Nikolay Bukhvostov

Nikolai Mikhailovich Bukhvostov was a Russian Captain 1st Rank and war hero of the Russo-Japanese War. He commanded the Imperator Aleksandr III throughout the war before ultimately being killed during the sinking of the ship at the Battle of Tsushima.

Biography Born as the son of Mikhail Vasilievich Bukhvostov and Pavel Ivanovna Bukhvostova, Nikolai was a descendant of Sergei Bukhvostov (1659-1728) who was known as the "First Russian Soldier". On September 12, 1873, he was admitted into the Naval Cadet Corps before entering into active service on May 1, 1874. He was promoted to Gardemarin on April 30, 1877, before being assigned to the 4th Naval Crew on May 20, 1877, and promoted to Michman on August 20, 1878. On November 30, 1878, he was seconded to the Guards Naval Crew and transferred to it by November 26, 1879. He was finally given command of the Halibut on March 13, 1880, as well as command of the Canary on March 27, 1881, and promoted to Leytenant on January 1, 1883. He was temporarily part of the Chief of Staff of the Guards Naval Crew and from August 15 to September 1, 1886, he commanded the Teterev and the Rynda from April 21, 1891, to April 23, 1892. He commanded the cruiser from January 17 to September 8, 1903, before being commissioned by Rear-Admiral Konstantin Nikonov to test the Imperator Aleksandr III before given command of the battleship on September 18, 1903. During the Russo-Japanese War, before the departure of the 2nd Pacific Squadron from Kronstadt, he uttered prophetic words: "We will all die, but we will not surrender." During the Battle of Tsushima, the Imperator Aleksandr III was sunk. Of the 867 crew members, not a single person escaped along with Bukhvostov himself.

Awards Order of Saint Stanislaus, III Class (January 1, 1889) Order of Saint Anna, III Class (January 1, 1894) (March 2, 1896) Order of Saint Stanislaus, II Class (March 1, 1898) Order of Saint Anna, II Class (December 6, 1902) Order of Saint Vladimir, IV Class (December 27, 1903)

Foreign Awards Legion of Honor, Knight (November 22, 1893) Order of the Red Eagle, IV Class (July 25, 1888) House Order of the Wendish Crown, IV Class (August 25, 1894) Portugal: Military Order of Aviz, Commander's Cross (November 29. 1903)