She continued to lead an unhappy life. According to her memoirs, in 1806 ‘family disappointments’ drove her to leave her father’s house once and for all, to ‘escape the sphere, predetermined for me by nature.’

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Durova’s memoirs describe how she left home at age 16 and attached herself, posing as a man, to a passing Cossack regiment. Other sources claim that she fell in love with a Cossack officer and left with him when she was 18 years old and separated from her husband and son.

Once in the Polish Lancers, Durova received her baptism of fire at Guttstadt on May 22, 1807. Throughout the action, the Lancers did not fight as a regiment–instead, each squadron would make a charge and then rotate to allow a fresh squadron to take its place in line. Either in her excitement, or simple ignorance of what was expected, Nadya joined in every squadron’s assault until an officer from another such unit noticed her with his squadron and chased her away.

In addition to displaying her inexperience, the battle first showcased Durova’s bravery. While returning with her own squadron after a charge, she saw several French dragoons surround a Russian dragoon officer and knock him off his horse with a pistol shot. Without a second thought, Nadya lowered her lance and charged. Startled, the French dragoons scattered. Showing more nobility than judgment, Durova then lent the wounded officer her horse to get him to the nearest field doctor. She was able to recover Alchides much later–after Cossacks had stolen her saddlebags, packed with food, personal possessions and her overcoat. She spent several very uncomfortable and wet nights before she replaced the lost items with those pilfered from troopers killed in action.

During the Battle of Heilsberg on June 10, a shell exploded directly under Durova’s horse. Miraculously, neither mount nor rider received even a scratch. At Friedland on June 14, her memoirs described the casualties suffered by her regiment as being ‘more than half.’

After the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit by Emperor Napoleon and Tsar Aleksandr I on July 12, 1807, Durova’s life took a drastic turn. Earlier that year she wrote a letter to her father informing him of her whereabouts and asking his forgiveness for her running away from home. Andrei now began taking steps to have his daughter returned to him. At the same time, rumors about a girl in his cavalry eventually reached the tsar, who inquired about her. Both Durova’s squadron and regimental commanders, still in the dark as to ‘Trooper Sokolov’s’ true identity, had only the best things to say about ‘him.’ Durova was summoned for a personal audience with the tsar at St. Petersburg. Aleksandr was very impressed with her and granted her permission to stay in the army. He also awarded her the Cross of St. George for saving the life of an officer and commissioned her as a cornet (second lieutenant), with permission to join the regiment of her choice. She chose the Mariupol Hussars, known for a large number of Russian aristocrats serving in its ranks. Aleksandr provided her with initial funds to purchase a new, flashy uniform and equipment as well as a direct allowance. Finally, in order to maintain her male guise the tsar chose a new last name for her, after his own: Aleksandrov.

Besides the tsar, only a few very senior officers knew Durova’s true identity. Nevertheless, rumors and stories about an Amazon cavalrywoman began to circulate among the officers. At first she was terrified of being found out. After hearing conflicting descriptions of herself, however, her fears diminished. As she recorded later, some people claimed she was of giant height, some said she was beautiful, some said she was ugly.

Durova felt uncomfortable around other women. On at least two occasions women recognized her true identity and addressed her as ‘Miss.’ Her fellow officers often joked that Aleksandrov was too shy and afraid of women.

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