Battle of Zieleńce
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| Polish-Russian War of 1792 |
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| Mir • Zelwa • Zieleńce • Dubienka • Markuszów |
The Battle of Zieleńce was a battle in the War in Defense of the Constitution (the Polish Constitution of May 3, 1791). The battle took place on June 18, 1792, between the Polish army of Józef Poniatowski and a Russian army group under the command of General Markov, which was a part of Kreczetnikow forces.
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[edit] Preparations for war
After the proclamation of the Constitution of May 3, Catherine the Great decided to send her army to destroy the constitution and to re-establish Russian supremacy in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. She decided that a good pretext for justifying the war would be to help the Polish nation in re-establishing golden freedom and giving help to the confederation which would be established by magnates Ksawery Branicki, Szymon Kossakowski, Seweryn Rzewuski, Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki and others.
After signing a peace treaty with Sweden and Turkey, the Russian army began concentrating near the Russian Polish-Lithuanian border.
[edit] Russian forces
The Russian army was divided into two groups. One group under the command of General Kachowski was tasked with destroying the Crown Army, which was placed in the Polish part of the Ukraine, and then to advance to Kamieniec Podolski, Chełm and Lublin and to encircle Warsaw from the south. Under his command, Kachowski had 64,000 soldiers who were veterans from the Russian-Turkish wars. They were organised in four corps: 17,000 infantry and 6,600 cavalry under command of General Michaił Kutuzov, 13,000 infantry and 4,300 cavalry under command of General Dunin, 6,600 men under command of General Derfelden, and 8,300 infantry and 3,500 cavalry under General Levanidov.
The second group under command of General Michaił Nikitycz Kreczetnikow was to go across Lithuania and encircle Warsaw from the north and join Kreczetnikow's forces.
Meanwhile, the magnates began agitating among the commanders of the Polish-Lithuanian forces, but without success.
[edit] Polish-Lithuanian forces
The Crown Army under command of Prince Józef Poniatowski was positioned in the Ukraine, and was divided into two divisions and one reserve corps. The Ukrainian division under command of Tadeusz Kościuszko consisted of 8,000 infantry and 9,000 cavalry. The Volynian and Podole division under command of Prince Michał Lubomirski consisted on paper of 8,000 soldiers, but in reality it only had 4,535. The reserve corps under command of General Zajączek had 5 battalions of infantry, a company of artillery and two brigades of cavalry. As stated above, this corps was undergoing reorganisation.
Formally under the command of Poniatowski was Major General Józef Orłowski, the commander of the fortress of Kamieniec Podolski. He commanded 3,374 soldiers, but did not take active part in the war and surrendered to the Russians when ordered by the Polish King Stanisław Poniatowski.
The Polish forces were not prepared for war. Most of them were soldiers of the magnate militia. Only the formations which were under command of Kościuszko and Poniatowski were at least partially prepared for war.
The Lithuanian Army under command of the Prussian Prince Ludwig Wirtemberg had about 15,000 soldiers. The soldiers of this army were not prepared for war either. They were placed in garrison towns. Their commander was a traitor who collaborated with the Russians.
[edit] Beginning of war
During night of May 18, 1792, the Russian army crossed the Dnieper River without difficulty below Mohylew, Kośnica, Bohopole and Wasylków. The Polish were expecting the Russians to enter from the Kijów and Brody side. After crossing the river below Mohylew, Kutuzov sent Cossacks on reconnaissance. Some of these encountered and fought with Polish cavalry under Serby without success. Dunin crossed river below Kośnica. Derfeld, Potocki and Branicki crossed the Dnieper River between Olwipol and Bohopole.
On May 19, they proclaimed the confederacy in Targowica. They began to create their formations but without success. The problem was that the noblemen who lived near the border did not want to join either side of the conflict but were only interested in peace. Only 200 incursion noblemen who were conditional from Szczęsny Potocki arrived to Tulczyn. In the end, Szczęsny Potocki called for Russian help in collecting members of confederacy and he asked about military escort. With movement of the Russian army they had organised formations which they called regiments, brigades, and divisions. Truly these brigades did not have enough soldiers. The brigades were virtually worthless for actual fighting, and the Russian commanders never actually used them on the battlefield. The soldiers were instead tasked with looting wealth from followers of the constitution, and burning everything in their path.
