Battle of Dębe Wielkie


The Battle of Dębe Wielkie was fought on 31 March 1831. The Polish army, led by Jan Skrzynecki, won over Russian curtain forces commanded by General Geismar.

Background

Following the battle of Grochów of 25 February, the Russian advance under General Hans Karl von Diebitsch through Praga did not occur, and he decided to cross Vistula river south of the city trying to take it "from land".

Battle

The Poles, numbering some 40,000 men and 116 cannons on March 31st 1831 advanced from Praga on nearbystanding Russian vanguard under General Geismar and attacked it. Manoeuvring and retreating all day, Geismar went to the village of Debe Wielkie by 4 p. m. Russian force was almost finished but arrival of 3 fresh regiments allowed Geismar to get out of trouble and take hold at the town of Siedlce.

Aftermath

Although Poles gained some ground and inflicted heavy casualties on Russians, they did not manage to achieve their main goal — to finish Rosen's Observation Corps and expose Diebitsch's line of supply.

Literature

Memoire of baron Geismar published by Vladimir Geismar and comments on them. "Russkaya Starina" — 1881, book 5; 1882, book 1.