In the Russian Empire, in addition to orders and award medals, at the end of the XVIII and beginning of the XIX centuries, there were award signs in the form of golden crosses. There were only five of them, but each of them had its own special shape and inscription. All of them were worn on the ribbon of the Order of St. George. Such crosses can be seen on portraits of officers and generals who participated in the War of 1812. In particular, in the Hermitage portrait gallery, you can note them on the chest of Generals P. I. Bagration, F. P. Neverovsky, I. M. Duk, N. V. Vuich and many others.

Russian orders were not numbered, and therefore it is difficult to judge in which war they were earned and for which battle they were awarded. And the golden cross on the St. George ribbon immediately makes it clear that the wearer participated in the capture of Ochakov or Izmail, in the battles of Preisisch-Eylau, in the capture of Prague or in the storming of Bazardzhik. The image of these crosses on the portraits of our heroic ancestors helps to correlate these personalities with certain historical events and epochs.

Ochakov Cross, 1788

After the defeat and destruction of the landing force on the Kinburg Spit and the liberation of the Dnieper-Bug estuary from the Turkish fleet, the main task of the Russian army was to capture the main Ottoman stronghold - Ochakov, which was considered the main port city of that time in the Turkish possessions on the Black Sea.

G. A. Potemkin was literally showered with awards of the Empress for this victory:"...We have honored you with the badge of the 1st degree of our military Order... we grant you the Field Marshal's commanding baton, decorated with diamonds and laurels... A.V. Suvorov was awarded a diamond feather on his hat at a price of 4,450 rubles; M. I. Kutuzov - the Order of St. Peter and Paul. Anna of the first class and the Order of St. Vladimir II degree. Particularly distinguished officers were awarded the Orders of St. George and St. John the Baptist. Vladimir IV degree, and those who did not receive these orders, "We awarded,"the Empress wrote," gold badges for wearing in the buttonhole on a ribbon with black and yellow stripes." These were crosses with rounded ends, representing a cross between the imperial order and the award medal. Few people were awarded them.

The lower ranks for storming Ochakov received silver medals "For bravery rendered during the capture of Ochakov on December 6, 1788".

Izmail Cross, 1790

In 1789, A.V. Suvorov defeated the Turks at Fokshany on June 21, and on September 11 he staged a grandiose defeat of the 100-thousandth Turkish army on the Rymnik River. While Potemkin's main army was inactive, Suvorov had to conduct increasingly complex operations of this war. He was now faced with the task on which the entire outcome of the campaign depended - the capture of the fortress of Ishmael, with its garrison of thirty-five thousand men and 265 guns.

"There were no stronger fortresses, more desperate defenses than Ishmael, only once in your life you can launch such an assault," Suvorov wrote in the report. All the Turkish generals were destroyed, and in the" invincible " Izmail we got huge trophies: 265 cannons, 364 banners, 42 ships, 3 thousand pounds of gunpowder, about 10 thousand horses and a booty of 10 million piastres. But for such a great and glorious victory, he was not properly rewarded.

Catherine II wrote in her rescript to Prince Potemkin dated March 25, 1791: "... We present to you... announce with a gift sheet to each person, signifying his service, reducing the time required to receive the military Order of St. George ... and giving each the same golden badge according to the model approved by us."

The sign in question resembled Ochakov's in its form and was officially called " A gold Sign for wearing in the buttonhole of a uniform on a ribbon with black and yellow stripes on the left side of the chest." Its dimensions are the same as Ochakov's - 47 x 47 mm.

Cross for the capture of Prague*. 1794

During the next partition of Poland in 1794, the Polish people responded to the threat of complete elimination of their independence with an organized uprising, led by Tadeusz

* Prague is located in the vicinity of Warsaw. Sometimes this cross is called "For the capture of Warsaw".

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Kosciuszko. The Poles killed two thousand Russian garrisons and captured 1,764 people. The uprising took on grandiose proportions and turned into a war against Prussia and Russia.

Cross for the capture of Bazardzhik

Field Marshal P. A. Rumyantsev sent Suvorov to Poland.

Now, on the way to Warsaw, the main obstacle for Russian troops was the suburb of the capital - Prague.

A.V. Suvorov prepared for the assault very carefully, just as he had prepared for the assault on Izmail. In the order before the storming of Prague, Alexander Vasilyevich warned:"...Do not run into houses; spare the enemy who asks for mercy; do not kill the unarmed; do not fight with women; do not touch young children. Who of us will be killed - the kingdom of heaven, the living - Glory! Glory! Glory!"

