Bennigsen |
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Levin Benningsen, count
1735-1826
A general in the Russian army, of German origin. One of the victors at Leipzig.
Benningsen, a German, entered the Russian army in 1773. He commanded the Russian forces in 1806 and 1807. In spite of his quality as strategist he was defeated at Eylau on 7 September 1807 and at Friedland on 14 June 1807. In September, 1812, he was at the head of the center of Kutuzov's army, but he hardly understood that general in chief of the Russian army.
On 18 October 1812 he defeated Murat at Tarutino, but it was at the Battle of Leipzig the following year that he was able to show his true worth.
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