Battle of Węgrów
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| January Uprising | |||||||
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| Combatants | |||||||
| Poland | imperial Russia | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| Władysław Jabłonowski Jan Matliński |
colonel Georgij Papaafanasopulo | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 2 000 infantry including scythemen | 1 000 infantry, few cannons | ||||||
| Casualties | |||||||
| 150 | ? | ||||||
Battle of Węgrów was one of the most famous skirmishes of January Uprising. It took place February 3, 1863 near Węgrów in east Masovia.
On January 22 Polish partizans liberated a town from Russians staffs. Here Poles established a military base, in a few days gathering near 3 500 soldiers. But Russians decided to recapture Węgrów by rapid attack of 1 000 unit with cannons. Poles were threatened by encirclement, and moved 1 000 scythemen against Russian cannons, saving retreat of their main forces from a town. Russians were beaten and compelled to return.
Polish victory was rumoured all over the Europe. French poet Henri Auguste Barbier wrote a poem Węgrów attack, comparing a Polish fighters to Spartans in Battle of Thermopylae. This battle is so called Polish Thermopylae.
| January Uprising |
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| Ciołków • Węgrów • Miechów • Staszów • Małogoszcz • Pieskowa Skała • Chrobrze • Grochowiska • Żyrzyn • Opatów |
