KarlXII
06-08-2009, 05:08
Amazingly, on June 28th, it will be 300 years since the decisive Battle of Poltava. The Battle, occuring during the Great Northern War, ended Sweden's Baltic hegemony and led to the rise of Imperial Russia.
The Swedish combined forces, under King Karl XII, consisted of 22,100 Swedes. 11,800 Cavalry, 9,300 Infantry, 1,000 Polish hussars, 3,000-7,000 Cossacks (Who were allied to the Swedes to gain an independant state) and 34 cannon. However, only 17,000 men and 4 cannons participated in the battle.
The Russian forces, led by Tsar Peter I (The Great), consisted of about 60,000 men. 37,000 infantry, 23,700 cavalry, 102 cannons. 34,000 men actually participated in the battle.
Before Poltava, Karl XII had won decisive victories against Denmark and Russia, particularly at Narva, which knocked both nations out of the war temporarily. However, even with the diplomatically advantageous position, Karl refused to make peace with his enemies, famously stating: "I have resolved never to start an unjust war but never to end a legitimate one except by defeating my enemies.
Having dealt with Augustus II of Saxony-Poland, Karl XII decided to end the war once and for all with a strike to Moscow. Crossing the Vistula in December 30, the Swedish Force, 44,000 men, suffered from epidemics and winter.
Having a loss of supplies, Karl decided to strike in the Ukraine instead. The Cossack commander, Ivan Mazepa, officially allied himself with Karl to gain autonomy after the war.
The Swedes began a siege of the Poltava fortress, during which Karl was wounded. Peter, however, was ready, after training his army to more modern standards.
Karl left command to Gustav Rehnskiöld and Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt.
The battle began at 3:45 AM, June 28, with the Swedes advancing at a standard formation, pressing into the redoubts. However, the obscurity due to smoke from cannons and musket, added with the warming weather, caused this advantage to be nullified.
Lewenhaupt ordered the Swedish infantry into an attack, only to have them regroup. A major blow was struck when a detachment of infantry, commanded by General Roos, was not informed of this and was isolated by a 4,000+ reinforcement of Russians. He subsequently surrendered when low on ammunition.
While waiting on Roos, the Russians advanced from the fort and marched to the Swedish line. The Swedes marched as well, under fire from Russian cannons. The Swedish line only numbered around 4,000, while the Russians numbered at 20,000+. At 100 meters, the Russian infantry opened fire. At 30 meters, the Swedish line opened fire and charged (a standard tactic of the Karoliner Army, for more on their tactics, wiki "Caroleans").
The Swedes were on the verge of breaking through, but the cavalry intended to exploit a push was disorganized and could not arrive in time. The huge Russian line showed it's weight, and started to encircle the Swedes in a Cannae style battle. The Swedish cavalry attempted to buy time for the infantry to retreat by charging headlong into the Russians.
Seeing all of this from a stretcher, Karl ordered a general retreat at 11:00 AM. By noon, the battle was officialy over.
Several thousand prisoners were tooken. Karl and Mazepa escaped with around 1,000+ men to Ottoman controlled Moldavia. There Karl would spend five years before returning to Sweden, only to die in battle in Norway.
And so, 300 years later, Swedes, Russians, Ukrainians and historians celebrate this battle, Karl XII, Peter the Great, and this war in history.
Here's to you, Poltava. 300 years old.
The Swedish combined forces, under King Karl XII, consisted of 22,100 Swedes. 11,800 Cavalry, 9,300 Infantry, 1,000 Polish hussars, 3,000-7,000 Cossacks (Who were allied to the Swedes to gain an independant state) and 34 cannon. However, only 17,000 men and 4 cannons participated in the battle.
The Russian forces, led by Tsar Peter I (The Great), consisted of about 60,000 men. 37,000 infantry, 23,700 cavalry, 102 cannons. 34,000 men actually participated in the battle.
Before Poltava, Karl XII had won decisive victories against Denmark and Russia, particularly at Narva, which knocked both nations out of the war temporarily. However, even with the diplomatically advantageous position, Karl refused to make peace with his enemies, famously stating: "I have resolved never to start an unjust war but never to end a legitimate one except by defeating my enemies.
Having dealt with Augustus II of Saxony-Poland, Karl XII decided to end the war once and for all with a strike to Moscow. Crossing the Vistula in December 30, the Swedish Force, 44,000 men, suffered from epidemics and winter.
Having a loss of supplies, Karl decided to strike in the Ukraine instead. The Cossack commander, Ivan Mazepa, officially allied himself with Karl to gain autonomy after the war.
The Swedes began a siege of the Poltava fortress, during which Karl was wounded. Peter, however, was ready, after training his army to more modern standards.
Karl left command to Gustav Rehnskiöld and Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt.
The battle began at 3:45 AM, June 28, with the Swedes advancing at a standard formation, pressing into the redoubts. However, the obscurity due to smoke from cannons and musket, added with the warming weather, caused this advantage to be nullified.
Lewenhaupt ordered the Swedish infantry into an attack, only to have them regroup. A major blow was struck when a detachment of infantry, commanded by General Roos, was not informed of this and was isolated by a 4,000+ reinforcement of Russians. He subsequently surrendered when low on ammunition.
While waiting on Roos, the Russians advanced from the fort and marched to the Swedish line. The Swedes marched as well, under fire from Russian cannons. The Swedish line only numbered around 4,000, while the Russians numbered at 20,000+. At 100 meters, the Russian infantry opened fire. At 30 meters, the Swedish line opened fire and charged (a standard tactic of the Karoliner Army, for more on their tactics, wiki "Caroleans").
The Swedes were on the verge of breaking through, but the cavalry intended to exploit a push was disorganized and could not arrive in time. The huge Russian line showed it's weight, and started to encircle the Swedes in a Cannae style battle. The Swedish cavalry attempted to buy time for the infantry to retreat by charging headlong into the Russians.
Seeing all of this from a stretcher, Karl ordered a general retreat at 11:00 AM. By noon, the battle was officialy over.
Several thousand prisoners were tooken. Karl and Mazepa escaped with around 1,000+ men to Ottoman controlled Moldavia. There Karl would spend five years before returning to Sweden, only to die in battle in Norway.
And so, 300 years later, Swedes, Russians, Ukrainians and historians celebrate this battle, Karl XII, Peter the Great, and this war in history.
Here's to you, Poltava. 300 years old.