On May 22, after capturing a Polish border station, Lewanidov crossed the Polish border in Wasylków.
After getting information about the border crossing by Russian Prince Józef, Poniatowski ordered his army to withdraw to Winnica. During the withdrawal, Polish forces fought with Cossacks and Kalmuck cavalry who used the help of the local population. In this situation, Prince Józef Poniatowski decided to withdraw to Volyn and join the forces of Michał Lubomirski. During withdrawal, Ulanów and Prince Józef joined formation under the command of General Kościuszko and General Wielhorski. After joining forces, the Polish commanders organised a meeting during which they planned their moves. Kościuszko proposed to attack with all forces on the Russian columns and destroying them on the trot. Because Polish forces were weaker than Russian forces and did not have their experience, Poniatowski could not count on his officers so he decided to withdraw. He too was afraid that soldiers could betray him and move to the Russian side.
On 1 June they reached Lubar and place camp where they waited on relief. After a weeks stay in Winnica, the Russians decided to encircle Polish forces in Lubar. They divided their forces into two columns. The first column went across Chmielnik, the second across Cudnów. The Polish generals decided to send cavalry on patrol, but were defeated in clashes with Cossacks.
On 24 June, Levanidov arrived from the north from Miropol and another formation moved from the south from Ostropole. Polish forces were in danger of being cut from warehouses in Połonne, which was not prepared for defence. Poniatowski decided to evacuate Połonne. He ordered Kościuszko with 5000 soldiers and artillery to observe and fight the Levanidov column for the purpose of delaying their moving. Another general, Stanisław Mokronowski, was sent south with brigade national cavalry in order to patrol enemy forces. Soon Poniatowski joined his forces with regiment of front watch of Józef Lubomirski (pułk strazy przedniej Lubomirskiego). After getting information that they were in danger of encirclement, Poniatowski decided to withdraw to Połonne. Before that, he clashed with Russian forces under Dembków who were forced to withdraw to Kochovski and Kutuzov camps.
[edit] Battle of Boruszkowice
Main Polish forces under command of Poniatowski withdrew to Połonne across Czantoria; they were secured from the south by a division under command of Kościuszko. A Polish army train, secured by a division of Wielhorski, moved the shortest way across Boruszkowice. Wielhorski had under his command 6500 soldiers and 12 cannons. The route which he moved was sodden and an area in which were forests allowing Russian formations cover making it difficult for Polish defence. After getting information about Polish withdrawal, Kachovski rallied two Cossacks regiments under command of Orlov and a part of cavalry under command of Tormasov. These forces attacked and destroyed the rear of the Polish train. There were clashes between the Polish and Russian cavalry and fighting between Polish and Russian infantry and artillery. In all probability, the Polish cavalry successfully defended against the first attack of Russian cavalry then withdrew. Infantry and artillery began defence of train. The collapsing of bridge on the swamp river Derewiczka was in truth a trap. Polish infantry (1000 soldiers) and artillery successfully defended against the Russians who were able to receive reinforcements during fight. When the Polish did not get relief, they began withdrawal under enemy fire. The Polish division received heavy losses of soldiers, 7 cannons, and a train. The only positive result was the halting of the Russian rally for several hours.
