Battle of Maciejowice

Racławice • Warsaw uprising • Vilna survey • Niemenczyn • Polany • Lipniszki • Szczekociny • Chelm • Soły • Kurlander survey • Golkow • Raszyn • Kolno • Błonie • Warsaw ( 1) • Sałaty • Slonim • Luban • Krupczyce • Terespol • Wielkopolska survey • Łabiszyn • Bydgoszcz • Maciejowice • Kobyłka • Praga • Warsaw ( 2)

The Battle of Maciejowice took place during the Kościuszko Uprising, near the village Maciejowice ( in Siedlce ) on October 10 in 1794. It ended with a Russian victory over the Poles and the capture of Tadeusz Kościuszko. Thus, the uprising was decidedly factual.

Prehistory

The Russians had the Polish troops under Sierakowski beaten and blown up on September 17 at Brzesc. The remains were returned to Warsaw. Kościuszko gathered there as many forces as possible.

Kościuszko wanted to prevent the union of two Russian armies under Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov and Ivan heels and an attack on Warsaw. He attacked the army of heels as they crossed the Vistula. The information about the troop levels vary. They lay on the Polish side, probably 6000-7000 Man with 20 guns. The Russians under General I. heels against it had 14000-20000 men and 80 guns. Following Gaston Bodart were the numerical strength ratios, however, less different. Then the Russians possessed 12,000 and the Poles over 10,000 men. In addition, support was made ​​by General Poninski.

Course and consequences

The battle was fierce and heels had to use all his powers. The Polish troops were defeated after eight hours of battle. A large part of the troops to please and only 2,000 men to be escaped. Kościuszko himself was severely wounded and fell into Russian captivity. After the revolt collapsed in fact. After a few minor skirmishes followed the bloody capture of Praga and the occupation of Warsaw. The indirect result of the defeat of Maciejowice was the final partition of Poland.

Quote Finis Poloniae

Became famous battle by the alleged saying of Kościuszko, who reportedly said shortly before his capture, it was the " Finis Poloniae " (Latin for "the end of Poland" )! Kościuszko later turned vehemently against this alleged quote. In fact, the word was deliberately brought wrong related by the Prussian government Silesian privileged newspaper in circulation in order to prepare the world for the coming partition of Poland and the Poles to take the hope of resistance.