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.

Later life and the Battle of Pleven

He was promoted to be major-general, decorated with the Order of St George, and appointed the first governor of the Ferghana Oblast. In the Turkish War of 1877 he seized the bridge over the Sereth at Barborchi in April, and in June crossed the Danube with the 8th corps. He commanded the Caucasian Cossack Brigade in the attack of the Green Hills at the second battle of Pleven. He captured Lovetch on the 3rd of September, and distinguished himself again in the desperate fighting on the Green Hills in the third battle of Pleven. Promoted to be a lieutenant-general, and given the command of the 16th Division, he took part in the investment of Pleven and also in the fight of the 9th of December, when Osman Pasha surrendered, with his army. In January 1878 he crossed the Balkans in a severe snowstorm defeating the Turks at Sheynovo, near Shipka, and capturing 36,000 men and 90 guns.

Related Topics:
Major-general - Order of St George - Ferghana - Oblast - 1877 - Danube - Cossack - Pleven - Lieutenant-general - Balkans - Shipka

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He returned to Turkestan after the war, and in 1880 and 1881 further distinguished himself in retrieving the disasters inflicted by the Tekke Turkomans, captured Geok-Tepe, and, after much slaughter, reduced the Akhal-Tekke country to submission. He was advancing on Ashkhabad and Kalat i-Nadiri when he was disavowed and recalled. He was given the command at Minsk.

Related Topics:
Turkestan - Geok-Tepe - Akhal-Tekke - Ashkhabad - Minsk

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In the last years of his short life he engaged actively in politics, and made speeches in Paris and in Moscow in the beginning of 1882 in favor of a militant Panslavism, predicting a desperate strife between Slavs and Germans. He was at once recalled to St Petersburg. He was staying at a Moscow hotel, on his way from Minsk to his estate close by, when he died suddenly of heart disease on the 7th of July 1882.

Related Topics:
Paris - 1882

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