Warrior Kings of Sweden

by Gary Dean Peterson

  Defense of the area was commanded by Lieutenant General Paijkull, a Livonian by birth. He formed up his Saxons for a counterattack with the splendid Saxon cavalry on the flanks. They advanced, discharging their volley at 100 yards. The Swedes fired at 50 with devastating effect. Paijkull was driven back. A second charge was repulsed by bayonet and pike. Steinau arrived with reinforcements and led a third attack. This time the Swedish right wing was enveloped by the Saxon cavalry. A detachment of grenadiers was thrown into the melee, then all the horse the Swedes had on shore, 150 Drabants and 50 troopers from the Household Horse Regiment. They charged the Saxon cuirassiers without firing a shot, bringing home the cold steel. The wing wavered, but held. A Västerbotten battalion charged in, having just arrived from their boats. The Saxons were thrown back. The Russians under Prince Repnin turned tail. Steinau organized his troops for a fourth assault, but decided the situation was now hopeless and pulled back. The Swedish beachhead was secure.

  Phase II was to bring about the destruction of the Saxon army. The pontoon bridge was floated into position to provide a bridge for the main army to cross the 600 yards of water. But a violent storm blew in dispersing the parts of the floating bridge before it could be secured. The main part of the army had to be ferried across piecemeal allowing Steinau time to evacuate his army. The Saxons and Russians escaped. The destruction of the Saxon army was incomplete. Karl had lost his opportunity to bring the conflict to a quick conclusion.

  The Swedes had lost 500 men dead and wounded in the battle. The Saxons had 800 casualties with another 700 taken prisoner. This was a substantial victory by European standards. It impressed the crown heads and military experts more than Karl’s victory at Narva because this was against the vaunted Saxon army. But the Swedish high command was sorely disappointed and set out immediately to find the Saxons. Steinau, however, had moved south into Poland proper assuming the Swedes would not dare to follow.

  Karl was undaunted by the commonwealth’s boundary, but he did need to secure Livonia and Kurland before he proceeded. The garrisons at Kokenhausen and Kobron abandoned their positions upon hearing of the Swedish crossing of the Düna and the Swedes took them over. Dünamünde was besieged, but held out until December. Mitau, the Kurland capital, was occupied and the main army moved on to take Bauske and Birwen. Kurland was secured and was treated as any other province of the empire.

  Lands were surveyed on the Swedish pattern, taxes levied using the Riga base, and all officials were required to take an oath of loyalty to Karl. The Maritime Powers and Prussia were dismayed and alarmed at Karl’s lightning conquest of the territories south of the Düna. The prospect of Swedish control of the entire eastern Baltic was unsettling and this strained relations between Sweden and these countries.

  Karl was in a quandary. He still planned a winter campaign against Peter (1701-02), but could not proceed until he had secured his flank (Poland-Lithuania) and neutralized the Saxon army. He did not want to be pulled into the commonwealth’s political morass, but he needed to get to the Saxon army now in Poland. Augustus, as duke of Saxony and king of Poland-Lithuania, was the key, but how to deal with him and the politically fractured commonwealth was the question.

  Karl’s presence on the commonwealth’s border also increased the political chaos within the country. The aristocracy played the Swedish card to obtain concessions from Augustus including the removal of Saxon troops from Polish soil. Jablanowski, Leszczyüsli and their supporters were in touch with the Swedes. A party supporting James Sobieski, who had been defeated by Augustus in the 1697 bid for the Polish crown, tried to entice Karl to interfere in his behalf. A neutralist party headed by Cardinal Radziejowski, who was also chancellor, was trying to hold things together and keep Sweden out of the commonwealth. The cardinal, with Augustus’s support, wrote a letter to Karl on July 25, 1701, asking for a promise not to invade the country.

  Karl, not knowing about the king’s involvement in the communication, saw this as an opportunity to deal with Augustus. He replied on July 30 demanding that the commonwealth dethrone Augustus, promising not to pursue the Saxon army into Poland until he heard from Radziejowski. To Karl’s consternation, the cardinal made the letter public then brought the demand before the Sejm in December 1701.

  As the Spanish Succession War advanced toward open hostilities, Sweden’s participation was solicited by both sides. Louis XIV appealed to Karl based on past French-Swedish alliances and treaties. The maritime powers cited mutual interests and present treaties (Travendal). William III even put Karl forward for the office of supreme alliance commander. But the Swedish king determined to stay clear of that war. He had quite enough to handle in Eastern Europe.

