Mikhail Dmitriyevich Skobelev | |
|---|---|
 Mikhail Skobelev | |
| Nickname(s) | White General White Pasha Bloody Eyes |
| Born | 29 September 1843 Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire |
| Died | 7 July 1882 (aged 38) Moscow, Russian Empire |
| Allegiance |  Russian Empire |
| Service | Imperial Russian Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1882 |
| Rank | General of the Infantry |
| Commands | 4th Army Corps (Russian Empire) |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Order of St. George Order of St. Vladimir Order of Saint Anna |
Mikhail Dmitriyevich Skobelev (Russian: Михаил Дмитриевич Скобелев; 29 September 1843 – 7 July 1882), a Russian general, became famous for his conquest of Central Asia and for his heroism during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. Dressed in a white uniform and mounted on a white horse, and always in the thickest of the fray, he was known and adored by his soldiers as the "White General"[1] (and by the Turks as the "White Pasha").[2] During a campaign in Khiva, his Turkmen opponents called him goz ganly or "Bloody Eyes".
British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery assessed Skobelev as the world's "ablest single commander" between 1870 and 1914[3] and wrote of his "skilful and inspiring" leadership.[4] Francis Vinton Greene also rated Skobelev highly.[5]
- ^ One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Skobelev, Mikhail Dimitriévich". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 193.
- ^ Forbes, Archibald (1895). "Soldiers I Have Known". Memories of War and Peace (2nd ed.). London, Paris & Melbourne: Cassell and Company Limited. pp. 363–366. Retrieved 26 July 2018 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ A History of Warfare by Field-Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Alamein. Cleveland and New York: T he World Publishing Company. 1968. pp. 456 – via Internet Archive.
The ablest single commander of this period was the Russian conqueror of Turkestan, Mikhail Skobelev (1843-82).
- ^ A History of Warfare by Field-Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Alamein. Cleveland and New York: T he World Publishing Company. 1968. pp. 461 – via Internet Archive.
This war presents various interesting features. One was the skilful and inspiring leadership of Skobelev.
- ^ Greene, F. V. (1881). "Russian Generals". Sketches of Army Life in Russia. London: W.H. Allen & Co. pp. 126–143. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Internet Archive.
