Battle of Poltava (Battle of Poltava). Poltava battle briefly

Poltava battle


	Near Poltava, Ukraine
	Decisive Russian victory
Opponents

Commanders

Carl Gustav Rehnschild	Alexander Danilovich Menshikov
Side forces
General Forces: 26,000 Swedes (about 11,000 cavalry and 15,000 infantry), 1,000 Wallachian hussars, 41 guns, about 2,000 Cossacks Total: about 37,000 Forces in battle: 8270 infantry, 7800 dragoons and reytars, 1000 hussars, 4 guns Did not take part in the battle: Cossacks	General Forces: about 37,000 infantry (87 battalions), 23,700 cavalry (27 regiments and 5 squadrons), 102 guns Total: about 60,000 Forces in battle: 25,000 infantry, 9,000 dragoons, Cossacks and Kalmyks, another 3,000 Kalmyks came to the end of the battle Poltava garrison: 4200 infantry, 2000 Cossacks, 28 guns

Poltava battle- the largest battle of the Northern War between the Russian troops under the command of Peter I and the Swedish army of Charles XII. It took place on the morning of June 27 (July 8), 1709, 6 versts from the city of Poltava on Ukrainian lands (the Left Bank of the Dnieper). The decisive victory of the Russian army led to a turning point in northern war in favor of Russia and put an end to the dominance of Sweden as the main military force in Europe.

After the Battle of Narva in 1700 Charles XII invaded Europe and a long war broke out with the participation of many states, in which the army of Charles XII was able to move far south, winning victories.

After Peter I conquered part of Livonia from Charles XII and founded a new fortress city of St. Petersburg at the mouth of the Neva, Charles decided to attack central Russia with the capture of Moscow. During the campaign, he decided to lead his army to Little Russia, whose hetman - Mazepa - went over to the side of Charles, but was not supported by the bulk of the Cossacks. By the time Charles' army approached Poltava, he had lost up to a third of the army, his rear was attacked by Peter's light cavalry - Cossacks and Kalmyks, and was wounded just before the battle. The battle was lost by Charles, and he fled to the Ottoman Empire.

background

In October 1708, Peter I became aware of the betrayal and defection to the side of Charles XII, Hetman Mazepa, who negotiated with the king for quite a long time, promising him, in case of arrival in Ukraine, up to 50 thousand Cossack troops, food and comfortable wintering. On October 28, 1708, Mazepa, at the head of a detachment of Cossacks, arrived at Karl's headquarters. It was in this year that Peter I amnestied and recalled from exile (accused of betrayal on the slander of Mazepa) the Ukrainian colonel Paliy Semyon (real name Gurko); thus the sovereign of Russia enlisted the support of the Cossacks.

Of the many thousands of Ukrainian Cossacks (registered Cossacks, there were 30 thousand, Zaporozhye Cossacks - 10-12 thousand), Mazepa managed to bring only up to 10 thousand people, about 3 thousand registered Cossacks and about 7 thousand Cossacks. But even those soon began to scatter from the camp of the Swedish army. Such unreliable allies, of which about 2 thousand remained, King Charles XII was afraid to use them in battle, and therefore left them in the wagon train.

In the spring of 1709, Charles XII, being with his army on the territory of Russia, decided to resume the offensive against Moscow through Kharkov and Belgorod. The strength of his army was significantly reduced and amounted to 35 thousand people. In an effort to create favorable conditions for the offensive, Karl decides to quickly capture Poltava, located on the right bank of the Vorskla.

On April 30, Swedish troops began the siege of Poltava. Under the leadership of Colonel A. S. Kelin, its garrison of 4.2 thousand soldiers (Tver and Ustyug soldier regiments and one battalion each from three more regiments - Perm, Apraksin and Fekhtenheim), 2 thousand Cossacks of the Poltava Cossack regiment (Colonel Ivan Levenets) and 2.6 thousand armed citizens successfully repulsed a number of assaults. From April to June, the Swedes undertook 20 assaults on Poltava and lost more than 6 thousand people under its walls. At the end of May, the main forces of the Russian army, led by Peter, approached Poltava. They were located on the opposite left bank of the Vorskla River from Poltava. After Peter decided on a general battle at the military council on June 16, on the same day the Russian advance detachment crossed Vorskla north of Poltava, near the village of Petrovka, making it possible for the entire army to cross.

