Chapter 26 Life in the Pavlovsky Grenadiers is like herding sheep
Chapter 26 Life in the Pavlovsky Grenadiers is like herding sheep
The organization of the Russian army at this time was still roughly based on the troops of the Catherine II era. The troops were generally named after the places where they were formed. During the reign of Tsar Paul, starting from 1798, there was a period of time when they were named after the regiment leaders. After 1801, this was changed back due to "technical adjustments."
At this time, Solovyov was forming an experimental Russian Jager Company because the Pavlovsky Grenadiers Regiment was always short of manpower. He asked him to be the company commander, and the weapons they were equipped with were paper shell bullet versions of the two guns he presented to Tsar Paul. They were moved forward a few years from the Civil War period, and it seemed to be the Boxer Rebellion period, when the Eight-Nation Alliance had not yet arrived.
Of course, the technical barriers are not that serious and can still be used now.
But mercury fulminate had not yet been discovered, and the risk factor of really using that thing was quite high, so apart from the sample guns collected by the royal family, the paper shell bullet + copper primer lead bullet, as well as the firing pin structure on the rifle, would have to wait until next year for the Tula factory to complete the task.
From 1797 to 1798, it was a rare period of peace for Russia. During this time, Tsar Paul focused on domestic affairs at home, while at the same time taking actual control of Georgia and establishing the Russian-American Company. Everything seemed to be on the right track.
It would be better for His Majesty the Tsar not to get involved in the chaotic scenes on the European continent, but since he has never been to the battlefield, he likes to look at everything around him with a new attitude.
If he could just stay at home, it might be okay, but that's the kind of person he is.
Solovyov became the captain of a hunting company at the age of 16 because he made a great gun that he was so addicted to. Fortunately, he is still growing up. Moreover, a captain of this age does not look so conspicuous compared to those 19-year-old colonels and 20-year-old generals.
Then, Tsar Paul personally issued an edict to select some children from hunters and forest workers' families to come to Gatchina to form an experimental hunting company under the Pavlovsky Grenadiers Regiment.
But there was a small problem, that is, no soldiers had arrived yet, so he could only wait for orders from the regiment commander, Lieutenant General Vadkovsky. Fortunately, he was the Tsar's childhood friend, and since Solovyov was sent to him by the Tsar himself, he also took him seriously.
When the soldiers were not in place yet, Solovyov was still doing the work of an adjutant. Even the regiment commander himself did not take care of things and just sat in a Voltaire-style chair all day. If he had not grown up with the Tsar and was a trusted confidant of the emperor, he, a general who had retired for 20 years, would not have come here to be a regiment commander.
This made Solovyov a "husky without anyone to take care of him". Although there were tasks, the soldiers had not arrived and the guns were being rubbed one by one. Speaking of being an adjutant, he was quite free here. When he was with Prince Volkonsky, he had to deliver documents or handle some chores on a daily basis. Here, he was completely unattended.
He could do whatever he wanted. After all, the regiment commander didn't care about him, and the regiment had no commander. The battalion commander and company commander were all recruited from the Moscow Grenadiers Regiment. He didn't have to take care of those companies, and they all had old-fashioned muskets. In order to maintain uniformity, these muskets were captured or imported from Britain.
However, at this time, Solovyov also thought of the grenadiers, who originally used grenades. Should they be improved?
But he didn't have the time now, because in the Pavlovsky Grenadiers, since he was an officer in office but without a company, he could always attend other occasions, such as joining a literary group or doing some other activities.
"Captain, you can do whatever you want. Of course, it must be legal and in accordance with the emperor's orders. I have followed the emperor for so many years, but I have never received a reward like you did in your first meeting."
The lieutenant general was so envious probably because during the Empress' era, he was registered on the list of the Semenovsky Guards Regiment as soon as he could walk in accordance with the aristocratic tradition. However, it took him several years to be promoted, and he was not promoted to captain until he was 24 years old. Solovyov's family background was much worse than his in all aspects except for his title. He was promoted to captain at the age of 16 because of his invention, which was too fast.
