Battle of Krzywosądz

The Battle of Krzywosadz was one of battles of the January Uprising. It took place in the village of Krzywosadz, Congress Poland, on February 19, 1863, when poorly armed party of 500 Polish rebels, under Ludwik Mieroslawski, clashed with a 1,000 strong unit of the Imperial Russian Army.

In the night of February 17/18, 1863, an Imperial Russian Army unit, stationed in Wloclawek was alarmed by the news that Polish rebels concentrated near the village of Niszczewy in the region of Kujawy. The Russians, commanded by Colonel Yury Ivanovich Szylder, immediately marched to Sluzew, where they joined Russian border guards. Altogether, their forces had some 1,000 men, with a few cannons.

Colonel Szylder, without wasting time, decided to attack the Poles, who were still in the process of concentrating. After a skirmish that lasted several hours, Ludwik Mieroslawski ordered the rebels to retreat. The battle ended in Russian victory, and the dead rebels were buried in Krzywosadz and nearby village of Dobre. Among those killed were Jan Wasilowski (a student of Liege Technical University and brother of Maria Konopnicka), and Stanislaw Gay – the son of architect Jakub Gay.

After the battle, Mieroslawski with his men headed towards Radziejow, where he was joined with a unit of Kazimierz Mielecki. On February 21, Mieroslawski’s forces lost another battle at Nowa Wies, and Polish leader decided to give up his post, going to Paris.