Mikhail Skobelev

Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev ({{lang-ru|??????? ??????????? ?????????}}) (September 29, 1843 – July 7, 1882; September 17, 1843 ? June 25, 1882, O.S.) was a Russian general famous for his conquest of Central Asia and heroism during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. Dressed with care in white uniform and mounted on a white horse, and always in the thickest of the fray, he was known and adored by his soldiers as the White General.

Early life and Conquest of Khiva

Skobelev was born near Moscow on the 29th of September 1843. After graduating as a staff officer at St Petersburg he was sent to Turkestan in 1868 and, with the exception of an interval of two years, during which he was on the staff of the grand duke Michael in the Caucasus, remained in Central Asia until 1877.

Related Topics:
Moscow - 1843 - St Petersburg - Turkestan - 1868 - Caucasus - 1877

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He commanded the advanced guard of General Lomakin's column from Kinderly Bay, in the Caspian, to join General Verevkin, from Orenburg, in the expedition to Khiva in 1874, and, after great suffering on the desert march, took a prominent part in the capture of the Khivan capital. Dressed as a Turkoman, he intrepidly explored in a hostile country the route from Khiva to Igdy, and also the old bed of the Oxus. In 1875 he was given an important command in the expedition against Kokand under General Konstantin Petrovich Kaufman, showing great capacity in the action of Makram, where he outmanoeuvred a greatly superior force and captured 58 guns, and in a brilliant night attack in the retreat from Andijan, when he routed a large force with a handful of cavalry.

Related Topics:
Lomakin - Caspian - Orenburg - Khiva - 1874 - Turkoman - Oxus - Kokand - Konstantin Petrovich Kaufman - Andijan

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