On June 19, the main forces of the Russian troops marched to the crossing and the next day they crossed the Vorskla. Peter I encamped the army near the village of Semyonovka. On June 25, the Russian army relocated even further south, taking up a position 5 kilometers from Poltava, near the village of Yakovtsy. The total strength of the two armies was impressive: the Russian army consisted of 60,000 soldiers and 102 artillery pieces. Charles XII had up to 37 thousand soldiers (including up to ten thousand Zaporozhye and Ukrainian Cossacks of Hetman Mazepa) and 41 guns (30 cannons, 2 howitzers, 8 mortars and 1 shotgun). A smaller number of troops took part directly in the battle of Poltava. On the Swedish side there are about 8,000 infantry (18 battalions), 7,800 cavalry and about 1,000 irregular cavalry, and on the Russian side - about 25,000 infantry, some of which, even being present on the field, did not take part in the battle. In addition, cavalry units numbering 9,000 soldiers and Cossacks (including Ukrainians loyal to Peter) participated in the battle from the Russian side. On the Russian side, 73 artillery pieces were involved in the battle against 4 Swedish ones. Charges for the Swedish artillery were almost completely used up during the days of the siege of Poltava.

On June 26, the Russians began to build a forward position. Ten redoubts were erected, which occupied two battalions of the Belgorod Infantry Regiment of Colonel Savva Aigustov under the command of Lieutenant Colonels Neklyudov and Nechaev. Behind the redoubts were 17 cavalry regiments under the command of A. D. Menshikov.

Charles XII, having received information about the imminent approach to the Russians of a large Kalmyk detachment, decided to attack Peter's army before the Kalmyks completely disrupted his communications. Wounded during reconnaissance on June 17, the king handed over command to Field Marshal K. G. Renschild, who received 20 thousand soldiers at his disposal. About 10 thousand people, including Mazepa's Cossacks, remained in the camp near Poltava.

On the eve of the battle, Peter I traveled around all the regiments. His brief patriotic appeals to soldiers and officers formed the basis of the famous order, which required the soldiers to fight not for Peter, but for "Russia and Russian piety ..."

Tried to raise the spirit of his army and Charles XII. Inspiring the soldiers, Karl announced that tomorrow they would dine in the Russian wagon train, where a lot of booty awaited them.

The course of the battle

Swedish attack on redoubts

At two o'clock in the morning on June 27, the Swedish infantry advanced from Poltava in four columns, followed by six horse columns. By dawn, the Swedes took to the field in front of the Russian redoubts. Prince Menshikov, having lined up his dragoons in battle formation, moved towards the Swedes, wanting to meet them as soon as possible and thereby gain time to prepare for the battle of the main forces.

When the Swedes saw the advancing Russian dragoons, their cavalry quickly rode between the columns of their infantry and swiftly rushed to the Russian cavalry. By three o'clock in the morning, a heated battle was already in full swing in front of the redoubts. At first, the Swedish cuirassiers pressed the Russian cavalry, but, quickly recovering, the Russian cavalry pushed the Swedes back with repeated blows.

The Swedish cavalry retreated and the infantry went on the attack. The tasks of the infantry were as follows: one part of the infantry should pass the redoubts without a fight in the direction of the main camp of the Russian troops, while the other part of it, under the command of Ross, was to take longitudinal redoubts in order to prevent the enemy from conducting destructive fire on the Swedish infantry, which was advancing towards the fortified camp Russians. The Swedes took the first and second advanced redoubts. Attacks on the third and other redoubts were repulsed.

The fierce stubborn battle lasted more than an hour; during this time, the main forces of the Russians managed to prepare for battle, and therefore Tsar Peter orders the cavalry and defenders of the redoubts to retreat to the main position near the fortified camp. However, Menshikov did not obey the order of the king and, dreaming of putting an end to the Swedes at the redoubts, continued the battle. Soon, however, he was forced to retreat.

