Cavalry guards are representatives of one of the most privileged regiments Russian Empire. He brought up many in his ranks famous people, such as:

• Denis Davydov - hero of the war with Napoleon and poet;
• Ivan Annenkov and Sergei Volkonsky - Decembrists;
• and Georges Dantes - the murderers of Mikhail Lermontov and Alexander Pushkin;
• Alexander Ypsilanti - leader of the revolution in Greece;
• Mikhail Skobelev - general, hero of the war with the Turks;
• Pavel Skoropadsky - Hetman of Ukraine;
• Carl Gustav - President of Finland.

When was the regiment created and what were its functions?

Meaning of the concept

Cavalierguard is a name consisting of two French words: “cavalier” - “horseman”, and “gard” - “guard”. The military association belonged to the heavy cavalry. Their weapons, uniforms and equipment were a minor modification of the cuirassiers.

Appearance in the Russian Empire

Cavalry guards are officers or soldiers of a unit that appeared in 1724 as the empress's honorary guard. It was formed for the date of her coronation. The post of captain was assumed by Peter I. Sixty of the tallest people were selected for Catherine 1. The unit was disbanded after the end of the coronation.

History of transformations

In 1726, Catherine 1 temporarily restored the cavalry guard. Elizabeth I and Catherine II did the same in their time. But these units were not military; they represented an imperial escort or a noble guard.

The Cavalry Corps was established in 1799 by Paul I. It consisted of 189 nobles. The Emperor decided to create a corps that would actually serve. So he wanted to attract noble youth to military affairs.

In 1800, the corps was transformed into a Cavalry Regiment. The new unit no longer had the previous privileges and began to be staffed not only by nobles, but also by tall, stately peasants or soldiers. Under Alexander I, the regiment was increased to 991 people.

Baptism of fire

In 1805, the Guards heavy cavalry showed its best side. The cavalry guards managed to come to the aid of the Russian Guards Infantry in time, which was pinned down by superior French forces.

As a result of the battle, the fourth squadron of cavalry guards was almost completely destroyed. 18 people remained alive. In total, out of 800 men, 26 officers and 226 soldiers were lost during the battle.

The regiment also distinguished itself in 1807 at the Battle of Heilsberg. He came to the aid of General Bagration's vanguard.

Battle of Borodino

During Patriotic War The regiment was kept in reserve by the command. Cavalry guards were the elite of the Russian cavalry. Therefore, it was used only in special cases. The same thing happened in 1812 during the Battle of Borodino.

The cavalry guards were brought in at the most dramatic moment of the battle. The guards rushed to attack the Polish lancers and Saxon cuirassiers. At that moment, buckshot hit the cavalry commander Levenwolde in the head. The death of the colonel did not affect the attack; the enemy was crushed. The pursuit brought a hundred cavalrymen too close to overwhelming enemy forces. They decided to engage in battle, which frightened the enemy troops. This allowed them to return to their regiment without losses.

In the Battle of Borodino, the cavalry guards lost 14 officers and about 90 soldiers.

The regiment took part in other significant battles Napoleonic wars, including outside Russia.

Then for 100 years it was in a relatively peaceful state. For the last 36 years of its existence, Maria Fedorovna, the wife of Alexander III, was considered the chief of the regiment.

Participation in the First World War

Even under Nicholas I, a certain selection for the regiment developed. Soldiers and officers had to be blond with gray or blue eyes. Their horses were selected depending on the squadron:

• the first - light bay horses without markings;
• the second - bay horses with markings;
• the third - bay horses without markings;
• the fourth is dark bay horses without markings.

Such recruitment was maintained until the end of the history of the cavalry guards. Bringing this end closer tragic events First World War. It started in 1914. The regiment was immediately sent to the front. The first battle took place near the village of Kaushen. It was an East Prussian operation.

The battle started poorly for the Russians, as the Germans used artillery for which the horses were not prepared. The horsemen had to dismount and attack the enemy with carbines and bayonets. They managed to put the enemy to flight, but the price of this victory was too high. The cavalry guards lost a significant part of their officers.

In 1916, the regiment took part in battles on various fronts. They had to change their white uniforms to khaki uniforms, and instead of riding, they practiced digging and crawling. The war strategy was changing and required new tactics.

They took part in the decisive Brusilov breakthrough. It became the last combat mission of the brave regiment. When Nicholas II abdicated the throne in 1917, cavalry guards began to guard railway stations. Soon the Bolsheviks fired the regiment's officers.

After the February Revolution

The Bolsheviks, having come to power, disbanded the regiment. But the cavalry guards did not cease to exist. Most of the officers took sides white movement, fighting for almost 3 years. They tried to stay together. The officers' combat biography ended in 1920, when they emigrated from Russia through Crimea.

While in exile, cavalry guard officers created their own organization called the “Cavalry Guard Family.” Their society helped officers in need and published its own annual magazine, which was published for 30 years - until 1968.

Life Guards Cavalry Regiment.

Seniority since January 11, 1799

Regimental holiday - September 5, the day of St. Zechariah and Elizabeth

January 11, 1799. By the highest order for the formation of the Guard of the Person of the Grand Master of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Emperor Paul I, the Cavalry Corps was established. The Emperor himself, having appointed officers and non-commissioned officers of the corps, gave the right to select the rank and file of the Cavalry Guard from the non-commissioned officers of the entire guard, who held the rank of lieutenant of the Grand Master, Vice Admiral of the Baltic Rowing Fleet, Count Litta. On April 6 of the same year, the staff of the corps was approved: Chief - with the rank of full General; Commander - Major General, 2 colonels, 1 captain, 2 cornets. 9 non-commissioned officers, of which one is a watchmaster, 75 cavalry guards, 1 timpanist, 4 trumpeters, 32 non-combatants of various ranks. All non-commissioned officers and privates of the Cavalry Guards were from the nobility.

Note: The initial establishment of the cavalry guards belongs to Peter the Great.

1724 March 31st. The Emperor verbally ordered Major General Lefort (nephew of his famous mentor) to form 60 people in Moscow for the upcoming coronation of Empress Catherine from the army and zapoloshny (over and above the set) officers in the Drabants or Cavalry Guards. The Emperor himself accepted the title of captain of this company, and appointed Lieutenant General Yaguzhinsky as Captain-Lieutenant. After 19 days after the coronation, on May 26, the cavalry guards were disbanded, handing over their uniforms to the Moscow uniform office. On December 3, 1725, Prince Menshikov announced the Highest Order to re-recruit the Cavalry Guard, including the same as under Peter the Great, and to transfer to them the cavalry guard uniform stored in the Uniform Office. The complete formation of this Cavalry Guard followed in December 1726, and on January 1, 1727, it appeared for the first time at the Imperial Court. The title of Captain was accepted by Empress Catherine, and Prince Menshikov was awarded the title of Captain-Lieutenant. On May 7 of the same year, Emperor Peter II accepted the Captain of the Cavalry Guard, and on September 9, he appointed the experience of Yaguzhinsky to replace Menshikov. On June 18, the renaming followed: Captain-lieutenant - to Captain-lieutenant, lieutenant - to lieutenants and cornet - to non-commissioned lieutenants, and three vice-corporals of major rank, 12 ordinary cavalry guards and 1 clerk were added from the previous staff.

