Draft:Viktor Petrovich Skarzhinsky

Viktor Petrovich Skarzhinsky (1787-1861) was a legendary Russian Cossack commander from the ancient Skarzhinsky family of Russian nobility. He was the son of legendary Russian Cossack Commander Pyotr Mikhailovich Skarzhinsky. His family was among the largest landowners in the Russian Empire.

Biography
Viktor's branch of the Skarzhinsky family was of Russian nobility. The Skarzhinsky family originates from Trakai Voivodeship, Grand Duchy of Lithuania. His family is of Bończa coat of arms. Initially Catholic the Skarzhinsky family converted to Orthodox Christianity. Viktor was educated at home. He also attended the Naval Cadet Corps in Nikolaev. Records indicate he was born in Odesa, Ukraine. During the Patriotic War of 1812, Viktor Petrovich Skarzhinsky was one of the first to form a militia of peasants, arming at his own expense a detachment of about 111 people, who replenished the number of light cavalry squadrons with volunteers. It was called Skarzhinsky's Squadron. Initially the Squadron performed reconnaissance in the areas around the towns of Priluki and Samokhvalovka along with Don Cossacks. They covered almost 240 miles prior to being assigned to the Russian Army. And in the fall, the Squadron under the command of 24-year-old Viktor Petrovich joined the Southern Army. It played a significant role driving Napoleon's army out of Europe serving in the battles of Lahoysk, Orsha, and Borisov, Belarus. On 17 November 1812 Skarzhinsky's Squadron defeated multiple units of French troops in the town of Pleshchenitsa. On 19 November 1812 the Squadron played a role in the liberation of Molodechno. On 21 November 1812 the Squadron took part in the assault on Borisov, Belarus. Heavy losses were inflicted on Polish and Lithuanian troops defending the city amounting to around 3,000 casualties. The Squadron captured two artillery guns during this particular battle. Skarzhinsky's Squadron took part in battles at Elijah, Preny, Iglishki, Mikhalishki, Kalvaria, Wilkowiszki, Lyudinovo, and Prudnik during the month of December of the same year. Skarzhinsky's Squadron especially distinguished itself during the capture of Vilnius on December 10, 1812, when about 15,000 French soldiers (including 7 generals and 242 officers) were captured. The soldiers of the Skarzhinsky squadron captured 18 French officers. At the end of October 1812, Field Marshall Kutuzov, in a letter to Emperor Alexander I, called the deeds of Viktor Petrovich and his volunteers "a true feat, both civil and military, worthy of all praise and awards..." Viktor Petrovich was awarded two orders for bravery, including the Order of St. Vladimir with bows. He was also awarded the Order of St. Anna II degree with diamonds. The final battle for Skarzhinsky's Squadron would be the fortress of Thorn(Turon) where 3,620 enemy troops were garrisoned. The Squadron took part in repelling enemy sorties from the fortress in February 1813. The memory of the squadron is noted in the main temple of the Russian Orthodox Church – the Church of Christ the Redeemer in Moscow. In this temple, erected in memory of soldiers who died in World War II, marble plaques with the names of military formations are installed on the walls. On plate 27, among others, the squadron of Viktor Petrovich Skarzhinsky is immortalized on a marble plaque. Viktor was buried at the First Christian Cemetery in Odessa.

Awards
Viktor Petrovich was awarded two orders for bravery, including the Order of St. Vladimir with bows. He was also awarded the Order of St. Anna II degree with diamonds.

Family
Viktor was the son of Pyotr Mikhailovich Skarzhinsky.

Viktor's mother was Moldavian noble Ulyana Grigorievna Bulatsel.. Viktor's brother was Nikolai Petrovich Skarzhinsky.

In 1815, Viktor married Varvara Grigorievna Miloradovich, the daughter of a privy councilor, the Taurida governor and a large landowner. Viktor and Varvara had four sons (Pyotr, Constantine, Grigory, Viktor) and a daughter Nadezhda.

Godparents
In Trikraty, Ukraine landlords together with their children, would regularly act as godparents of ordinary peasants during the rite of baptism of children. For the Skarzhinskys, this "practice" was introduced by General Pyotr Mikhailovich Skarzhinsky, and continued by his children and grandchildren. The ranks of godchildren from among the peasant children of the Skarzhinskys were replenished every year. For example, in 1814 alone, Viktor Petrovich Skarzhinsky baptized boys under Arkhip and Mikhail Vyazelev, and his younger sister Maria became the godmother of girls born to A. Malyar, F. Dobrovolsky, Y. Oleynichenko, I. Vyazelev.

Agriculture
After his military service, Viktor devoted himself entirely to agriculture. Viktor began to make a careful study of the physical and other conditions of his region, and in accordance with these conditions he tried to direct all branches of agriculture and bring them to the greatest possible perfection. Field cultivation is indebted to him for the introduction of proper crop rotation, grass sowing, which Viktor first introduced in the Novorossiya region of the Russian Empire. Viktor also contributed to the development of cattle breeding in the Novorossiya region. Viktor invented and implemented forest belts to protect farmland. He also founded a pomological garden (221 varieties), an arboretum (281 varieties) with a mulberry plantation (150 hectares) and an orchard with a vineyard (100 hectares). He organized forest nurseries and developed agricultural techniques for growing planting material in relation to steppe conditions.

Descendants of Viktor would continue in this line of work. On 29 October 1990, Aleksandr Alekseyevich Skarzhinsky was awarded a Silver medal for his work in agriculture with the Research Institute of Vegetable Farming by the government of the Soviet Union.

Coat of arms (Orthodox Skarzhinsky)
In an azure field, a silver unicorn with scarlet eyes, tongue, horn and hooves galloping to the right. The shield is surmounted by a noble crowned helmet. Helmet: An erect unicorn with scarlet eyes, tongue, horn, and hooves. Insignia: azure with silver. The coat of arms of the Skarzhinskys is included in Part 12 of the General Armorial of the Noble Families of the All-Russian Empire, page 68.