Battle of Krasnokutsk–Gorodnoye
Part of the Swedish invasion of Russia

Fighting between Cossacks and Drabants
DateFebruary 10, 1709 (O.S.)
February 11, 1709 (Swedish calendar)
February 21, 1709 (N.S.)
Location
Krasnokutsk and Horodnje
(present-day Ukraine)
50°04′N 35°10′E / 50.067°N 35.167°E / 50.067; 35.167
Result Swedish victory
Belligerents
Swedish Empire Tsardom of Russia
Commanders and leaders
Charles XII
Carl Kruse		 Karl Evald von Rönne[1]
Otto Schaumburg
Strength
2,500[2] 12,000[3]
Casualties and losses
132[4] 1,000–1,200[5][6]

The Battle of Krasnokutsk–Gorodnoye took place on February 20–22, 1709 (Gregorian calendar), in the Swedish campaign of Russia during the Great Northern War. The Swedish troops were directly led by Charles XII King of Sweden who pursued a force of Russians commanded by Otto Rudolf von der Schaumburg from the minor battle of Krasnokutsk to the town Gorodnoye where a new battle took place, with the Russians now commanded by Karl Evald von Rönne. The Swedes were victorious but cancelled their offensive when the night fell.

Prelude

During the end of the 17th century, Russia, Denmark-Norway, Saxony and formed a coalition against the Swedish Empire in order to regain what was lost in earlier wars. Both Denmark-Norway and Saxony had been defeated in 1706, with only Russia remaining. In 1708, Charles XII began his campaign of Russia. He defeated the Russians at the Battle of Holowczyn which allowed the Swedish army to continue its march towards Moscow. However, once having reached Tatarsk, Smolensk Oblast (not far from Smolensk), the Swedish king changed direction due to inadequate provisions, now heading for fertile Ukraine (Cossack Hetmanate).

In early 1709, Charles XII seized Veprik after having launched a costly assault. Soon thereafter, he went on a winter offensive to dislodge the Russian forces ahead of him while scorching the land between the two armies (to protect his own from Russian harassment). He defeated an army under Otto Rudolf von der Schaumburg at the Battle of Oposhnya on February 8, and another one at Khukhra on 19 February,[7] heading towards Okhtyrka.

In response to the Swedish winter offensive, Peter ordered the bulk of his infantry to retreat from Okhtyrka as he wanted to avoid a potentially decisive battle. To protect the withdrawal, he left Carl Ewald von Rönne near Krasnokutsk and Gorodnoye with mostly dragoons, but also some infantry, Cossacks and Kalmuks. This army consisted of perhaps 18 regiments,[7][8] or 12,000 men.[3]

Engagement

On 21 February, Charles XII captured a Russian outpost 10 km northwest of Krasnokutsk, revealing to him the Russian dispositions therein.[9] Reportedly, their force consisted seven regiments (or 5,000 men) under von Schaumburg.[10][2] Charles XII galloped to Krasnokutsk with 2,500 cavalry,[2] including the Drabant Corps, and attacked the Russians the same day—in what has later been characterized as the "proudest day of the Swedish cavalry."[5]

The Swedes, with Charles XII and the Drabants upfront,[11] achieved total surprise,[12] killing hundreds of Russians in the streets,[9] gardens and farms, while the houses were cleared by the use of grenades.[12] The Russian horses were much inferior to their own, letting the Swedes wreak havoc in their lines.[11] The Russians, who fled towards Gorodnoye half a mile to the north-east, formed up in order de bataille halfway there,[9] at a very advantageous position with protected flanks. The Swedes broke through the Cossacks and Kalmucks who screened their front and continued towards the dragoons.[12] Seeing this, the Russians again retreated; one part past Gorodnoye to the right, pursued by a force under Carl Gustaf Kruse, and the other to the left of Gorodnoye through its suburbs, with the Swedish king, his Drabants and some dragoons hot on their heels. Here, the enemies were relentlessly massacred as they were chased through the narrow streets.[10][9][12]

Map showing the engagements at Krasnokutsk–Gorodnoye

The Swedish force under Kruse, passing Gorodnoye to the right, got dispersed and subsequently routed when overwhelming Russian reinforcements arrived under Rönne. As they withdrew towards Krasnokutsk,[lower-alpha 1] Rönne turned his attention towards Charles XII's force; his pursuit continued through the suburbs, over a height and past a millpond, when Rönne's large army suddenly appeared on his right side, from Gorodnoye. It consisted of six dragoon regiments and two battalions,[10] or up to 10,000 men.[13] At this time, the Swedish king had but 600 exhausted men by his side.[13]

The Russians quickly seized the opportunity and attacked, with the Swedes marching to intercept them. The Swedish dragoons were, however, quickly repulsed after receiving fierce volleys from the Russian infantry; fruitless attempts were made by Charles XII to rally them, but their depleted banners fell back towards the height and the millpond, dragging the king and the Drabants with them. Here, Charles XII rallied his troops in defense.[10] After a while of fighting, Kruse, who had by this time rallied his dispersed troops, arrived and forced the enemies to retreat from the battlefield.[9]

Aftermath

After the battle, the Swedes scorched the two small towns.[12] Allegedly, the Drabants had killed 115 Russians at Gorodnoye,[lower-alpha 2] and many more during the pursuit between the small towns, where 639 bodies were subsequently counted. The Drabants had up to 10 men killed and one captured, with an unknown amount of wounded.[11][2] In total, the Russians had lost 1,000–1,200 in killed,[5][6] to only 130 Swedes. Bad weather, however, prevented Charles XII from pushing any further.[2]

Notes, citations and sources

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Nordberg, the manner in which the Swedes, pursuing the Russians to the right of Gorodnoye, were repulsed was both "shameful and displeasing to see".[6]
  2. ↑ Robert Petre writes: "I counted from the town of Gorodnoye, where the massacre began [sic], to Krasnokutsk, 639 killed (...) in the town of Krasnokutsk, where we arrived at 10 o'clock in the morning (...) I counted 115 killed, all of which had been pierced by Drabant-swords"; since he counted these bodies at the last place [Gorodnoye], Petre must have mixed up the names.[2] Norsbergh writes: "the king rode into the town of Krasnokutsk with the cavalry and immediately started cutting down the enemies (...) they retreated, one part past Gorodnoye to the right, and the other to the left through its suburb with Charles XII, the Drabants, and a regiment of dragoons, hot on their heels. With drawn swords, the enemies were chased through the narrow streets and relentlessly massacred."[12] According to Nordberg, an additional 400 Russians also died when they fell through the ice on the Merla River.[10]

Citations

  1. ↑ opoccuu
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Quennerstedt 1901, pp. 212–214.
  3. 1 2 Rhodes, Henry. The Present State of Europe, Volume 20. Henry Rhodes, London (1709). p. 133
  4. ↑ Nordisk Familjebok
  5. 1 2 3 Carlsson 1947, pp. 194–195.
  6. 1 2 3 Nordberg 1740a, pp. 893–894.
  7. 1 2 Carlsson 1947, pp. 187–190.
  8. ↑ Dorrell 2009, p. 156.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Grimberg & Uddgren 1914, pp. 284–288.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Nordberg 1740a, pp. 892–893.
  11. 1 2 3 Schreber von Schreeb 1942, pp. 20–21.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Quennerstedt 1907, pp. 205–207.
  13. 1 2 Quennerstedt 1901, pp. 343–344.

Sources

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