Matvei Platov was born in Cherkessk, the capital city of Russia’s Don Host Province in 1753. His father was a cossack major. At the age of 13, Matvei was enlisted as a cossack in the registry office. Three years later, he started active service as an uryadnik (cossack sergeant), and was promoted to polkovoi yesaul (cossack captain) in 1770.
In 1782-1783, Platov took part in suppressing the Nogai uprising in the Kuban area. The great Suvorov got to know about him owing to Platov’s bravery, and initiated his promotion to major.
In the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1791, Platov, too, put himself on record. For the assault on Ochakov, he was given the order of St. George 4th Class, and after the battle of Kaushany he got the rank of a brigadier general. Platov was the youngest ranking officer of all the military council held at Izmail by Suvorov on December 9, 1790. He was invited to be the first to speak, and, without a moment’s hesitation, he said the word “assault”.
In 1793, Platov was commissioned a general major. His fast service ascent gave rise to a host of enviers. Owing to conspiracy information by one of them, Paul I exiled Platov to Kostroma in 1797 and later had him imprisoned in Peter and Paul’s fortress in St Petersburg. The general spent three years there until all charges against him were lifted.
In the reign of Alexander I, Platov was appointed ataman (commander) of the Don Host Cossacks. He was an active administrator and superviser of the cossack combat training. It was on his initiative that the cossack capital city of Cherkessk, which suffered from annual Don floods, was moved to a more elevated area in 1805 and renamed Novocherkassk (literally, New Cherkassk).
General Platov participated in the campaign against the French in 1806-1807 and won glory in the battles of Preussisch-Eylau and Friedland. He employed the cossack tactics of ambush, unexpected assaults and raids in the enemy rear, which earned him the informal title of ‘whirlwind ataman’.
During the campaign of 1812, Platov commanded a flying (i. e., fast) cossack corps in the 1st Western Army. At the beginning of the hostilities, the corps found itself cut off the main body of its parent Army, in the rearguard of the 2nd Western Army, with which it fought at Mir and Romanovo. Near Smolensk, the two armies combined, and later Platov led the joint rearguard of the armies.
During a critical moment of the battle of Borodino on August 26, the corps headed by Platov and General Fyodor Uvarov were directed to pass the left flank of the enemy. But the cavalry was stopped by the French near the village of Bezzubovo, so they had to retreat. Although this manoeuvre distracted the enemy for a while, Kutuzov, the commander-in-chief, was dissatisfied by the outcome of the raid. Of all generals, only Uvarov and Platov were not awarded for the Borodino battle.
During the pursuit of the French, Platov performed very well during the battles at Maloyaroslavets, Vyazma, Krasnoye, the river Berezina, and others. His merits in the 1812 campaign were rewarded with the title of a count. In 1813-1814, Platov took part in Russian Army’s foreign campaigns and got more awards, including the order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called for the battle of Leipzig.
After the peace treaty was signed, the ataman accompanied Alexander I on his trip to England, where General Platov, very popular throughout Europe, was loaded with more honours; Oxford University, for example, conferred the degree of doctor honoris causa on him.
In 1782-1783, Platov took part in suppressing the Nogai uprising in the Kuban area. The great Suvorov got to know about him owing to Platov’s bravery, and initiated his promotion to major.
In the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1791, Platov, too, put himself on record. For the assault on Ochakov, he was given the order of St. George 4th Class, and after the battle of Kaushany he got the rank of a brigadier general. Platov was the youngest ranking officer of all the military council held at Izmail by Suvorov on December 9, 1790. He was invited to be the first to speak, and, without a moment’s hesitation, he said the word “assault”.
In 1793, Platov was commissioned a general major. His fast service ascent gave rise to a host of enviers. Owing to conspiracy information by one of them, Paul I exiled Platov to Kostroma in 1797 and later had him imprisoned in Peter and Paul’s fortress in St Petersburg. The general spent three years there until all charges against him were lifted.
In the reign of Alexander I, Platov was appointed ataman (commander) of the Don Host Cossacks. He was an active administrator and superviser of the cossack combat training. It was on his initiative that the cossack capital city of Cherkessk, which suffered from annual Don floods, was moved to a more elevated area in 1805 and renamed Novocherkassk (literally, New Cherkassk).
General Platov participated in the campaign against the French in 1806-1807 and won glory in the battles of Preussisch-Eylau and Friedland. He employed the cossack tactics of ambush, unexpected assaults and raids in the enemy rear, which earned him the informal title of ‘whirlwind ataman’.
During the campaign of 1812, Platov commanded a flying (i. e., fast) cossack corps in the 1st Western Army. At the beginning of the hostilities, the corps found itself cut off the main body of its parent Army, in the rearguard of the 2nd Western Army, with which it fought at Mir and Romanovo. Near Smolensk, the two armies combined, and later Platov led the joint rearguard of the armies.
During a critical moment of the battle of Borodino on August 26, the corps headed by Platov and General Fyodor Uvarov were directed to pass the left flank of the enemy. But the cavalry was stopped by the French near the village of Bezzubovo, so they had to retreat. Although this manoeuvre distracted the enemy for a while, Kutuzov, the commander-in-chief, was dissatisfied by the outcome of the raid. Of all generals, only Uvarov and Platov were not awarded for the Borodino battle.
During the pursuit of the French, Platov performed very well during the battles at Maloyaroslavets, Vyazma, Krasnoye, the river Berezina, and others. His merits in the 1812 campaign were rewarded with the title of a count. In 1813-1814, Platov took part in Russian Army’s foreign campaigns and got more awards, including the order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called for the battle of Leipzig.
After the peace treaty was signed, the ataman accompanied Alexander I on his trip to England, where General Platov, very popular throughout Europe, was loaded with more honours; Oxford University, for example, conferred the degree of doctor honoris causa on him.
