The first army cadet corps was opened in St. Petersburg in 1732 by decree of Empress Anna Ioannovna. As military historian A.V. Viskovaty wrote, it was “the cradle of glory for many heroes and famous men of Russia.” The book contains memories of students of military schools of the 19th century. The memoirs of former cadets, midshipmen and cadets included in the book perfectly illustrate how future officers were trained in pre-revolutionary Russia. The authors vividly and vividly talk about their days of study and share their impressions of teachers and officers.