Warsaw was taken, and Suvorov received the following message from the Empress:: "Mr. Field Marshal General... You know that I don't get promoted without waiting in line. I can't offend the senior, but you made yourself a field marshal..."

Officers for the capture of Prague were awarded the Orders of St. George and St. John the Baptist. Vladimir, and those who did not receive them are awarded with gold crosses with the inscription: "For your hard work and bravery." On the reverse side of these crosses: "Prague was taken on October 24, 1794".

The lower ranks were awarded silver medals of unusual shape - square and slightly rounded ends. On the obverse - the monogram of Catherine II, on the reverse - the inscription: "For hard work and bravery at the capture of Prague in October 1794".

Cross for Preisisch-Eylau

After the defeat of the Allied forces at Austerlitz on November 20, 1805, where only the Russians left 21 thousand people on the battlefield. Napoleon began to pursue a policy of seizing Poland. On December 19, he entered Warsaw to enthusiastic cheers from the population as a "liberator". But in reality, he was preparing Poland as a springboard for the war with Russia, and Polish soldiers as "cannon fodder".

Cross for the Capture of Prague

The decisive battle took place near the village of Preisisch-Eylau on January 27, 1807. Napoleon had 70,000 troops with 450 guns, and the number of Russians was 68,000 with 400 guns.

This is how Bagration's adjutant Denis Davydov describes the event:

"...There was a fight, hitherto unseen.., thousands of people on both sides were stabbing the three-sided point into each other. The crowds were falling. I was an obvious witness to this homeric slaughter, and I will truly say that in the course of sixteen campaigns of my service... I've never seen anything like it! For about half an hour there was no sound of cannon or musketry, either in the middle or around it; there was only an indescribable roar of thousands of brave men mingling and cutting mercilessly. Piles of dead bodies fell in fresh piles; hundreds of people fell on top of each other, so that the whole part of the battlefield soon resembled a high parapet..." And further: "...Bayonet and sabre walked, luxuriated, and reveled in their fill. In almost no battles, such dumps of infantry and cavalry did not happen..."

Cross for Preisisch-Eylau

The Russians suffered 18,000 killed and 7,900 wounded, while the French suffered 29,000 killed and 700 prisoners. And yet the victory won by such blood was for the Russians. Napoleon, for the first time in all his wars, got nothing but streams of blood as trophies.

In the Decree of Alexander I of August 31, 1807, given "...The Cavalry Duma of the Military Order of St. George-On awarding Officers who distinguished themselves in the battle of Preisisch-Eylau, gold badges to wear in their buttonholes "said:" In commemoration of the excellent courage and bravery shown in the battle of Preisisch - Eylau on January 27 of this year to the officers of Our army, all those who did not receive orders

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Military of St. George and St. John the Baptist. Vladimir, but presented to the Commander-in-Chief for receiving a badge of distinction, we grant gold badges, for wearing in a buttonhole on a ribbon with black and yellow stripes, so that in favor of the recipient of such a badge, three years of service are reduced, both for receiving a Military Order and a pension."

Soldiers ' awards for this battle were not established.

Cross for the capture of Bazardzhik

In 1806, a new, already seventh war with Turkey began. It was conducted sluggishly, with varying success on both sides, and lasted until the fall of 1811.

In February 1810, the young and talented General N. M. Kamensky Jr. was appointed to command the Moldavian Army.

By spring, he had almost doubled his army, prepared it well for a new offensive, and in May, with an 80,000-strong corps, he crossed the Danube, captured Silistria, Turtukai, and approached Bazardzhik. This fortress (now the city of Passardzhik in Bulgaria) was located at the crossroads of roads to Varna, Pravody, Shumla and further to Adrianople. It was taken on May 22, 1810.

Anyway, ah ."..His Imperial Majesty for the excellent bravery and diligence shown during the storming of Bazardzhik by the corps of troops under the command of Lieutenant-General Count Kamensky... He most graciously grants: to distinguished Staff and Senior officers who do not receive cavalry orders, gold insignia, which add three years of service to each of them to receive a Military Order and pension..."

This cross had forked ends, like the Order of Malta, with the inscription on the front side: "For excellent bravery," and on the back: "During the storming of Bazardzhik on May 22, 1810." It was the fifth and last in a series of similar awards. It was worn on the St. George ribbon in the buttonhole (then on the left side of the chest).

For the lower ranks, silver medals were minted with a portrait of Alexander I on the obverse, and an inscription was made on the reverse.: "For distinction in the storming of Bazardzhik on May 22, 1810."

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