1730, February 12. Empress Anna Ioannovna accepted the rank of Captain of the Cavalry Guard without changing anything in its composition, and on July 7, 1731, the order to disband the Cavalry Guard was issued. Some of its ranks entered the newly founded Life Guards Izmailovsky Regiment, others entered the army; the majority were assigned to the new Life Guards Cavalry Regiment, to which Yaguzhinsky was appointed Lieutenant Colonel.

December 31, 1741. Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, in reward for the services rendered to her upon her accession to the throne by the Grenadier Company of the Life Guards Regiment, ordered this company to be separate from the regiment under the name of the Life Company and, having granted it great advantages, replaced the Cavalry Guard with it. The Empress, having accepted the rank of Company Captain herself, awarded the Captain-Lieutenant the rank of full General, two Lieutenants - Major General, the Adjutant - Brigadier, the ensign - Colonel, 8 sergeants - Lieutenant Colonel, 6 Vice-Sergeants - Prime Major, Ensign and Quartermaster - Second Major, 12 Corporals - Captain-Lieutenant, 30 Grenadiers - Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant and Ensign, 4 drummers and 4 flute players - Sergeant.

1742 During the celebrations on the occasion of the Holy Coronation of the Empress, 60 grenadiers of the Life Company with 1 sergeant, 1 vice-sergeant and 4 corporals were the Empress's cavalry guards and had the uniform and weapons of the former Cavalry Guard with the most minor changes. The captain-lieutenant was General Feldzeichmester, Landgrave Ludwig of Hesse-Homburg. Upon returning to St. Petersburg, the Cavalry Guards again became part of the Life Company.

1762 March 21. Emperor Peter III ordered the dissolution of the Life Company. On July 6 of the same year, Empress Catherine II ordered the Acting Chamberlain General-in-Chief, Count Gendrikov, to recruit the Cavalry Guard primarily from the ranks of the dissolved Life Company, indicating that the staff should be founded on April 30, 1726. Count Gendrikov was appointed Chief of the Cavalry Guard; Besides him, it consisted of: 1 sergeant with the rank of Colonel, 1 vice-sergeant and 3 corporals with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, 3 vice-corporals with the rank of Prime Major, 60 privates with the rank of Second Major, Captain and Lieutenant, 1 clerk with the rank of Captain and 2 copyist - Sergeant. Two more trumpeters, a timpani player, and a blacksmith were assigned to the Cavalry Guard. a doctor, 2 medical students, 4 paramedics and 6 uniform guards. The coronation of the Empress took place in Moscow on September 15 and the Cavalry Guards participated in it according to the same ceremony that was adopted during the coronation of Elizabeth Petrovna. Upon arrival in St. Petersburg, the Cavalry Guards maintained an internal guard near her chambers throughout the entire reign of Empress Catherine II in a special room, which received the name Cavalry Guards.

1764 March 24, a new state of the Cavalry Guards was approved, renamed the Cavalry Corps. It should include: a Chief (Count Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov) with the rank of full General, a Lieutenant with the rank of Lieutenant General, a Sergeant - Colonel, 2 corporals - Lieutenant Colonel, 2 corporals of the Prime Major and 60 Cavalry Guards with the rank of Lieutenant. Second lieutenants and commanders of the army.

1776 Upon the dismissal of Count Orlov from service, Prince Potemkin was appointed Chief.

1777 Added to the staff of Cornet (Aide-de-camp of the Empress, Major General Zorich). After the death of Prince Potemkin, the chief's vacancy remained unfilled for two years. 1793 On October 21, Feldmaster General Count Zubov was appointed Chief of the Cavalry Guards. and Count Dmitriev-Mamonov, who was under Potemkin, was left as Lieutenant. The Cavalry Guards remained in this composition throughout the entire reign of the Empress; after her death, they kept 16 people every day on guard over the body of the deceased empress, participated in the funeral procession, and for this, after 6 weeks after her death, they were promoted to rank and dismissed, whoever wished to do what type of service. At the same time, Emperor Paul I gave the order to Count Musin-Pushkin to recruit a new Cavalry Guard squadron, all the officers and half of the lower ranks of which were selected from the Life Guards Horse Regiment.

December 31, 1796. It was ordered to send 500 non-commissioned officers from all guard regiments to Count Musin-Pushkin to form two new cavalry squadrons.

January 26, 1797. Their staff was approved: Chief from the General, to his Headquarters - General or Colonel, 3 staff officers for commanding squadrons, 3 captains. 3 headquarters captains, 6 lieutenants. 6 cornets, 3 sergeants, 3 standard cadets, 54 non-commissioned officers and 600 cavalry guards - all of noble origin.

1797 Cavalry squadrons, together with the Horse Guards, participated in all coronation ceremonies in March and maintained internal palace guards during the stay of the Imperial family in Moscow. On July 20 of the same year, instead of three squadrons, they were divided into five, and on September 21 they were disbanded into other regiments and some were dismissed from service altogether.

On January 11, 1800, it was ordered to reorganize the cavalry corps into a three-squadron cavalry regiment in the same position as the guard regiments, without giving it the previous advantage of being composed of nobles. All non-commissioned officers and privates from the nobility who served in the corps were released at their request to another branch of service as chief officer ranks. On May 16, the regiment staff was approved: General, 3 colonels, 22 chief officers, 42 non-commissioned officers, 384 cavalry guards, 7 trumpeters and non-combatants of various ranks and ranks - 116.

1804 March 14. A new regiment staff of five squadrons was approved. On May 26, a Reserve Squadron was approved for the regiment.

November 8, 1810. The reserve squadron was sent to reinforce the existing ones.

December 27, 1812. The regiment was reorganized into 6 active squadrons, with one reserve squadron.

1831 August 22, the regiment was named Her Majesty's Cavalry Guard

May 2, 1832. A new staff of 6 active and 1 reserve squadrons was approved.

1836 April 6. Guards Reserve Squadron No. 1 was established and assigned to the regiment, and the former 7th Reserve Squadron was named 7 Reserve.

January 25, 1842, to form the Reserve Troops, it was ordered to have 8 squadrons consisting of lower ranks on indefinite leave.

July 26, 1856. A new staff of the regiment was approved, consisting of 6 active and 2 reserve squadrons, and on September 18 it was ordered to have four active squadrons and one reserve. No. 5.

November 6, 1860. The regiment was ordered to continue to be called the Cavalry Guard.

December 29, 1863. The fifth reserve squadron was separated from the regiment into a special Guards Reserve Cavalry Brigade and it was ordered to be called without a number the reserve squadron of the Cavalry Guard Regiment.

August 4, 1864. The reserve squadron was assigned to the regiment, and the Directorate of the Guards Reserve Brigade was abolished.

December 24, 1866. Approved: new staff of the regiment consisting of 4 active squadrons and regulations on reserve squadrons.

July 27, 1875. The reserve squadron was named spare.

1881 March 2. The regiment was named Her Majesty's Cavalry Guard.

August 6, 1883. The reserve squadron was reorganized into a personnel department.

