Crossing of the Daugava
Encyclopedia
The Crossing of the Düna on July 9, 1701 was a Swedish
push into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
after the Swedes' victory at the Narva
in late 1700. The Swedish king Charles XII was in hot pursuit king Augustus II the Strong
of Poland
and Saxony
, who was commanding Saxon and Russian troops. The battle turned out to be a great Swedish triumph, the crossing was easily made, and enemy troops were quickly broken and scattered by retreat.
The battle started on the morning of the 9th. The Saxon/Russian army numbered approximately 19,000 men, under the command of the Saxon Generalfeldmarschall
Adam Heinrich von Steinau
. In the first attack wave about 7,000 Swedes crossed the Düna (Daugava), supported by a number of heavily armed ships, which under cover of smoke had managed to sail up the river. The Swedes launched a surprise attack on the Polish and Saxon forces camped on the opposite bank of Düna (Daugava) in the Spilve meadows. As the smoke slowly cleared away, the Saxons become aware what was going on and immediately launched a counterattack. The Swedish force, under the personal command of the king, would not retreat. After a brief stalemate, the Swedes managed to form up and initiate a second attack. After two hours the battle was won. The Swedish army successfully crossed the river, and the Saxons were in retreat.
During the battle, small barges armed with cannons were used, thus combining land and sea forces as well as deception
(smoke) to achieve a stunning victory, carefully planned and very well executed.
After the battle, Courland
fell to Sweden, and Charles XII and his army marched into Bauska
, where the army stayed until August 11.
In preparation for his attack on Riga, king Charles XII ordered the first bridge across the Daugava, which was made of anchored and interconnected by ropes boats. After the Swedish victory, the city was left with the structure. In 1705, the bridge, which had been lodged for the winter in Vējzaķsalas Bay, was washed away by the high spring waters. Later, the floating bridge was restored, but in 1710, it was destroyed again by the Russian army when it besieged Riga.
Participants included Otto Arnold von Paykull
.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
push into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
after the Swedes' victory at the Narva
Battle of Narva (1700)
The Battle of Narva on 19 November 1700 was an early battle in the Great Northern War. A Swedish relief army under Charles XII of Sweden defeated a Russian siege force three times its size. Before, Charles XII had forced Denmark-Norway to sign the Treaty of Travendal...
in late 1700. The Swedish king Charles XII was in hot pursuit king Augustus II the Strong
Augustus II the Strong
Frederick Augustus I or Augustus II the Strong was Elector of Saxony and King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania ....
of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, who was commanding Saxon and Russian troops. The battle turned out to be a great Swedish triumph, the crossing was easily made, and enemy troops were quickly broken and scattered by retreat.
The battle started on the morning of the 9th. The Saxon/Russian army numbered approximately 19,000 men, under the command of the Saxon Generalfeldmarschall
Generalfeldmarschall
Field Marshal or Generalfeldmarschall in German, was a rank in the armies of several German states and the Holy Roman Empire; in the Austrian Empire, the rank Feldmarschall was used...
Adam Heinrich von Steinau
Adam Heinrich von Steinau
Adam Heinrich Graf von Steinau was a Saxon Generalfeldmarschall.Steinau served in the Bavarian contingent in the 1685-1688 campaign in Ottoman Hungary against the Ottoman Empire. He then participated in the War of the Grand Alliance against France under Charles V, Duke of Lorraine and in the...
. In the first attack wave about 7,000 Swedes crossed the Düna (Daugava), supported by a number of heavily armed ships, which under cover of smoke had managed to sail up the river. The Swedes launched a surprise attack on the Polish and Saxon forces camped on the opposite bank of Düna (Daugava) in the Spilve meadows. As the smoke slowly cleared away, the Saxons become aware what was going on and immediately launched a counterattack. The Swedish force, under the personal command of the king, would not retreat. After a brief stalemate, the Swedes managed to form up and initiate a second attack. After two hours the battle was won. The Swedish army successfully crossed the river, and the Saxons were in retreat.
During the battle, small barges armed with cannons were used, thus combining land and sea forces as well as deception
Deception
Deception, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, bad faith, and subterfuge are acts to propagate beliefs that are not true, or not the whole truth . Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, and sleight of hand. It can employ distraction, camouflage or concealment...
(smoke) to achieve a stunning victory, carefully planned and very well executed.
After the battle, Courland
Courland
Courland is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
fell to Sweden, and Charles XII and his army marched into Bauska
Bauska
Bauska is a town in Bauska municipality, in the Zemgale region of southern Latvia. The town is situated at the confluence of the rivers Mūsa and Mēmele where they form the Lielupe River...
, where the army stayed until August 11.
In preparation for his attack on Riga, king Charles XII ordered the first bridge across the Daugava, which was made of anchored and interconnected by ropes boats. After the Swedish victory, the city was left with the structure. In 1705, the bridge, which had been lodged for the winter in Vējzaķsalas Bay, was washed away by the high spring waters. Later, the floating bridge was restored, but in 1710, it was destroyed again by the Russian army when it besieged Riga.
Participants included Otto Arnold von Paykull
Otto Arnold von Paykull
Otto Arnold von Paykull , was a Livonian officer in service of the Electorate of Saxony....
.