(From Russkii Arkhiv, 1886, Part 3, pages 518-519, submitted by M. M. Pokhvisnev.)

 

 

 

ORDER

 

to the Guards force formerly under the command of His Imperial Highness the Tsesarevich Constantine Pavlovich:

 

In Aleksandriya, near Peterhof, 21 June 1831.

 

Brave soldiers! Your many years of service under the leadership of His Imperial Highness the Tsesarevich has always been accompanied by burning zeal and unshakable loyalty befitting true sons of the fatherland. Your regiments, obligated to His Highness for their existence and excellent order, have fully justified the genuine concern and special efforts with which His Highness has always treated you. When the flames of revolt flared up in Warsaw and the monstrous mob forgot its sworn duty, forgot all that is sacred for loyal Christian subjects, and showed evil intentions toward the person of His Highness, as one body you rallied to your flags, made ready to defend your leader and benefactor with your blood and showed as much steadfast loyalty to the throne and fatherland as you had personal love and devotion to His Highness. After marching out of Warsaw, you overcame all difficulties and privations, and cheerfully followed your leader over the borders of the fatherland. Here you joined with your brave comrades hurrying to quell the mutineers, you zealously carried out all your commander’s directives, and two of your regiments—the Life-Guards Lancers of His Highness the Tsesarevich and the Life-Guards Volhynia Regiment, as well as both batteries—at the first encounter with the mutineers on 13 February and 7 June, earned the full approval of the high command and my particular gratitude by your distinguished courage, bravery, and fortitude. It was the will of All Highest Providence that immediately after the glad tidings of our warriors’ new feats at Vilna, in which you also took part, I received the sad news of the death of His Highness the Tsesarevich, my most beloved brother and your leader and benefactor. Crushed by this loss, I send to you my aide-de-camp Colonel Graf Tolstoi to personally inform you of the grievous loss that has overtaken us, and to express to you my special recognition for your long, faithful, and zealous service under His Highness’s command, as well as my firm confidence that in the future you will all strive on the field of honor to achieve still further justification for my gratitude and recognition. Valiant soldiers! You have been deprived of your immediate commander who treated you so well, but your service will remain unforgotten by your Sovereign and fatherland. Continue to serve with the same distinction, and my gratitude to you will remain unchanged forever.

 

Signed in His Imperial Majesty’s own hand: NICHOLAS

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Translated by Mark Conrad, 2001.