November 2, 1894. The regiment was named the Cavalry Guard of Her Majesty the Empress Maria Feodorovna.

Source:Imperial Guard: reference book of the Imperial2 main apartment / ed. VC. Schenk. -2nd ed., rev. and additional -SPb.: printing house V.D. Smirnova, 1910.

Having approved the main seat of the [Maltese] Order in St. Petersburg, Emperor Paul wished to have with him, under the rank of Grand Master, a special guard composed exclusively of nobles. The first order for the formation of this guard, under the name of the Cavalry Corps, was announced to Count Litte on January 8, 1799, and on the 11th of the same month the next The highest order: “In the emerging Cavalry Corps, to compose the Guard of the Person of the Grand Master of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, the following are appointed as Chief - Lieutenant of the Grand Master Count Litta, and as Lieutenant - Major General Prince Dolgorukov - 4th, who is in the Suite of His Imperial Majesty ...
The staffing of the corps took place only in April 1799, and until its approval there were no written rules regarding the strength and officer ranks of the corps. According to the highest confirmed staff on April 6, 1799... the Cavalry Regiment was appointed: chief, with the rank of full general, commander - major general; 2 colonels, 1 captain, 2 cornets, 9 non-commissioned officers, of which one is a watchmaster; 75 cavalry guards, 1 timpanist, 4 trumpeters and 32 non-combatants of various ranks. From the Chief to the cavalry guards inclusive, all the ranks named here were to be, as intended at the establishment of the corps, from the nobility, and ordinary cavalry guards were promoted directly to cornets and ensigns of the guards and army cavalry and infantry. In addition to noble dignity, the chief and commander were necessarily from the Commanders, and the entire staff, chief and non-commissioned officers were from the Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. The commanders wore the order's cross (white, enamel, with gold lilies in the corners and with a gold crown at the upper ends) around their necks, and the gentlemen had it in their buttonhole; both on black tape. In addition, commanders and cavaliers had an image of an order cross made of linen or other white material sewn on the left side of their tunic and uniform. The corps also received - for the first time since 1731 - a standard made of crimson damask with a white straight cross.
On August 9, 1799, Emperor Paul appointed as chief his Adjutant General, Major General Uvarov, with the name of a brave officer who was renowned as an expert in cavalry service.
Exactly one year after the establishment of the Cavalry Corps, on January 11, 1800, Emperor Paul ordered its reorganization into a three-squadron Cavalry Regiment, in the same position as the Life Guard regiments.
Emperor Paul, taking care of the brilliant, in all respects, structure of the new Cavalry Regiment, made it up almost entirely from Horse Guards, for which he personally selected from the commissioned Life Guards Cavalry Regiment 7 non-commissioned officers, 5 trumpeters, 249 privates and 245 horses. Together with them, 9 officers transferred from this regiment to the Cavalry Guard.

Source: History of the cavalry guards and Her Majesty's cavalry guard regiment from 1724 to July 1, 1851. - St. Petersburg, 1851.- P.40-49.

“We do not strive to be the first, but we will not allow anyone to be better than us” - these words of Count A.I. Musin-Pushkin could well become the motto of the cavalry guards. Created by Peter the Great, this privileged regiment did not become just a “ceremonial army”. He gained his honor and glory on the battlefields, and many cavalry officers served Russia in the peaceful field.

“Regimental traditions provided for a certain equality in relations between officers, regardless of their title. Having put on the regiment’s uniform, everyone became a full member, just like in some aristocratic club” (from the memoirs of cavalry guard Count A. A. Ignatiev).
Count Matvey Yurievich Vielgorsky (1794-1866)
Alexey Fedorovich Lvov (1798-1870)
“The way of regimental life was influenced by the fact that some ancient Russian families, like the Sheremetevs, Gagarins, Musins-Pushkins, Arapovs, Pashkovs, had a tradition of serving from generation to generation in this regiment. On the day of the centenary of the regimental anniversary, a group was photographed on this occasion, in the front row of which sat the fathers, former commanders and the officers of the regiment, and in the second row stood one or two of their sons” (from the memoirs of the cavalry guard Count A. A. Ignatiev).

Knight Guard

My acquaintance with the cavalry guards began with a song. Yes, yes, from that same “Song of the Cavalry Guard” from the movie “Star of Captivating Happiness.” It is interesting that in the poetry collections of Bulat Okudzhava the first line sounds like this: “Cavalry guard s, the age is short, and that’s why it’s so sweet,” but another option is more common in songbooks: “Cavalry Guard A the century is short..." Just one letter, but how the meaning changes! From an abstract reflection on the short-term nature of life to a very precise description of the worldview of a person who risks himself every day and is always ready to die.

Who are these people who thought the “short life” was sweet? Who are these mythical heroes who agreed to such conditions and threw in their lot with the “knightly guard”?

Let's start with history.

The cavalry guards first appeared in our country in 1724 as an honorary escort for Empress Catherine I, on the day of her coronation. Peter I himself became the captain of the cavalry guard, the officers were generals and colonels, the corporals were lieutenant colonels, and 60 privates were selected from the chief officers, and, according to contemporaries, “the tallest and most prominent of the entire army.”

Throughout the 18th century, this military formation was modified many times: it was disbanded, then born again, but it always remained the most elite and privileged regiment of the Russian army, recruited mainly from the highest aristocracy. Read their names: Yaguzhinsky, Menshikov, Buturlin, Trubetskoy, Vorontsov, Shuvalov, the Orlov brothers, Potemkin-Tavrichesky. It feels like we are looking at the history of Russia at that time! It turns out that the cavalry guards made Russian history? Or vice versa: did those who made history strive to try on the uniform of this brilliant regiment? Be that as it may, the cavalry guards always retained the status of a purely Russian formation and even during periods of the strongest European influences did not turn into a mercenary army of foreign bodyguards, as was often practiced in Europe. The Russian cavalry guards, which literally means “guardian horsemen,” were not only the personal guard of the sovereign emperor, but understood their duty more broadly - serving Russia, protecting the entire state.

"You can't get lasting glory until blood has been shed"

Elite military units have always existed. Selected squads of bodyguards had egyptian pharaohs and the leaders of the Aztecs, the kings of Assyria and the rulers of Babylon had personal squads. The fighting corps of peltasts in Athens, the praetorian guard in Rome, the skirites in Sparta - these were always the most skillful soldiers, the last trump card of any commander.

The Persian king eclipsed everyone: he had 10,000 personal guard soldiers in his service. They were called “atanates”, immortals - during the battle, a new one immediately took the place of the retired warrior. For a long time they seemed invincible, frightening the northern barbarians with their menacing appearance and bright clothes, but they faltered when they met only three hundred guardsmen of Tsar Leonid on their way. Yes, there are differences between guards and guards! There are always few genuine guardsmen - guardsmen of the spirit, people of honor. The spirit of the guard is not born at parades and shows, nor is it acquired in palace intrigues and love affairs. Heroes are not born, heroes are raised. Okudzhava is right - to become a guardsman, you need a fight...

An opportunity to prove to everyone that they are not a ceremonial court army, but combat unit, the army aristocracy, introduced itself to the cavalry guards only in the 19th century. But what a case!

