the lion of the russian army - Florida State University

Prince Peter then turned to Major General Isaev, who had spent two years in the
region and was well respected by the Serbs, to advise him on the best way to deal with
the Serbs. On 8 September, Isaev wrote Bagration that if he were allowed to cross the
Danube, he would certainly drive the Turks back. So Prince Peter ordered him to advance
into Serbia, “if considering your forces, their deployment and the current situation, you
are certain that your crossing of the Danube would rescue the Serbian nation from the
present danger [of the Turkish offensive].” However, Bagration also reminded Isaev that
his main goal was to protect Little Wallachia. 4
Isaev’s optimism soon faded away. He realized that his small detachment was no
match to the superior Turkish army. So, Isaev remained at his position. Yet, as Bagration
approached Constanta, he received news of the Turkish success in Serbia and massive
Serbian exodus into Austria. The reports indicated that Karadjordje and his supporters
were exasperated by what they perceived as Bagration’s futile promises. They
complained that the prospects of the Russian help had kept them from negotiating a peace
treaty with the Porte, though the Turks offered lenient terms on several occasions. 5
Bagration was told that the anti-Russian sentiments were so high among the Serbs that
they even attempted to murder the Russian representative Konstantin Rodofinikin, who
had to flee from Belgrade to Bucharest. 6 Rodofinikin was accompanied by a Serbian
4 Bagration to Isaev, Isaev to Bagration, 7-8 September 1809, Ibid., 259-60.
5 For Turko-Serbian negotiations, see Dubrovin, “Materials for the History of Reign of
Alexander,” Ibid., 229.
6 Petrovich, History of Modern Serbia, I, 66; Meriage, Russia and the First Serbian
Revolution, 195-96. Dubrovin, “Materials for the History of Reign of Alexander,” Voennii
sbornik, 11 (1864): 260. The Serbian leader Karadjordje claimed he did not know the reasons for
Rodofinikin’s departure. However, Petr Fedorovic, another Serbian leader, who fled with
Rodofinikin, wrote Karadjordje, “I learned that you planned… to kill General [Rodofinikin] [sic]
and, to avoid this, I accompanied general…across the Danube to Pancevo.” Karadjordje to Petr
Fedorovic, Petr Fedorovic to Karadjordje, Karadjordje to Isaev, 28-29 August 1809, Voennii
sbornik, 11 (1864): 273-74. Vucinich acknowledged, “In fear of the advancing armies and of
rumors that Karadjordje planned to arrest him and turn him over to the Turks, Rodofinikin
panicked [and fled].” “The Serbian Insurgents and the Russo-Turkish War of 1809-1812,” in The
First Serbian Uprising, 1804-1813, 143.
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