Battle of Żyrzyn explained

Conflict:Battle of Żyrzyn
Partof:the January Uprising
Date:8 August 1863
Place:Żyrzyn, Congress Poland, nowadays Puławy County, Poland
Result:Polish victory
Commander1:Colonel Michal Heidenreich
O'Brien de Lacey
Commander2:lieutenant Laudański
Strength1:700[1]
Strength2:500
2 cannons
Casualties1:10-40 killed
Casualties2:80-181 killed
282 captured

The Battle of Żyrzyn took place on August 8, 1863 in or near the village of Żyrzyn, Puławy County, Poland, between a small detachment of Russian troops and a force of Polish troops under the command of Colonel Michal Heidenreich.

The Russian force of 500 soldiers and two cannon were escorting a load of 200,000 rubles for the Russian army. Out of these,140,000 were captured by the Polish forces, along with 282 prisoners of war. Of the remaining Russian troops, 181 were killed and 87 men escaped along with the remaining 60,000 rubles. The embarrassing defeat was widely reported on by the European press, and throughout the January Uprisings the Polish insurgents counted the engagement, one of many similar small battles, as a "great victory".

References

51.5°N 22.1°W

Notes and References

  1. Book: Davies . Norman . God's Playground: A History of Poland . registration . 2005 . 0-19-925340-4.