Eduard Totleben

Franz Eduard Graf von Tottleben (, tr. ; – ), better known as Eduard Totleben in English, was a Baltic German military engineer and Imperial Russian Army general. He was in charge of fortification and sapping work during a number of important Russian military campaigns. Early life Totleben was born at Mitau in Courland (now Jelgava, Latvia). His parents were of Thuringian descent and originated in Tottleben, belonging to the Baltic German noble Tottleben family (also spelled Totleben or Todleben), but had since become merchants. Eduard himself was intended for commerce, but instead sought a career as a military engineer. He entered the school of engineers at Saint Petersburg (now the Military Engineering-Technical University). Military career Early military career Totleben joined the Imperial Russian Army in 1836. He saw active service as captain of engineers in the campaigns against Imam Shamil in the Caucasus, beginning in 1848 for two years.