Field Marshal Renschild regrouped troops, trying to bypass the Russian redoubts on the left. After capturing two redoubts, the Swedes attacked Menshikov's cavalry, but the Swedish cavalry forced them to retreat. According to Swedish historiography, Menshikov fled. However, the Swedish cavalry, obeying general plan battle, did not develop success.

During the equestrian battle, six right-flank battalions of General Ross stormed the 8th redoubt, but they could not take it, losing up to half during the attack personnel. With the left-flank maneuver of the Swedish troops, a gap formed between them and Ross's battalions and the latter were lost from sight. In an effort to find them, Rehnschild sent 2 more infantry battalions to search for them. However, Ross's troops were defeated by the Russian cavalry.

Meanwhile, Field Marshal Rehnschild, seeing the retreat of the Russian cavalry and infantry, orders his infantry to break through the line of Russian fortifications. This order is immediately executed.

Having broken through the redoubts, the bulk of the Swedes came under heavy artillery and rifle fire from the Russian camp and retreated in disorder to the Budischensky forest. At about six o'clock in the morning, Peter led the army out of the camp and built it in two lines, having infantry in the center, Menshikov's cavalry on the left flank, and General R. H. Bour's cavalry on the right. A reserve of nine infantry battalions was left in the camp. Rehnschild lined up the Swedes opposite the Russian army.

Decisive battle

At 9 o'clock in the morning, the remnants of the Swedish infantry, the number of which was about 4 thousand people, lined up in one line, attacked the Russian infantry, lined up in two lines of about 8 thousand each. First, the opponents entered into a gunfight, then began hand-to-hand combat.

Encouraged by the presence of the king, the right wing of the Swedish infantry furiously attacked the left flank of the Russian army. Under the onslaught of the Swedes, the first line of Russian troops began to retreat. The pressure of the enemy, according to Englund, succumbed to the Kazan, Pskov, Siberian, Moscow, Butyrsky and Novgorod regiments (the advanced battalions of these regiments). In the front line of the Russian infantry, a dangerous break in the battle formation formed: the Swedes "overturned" the 1st battalion of the Novgorod regiment with a bayonet attack. Tsar Peter I noticed this in time, took the 2nd battalion of the Novogorodsky regiment and, at the head of it, rushed to a dangerous place.

The arrival of the king put an end to the successes of the Swedes and order on the left flank was restored. First, in two or three places, under the onslaught of the Russians, the Swedes faltered.

The second line of Russian infantry joined the first, increasing the pressure on the enemy, and the melting thin line of the Swedes did not receive any reinforcements. The flanks of the Russian army covered the battle formation of the Swedes. The Swedes are already tired of the intense battle.

Charles XII tried to inspire his warriors and appeared in the place of the hottest fight. But the ball broke the stretcher of the king, and he fell. Through the ranks of the Swedish army, the news of the death of the king swept with lightning speed. Panic broke out among the Swedes.

Waking up from the fall, Charles XII orders to put himself on crossed peaks and raise him high so that everyone can see him, but this measure did not help either. Under the onslaught of the Russian forces, the Swedes, who had lost their formation, began a disorderly retreat, which turned into a real flight by 11 o'clock. The fainting king barely had time to be taken out of the battlefield, put in a carriage and sent to Perevolochna.

According to Englund, the most tragic fate awaited the two battalions of the Uppland Regiment, which were surrounded and completely destroyed (out of 700 people, a few dozen survived).

Side losses

Menshikov, having received reinforcements of 3,000 Kalmyk cavalry by the evening, pursued the enemy to Perevolochna on the banks of the Dnieper, where about 16,000 Swedes were captured.

In the battle, the Swedes lost over 11 thousand soldiers. Russian losses were 1,345 killed and 3,290 wounded.

Results

As a result of the Battle of Poltava, the army of King Charles XII was so bloodless that it could no longer conduct active offensive operations. He himself managed to escape with Mazepa and hid in the territory Ottoman Empire in Bender. The military power of Sweden was undermined, and in the Northern War there was a turning point in favor of Russia. During the Battle of Poltava, Peter used tactics that are still mentioned in military schools. Shortly before the battle, Peter dressed the experienced soldiers in the uniform of the young ones. Karl, knowing that the form of experienced fighters is different from the form of young ones, led his army to young fighters and fell into a trap.

