27 March] 1834 and was educated in the Pavlovsk Cadet Corps, from which he graduated on 13 August 1852 as an ensign in the Life Guards Dragoon Regiment.

After graduating from the academy, Dobrovolsky in 1860 was transferred to the General Staff as a lieutenant colonel and in 1862 was awarded the Order of St. Stanislav 2nd degree.

In 1863, as an assistant to the head of the Radom detachment, he took part in the suppression of the January Uprising, receiving the rank of colonel and the Order of St. Vladimir of the 4th degree with swords and a bow in 1864.

Dobrovolsky distinguished himself at the Battle of Lovcha as a brave and proactive military commander, but some aspects of his activities such as violation of disposition, untimely conduct of attacks on Turkish fortifications, poor interaction with neighboring detachments and columns were subsequently criticized.

Dobrovolsky was not destined to deploy his military talents: on 30 August near Plevna, he was seriously wounded by a grenade, being at the head of his troops, during the assault on the Krishinsky redoubt.