Vladimir Ivanovich Levenshtern, who began his career in 1790 in the Life Guards, during the Patriotic War of 1812 served as senior adjutant to M. B. Barclay de Tolly, and left the service in 1838 as a general. In his declining years, the baron, who had undoubted literary talent, wrote memoirs, recording with Ostsee pedantry all the events that took place with him. The author does not remain only an outside observer, but analyzes the events that he witnessed, gives them his assessment and characterization.