Conflict: | Battle of Nowo Schwerschen |
Date: | 13 November 1812 |
Place: | Nowo Schwerschen, Russian Empire (now Belarus) |
Result: | Russian victory |
Combatant2: | Lithuania Duchy of Warsaw |
Combatant1: | Russian Empire |
Commander1: | Karl Lambert |
Partof: | the French invasion of Russia |
Casualties1: | 50 |
Casualties2: | 1,300 |
Strength1: | 4,500 |
Strength2: | 3,500 |
The Battle of Nowo Schwerschen was fought on Friday, 13 November 1812, near, part of the Russian Empire at the time. An unexperienced Lithuanian force under General was defeated by seasoned Russian forces led by Count Lambert from Admiral Chichagov's Army of the Danube.
Kossecki's forces were given the task of protecting Minsk from a southeast attack and ensure a path of retreat for Napoleon's Grande Armée.
Maret sent General Kossecki with about 3,000 infantry and 500 cavalry men to Nowo Schwerschen where they were to protect the crossing of the Niemen.
According to Smith, Kossecki's division was composed of:
Count Lambert's units included the and .
On November 13, Lambert arrived at Nowo Schwerschen with the Third Western Army's vanguard. Kossecki's raw Lithuanian recruits were driven off with heavy losses by the cavalry.
The defeated detachment was once more attacked in the battle of Kaidanowo.