| Conflict: | Battle of Brest |
| Partof: | the Kościuszko Uprising |
| Date: | 19 September 1794 (8th O.S.) |
| Place: | Brest, Województwo brzeskie, Grand Duchy of Lithuania, present-day Belarus |
| Result: | Russian victory |
| Combatant2: | Poland–Lithuania |
| Commander1: | Alexander Suvorov Yakov Kulnev |
| Commander2: | Stanisław Mokronowski Stanisław Kosmowski |
| Strength1: | 8,000–9,00014 cannons[1] |
| Strength2: | 16,000–17,000:
28 cannons |
| Casualties1: | up to 1,000 killed or wounded |
| Casualties2: | 2,145 killed or wounded[2] 500 captured all artillery pieces 2 standards |
The Battle of Brest (Brześć in Polish), also known as the Battle of Terespol, took place between Russian imperial forces and Polish rebels south-west of Brest (near the village of Terespol), present-day Belarus, on 19 September 1794. It was part of the Kościuszko Uprising.[3]
The Russian forces were commanded by General-in-Chief Alexander Suvorov, who a little earlier, taking advantage of inferior numbers, had defeated his men in the Battle of Krupczyce. Suvorov met Sierakowski again on the battlefield.
Before 19 September, Polish rebels fortified themselves in the marshes near the town of Brest. At night (at 2 AM, according to one source),[4] Alexander Suvorov moved his troops near the Polish positions, having forded the Western Bug river, and attacked at dawn. Polish forces consisted of Sierakowski's force with a detachment of Mokronowski from Lithuania for a total of 6,000 regulars and 10,000 scythemen, with 28 guns.
For the Russians, the assault was successful, the Poles could not hold out and began to retreat in three columns, pursued by cavalry (Islenyev on the left and Shevich on the right). A Polish attempt to hold their ground near the village of Koroshino failed, and they continued to retreat with heavy losses.
The fighting lasted for six hours, often involving hand-to-hand combat, but the Russians finally managed to gain the upper hand, destroying the Polish force. 500 of Sierakowski's men were taken prisoner, and the fields all around Brest were covered with corpses. The Polish lost all of their 28 artillery pieces and two banners. It was a complete destruction of Sierakowski's forces: only 1,000 men escaped.
According to Russian sources, Sierakowski himself fled to Siedlce with a detachment of his cavalry corps. A Russian military report stated that losses on their side stood at 95 killed and 228 injured, however in reality it is estimated that around 1000 Russians were killed.[5] [6] [7]
The Russian victory at Brest took a major hit on Polish morale. Tadeusz Kościuszko himself was distraught by the loss. In August, he announced at a meeting that by September, the Ottoman Empire would declare war on Russia and that "Suvorov, occupied by [them], could not be in Poland."[8] Subsequently, there were rumors that a relatively low-ranking Cossack general named Suvorov, as opposed to the well-known one, was going to lead the Russian fight in Poland. After the Battle of Brest, however, it became clear which Suvorov was on the front lines. The next battle for him would be the Battle of Kobyłka.
Kościuszko rushed to Siedlce to rally his troops and prevent the spread of panic. He explained the defeat at Brest as not the fault of the Polish commanders, but rather that the Russians simply had a numerical superiority. He also presented several of his commanders with new awards, with golden rings inscribed with the slogan, "The fatherland to its defender". Despite Kościuszko's efforts, Polish morale still suffered. This is evidenced by a report presented by Kościuszko, to the commanders of the Lithuanian army in Grodno:
Kościuszko found it necessary to remind his subordinates of their historical legacy:
In Saint Petersburg, Suvorov's victory was very well received. Catherine the Great granted him an expensive diamond hat bow and three cannon captured from the Poles; Pyotr Rumyantsev thanked Suvorov and presented a most flattering evaluation of his efforts.[9]