This is not surprising. Tsar Paul often decides things according to his own likes and dislikes. Except for the Russian royal family and some great nobles, even if he wants to promote these people, he will not do it too quickly. Solovyov was rewarded purely because he designed these two new types of firearms.
Many veterans of the Pavlovsky Regiment and the Moscow Grenadiers used to eat at the same big table, so they were not surprised to see the adjutant of the old commander being transferred over.
Especially now, the team leader is questioning personally, it is rather strange that this team has a team leader but no leader, and it is even stranger that the team leader does not take charge of much of the affairs, but he still often appears here.
Sometimes, there was also a Lieutenant Colonel Komarovsky who came. He was the adjutant of Grand Duke Constantine. It was he who brought the portrait of the Crown Princess from Baden to St. Petersburg. In the end, the Empress made the decision. He was really a "great matchmaker".
And today, the leader of the regiment actually came to the regiment, but he was chatting about something with the new adjutant of the old commander.
"But when I got here, even though I was the captain of the Jaeger Company, I didn't have a single soldier."
"That's good too. You just need to be there for roll call. You don't need to worry about anything else. Officers are entitled to 30 days of vacation."
"To be exact, sir, Fyodor Fyodorovich, according to the latest regulations, lieutenants have 28 days' leave."
"Why bother with so much? Just do your job. We can't start training until all the recruited soldiers are gathered. The emperor's edict also clearly states that you are only allowed to take care of the affairs of the hunting company."
"Yes, General."
I don't know what Paul was thinking when he issued the edict. He could have chosen not to live in the Pavlovsky Grenadiers. After all, in Russia, even if Emperor Paul personally issued the edict, there were still a lot of absent junior officers. Even if this was the Model Grenadiers Regiment formed by his own edict, it was still the same.
This would give Solovyov some time to return to St. Petersburg and do other things, such as translating a book.
The books he had purchased in Kyakhta through a route to Siberia might still be difficult to reach, so he would be thankful if he could return in 1798.
Let’s not talk about the four great classics for now. We would be thankful if we could get the complete version of any one of them.
He can speak French well, but when it comes to writing, he has no problem writing letters, but it is a bit difficult for him to write long essays.
He decided to seek help from an expert on this issue.
His performance at the reviewing ground actually made him somewhat famous in social occasions, and earned him the nickname "Inventor" - after all, ever since he appeared in St. Petersburg, he has always appeared with an attitude of "I love inventions" and he also has his own way of speaking.
However, the writing aspect was still quite embarrassing. For this reason, it was Madame Lebrun who gave him advice. This lady's connections in St. Petersburg were sometimes more powerful than those noble ladies who had their own literary salons. After all, her clients covered all kinds of channels in the upper class of St. Petersburg.
The people he was going to meet were Count and Lady Stroganov, a couple who had lived abroad for many years. Speaking of Count Stroganov, people generally pay attention to the fact that he was born in Paris and was even a member of the Jacobin Club, using the alias "Citizen Paul Oher". After he returned to Russia, he was exiled by the Empress for a while and got married by the way.
When Madame Le Brun wrote this letter to Soloviev, she was not writing to the man of the family, but to the Countess.
This couple is indeed handsome, outstanding, and very loving. Whenever they appear together, they are a show of love to others. By the way, there are no secrets between them. If the lady knows, the Earl will also know.
We were able to find them because the Countess came from Prince Golitsyn's family and had lived abroad since childhood. She taught herself Russian after returning home. Her husband did the same, and even learned it while traveling. If you asked him about Louis XVI and Queen Marie, he might be more familiar with them.
This couple, among the nobles of high society, were equally fluent in French and Russian, though their mother tongue was French.
After the Countess taught herself Russian, she translated the second part of the French version of "The Divine Comedy" into Russian. She is also a recognized talented woman.
At this moment, she is more busy taking care of the children. In fact, Russian noble ladies tend to hire nannies more often. However, this couple, who have been influenced by the Enlightenment and various progressive ideas in France, always participate in the process of raising children when hiring a nanny.
