Battle of Fraustadt

For the 1939 raid during World War II, see Raid on Fraustadt.
Battle of Fraustadt
Part of the Great Northern War
Engraving made by Johann Christian Marchand
Battallie bei Fraustad – Johann Christian Marchand
Date2 February 1706 (O.S.)
3 February 1706 (Swedish calendar)
13 February 1706 (N.S.)
Location
Fraustadt (Wschowa), Poland
Result Swedish victory
Belligerents
Swedish Empire Swedish Empire  Saxony
Tsardom of Russia Tsardom of Russia
Commanders and leaders
Swedish Empire Carl Gustaf Rehnskiöld Electorate of Saxony Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg (WIA)
Strength

9,400:[1]

3,700 infantry
5,700 cavalry,
(no artillery)

20,000:[2]

16,000 infantry
4,000 cavalry,
32 artillery pieces
Casualties and losses

1,500:[3]

452 killed,
1,077 wounded

15,000:[4]

7,377 killed
7,300–7,900 captured

The Battle of Fraustadt was fought on 2 February 1706 (O.S.) / 3 February 1706 (Swedish calendar) / 13 February 1706 (N.S.) between Sweden and Saxony-Poland and their Russian allies near Fraustadt (now Wschowa) in Poland. During the Battle of Fraustadt on February 3, August II was only 120 km away, with a cavalry force about 8,000 men strong. According to Cathal Nolan that caused Swedish General Rehnskiöld to rush to engage Schulenburg. The Swedes were outnumbered by more than two to one by Saxons, mercenaries, and Russians. Ignoring the odds, Rehnsköld attacked the enemy's well-entrenched position. He sent cavalry to drive off defending Saxon horse on either wing and complete a classic double envelopment. The manoeuvre meant they could attack from behind into the center rear of the enemy's main line. The result was 8,000 Russian deaths and 5,000 Saxons and German mercenaries taken prisoner. The battle is a textbook example of a perfect pincer movement and was one of Sweden's key victories in the Great Northern War.[5]

  1. ^ Ericson, Lars m.fl (2003). Svenska slagfält (in Swedish). Värnamo: Wahlström & Widstrand. p. 274. ISBN 91-46-21087-3.
  2. ^ Sjöström, Oskar (2008). Fraustadt 1706. Ett fält färgat rött (in Swedish). Lund: Historiska Media. pp. 132–133. ISBN 978-91-85507-90-0.
  3. ^ Беспалов А. В. (Alexander V. Bespalov) Русский вспомогательный корпус на службе Саксонии в эпоху Великой Северной войны // Северная Европа: проблемы истории. Вып.5. М., 2005. С. 245.
  4. ^ Sjöström, Oskar (2008). Fraustadt 1706. Ett fält färgat rött (in Swedish). Lund: Historiska Media. pp. 145–146. ISBN 978-91-85507-90-0.
  5. ^ Cathal J. Nolan, Wars of the Age of Louis XIV (2008) pp 128-139, 186, 233-235.