Cards

The actions of the Russian troops are shown from the moment of the attempt to liberate Poltava because of the Vorskla and until the end of the Poltava battle.

Unfortunately, this most informative scheme cannot be placed here due to its dubious legal status - the original was published in the USSR with a total circulation of about 1,000,000 copies (!).

event memory

On the site of the battle at the beginning of the 20th century, the Poltava Battle Field Museum-Reserve (now the National Museum-Reserve) was founded. A museum was built on its territory, monuments to Peter I, Russian and Swedish soldiers were erected, on the site of the camp of Peter I, etc.
In honor of the 25th anniversary of the Battle of Poltava (which took place on the day of St. Sampson the Hospitable) in 1735, a sculptural group "Samson Tearing the Lion's Mouth" was installed in Peterhof, designed by Carlo Rastrelli. The lion was associated with Sweden, whose coat of arms contains this heraldic beast.

Monuments in Poltava:

Monument of Glory
Monument at the resting place of Peter I after the battle
Monument to Colonel Kelin and the valiant defenders of Poltava.

On coins

In honor of the 300th anniversary of the Battle of Poltava, on June 1, 2009, the Bank of Russia issued the following commemorative silver coins (only reverses are shown):

In fiction

A.S. Pushkin, "Poltava" - in the novel "Poltava Peremoga" by Oleg Kudrin (shortlist of the Nonconformism-2010 Prize, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Moscow), the event is considered, "replayed" in the genre of alternative history.

Images

Documentary film

"Poltava battle. 300 years later." — Russia, 2008

Art films

Servant of the Sovereigns (film)
Prayer for Hetman Mazepa (film)

According to Wikipedia, the famous Battle of Poltava took place on June 27 according to the old, or July 8 according to the new, style in 1709. During the Northern War between Russia and Sweden, it became a key one. From this article you will learn a brief history about the Battle of Poltava.

background

decided to launch an offensive against Russia after defeating King Augustus II, who eventually lost power over the Commonwealth. The date of the beginning of hostilities is June 1708.

First fighting in 1708 took place on the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. You can list such battles: at Good, Lesnaya, Raevka, Golovchin.

The Swedish army lacked food and uniforms; by the time it approached Poltava, it was significantly exhausted and partially decapitated. So, by 1709, she lost about a third of the staff and consisted of just over 30 thousand people.

King Karl ordered to take Poltava in order to create a good outpost for the subsequent attack on Moscow.

Key dates that preceded the battle:

September 28, 1708- the defeat of the Swedes in the battle near the village of Lesnaya. As a result, they lost a significant part of supplies and provisions, and the roads for sending new ones were blocked;
October of the same year - Ukrainian Hetman Mazepa goes over to the side of the Swedes, who, in turn, it was beneficial, since the Cossacks could provide them with food and ammunition.

balance of power

The Swedish army approached Poltava and began its siege in March 1709. The Russians held off the attacks, and Tsar Peter at that time sought to strengthen his army at the expense of allies from the Crimea and Turkey.

However, he could not agree with them, and as a result, a part of the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks (led by Skoropadsky) joined the Russian army, who did not follow Hetman Mazepa. In this composition, the Russian army headed for the besieged city.

It should be said right away that the Poltava garrison was too numerous and amounted to just over 2 thousand people. But, despite this, he was able to successfully resist regular assaults from the enemy for three months. It is believed that during this period, they repulsed about 20 attacks, and also destroyed about 6 thousand opponents.

By the time the battle began in 1709, when the main forces joined, their ratio was a total of 37 thousand people and 4 guns from the Swedes against 60 thousand people and 111 guns from the Russians.

Zaporozhye Cossacks fought on both sides, and the Vlachs were also present in the Swedish army.

The commanders from the Swedish side were:

king Charles 12;
Roos;
Lewenhaupt;
Rehnschild;
Mazepa (Ukrainian hetman who went over to the side of the Swedes).

