Battle of Saradzhin (1664)
| Battle of Saradzhin | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Right-Bank Uprising (1664-1665) | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Zaporozhian Cossacks Kalmyk Khanate |
 Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Crimean Khanate | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Ivan Sirko |
S. Machowski W. Leszczyński Khan-Mambet Shirin | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
2,500 300 |
3,000–4,000 Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
Possibly light Heavy | Heavy | ||||||||
The Battle of Saradzhin or Saradzhin Ambush took place between the Polish-Lithuanian-Crimean and Zaporozhian Cossack-Kalmyk forces in Saradzhinsky Forest, on 25 June 1664.[1]
Prelude
[edit]Ivan Sirko led his Cossack detachment with Kalmyks in raids on Tatar settlements.[1] After plundering several Tatar settlements in the lands of Budjak and Nogai Hordes, Sirko was returning with his Cossack detachment, Kalmyk allies and loot. Polish-Tatar forces during that time planned an ambush in Saradzhinsky Forest, knowing Sirko will pass there.[2]
Battle
[edit]Ivan Sirko led 2,500 Cossacks along with 300 Kalmyk allies. Polish commanders S. Makhowski, W. Leszczyński and Tatar Khan-Mambet Shirin with 3,000–4,000 Polish soldiers and unspecified number of Tatars chose a place of ambush on the hill where it would be difficult to retreat from. Polish-Tatar forces had observation over the path from which Cossack-Kalmyk forces would be passing.[2]
Sirko with Cossacks advanced in a narrow column due to terrain, while Kalmyks served as the rearguard. The main blow was aimed at the end of the column, where Kalmyk detachment was stationed.[2] The goal would be to isolate individual Cossack units in order to defeat them. With all of these factors taken into account, Cossacks would only be able to fight out of ambush by making a decisive breakthrough through Polish formations. It's unknown whether Polish forces attempted to peruse Cossacks, but the main blow of Cossacks would've been aimed at Polish soldiers while Tatars were busy engaging Kalmyks. Polish forces would need time to recover from Cossack blow and Tatars would be too busy fighting Kalmyks, plundering convoys afterwards. Kalmyks tried to break out of encirclement and have put up a desperate resistance, tying up significant portion of enemy forces. Sirko and Cossacks broke out of encirclement.[3]
Aftermath
[edit]Some sources say this battle resulted in defeat of both Kalmyks and Cossacks, with Sirko's brother and son captured in process.[4] Examination of Sirko's skeleton showed a presence of severe wounds, still visible after 300 years, which he allegedly received in this battle.[5] Other sources say that only Kalmyks were defeated, while Sirko and Cossacks fought out of ambush with light losses.[3] Chronicle of Samovydets only mentions Kalmyk defeat, while Sirko and Cossacks with casualties reached Sich, then went to Kharkiv.[1] Ukrainian researcher Draganenko believes that Sirko avoided defeat in this battle, since he continued his operations in Bratslav region against Polish-Tatar forces. Draganenko states that Sirko would've remained in Sich in the scenario of heavy losses among Cossacks and his severe wounds.[3] Regardless of outcome, this event is viewed as one of Sirko's least successful battles or least loud victories due to falling into a trap set up by Polish-Tatar forces.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Dmytro Yavornytskyi (2004). Tvory. Tandem-U. p. 346. ISBN 966-7482-31-6.
- ^ a b c V.P. Draganenko (2013). Трагічний Бій Івана Сірка (Реконструкція За Джерелами Середини XVII - Початку XVIII ст.), p. 234.
- ^ a b c V.P. Draganenko (2013). Трагічний Бій Івана Сірка (Реконструкція За Джерелами Середини XVII - Початку XVIII ст.), p. 235.
- ^ Šejchumerov, Amet-chan Azizovič (2019). Армия Крымского ханства: организация и тактика (XV-XVIII вв.). Kazanʹ Simferopolʹ: Institut istorii im. S. Mardžani AN RT. p. 149. ISBN 978-5-94981-334-8.
- ^ Yuriy Mytsyik (1999). Otaman Ivan Sirko (In Ukrainian). Zaporizhzhia: Tandem-U.
- ^ V.P. Draganenko (2013). Трагічний Бій Івана Сірка (Реконструкція За Джерелами Середини XVII - Початку XVIII ст.), p. 236.