One of the largest battles of the January Uprising, in which Polish insurgents defeated a Russian force roughly twice their size.
Key Facts
- Date
- September 3, 1863
- Polish insurgent strength
- ~1,200 fighters
- Russian force strength
- up to 3,000 soldiers
- Polish casualties
- ~35 dead
- Russian casualties
- ~300
- Hungarian volunteers present
- ~40, led by Count Edward Nyáry
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the January Uprising of 1863, Polish insurgents operating in the Lublin region organized two units under Colonel Marcin Borelowski and Kajetan Cieszkowski, totaling roughly 1,200 fighters. A Russian detachment of up to 3,000 troops, including dragoons, Cossacks, and artillery, moved to suppress the insurgency in the area near Panasówka.
On September 3, 1863, Polish forces took a defensive position on the Polak hill. After a Russian artillery barrage and infantry assault, Polish cavalry halted the Russian advance. The Poles then launched a counterattack, broke through Russian lines, and destroyed four Russian cannons. Hungarian volunteer Major Edward Nyáry was mortally wounded during the fighting and died the following day.
The Polish victory resulted in roughly 300 Russian casualties against approximately 35 Polish dead. After the battle, Borelowski's unit marched toward Batorz while Cieszkowski's headed northwest. A mass grave near Panasówka and a commemorative monument on Polak hill with tablets in Polish and Hungarian mark the site today.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Colonel Marcin 'Lelewel' Borelowski, Kajetan 'Ćwiek' Cieszkowski, Count Edward Nyáry.
Side B
1 belligerent
Major Sternberg.