Austerlitz. His sky changed the fate of more than just Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. The battle, hopelessly lost by Russia and its allies, became a field of glory for the Russian cavalry guards. Their brilliant attack, “which the French themselves were amazed at,” was beautifully and accurately described by Leo Tolstoy in his novel “War and Peace.”

“Rostov was scared to hear later,” we read from Lev Nikolaevich, “that out of all this mass of huge handsome people, out of all these brilliant, on thousands of horses, rich young men, officers and cadets who galloped past him, after the attack only eighteen remained Human". It couldn’t have been any other way: to die, to be taken prisoner bloodless - yes; allow yourself to retreat - never. This will be the case at Borodino, and this will be the case in other battles. “Learn to die,” Napoleon said to his officers, pointing to the snow-white field of Austerlitz from cavalry guard uniforms.

Regimental legends say that Napoleon, who was touring the battlefield, had the imprudence to joke about the “mustacheless boys” who died in a fruitless attack. The young cornet, the son of General Sukhtelen, responded to this attack from the emperor. Having taken a step from a group of wounded cavalry guards, on a beautiful French he said: “Youth does not prevent you from being brave!”

Later, all generations of cavalry guards will learn from this phrase and will learn their lessons of courage, contempt for death, audacity and chivalry perfectly. A hundred years after the Napoleonic Wars, on the battlefields of the First World War, another cornet, Veselovsky, would remind his comrades: “The cavalry guards do not retreat at a gallop!” And this phrase will be enough for the squadrons to complete the forced maneuver with an emphatic calmness, at a step, not paying attention to the heavy fire of German artillery. The traditions of the regiment are above all!

“Peaceful fun is in vain...”

Not intentionally! The cavalry guards did not live by service alone. Many officers, having retired, played a prominent role in the court and public life, became diplomats, politicians, dignitaries, and even philanthropists and musicians.

The latter refers to Count Matvey Yurievich Vielgorsky. Dismissed from service due to illness, he and his brother Mikhail devoted themselves to philanthropy - providing patronage to scientists, writers, artists and especially musicians. The Vielgorsky House became an “academy of musical taste.” Matvey Yuryevich himself was a talented musician, he sang well and composed plays. In his house he assembled the first Russian quartet and played the cello in it. By the way, he was the owner of a priceless instrument made by Stradivarius, but, once admired by the performance of the famous cellist Davydov, he gave him his treasure without hesitation.

The violin part in the Vielgorsky quartet was performed by Alexey Fedorovich Lvov, another cavalry guard and at the same time a talented violinist. But he became famous not for his virtuoso playing, but for writing the hymn “God Save the Tsar!” to the words of Zhukovsky. Creating a folk anthem is a difficult task even for a professional composer. “I felt the need to write a majestic, strong, sensitive hymn,” Lvov wrote in his “Notes,” “understandable to everyone, bearing the imprint of nationality, suitable for the church, suitable for the army, suitable for the people, from the learned to the ignorant.” The first public performance of the anthem took place at the Bolshoi Theater. With the first chords, all three thousand spectators rose from their seats. It was a triumph for the composer.

Count Nikolai Ilyich Tolstoy, the father of the famous writer, also served in the cavalry regiment. Having retired as a lieutenant colonel, he, according to the recollections of his relatives, actively took up farming, raised four sons and a daughter, and was a kind, humane landowner who cared about the well-being of his peasants. Lev Nikolayevich gave the features of his father to Nikolai Rostov in War and Peace.

The Guard is dying, but does not surrender!

They say this phrase was uttered by Napoleonic General Cambron at the decisive battle of Waterloo. He himself later denied this, but in vain - the words were heard, the legend took root. However, these words have no authorship, nationality or statute of limitations. They could be shouted by any guardsman, in any language, in any battle. Cavalry guards are no exception... 20th century. First World War. Heavy cavalry in knightly armor with knightly ideas of honor against airplanes, machine guns and barbed wire seemed anachronistic. Breastplates and white coats had to be replaced with khaki uniforms, and the cavalry system had to be replaced with trenches and a foot chain. But in front of the chain, just as before, with a naked saber in his hand, walked the chief of the regiment, Prince Dolgorukov: the cavalry guards did not change their principles. They did not return from that war - there was nowhere to return. But it was not the war that destroyed them, but the revolution. You cannot send elite troops against your own people, guards cannot play the role of police, it is not their job to catch deserters. By November 1917, only four officers remained in the regiment. “With the departure of the last officers,” says regiment chronicler V.N. Zvyagintsev, “the connection with the past was severed. The soul of the regiment flew away. The regiment died...” And yet the cavalry dies, but does not surrender, and this deserves immortality. After all, everything that these knights actually preserve: courage, honor, nobility is eternal, which means it is still relevant today. Maybe that’s why “The Cavalry Guard’s Song” haunts today’s listeners?

to the magazine "Man Without Borders"

The history of the glorious cavalry guards began like this: on March 30, 1724, for the coronation of Empress Catherine I, which took place on May 7, 1724, the Cavalry Guard Corps was formed as her honorary guard. Over time, this formation, composed of representatives of noble Russian families, was modified, dissolved and formed again. This continued until January 11, 1800, a year after the next establishment of the Cavalry Corps, Paul I reorganized it into a three-squadron Life Guards Cavalry Regiment, in the same position as the others guards regiments without retaining the privilege of recruiting exclusively from nobles.

After a major reorganization of the army carried out by Alexander I, the regiment received a five-squadron composition, determined by the new staff of the regiment. According to the 1804 staff, the regiment had to have the following combat ranks: 1 regiment chief, 1 regiment commander, 5 squadron commanders, 5 captains, 5 staff captains, 13 lieutenants, 11 cornets, 5 sergeants, 10 estandard cadets, 60 non-commissioned officers , 660 cavalry guards, 5 quartermasters, 1 timpanist, 1 staff trumpeter, 15 trumpeters, etc. - a total of 991 people. And each squadron was divided into 4 platoons. The Cavalry Regiment also had an orchestra of 25 musicians (two bassoons, four horns, four flutes, two copper trumpets, one contrabassoon, one trombone, two serpios, one triangle, cymbals and a tambourine, etc.).

The cavalry uniform retained the features of Pavlovsk times longer than the uniform of other regiments. Only in 1804 did the cavalry guards receive the characteristic early XIX centuries, tailcoat-cut uniforms - white double-breasted tunics with high collars and short cavalry tails. They were complemented by tight-fitting white elk trousers and high boots. The headdress for the formation was a helmet made of thick leather with a lush plume of hair. She reliably protected her head from being hit by cold weapons. Cuirass, which gave the name to the heavy cavalry regiments, was abolished in the middle of 1801, but combat practice soon showed the prematureness of such savings. The cavalry guards received them in the summer of 1812.

