Jump to content

Battle of Pułtusk (1703): Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 52°43′00″N 21°06′00″E / 52.716667°N 21.100000°E / 52.716667; 21.100000
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
not a stub
 
(34 intermediate revisions by 16 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Battle of the Great Northern War}}{{For|the battle in 1806|Battle of Pułtusk (1806)}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Battle of Pułtusk
| conflict = Battle of Pułtusk
|partof=[[Great Northern War]]
| partof = the [[Great Northern War]]
|image=[[File:Pultusk 1703.jpg|300px|Battle of Pultusk, 1703. The Swedish army upper left, Saxon army upper right. The final battle at the bridge, low center.]]
| image = [[File:Battle of Pultusk 1703 (cropped - battle).png|300px|Battle of Pultusk, 1703. The Swedish army upper left, Saxon army upper right. The final battle at the bridge, low center.]]
|caption=Battle of Pultusk, 1703. The Swedish army upper left, Saxon army upper right. The final battle at the bridge, low center.
| caption = Battle of Pultusk, 1703. The Swedish army upper left, Saxon army upper right. The final battle at the bridge, low center.
|date=April 20, 1703 ([[Julian calendar|O.S.]])<br>April 21, 1703 ([[Swedish calendar]])<br>May 1, 1703 ([[Gregorian calendar|N.S.]])
| date = April 20, 1703 ([[Julian calendar|O.S.]])<br>April 21, 1703 ([[Swedish calendar]])<br>May 1, 1703 ([[Gregorian calendar|N.S.]])
|place=[[Pułtusk]], [[Poland]]
| place = [[Pułtusk]], [[Poland]]
|result=Swedish victory
| result = Swedish victory
|combatant1=[[Image:Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg|23px]] [[Swedish Empire]]
| combatant1 = [[Image:Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg|23px]] [[Swedish Empire]]
|combatant2={{flagcountry|Electorate of Saxony}}
| combatant2 = {{flagcountry|Electorate of Saxony}}
|commander1=[[Charles XII]]
| commander1 = [[Charles XII]]
|commander2=[[Adam Heinrich von Steinau]]
| commander2 = [[Adam Heinrich von Steinau]]
|strength1=3,200 cavalry<ref name="Tucker">Tucker, S.C., 2010, A Global Chronology of Conflict, Vol. Two, Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, LLC, p. 691. ISBN 9781851096671</ref>
| strength1 = 3,000 cavalry<ref name="Sundberg223">Sundberg, Ulf, Sveriges krig, Del 3: 1630–1814. Svenskt Militärhistoriskt Bibliotek (2010). p. 223.</ref>
|strength2=3,500 cavalry<ref name="Tucker"/>
| strength2 = 3,500 cavalry<ref name="Antoni33">Fr. Rudolf Antoni, Fälttåget i Polen, 1703. Berlingska boktryckeriet 1915. p. 33.</ref>
|casualties1= 60:<ref name="Sveriges krig 1630-1814">Sundberg (2010). ''Sveriges krig 1630-1814''. p. 223.</ref><br>
| casualties1 = 60:<ref name="Antoni34">Fr. Rudolf Antoni, Fälttåget i Polen, 1703. Berlingska boktryckeriet 1915. p. 34.</ref><br>
20 killed,<br>40 wounded
20 killed,<br>40 wounded
|casualties2=1,300:<ref name="Antoni34">Fr. Rudolf Antoni, Fälttåget i Polen, 1703. Berlingska boktryckeriet 1915. p. 34.</ref><br>
| casualties2 = 1,300:<ref name="Antoni34"/><br>
500 killed,<br>800 captured
500 killed,<br>800 captured
|campaignbox={{Campaignbox Great Northern War}}
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Great Northern War}}
{{Campaignbox Charles XII invasion of Poland}}
{{Campaignbox Charles XII invasion of Poland}}|
|}}
}}



The '''Battle of Pułtusk''' took place on April 21, 1703 in [[Pułtusk]] during the [[Great Northern War]]. The [[Sweden|Swedish]] army under the command of [[Charles XII]] defeated the [[Saxony|Saxon]] army under [[Adam Heinrich von Steinau]].
The '''Battle of Pułtusk''' took place on April 21, 1703 in [[Pułtusk]] during the [[Great Northern War]]. The [[Sweden|Swedish]] army under the command of [[Charles XII]] defeated the [[Saxony|Saxon]] army under [[Adam Heinrich von Steinau]].


