Battle of Vilnius (1702)

Battle of Vilnius Part of the Great Northern War Date April 5, 1702 (O.S.) April 6, 1702 (Swedish calendar) April 16, 1702 (N.S.) Location Vilnius, Lithuania 54°40′N 25°17′E / 54.667°N 25.283°ECoordinates: 54°40′N 25°17′E / 54.667°N 25.283°E Result Swedish victory Belligerents Swedish Empire Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Commanders and leaders Carl Gustav Mörner Ludwik Konstanty Pociej Strength 2,500–3,000 men 3,000 men Casualties and losses around 50 killed around 100 killed and two artillery pieces lost

The Battle of Vilnius was a battle which took place on 16 April 1702 in Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, during the Great Northern War. After having seen the city early seized by the Swedish army, the grand notary of Lithuania, Ludwik Konstanty Pociej launched a surprise attack with 3,000 men (other figures states as few as 2,000 and others 4,000 men) on the equally matched Swedes of 3,000 men^[1] (due to intense sickness it could be lower [the Dala regiment alone had only 740 men prior to the battle in comparison to the 1,200 of the original strength] with as few as 2,500 men)^[2] under Carl Gustav Mörner stationed inside the city. The attack was, however, repulsed and the Polish army had to withdraw with a loss of 100 men killed and two cannons lost while the Swedes lost 50 men killed in the action.^[3] The city remained in Swedish control until Mörner left it with his army in order to reinforce Charles XII in his battle against Agustus. It was later recaptured by the Swedish general Carl Gustaf Dücker in 1706.

References

Notes

1. Sliesoriūnas (2009), p. 81
2. Loe (2012), p. 42
3. Sliesoriūnas (2009), p. 83

Bibliography

• Loe, Teresa (2012). Where did all the soldiers go? - An analysis of the Losses experienced by the Swedish Army during the Great Northern War (PDF) (Master's). Upsala University. Retrieved 2014-11-13 – via Academic Archive On-line.
• Sliesoriūnas, Gintautas (2009). "The First Occupation of Vilnius during the Great Northern War (April-May 1702)". Lithuanian Historical Studies 14. ISSN 1392-2343.