General Fedor Petrovich Uvarov was appointed chief of the Cavalry Regiment, remaining in this position until his death (1824). Having no direct heirs, Uvarov bequeathed 400 thousand rubles for the construction of the monument “As a sign of gratitude to his subordinate guards.” With this money, the Narva Triumphal Gates were built in St. Petersburg, opened on August 18, 1834. It should be noted that the donation of various amounts by officers to maintain “order” military service among the lower ranks" was not something special. For example, A. S. Apraksin established five scholarships in the regiment, a large one (100 rubles) - to the senior sergeant of the squadron and four junior ones (50 rubles each), which were awarded to the “best and to the most worthy people squadron." And R. E. Greenwald established a scholarship for “that lower rank of the squadron who, during the past six months, with excellent behavior, will prove to be the best rider.”

From 1803 to 1823, the regimental commander of the cavalry guards was Nikolai Ivanovich Depreradovich, a military general who participated in all battles during the war with Napoleonic France. Depreradovich's two sons also served in his regiment.

Portraits of both generals can now be seen in the Military Gallery of the Winter Palace.

The cavalry guards received their baptism of fire, both glorious and tragic, on November 20, 1805 near Austerlitz. As is known, then allied forces They hoped that they would secure victory over Napoleon, but they were defeated.

The Russian Guard found itself in the direction of the main attack of the French and was forced to retreat in front of significantly superior forces, having behind them the half-frozen Raustitsky stream with muddy banks. The cavalry guards arrived in time at the critical moment of the battle. Having crossed the dam across the stream, the first three squadrons turned to the right, holding back the onslaught of the French infantry and covering the retreat of scattered groups of Preobrazhensky soldiers. The 4th and 5th squadrons went straight to the rescue of the Semenovsky regiment, which was hardly fighting off the mounted rangers of the French Guard and the Mamelukes.

“We saw in front of us, 400 steps from the crossing, our infantry - the Semyonovites, surrounded by French cavalry, who were taking their banners away from them. All around, no Russian units were visible, neither to the right nor to the left, only groups of those running were visible, and the general background of this picture was a solid wall of French infantry,” as the commander of the 4th squadron, Colonel Prince N.G. Repnin-Volkonsky A.I. later wrote Mikhailovsky-Danilevsky.

The 4th squadron, with the 1st platoon of cornet A.I. Albrecht joining it along the way, rushed to the aid of the Semyonovites, crushing the French cavalrymen. Three more squadrons of the French intervened in the battle, which, enveloping the cavalry guards on both flanks, closed the encirclement ring. For about 15 minutes there was fierce slashing until four squadrons of mounted grenadiers arrived at the French. Huge horsemen attacked the cavalry guards shouting: “Let’s make the St. Petersburg ladies cry!” Desperate attempts by comrades to rescue the squadron in trouble failed

However, the attack of the cavalry guards allowed parts of the guards infantry to get out of the stream, and our cavalry retreated after them. And the surrounded squadron continued to fight to the end. Most of the people died, the rest were captured, almost all of them wounded. Only “eighteen people” managed to escape from the enemy ring, which are mentioned in the novel “War and Peace” by L. N. Tolstoy. 1/3 of the officers and 226 lower ranks dropped out of the regiment in the battle,

The officers of the heroic squadron, who were surrounded, were all wounded and then captured. Some remained on their feet and were led to Napoleon.

Who's the eldest? - the emperor inquired. They named him Prince Repnin.
- Are you the commander of the Cavalry Regiment of Emperor Alexander? - asked Napoleon.
“I commanded a squadron,” Repnin answered.
- Your regiment honestly fulfilled its duty!
- The praise of a great commander is the best reward for a soldier.
- I'm happy to give it to you. Who is this young man next to you?
- This is the son of General Sukhtelen, he serves as a cornet in my squadron.
“He is still too young to fight us,” Bonaparte remarked.
And young Sukhtelen (he was 17 years old, like the already mentioned A. Albrecht; he was wounded in the head and leg) exclaimed:
- You don't have to be old to be brave!

Indeed, the young cavalry guards showed extraordinary resilience in their first battle. More details about only two.

This is, first of all, Alexander Albrecht. He commanded the 1st platoon of the 1st (chief) squadron. His platoon ended up in the ranks of Repnich’s squadron. Confidence in the successful outcome of the upcoming battle was so great among the high command that the day before the regiment was ordered to prepare for the royal review, and the cavalry guards cleaned themselves, fitted new saddle cloths brought from St. Petersburg, and went out to battle as if it were a parade. And in the morning the 1st platoon took the regimental standards to Austerlitz and, catching up with the regiment on the march, simply joined the rear of the column. When a horse was killed in the battle near Albrecht, the cornet and his sergeant stood back to back and began to fight off the enemies with broadswords. Soon the officer, who received several saber wounds to the head, was left alone as long as he was able to stand on his feet and hold his weapon. He was later found in a field and taken prisoner.

It should be emphasized that all officers of the regiment who participated in the battle were awarded. The chief of the regiment, Lieutenant General F. P. Uvarov and the regiment commander, Major General N. I. Depreradovich received the Order of St. George, 3rd degree, Colonel N. G. Repnin-Volkonsky - the Order of St. George, 4th degree, the rest squadron commanders Colonels A. N. Avdulin, N. V. Titov, S. I. Ushakov, A. L. Davydov and Uvarov’s adjutants, staff captain P. I. Balabin and lieutenant A. I. Chernyshev - Order of St. Vladimir 4 1st degree, all wounded officers - golden weapons (swords), all other officers - Annen Crosses “For Bravery” on swords. The cadets were promoted to officers.

The regiment's participation in subsequent events during this campaign was not marked by any particular success, and in April 1806 it returned home. The short peaceful life was interrupted in February 1807 with the beginning of the so-called Prussian Campaign. The cavalry guards spent the entire campaign playing secondary roles. Among the first to be awarded the Insignia of the Military Order, established on February 13, 1807 and awarded to the lower ranks “for military merits and for courage shown against the enemy,” were cavalry guards non-commissioned officer Egor Ivanovich Mityukhin (badge No. 1) and private Karp Savelyevich Ovcharenko ( sign No. 3).

Some time after the conclusion of the Peace of Tilsit (June 25, 1807), the regiment returned to St. Petersburg. The days flowed by again, filled with parades and exercises. In 1811, new caps appeared in the army (still without visors for lower ranks), the shape of which has essentially not changed to this day. The regiment's officers wore silver epaulettes for the first time.

The loss of lower ranks was compensated mainly by the transfer from army regiments of the best soldiers, “deserved by courage, behavior and education.” For example, non-commissioned officer V. Mikhailov (badge No. 2) and private N. Klementyev (badge No. 4), who distinguished themselves in the battles of 1807 and were awarded the Insignia of the Military Order of the Pskov Dragoon Regiment, privates of the Ekaterinoslav Dragoon Regiment P. Trekhalov (badge No. 5) and S. Rodionov (badge No. 7) were transferred to the cavalry guards.

Service in the regiment in full view of the authorities was difficult, drilling and constant worries about maintaining all property in exemplary order were annoying, but the guards also had many benefits, some of them were introduced by Peter I. Thus, according to tradition, the lower ranks, “excellent in service and behavior, birthday boys had the right to receive from the Sovereign: sergeant majors - 25 rubles, non-commissioned officers - 10 rubles, privates - 5 rubles, and for a wedding: sergeant majors - 100 rubles each, non-commissioned officers - 50 rubles each, privates - 25 rubles each.” .

