“In my life I was twice in hell - at the storming of Ishmael and at the storming of Prague… It's terrible to remember!..” - General von Klugen, who fought on the side of the Russians.
Continuation, the beginning of the series read: The military genius of Suvorov. The storming of Ishmael.
The course towards the elimination of Poland
Probably no people in Europe are more quarrelsome and meaner than the Polish lords. Although by blood they are relatives of the Slavs, as they say, the family has its black sheep … At every opportunity they tried to profit from other Slavs, and even now they do not give up their attempts.
One of these cases served as a pretext for the next partition of the once powerful state of the Commonwealth, depriving it of the remnants of its former independence.
In 1772, after another Polish civil strife, Russia, Prussia and Austria signed an agreement on the (first) partition of Poland. After that, the gentry was forgotten for a while. In 1787, Catherine II invited her former lover Stanislav Poniatowski, whom she made King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, to enter into an alliance with Russia directed against Turkey.
The capture of the Krakow Castle by Suvorov.
Promotional video:
The Prussian king Friedrich-Wilhelm II, afraid of the strengthening of Russia and Austria during the war with Turkey, promised the Polish Sejm an alliance, guarantees of independence, freedom and security of Poland. The gentry, of course, was led and trusted the Prussians, a coup d'etat took place. It was heading towards a new civil strife and war.
Russia did not wait for the spread of the revolutionary infection (having in mind the bloody events in France), sent troops to Poland and won several victories over the rebels. Seeing such a thing, the Prussian king spat on promises to the Poles and joined the Russians.
In January 1793, Prussia and Russia signed a convention on the second partition of Poland. Russia received Western Russian lands (a significant part of modern Belarus and the Left-Bank Ukraine). The western part of Poland went to Prussia. In large Polish cities, including Warsaw, Russian military garrisons were located, which made Polish independence very conditional.
Tadeusz Kosciuszko.
Warsaw (Massacre) Matins
Lyakhi would not be Lyakhi if they calmed down on this. The gentry went up to Russia again. This time, the leader of the uprising was Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a professional soldier who became famous in the US War of Independence. He also fought in revolutionary France, which made it possible to hope (as they thought) for the help of the French.
An attack on the Russian garrisons in Warsaw and Vilna was planned and carried out. A particular meanness was that the attack was planned for Easter, during festive divine services, dismissals and general relaxation. Secret preparations for the massacre of Russian soldiers and officers, as well as members of their families, were conducted long before the start of the mutiny.
The Polish army also actively helped the townspeople, although war on Russia was not declared. Even the king's personal guard, contrary to his order, abandoned their posts in the palace and went to slaughter the Russians, shouting the slogan so popular today in the neighboring country: "Muscovites - to the knives!"
Captured Russian soldiers from the garrison are being led across Warsaw.
So, the 3rd battalion of the Kiev grenadier regiment, who received communion on this day of the Holy Mysteries, was captured in the temple without weapons and almost completely destroyed by the angry rabble. No one was literally given mercy. Separate parts of the garrison with bayonets fought their way out of Warsaw.
“Thousands of Russians were massacred then, sleepy and unarmed, in houses they thought were friendly. Taken by surprise, absent-mindedly, some in bed, others in gatherings for the holiday, others on the way to churches, they could neither defend themselves nor run and fell under inglorious blows, cursing fate that they were dying without revenge. Some, however, managed to grab their guns and, locked themselves in rooms, in barns, in attics, fired desperately; very rare ones managed to hide”- wrote AA Bestuzhev-Marlinsky.
During the massacre, 2,265 people were killed, 122 people were wounded. Despite everything, most of the Russian garrison managed to escape from Warsaw. This dramatic event in the 18th century was called "Polish St. Bartholomew's Night", and went down in history as "Warsaw Matins".
Storming of Prague, battle plan.
Let's go and show how the Poles are beaten
Catherine II entrusted the main command of the Russian troops to Count Rumyantsev. The old and sick commander made the first and last decision, summoning Suvorov to Poland without the empress's sanction. Only in hindsight did Catherine write: "I sent two armies to Poland - one real, the other Suvorov." "Let's go and show how the Poles are beaten!" - exclaimed Suvorov.