This involves the couple's past. Count Pavel Stroganov was educated by a French tutor. His parents lived in the court of Louis XVI at the time. When he was a child, his mother left his father and lived with the queen's lover and eventually married him. In order to cover up this problem, the old count arranged for a tutor to take his son around Europe and receive education. Although his father still seriously provided all the material conditions, Count Pavel still felt after he became an adult that he had a child and had to get more involved in family life besides official duties.
That was why, when Solovyov came to the reception room under the guidance of the servant, he saw the countess taking care of the baby. After seeing this, she handed her son to the servant.
"Captain, please take a seat. I have read Mrs. Lebrun's letter. Your experience is very interesting. But don't always do dangerous things. My husband loves adventure."
Speaking of which, the Earl is not just adventurous, he is even a bit radical.
"Thank you for your concern, ma'am. As you know, I am planning to translate some oriental books, although they are just some popular novels."
"Why are there so many literature lovers among today's young officers? I've seen some cavalry officers reciting poetry in salons in the past. You're wearing a new uniform. You must be from the Grenadiers, right?"
"Yes, madame, I have served in three regiments, two of which were grenadiers."
"Now even the brave warriors of the Grenadiers have joined, and I'm afraid that the Guards will also engage in literary creation in the future."
When this lady spoke, her every gesture was full of the elegance of a hostess of a literary salon. She talked less about current affairs and popular topics, or rather, some vulgar topics seemed rather vulgar when discussed in front of her.
She also welcomes more young people of similar age to participate in the creation. You know, this princess from Prince Golitsyn's family is only 22 years old this year. Her beauty is the kind of intellectual beauty, which is very different from the ladies she has seen before.
This is not surprising. The Count is a good friend of the Crown Prince and even keeps some secrets for him. As for the Countess, she is a rare best friend of the Crown Princess in St. Petersburg with whom she can get along well. The Crown Prince and his wife must also be quite obsessed with looks.
"If that's the case, then it's better. Even soldiers should have some hobbies to cultivate their sentiments instead of being like those local regiment hussars all day long. Sorry, this may not be polite."
"It is true, you may state the facts, and there is no one here but my children and servants."
The lady was quite tolerant. After she said this, she got to the point.
"You are going to translate an oriental work, but you also have to consider whether you want to use Russian or French. If you want to use Russian, the language I used when translating The Divine Comedy is relatively plain and easy to understand. You have to consider the audience."
"If you say that, when you write, you also need to consider that if you use French, the other party may not understand you."
"Yes, last time I went to a salon, there was a very elegant Colonel Miloradovich."
It may sound a little impolite to say it, of course, but Colonel Miloradovich's way of speaking, which can only be understood by everyone in Russian, is very famous in social circles.
This warrior speaks Russian very well, and even with a Poltava accent it does not affect communication, otherwise no one would understand him.
As for the fact that this matter has spread so far, it is probably the result of Mr. Langeron spreading it everywhere. Mr. Langeron is a royalist officer who fled from France. He is keen to complain about his colleagues and superiors in his notes and in public, with or without restrictions. Including but not limited to work and daily life, Miloradovic is just a very common "victim" of this problem.
"So, the most important thing is to use words that are easy for people to understand, right?"
"That's right, Captain. Besides, few people visit me these days. When my husband comes back, you can chat with him. It doesn't matter. He is a very kind person."
Moreover, the Count also knew that Madame Le Brun had recommended such a "student" to his wife. Although the word "student" in the Russian environment always represents something related to blood relationship, Count and Countess Stroganov had lived abroad since childhood and traveled to many places. They did not mind this kind of "custom" and word too much, but preferred to use the French way of saying it.
Moreover, this couple was very loving throughout their lives, which was very different from the upper-class environment.
Sometimes, the Count even enjoyed the sight of his son Alexander rushing over to him, calling him "Dad" when he opened the reception room.
(End of this chapter)