Borodino 2002

Saturday Lecture:
Dr. George Nafziger:
Prelude to 1812: The 1809 Campaign in Poland

by Russ Lockwood


I must apologize that just after I settled in to hear this lecture, I was informed that our lunchtime speaker, Lt. Col. Andrey Pavlov, the Deputy Military Attache from the Russian embassy, had arrived. I hustled out to meet him, only to be informed that he could stay for perhaps a half an hour and was due back at the Embassy for other duties. So, he took the couple hours to drive down to us, spend a half hour, then drive back.

The end result is that I completely missed this lecture. But never fear, Nafziger's lecture was a condensed version from his new book. I picked up a copy at the show and will do a full review of it. If you want to read one of the few books available on the subject, and probably the only work translated from the Polish language, go see Nafziger's website.

To get you started, here's an excerpt from pages 61-63. I should also point out that the Appendices contain transcribed Orders of the Day, Polish Orders of Battle, and lists of Polish officers who distinguished themselves in various battles. The book is entitled Operations of the Polish Army During the 1809 Campaign in Poland by Gen. Roman Soltyk. The 1841 book is Translated and Annotated by George F. Nafziger. 175 pages. Cost is $25 + $2.50 shipping. More info at: http://home.fuse.net/nafziger

    The Archduke was able to reconnoiter the Polish position and noticed that the Polish left was weak and could be turned because the Rawka stream is insignificant above Iaworowo, but he neglected to do it. In following the regulations prescribed by the art of war, the Austrian general moved his advanced guard towards Poniatowski, while holding his main body at the edge of the woods. Ideally, he would launch his attack the next day and, to make his dispositions such that he could move part of his forces against the Polish extreme left, to turn the left while, at the same time, attacking the center. This would oblige Poniatowski to withdraw on Warsaw, a movement he could not execute without substantial danger in an open country, over clayey terrain broken by the thaw. He would be obliged, no doubt, to abandon his artillery in the quagmires. Under most circumstances, such a turning movement would have been risky between the Polish troops and the Vistula, but in view of the numerical superiority of the Austrian Army, the Archduke ran little risk.

    Ferdinand was impatient to engage the Poles. Without awaiting the arrival of the main body of his army, he ordered General Mohr to carry the position of Falenty and fed in the rest of his forces as they arrived on the battlefield. On his side, Prince Joseph, who knew the slow pace of the Austrians, did not believe he would be attacked immediately. He expected to be attacked in the morning and did not withdraw his advanced guard, leaving it in harm's way and where it had a single bridge over which to effect its retreat. However, Mohr's attack was so brisk that Poniatowski was forced to accept battle without being able to adjust his deployment.

    Sokolnicki had only three battalions and six guns to oppose the five Austrian battalions and twelve guns in Civalard's brigade, which pursued them aggressively. The engagement began at 2:00 p.m. Prince Joseph, who found himself at his headquarters in Raszyn, mounted his horse and rode to Falenty. He ordered three horse guns held in the reserve to take a position in front of the village. Sokolnicki now had nine cannons deployed to support his position. Thee guns redoubled their fire as the Austrians approached. Mohr responded with a brisk cannonade by his own artillery and his infantry advanced in columns.

    The woods were carried by the Austrians at about 3:00 pm. and soon afterwards the village of Falenty was carried. The battalion of the 8th Infantry Regiment, which defended these two points, retreated in disorder. Poniatowski rallied it and placed himself at the head of the 1/1St Infantry Regiment, which he then led in a bayonet charge against the Austrians and recaptured the position. The Polish artillery contributed to this success with their well-directed fire. At this point, Civalard's brigade arrived on the battlefield. Mohr now deployed three times the forces he had had in the first attack and turned once again to the offensive. Twenty-four Austrian guns were now in battery and the greatly outnumbered Polish artillery could not long hope to resist them. A Polish howitzer was dismounted, several caissons were hit and exploded and a large number of gunners were cut down. Austrian howitzers set Falenty afire. The Austrian infantry formed in attack columns, reoccupied the woods and occupied Falenty. At this point, Colonel Godebski, a Polish officer of rare merit and commander of the 8th Infantry Regiment, was killed. At the same time, a battalion of the 6th Infantry Regiment was heavily attacked and barely held its position against superior numbers.

    Pressed on all sides, the Polish advanced guard was obliged to withdraw to Raszyn. This movement could not be executed without some disorder. The dismounted howitzer and one other cannon were abandoned on the battlefield. General Fiszer, chief of staff to the army, was wounded in the melee. General Sokolnicki led part of his troops across the dam, while another part waded single file through the swamp and across the river. They completed their passage at 5:00 p.m.

    The Austrians, emboldened by their initial success, sought to press forward and attacked Poniatowski in his position by Raszyn. They advanced across the dam despite the fire of the Polish infantry and seized part of the village, but were unable to totally clear it of Polish troops where the village was closest to the main Polish line. The Austrians also attacked the villages of laworowo and Michalowiec, but weakly and without success. Towards 7:00 p.m., they redoubled their efforts to move against the Polish center. One of their columns advanced through Raszyn, while another force attempted to push through the swamp to the left of the village. Poniatowski moved a battery of sixteen guns (12 Saxon and 4 Polish) [48]

    Footnote 48 Schuster, O. & Francke, F.A., Geschichte der Sachsischen Armee von deren Erreichtung bis auf die neueste Zeit. (Leipzig: Dunker & Humbolt, 1885) p. 285 indicates that there were 14 Saxon guns in the center of the Polish line, supported by the Saxon infantry, which consisted of 1 battalion of the Oebschelwitz Infantry Regiment and the Einsiedel Grenadier Battalion.

    to the right of the main road to Warsaw.

