Battle of Terespol

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Battle of Terespol
Part of: Kościuszko Uprising
date September 19, 1794
place Terespol
output Russian victory
Parties to the conflict
Herb Rzeczypospolitej Obojga Narodow.svg
Rzeczpospolita
Lesser Coat of Arms of Russian Empire.svg
Russian Empire
Commander

Karol Sierakowski

Alexander Wassiljewitsch Suvorov

Troop strength
8,000
14 guns 		13,000
30 cannons
losses

5,000 dead, 500 prisoners

1,000 dead

The information on troop strengths and losses can vary in the literature.
Revolts, battles and sieges during the
Kościuszko Uprising

Racławice  • Warsaw collection  • Vilnius survey  • Niemenczyn  • Polany  • Lipniszki  • Szczekociny  • Chełm  • soly  • Kurlander survey  • Gołków  • Raszyn  • Kolno  • Błonie  • Warsaw (1)  • Sałaty  • Slonim  • Luban  • Krupczyce  • Terespol  • bulk Polish collection  • Łabiszyn  • Bydgoszcz  • Maciejowice  • Kobyłka  • Praga  • Warsaw (2)

The Battle of Terespol took place on September 19, 1794 as part of the Polish Kościuszko uprising . It is known as Bitwa pod Terespolem among Polish historians . It is also known as the Battle of Brest . The scene of the event was the village of Terespol on the Bug near today's Belarusian city ​​of Brest.

The battle

Before September 19, the Polish insurgents buried themselves near Brest. At night, Alexander Suvorov brought his troops to the Polish fortifications and attacked them at dawn. The fighting lasted six hours and some of them took place in close combat . The Russians were finally able to win and captured 500 men. The fields around Brest were covered with corpses. The Russians captured all of the artillery. Sierakowski fled to Siedlce .

Kościuszko's answer

Kościuszko hurried to Siedlce to regroup his troops and to prevent panic. He only explained the victory by the numerical superiority of the Russians. He presented the commanders with numerous rings bearing the inscription "the defenders of the fatherland". Despite Kościuszko's efforts, the morale of the Poles was bad and in a speech to Lithuanian commanders in Grodno he said:

“I'm warning all the military; if anyone interferes by saying whether it is impossible to stand against the Muscovites, or during the time of the battle starts shouting that the Muscovites are threatening us or cutting us off or something like that, they will be immediately handcuffed in front of one Court tried and shot if guilty was found. I order Makranowski that during the battle, parts of the infantry with artillery stand ready behind the lines in order to shoot non-fighting or fleeing troops. Everyone should know that he can win victory and fame, but in the case of cowardice, shame and immediate death await him. If there are those who serve who are convinced that the Muscovites cannot be defeated, those who are indifferent to their homeland, freedom and glory, they can make this known in advance and withdraw from the service Submit. It hurts me that I have to introduce such hard rules "

Kościuszko reminded his subordinates of their historical responsibility:

“A few dozen of your ancestors were able to conquer the entire Moscow state, put their tsars in shackles and put a ruler in front of the Muscovites - but you, the descendants of these Poles, doubt the success of the struggle for the fatherland, for freedom, for their homes, for their blood relatives and for their friends. You see these predatory gangs as invincible, who only get the better of you because of their cowardice. "

consequences

The Russian victory seriously affected the morale of the Poles. Tadeusz Kościuszko was devastated by the defeat. In August, he claimed that the Ottoman Empire would declare war on Russia in September and that Suvorov would be so busy he could not be in Poland. Subsequently, a rumor spread that an unknown Cossack general named Suvorov was leading. After the battle it was clear to the Poles which Suvorov had really led the troops.

In St. Petersburg Alexander Suvorov victory was very well received. Catherine the Great gave Suvorov a hat studded with diamonds and three Polish cannons. Marshal Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Sadunaisky thanked Suvorov and dedicated a passionate eulogy to him.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Battle near the Krupchitskiy Monastery and near Terespol (Brest) . Retrieved April 3, 2011.
  2. ↑ Orlov, NA: Штурм Праги Суворовым в 1794 году (The Storm of Prague by Suvorov in 1794) . Тип. Штаба войск Гвардіи и Петербургскаго воен. округа, Saint Petersburg 1894.
  3. ↑ Item 196, Packet 4, No. 349 . Moscow Archive of the Head Staff,.
  4. ^ A b Notes of the Fatherland Dec 1863, p. 480.
  5. ↑ a b Petrushevsky , Volume II, pp. 60-70.
  6. ↑ a b Item 196, Package 8, "Statements of gentleman Dashkovich" . Moscow Archive of the Head Staff,.
  7. ↑ Saltykov's Secret Journal , p. 135.

literature

  • Stanisław Herbst : Z dziejów wojskowych powstania kościuszkowskiego 1794 roku. Warszawa 1983, pp. 365-377.
  • Powstanie kościuszkowskie 1794: dzieje militarne , pod red. T. Rawskiego, vol. II, Warszawa 1994