On the Russian side, the army was led by:

Tsar Peter 1;
Repin;
Allart;
Sheremetiev;
Menshikov;
Baur;
Renne;
Skoropadsky.

It began with the fact that on the eve of the battle, the Swedish king Charles ordered the army to line up in battle order. However, the exhausted soldiers were able to gather in battle only the next day, as a result, the attack for the Russians was no longer lightning fast.

When the Swedish soldiers went to the battlefield, they came across redoubts built both horizontally and vertically in relation to the positions of the Russian army. On the morning of June 27, their assault began, which can be called the beginning of the Poltava battle itself.

The Swedes managed to take only two redoubts, which were unfinished, but the rest of their attacks were unsuccessful. In particular, due to the fact that after the loss of two redoubts, the cavalry headed for the position under the leadership of General Menshikov. Together with the participants in the defense of the redoubts, they were able to hold back the enemy onslaught and prevent the enemy from capturing the remaining fortifications.

However, despite the successes, Tsar Peter still orders all the regiments to retreat to the main positions. The redoubts fulfilled their mission - they partially decapitated the enemy, but the key forces Russian army remained untouched. In addition, heavy losses were also associated with tactical mistakes by the Swedish generals, who did not plan to storm the redoubts and were going to pass through the “dead” zones. In fact, this turned out to be impossible, so the army went to storm the redoubts, having nothing for this.

The most important battle during the battle

After the Swedes barely passed the redoubts, they took a wait-and-see attitude and began to wait for reinforcements. But General Ross at that time was surrounded and surrendered. Without waiting for cavalry reinforcements, the enemy infantry began to prepare for battle.

The enemy offensive began at about 9 o'clock in the morning. The Swedish army suffered heavy losses as a result of artillery shelling, and then volley fire from small arms. Their offensive formation was completely destroyed, and at the same time they would not have succeeded in creating a line of attack that was longer than the Russian one. For comparison: the maximum length of the formation of the Swedes was one and a half kilometers, and the Russians could line up for 2 kilometers.

The advantage of the Russian army was very tangible in everything. As a result, the battle ended by 11 o'clock, lasting only two hours. Panic began among the Swedish soldiers, many simply fled from the battlefield. The battle ended with the victory of Peter's troops.

Losses of the sides and pursuit of the enemy

As a result of the battle near Poltava, 1345 soldiers of the Russian army were killed, 3290 people were wounded. But the losses of the enemy were more significant:

all commanders were either killed or taken prisoner;
9 thousand soldiers were killed;
3 thousand people were taken prisoner;
Another 16,000 soldiers were captured a few days later, when, as a result of the pursuit of the retreating Swedish army near the village of Perevolochny, it was overtaken.

After the end of the battle, it was decided to pursue the retreating Swedish soldiers and take them prisoner. The operation was attended by detachments of such commanders as:

Menshikov;
Baura;
Golitsyn.

The retreating Swedes offered negotiations with the participation of General Meyerfeld, which slowed down the course of this operation.

A few days later, the Russians, in addition to the soldiers, were captured:

more than 12 thousand non-commissioned officers;
51 commanding officers;
3 generals.

The value of the Battle of Poltava in history

We learn about the Battle of Poltava from school, where it is cited as an example of the high combat effectiveness of the Russian army.

The battle near Poltava created an advantage in the direction of Russia during the Northern War. However, not all historians prefer to talk about it as a brilliant tactical victory for the Russian army. Many of them say that given the significant difference in the balance of power, losing the battle would be simply a shame.

More arguments look like this:

The Swedish army was too tired, the soldiers suffered from a lack of food. Considering that she came to our territory almost a year before the start of the battle, it must be taken into account that the presence of enemy soldiers did not cause delight among the locals, they refused to give them food, they also had enough provisions and weapons. During the battle at Lesnaya, they lost almost everything;
All historians say that the Swedes were armed with only four guns. Some specify that they did not even shoot due to the lack of gunpowder. For comparison: the Russians were armed with 111 working guns;
The forces were frankly unequal. The battle cannot be completed in just a few hours, if they are about the same.