Charles goes on to take Thorn in December.<ref name="Tucker"/>
Charles later went on to take [[Toruń]] (Thorn) in December.<ref name="Tucker">Tucker, S.C., 2010, A Global Chronology of Conflict, Vol. Two, Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, LLC, p. 691. {{ISBN|9781851096671}}</ref>
==Background==
[[File:Kungsboken-karta-pultusk.jpg|thumb|Map of Pułtusk, with army camps]]
In the first months of 1703 the war in Poland ceased. In March, [[Charles XII]] broke with his army in the direction of [[Warsaw]], which he reached at the beginning of April. At the beginning of April 1703 [[August II]] left [[Dresden]] for [[Toruń|Thorn]] and Marienburg in order to begin the new campaign from there. After the defeat in the previous year in the [[Battle of Klissow]], August II used the time to build a new Saxon-Lithuanian army. This army camped at [[Pułtusk]]. Charles XII decided to attack. He rode out of Warsaw with 3,000 cavalry. Because of the many waterways that had to be passed, he left behind infantry and artillery. With the cavalry he crossed the bow and reached on April 21 (Swedish) / 1. May 1703 (greg.) 1703 Pułtusk. At that time the town was only on an island in the [[Narew]].

==Battle==
[[File:Battle of Pultusk.JPG|thumb|upright=0.8|Saxons forces retreating over the river, pursued by the Swedish cavalry]]
Field Marshal [[Adam Heinrich von Steinau]], who commanded the Saxon army, had no idea of the actual strength of the Swedes and initially only expected a smaller battle. When he saw the entire cavalry, he assumed that the Swedish infantry was also present. He immediately had his troops withdraw to Pułtusk. Charles XII had the retreat route of the Saxons cut off by a dragoon regiment. The Swedish dragoons managed to penetrate the town at the same time as the Saxons, whereupon Charles XII streamed in with the rest of the cavalry. Lithuanians and Saxons fled the town across the bridge of the southern arm of the Narew with almost no resistance. They demolished the bridge too soon to prevent the Swedes from persecuting it. Due to the failure of the only escape route, many Saxons who were still in the town were cut off and were massacred, driven into the river or captured by the attacking Swedes. Soon the southern bridge could be restored so that the pursuit of the fleeing Saxons and Lithuanians could be resumed.

==Result==
The battle cost the Swedes only forty men, while the Saxons and Lithuanians had several hundred dead and 700 prisoners. Field Marshal Steinau was able to escape while August II was staying in Marienburg, where he was watching a play in which the Saxons defeated the Swedes.


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


{{coord|52.716667|21.100000|format=dms|display=title|type:event}}
{{coord missing|Poland}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Pultusk 1703}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Pultusk 1703}}
Line 36: Line 46:
[[Category:Battles of the Great Northern War|Pultusk 1703]]
[[Category:Battles of the Great Northern War|Pultusk 1703]]
[[Category:Battles involving Saxony|Pultusk 1703]]
[[Category:Battles involving Saxony|Pultusk 1703]]
[[Category:Battles involving Poland|Pultusk 1703]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth|Pultusk 1703]]
[[Category:Battles involving Sweden|Pultusk 1703]]
[[Category:Battles involving Sweden|Pultusk 1703]]
[[Category:History of Masovian Voivodeship]]

[[Category:1703 in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]
{{Poland-battle-stub}}

