An outstanding military leader - "white" (as he was called because he always fought on a white horse and in 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 lands by the Russian Empire in Central Asia. He was also a good leader who cared about his subordinates.
Biography: General Skobelev M. D. in childhood and youth
The future military leader was born in St. Petersburg on September 17, 1843 in the family of Lieutenant General Skobelev Dmitry Ivanovich by his wife Olga Nikolaevna.
Brought up at home and then sent to France.
At the age of 18, he entered St. Petersburg University, successfully passing the exams, but the university was closed due to student unrest.
Then he went to military service in the regiment of cavalry guards. In 1866 he became a student of the Nikolaev General Staff Academy. From military photography(geodesy) and statistics, he was among the lagging behind, but in history and military art he had no equal on the whole course. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the military of the Turkestan military district.
Biography: General Skobelev M. D. From staff captain to general
In 1868, Mikhail Dmitrievich was appointed staff captain in the Turkestan district. In 1870, as a cavalry commander, he was entrusted with 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 Khanate, which he did brilliantly. But arbitrarily, he looked through the plan of operations that were developed by the commanders-in-chief against Khiva, for which he was expelled from the army for 11 months. After that, he recovers, takes part in various campaigns, and regularly performs his duties.
In 1874, Skobelev was promoted to colonel and enrolled in the emperor's retinue. Already in 1875, he was appointed head of the embassy of the Russian Empire, which was sent to Kashgar. Kokand expedition - this is how historians call this period of life, which includes his biography. General Skobelev proved to be a brave, prudent organizer and excellent tactician.
When in the spring of 1877 he was sent to the commander-in-chief of the army that fought with Turkey, his colleagues did not receive him very friendly. For some time he did not receive any appointments, but after the capture of Lovcha by the battles near Plevna, the passage through the Imetlisky Pass, the battle underShipka, where he acted as a detachment commander, they began to respect him.
In 1878 he returned to Russia with the rank of adjutant general with the rank of lieutenant general.
Biography: General Skobelev M. D. and his last feat
The main merit, for which Skobelev received the Order of St. George of the second degree and the rank of general of infantry, was the conquest of Geok-tepe (Akhal-tepe) in 1880. When he spoke to the officers at an event to celebrate the anniversary of the expedition, the annoyance of Austria and Germany fell upon him. His speech had a bright political coloring, pointed to the oppression of the Slavs by fellow believers.
June 24, 1882, General Skobelev (the biography described in some sources contains the date June 26) died suddenly in the England Hotel in Moscow. According to one version, he was killed by the Germans who hated him.