All this suggests that although the victory in this battle was significant for the army of Tsar Peter, its results cannot be exaggerated too much, because it was quite predictable.

Results and consequences of the battle

So, we briefly examined what the legendary Poltava battle between the soldiers of the Russian army and the Swedes was like. Its result is the unconditional victory of Peter's army, as well as the complete destruction of the enemy's infantry and artillery. So, 28 thousand enemy soldiers out of 30 were killed or captured, and 28 guns that Charles had at the beginning of the war were eventually destroyed.

But, despite the brilliant victory, this battle did not put an end to the Northern War. Many historians explain this by the fact that the pursuit of the fleeing remnants of the Swedish army began late, and the enemy retreated far enough. Charles sent an army to Turkey in order to persuade her to war against Russia. The war continued for another 12 years.

But there were also significant moments, which, to one degree or another, were influenced by the Battle of Poltava. Thus, the largely bloodless army of Charles 12 was no longer able to continue an active offensive. The military power of Sweden was severely undermined, and there was a turning point in favor of the Russian army. In addition, the Saxon Elector August II, at a meeting with the Russian side in Torun, concluded a military alliance, and Denmark opposed Sweden.

Now you have learned how the well-known phraseology “Like the Swedes near Poltava” is explained, which is often used to explain the unconditional victory of a certain team in football or in another game. And we also found out what was the course of the famous battle in which the Russian army under the leadership of Peter I took part.

This battle became the decisive battle in the Northern War and one of the most striking victories of Russian weapons in history.

god of War

One of the main factors that ensured the victory of the Russian army over the enemy was artillery. Unlike the Swedish king Charles XII, Peter I did not neglect the services of the "god of war". Against four Swedish guns brought to the field near Poltava, the Russians put up 310 different-caliber guns. In a few hours, four powerful artillery strikes were brought down on the advancing enemy. All of them led to serious losses on the part of the Swedes. As a result of one of them, a third of Karl's army was captured: 6 thousand people at once.

Peter the commander

After the Poltava victory, Peter I was promoted to the rank of senior lieutenant general. This promotion is not a mere formality. For Peter, the battle of Poltava was one of major events in life and - with certain reservations - he could sacrifice his life if necessary. At one of the decisive moments of the battle, when the Swedes broke through the Russian ranks, he rode forward and, despite the aimed fire that the Swedish riflemen fired at him, galloped along the infantry line, inspiring the fighters by personal example. According to legend, he miraculously escaped death: three bullets almost reached the target. One pierced the hat, the second hit the saddle, and the third hit the pectoral cross.
“Know about Peter that life is not dear to him, if only Russia would live in bliss and glory for your well-being,” these are the famous words spoken by him before the start of the battle.

So that the enemy is not afraid ...

The fighting spirit of the soldiers was to match the mood of the commander. The regiments left in reserve seemed to be asking to go to the front line, wishing to take an active part in such an important battle for the country as much as possible. Peter was even forced to justify himself to them: “The enemy is standing near the forest and is already in great fear; if all the regiments are withdrawn, he will not give battle and will leave: for this reason, it is necessary to make a reduction from other regiments in order to draw the enemy into battle through his belittling” . The advantage of our troops over the enemy was indeed great not only in artillery: 22 thousand against 8 thousand infantrymen and 15 thousand against 8 thousand cavalry.
In order not to frighten the enemy, Russian strategists also resorted to other tricks. For example, Peter ordered that experienced soldiers be dressed in the uniform of recruits so that the deceived enemy would direct his forces at them.

Enemy Encirclement and Surrender

The decisive moment in the battle: the spread of the rumor about the death of Charles. It quickly became clear that the rumor was exaggerated. The wounded king ordered himself to be raised like a banner, like an idol, on crossed spears. He shouted: "Swedes! Swedes!" But it was too late: the exemplary army succumbed to panic and fled.
Three days later, demoralized, she was overtaken by the cavalry under the command of Menshikov. And although the Swedes now had a numerical superiority - 16 thousand against nine - they surrendered. One of the best armies in Europe capitulated.

sue the horse

However, some Swedes were able to benefit from a crushing defeat. The batman of the Life Dragoon Karl Strokirch during the battle gave the horse to General Lagerkrun. After 22 years, the cavalryman decided that it was time to return the favor, and went to court. The case was considered, the general was accused of horse stealing and ordered to pay compensation of 710 dalers, which is approximately 18 kilograms of silver.

