Johann Hermann von Fersen

Ivan Ivanovitch Hermann von Fersen (died 1801) was a Saxon-born infantry general who served from 1770 in the Imperial Russian Army.

He was involved in the battles at Larga and Kagul in the military operations against Yemelyan Pugachev. He won the battle in Upper Kuban against Seraskier Batal-Bey and his 18,000 Turks and 15,000 Highlanders, capturing Batal-Bey and his whole camp. In 1792 he was appointed quartermaster-general under Mikhaïl Kretchetnikov in Lithuania and in 1794 he commanded a special corps in Poland. Under Paul I of Russia he served first as quartermaster-general then commanded the Russian contingent in the failed 1799 Anglo-Russian Expedition to Holland. He was defeated at the Battle of Bergen and went into exile. Before news of his defeat reached Saint Petersburg he was an infantry general, but he was later excluded from service by Tsar Paul. On his return from exile he returned to Russian army service but received no further appointments.