Petr G. Kravtsov

Petr Gavrilovich Kravtzov (January 21, 1861 – January 21, 1919) was an officer of the Russian Imperial Army and Major General of the Don Army.[1] During the First World War he was a commander of the Sixteenth Special Don Cossack Regiment, and after his promotion to Major General from April 1917 to January 1918 Commander of the 3rd Don Cossack Division.

Kravtsov Petr Gavrilovich
Born(1861-01-21)January 21, 1861
Ragozina Balka, Don Host Oblast
DiedJanuary 12, 1919(1919-01-12) (aged 57)
Tsaritsyn
Allegiance Russia
Service/branchRussian Imperial Army Don Army
Years of service1879-1919
RankRussian Imperial Army

Don Army

Commands held16th Special Escadron of 14th Army
3rd Cossack Division of the Don Army
Battles/warsWorld War I

Civil War in Russia

AwardsOrder of St. Anna of 2nd degree
Order of St. Anna of 3rd degree
Order of Saint Stanislaus of 3rd degree
Order of Saint Stanislaus of 2nd degree

Biography

Petr Kravtzov was born into a Don Cossacks family of Kravtzov on January 21, 1861 in Rogozina Balka Estate. His father was a Don Cossacks khorunzhyi, Gavriil Pavlovich Kravtzov and his mother was from the pomeschik family, Natalia P. Selavanova (ru:Селивановы). The family were great friends of Anton Chekhov after his first visit to the steppe in 1876 to the Kravtzov's country house in Rogozina Balka.[2] Anton Chekhov privately tutored Petr Kravtzov before his student days in Taganrog [3]

Military career

Kravtzov reported for active duty on September 1, 1879, and was assigned to the 20th Don Cossacks Cavalry Regiment stationed at Don Host Oblast. Between 1882 and 1887, Kravtzov served with the 5th Don Cossack Cavalry Regiment at various postings in Poland and in the West Ukraine.

On April 15, 1898, he was promoted to Yesaul and took command of a troop of the 15th Don Cossack Cavalry Regiment. When World War I began, he was reverted to the rank of Colonel in the Russian Imperial Army to which he had been promoted on July 2, 1915. He was placed in command of the 16th Special Escadron of the 14th Army Corps.

In the Russian Civil War he commanded the 3rd Don Division in the Cossack corps of the Don Army of Generals Alexander V. Golubintzev and Mamontov K.K.. General Petr Kravtzov was killed by Bolsheviks under command of Semyon Budyonny in the Battle of Tsaritsyn on January 21, 1919 where he fought in the field until out of ammunition, and remained until the Bolsheviks made their final assault to give time for his men to escape. He was killed and his body was sabred until unrecognizable.[4]

References
  1. http://militera.lib.ru/research/volkov1/04.html Volkov S.V. Tragedy of the Russian officer corps. Officers in White movement
  2. Letter to Kravtzov, 29 January 1883. Chekhov A.P., Letters of Anton Tchehov to his family and friends. Publ: University of Michigan Library. 1920
  3. "Im in love with Donetz steppe..." Tchehov in Taganrog
  4. Memories of Semyon Budyonny. First Book. Moscow: Voenizdat, 1958. Chapter IV. Crashing of the White Army of General Krasnov. http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/budenny_sm/1_04.html
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