Relation about victoria

Paradoxically, despite the fact that in the battle itself, the Russian troops were doomed to victory in all respects, the report about it, compiled by Peter, made a lot of noise in Europe. It was a sensation.
The Vedomosti newspaper published a letter from Peter to Tsarevich Alexei: "I announce to you a very great victory, which the Lord God deigned to bestow on us through the indescribable courage of our soldiers, with a small blood of our troops."

Memory of victory

In memory of the victory and the soldiers who died for it, a temporary oak cross was erected at the site of the battle. Peter also planned to lay here monastery. The wooden cross was replaced by a granite one only after a hundred years. Even later - by the end of the 19th century - on the site of the mass grave they built the monument and the chapel that today's tourists see. Instead of the monastery in 1856, a temple was erected in the name of St. Sampson the Old-Receiver, which was attributed to the Exaltation of the Cross Convent. On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the battle, the chapel of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, standing on the mass grave, was restored, but, like many historical monuments in Ukraine, it is still in disrepair and is almost always closed to the public.

During the Northern War, the battle of Poltava is considered the largest. The Swedish army was strong and powerful, but after the fighting in Poland, rest was required. he made every effort to ensure that the Swedes did not receive this rest.

On the way of the Swedish king Charles XII to Ukraine, all food and military supplies were destroyed. Peasants hid their livestock and food in the forest. In November 1708, the exhausted Swedish army reached Poltava, where they settled down in winter quarters.

Hetman Mazepa promised help and supplies to Charles XII, but did not fulfill his promise. And the Swedish king began to think about how to lure the Russians into battle in the open field. This victory is so important for him, the prestige of the army and himself will rise.

Long winter evenings Karl XII decided further actions, and decided to capture Poltava. They have 4 thousand soldiers, and 2.5 thousand inhabitants who can fight, and the Swedish army of 30 thousand people will quickly overcome the city. And on April 25, 1709, the Swedes approached the walls of Poltava. The siege of the city began.

The enemy powerfully attacked, but the city did not give up. For two months the people of Poltava resisted best army Europe, thanks to a well-built defense. And Colonel Kelin commanded the garrison. The Swedish king was very annoyed, but he had no idea that all this time the Russians were preparing for a general battle. To the very battle he dreamed of.

Opposite Poltava, on the banks of the Vorskla, the Russian army was stationed. Peter I arrived there in June, and led his army up the river. At the village of Chernyakhovo, they crossed to the other side of the river, going to the rear of the Swedes. So by the end of June, the Russians were five kilometers from Poltava. The Russian army stopped at the village of Yakovtsy. It was here that Peter I decided to give battle to the Swedes.

A plain stretched between the Yakovetsky and Budishchinsky forests. Opponents could advance only to the left of the camp through a copse. The emperor ordered to block this place with eight redoubts. Behind the redoubts is the cavalry - 17 dragoon regiments. They were commanded by Alexander Menshikov. Artillery was deployed in front of the infantry. The Ukrainians also helped: the Cossack regiments, under the command of Hetman Ivan Skoropadsky, blocked the way for the Swedes to Poland and Right-Bank Ukraine. The Swedish army did not expect the Russians in its rear, and was forced to line up front to the copse three kilometers from the Russian redoubts.

June 27 at dawn, the Swedish army launched an offensive. Thus began the Battle of Poltava. Making their way through a flurry of bullets and cannonballs, the Swedes in hand-to-hand combat somehow defeated two rows of redoubts. In doing so, they suffered heavy losses. The correct tactics of Peter I did not allow the enemy to penetrate the rear of the Russians. The Swedes, under a heavy hail of Russian artillery, were forced to retreat into the Budishchi forest. The field was empty for a while, Peter pushed the main forces forward. And here it is, the final fight.