Proximity to the court sometimes plunged the regiment's officers into the most incredible life situations. The tragic story of staff captain Alexei Yakovlevich Okhotnikov, about which “the whole of St. Petersburg” spoke mutely, is memorable. A handsome cavalry guard fell in love with a married lady of high society. After some time, she reciprocated his feelings. Ardent love lasted almost two years. The tragic denouement came on the night of October 4–5, 1806. Okhotnikov, leaving the theater in a crowd of spectators, was seriously wounded by an unknown person who stabbed him with a dagger. Despite careful care and treatment, the wound did not heal, and the officer died several weeks later. And six months later, a very expensive and beautiful monument appeared on his grave, “depicting a rock with an oak tree broken by a thunderstorm, at the foot of the rock on its knees a female figure in a veil holds a funeral urn in her hands.” The story would not have attracted the attention of high society and ours too, if the beloved of the young cavalry guard had not been... Empress Elizaveta Alekseevna, the wife of Alexander I. Rumor attributed the organization of the murder to younger brother Tsar - Konstantin Pavlovich.

In general, the relationship between the Grand Duke, who held the position of commander of the guard, and the regiment was always quite complex. Konstantin's temper and pickiness, not always justified by circumstances, often gave rise to conflicts, such as, for example, an incident that occurred during one of the many transitions during the Patriotic War. The Tsarevich, overtaking the regiment, saw Colonel V.I. Kablukov riding in the ranks in a cap, and not in a helmet. The officer was allowed this by order of the regiment “due to three saber blows to the head received at Austerlitz.” Konstantin tore off the colonel’s cap and was rude to him, calling the officers of the regiment “Jacobins and Voltaireans.” True, a few days later he apologized for this act to both V. Kablukov and the officers.

Ironically, the characterization given by the Tsarevich to the officers in his temper was confirmed during the events of December 1825. Of the cavalry guards (who were in the ranks or had previously served in the regiment), 28 people were involved in the Decembrist case. Note that the attitude of the regiment officers towards the latter was generally negative, although many pitied them as their comrades in arms, “confused by freethinking.” However, many years later, cavalry guard N. S. Martynov (yes, the same one who, as it is written in his biography, “had the misfortune of killing Lermontov in a duel”) published the poem “To the Decembrists,” which contained the following lines:

“And how can we not honor participation with a tear
The nobles and rich who fight for the mob.
That was the color of Russia, faded under the thunderstorm,
And mown down from the ground by the hands of the executioners.”

Even later, at the beginning of our century, when the luxurious four-volume “Biographies of Cavalry Guards” was being prepared for publication, in the preface to the third volume the Decembrists were mentioned as follows: “The regiment decided not to include biographies of these individuals in this collection. Let history judge them, but politics is not a warrior’s business.” However, in 1977, an addition to the third volume of this publication entitled “Cavalry Guards-Decembrists” was published in Paris, compiled by a commission elected from former officers of the regiment: V.N. Zvegintsov, Baron G.G. von Grotgus and D. Davydov. Not approving, of course, the actions of the “rebels,” it was nevertheless decided to publish their biographies, since the previous volumes contained materials about officers involved in the coups of 1762 and 1801, the murders of emperors Peter III and Paul I. The actions of the Decembrists, as the commission considered, were not too different in nature from the actions of their predecessors, and they should not be separated from each other.

Let us return, however, to the regiment we left in St. Petersburg in 1812. Rumors about the upcoming war were increasingly spreading throughout the capital. After a short training session, on March 17, the regiment set out on a campaign. The Guards cuirassiers marched west to Vilna. With the outbreak of war, Barclay de Tolly retreated back as part of the 1st Western Army. The elite regiments were protected by the command, and they did not have to take active part in the battles until the day of the Battle of Borodino. Near Borodino, the regiment was part of the 1st Cuirassier Division of Major General N.I. Depreradovich. The commander of the brigade, which included, in addition to the cavalry guards, the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment, was Major General I. E. Shevich. The cavalry regiment, numbering 559 people, was commanded by Colonel K. K. Levenvold.

The regiment entered the battle during the third French attack on the Raevsky battery, when, in essence, the center of the Russian position was broken through and the brigade remained the only obstacle in the enemy’s path. “Grusha’s cavalry, supported by the fire of its infantry and artillery, overturned several regiments of the 7th Infantry Division (according to other sources, the 24th Infantry Division), cut into Kostenetsky’s battery.” The cavalry guards, having destroyed a scattering of advanced horsemen, moved in two lines of squadrons at a trot under fire towards the columns of the French cavalry that were being built.

The death of Levenvold, in sight of the regiment struck down by buckshot, only momentarily confused the cavalry guards - the regiment crashed into the enemy column, crushing it. According to an eyewitness, “the hand-to-hand combat between the masses of our mixed and French men-at-arms presented an extraordinary spectacle, magnificent in its own way, reminiscent of the battles of the Ancient Knights... The horsemen struck each other with cold steel among the piles of the dead and wounded.” The enemy was defeated and put to flight. The trumpeters sounded the signal “Appel!” It should be recalled here that, according to the existing regulations, the enemy cavalry should have been attacked only in a closed “iron” formation, and a “scattered attack” was used to pursue the enemy who could not withstand the onslaught. At the command “Strife! March! March!" “Each cuirassier should not hold either a line or a rank, but ride forward.” They shot and chopped until the signal “Appel!” did not force him to stop the pursuit and, without delay, to gather to his standard. At the same time, it was not necessary to find one’s place in the line, but it was desirable to find one’s place in the line (first or second). The gathering place was determined by the standard, to cover which there were always three rows of cuirassiers on both sides with the commander of the 3rd platoon, as well as the trailing officer and trumpeters.

Meanwhile, the group of cavalry guards, carried away by the pursuit, did not immediately perceive the signal. About a hundred horsemen stopped only when they saw the formation of the French cavalry in front of them. The guards instantly formed their formation. The senior lieutenant in this formation, Lieutenant P.S. Shkurin, found himself in a quandary: it was impossible to stand - the enemy was accumulating, about to attack; turn around too - they will stab you in the back; to attack yourself means to violate a regimental order (“Appel!” continued to sound). Doubts were resolved by divisional adjutant M.P. Buturlin, who happened to be nearby, and ordered the attack. The enemy did not accept the battle, and the detachment was able to join the regiment.

The cavalry guards spent about an hour and a half in the fire of battle.

From the report of Major General N. M. Borozdin; “... the regiments of the Cavalry Guards and Life Guards Cavalry, under the leadership of Major General Shevich, began this day with an attack on the enemy, who had already taken possession of our battery (2nd Guards Horse Battery), with which, having overturned it, they helped save the battery, destroying most encroached on this subject. This stopped the rush to our center, and part of our infantry, which was already behind the enemy cavalry, was saved. In this attack, they had the misfortune of losing the excellent Colonel Levenvold, who was killed on the spot, and Colonel Levashov took command... Then... the Cavalry Guard Regiment... struck swiftly at the enemy cuirassiers, instantly knocked them over and, while pursuing, hit them hard.”

