On 17 March 1863, during the January Uprising, the insurgents of Marian Langiewicz, newly proclaimed dictator, left Chroberz on the Nida, burned the bridge behind them and fought off a Russian column under Colonel Czengery until dark. Polish reports claimed a victory; the Russian staff history saw only an exchange of fire. In 1776 the British evacuated Boston.
Battle of Chroberz
17 March 1863 · 163 years ago
A rising and its dictator
Marian Langiewicz was proclaimed dictator of the January Uprising in March 1863; his manifesto bore the date of 10 March. His corps included the zouaves of François Rochebrune.1
At Chroberz, on the Nida, the corps halted at the residence of Margrave Wielopolski, and headquarters took over his palace. Langiewicz meant to stay there for a few days to rest his men and horses, sure that the Russians would leave him alone for the time being.2
The fight on the Nida
The Russian column was led by Colonel Czengery. The insurgent bulletin and the 1913 history of Stanisław Zieliński put it at about 3,000 men with four guns. During dinner on 17 March word came that the Russians were approaching, and Langiewicz ordered an immediate march. The main body set off across the river in the afternoon, around three o'clock, and the bridge was set on fire behind it.3
As the column turned toward Zagość, Russian troops appeared on the heights, and panic broke out among the insurgent wagons. Langiewicz sent the battalion of Dionizy Czachowski onto the hills on his right.4
Zouaves against dragoons
A squadron of dragoons came on at a trot against Rochebrune's small detachment by the burning bridge. The zouaves met them with fire; the dragoons halted and replied with their carbines. When the bridge had burned down, Rochebrune fell back toward the main body, stopping now and then to fire.5
Two versions of one fight
The Polish reports told of a victory. The insurgent bulletin and the Kraków daily Czas wrote that every Russian attack was beaten back and the Russians were chased toward Busko until nightfall. The bulletin claimed two guns taken and more than 300 Russians killed and wounded, figures that Zieliński repeated.6
The other side saw something much smaller. The Russian staff history compiled by S. Gesket says the attack from two sides, meant to cut off the insurgents' retreat, failed and the affair ended in a mere exchange of fire, broken off by darkness. Langiewicz's chief of staff, Władysław Bentkowski, wrote: "Tak się skończyła owa bitwa, czy też owo spotkanie", so ended that battle, or rather that encounter (our translation). Both put the insurgents' own losses as slight.7
The day after
That night the insurgents marched on through Zagość toward Grochowiska and halted at Wełecz. On 18 March they fought the Russians again at Grochowiska. On 19 March Langiewicz left the camp, crossed into Austrian territory and was arrested there by the Austrian authorities. For the long record of Polish arms, see our guide to the greatest battles in Polish history.8
Battle of Jasmund, 1864: the Prussian Navy's first fight
17 March 1864 · 162 years ago
Off the Jasmund peninsula on Rügen, a Prussian squadron sortied against the Danish ships blockading the Baltic coast during the Second Schleswig War. After a two-hour action the stronger Danish force drove the Prussians back, although the war itself was settled on land.
Read the full story of Battle of Jasmund, 1864: the Prussian Navy's first fight ›Also on this day
1776: on the morning of 17 March the British army evacuated Boston, as both George Washington and General William Howe reported. Massachusetts law sets apart 17 March each year as Evacuation Day and calls the evacuation "the first major military victory in the war for American independence".9
