Mikhail Gordeyevich's mother died when he was twelve, and he was largely raised by his elder sister, Yulia, who became a decorated nurse during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.

In August 1899 he enrolled in the Pavlovsk Military School in St. Petersburg, famous for its strict discipline and considered a model in the training of officers of the Imperial Russian Army.

He was wounded in the thigh during the Battle of Sandepu (January 1905), but remained on the front lines through the end of the conflict and was awarded with several decorations for heroism.

With the start of the First Balkan War in October 1912 he volunteered for service with the Serbian or Bulgarian armies, but failed to gain permission to do so.

Known as a staunch monarchist, Drozdovsky refused to acknowledge the formation of committees of enlisted men which challenged the authority of (and often murdered) their superior officers.

He suppressed Bolshevik elements within his command through executions, and managing to maintain discipline and order, continued combat operations against the Germans until late August 1917.

According to Peter Kenez, during the Iași–Don March, "The small army moved quickly through the Ukraine; at times the soldiers covered 40 to 45 miles a day."

[1] Drozdovsky's private notes written during the march show him as a patriotic officer who felt that he had no choice but to fight the Bolsheviks—whom he considered the destroyers of Russia.

While battling for Rostov's train station, Colonel Voinalovich, Drozdovsky's second-in-command and closest advisor, was killed in action.

Drozdovsky's unit became one of the elite formations of the Volunteer Army (later called the Armed Forces of South Russia).

Although the initial performance of these former Red Army troops exceeded Drozdovsky's expectations, as their numbers increased their reliability decreased.