Posted on 09/27/2005 10:58:12 AM PDT by lizol
Battle of Kircholm
Battle of Kircholm (September 27, 1605) was one of the major battles in the Polish-Swedish War of 1600-1611. The battle was decided in 20 minutes by the devastating charge of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth cavalry, the Winged Hussars. The battle ended in the decisive victory of Polish forces, and is remembered in Poland as the greatest triumph of Polish cavalry ever.
Eve of the Battle
On September 27, 1605, the Polish-Lithuanian and Swedish forces met near the small town of Kircholm (now Salaspils in Latvia, some 25 km. south of Riga). The forces of Charles IX of Sweden were numerically superior and were composed of 11,000 infantry, 3,000 cavalry and 11 cannons. In addition, the Swedes were joined by an unknown number of Dutch, Scottish and German mercenaries. The opposing army under Jan Karol Chodkiewicz was composed of roughly 1,300 infantry, 2,500 cavalry and only 5 cannons. However, the Polish-Lithuanian forces were well-rested and their cavalry comprised mostly the Winged Hussars, or the heavy cavalry while the Swedish cavalry was of a standard, western-European light type. Polish-Lithuanian forces were aided by a small number of Tatars and Cossacks, used mostly for reconnaissance.
Deployment
The Swedish forces were deployed in a so-called Dutch Pattern, that is separate infantry regiments formed independent squares and pockets of resistance. The flanks were covered by the light cavalry and the cannons were placed in front of the cavalry.
Jan Karol Chodkiewicz deployed his forces in a deep formation, with the left wing significantly stronger and commanded by rotmistrz D¹browa, right wing composed of a smaller number of Hussars under hetman Lew Sapieha and the centre covered by the infantry under rotmistrz Woyna and aided by 300 Hussars. The commander also left some 280 hussars as his reserve under colonel Lacki.
Battle
Chodkiewicz, having smaller forces (approximately at 1:3 disadvantage again), used a 'feint' to force the Swedes off their high position. The Swedes under Charles thought that the Poles were retreating therefore, they advanced, spreading out their formations to give chase. This is what Chodkiewicz was waiting for. The Poles now gave fire with their infantry causing the Swedes some losses, at which point the Hussars moved into a re-formation and charged at the Swedish infantry formations.
The battle started with the Polish-Lithuanian cavalry charge on the Swedish left flank. At the same time approximately 300 Polish Hussars were attacking the Swedish infantry deployed in the centre of the lines in order not to let the infantry regroup and aid the cavalry fighting on the right flank. After the Swedish cavalry retreated, Chodkiewicz ordered his left wing and all of his reserves to attack the opposing right flank of the Swedish forces. The Swedish reiters retreated shortly afterwards and the infantry in the centre was attacked from three sides simultaneously. During the chaotic retreat the Swedes suffered heavy casualties.
The battle lasted approximately 20 minutes only, yet the Swedish defeat was utter and complete. The army of Charles IX of Sundermanland had lost more than 9.500 men, that is two thirds of his forces. The Polish-Lithuanian losses numbered only approximately 100 dead and 200 wounded, although the Hussars lost a large part of trained battle horses.
During the battle the Swedish muskets could not breach the heavy armours of the Hussars. Also, during the frontal assault the Polish-Lithuanian cavalrymen were hiding behind their horses heads, which lead to negligible Polish-Lithuanian losses. However, the losses in horses proved vital to further usage of the heavy cavalry in the war with Sweden.
After the Battle
After the defeat Sweden was forced to leave the siege of Riga and withdraw northwards. However, the war was not over and soon the new Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus attacked the Inflants again.
Battle of Kircholm, a 1630 painting by Peter Snayers, Note: In the left down corner, Hetman Jan Karol Chodkiewicz on a horse, holding the Bulawa in his right hand.
"Husarz" painted by Jozef Brandt
Hussars charging at Kircholm, painted by Wojciech Kossak, 1925.
Commonwealth hussars charge.
Hetman Zolkiewski with Hussars - part of a triptych by Wojciech Kossak, 1936.
Winged Hussars
bump for later
Husaria ping!
Ille faciet (he who will do it) as his father Charles IX said when he saw his newborn son, the future Gutavus II Adolphus, for the first time.
read later
I wouldn’t say that the Polish-Lithuanian forces were well-rested. They were after two days of forceful march (about 125 km).
Greetings!
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