Fate so had it that Mikhail Kutuzov, then a young officer began his military career under the command of one of the greatest war captains of all time, Alexander Suvorov.  From him the future Field Marshal learned much about military strategy and tactic. And last, but certainly not least, the ability to care for his soldiers. And learn Kutuzov did never once risking his men’s life without extreme necessity. In between battles he often made rounds of his troops chatting with the soldiers, cracking jokes and making sure they were always well fed and properly quartered. The soldiers reciprocated their General’s daily attentions with heartfelt love and admiration. 

Kutuzov made himself famous during the Russo-Turkish wars of the late 18th century but his time of glory was still to come. Many said life was already more than kind to the up and coming young General. And with pretty good reason too because, twice wounded in the head, the second one very seriously, Kutuzov somehow managed to survive, much to the astonishment of his doctors who thought he was a goner. A year before departing this world, Mikhail Kutuzov became one of the precious few commanders capable of winning a war the whole world had long given up as lost. What made his success so special however was that his troops were fighting the formidable and theretofore unbeatable Napoleon Bonaparte, the man who already had the whole of Europe under his heel… 

In 1812 Napoleon’s Grand Armee crossed the Russian border and started moving rapidly inland. After the retreating Russian troops vacated Smolensk, Emperor Alexander I recalled Kutuzov from his forced retirement and appointed him Commander-in-Chief of the Russian army. On August 17 Kutuzov arrived at the army headquarters where he was met by a guard of honor.  Looking at the rows upon rows of Russian soldiers standing at attention, Kutuzov gasped: “With lions like these, how come we keep falling back all the time?!” His words filled the Russian hearts with joy and happy anticipation of an ultimate victory.  Meanwhile, the man chosen by God to eventually triumph over his enemy felt old and drained. The decisive showdown was still ahead though and, pulling himself together, Kutuzov started preparing for the battle. 

By the time Napoleon’s army had reached Borodino, a small village about a hundred kilometers west of Moscow, there were 165,00 French soldiers pitted against 96,000 Russian troops. Heavily outnumbered as he was, Mikhail Kutuzov, decided to engage the enemy. The Battle of Borodino went down in history as the greatest and bravest battle ever fought by Russians. The French were no slouches either and fought like lions. Perhaps the best description of the battle was provided by Napoleon himself who said: “Of all the battles I have ever fought the one outside Moscow was the most terrible one. The French proved themselves to be worthy of a victory and the Russians earned the right to be invincible.” Shortly after the battle that severely undermined the enemy’s ability to fight on, Mikhail Kutuzov was promoted to Field Marshal and was given a money award of 100,000 rubles, which is equivalent to about 2 million dollars now. 

The aging and ailing Kutuzov still was to make the painful decision to retreat from Russia’s ancient capital for the sake of saving the country as a whole. What happened next will forever be remembered as a shining example of Kutuzov’s military genius. Just as Napoleon sat in the deserted Moscow waiting for a Russian surrender, the Russian army, well rested and beefed up with fresh reserves, started closing in on his troops. On October 6 a French Corps led my Marshal Murat engaged the Russian forces but, suffering severe losses, had to beat a hasty retreat. Shortly afterwards, Napoleon began his long retreat from Russia. Kutuzov’s scorched-earth policy left no food, housing nor wine and beautiful women for the enemy to feast on. Russia never pays with its own blood for other people’s good time…

Less than a year after chasing invader out of his country, Mikhail Kutuzov died at Bunzlau, a small town in Silesia. His remains were later moved to St.Petersburg and buried inside the magnificent Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Holy Mother of God. It just so happened that the Russian Field Marshal performed his greatest feat in the very last year of his life. Another whim of Fate…