    These guns opened a heavy bombardment on the Austrian infantry. They fired cannister against them for more than an hour and eventually obliged them to retreat after inflicting heavy casualties on the Austrians. During the course of the struggle around Raszyn, Poniatowski exposed himself to enemy fire. Many officers of his staff were wounded or had horses killed under them.

    The Polish howitzer shells set Raszyn afire and the Polish skirmishers fought with intrepidity and maintained their position in part of the village. All the Austrian's efforts to dislodge them proved in vain. The terrain did not permit them to deploy their cannon to support their attack. At 9:00 p.m., firing ceased, the Austrians recrossed the bridge at Raszyn and continued to occupy the dam and the woods that were behind the village. With the exception of Falenty, the Polish had lost no other part of the battlefield and maintained themselves on it.

    The Polish Army lost about 450 killed, 900 wounded and 40 prisoners. The Austrians, who fought most of the day in the open, lost substantially more. Their losses were estimated at 2,500 men. [49]

    Footnote: 49 Editor: D. Smith, The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book, London, Greenhill Books, 1998, pp.289290, lists the Polish losses as above, but lists the Austrian losses at 450 dead and wounded. In addition, he identifies the following Saxon units: von Einsiedel Grenadier Battalion, Oebschelwitz Infantry Regiment (1 bn), von Rechten Infantry Regiment (2 bns), the Saxon Hussar Regiment (2 sqns) and 12 guns. Schuster, O. & Francke, F.A., gives the of the Saxons and Poles at 450 dead, 900 wounded and 300 missing.

    In light of the inferior strength of the Polish forces present in the battle of Raszyn when compared to those of the Austrians, this battle must be viewed as one of the most glorious in the history of this campaign and, if one considers that the army of Archduke Ferdinand was formed of veteran and proven troops and that Poniatowski's army was composed of untried recruits who had never been under fire, one must admit, the courage that they showed on this marvelous day.

    The firing having stopped, the Saxon infantry, which had fought valiantly through the battle, began its withdrawal on Warsaw in order to return to Saxony, in compliance with orders it had received. This retreat has been strongly criticized in the Polish Army. Abandoned by their allies in the greatest moment of danger, the Poles were shocked.

    Prince Poniatowski held a council of war at 10:00 p.m. on the battlefield. The losses suffered during the day, the great number of men who had abandoned their ranks to carry off the wounded and, finally, the departure of the Saxons had reduced Poniatowski's army to about 9,000 men. Retreat was inevitable and it was executed during the night so as to escape pursuit during the next day. The retreat began at 11:00 p.m. and was executed with no other loss than the abandonment of two more cannons, which became stuck in the mud that rendered part of the road impassable.

    Immediately after the action, General Sokolnicki was charged by Poniatowski to move at the head of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment to the Vistula. He took a position near Wilanow and remained there through the night to observe the roads by which it was feared the Austrians might advance on Warsaw in order to cut off the Polish Army from it.

    However, the Austrians were too fatigued by the battle and the unexpected resistance offered by the Poles, so they made no effort to pursue them. General Sokolnicki withdrew during the morning of the 20th to the Warsaw lines, where the Polish Army had taken position. These earthworks were equipped with 45 cannon, including six 24pdrs. However, Poniatowski had no hope of maintaining himself there, even though he was reinforced during the day by the 12th Infantry Regiment, which arrived from Thorn and 800 recruits that came from Kalisz under Captain Rybinski. Poniatowski's force rose to a strength of 12,000 to 13,000.

    The Warsaw National Guard had an effective strength of 5,000 men. These forces, however, were deployed in a defensive line that extended over 6,000 toises (11,700 meters) and was unable to stop the Austrians. In addition, the lines were in such bad condition that they could be broached almost everywhere, including by cavalry. All the generals declared that it was impossible to hold Warsaw. Dombrowski, who had joined the army after the battle of Raszyn and General Zaionczek, who arrived in Warsaw during the night, agreed with this opinion.

    The Austrians advanced on Warsaw, but slowly. Their cavalry appeared before Warsaw around noon and was greeted by a few 24pdr cannon balls. This fire produced a strong effect on the Archduke, who had no idea the Poles had such heavy artillery and it caused him to suppose that the defenses of Warsaw were in a respectable consideration. This caused the Archduke to seek a negotiated arrangement.

    Upon his arrival before Warsaw, Ferdinand asked Poniatowski for an interview, which took place at 4:00 p.m. before the Jerusalem barricade. Ferdinand received Poniatowski with great courtesy, commending his conduct at Raszyn and the conduct of his brave troops. He suggested that they put an end to the effusion of blood, ...

    Operations of the Polish Army During the 1809 Campaign in Poland Pages 61-63.

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