Nikolay Rayevsky was born in 1771 to a noble family. He was a great nephew of Grigory Potemkin, Catherine the Great’s favorite. Nikolay was brought up in the house Senator Samoylov, his maternal grandfather, and received a good home education. In 1786 the young man entered service with Semyonovsky Life Guards Regiment, one of the oldest guards units.
Nikolay Rayevsky first went to war at the age of 16. In 1787 the Russo-Turkish war started, so Nikolay volunteered to the front and joined a Cossack unit. Allegedly it was due to Grigory Potemkin who had ordered to enlist a young relative “first as an ordinary Cossack and later on as a lieutenant”.
Nikolay Rayevsky participated in the Polish campaign of 1792 and the Persian expedition of 1796. In 1801 he was promoted to Major General. During the Russo-French war of 1806–1807 the general distinguished himself in the Battles of Heilsberg and Friedland. Later on he obtained the rank of Lieutenant General for outstanding achievements in the Russo-Swedish war of 1808–1809.
In summer 1812, the forces under the command of Nikolay Rayevsky managed to impede the advance of corps lead by Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout in the Battle of Saltanovka, which secured the retreat of the 2nd Western Army to Smolensk. The general also distinguished himself in Battle of Smolensk.
During the Battle of Borodino on August 26, the 7th Infantry Corps under the command of Nikolay Rayevsky protected the Kurgan height, one of the key defense points with a disposed artillery battery. For several hours the soldiers repelled the attacks of the French. The height went down in history as “Rayevsky”s battery”, while the general received the Order of Saint Aleksandr Nevsky for his outstanding actions in the Battle of Borodino.
During the Military Council in Fili, Nikolay Rayevsky spoke out in favor of surrendering Moscow without a fight. During the retreat of the Russian Army to Tarutin he was in command of the rearguard. Rayevsky received the Order of Saint George, Grade 3, for the achievements in the Battle of Maloyaroslavets. The general also distinguished himself in the Battles of Vyazma and Kransoye.
In 1812-1814, the general participated in foreign campaigns. On October 4-7, 1813 Nikolay Rayevsky managed to stem the French attack on the base of allies in the Battle of Leipzig and got wounded. Later on he was promoted to Cavalry General. Rayevsky received the Order of Saint George, Grade 3, for the contribution to the capture of Paris.
Jean-Baptiste-Louis de Crossard, Rayevsky’s contemporary, described the general as ‘one of the epoch”s most outstanding people in terms of his military genius, gallantry and imperturbable self-possession’.
George Dawe, an English artist, painted the portrait of Nikolay Rayevsky in his Saint Petersburg studio in the second half of the 1820s. The painting was acquired by the Military Gallery of the Winter Palace glorifying the heroes of 1812 Patriotic War. The copy was created in 1970 specially for the Battle of Borodino Panorama Museum.
Nikolay Rayevsky first went to war at the age of 16. In 1787 the Russo-Turkish war started, so Nikolay volunteered to the front and joined a Cossack unit. Allegedly it was due to Grigory Potemkin who had ordered to enlist a young relative “first as an ordinary Cossack and later on as a lieutenant”.
Nikolay Rayevsky participated in the Polish campaign of 1792 and the Persian expedition of 1796. In 1801 he was promoted to Major General. During the Russo-French war of 1806–1807 the general distinguished himself in the Battles of Heilsberg and Friedland. Later on he obtained the rank of Lieutenant General for outstanding achievements in the Russo-Swedish war of 1808–1809.
In summer 1812, the forces under the command of Nikolay Rayevsky managed to impede the advance of corps lead by Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout in the Battle of Saltanovka, which secured the retreat of the 2nd Western Army to Smolensk. The general also distinguished himself in Battle of Smolensk.
During the Battle of Borodino on August 26, the 7th Infantry Corps under the command of Nikolay Rayevsky protected the Kurgan height, one of the key defense points with a disposed artillery battery. For several hours the soldiers repelled the attacks of the French. The height went down in history as “Rayevsky”s battery”, while the general received the Order of Saint Aleksandr Nevsky for his outstanding actions in the Battle of Borodino.
During the Military Council in Fili, Nikolay Rayevsky spoke out in favor of surrendering Moscow without a fight. During the retreat of the Russian Army to Tarutin he was in command of the rearguard. Rayevsky received the Order of Saint George, Grade 3, for the achievements in the Battle of Maloyaroslavets. The general also distinguished himself in the Battles of Vyazma and Kransoye.
In 1812-1814, the general participated in foreign campaigns. On October 4-7, 1813 Nikolay Rayevsky managed to stem the French attack on the base of allies in the Battle of Leipzig and got wounded. Later on he was promoted to Cavalry General. Rayevsky received the Order of Saint George, Grade 3, for the contribution to the capture of Paris.
Jean-Baptiste-Louis de Crossard, Rayevsky’s contemporary, described the general as ‘one of the epoch”s most outstanding people in terms of his military genius, gallantry and imperturbable self-possession’.
George Dawe, an English artist, painted the portrait of Nikolay Rayevsky in his Saint Petersburg studio in the second half of the 1820s. The painting was acquired by the Military Gallery of the Winter Palace glorifying the heroes of 1812 Patriotic War. The copy was created in 1970 specially for the Battle of Borodino Panorama Museum.
