Bagration

Bagration, PETER IVANOVICH, PRINCE, a distinguished Russian general, descended from the royal family of the Bagratidæ of Georgia and Armenia, was born in 1765. He entered the Russian service in 1783, and was trained under Suvorof. In 1788 he was engaged at the storming of Okzakov; fought in 1792 and 1794 against the Poles; in 1799, in Italy and Switzerland; and distinguished himself in the Austro-Russian war of 1805 against the French, especially in the sanguinary engagement of November 16 of that year, when, with only 6000 troops, he bravely stood during six hours against a force of 30,000 under Murat. Subsequently, he was engaged in the battles of Austerlitz, Eylau, and Friedland, and took a part in the Russian campaign against the Turks, especially in the siege of Silistria, 1809. In the campaign of 1812 he commanded the second Russian army of the west, and had the misfortune to fail in his attack on Davoût near Mohilev; but succeeded in forming a junction with the main army at Smolensk. He was, however, mortally wounded in the battle of Borodino (q.v.), and died October 7, 1812.