Latest revision as of 13:05, 26 July 2024

For the battle in 1806, see Battle of Pułtusk (1806).
Battle of Pułtusk
Part of the Great Northern War
Battle of Pultusk, 1703. The Swedish army upper left, Saxon army upper right. The final battle at the bridge, low center.
Battle of Pultusk, 1703. The Swedish army upper left, Saxon army upper right. The final battle at the bridge, low center.
DateApril 20, 1703 (O.S.)
April 21, 1703 (Swedish calendar)
May 1, 1703 (N.S.)
Location
Pułtusk, Poland
Result Swedish victory
Belligerents
Swedish Empire  Saxony
Commanders and leaders
Charles XII Adam Heinrich von Steinau
Strength
3,000 cavalry[1] 3,500 cavalry[2]
Casualties and losses

60:[3]

20 killed,
40 wounded

1,300:[3]

500 killed,
800 captured

The Battle of Pułtusk took place on April 21, 1703 in Pułtusk during the Great Northern War. The Swedish army under the command of Charles XII defeated the Saxon army under Adam Heinrich von Steinau.

Charles later went on to take Toruń (Thorn) in December.[4]

Background

[edit]
Map of Pułtusk, with army camps

In the first months of 1703 the war in Poland ceased. In March, Charles XII broke with his army in the direction of Warsaw, which he reached at the beginning of April. At the beginning of April 1703 August II left Dresden for Thorn and Marienburg in order to begin the new campaign from there. After the defeat in the previous year in the Battle of Klissow, August II used the time to build a new Saxon-Lithuanian army. This army camped at Pułtusk. Charles XII decided to attack. He rode out of Warsaw with 3,000 cavalry. Because of the many waterways that had to be passed, he left behind infantry and artillery. With the cavalry he crossed the bow and reached on April 21 (Swedish) / 1. May 1703 (greg.) 1703 Pułtusk. At that time the town was only on an island in the Narew.

Battle

[edit]
Saxons forces retreating over the river, pursued by the Swedish cavalry

Field Marshal Adam Heinrich von Steinau, who commanded the Saxon army, had no idea of the actual strength of the Swedes and initially only expected a smaller battle. When he saw the entire cavalry, he assumed that the Swedish infantry was also present. He immediately had his troops withdraw to Pułtusk. Charles XII had the retreat route of the Saxons cut off by a dragoon regiment. The Swedish dragoons managed to penetrate the town at the same time as the Saxons, whereupon Charles XII streamed in with the rest of the cavalry. Lithuanians and Saxons fled the town across the bridge of the southern arm of the Narew with almost no resistance. They demolished the bridge too soon to prevent the Swedes from persecuting it. Due to the failure of the only escape route, many Saxons who were still in the town were cut off and were massacred, driven into the river or captured by the attacking Swedes. Soon the southern bridge could be restored so that the pursuit of the fleeing Saxons and Lithuanians could be resumed.

Result

[edit]

The battle cost the Swedes only forty men, while the Saxons and Lithuanians had several hundred dead and 700 prisoners. Field Marshal Steinau was able to escape while August II was staying in Marienburg, where he was watching a play in which the Saxons defeated the Swedes.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Sundberg, Ulf, Sveriges krig, Del 3: 1630–1814. Svenskt Militärhistoriskt Bibliotek (2010). p. 223.
  2. ^ Fr. Rudolf Antoni, Fälttåget i Polen, 1703. Berlingska boktryckeriet 1915. p. 33.
  3. ^ a b Fr. Rudolf Antoni, Fälttåget i Polen, 1703. Berlingska boktryckeriet 1915. p. 34.
  4. ^ Tucker, S.C., 2010, A Global Chronology of Conflict, Vol. Two, Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, LLC, p. 691. ISBN 9781851096671

52°43′00″N 21°06′00″E / 52.716667°N 21.100000°E / 52.716667; 21.100000

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Pułtusk_(1703)&oldid=1236775091"