In this article an attempt to review the Soviet fiction of the first half of the 20th century to reveal how the role of the commander M. B. Barclay de Tolly is estimated there at the epoch of the Twelfth year is made. As a result of the analysis of literary works of that time it is possible to state that views of the Soviet writers synchronously reflect all the aspects of the Soviet historiography: from semirecognition of qualities of a military leader Barclay and his merits in rescuing army (and objectively the country) to groundless defamation.