Battle of Szepielewicze
Part of Russo-Polish War (1654–67)

The scheme of the battle near the village of Shepelevichi on August 14 (24), 1654 during the Russian-Polish war of 1654-1667 [1]
Date24–25 August 1654
Location
Shepelevichy, present-day Belarus
Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Russian Tsardom
Commanders and leaders
Janusz Radziwiłł Aleksey Trubetskoy
Strength
6,000–8,000[2][3] 15,000[3]
Casualties and losses
1,000 killed[4] 100[5]

The Battle of Shepeleviche (Szepielewicze) or Battle of Ciecierzyn on 24 August 1654 was one of the first battles of the Russo-Polish War (1654–67). It ended with a Russian victory.

Battle

A small Polish–Lithuanian force of about 5,000 under Great Lithuanian Hetman Janusz Radziwiłł stopped the Russian force under knyaz Yakov Cherkassky at Shklow and camped at Hołowczyn. He learned that a Russian force under knyaz Aleksey Trubetskoy crossed Drut River near Ciecierzyn on 23 August.[6] Radziwiłl was joined by the Field Lithuanian Hetman Wincenty Korwin Gosiewski with 3,000 strong forces, increasing the Polish–Lithuanian army to about 6,000[3]–8,000.[2]

Radziwiłł and Gosiewski then tried to stop a numerically superior Russian force of 15,000[3] near Shepelevichy (Szepielewicze). Trubetskoy forces also included Cherkassky's.[4] He took positions near Bialynichy (Białynicze).[6] This time the even larger Russian army managed to outflank him, with Russian infantry holding Shepelevichy and cavalry attacking from the rear. Radziwiłł ordered a retreat, on the 24 (or 25) August the retreating Polish army was defeated and its artillery was captured by the Russians.[7]

Aftermath

Radziwiłł with a remainder of his forces retreated to Minsk.[2] His defeat meant that Russians faced no opposition in Lithuania, and they were able to take Polotsk, Vitebsk and Mogilev, advancing to the Berezina River.[4] Russian forces were able to advance and take Smolensk (see Siege of Smolensk (1654))[2][8] as well as Orsha which they held till 1661.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Схема сражения у села Шепелевичи 14 (24) августа 1654 года в ходе русско-польской войны 1654 — 1667 гг".
  2. 1 2 3 4 William Young (22 September 2004). International Politics and Warfare in the Age of Louis XIV and Peter the Great: A Guide to the Historical Literature. iUniverse. p. 417. ISBN 978-0-595-32992-2. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Бабулин И. Б. Князь Семен Пожарский и Конотопская битва, М., 2009
  4. 1 2 3 Wlodzimierz Onacewicz (1985). Empires by Conquest: Ninth century-1905. Hero Books. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-915979-04-2. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  5. ↑ Беляев И. Д. Книга сеунчей 162 и 163 гг. 1654 июня 10 - февраль 1655 г. // Временник Общества истории и древностей российских. — М.: Университетская типография, 1854. — Т. 18. — С. 8.
  6. 1 2 Filip Sulimierski; Bronisław Chlebowski; Władysław Walewski (1880). Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich. Filipa Sulimierskiego i Władsława Walewskiewgo. p. 682. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  7. ↑ Władysław Konopczyński (1936). Dzieje Polski nowożytnej. Skład głowny u Gebethnera i Wolffa. p. 19. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  8. ↑ Robert I. Frost (May 2000). The northern wars: war, state, and society in northeastern Europe, 1558-1721. Longman. p. 166. ISBN 978-0-582-06430-0. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  9. ↑ Stanisław Załęski (1905). Jezuici w Polsce. Drukiem i nakładem, drukarni ludowej. p. 1060. Retrieved 19 April 2011.

54°07′47″N 29°33′36″E / 54.12972°N 29.56000°E / 54.12972; 29.56000

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