His Imperial Majesty's Own Escort

His Imperial Majesty's Own Escort (Russian: Собственный Его Императорского Величества Конвой, English: His Imperial Majesty's Own Convoy.) - The Конвой (konvoi - Convoy) was a Russian Imperial Guard formation, created for the Emperor of All Russia. At the Battle of Leipzig in the Napoleonic Wars, soldiers from the regiment saved then Emperor Alexander I of Russia from being captured by French forces under Napoleon Bonaparte.[1]

His Majesty's Own Escort
Active1811—1917
Country Russian Empire
Branch Imperial Russian Army
TypeCavalry
Imperial guard
SizeRegiment
Garrison/HQSaint Petersburg

The core of the regiment consisted entirely of 200 Terek Cossacks and 200 Kuban Cossacks, with 200 men of each cossack host in service, with the other 200 on military leave at any time.[S 1]

History

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Originally formed in 1811 during the Napoleonic Wars, the regiment served until shortly after the February Revolution and the overthrow of Nicholas II, at which time it was dissolved.

The Barracks of His Own Majesty's Cossack Escort was in Pushkin, St. Petersburg near the imperial residence of Tsarskoye Selo.

 
Barracks of His Own Imperial Majesty's Cossack Escort

Commanders

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  • 26.08.1856—30.08.1858 — Flügeladjutant, prince Pyotr Romanovich Bagration
  • 27.09.1858—08.03.1864 — Polkovnik (from 1860 — Major-General) Dmitri Ivanovich Skobelev
  • 08.03.1864—24.05.1869 — Flügeladjutant, Polkovnik Sergei Alekseev Sheremetev
  • 24.05.1869—13.08.1878 — Flügeladjutant, Polkovnik (from 17.10.1877 — Major-General of the Svita) Peter Alexandrovich Cherevin
  • 13.08.1878—30.08.1887 — Flügeladjutant, Polkovnik Modest Alexandrovich Ivashkin-Potanoff
  • 30.08.1887—17.02.1893 — Polkovnik (from 30.08.1891 — General-Major of the Svita) Vladimir Alekseevich Sheremetev
  • 06.05.1893—12.06.1906 — Flügeladjutant, Polkovnik (from 1896 — Major-General of the Svita) baron Alexander Yegorovich Meiendorf
  • 12.06.1906—01.01.1914 — Polkovnkik (from 31.05.1907 — Major-General of the Svita) prince Georgi Ivanovich Trubetskoy
  • 02.01.1914—22.03.1917 — Major-General of the Svita, count Alexander Nikolaevich Grabbe
  • 15.03.1917—30.03.1917 — Polkovnik Georgi Antonovich Rashpil
 
Widely distributed photograph of Nicholas II with members of the regiment in Kuban Cossack attire
 
1911. Officers of His Majesty's Own Cossack Escort in period attire

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Клочков, Д (2007). Отличные Храбростью. Собственный Его Императорского Величества Конвой. 1829 -1917. История. Обмундирование. Вооружение. Регалии. Славия. ISBN 978-5-9501-0101-4.