[edit] Battle of Zieleńce
On 15 June, the joined Polish forces reached Połonne. After a meeting, the Polish commanders decided to withdraw because they did not have the possibility of defending a town that did not have fortifications. On 17 June Poniatowski received information in Szepietówka that the Lubomirski division was now camped in Zasław. He ordered the Lubomirski division to join his forces near Zielenice. Lubomirski had about 2000 infantry (Gorzeński’s regiment, Fizilierów’s regiment, Potockich’s regiment, and regiment buławy wielkie koronne) and 1000 cavalry (regiment front watch buławy wielkiej koronnej). His formation secured a hill situated on the north on the road from Połonne to Zasław which dominated the area. Infantry taking position in centre wings were secured by cavalry. In the early morning of 18 June, a Russian group under command of General Markov was observed. This group was front watch of Kutuzov Corp. The order of this group was to attack the Polish army left wing and destroy the rest of train. With a force about 10,000 soldiers and 24 cannons (2 infantry regiments of about 6000 soldiers, three regiments of line cavalry of 2500 soldiers, and a Cossack brigade under command of Orlov), the Russian formations took positions in a valley below a hill. Their order of battle was the same as Polish, except that one battalion was a reserve and the second to secure the train. Meanwhile, General Józef Zajączek contacted Poniatowski for help. The battle began with artillery fire and cavalry clashes. About 7 a.m., Markow wanted to begin to attack but changed his orders when he saw that Polish formations under Poniatowski had moved onto the battle field. Poniatowski forces included two infantry battalions, a cavalry regiment of front guard from Prince Józef Lubomirski, Brigade National Cavalry under command of Stanisław Mokronowski, a division under command of General Wielhorski, and 12 cannons. Kościuszko with his division had to stay in the rear in order to prevent an attack from Levanidov and Dunin corps. Poniatowski sent the Mokronowski brigade on right wing. He backed the artillery. The battalion of infantry regiment of Potocki was in reserve. The division of Wielhorski took position within the forest as second throw.
[edit] Phase 1 Russian advance
After a few hours, the Polish and Russian artillery quieted. Within 12 hours with Russian-backed artillery fire, the infantry began advancing onto the Polish centre. Under mass artillery fire and a Russian attack, panic was induced among the Polish recruits who began escaping. After some time, Józef Poniatowski reviewed the Polish position. He organised a new battalion from the Potocki regiment and with support of battalion ordinance Ostrogoski began a counterattack. Russian infantry under fire of artillery and a Polish counterattack began withdrawal incurring heavy losses. Meanwhile, another Russian infantry unit secured the village of Zieleńce and opened fire on Polish formations. Poniatowski sent a formation of cavalry, but failed. After burning the village, the Russians withdrew. Meanwhile, the Russians moved artillery fire onto Polish right wing on cavalry. The soldiers felt panic. At that moment, Cossacks began a charge. At beginning, that charge was stopped by field squadrons of Mokronowski brigade cavalry, but in formation of regiment buławy koronnej panic ensued the rear squadrons of Mokronowski brigade. The panic of the Polish cavalry was stopped by Sanguszko and other officers. After reorganisation, Polish cavalry with support of part Lubowidzki cavalry brigade from second line began a countercharge. During this charge, the Polish cavalry destroyed the Russian cavalry and began to rally. Poniatowski sent an order to support the rally to Czapski commander of second line cavalry right wing. Czapski refused to obey because the order was not written. In truth of the matter of his decision was that he was follower of the Targowica Confederation. During this time, a Russian regiment of grenadiers from Ekatierinoslav attacked Polish left wing. Poniatowski sent battalions from Potocki and Malczewski regiments. After decimating grenadiers under artillery and rifle fire, the Russians advance collapsed.
[edit] Phase 2 Polish advance
After collapsing the Russian advance, Poniatowski organised an attack group from division Wielhorski units. This group contained three infantry battalions from regiments Potocki, Malczewski and ordinance ostrogocka, Brigade National Cavalry under command of Dzierżek, and regiment front watch under command of Józef Lubomirski. The group had to attack the Russian right wing. Markov, who watched the preparations, concentrated most of his formation against the group. Polish cavalry successfully fought the Russian cavalry and forced them to withdrawal. But when Wielhorski met the enemy infantry, he stopped the advance because his infantry was weaker than the Russians and inexperienced. About 5 p.m. Markov, who did not get relief from Kutuzov, withdrew.
[edit] After the battle
The victorious Polish army stayed on battlefield until evening and, thereafter, withdrew to Zasław. Polish losses were significant; soldiers lacked ammunition and food. The captured Russian banner was sent to Warsaw. To commemorate this victory, Polish king Stanisław August Poniatowski created the order of Virtuti Militari. After Polish withdrawal, Markov moved onto the battlefield and announced himself the victor.
[edit] Bibliography
Piotr Derdej Zieleńce-Mir0Dubienka 1792 Bellona Warsaw 2000 48-75 pages.