The guardsmen paid with many lives for success in battle: Colonel K.K. Levenvold, the last representative of his ancient family of warriors, died; Lieutenant P.P. Valuev, who was attached to Lieutenant General A.I. Osterman-Tolstoy, was killed; Staff captain P.A. Rimsky-Korsakov heroically fell in battle in the battle, about whose death stories of French officers of this kind have been preserved: “Pavel Alexandrovich, a man of enormous stature and extraordinary strength, carried by horse to the enemy and surrounded by him, responded to all demands for surrender with blows broadswords, under which several people lay down, until a shot from a carbine put him down in place.”

In total, 14 officers and 93 lower ranks dropped out of the regiment during the Battle of Borodino. The surviving officers were awarded. N. F. Levashov - the Order of St. George, 4th degree, M. S. Lunin, S. P. Lanskoy and K. V. Levashov - golden swords, all others - the next highest orders, and 63 lower ranks - Badges distinctions of a military order.

Finally the 1812 campaign ended. The regiment received a break and was replenished with people. Having put themselves in order, the army set out on the march again. The cavalry guards fought at Kulm, Leipzig, Ferchampenoise, and reached Paris, where their combat journey ended. The regiment returned home in October 1814.

The regiment's successes in the fight against Napoleon were marked by the award of St. George's Standards with the inscription: "For distinction in the defeat and expulsion of the enemy from the borders of Russia in 1812" and 15 St. George's trumpets with the inscription: "Cavalry Guard Regiment." 16 portraits of former cavalry guards can now be seen in the Military Gallery of the Winter Palace: F. P. Uvarov, N. I. Depreradovich, A. I. Albrecht, P. I. Balabin, D. V. Vasilchikov, S. G. Volkonsky, P. V. Golenishcheva-Kutuzova, D. V. Davydova, P. I. Kablukova, V. I. Kablukova, V. V. Levashova, M. I. Palena, N. G. Repnina-Volkonsky, P. P. Sukhtelen, V. S. Trubetskoy, A. I. Chernyshev.

On January 1, 1817, all troops of the guard, army, garrisons and internal guards had their salaries increased due to “the increase in prices for all necessities of life and the desire to balance salaries with essential needs and thereby show new appreciation for the merits of the victorious army in the last, safely ended war.” .

Since then, the cavalry guards have not had the opportunity to prove themselves in battles with the enemy for a long time. Almost a hundred years passed before the guards again counted their victories - already on the fronts of the First World War.

A. I. Talanov

Military History Magazine, 1991, No. 1

There was no military unit in Russia whose lists included so many illustrious and famous names, from Peter the Great himself and his closest associates to ministers and prominent statesmen of the latter’s times. Russian Emperor. No other part of the guard or army had such an amazing, unique history.

“We do not strive to be the first, but we will not allow anyone to be better than us” is the proud motto of the cavalry guards - the bravest and most beautiful men of the era. They were united by loyalty to tradition, exceptional honesty, natural aristocracy, self-sacrifice and selfless love for the Fatherland. It is said about them: “The highest chic of a cavalry guard is the absence of any chic.”

The GLORIOUS history of cavalry guards in Russia began on March 30, 1724, when for the coronation of the wife of Peter I, Empress Catherine I, which took place on May 7 of the same year, the Cavalry Guard Corps was formed as an honorary guard. The first half-company of cavalry guards opened the coronation procession from the Kremlin Palace to the Assumption Cathedral, the second brought up the rear. During the coronation itself, the cavalry guards were located on the steps of the throne.

Peter himself assumed the rank of captain of the cavalry guard, and appointed generals and colonels of other regiments as corps officers, and lieutenant colonels as corporals. Sixty of the tallest and most handsome senior officers served as ordinary cavalry guards. However, after the coronation the corps did not last long. At the end of May 1724 it was disbanded, and the officers were disbanded to their regiments. The cavalry guard corps as such did not exist in Russia until the accession to Russian throne Catherine II (1762-1796). Then, from among the Life Campans, who were created by the daughter of Peter the Great, Elizaveta Petrovna, and served her as her personal guard, a special Cavalry Corps was formed.

Cavalry guards guarded the empress and members of the imperial family, performed guard duty in the imperial chambers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and in all country palaces and residences. Service in the cavalry guard was considered very honorable, and only nobles could enter it. Many noble parents began to enroll their young children in the corps in order to ensure their future service directly at the imperial court.
Under Emperor Paul I, the Cavalry Corps was repeatedly disbanded and created again, changing its name. So, in 1799 it was called the special guard of the Grand Master of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, who was considered Paul. And only on January 11, 1800, the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment was formed, which became part of the Russian army in the same position as other guards regiments without retaining the privilege of recruiting from nobles. General Fyodor Petrovich Uvarov was appointed chief of the regiment, who performed this most honorable duty until his death in 1824.
In 1804, the uniforms of the cavalry guards, which had retained the cut of Pavlovian times for the longest time, acquired character traits military uniform 19th century - white double-breasted tunics with high collars, white elk trousers, over the knee boots, a helmet made of thick leather with a lush plume of hair, which reliably protected against blows from cold steel. But cuirasses, which were abolished in 1801, were put on by cavalry guards in the summer of 1812. Combat experience showed the haste of the earlier decision...

The Life Guards Cavalry Regiment, commanded by Major General N. Depreradovich, received its baptism of fire, so glorious and so tragic, on the field of Austerlitz. As you know, on November 20, 1805, the allied armies, hoping to secure a complete and unconditional victory over Napoleon, suffered a crushing defeat.
The allies' confidence in victory was so great that before the battle the regiment was ordered to prepare for the royal review! The cavalry guards came out to fight as if they were going to a parade. The regiment arrived at the most critical moment of the battle, when the Russian guards infantry, which found itself in the direction of the main attack of the French, could no longer hold back the fierce attacks of the enemy and began to retreat.

The first three squadrons of cavalry guards attacked the French infantry, giving the scattered groups of Preobrazhensky soldiers the opportunity to retreat. The 4th squadron of Nikolai Repnin and the platoon of cornet Alexander Albrecht came to the aid of the Semenovsky regiment. The Semyonovtsy warriors were surrounded by mounted rangers of the French Guard, who tried to recapture the Guards banners from them. A desperate strike by a squadron of cavalry guards allowed the Semyonovites to cross the Raustitsky stream, and our cavalry retreated after them.
However, the French managed to close the encirclement around the brave squadron. All attempts to break through the ring from the outside were unsuccessful. The brutal slaughter continued for about 15 minutes, until four squadrons of mounted French grenadiers shouted: “Let’s make the St. Petersburg ladies cry!” did not attack the Russian horsemen...

