BENNIGSEN, Lnvix Atm. THEOPITILT'S, Count, one of the most famous Russian gen erals, was b. at 13runswick. Feb. 10, 1745. IIis father was an officer in the Brunswick guards: and B. himself entered the Hanoverian service for a time; but squan dered the property left him, he joined the Russian army in 1773, and in the Turkish war soon attracted the notice of the empress, Catherine, who employed him to carry out her designs against Poland. He was one of the leaders of the conspiracy against the emperor Paul (1801); though he is said not to have been present at the catastrophe.
[ but to have prevented the empress Maria from rushing to her husband when she heard his cries. He fought with considerable success in the battle of Pultusk (18061, and held the chief command in the obstinate and murderous' struggle at Eylau (1807). When Napoleon invaded Russia in 1812, B. commanded the Russian center on the bloody field of Borodino, and gave his.voice for fighting a second battle before the Walls of Moscow,
Before the French began their retreat, he gained a brilliant victory over Murat at 'Toro nowa (18th Oct.). Differences with Kutusov, who would not adopt B.'s plan to prevent the French from crossing the Beresina, made him retire from the army; but after Kutusov's death, he took the command of the Russian army of reserve, which entered Saxony in Jiilv, 1813, fought victoriously at the battle of Lcipsic, and was created count by the emperor Alexander on the field. When Leipsie was taken, it was he that was commissioned by the allies to announce to the king of Saxony that he was a prisoner. Failing health made him retire from the Russian.service in 1818 to his pater nal estate in Hanover, where he died Oct. 3, 1826.—His son, ALEX. LEVIN B., became •1. leading Hanoverian statesman.