komsomol organization LVVMIU was awarded the commemorative Red Banner of the Central Committee of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League "The Best Komsomol Organization of the Navy" in honor of the 50th anniversary of the patronage of the Komsomol over the fleet.
• December 13, 1972 - On the basis of the decision of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 845-285 of December 13, 1972, LVVMIU was awarded the Badge of Honor of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the Presidium of the Supreme Council and the Council of Ministers of the USSR in honor of the 50th anniversary of the formation of the USSR.
• August 27, 1975 - the school was awarded a diploma of the DOSAAF Central Committee for active patronage work
• April 1978 - School awarded Honorary Diploma Central Committee of the Komsomol in honor of the 108th anniversary of the birth of V. I. Lenin
• October 11, 1978 - the school was awarded the Honorary Diploma of the Komsomol Central Committee in honor of the 60th anniversary of the formation of the Komsomol.
• April 22, 1980 - the school was awarded the Honorary Lenin Diploma of the Central Committee of the CPSU, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Council of Ministers of the USSR in honor of the 110th anniversary of the birth of V. I. Lenin.
• September 9, 1985 - For the great and fruitful training of specialists for the Socialist Republic of Vietnam by the decision State Council SRV LVVMIU named after V. I. Lenin was awarded the Order of the SRV "For Military Merit" 2nd degree.
• October 29, 1985 - the school was awarded the Red Banner of the Central Committee of the Union of Young Communists of Cuba for November 21, 1991 high-quality training of specialists for the Navy of the Republic of Cuba
• June 2, 1992 - In recognition of services to the armed forces of the Republic of Cuba, in the course of training national personnel, by the decision of the State Council of the Republic of Cuba of June 17, 1991, the school was awarded the highest military order of the Republic of Cuba - the order named after Antonio Maceo.

Heads of the school

• 1948-1952 - Rear Admiral Zhmakin Dmitry Georgievich
• 1952-1959 - Vice Admiral Mikhail Petrovich Stepanov
• 1959-1975 - Vice Admiral Engineer Rumyantsev, Nikolai Ivanovich
• 1975-1983 - Vice Admiral Lapshin, Boris Alexandrovich
• 1983-1992 - Vice Admiral Kokovin, Vasily Aleksandrovich
• 1992-1998 - Rear Admiral Khaliullin, Yuri Mikhailovich

Distinguished Alumni

• Barskov, Mikhail Konstantinovich - Vice Admiral, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy for armament, shipbuilding and operation (1989-2003);
• Bartenev, Alexander Vladimirovich - mayor of Feodosia;
• Malakhov, Ivan Pavlovich - Governor of the Sakhalin Region from August 2003 to August 2007.

Write a review on the article "V. I. Lenin Higher Naval Engineering School"

Links

• Leningrad Higher Naval Engineering School named after V. I. Lenin.// Lomot V. K. (Ed.). Brief historical sketch. Ed. 2 1990. Hardcover. 192 p.

Notes

An excerpt characterizing the Higher Naval Engineering School named after V. I. Lenin

All the activities of Kutuzov, as was the case near Tarutin and Vyazma, were aimed only at ensuring that, as far as it was in his power, not to stop this disastrous movement for the French (as Russian generals wanted in St. Petersburg and in the army), but assist him and facilitate the movement of his troops.
But, in addition, from the time of fatigue and the huge loss that appeared in the troops, which occurred from the speed of movement, another reason seemed to Kutuzov to slow down the movement of troops and to wait. The goal of the Russian troops was to follow the French. The path of the French was unknown, and therefore, the closer our troops followed on the heels of the French, the more distances they covered. Only by following at some distance, it was possible to cut the zigzags that the French made along the shortest path. All the skillful maneuvers that the generals proposed were expressed in the movement of troops, in increasing the transitions, and the only reasonable goal was to reduce these transitions. And to this end, throughout the campaign, from Moscow to Vilna, Kutuzov's activities were directed - not by chance, not temporarily, but so consistently that he never betrayed her.
Kutuzov knew not with his mind or science, but with his whole Russian being he knew and felt what every Russian soldier felt, that the French were defeated, that the enemies were fleeing and it was necessary to send them out; but at the same time he felt, along with the soldiers, the whole burden of this campaign, unheard of in speed and season.
But to generals, especially non-Russians, who wanted to distinguish themselves, to surprise someone, to take some duke or king prisoner for some reason - it seemed to these generals now, when every battle was both disgusting and pointless, it seemed to them that now is the right time give battles and defeat someone. Kutuzov only shrugged his shoulders when, one after another, he was presented with projects of maneuvers with those badly shod, without sheepskin coats, half-starved soldiers, who in one month, without battles, melted to half and with whom, under the best conditions of continued flight, it was necessary to go to the border the space is greater than that which has been traversed.
In particular, this desire to distinguish themselves and maneuver, overturn and cut off, manifested itself when the Russian troops ran into the French troops.
So it happened near Krasnoe, where they thought to find one of the three columns of the French and stumbled upon Napoleon himself with sixteen thousand. Despite all the means used by Kutuzov in order to get rid of this disastrous clash and in order to save his troops, for three days at Krasnoy the exhausted people of the Russian army continued to finish off the defeated gatherings of the French.
Toll wrote the disposition: die erste Colonne marschiert [the first column will go there then], etc. And, as always, everything did not go according to the disposition. Prince Eugene of Wirtemberg shot from the mountain past the fleeing crowds of the French and demanded reinforcements, which did not come. The French, running around the Russians at night, scattered, hid in the forests and made their way further as best they could.
Miloradovich, who said that he did not want to know anything about the economic affairs of the detachment, which could never be found when it was needed, "chevalier sans peur et sans reproche" ["a knight without fear and reproach"], as he himself called himself , and a hunter for conversations with the French, sent truce deputies, demanding surrender, and wasted time and did not do what he was ordered to.
“I give you guys this column,” he said, driving up to the troops and pointing to the French cavalrymen. And the cavalrymen on thin, skinned, barely moving horses, urging them on with spurs and sabers, trotted, after strong tensions, drove up to the donated column, that is, to the crowd of frostbitten, stiff and hungry Frenchmen; and the donated column threw down its weapons and surrendered, which it had long wanted to do.
Near Krasnoye they took twenty-six thousand prisoners, hundreds of cannons, some kind of stick, which they called the marshal's baton, and argued about who distinguished themselves there, and were pleased with this, but very much regretted that they had not taken Napoleon or at least some hero, marshal, and reproached each other for this, and especially Kutuzov.
These people, carried away by their passions, were blind executors of only the saddest law of necessity; but they considered themselves heroes and imagined that what they did was the most worthy and noble deed. They accused Kutuzov and said that from the very beginning of the campaign he prevented them from defeating Napoleon, that he only thought about satisfying his passions and did not want to leave the Linen Factories, because he was calm there; that he stopped the movement near Krasnoe only because, having learned about the presence of Napoleon, he was completely lost; that it can be assumed that he is in a conspiracy with Napoleon, that he is bribed by him, [Wilson's Notes. (Note by L.N. Tolstoy.)], etc., etc.
Not only did contemporaries, carried away by passions, say this, - posterity and history recognized Napoleon as grand, and Kutuzov: foreigners - a cunning, depraved, weak court old man; Russians - something indefinite - some kind of doll, useful only in their Russian name ...