All the officers of the cavalry guard squadron were wounded and captured. Those who could stand on their feet were brought to Napoleon after the battle. “Your regiment honestly fulfilled its duty!” Bonaparte said to squadron commander Repnin, and then added, pointing to the wounded 17-year-old cornet Sukhtelen, who stood next to the commander: “He is very young to fight with us.” To which the young officer exclaimed: “You don’t have to be old to be brave!”
Despite the fact that in their first battle the cavalry guards showed extraordinary courage and extraordinary fortitude, the consequences for the regiment were catastrophic - one third of the officers and 226 lower ranks died in the battle. The participation of the cavalry guards in the remaining battles of the campaign was not marked by significant successes, and in April 1806 the regiment returned to Russia.
Of course, daily service in the court regiment was characterized by tension. Constant drills, endless worries about maintaining property in exemplary order, all kinds of inspections. But the cavalry guards also had plenty of benefits. Thus, the lower ranks, “excellent in service and behavior, had the right to receive from the Sovereign for a wedding: sergeants - 100 rubles, non-commissioned officers - 50 rubles, privates - 25 rubles.”

The quiet life of the cavalry guards, full of exercises and parades, continued until March 17, 1812, when the Guards cuirassiers set out on a campaign against Vilna. With the beginning of the Patriotic War, the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment became part of the 1st Army of Barclay de Tolly and retreated back. Like the rest of the elite units, the regiment was protected in every possible way by the command and did not take part in hostilities until the Battle of Borodino. Near Borodino, the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment and the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment became part of the 1st Cuirassier Division of Major General N. Depreradovich.

The cavalry guards entered the battle in one of its most dramatic episodes. During the third French attack on the Raevsky battery, in fact, the Russian position was broken through, and the brigade remained the only obstacle for the enemy. The regiment went at a trot to attack Grusha's cavalry. At the very beginning of the attack, the regiment commander, Colonel K. Levenvold, was killed by grapeshot. The death of the commander only confused the cavalry guards for a moment, and they charged into the enemy column at full gallop.
The enemy could not withstand such an onslaught and fled. The cavalry guards pursued the fleeing French cavalry until the signal “Appel!” sounded, upon which everyone had to stop the attack and gather at the regimental standard. But about a hundred horsemen, in the heat of battle, continued to pursue and stopped only when they saw a formation of French horsemen in front of them. The situation was critical: you couldn’t stand - the enemy would attack, turn around - he would hit you in the back. Division adjutant M. Buturlin ordered an attack on the enemy. His determination saved the cavalry guards. The French did not accept the battle, and the guards were able to unite with their fellow soldiers.

In just an hour and a half that the cavalry guards spent in the battle, they lost 14 officers and 93 lower ranks, but managed to defend the center of the Russian positions. Many cavalry guards were awarded orders, bladed weapons and insignia of a military order.

After the Battle of Borodino in the campaign of 1812-1814, the regiment took part in the battles of Kulm, Ferchampenoise, Leipzig, and ended its combat journey by entering Paris. The successes of the guards were marked by the payment of St. George's standards with the inscription: "For distinction in the defeat and expulsion of the enemy from the borders of Russia in 1812" and 15 St. George's trumpets with the inscription: "Cavalry Guard Regiment." In 1814, the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment returned to its homeland.
The history of the regiment is inseparable from the names of the Decembrists - heroes and martyrs of December 14, 1825. About 30 cavalry officers were involved in the uprising on Senate Square. No regiment in the Russian army was so closely associated with the secret societies of the Decembrists.

The peaceful everyday life of the guards continued for a hundred years. Life went on as usual: regimental commanders changed, officers came and went, the staff structure and name changed. Since 1894, the regiment has been called the Cavalry Guard of Her Majesty the Empress Maria Feodorovna. Cavalry guards decorated parades and imperial reviews with their presence, served at court, and enlivened the life of society in the Russian capital.
This courtly existence continued until the tragic summer of 1914. The flywheel of the First World War was already beginning to spin up. On July 21, a farewell prayer service was served in the barracks on Shpalernaya Street in St. Petersburg. That same night, the first squadron of cavalry guards was loaded into carriages at the Warsaw station. Upon arrival at the front, the guards became part of the right group of army cavalry of the 1st Russian Army and soon participated in reconnaissance in battle beyond the border river Shirvint.

However, the Cavalry Regiment took on its first real battle in a series of upcoming battles on August 6, 1914, near the village of Kaushen. The cavalry guards attacked the enemy on horseback, but the German artillery put up a powerful fire barrier. I had to leave. Nervousness appeared in the ranks of the regiment, and the rear platoons began to rush forward. Then cornet Veselovsky shouted to the soldiers: “The cavalry guards are not leaving at a gallop!” These words were enough to calm people down.

Having dismounted, the guards again attacked the enemy under dense machine-gun and artillery fire. In front of the chains with a drawn sword walked the regiment commander, Major General Prince Alexander Dolgorukov. I had to stop, lie down, and dig in. It was possible to break through the German defense only when the Horse Guards came to the rescue and the attack was supported by Guards artillery. Exactly a week later, the Cavalry Regiment stormed the city of Friedland, famous from the 1807 campaign.

Along the roads of the First World War, the regiment will march from the Augustow and Kozlovo-Rudskie forests to Warsaw, Petrakov and Sventsyan, changing its subordination several times, which sometimes defied any logic. Soon it will be difficult to recognize those very brilliant guardsmen in the trenches - horsemen, the personal guard of the Russian emperor.

Artillery, machine guns, chemical weapon turned out to be an impossible opponent for the cavalry. White uniforms and golden cuirasses were replaced by khaki uniforms, and training in actions on horseback changed to digging in, running, and crawling. In the field army, much more infantry was required than cavalry. In May 1916, a rifle division was formed, consisting of four foot squadrons. The officers of the 1st squadron came from the Cavalry Regiment, which is why it is called the Cavalry Regiment.

In July 1916 they took part in the Brusilovsky breakthrough in the Kovel area. The cavalry guards perform all their tasks with honor, but soon, near the village of Krovatki, they are replaced by infantrymen of the Irkutsk Infantry Regiment, and the regiment goes to the rear. On March 5, 1917, the regiment received a telegram about the abdication of the emperor. The guardsmen no longer had to fight - a revolution was beginning in the country...

The revolutionary forces understood perfectly well that the collapse of the state machine must begin with the armed forces. The warring army is disintegrating before our eyes, discipline in units is rapidly falling. Since March 1917, the Cavalry Regiment has been guarding the Shepetivka and Kazyatyn railway stations, but not from the Germans and Austrians, but from Russian deserters. And although the first waves of deserters were stopped and order was restored at the stations, after some time the cavalry guards could only bear witness to the unheard-of shame of the Russian army. All sorts of agitators of different stripes frequented the regiment, calling for the “overthrow of the last stronghold of tsarism” that had retained its combat capability—the Cavalry Guard Regiment.

In the cavalry guard divisions, rallies of soldiers are held, at which they decided to express no confidence in the officers and replace them with more democratic ones. Many of the officers begin to leave the regiment without waiting for the Bolshevik unrest. By November, only four officers remained in the regiment, who left the unit on November 3. Vladimir Zvegintsev wrote in his book “Cavalry Guards in the Great and Civil War”: “With the departure of the last officers, the last connection with the past was broken. The soul of the regiment flew away. The regiment died...”

Most of the cavalry officers will participate in the White movement and will fight on different fronts Civil War. For example, in Denikin’s Volunteer Army there were entire cavalry squadrons. However, a full-fledged Cavalry Guard regiment never existed in the Russian army. And probably won’t exist...