How Menshikov crushed the Swedes at the Battle of Kalisz
Prince A.D. Menshikov, equestrian portrait. 18th-century engraving by Pieter Pickaert.
prehistory
Having failed to destroy the Russian army in Grodno (Rescue of the Russian army from the Grodno trap), the Swedish King Charles XII, setting out from Volhynia, crossed the whole of Poland and, joining forces with Rehnskiöld's corps, occupied all of Saxony without resistance. He brought the rich Saxon lands under his control and imposed a tribute.
The remnants of the Saxon troops and their nobility fled across the Rhine. The Swedish king positioned his exhausted army on the Elbe, near Altranstadt. In Poland, near Kalisz, remained the 7-strong corps of Baron Arvid Mardefelt, reinforced by the Poles of King Stanisław Leszczynski (estimates range from 10 to 20). Charles believed that the remnants of the Saxon Elector Augustus's forces were already completely demoralized and posed no threat.
Indeed, the Saxon nobles and the Polish king himself, Prince Augustus of Saxony, became completely disheartened and began separate negotiations with the Swedes. Ultimately, Augustus accepted all the Swedish king's terms. On September 24, 1706, the separate Peace of Altranstädt was concluded. Augustus renounced the Polish throne, rejected the alliance with Russia, and paid a contribution. He also concealed the fact of his de facto capitulation from his ally, Tsar Peter.
Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov at the head of his subordinate units—the Old Ingermanland Infantry Regiment and the Life Guards. Battle of Kalisz, 1706. Illustration by Sergei Letin.
Menshikov's offensive
The Russian Tsar Peter, having sent Menshikov's troops to Poland, himself arrived in St. Petersburg, from where he organized a campaign against the Swedish strategic fortress of Vyborg. The campaign was poorly prepared and failed.The Vyborg Confusion of Peter I).
Menshikov advanced through Volyn and Lesser Poland with a cavalry army of 40—up to 20 dragoons (the entire cavalry of the Kievan Russian army) and up to 20 Little Russian Cossacks. However, he had virtually no infantry.
Menshikov hoped to defeat the Swedish corps while the enemy's main forces were stationed in Saxony. However, upon the Russian approach, the enemy retreated beyond the Vistula, and then further to Kalisz. Furthermore, the autumn, with its rains and impassable roads, made pursuing the enemy difficult. Therefore, the prince was already preparing to enter winter quarters. He wrote to the tsar about this on October 7 from Petrokov. It was intended that the Russian regiments would winter in Lvov, and Augustus's Polish-Saxon regiments in Krakow.
On October 11, Menshikov, having learned that the enemy had begun to fortify its camp near Kalisz, changed his plans and decided to attack. Augustus, who had concluded a secret peace with the Swedes, tried his best to dissuade him, but to no avail. Informing the Tsar of his intention to give battle to the enemy, Menshikov reported news that a ten-week truce had been declared in Saxony.
The Battle of Kalisz in 1706 between Swedish-Polish and Saxon-Russian-Polish forces. Image from "The Ideal German Soldier" by Hans-Friedrich von Fleming.
Between Two Chairs
Alexander Danilovich was unaware that Russia's ally, in whose interests the Russian regiments were fighting in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, had already reached an agreement with the Swedes. Augustus remained affable, feasted with the Russian prince, and appointed him commander of one of his cuirassier regiments.
In October 1706, King Augustus was caught between two stools. On the one hand, his ministers had already signed a secret peace with Sweden at Altranstadt, under which he renounced his claim to the crown of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in favor of Leszczynski and agreed to all the humiliating conditions, including the extradition of Swedish defectors and Russian soldiers stationed in Saxony.
On the other hand, Menshikov's troops were right next to him, and he wanted to march on Mardefelt. Saxon participation in this battle could lead to the breakdown of the peace agreement, and the Swedes could plunder rich Saxony in retaliation. Refusal to participate in the battle could arouse the suspicions of the Russian commander, and then Menshikov could arrest the Saxon prince.
Augustus ultimately warned the Swedish general of the imminent advance of the allied Russian-Polish-Saxon forces, so that he could successfully retreat westward. Augustus, however, informed Menshikov of his "ardent desire" to engage the enemy.
However, the Saxon's cunning plan failed, even though he twice sent a messenger to the Swedish camp, warning of the allies' imminent advance. Mardefelt considered this a provocation and replied that he had no need of the enemy's advice. The Swedish general was unaware that Augustus was no longer Sweden's enemy. He was also apparently confident in his own strength, as the Swedish regiments had previously routed the enemy with relative ease.
"Augustus II the Strong and the Hussars at Kalisz" Unknown artist
Battle
The allies had a significant advantage in numbers. Mardefelt had eight Swedish regiments (four infantry and four cavalry), or about 7,000–8,000 soldiers. He also had 10,000–20,000 Polish cavalry, but their combat effectiveness was unsatisfactory. Kalisz itself had a small garrison.
Menshikov commanded 17 dragoons; irregular Cossack forces did not participate in the battle. Augustus, according to various sources, had between 12 and 15 Polish and Saxon cavalry. The Saxon prince delayed deploying his regiments, giving the Swedes a last chance to retreat. But Mardefelt did not take advantage of this opportunity, as he did not want to abandon his infantry, which was unable to escape the enemy cavalry.
On October 18 (29), 1706, the allies approached Kalisz. The Swedish corps occupied a strong position behind the Prosna River, its flanks obscured by marshy terrain, hindering cavalry operations. The Swedes occupied the center of the position, forming two lines. On the flanks, in three lines, were the Polish units of the Kyiv voivode Yuri Potocki and the Grand Hetman of Lithuania, Kazimierz Sapieha.
