Karl Fedorovich (Charles Gustav) Baghowut came of an ancient Norwegian family. His ancestors removed to Estonia in XVII century.

Baghowut began his military service when he was 17. The young officer distinguished himself in the military actions against Crimean Tatars in 1782 and against Turks in 1791. He also participated in the war against the Polish confederates in 1794.

In 1798 Baghowut was promoted to the rank of colonel and in 1799 to the rank of major-general.

In 1801 he was appoined the chief of the 4-th Jager regiment.

In the campaign of 1806-1807 agaist Napoleonic France he showed himself as a firm and initiative commander. He toolk part in the battles at Pultusk, Elou and Friedland. For the Pultusk battle he was rewarded with the Order of St. George of 3 Class, in the Elou battle he was wounded in the brest and was contused at Friedland. After the end of this campaign he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general.
In the Russian-Swedish war of 1808-1809 he commanded big detachments of the Russian troops and distinguished himself in the defence of Abo town.

In the campaign of 1812 year he commanded the 11-nd Infantry Corps in the 1-st Western Army. In the Borodino battle his corps was sent from the right flank to the left one in the region of Utitsa village, and after General N.A. Tuchkov had been mortally wounded, Baghowut took the command of the Russian forces on this part of front.

For the Borodino battle he was rewarded with the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, but he did not receive these decorations and papers and had been killed before they reached him.

In the Tarutino battle, on October, 6 Baghowut commanded the infantry column consisted of two corps. In the very beginning of the battle he personally was at the head of Russian infantry in attack and was killed by one one first shots of a French artillery battery.

Kutuzov said after Bughowut death that the Russian army lost one of its best corps commanders.
Baghowut was buried in the Lavretievsky Monastery in Kalura.