ROMANOV FAMILY: THIS DAY IN HISTORY – 5 SEPTEMBER, 1915

5 SEPTEMBER, 1915 – EMPEROR NICHOLAS II ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE RUSSIAN ARMY

Tsar Nicholas II arrived in Mogilev at the Imperial Headquarters. His command to the army and navy from that day read:

“On this date I assumed leadership of all land and sea armed forces located in the theater of military operations. With a firm faith in God’s grace and with unwavering confidence in ultimate victory we will fulfill our sacred duty to protect the Motherland to the end and not shame the Russian Nation. Nicholas. “

Tsar Nicholas II with his tall cousin Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, whose title of Commander-in-Chief the Tsar took over in 1915.

From the 1915 diary of Nicholas II (Old Style dates were used):

Nicholas II and his Heir Tsarevich Alexei inspecting the troops.

“24^th August. Monday. Woke up around 9 o’cl. The morning was so beautiful in the woods. After tea rode to Mogilev to the cathedral and from there to the house of the gov.[ernor] of the board […] After [hearing] a report transferred to the governor’s house where Nikolasha lives. Signed a rescript and the army command for my appointment as the Commander-in-Chief with yesterday’s date. Lord, help and give me wisdom! Returned to Stavka right before breakfast. During the day took a walk across Dnepr on the Gomel highway and walked in a nice forest. Started to rain in the evening. Played kosti.”

“27^th August. Thursday. Decided to move to Mogilev to live there, it is a lot more comfortable in every sense. At 10 o’cl. arrived at the govern.[or’s] house and received the bishop and the clergy, and then all the senior officers. At 10 ½ was already at the headquarters with Alekseyev. Had breakfast and dinner with all the foreign agents, as it was during Nikolasha. At 3 o’cl. went with Dmitri (duty officer) and others across Dnepr on the highway to Orsha… ”

From the book Russia’s Last Romanovs: In Their Own Words