Menshikov and his cavalry took up positions on the right flank in three lines, with reserves. The Saxon squadrons were positioned on the left flank in two lines, led by Augustus. General Brandt's Saxons were in the center. The Polish banners were positioned in reserve behind the flanks, led by Grand Crown Hetman Adam Sieniawski and Field Crown Hetman Stanislav Rzewuski. Irregular Russian cavalry (Cossacks and Kalmyks) outflanked the enemy, cutting off their escape routes.
According to some sources, the Battle of Kalisz began at 2:00 PM, according to others, at 4:00 PM. The battle began with a cannonade and raged with varying success. After the first attack by the Russian dragoons, Leszczynski's Poles fled, and some hid in the supply train located behind the Swedish battle lines. The Swedish regiments repelled the allied cavalry with intense fire.
The Swedes counterattacked and came under fire from Russian dragoons. Formed in a square, the Swedes stubbornly repelled all attacks. Menshikov then ordered part of the dragoons to dismount. They, along with the cavalry's flanking attacks, decided the outcome of the fierce battle. Menshikov himself led the attack and was slightly wounded. The "very brutal battle" lasted three hours and ended with the surrender of the Swedish corps led by Mardefelt. Only a few hundred of General Krassov's Swedish cavalry managed to break through and escape.
The Saxons remained passive in the battle, while the Russian dragoon regiments played the leading role. The following day, Potocki's Poles, who had entrenched themselves in the baggage train, and the Kalisz garrison surrendered.
Conclusion
The Swedish corps was routed: 5 men were left on the battlefield, killed, wounded, and captured. The Poles lost only 1 men in the battle; the rest fled, and part of Potocki's force surrendered. They were captured. artillery and the convoy.
Menshikov wrote to the British ambassador to Russia, Whitworth:
…I captured the commander-in-chief, General Marderfeld, 6 colonels, 2 lieutenant colonels, 10 cavalry lieutenants; furthermore, from the infantry: 3 lieutenant colonels, 2 majors, 7 captains, 30 lieutenants, 17 ensigns, 4 adjutants; in addition, 294 non-commissioned officers and 2000 privates, some cavalry, some infantry.
Among the prisoners were Germans and French who surrendered and went over to the Swedes in the Battle of Fraustad (Fraustadt massacre).
Russian losses were light: over 400 killed and wounded. The Russians avenged the Fraustad massacre.
It was the largest victory of the Russians over the Swedes in a field battle, the best army of that time in Europe, in the first six years of the Northern War.
After the battle, Prince Menshikov, in a letter to Tsar Peter, admired the ability of his dragoons to fight in regular formation:
I don't report this in praise, but this unprecedented battle was such a joy to watch, how both sides fought regularly, and it was truly wonderful to see the entire field strewn with dead bodies. And for this glorious and fortunate victory, I congratulate your grace and say: long live, long live, long live!
Victory in the Battle of Kalisz was determined by the bravery of the Russian troops, led by the energetic Menshikov. It was a purely cavalry victory, without the participation of Russian infantry. This is what makes this battle so special.
As the Russian military historian A. Kersnovsky noted:
Among Peter's associates, first place should rightfully be given to Menshikov—the creator and true grandmaster of the Russian cavalry—the centaurs of Kalisz, Lesnaya, Poltava, and Perevolochna. He was repeatedly entrusted with the army, and each time he brilliantly justified his Tsar's trust. As a cavalry commander, the leader of a mounted army, this figure is far greater than Seydlitz, Murail, Stuart, and Sheridan, and can easily be compared to Rumyantsev and Wrangel.
Tsar Peter, overjoyed by the great victory, presented the prince with an expensive cane adorned with diamonds, emeralds, and the Menshikov coat of arms. The victory was celebrated in Moscow and St. Petersburg with great fanfare.
The Medal "For the Battle of Kalisz" (also known as "For the Victory at Kalisz") was produced in two versions: round and oval, which also differed in weight and size. The obverse of the medal features a bust of Peter I, with the inscriptions "TSR PETR" and "ALEIIEVICH" around the edge. The reverse depicts Peter I on a rearing horse against a battlefield. Along the edges are the inscriptions "FOR LOYALTY" and "AND COURAGE." By order of Peter I, 300 gold medals of various denominations were minted for officers—50, 100, 200, 300, and 500 rubles. The awards were divided into several weight categories, ranging from one to fourteen chervonets. Some were decorated with precious stones. Silver medals were made for non-commissioned officers, and they were awarded to dragoons from the three regiments that particularly distinguished themselves at Kalisz—the Nevsky, Kazan, and Nizhny Novgorod regiments. Privates were awarded silver coins.
Menshikov believed that the Swedish protégé Stanislav Leszczynski had been "completely destroyed" and that Augustus would assume complete power in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. All the major magnates and lords, who had previously feared the Swedish military might, would defect to his side.
However, Augustus hesitated to exploit this victory and squandered it, having already made peace with Charles. He asked Menshikov for all the captured Swedes, promising to exchange them for Russian prisoners. He also appeased Menshikov by granting him Orsha in Lithuania and Polonne in Volyn for his victory at Kalisz.
Augustus deceived Menshikov. He needed the prisoners to appease Charles's anger. When Menshikov's regiments withdrew to Galicia for winter quarters, the Saxon prince handed the prisoners over to the Swedes and went to Saxony to ratify the peace. Peace between Saxony and Sweden was declared on November 1. In December, Augustus held negotiations with Charles in Leipzig and Dresden.
October 18, 1706. Battle of Kalisz. (From the Military Scientific Archive). Military Encyclopedia by I. D. Sytin. (St. Petersburg; 1913).
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