Cossacks are generally described as a community of hardy people living on the rims of the Russian state. Centuries ago these proud and freedom-loving people gave up their serf status in the Russian heartland and fled to the frontiers establishing a string of settlements, primarily on the banks of the Don River.  Tilling land during peacetime, the Cossacks took up arms each time Russia was in danger. 

Matvei Platov was a Cossack too, spending nearly half a century fighting Russia’s enemies and scoring many a grand victory over the French, Turks and the Tatars. 

Matvei Platov was born in a Cossack village in 1751.  His parents could only afford sending their son to an elementary school but always tried hard to make for the lack of educations with good upbringing. The boy was very agile, was a good rider, a good shot and fencer. When Matvei turned 13 years old his father signed him up with a Cossack regiment. Eagerly learning the military arts, Matvei Platov was making great progress and by the time he was 20 he had already been promoted to regiment commander. A meeting with the great Russian military leader Alexander Suvorov sealed Platov’s future as one of Russia’s most distinguished war captains. Under Suvorov’s expert guidance, the young Colonel made his grade fighting the Turks and was soon promoted to the rank of a cavalry general. 

Before very long word about the wartime exploits of the dashing young general reached St. Petersburg. An impressed Empress Catherine the Great lavished praise and awards on the young hero much to the envy of his enemies who eventually told Her Majesty that Platov was allegedly plotting a mutiny in the south. Incarcerated in the much-feared dungeons of the Peter and Paul’s Fortress in St. Petersburg, Platov hoped against hope that truth would finally prevail. And so it did. Platov walked free and shortly after was appointed the supreme commander of the Cossack Army of the Don. Taking up his new job, Matvei Platov initiated a raft of much needed reforms to boost his men’s moral and demanding that fathers train their sons in military arts.

During the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century, General Platov commanded an impressive Cossack force of 20 cavalry regiments.

In 1807 Russia and France signed the Tilsit peace treaty. Napoleon Bonaparte said he wanted to see Platov. The two met but the French Emperor later bitterly regretted it because it was General Platov who contributed so heavily to the Russian victory in the Patriotic War of 1812. That was the best military campaign he had ever fought. Addressing his Cossacks, Platov said: “We must show the enemy that it is the honor and glory of Russia we think about, not our lives.” Encouraged by these words, the Cossacks taught the theretofore invincible French a hard lesson of how valiantly one can fight when he is fighting for his country. Platov’s Cossacks also distinguished themselves beating back the advancing French forces during the bitter Russian retreat in the opening phases of the war. The Cossacks’ hour of glory however came during the crucial Borodino battle near Moscow when, at the very heat of the battle, they overwhelmed the enemy’s left flank commanded by Marshal Eugene Bogarnet. Platov’s Cossacks spearheaded the Russian counteroffensive bleeding the enemy white with nagging hit-and-run attacks taking many trophies and prisoners.  Matvei Platov was a hero now. Starting out as ordinary soldier he had since moved up the ranks to become a Cavalry General and, in appreciation of his contribution to the Russian victory over the French invader, he was granted a Count’s title.  

Matvei Platov was equally popular in Paris and London where people admired the gallant hero from the Don. His portraits adorned tableware, appeared on kerchiefs and crystal bowls. The British presented him with an expensive, diamond-studded sword, his military campaigns were studied at military schools and he was touted as one of the finest cavalry commanders around. The war was finally over. Napoleon Bonaparte was languishing on a faraway island and Matvei Platov and his Cossacks were going home.  Along the way Platov would often stopover with his regiments chatting with the officers and ordinary Cossacks, looking more like a father than a widely admired military leader. Matvei Platov had simple habits and remained forever true to the Cossack tradition of old. He was always friendly with everyone and knew all his subordinates by name. 

Matvei Platov died on January 3 of 1818. Braving the bitter cold, the entire Cossack Army of the Don turned out to say their last farewells to their deceased leader. As Platov’s casket was being lowered into the grave there came a deafening artillery salute. There were tears running down the faces of the battle-hardened Generals and ordinary Cossacks who grieved the loss of a hero…

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Illustration: Portrait of Matvei Platov by D.Doe

V.Glinka, A.Pomarnatsky, “The Military Gallery of the Winter Palace”, Aurora, Leningrad, 1974