Nikolay Linevich

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Nikolai Petrovich Linevich, also Lenevich and Linevitch (Russian: Николай Петрович Линевич, 5 January 1839 [O.S. 24 December 1838]–23 April [O.S. 10 April] 1908, Petersburg) was a Russian military leader, Full General of Infantry (1903) and Commander-in-Chief of Russian forces in the Far East (3 March 1905).

Linevich made a name for himself in the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878). It was he who led the First Siberian Corps that stormed Peking and subdued the Boxer Rebellion in 1901. At the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War he was in charge of the Amur Military District as Governor General of Dauria. He was in command of the Manchurian Army at the Battle of Mukden.

Although Linevich procrastinated during the entire campaign, irking the Tsar with his never-ending demands for reinforcements, he was chosen to replace Aleksey Kuropatkin as Commander-in-Chief of the land armies. As the war was drawing to a close, the old general was in no position to undertake any dashing actions. Instead, he involved himself in a controversial project for the relocation of the Dalai Lama's seat from Lhasa to Siberia.

During the Russian Revolution of 1905, Linevich's troops revolted but he was in ho hurry to put down the risings. As a result, he was relieved of his duties in February 1906. Linevich spent the rest of his life in retirement. His wartime journal was published posthumously, in 1925.

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This article is based on a translation of the equivalent article of the Russian Wikipedia on 22 July 2007.