Battle of Grodno (1708)

Battle of Grodno (1708) Part of the Great Northern War Date January 27, 1708 (O.S.) January 28, 1708 (Swedish calendar) February 7, 1708 (N.S.) Location Grodno, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Present day Belarus Result Swedish victory Belligerents Swedish Empire Tsardom of Russia Commanders and leaders Charles XII of Sweden Peter I of Russia Strength 800 men[1] 9,000 men[1] Casualties and losses 11 killed during the night skirmish[2] 56 killed during the night skirmish[2]

Great Northern War Campaigns Denmark Russia and the Baltic provinces Poland-Lithuania/Saxony Ottoman Empire Sweden and Northern Germany Norway Finland Battles 1st Riga 1st Tönning Humlebæk Varja 1st Narva Petschora Düna Rauge Erastfer Darsūniškis Vilnius Kliszów Hummelshof Nöteborg Saladen Pultusk Systerbäck Wesenberg Thorn Jakobstadt Posen 2nd Narva Punitz Gemauerthof Warsaw Praga 1st Grodno Fraustadt Olkieniki Kletsk Kalisz 2nd Grodno Holowczyn Neva Malatitze Rajovka Koporye Lesnaya Kolkanpää Desna Koniecpol Veprik Oposhnya Krasnokutsk–Gorodnoye Sokolki Poltava Perevolochna 2nd Riga 2nd Vyborg Pruth Campaign Helsingborg Køge Bay Wismar Gadebusch 2nd Tönning Bender Finland Battle of Fladstrand Hogland Pälkäne Storkyro Gangut Stralsund Fehmarn Rügen Stresow Dynekilen Göteborg Strömstad Fredriksten Carolean Death March Ösel Stäket Grengam Treaties Charles XII invasion of Russia Grodno II Holowczyn Neva Malatitze Rajovka Koporye Lesnaya Kolkanpää Desna Baturyn Koniecpol Veprik Oposhnya Krasnokutsk–Gorodnoye Sokolki Poltava Perevolochna

Battle of Grodno (1708) refers to the short battle on January 26, 1708, during the Great Northern War. Grodno was a city of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth at this time.

The Battle

During the start of the Swedish invasion of Russia, Charles XII of Sweden was informed of Peter I's presence at the town of Grodno and immediately marched there with his vanguard of approx 800 men. While awaiting the rest of his army, Peter had 9,000 men for use in Grodno. 2,000 of these had been stationed near the bridge leading to the town. On his arrival, the Swedish king charged with his cavalry in a surprise to drive the Russians away.

After a short but fierce fight, the Russians guarding the bridge retreated into the town. Shocked by the news of a sudden Swedish attack, Peter I, who was said to have been in danger of capture, ordered a retreat to Berezina with his army, leaving Grodno defenseless for Charles to enter only two hours later.

Thus, the Swedish king, with his smaller army,forced a much larger Russian force away from their advantageous position. However, while discovering the numbers of the Swedish vanguard, Peter I immediately ordered 3,000 of his troops back in an attempt to recapture the town and possibly the Swedish king himself. As night fell and the soldiers were sleeping, the Russians reached the gates of Grodno, but were halted by the 30 men guarding there. As fighting arose, Charles and his men were alerted and a new fight took place inside the town which forced the Russian army back, once again, leaving many dead and wounded behind.^[1]

References

1. 1 2 3 Peter From, Katastrofen vid Poltava (2007), Lund, Historiska media. pp. 77.
2. 1 2 Ett kort dock tydeligit utdrag utur then öfwer konung Carl den Tolftes lefwerne och konglida dater, Jöran Andersson Nordberg (1745). p. 565

• Tony Jaques (2007). Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: F-O. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 411. ISBN 978-0-313-33538-9. 
• Angus Konstam (1993). Peter the Great's Army (1): Infantry. Osprey Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-85532-315-5.