January 13, 1724, Emperor Peter | granted officers of the Engineering Troops an advantage in ranks and salaries over those in the army. This is how it is said about this in the All-Subject Reported! and the Military Colleague:
“Engineering and Mining officers, both in ranks and in salaries, are distinguished from army officers because they only serve other officers as ordinary swordsmen, they are superior in science to army officers, except for ordinary service, therefore, it is unnecessary, for this reason in other regions, which are skilled officers in Engineering, are promoted to higher ranks before them.”
The Field Engineer Troops enjoyed this advantage in rank until May 6, 1884, i.e. the time when the Sovereign Emperor Alexander III was pleased, in an expression of his high favor, to grant this great mercy to the officers of the entire other army as a reward “for the unflowing devotion to her house and the valiant hearing of the boys” (as announced in the order of the Military Division of 1884 No. 134). This one is new. the sign of the Royal Grace to the army serves as the best proof of how great was the advantage that only the Field Engineer Troops already enjoyed 160 years ago.
The engineering troops really did not use their advantages for nothing: they fully deserved fame, both in the theater of military operations and in peaceful practice.
The orders on the assumption of the post of Inspector General for the Engineering Unit by such great military officers as the deceased Emperor Nicholas [and Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich, as well as Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder, serve as clear proof of how great the importance of the Engineering Troops was and what glory they enjoyed.
Thus, Emperor Nicholas 1, while still a Grand Duke, taking up the post of Inspector General, in his order dated January 20, 1818, among other things, says: “I assure everyone and everyone that I am able to appreciate the mercy of the Sovereign, which has made me a leader of such a distinguished corps” 1).
r) Order of the Inspector General for Eng. parts, 1818 No. 1.
Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich, entering into office, is corrected! post of Inspector General, December 19, 1825, gave the following order\).
“Giving information about the seven flattering appointments for me throughout the Corps of Engineers and the infantry regiments subordinate to me, I expected that the 11. headquarters and chief officers of all these units would continue to carry out their duties just as zealously and diligently for the benefit of the shock troops, as before, under the personal leadership of Elo Imperial Majesty" (Nicholas |).
“With zeal and hardness %.1. bosses,” from tearing and completely hanging subordinates, I expect that the order and structure that were introduced by the Sovereign Ilmterator’s own care will be preserved forever
“They built the building and made it so excellent.”
His Imperial Highness, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, taking up the amended position of Inspector General, on January 25, 1856, said, among other things, in his order the following 2):
“Accepting with the feelings of a foreigner’s gratitude such a flattering designation for me and entering into the rank, which was the first co-operation of the state’s unforgettable labors of my parent, the founder of the Engineering Corps, and which later, throughout the 2E4th pour, for the blessing of the corps, carried on itself, in Pain resting, my uncle, Sovereign, Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich, I fall down and trust in full cooperation with all the ranks I support the Engineering of Cortius kz, I support, with our common ponds and conservation, the development of the land, which the Engineer owes to the charitable guardianship of Aviusty and their own If only, and thus, happiness in the present war will earn the approval of the All-Merciful Sovereign and justify both the expectations of the fatherland.”
Speaking about the glory that the Field Engineering Troops have acquired for themselves, it would be wrong to name those persons to whom they mainly owe this.
The first step towards an increase and more correct development of the Engineering Troops was taken by the General Feldzeichmeister, Count Shuvalov (from 1756 to 1762).
His successors not only did not try to develop them further, but even the reforms created by Count Shuvalov were destroyed. Emperor Paul, aware of the importance of the Field Engineering Troops, and, moreover, seeing their pitiful state to which they were reduced, thanks to the inactivity of the people who controlled them, took a very active part and personally became the head of the management of the Field Engineering Troops.
Appointment of Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich as Inspector General