History of the Late Polish Revolution and the Events of the CampaignHordynski, Joseph
History
History of the Late Polish Revolution and the Events of the Campaign
Hordynski, Joseph
Poland -- History -- Revolution, 1830-1832
engaged with this advanced guard, when, observing the very superior
force and the advantageous position of the enemy, he ordered a retreat,
which retreat was well executed and without much loss. This general
should have continued his march the whole night, with as little delay
as possible, in order to repass quietly the Vistula, and thus be
protected from all molestation by the enemy. But, for what cause it
is almost impossible to conjecture, he awaited the enemy in order of
battle the next day, at Serauow. Perhaps, finding himself in rather a
strong position, he thought that the corps of general Dwernicki might
arrive to his aid. The enemy approached the next day with his whole
force against Sierawski, and as warm an action commenced as the nature
of the ground would admit, it being covered by woods with patches of
open ground intervening. Some squadrons of young Kaliszian cavalry,
led by the general himself, advanced to the attack of the enemy's
artillery, which being disadvantageously posted, was exposed to be
captured. That cavalry, however, by a false direction of their charge,
fell among the concealed masses of the enemy's infantry, and their
attack failed.
This unsuccessful attack had unfortunate results. The corps of general
Sierawski was obliged to evacuate its position, and along its whole
retrograde march continual attacks of the enemy were pressed upon
it. The peculiar nature of the ground, and the extreme brevity of
general Sierawski, a veteran of between sixty and seventy, who, at
the head of the detachments of his rear guard always led the charges
against the enemy, and held him in check, was all that saved the corps
from destruction. At length the corps reached Kazimierz, the point
which it had left; and here again, instead of passing the Vistula,
Sierawski awaited another attack from the overwhelming force of the
enemy, and that too with only the half of his corps, for the other
half was sent to pass the Vistula. This course was inexplicable, and
excited much remark in the army. On the 18th, the Russians reached
Kazimierz. The town was vigorously attacked by them, and their assaults
were repeatedly repulsed by the new Kazimierz infantry, under colonel
Malachowski, who, with a scythe in his hand, marched at their head. But
the death of that brave patriot spread among the ranks of those new
soldiers a degree of disorder, and the city was taken by the enemy.
We must again thank general Sierawski for having saved the rest of
the corps from ruin; having executed the evacuation of the town with
such order that he passed the Vistula at the point of Borowa, not far
from Kazimierz, without being molested in the attempt. He then took a
position on the left bank.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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