In the 12th and 13th years, Kutuzov was directly accused of mistakes. The sovereign was dissatisfied with him. And in a story recently written by the highest command, it is said that Kutuzov was a cunning court liar who was afraid of the name of Napoleon and, with his mistakes near Krasnoye and near the Berezina, deprived the Russian troops of glory - a complete victory over the French. [History of 1812 by Bogdanovich: characterization of Kutuzov and discussion of the unsatisfactory results of the Krasnensky battles. (Note by L.N. Tolstoy.)]
Such is the fate not of great people, not grand homme, whom the Russian mind does not recognize, but the fate of those rare, always lonely people who, comprehending the will of Providence, subordinate their personal will to it. The hatred and contempt of the crowd punish these people for the enlightenment of higher laws.
For Russian historians - it is strange and terrible to say - Napoleon is the most insignificant instrument of history - never and nowhere, even in exile, who did not show human dignity - Napoleon is an object of admiration and delight; he grand. Kutuzov, the man who, from the beginning to the end of his activity in 1812, from Borodin to Vilna, never betraying himself with a single action, not a word, is an extraordinary example of history of self-denial and awareness in the present of the future meaning of an event, - Kutuzov seems to them something indefinite and pathetic, and, speaking of Kutuzov and the 12th year, they always seem to be a little ashamed.
Meanwhile, it is difficult to imagine a historical person whose activity would be so invariably and constantly directed towards the same goal. It is difficult to imagine a goal more worthy and more in line with the will of the whole people. It is even more difficult to find another example in history where the goal set by a historical person would be so completely achieved as the goal to which Kutuzov's entire activity was directed in 1812.
Kutuzov never talked about the forty centuries that look from the pyramids, about the sacrifices that he brings to the fatherland, about what he intends to do or has done: he did not say anything at all about himself, did not play any role, he always seemed the most simple and ordinary man and said the most simple and ordinary things. He wrote letters to his daughters and m me Stael, read novels, loved the company of beautiful women, joked with generals, officers and soldiers, and never contradicted those people who wanted to prove something to him. When Count Rostopchin on the Yauzsky Bridge galloped up to Kutuzov with personal reproaches about who was to blame for the death of Moscow, and said: “How did you promise not to leave Moscow without giving a battle?” - Kutuzov answered: "I will not leave Moscow without a fight," despite the fact that Moscow had already been abandoned. When Arakcheev, who came to him from the sovereign, said that Yermolov should be appointed head of artillery, Kutuzov replied: “Yes, I just said it myself,” although he said something completely different in a minute. What did it matter to him, who alone then understood the whole enormous meaning of the event, among the stupid crowd that surrounded him, what did he care about whether Count Rostopchin would attribute the disaster of the capital to himself or to him? Even less could he be interested in who would be appointed chief of artillery.
Not only in these cases, but incessantly this an old man having reached the experience of life to the conviction that the thoughts and words that serve as their expression are not the essence of people's engines, he spoke words that were completely meaningless - the first that came to his mind.
But this same man, who so neglected his words, never once in all his activity said a single word that would not be in accordance with the sole goal towards which he was going during the whole war. Obviously, involuntarily, with a heavy certainty that they would not understand him, he repeatedly expressed his opinion in the most diverse circumstances. Starting from the Battle of Borodino, from which his discord with others began, he alone said that battle of Borodino there is a victory, and he repeated this verbally, and in reports, and reports until his death. He alone said that the loss of Moscow is not the loss of Russia. In response to Loriston's proposal for peace, he replied that there could be no peace, because such was the will of the people; he alone, during the retreat of the French, said that all our maneuvers were not needed, that everything would become better by itself than we wished, that the enemy should be given a golden bridge, that neither Tarutino, nor Vyazemsky, nor Krasnensky battles were needed, what with what someday you need to come to the border, that for ten Frenchmen he will not give up one Russian.