Battle of Zhovnyn
Battle of Zhovnyn | |||||||
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Part of Ostryanyn Uprising | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (including registered Cossacks) | insurgent Cossacks | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Jeremi Wiśniowiecki Mikołaj Potocki Stanisław Potocki |
Yakiv Ostryanyn Dmytro Hunia Skidan, Filonenko | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
est. 8,000 infantry 12 artillery |
est. 16,000 infantry 8 artillery | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
unknown, have been described as significant | unknown, have been described as significant |
The Battle of Zhovnyn was an engagement between the
Background
The unrest in Ukraine among Cossacks remained high following the defeat of the
Battle
After several smaller battles, the Commonwealth forces under Prince
On the morning on the next day, Wiśniowiecki led an infantry assault. The Cossacks, expecting reinforcement, had begun negotiations, which, however, broke down quickly.[2] In the meantime, Cossack reinforcements under Karpo Skidan fared less well, losing some skirmishes. In the end, only a part of them broke through to the Cossack camp, and Skidan himself would be captured during the assault on 16 June.[4]
The siege dragged on, as the Cossack fort was well built, and the besieging forces failed to prevent small parties of reinforcements from relieving the Cossacks.[4] The Polish forces were also lacking in infantry and ammunition for the artillery.[4] Before Polish reinforcements under Hetman Mikołaj Potocki arrived around 21 June, the Cossacks under Hunia succeeded in building a bridge in the night and moving the entire camp to a new location nearby.[3][4] Potocki arrived soon after the Cossacks finished their relocation, on the 22nd.[5] It would be a week before the Polish forces were reinforced by the much-needed artillery. Despite the artillery support, a new assault on 10 July failed to take the camp.[5]
The Commonwealth forces decided to wait for the Cossacks to run out of supplies.[5] In the meantime, on the night of 22 to 23 July, a few dozen Cossacks managed to sneak into the Polish camp, kill a number of artillery personnel, and almost succeed in wrecking the entire artillery section.[6] Meanwhile, another Cossack leader, Filonienko, attempted to relieve the camp, bringing much needed supplies. On 4 August, two battles took place: another assault on the camp, and a battle against the Cossack reinforcements.[6] To bypass the Polish cordon, Filonenko used river boats (czajki) to approach the camp.[3] Hunia attempted to aid Filonienko with a counterattack outside the camp, and the forces clashed outside the walls of the Cossack camp in a battle that lasted the entire day.[6] Eventually Filonienko made it to the camp, but with only a few hundred troops, and without any supplies.[6] That night, Hunia escaped from the camp, seeking asylum in Muscovy.[6]
Aftermath
Abandoned by their leader, the Cossacks entered negotiations on 7 August and surrendered soon afterward.[6]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-83-216-0440-4.
- ^ ISBN 978-83-216-0440-4.
- ^ ISBN 978-83-11-11524-8.
- ^ ISBN 978-83-216-0440-4.
- ^ ISBN 978-83-216-0440-4.
- ^ ISBN 978-83-216-0440-4.