In 1812, Savva Ivanovich Belyaev worked as a secretary in the Maloyaroslavets lower zemstvo court. During the Patriotic War, he served as the supervisor of military cordons and helped escort army transports with supplies. When the French attempted to build a pontoon bridge across the river to replace the burned one, Belyaev decided to dismantle the dam at the city mill, which caused flooding and delayed the enemy.

According to the magazine "Niva" (1884), upon learning of the enemy's approach, the city mayor Bykovsky burned the bridge over the Luga River. However, General Delgan, commander of the French vanguard, began constructing a pontoon bridge. Then Savva Ivanovich Belyaev proposed to flood the lowlands around the city to delay the enemy. He gathered local residents and together with them destroyed the dam, inspiring them by his example.

After the battle of Maloyaroslavets, Belyaev housed wounded Russian soldiers in his home at his own expense. For his patriotism, he was awarded the bronze medal "1812 Year." In 1890, the Maloyaroslavets City Duma decided to immortalize his memory by opening a school named after him. This school was ceremonially opened in 1894. In 1899, a monument in the form of an iron bust was erected with the inscription: "To the patriot S. I. Belyaev, grateful Russia."

The magazine "Niva" also notes that Belyaev's feat remained unknown for a long time. He continued to live in his hometown, earning the respect of his fellow citizens, and later moved to Moscow, where he died in 1857 and was buried at the Vagankovo Cemetery. Over time, his feat was forgotten, but Major General A. Y. Mirkovich, 71 years after the events, reminded of Belyaev's merits. He proposed to erect a monument in Maloyaroslavets in the square from where Belyaev led the people to carry out his plan. There were also plans to create a military almshouse named after Belyaev. In 1884, permission was granted to erect a monument in honor of Savva Ivanovich Belyaev.