A surprise Polish night attack disrupted Swedish control of central Poland and directly led to the fall of Kalisz on November 8, 1656.
Key Facts
- Date
- Night of August 28, 1656
- Polish force size
- 200–500 men (approx. 300 noblemen)
- Swedish-Brandenburg force size
- 800–2000 men
- Enemy casualties
- 500–800 killed; entire command per des Noyers
- Swedish commander fate
- Jan Wejhard von Wrzesowicz killed by peasants
- Strategic outcome
- Besieged Kalisz garrison surrendered Nov 8, 1656
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Swedish and Brandenburg forces were marching to relieve the besieged town of Kalisz, held by a Swedish garrison and invested by a Polish army under voivode Jakub Wejher. A Polish force under voivode Andrzej Karol Grudziński learned from local peasants that a small enemy detachment was camped at the village of Lubrze in Greater Poland, presenting an opportunity for a surprise attack.
On the night of August 28, 1656, roughly 300 Polish noblemen launched a nocturnal assault on the Swedish-Brandenburg cavalry camp at Lubrze. The Poles first annihilated the 60-man night guard, then attacked the main body. The darkness and confusion prevented the enemy from mounting their horses, and fighting spilled into the village and along a nearby stream. Between 500 and 800 enemy soldiers were killed, and numerous prisoners were taken, including a Prussian colonel.
The Polish victory forced the Brandenburg-Prussian Elector to divert a relief column under Derflinger northward to Toruń, abandoning the march to Kalisz. Stripped of any prospect of reinforcement, the besieged Swedish garrison of Kalisz surrendered to Polish forces on November 8, 1656, seriously weakening the Swedish hold on central Poland during the Deluge.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Andrzej Karol Grudziński.
Side B
1 belligerent
Jan Wejhard von Wrzesowicz.