The Deluge: An Historical Novel of Poland, Sweden, and Russia. Vol. 2Sienkiewicz, Henryk
History
The Deluge: An Historical Novel of Poland, Sweden, and Russia. Vol. 2
Sienkiewicz, Henryk
Historical fiction; Poland -- History -- John II Casimir, 1648-1668 -- Fiction
At last they attacked him at Golamb, not far from the junction of the
Vyepr and the Vistula. Some Polish squadrons being ready for battle
charged the enemy, spreading disorder and dismay. In front sprang
Volodyovski with his Lauda squadron, and bore down Waldemar, prince of
Denmark; but the two Kavetskis, Samuel and Yan, urged from the hill the
armored squadron against English mercenaries under Wilkinson, and
devoured them in a moment, as a pike gulps a whiting; and Pan Malavski
engaged so closely with the Prince of Bipont that men and horses were
confounded like dust which two whirlwinds sweeping from opposite
quarters bring together and turn into one circling column. In the
twinkle of an eye the Swedes were pushed to the Vistula, seeing which
Douglas hastened to the rescue with chosen horsemen. But even these
reinforcements could not check the onset; the Swedes began to spring
from the high bank to the ice, falling dead so thickly that they lay
black on the snow-field, like letters on white paper. Waldemar, Prince
of Denmark, fell; Wilkinson fell; and the Prince of Bipont, thrown from
his horse, broke his leg. But of Poles both Kavetskis fell; killed also
were Malavski, Rudavski, Rogovski, Tyminski, Hoinski, and Porvanyetski.
Volodyovski alone, though he dived among the Swedish ranks like a
seamew in water, came out without having suffered the slightest wound.
Now Karl Gustav himself came up with his main force and with artillery.
Straightway the form of the battle changed. Charnyetski’s other
regiments, undisciplined and untrained, could not take position in
season; some had not their horses in readiness, others had been in
distant villages, and in spite of orders to be always ready, were
taking their leisure in cottages. When the enemy pressed suddenly on
these men, they scattered quickly and began to retreat to the Vyepr.
Therefore Charnyetski gave orders to sound the retreat so as to spare
those regiments that had opened the battle. Some of the fleeing went
beyond the Vistula; others to Konskovoli, leaving the field and the
glory of the victory to Karl; for specially those who had crossed the
Vyepr were long pursued by the squadrons of Zbrojek and Kalinski, who
remained yet with the Swedes.
There was delight beyond measure in the Swedish camp. No great trophies
fell to the king, it is true,—sacks of oats, and a few empty wagons;
but it was not at that time a question of plunder for Karl. He
comforted himself with this,—that victory followed his steps as before;
that barely had he shown himself when he inflicted defeat on that very
Charnyetski on whom the highest hopes of Yan Kazimir and the
Commonwealth were founded. He could trust that the news would run
through the whole country; that every mouth would repeat, “Charnyetski
is crushed;” that the timid would exaggerate the proportions of the
defeat, and thus weaken hearts and take courage from those who had
grasped their weapons at the call of the confederation of Tyshovtsi.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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