Biography: General Skobelev Mikhail Dmitrievich

An outstanding military leader - "white" (as he was called because he always fought on a white horse and wearing a white uniform), General Skobelev Mikhail Dmitrievich showed himself as an exemplary military administrator in the Russian-Turkish war (1877-1878), in the conquests of the lands of the Russian An empire in Central Asia. He was also a good leader, who cared about his subordinates.

Biography: General Skobelev MD in childhood and adolescence

A future military commander was born in St. Petersburg on September 17 in 1843 in the family of Lieutenant-General Skobelev Dmitry Ivanovich his wife Olga Nikolaevna.

He was brought up at home, and then was sent to France.

At the age of 18 he entered St. Petersburg University, successfully passing the exams, but in connection with student riots the university was closed.

Then he went to military service in the cavalry regiment. In 1866 he became a student of the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff. According to the military survey (geodesy) and statistics, he was among the laggards, but in history and the military art he was not equal on the whole course. After graduation, he was ranked among the military Turkestan military district.

Biography: General Skobelev MD From the staff captain to the general

In 1868, Mikhail Dmitrievich was appointed captain-captain in the Turkestan district. In 1870, as commander of the cavalry, he was assigned an important task from the commander-in-chief of the Caucasian army, at whose disposal he was at that time. He needed to pave the way to the Khiva Khiva, with which he coped brilliantly. But arbitrarily, he looked at the plan of operations, which the commanders-in-chief were developing against Khiva, for which he was expelled from the army for 11 months. After he is restored, takes part in various campaigns, regularly fulfills his duties.

In 1874 Skobelev was promoted to colonel and enlisted in the Emperor's entourage. Already in 1875 he was appointed head of the embassy of the Russian Empire, which was sent to Kashgar. The Kokand expedition - this is what historians call this period of life, which includes his biography. General Skobelev showed himself as a brave, prudent organizer and a wonderful tactician.

When in the spring of 1877 he was sent to the commander-in-chief of the army, who fought with Turkey, his colleagues accepted him not very friendly. For some time he did not receive any appointments, but after taking Lovci in battles near Plevna, crossing the Imetliysky pass, fighting near Shipka, where he acted as commander of detachments, he was respected.

In 1878, he returned to Russia with the rank of adjutant-general in the rank of lieutenant-general.

Biography: General Skobelev MD and his last feat

The main achievement for which Skobelev received the Order of St. George of the second degree and the rank of general from the infantry was the conquest in 1880 of Geok-Tepe (Akhal-tepe). When he addressed the officers at the event dedicated to the celebration of the anniversary of the expedition, he was irritated by Austria and Germany. His speech had a vivid political color, pointed to the oppression of the Slavs by the faithful.

June 24, 1882, General Skobelev (biography, described in some sources, contains the date June 26) died suddenly in the Hotel England in Moscow. According to one version, he was killed by Germans who hated him.