TH

HE family of this able, experienced, and fortunate warrior, was originally from Sweden, and of a noble defcent. The first of his name fettled in Ruffia the latter end of the laft century; and having engaged in the wars against the Tartars and the Poles, was rewarded by the Czars of that period with lands and peasants.

Bafil Suworow, the father of the Field Marshal, was godfon of Peter the Firft. He was held in high eftimation for his political knowledge, as well as extenfive erudition; and enjoyed at his death the twofold rank of General and Senator.

ALEXANDER BASILOWITCH SUWOROW, the hero now under our confideration, was born in the year 1730. His father had deftined him to the robe; but his earlier inclinations impelled him to the profeffion of a foldier; and the fame fpirit has conducted him through a long and unrivalled career of glory, to attain the diftinguished rank of Field Marshal, and after having conquered for his Country, to conquer for Europe.

It is the custom for the fons of perfons of diftinction in Ruffia to be enrolled in the army at a very early age; fometimes within a year after their birth. But the young Suworow had attained twelve years before his name was, fortunately

for his country, infcribed on the military roll of the Ruffian Army. He remained, however, at home for a few years, in order to complete his education under the fuperintendance of a father who was fo well qualified to conduct it. It has been obferved, that Cornelius Nepos was his favourite Claffic; and he read with great avidity and attention the hiftories of Turenne and Montecuculi: but Cæfar and Charles the Twelfth were the heroes whom he most admired, and whofe activity and courage became the favourite objects of his imitation. History and Philofophy had great attractions for him; he ftudied the first in Rollin and Hubner, and the second in Wolf and Leibnitz.

In 1742 he was enrolled as a fufileer in the Guards of Seimonow. In 1747 he ferved as a Corporal; two years after he obtained fome farther advancement, which was foon followed by his promotion to the rank of Serjeant. During this period he was employed as a courier in Poland and Germany. In 1754 he quitted the Guards with the brevet of Lieutenant of the Army. In 1756 he had the conduct of the provifions; was afterwards Lieutenant to the Auditor General; and ap pointed to the command of Memel, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

He made his first campaign in the seven years war against the Pruffians in 1759, and

entered

entered upon actual fervice under Prince Wolgonski. He marched against the Pruffians with the rank of First Major; and was at the battle of Kimnerfdorf, and at the taking of Berlin, He this campaign fignalized himself by many acts of valour, until the year 1762, when a truce was made between Pruffia and Ruffia, which was followed by a peace. Although he was attached to the Infantry fervice, Count Romanzow prefented him at the general promotion as Colonel of Cavalry, from his fuperior knowledge in that department of the army; but there were certain obftacles which caufed that line of promotion to be abandoned. Soon after, the Count Panin, who commanded in Pomerania, fent him to Peterf burg with an account of the return of the troops. On this occafion he gave him a fpecial letter of recommendation to the Emprefs, who prefented him a colonel's commiffion, written with her own hand.

In August 1762 he was appointed Colonel of the Regiment of Infantry of Aftrachan, which was in garrison at Petersburg; and when the ceremonial of her coronation called the Emprefs to Mofcow, the ordered him to remain at Petersburg, where the charged him with the execution of fome very important. commiffions. After her return, his regiment was fent to diftant fervice, and was replaced by the infantry of Sufdal, confiting of more than a thoufand men, of which he received the command in 1763. In autumn of the following year he went into garrison at Ladoga. 1768 he was advanced to the rank of Brigadier; and as the war was just commenced against the confederates of Poland, he was ordered to repair with all fpeed to the frontiers of that kingdom in the courfe of November, and in the most unfavourable feafon of the year. During the winter he was continually engaged in improving his regiment in their manoeu-. vres, and habituating them to every action that would be required, and every circumftance that might happen in a state of actual fervice.

In

In the following fummer of 1769 thefe troops were ftationed on the frontiers of Poland, from whence they were fent to Warfaw, a march of eighty German miles, which he completed in twelve days. He overcame Kotelpowfki, near Warfaw, and defeated and difperfed the troops commanded by the two Pulawfkis. He afterwards took up his quarters at Lublin; and the Ruilian army in Poland

requiring the establishment of four major generals, he was advanced to that rank on the ift of January 1770.

In the middle of the fummer, when Colonel Mofchinski had gained a reinforcement, our General gained a fecond victory over him; and in the autumn of the fame year he attempted an operation on the Viitula, but from the rapidity of the current he miffed the pontoon in leaping from the bank, and falling into the river, was in great danger of being drowned. After many fruitless attempts to fave him, a grenadier at length feized a lock of his hair, and drew him to the bank; but in getting out of the water he ftruck his breaft against a pontoon, which caufed a violent contufion, that threatened his life, and from which he did not recover for feveral months. Towards the end of the year the Empress

fent him the order of St. Anne.

We shall not detail all the various exploits of the General, it will be fufficient to take notice of the principal of them. He afterwards fought and beat the army of the confederates under Pulawfki and Nowifi, and the Empreis conferred on him the order of St. George of the third clafs, as a teftimony of the fatisfaction fhe had received from his fervices.

A fecond confederation being formed in Lithuania, the General again defeated the army under Oginski; and this victory was confidered fo important that the Emprefs fent him, as conqueror of the Grand Marshal, the order of Alexander, accompanied with the following dispatch;

"To Major General de Suworow.

"In recompence for the fervices which you have rendered to us, as well as to your country, by the entire defeat of the Count Oginski, chief of the Lithuanians, who have revolted againft our troops, it has pleafed us to name you knight of our order of Alexander Newski, whose decoration we fend you to take and wear. We hope that thefe diftinguished tefti monies of our imperial benevolence towards you will ferve to cherish your zeal, and that you will confecrate your days to the advancement of our service. In that expectation, we affure you of the imperial elleem of your affectionate

"CATHERINE.

"Petersburg, Dec. 20, 1771."

In the pofthumous works of Frederic the Great we read a flattering eulogium on the fubject of this most important vicory, which was obtained on the 11th of September, 1771.

The confederates foon after forprised
Cracow