The Swedes go on the offensive again, the Russians opened fire. Again hand-to-hand, again losses ... Peter led the battalion of the Novgorod regiment into battle, with a strong blow crushed the Swedes, and Menshikov's cavalry began the battle on the left. The enemy could not withstand the onslaught, trembled and began to retreat. The battle of Poltava was over by eleven o'clock. 15,000 people were taken prisoner, but the king, Mazepa, with a thousand soldiers managed to escape across the Dnieper to Bendery.

It was a complete defeat of the once powerful Swedish army, 9234 people were killed, almost the entire generals were captured. The Russian army has much less losses - 1345 people were killed, 3290 were wounded. All participants in the battle, Peter I awarded orders and medals. The victory in the Battle of Poltava decided the outcome in the direction of Russia.

Kingdom of Russia Commanders Charles XII
Carl Gustav Rehnschild Peter I
Alexander Danilovich Menshikov Side forces General Forces :
26,000 Swedes (about 11,000 cavalry and 15,000 infantry), 1,000 Wallachian hussars, 41 guns, about 2,000 Cossacks

Total: about 37,000. 30 thousand Swedes, 6 thousand Cossacks, 1 thousand Vlachs.

Forces in battle:
8270 infantry, 7800 dragoons and reytars, 1000 hussars, 4 guns

Did not take part in the battle: Cossacks

General Forces :
about 37,000 infantry (87 battalions), 23,700 cavalry (27 regiments and 5 squadrons), 102 guns (according to other sources, 302 guns)

Total: about 60,000 (according to modern data, 80,000). of which 8 thousand Cossacks Skoropadsky.

Forces in battle:
25,000 infantry, 9,000 dragoons, Cossacks and Kalmyks, another 3,000 Kalmyks came to the end of the battle

Poltava garrison:
4200 infantry, 2000 Cossacks, 28 guns

Military casualties 6700-9234 killed and wounded,
2874 prisoners during the battle and 15-17 thousand at Perevolochna 1345 killed, 3290 wounded

Northern War (1700-1721)

Poltava battle- the largest battle of the Northern War between Russian troops under the command of Peter I and the Swedish army of Charles XII. It took place on the morning of June 27 (July 8), 1709, 6 versts from the city of Poltava on Russian lands (the Left Bank of the Dnieper). The decisive victory of the Russian army led to a turning point in the Great Northern War in favor of Russia and put an end to the dominance of Sweden as one of the leading military forces in Europe.

background

In October 1708, Peter I became aware of the betrayal and defection to the side of Charles XII, Hetman Mazepa, who negotiated with the king for quite a long time, promising him, in case of arrival in Ukraine, up to 50 thousand Cossack troops, food and comfortable wintering. On October 28, 1708, Mazepa, at the head of a detachment of Cossacks, arrived at Karl's headquarters. After that, Peter I was amnestied and recalled from exile (accused of betrayal on the slander of Mazepa) Ukrainian colonel Semyon Paly (real name Gurko); thus the king enlisted the support of the Cossacks.

Of the many thousands of Ukrainian Cossacks (registered Cossacks, there were 30 thousand, Zaporozhye Cossacks - 10-12 thousand), Mazepa managed to bring only about 10 thousand people, about 3 thousand registered Cossacks and about 7 thousand Cossacks. But even those soon began to scatter from the camp of the Swedish army. Such unreliable allies, of whom about 2 thousand remained, King Charles XII did not dare to use in battle, and therefore left them in the wagon train.

Charles XII, having received information about the imminent approach to the Russians of a large Kalmyk detachment, decided to attack Peter's army before the Kalmyks completely disrupted his communications (a defector from the Germans was allegedly sent to the Swedes. He said that Tsar Peter would not come today - tomorrow he would come to the rescue detachment of Kalmyk cavalry numbering 18 thousand sabers). Wounded during reconnaissance on June 17, the king handed over command to Field Marshal K. G. Renschild, who received 20 thousand soldiers at his disposal. About 10 thousand people, including Mazepa's Cossacks, remained in the camp near Poltava.

Tried to raise the spirit of his army and Charles XII. Inspiring the soldiers, Karl announced that tomorrow they would dine in the Russian wagon train, where a lot of booty awaited them.