Hi,
Thanks for the info. However, this is the standard book stuff which doesn't really address my needs regarding Figner. Note: the one source that has Figner going to Milan to learn Italian is pretty far fetched. The Russians landed in Naples and the circumstances in the country are such that getting all the way up to Milan from Naples is all but impossible to believe, especially without some collaborating info to support it.

What I would ask from a Russian Historian would be more information on the Russian expedition itself. Most important for my interest is when they left. My guess is that Figner, and even likely some others, either decided to stay behind and fight or were just left in the rush to get out. There's a reasonably good description from the English army describing the Russian evacuation but, as far as I an tell, absolutely nothing from a Russian perspective.

That there isn't much is understandable because it was such a miserable little failure but that's where my guy was, so . . .

Another reason to believe Figner stayed in and around Sicily is that he would have had an easy time getting employment as an espionage agent by Queen Carolina. This is suggested by Figner's espionage work in Russia; where did he learn it? Sicily/Calabria 1806-1807 was a hotbed for just such work. My dream would be some Russian research on Russians fighting for Queen Carolina circa 1806/1807. Perhaps some intelligence reports sent back to headquarters in Corfu?

Thanks again!