Search the Community

I've been putting together some info on a very interesting gent and thought I'd just post a couple photos and some career highlights here for anyone interested. Nikolai Sergeyevich Plautin was born in France. His father was a Russian General, and his mother was British (having been raised equally in England and France) of Scotch Irish descent. Nikolai was called "Koli" by his family, and he spoke perfect English -- even attending Brighton College for a couple of years. His father and mother were very keen on the study of ornithology and the hunting of fossils. While three of Koli's four sons were keen on history and collections, I've not really been able to find out if Koli had any particular interests or hobbies of his own. He graduated from the Nikolayev Cavalry School in 1890, becoming a Cornet in the Life Guards Hussars. He rose in those ranks to Colonel and was awarded the Order of St. Anne in 1902. In 1904, he was listed as Commander of the Terek-Dagestan Cavalry Regiment and went on the next year to take his Cossacks to Japan during the Russian-Japanese War. Their activities there did not end well, it seems, though he returned in good health to Russia. He commanded several more regiments until his retirement in 1917. He died of the Black Pox on 31 Oct 1918. Place of death is listed as Krasnoslav, Poland. He and his wife had an estate near there (or there), so presumably, that's where he died. I'd love to know where he was buried. Here are some photos of him--- About 1905: https://www.eliotsofporteliot.com/familytree/photos/Plaoutine,%20Nicholas%20Sergeevich.jpg His troop of Cossacks in 1905: https://www.eliotsofporteliot.com/familytree/photos/Plaoutine,%20Nicholas'%20Russian%20Cossaks%20about%201905%20during%20Russian-Japanese%20War.jpg In full military dress (c. 1900): https://www.eliotsofporteliot.com/familytree/photos/Plaoutine,%20Maj%20Gen%20Nikolai%20Sergeyevich%20Leib%20Hussars%20c1900.jpg