Vasily Orlov-Denisov

Count Vasily Vasilyevich Orlov-Denisov (Russian: Василий Васильевич Орлов-Денисов; 8 September 1775 – 24 January 1843) was a Russian Cossack general. He was the son of Vasily Petrovich Orlov, the ataman of the Don Cossacks, and grandson (on his mother's side) of the first Cossack count, Fyodor Petrovich Denisov. In honour of his grandfather, he added his surname to his own, becoming Orlov-Denisov on 26 April 1801.

Count Vasily Orlov-Denisov
Portrait by George Dawe (1820–1825)
Native name	Василий Васильевич Орлов-Денисов
Born	8 September 1775 Patiizbyansky, Don Cossack Host, Russian Empire
Died	24 January 1843 Kharkov, Kharkov Governorate, Russian Empire
Allegiance	Russia
Branch	Imperial Russian Army
Years of service	1789–1821
Rank	General of the Cavalry
Battles / wars	Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792) Kościuszko Uprising War of the Fourth Coalition French invasion of Russia Battle of Tarutino Battle of Liaskowa Battle of Krasnoi
Relations	Orlov-Denisov family

Vasily Orlov-Denisov is not to be confused with Vasily "Vas'ka" Denisov, who appears as a fictional character in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace. Tolstoy has said the similarity in names was a mistake on his part, arising from the "specially typical character" of Orlov-Denisov. He insisted that "nothing resembling the actual facts of [Orlov-Denisov's] life is ascribed to [Vas'ka Denisov] in the novel."^[1]