Crossing of Daugava

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Crossing of Daugava/Düna
Part of the Great Northern War
Swedish Army crossing the Düna
Date July 9, 1701 Location Riga, Livonia Result Decisive Swedish victory
Combatants
Sweden	Saxony/Russia
Commanders
Charles XII	August II Adam Heinrich von Steinau
Strength
7,000 in the first wave of attack	Russians 10,000 Saxons 9,000
Casualties
100 wounded - 400 KIA	2,000 KIA

The Crossing of the Daugava on July 9, 1701 was the Swedish push into Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth after the victory at the Narva in late 1700. The Swedish king Charles XII was in hot pursuit of his cousin King Augustus II the Strong of Poland and Saxony. The battle turned out to be a great Swedish triumph, and the crossing was easily made, and enemy troops were quickly broken and scattered by retreat.

The battle started on the morning of the 9th, the Saxon/Russian army was approximately 19,000 men strong and under the command of the saxon generalfeldmarschall Adam Heinrich von Steinau. In the first attack wave about 7,000 Swedes crossed the Düna (Daugava), the crossing was supported by a number of heavily armed ships, which under cover of smoke had managed to sail up the river. Swedes launched surprise attack on the Polish and Saxon armies camped on the opposite bank of Düna (Daugava) in the Spilve meadows. As the smoke slowly cleared away the Saxons become aware what was going on, and they immediately launched a counter attack. The Swedish force, under the personal command of the King, would not retreat. After a brief stalemate the swedes managed to form up and initiate a second attack, and after 2 hours the battle was won. The Swedish army had successfully crossed the river, and the Saxons were in retreat.

Picture of a floating Swedish battery, similar used at the crossing of the Düna

During the battle small barges, armed with cannons were used. Thus combining land forces, sea forces as well as deception (smoke) to fulfill mission objectives. This was a stunning victory, carefully planned and very well executed.

After the battle Courland falls to Sweden, and Charles XII and his army marched into Bauska where the army stayed until August the 11th.

[edit] Trivia

In preparation to his attack on Riga King Charles XII ordered the first bridge across the Daugava, which was made of anchored and interconnected by ropes boats. After the Swedish victory, the city was left with the structure. In 1705 the bridge, which was lodged for the winter in Vējzaķsalas Bay, was washed away by the high spring waters. Later the floating bridge was restored, but in 1710 it was destroyed again by the Russian army during Riga besiege.^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ Riga municipality portal