In Bulgaria, liberated from the Turkish yoke, General Mikhail Skobelev was called “the white general”. And not because he always wore a white uniform and rode a white horse. It's just that among Bulgarians, white symbolizes freedom. And the Bulgarian people considered him their liberator and national hero.
The famous Russian military commander, General Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev, took part in many military campaigns, where he showed himself as a talented commander and an experienced strategist. During his short life, and he lived less than forty years, he managed to gain the glory of a real hero.
Childhood and adolescence of the future general
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was born in 1843 on his family estate in the Ryazan province. Until the age of six he was brought up by his grandfather, then for a very short time - as a German tutor. And finally, at the age of nine, he was sent to study in Paris. There he became friends with his young French teacher Desiderio Gérard. Subsequently, Gerard followed the young Mikhail to Russia and lived with the Skobelev family as his mentor.
At first, the future illustrious general did not plan to associate his life with military service. He brilliantly passed the entrance exams at St. Petersburg University and was enrolled in the first year of mathematics. But his studies at the university did not last long. Due to student unrest, the institution was temporarily closed, and then Mikhail, at the insistence of his father, entered military service in the cavalry regiment.
Military career of Mikhail Skobelev
But the service in the cavalry regiment did not last long. Mikhail can't wait to be in a real war. And such an opportunity is given to him. In 1864, a Polish uprising broke out under the leadership of Kastus Kalinouski. Having passed the exam and received the rank of cornet, Skobelev asks to transfer him to the hussar regiment, leading military operations against the Polish rebels.
In this military campaign, the future general showed himself from the best side and for the destruction of the rebel detachment under the command of the Polish prince Shemet was awarded the Order of St. Anne of the fourth degree.
In 1866 Skobelev entered and successfully graduated from the Nikolaev Military Academy of the General Staff. And in 1868 he was assigned to serve in the Turkestan Military District.
Service in Central Asia was fraught with great dangers and hardships. There were no major battles. But the Turkmen armed groups gave the Russian military a lot of trouble. In these, rather insignificant in scale, clashes with the Turkmens, Skobelev always showed himself as a very competent and courageous officer. Only in one very difficult Khiva campaign he received 7 wounds.
In the summer of 1875, an uprising broke out in Kokand. The rebellious Turkmens invaded Russian borders and created a serious threat to the Russian troops. Commander of the cavalry, Skobelev, in the most difficult conditions, was not only able to prevent the defeat of the Russian units, but also to take Kokand. For this he was elevated to the rank of major general.
But Skobelev's talent of the outstanding commander manifested itself most vividly during the Russian-Turkish war in the Balkans in 1877-1878. There, in the battles near Plevna and during the overcoming of the Shipka Pass, his army worked miracles. And, largely thanks to the military skill of Skobelev, this war was crowned with victory.
After the end of the war with the Turks, Skobelev was promoted to Adjutant General of His Imperial Majesty. And a year later he became a general of infantry. He was the youngest officer ever to receive such a high rank. But sudden death interrupted General Skobelev's brilliant military career.
His death was shrouded in mystery and many rumors and suspicions. Many of them could have very real ground. But it was not possible to establish the true reason for the untimely death of the famous general.
