Battle of Krzykawka
Encyclopedia
Battle of Krzykawka was a military engagement that took place during the January Uprising
on May 5, 1863, between Russian
forces and Polish insurgents and foreign (French and Italian) volunteers allied with them. It took place close to the village of Krzykawka
near Olkusz
. The Polish forces were led by general Józef Miniewski and included the Italian Garibaldi Legion
under the command of Francesco Nullo
. The outcome of the engagement was a victory for the Russian forces.
, a fighter for the Italian reunification, was also a supporter of the Polish cause. Nullo, with a selected cadre of volunteers (sometimes known as the Garibaldi Legion
), reached Kraków
in April 1863. They were incorporated into the unit of colonel Józef Miniewski. The Legion crossed the borders of Congress Poland
on the night of May the 3rd and the 4th near Ostrężnica
and Czyżówka
, after organizing in Krzeszowice
. Early in the morning of the 4th the unit's first battle in Poland occurred at Podłęże where it defeated a Russian force (the garrison
from Olkusz
). With a Polish unit commanded by colonel Miniewski, he marched on Olkusz. In the night of May the 4th to 5th or in the early morning of May the 5th they reached Krzykawka
, where they set up a camp.
Miniewski was the overall Polish commander. Nullo commanded the right wing, and count Czapski, the left. The insurgents numbered about 600 soldiers, divided into four companies; the unit had only a dozen or so cavalrymen. Polish forces included the twenty or so Italians from the Garibaldi's Legion and several French volunteers, remnants of the Zouaves of Death
. Russian forces were composed of three companies (7th and 9th companies of the Vitebsk Infantry Regiment and the 4th Company of the 7th Riflemen Battalion) and were commanded by prince Szachowski, commander of the Olkusz garrison.
At first, both sides kept at distance, about 250 meters, and exchanged sporadic fire. Nullo, worried that the Russians may be trying to outflank the insurgents, ordered a charge. In the first stage of the battle, the insurgents pushed the Russian troops back in close fighting; but subsequent Russian reinforcements consisting of three companies turned the tide and the insurgents and their foreign allies suffered heavy casualties and were forced to retreat. The battle lasted until two in the afternoon.
Nullo was mortally injured, hit by a Cossack
bullet while preparing (or leading - sources vary) a charge he ordered; he had only time to whisper, in Bergamo dialect
:So' mort! (I'm dead). Polish commander Miniewski also died; Nullo's adjutant
, Elia Marchetti was mortally wounded and died two days later. Prisoners including some Italians were deported to Siberia, among them were Nullo's friend from Bergamo, Luigi Caroli and Giovanni Rustici from Corniglio
.
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
on May 5, 1863, between Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
forces and Polish insurgents and foreign (French and Italian) volunteers allied with them. It took place close to the village of Krzykawka
Krzykawka
Krzykawka is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Bolesław, within Olkusz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland.The village has a population of 830.-References:...
near Olkusz
Olkusz
Olkusz is a town in south Poland with 37,696 inhabitants . Situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship , it is the capital of Olkusz County...
. The Polish forces were led by general Józef Miniewski and included the Italian Garibaldi Legion
Garibaldi Legion
The Garibaldi Legion was a small unit of Italian volunteers who fought for Polish independence in the January Uprising of 1863...
under the command of Francesco Nullo
Francesco Nullo
Francesco Nullo was an Italian patriot, military officer and a merchant, a close friend and confidant of Giuseppe Garibaldi. He supported independence movements in Italy and Poland...
. The outcome of the engagement was a victory for the Russian forces.
Background
Francesco NulloFrancesco Nullo
Francesco Nullo was an Italian patriot, military officer and a merchant, a close friend and confidant of Giuseppe Garibaldi. He supported independence movements in Italy and Poland...
, a fighter for the Italian reunification, was also a supporter of the Polish cause. Nullo, with a selected cadre of volunteers (sometimes known as the Garibaldi Legion
Garibaldi Legion
The Garibaldi Legion was a small unit of Italian volunteers who fought for Polish independence in the January Uprising of 1863...
), reached Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
in April 1863. They were incorporated into the unit of colonel Józef Miniewski. The Legion crossed the borders of Congress Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
on the night of May the 3rd and the 4th near Ostrężnica
Ostreznica
Ostrężnica is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Krzeszowice, within Kraków County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately north-west of Krzeszowice and north-west of the regional capital Kraków....
and Czyżówka
Czyzówka
Czyżówka may refer to the following places:*Czyżówka, Chrzanów County in Lesser Poland Voivodeship *Czyżówka, Gorlice County in Lesser Poland Voivodeship *Czyżówka, Masovian Voivodeship...
, after organizing in Krzeszowice
Krzeszowice
Krzeszowice is a town in southern Poland, situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. As of 2004, the population of Krzeszowice was 9,993.In 2008, it was selected with 19 villages of Europe -Germany, Poland, Italy and Spain- for the Spanish documentary film "Villages of Europe" Pueblos de Europa,...
. Early in the morning of the 4th the unit's first battle in Poland occurred at Podłęże where it defeated a Russian force (the garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
from Olkusz
Olkusz
Olkusz is a town in south Poland with 37,696 inhabitants . Situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship , it is the capital of Olkusz County...
). With a Polish unit commanded by colonel Miniewski, he marched on Olkusz. In the night of May the 4th to 5th or in the early morning of May the 5th they reached Krzykawka
Krzykawka
Krzykawka is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Bolesław, within Olkusz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, in southern Poland.The village has a population of 830.-References:...
, where they set up a camp.
Battle
Soon after setting a camp on the morning of the 5th the insurgents were attacked by Russian troops coming from Olkusz.Miniewski was the overall Polish commander. Nullo commanded the right wing, and count Czapski, the left. The insurgents numbered about 600 soldiers, divided into four companies; the unit had only a dozen or so cavalrymen. Polish forces included the twenty or so Italians from the Garibaldi's Legion and several French volunteers, remnants of the Zouaves of Death
Zouaves of Death
Zouaves of Death were a Polish military unit during the January Uprising, formed in February 1863 from volunteers in Ojców, Poland, by the French officer François Rochebrune...
. Russian forces were composed of three companies (7th and 9th companies of the Vitebsk Infantry Regiment and the 4th Company of the 7th Riflemen Battalion) and were commanded by prince Szachowski, commander of the Olkusz garrison.
At first, both sides kept at distance, about 250 meters, and exchanged sporadic fire. Nullo, worried that the Russians may be trying to outflank the insurgents, ordered a charge. In the first stage of the battle, the insurgents pushed the Russian troops back in close fighting; but subsequent Russian reinforcements consisting of three companies turned the tide and the insurgents and their foreign allies suffered heavy casualties and were forced to retreat. The battle lasted until two in the afternoon.
Nullo was mortally injured, hit by a Cossack
Cossack
Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
bullet while preparing (or leading - sources vary) a charge he ordered; he had only time to whisper, in Bergamo dialect
Bergamasque
The Bergamasque is the western variant of the Eastern Lombard group of the Lombard language. It is mainly spoken in the province of Bergamo and in the area around Crema, in central Lombardy....
:So' mort! (I'm dead). Polish commander Miniewski also died; Nullo's adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
, Elia Marchetti was mortally wounded and died two days later. Prisoners including some Italians were deported to Siberia, among them were Nullo's friend from Bergamo, Luigi Caroli and Giovanni Rustici from Corniglio
Corniglio
Corniglio is a comune in the Province of Parma in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 100 km west of Bologna and about 40 km southwest of Parma...
.
