Kutu'soff

Kutu'soff, MICHAEL ILARIONOVICH, Prince of Smolensk, a Russian field-marshal, was born 16th September 1745, entered the Russian army at the age of sixteen, and in 1784 became major-general. He distinguished himself in the Turkish war, and was appointed in 1805 to the command of the first army corps against the French. In 1812, notwithstanding his advanced age, as commander-in-chief, he fought Napoleon obstinately at Borodino (q.v.), and obtained a great victory over Davoŭt and Ney at Smolensk. Tolstoi calls him 'the genius of Russia and of the war.' He died 28th April 1813.