The manuscript of N.I.Oznobishin. discovered by O.M.Burank. is the first of Cervante translations into Russian known to date. The article analyzes this translation, and also on the basis of archival materials, the biography of Nikanor Ivanovich Oznobishin (about 1726/1727 –1788), a lieutenant of the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, a Russian translator, writer and public figure of the XVIII century, thegrandfather of the poet Dmitry Oznobishin, is studied, the genealogy of the branch of the Oznobishin family leading to Nikanor Ivanovich Oznobishin is reconstructed.

The issues concerning sources of information about events in the Far East and the attitude of peasantry towards these events are discussed in the article. The war affected peasantry by way of conscription of reservists and recruits. It was not the war that was the initial cause of hardships of the rural population, but it did aggravate socio-economic problems. Information about Russia-Japan war basically reached peasants through popular prints and verbal communications. The latter were of two kinds — pro-Government (disseminated through clergy) and anti-Government (spread by «intelligent people»). Peasants displayed certain interest towards war events, but this interest was of negative nature. They criticized and refuted existent rules, called upon reservists and recruits not to go for a war and appealed to their fellow villagers to avoid any war donations, to refuse paying duties and taxes. Part of them collaborated with revolutionary propagandists and agitators. The revolution, that ensued, sent the unsuccessful war into shadows, and peace agreement did not help to pacify the people.