Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Bagration, Prince Peter

BAGRATION, Peter, Prince, a distinguished Russian

general, descended from the noble Georgian family of the Bagratides, was born in 1765. In 1782 he entered the Russian army and served for some years in the Caucasus. In 1788 he was engaged in the siege of Oczacow, and after wards accompanied Suwaroff, by whom he was highly esteemed, through all his Italian and Swiss campaigns. He particularly distinguished himself in 1799 by the

capture of the town of Brescia. In the wars of 1805 his achievements were even more brilliant. With a small force he withstood for several hours the united troops of Murat and Lannes, and though half his men fell, the retreat of the main army under Kutusoff was thereby secured. At Austerlitz he had the command of the advanced guard of Prince Lichtenstein's column, and at Eylau and Friedland he fought with the most resolute and stubborn courage. In 1808 he commanded in Finland, and in 1809 in Turkey, and was almost uniformly successful in his operations. In the famous Russian campaign of 1812 the corps under his leadership had been separated from the main army under Barclay de Tolly, and was defeated by Davoust at Mohilev. Bagration, however, succeeded in effecting the desired junction at Smolensk. He was mortally wounded in the bloody battle of the Borodino, 7th Sept. 1812, and died one month later.