Yegor Andreevich Akhte (1777-1826)

Yegor Andreevich Akhte was a Baltic-German officer in Imperial Russian service who rose to the rank of general-mayor and served continuously in the coalition wars against France and in the Russo–Turkish campaigns. His active record is concentrated in the 1805 campaign, the Danube theatre (1806–1811), the 1812 campaign in Russia, and the 1813–1814 operations in Germany and France.

Born at Arensburg on the island of Ösel (today Kuressaare, Saaremaa, Estonia), Akhte entered service on 5 June 1792 in the лейб-гвардии Конном полку (Life Guards Horse Regiment) as a junior unter-officer grade (some sources give 1 January 1793 in a similar appointment). On 1 January 1796 he was commissioned a poruchik (lieutenant) and posted to the Малороссийский гренадерский полк (Little Russian Grenadier Regiment), which remained his principal regimental affiliation for much of his career.

In the 1805 campaign in Central Europe he fought at Krems and Austerlitz, receiving the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th Class (with bow). From 1806 to 1811 he served against the Ottoman Empire on the Danube. By 19 November 1809 he was commanding the Little Russian Grenadiers as a podpolkovnik (lieutenant colonel). For service connected with the capture of Izmail he received the Order of St. Anna, 2nd Class; for operations across the Danube he later received diamond insignia to that order. He was wounded by grapeshot at Ruschuk. At Batina (26 August 1810) he led his regiment in storming Ottoman works and was credited with the capture of five enemy standards; for Batina he received the Order of St. George, 4th Class.

In 1812 his regiment formed part of the 2nd Western Army’s grenadier formations. He fought at Smolensk and was wounded at Shevardino (24 August), shot through the right arm. On 28 August he was appointed commander of the Санкт-Петербургский гренадерский полк (St. Petersburg Grenadier Regiment). For distinction at Borodino he was promoted to Colonel (dated 21 November 1812 in later summaries). In November, during the fighting at Krasnoi, he was wounded again and received the Gold Sword “For Bravery” and the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd Class.

During the 1813 campaign he fought at Lützen, Bautzen, Dresden, and Kulm. On 28 January 1813 he was appointed chef of his regiment. For distinction connected with Leipzig he was promoted to general-mayor (dated 20 June 1814 in the principal biographical compilation used here). In 1814 he served in France, including the siege of Belfort and the battles of Brienne-le-Château and Arcis-sur-Aube; during the operations around Paris he was contused and received the Order of St. Anna, 1st Class (later award lists also record this class with diamonds). After the campaigns he was appointed a brigade commander in the 16th Infantry Division.

Akhte was retired from active service on 15 April 1816 on account of wounds, with permission to wear uniform and with a pension. He died at Kremenchuk (Poltava Governorate) on 26 August 1826. He was married to Princess Ekaterina Sergeevna Barataeva; one child is recorded in the principal biographical notice.

Sources

• Encyclopaedia of the Germans in Russia — “АГТЕ Егор Андреевич (1777–1826)”
• Russian Wikipedia — “Ахте, Егор Андреевич”
• “Портрет Егора Андреевича Ахте” (article on the Military Gallery portrait)
• Presidential Library (Russia) — “Портрет Егора Андреевича Ахте (1777–1826)” (Hermitage/Military Gallery reproduction metadata)
• “Ахте Егор Андреевич” (1812 Project biographical compilation)