With his 8,000-strong detachment, Suvorov, during a rapid march to Warsaw, defeated several outnumbered Poles. The news of the appearance of Suvorov and his invincible army greatly demoralized the Polish units.
Having united with two other Russian detachments, on October 22, Suvorov's troops reached Prague, a heavily fortified suburb of Warsaw, which was located on the right bank of the Vistula. The forces of the opponents were approximately equal. The pans thought that Suvorov would confine himself to the siege or blockade of Prague, and did not lose heart, hoping that the general uprising of the people and the diplomatic intervention of France would give a different turn to the matter.
Storming of Prague.
However, Suvorov did not wait, before the assault the soldiers were told the words of the commander: "Don't run at home, beg for mercy - spare, don't kill the unarmed, don't fight with women, don't touch the youngsters." And early the next morning, the assault began.
The Poles fought furiously, they fired at the assailants from all windows and doors, which caused a response - the soldiers burst into houses and in the smoke, shots and explosions did not make out who was in front of them. Finally, the inhabitants of Prague ran to the bridge to Warsaw, but one of our detachments set it on fire, the path to retreat was cut off.
Fierce resistance and bitterness about those killed in the garrison demanded revenge. A gunpowder store exploded, the city burned from four sides. Survivors huddled together at the burned-out bridge: "Nobody's sorry!" our soldiers shouted. Revenge for Polish treachery was terrible …
I recommend reading: Poles are still warriors …
Massacre in Prague. Artist A. Orlovsky, 1810.
Hurray, Field Marshal
At a meeting with ambassadors from the Polish king, Suvorov said: “We have no war with Poland; I am not a minister, but a military leader: I crush crowds of rebels."
“Our Russian troops entered Warsaw with banners unfurled, drumming and music; Count Suvorov rode in a simple uniform. As soon as the winner descended from the bridge, on the very shore he was greeted by the magistrate, merchants and bourgeoisie with bread and salt, and he was presented with the city keys (the very Poles who watched the destruction of Prague!).
The streets, along which the winners passed, were strewn with people who exclaimed: “Vivat Ekaterina! Vivat Suvorov! - from the memoirs of Engelhardt, a participant in the capture of Warsaw. Entering Warsaw, Alexander Vasilyevich took with him only those regiments that were not garrisoned here during the dastardly Polish attack, in order to avoid the continuation of revenge.
Suvorov's entry to surrendered Warsaw.
"Hooray! Warsaw is ours! " - he wrote to the empress. "Hooray! Field Marshal! " - answered Ekaterina. The rank of a field marshal and an estate of 7 thousand souls became the commander's awards. He was also awarded the Prussian Orders of the Black and Red Eagles, and the Austrian emperor sent his portrait to Suvorov.
The field marshal released the prisoners, issued an amnesty order, after which ALL the rebels laid down their arms. The Polish king Stanislav-August abdicated and left for Grodno, and then for St. Petersburg. The Polish state was liquidated. On October 24, 1795, a trilateral Russian-Prussian-Austrian convention on the third partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was signed in St. Petersburg.
Mentions of the massacres in Warsaw and Vilna are engraved among the great victories of Polish weapons on the marble slabs of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Warsaw. Together with them, such victories as the capture of Moscow in 1610 and Berlin in 1945, as well as Borodino in 1812 are indicated.
Afterword
And finally, another quote from Bulgarin: “The good general, telling me about the Prague assault, was in great agitation, and even wiped away his tears several times. "Hell, living hell!" he repeated several times. You, my dear readers, no doubt, have heard the comic saying more than once: "It's great for a Russian, but death for a German!"
General von Klugen assured me that this proverb was born during the storming of Prague. Our soldiers, having smashed the pharmacy, already engulfed in flames, carried a bottle out into the street, tried what was in it, and began to drink, praising: glorious, glorious wine! At this time, a convoy of our artillery from the Germans was passing by.
Thinking that the soldiers were drinking ordinary vodka, the horseman took a glass, drank a stench - and immediately fell down, and after a while he died. It was alcohol! When they told Suvorov about this incident, he said: “It is free for the German to compete with the Russians! The Russian is great, but the German is death!"
