Gen. Silvestras Žukauskas, general of the wars of independence
I Wars of Independence

Gen. Silvestras Žukauskas was the chief military commander during the wars of independence, one of the most experienced generals of the Lithuanian army. Born in 1860 in Pakruojis parish. On June 30, 1881, he volunteered to join the Russian army. He served in the 112th Ural Infantry Regiment of the Vilnius Military District in Panevėžys. After graduating from the Vilnius Military School, on May 17, 1887, he was awarded the rank of second lieutenant. Gen. Silvestras Žukauskas was transferred to the 109th Volga Infantry Regiment in Šiauliai, later to Kaunas. On May 15, 1891, he was promoted to lieutenant, and on March 15, 1896, to staff captain, and on May 6, 1900, to captain. In 1902, he was transferred to the 127th Infantry Regiment in Panevėžys. Regiment in Rovno, Kiev Military District. In 1903 he graduated from the Officer Artillery School and was transferred to the 33rd Infantry Division and became the commander of a machine gun company. In May 1904 he participated in the Russo-Japanese War in Manchuria. On February 26, 1908 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, on December 4 he was transferred to the 131st Tiraspol Regiment in the Kiev Military District, served as the chief of the regiment's economic department, as a battalion commander. On March 4, 1911 he was promoted to colonel, served in the 176th Perevalochensk Infantry Regiment, and in 1914 he was transferred to the 174th Romny Infantry Regiment.

With the outbreak of World War I, on August 16, 1914, he was appointed commander of the 314th Novyj Oskol Infantry Regiment, fought near Warsaw, Polotsk, and was wounded. In May 1915, after the regiment was transferred to Lithuania, from May 6 to July 31, he participated in battles with the Germans near Kėdainiai, Ariogala, Šiauliai, Šeduva, etc. Later, he was transferred to the territory of Latvia with the regiment. In the fall of 1915, he was appointed commander of the 1st Infantry Division. On November 21, 1916, he was promoted to major general and temporarily commanded the 13th Corps. While fighting in Latvia, he was wounded.

After the Bolshevik coup, when the Russian Empire's army was demobilized, he returned to Lithuania in 1918 via Kiev. On December 10, 1918, he was appointed Minister of National Defense, but fell ill and on December 24, he was dismissed from his post, but remained with the Ministry of Defense. After recovering, on April 26, 1919, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Defense, and on May 7, Commander-in-Chief of the Army. He held the position of Deputy Chief of Staff, and from May 27, only Commander-in-Chief of the Army. From May 7 to September 26, 1919, he led the liberation of the region from the Bolsheviks, coordinated the actions of the army, and organized the interaction of the Panevėžys and Ukmergė groups and the Joniškėlis partisans. With skillful leadership of the battles, on August 29, 1919, the Bolsheviks were pushed beyond the Daugava. On September 26, 1919, he was dismissed from his post and appointed as a general for special affairs under the commander-in-chief of the army. Later, as a representative of the Ministry of Defense, he was appointed as a representative of the Lithuanian government in the commission sent by the Entente and led by French general A. Niesselis, which supervised the evacuation of Germans and Bermontites from the Baltics. On February 23, 1920, he was appointed as a commander-in-chief of the army, and actively participated in liquidating the consequences of the uprising in the Kaunas garrison. On June 14, 1920, he was discharged from the army at his own request. On August 15, 1920, he returned to the army and was appointed as an army inspector in the field of formations. On October 1, 1920, he was appointed to the position of army commander. On October 5, 1920, he was awarded the rank of general. On October 1, 1920, – December 1. participated in the independence struggles against the Poles, led the repelling of the Polish offensive near Giedraičiai and Širvintos, finally stopping the Polish aggression against Lithuania. May 29, 1921. dismissed from the post of army commander at his own request, appointed general for special affairs under the Minister of National Defence. June 25, 1921. released to the reserve at his own request. June 6, 1923. appointed commander of the army. October 30, 1926. appointed lieutenant of the Council of the Order of the Cross of Vytis. March 18-19, 1927. temporarily held the post of Minister of National Defence. January 12, 1928. Expressed gratitude for merits to the Fatherland by the President and released to the reserve. Lived in the Dovalgonys manor near Kaunas. November 23, 1934. On the occasion of the Army and Vytis Cross Day, he was included in the honor rolls of the 2nd Uhlan Regiment of the Lithuanian Land Forces Birutė. He died on November 26, 1937, at the Dovalgonias Manor, and was buried in the Kaunas Evangelical Cemetery.