Battle of Horodok (1655)

The battle of Gródek Jagielloński or battle of Horodok took place during the Russo-Polish War (1654–67) on 29 September 1655. Russian and Ukrainian Cossack forces under Vasily Borisovich Sheremetev and Bohdan Khmelnytsky engaged a Polish–Lithuanian army under Stanisław "Rewera" Potocki near Gródek Jagielloński, which at that time was part of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth's Ruthenian Voivodeship (now Horodok, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine). Polish forces were defeated and forced to retreat, losing their supplies to the Russians. The Russians advanced, besieging Lwow, and Potocki with the remains of his army was soon forced to surrender to the invading Swedes.

Battle of Horodok
Part of Russo-Polish War (1654–67)
Date 29 September 1655 Location Horodok, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine Result Muscovite–Cossack victory
Belligerents
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth	Russian Tsardom Zaporozhian Cossacks
Commanders and leaders
Stanisław "Rewera" Potocki	Vasily Sheremetev Bohdan Khmelnytsky
Strength
5,000	8,000
Casualties and losses
1,000 killed, 200 captured	Unknown

In August 1655, Russian-Cossack forces moved into Red Ruthenia, which at that time was one of few provinces of the Commonwealth still controlled by Polish forces, as in July of that year, Poland–Lithuania had been invaded by the Swedish Empire. Russian-Cossack forces were faced by a numerically inferior Polish Crown army commanded by Hetman Stanislaw "Rewera" Potocki. The Poles were supported by light Crimean Tatar cavalry, but their forces were inadequate to stop the Russians, and were steadily pushed westwards by the invaders. Near Grodek Jagiellonski Russian cavalry forced their opponent to fight among swamps and ponds.

First Russian charge was repulsed, and Polish cavalry followed the retreating enemy, getting between two columns of Cossack infantry. Hetman Potocki ordered a retreat, which turned into panic. Potocki managed to regain the control of his army, but Russian-Cossack forces were too numerous, and despite desperate resistance, they managed to capture Polish camp, chasing retreating Poles as far as Jaworow.

After the victory, Russians and Cossacks besieged Lwow: to save itself, the city paid an enormous sum of money. The invaders then headed to Lublin, reaching as far west as the Vistula near Pulawy and Kazimierz Dolny. To save his army from complete annihilation, Potocki surrendered to King of Sweden Charles X Gustav, on October 28, 1655.

References

• Karol Marcinkowski, Cień złotego cielca nad walczącą Rzeczpospolitą 1655 r., Nakładem i drukiem "Straży,", 1957, Google Print, p.51
• Babulin, Igor (2017). Важнейшие победы России в Русско-Польской войне 1654-1667 [The most important Russian victories in the Russo-Polish War of 1654-1667] (in Russian). Ответ рецензенту (Папакін А. Реванш російської історіографії: Канів, 1662 р.). История военного дела: исследования и источники.