MICHAEL ANDREAS

See also:

• BARCLAY, ALEXANDER (c. 1476-1552)
• BARCLAY, JOHN (1582-1621)
• BARCLAY, JOHN (1734-1798)
• BARCLAY, R
• BARCLAY, ROBERT (1648-1690)
• BARCLAY, WILLIAM (1546–1608)

BARCLAY DE TOLLY  , called by the Russians MICHAEL, PRINCE BOGDANOVICH (1761–1818), Russian field marshal, was born in Livonia in 1761 . He was a descendant of a Scottish family which had settled in Russia in the 17th century . He entered the Russian army at an early age . In 1788–1789 he served against the Turks, in 1990 and 1794 against the Swedes and Poles . He became colonel in 1798 and major-general in 1799 . In the war of 18o6 against Napoleon, Barclay took a distinguished part in the battle of Pultusk and was wounded at Eylau, where his conduct won him promotion to the rank of lieut.-general . In 18o8 he commanded against the Swedes in Finland, and in 18og by a rapid and daring march over the frozen Gulf of Bothnia he surprised and seized Umeo . In 1810 he was made minister of war, and he retained the post until 1813 . In 1812 Barclay was given command of one of the armies operating against Napoleon . There was very keen opposition to the appointment of a foreigner as commander-in-chief, and after he was defeated at Smolensk the outcry was so great that he resigned his command and took a subordinate place under the veteran Kutusov . Barclay was present at Borodino, but left the army soon afterwards . In 1813 he was re-employed in the field and took part in the campaign in Germany .

After the battle of

Bautzen he was reinstated as commander-in-chief of the Russian forces, and in this capacity he served at Dresden, Kulm and Leipzig . After the last battle he was made a count . He took part in the invasion of France in 1814 and at Paris received the baton of a field marshal . In 1815 he was again commander-in-chief of the Russian army which invaded France, and he was made a prince at the close of the war . He died at Insterburg in Prussia on the 14th (16th) of May 1818 .