On September 28 (October 9, on the Gregorian calendar), 1760, during the Seven Years’ War, Russian troops under the command of General-in-Chief Zakhar Grigoryevich Chernyshov (1722-1784) entered Berlin, the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia. The capture of Berlin had no special military significance, but it created massive political resonance. The chief of the Russian artillery, Field Marshal, Count P.I. Shuvalov, commented on this triumph: “You can’t reach St. Petersburg from Berlin, but you can always get to Berlin from St. Petersburg.”

The Seven Years’ War began in 1756 as a result of the rising tensions that arose between Prussia, England, Austria and France. War broke out in Europe. Russia joined the Austro-French coalition against Prussia and England. This confrontation was not easy, because the Prussian army had a lot of military experience, was considered the best in the world by that time, and the Prussian King Frederick II the Great (1740-1786) was recognized as the best commander in all of Europe. 

In the battles with Russian troops in 1757 at Gros-Egersdorf, in 1758 at Zorndorf, in 1759 at Palzig and Kunersdorf, the Prussians were able to came recognize the fighting prowess of the Russians. Together with the infantry and cavalry, the Russian gunners bravely fought the enemy over-and-over.

The permanent exhibition of the Artillery Museum features many relics related to the Seven Years’ War, which Winston Churchill once called “the (actual) First World War”.

A small regimental cannon of the Akhtyrsky Sloboda Cossack regiment (later the glorious Akhtyrsky Hussar regiment, in whose ranks the hero of the Patriotic War D. V. Davydov served), with which the regiment took part in the battle, serves as a reminder of the victory at Gros-Egersdorf.

The Russian army’s finest hour in the Seven Years’ War was the Battle of Kunersdorf on August 1, 1759. Russian-Austrian troops under the command of General-in-Chief Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov (1698-1772) and Austrian Lieutenant-General G.E. Loudon (1716-1790), who served in the Russian army for ten years, routed the Prussian army under the command of Frederick II.

The Russian artillery played a huge role in the Kunersdorf victory, bravely repelling the attacks of the Prussians, despite the losses. Russian regiments were twice attacked by the iron ranks of their cuirassiers. Friedrich’s chosen favorite, General Seidlitz, twice retreated, swept away by the fire of Russian buckshot. Two captured Prussian field guns are a reminder of that glorious victory. On the breech of the guns, above the monogram of Frederick the Great, you can read the inscription in Latin: “Ultima ratio regis” (“The last argument of kings”). The Prussian king copied this inscription from French cannons: he truly saw artillery as the most powerful means of “influencing” the enemy.

Russian Army trophies of war from the era of the Seven Years’ War are displayed in a showcase not far from the cannons

There’s cold steel and small arms, an officer’s badge, and the keys to the city Memel, which was captured by Russian troops in 1757. 

Russian Russian Artillery’s ceremonial kettledrum chariot of the 1st Artillery Regiment, which took part in the main battles of the Russian army against the Prussians, is a remarkable monument to the capture of Berlin, as well as to the courage and heroism of the Russian artillerymen in the Seven Years’ War. The chariot was made in 1760 in a two-month period by order of P. I. Shuvalov by Russian craftsmen under the guidance of the “painting master” of the St. Petersburg artillery laboratory F. L. Zadubsky and under the “supervision” of Major P. I. Melissino. It was intended to be taken out at the parades of the banner of the 1st Artillery Regiment. The design of the chariot is very simple in comparison with the carriages that existed in the middle of the XVIII century.

The body on four wheels is attached to vertical racks with leather straps. There are no special shock-absorbing devices. There is a nest for the banner pole in front of the body. A double wagon with four rollers is fixed at the bottom. The chariot has a drawbar. The main wealth of the crew is in its design.

The body is made in the shape of a large shell and decorated with deep carvings with ornaments of palm and acanthus leaves, rockail curls, military fittings consisting of banners, artillery barrels, cannonballs and grenades. In front of the chariot, the figure of a double-headed eagle with outstretched wings stands above the military armature. Behind is a sculpture of the flying goddess Minerva with a spear in one hand and a shield in the other. The back of the mill, the wheels and the drawbar are decorated with elaborate wood carvings. It is made with large, clear cuts.

The exterior of the body is painted with paints, the carved details are covered with gilding, and the interior is upholstered in red velvet with gold braid. Additional decoration of the chariot consists of bronze gilded decorative buckles on the belts, tires on the axle, checks on the wheels and cast corners between the spokes.

Characterizing the decor of the chariot, it is not enough to note only its elegance and colorfulness. Each image has an allegorical or emblematic meaning. Military fittings, gun barrels, cannonballs and grenades symbolize the brilliant victories of the Russian artillery in the Seven Years’ War. The sculpture of Minerva is represented in this case not only as a warrior goddess, but also as the goddess of wisdom and justice. She embodies the flourishing of science, art and crafts in the Russian state during the Elizabethan period.

The chariot was driven by six matched horses. In the drawbar team, there were two lugs – the root and the front – two side horses were attached to each. All of them were seat belts, and six furlights in full-dress uniforms could be placed on them.

In addition to the main exhibition, in honor of the glorious anniversary date, for the first time, visitors will be presented with four silver signal trumpets with inscriptions for the capture of Berlin on September 28, 1760, awarded to the regiments of the Russian Imperial army participating in the operation.

The official website of the Artillery Museum can be found here.