Home – Home – Jornals – Humanitarian sciences in Siberia 2015 number

The paper is aimed at describing the military service of Generals Skalon, father and son who served in Russia in 1735-1812. This subject has not been scrutinized by scholars. Analysis of the new archival sources and use of a historical-biographical research method allowed to deepen understanding of the military and administrative activities of the first generations of the Scalons in Russia; to show their participation in the military campaigns of the XVIII century, their service in the Siberian fortified lines, their fight against Napoleon’s invasion and other important events. A.A. Skalon was born in 1767 in the Biisk fortress into a family of the military, former French emigrants. In recognition of his father’s services at the age of eight he was enlisted as a private in a squadron of the Life-Guards Preobrazhensky Regiment. Formation of personality and leadership potential of the future general was shaped by the faithful service of his close relatives, the tough conditions of the Siberian frontier as well as his study in the “model team” in St. Petersburg. As a chief of the Irkutsk Regiment A. Skalon proved himself a caring and demanding military leader while being different from other commanders in that he was unselfish and struggled against all sorts of abuses. The Siberian regiments were successfully relocated to the western borders of Russia owing to his authority and organizational abilities. The Dragoon Brigade under Skalon’s command opposed the Napoleon’s aggression from the first days of the war. While fulfilling an assigned task during the defense of Smolensk Skalon was fatally wounded and buried upon the order of Napoleon.