  In September a Russian army moved west to link up with Augustus’s forces. A Swedish contingent under General Schlippenbach intercepted the Russians and defeated them. A month later Schlippenbach was beaten at the Battle of Erastfehr by a Russian army of overwhelming numerical superiority. Peter was growing stronger. The sooner Karl could dispatch Augustus and turn to deal with Peter the better would be his chances.

  By year’s end Karl received the reply to his letter of July 30. It came in the form of a letter from the Sejm and its central theme was, stay out of Poland and Lithuanian territory and out of our business. Radziejowski had used Karl’s letter to unite some of the factions against the potential invader, temporarily at least.

  In Lithuania the United Families had defeated the Sapieha family, forcing the heads of that clan to flee to Prussia. Fearing the United Family Party would then devastate or even confiscate their family holdings in Samogitia, the Sapiehas petitioned Karl to intercede on their behalf. James Sobieski was in constant communication with the Swedes, presenting strategies for neutralizing the elector-king.

  Karl made no commitment to these parties, but in December 1701 he led 400 horsemen in a reconnaissance-in-force deep into Samogitia, the northern province of Lithuania just across the border from Kurland. His next move was to bring his main force, 15,000 men into the province in January 1702. This meant that Karl was postponing a showdown with Peter. Schlippenbach’s army was reinforced and militias organized throughout the Baltic provinces in the hope of holding the Russians at bay until Karl had time to deal with them. 4,000 troops were left under Stuart’s command to protect Kurland and Riga.

  Augustus reacted to the Swedish incursion into commonwealth territory by sending two envoys to the Swedish king. The first was Maria Aurora von Königsmark, a famous beauty, witty and charming. She was born of Swedish nobility, but had spent her adult years at various European courts, bearing Augustus a son in her younger years. Though now thirty-nine, she was still noted for being an intelligent, accomplished and handsome woman, one of the celebrated emancipated women of European society. Karl referred to her once as “that royal whore.”1

  Her family did have land in Livonia and she had several relatives among the officer corps of Karl’s army. So she had reason for a visit, but gossip in the European courts passed the word that Augustus sent her to Karl to seduce him and divert his attention from his Polish campaign. If this was the case, the elector-king badly miscalculated. The twenty-year-old king was deeply religious and his father had passed on to him his belief that adultery was a mortal sin. Karl considered even permitting an audience with the lady an act of condoning her lifestyle. Though she tried repeatedly, he would not see her. Finally, she arranged to position herself along a trail the young king used habitually for early morning rides. When he approached, she presented him with a deep curtsy meant to reveal certain of her charms. The king merely doffed his hat politely and moved on. Aurora left for Poland the next day.

  Augustus’s second emissary was even less successful. The Saxon official was arrested for not having proper credentials and ejected from the headquarters. Did the commonwealth king have serious intentions of negotiating some kind of peace at this point? Probably not. He had a treaty with Peter and was in the final stages of building a new 20,000 man army in Saxony. Anoth
er eight thousand troops promised by the emperor were stationed in Bohemia and could be called upon as reserves. He was just playing for time.

  Crossing into Lithuania had certainly grabbed the attention of the Oriüski and Wisüiowieski clans. These members of the United Families began conducting guerilla warfare on the Swedes, the most serious attack being the massacre of a detachment of 400 troops by 6,000 Wisüiowieski militia. Due to this harassment Karl opened talks with the Sapieha family in March 1702. Karl offered military protection in exchange for commitment to the Swedish dethronement policy. With an ally inside the commonwealth, Karl could move on expeditiously.

  The Swedish king left a few regiments in Samogitia to protect the Sapiehas as agreed. He stationed Mörner with 4,000 men at Vilna, a Wisüiewiecki stronghold, and ordered Nils Gyllenstierna to collect all available troops in Swedish Germany and march to his aid. New recruits were coming from Sweden to Riga and these were placed under Maidel’s command. Karl, with the main body of his army, advanced on Warsaw hoping to get there before Augustus’s Saxons.

  The maneuver was carried out without mishap. The Polish army made no attempt to interfere. Karl’s well disciplined men passed through the countryside without the stealing and looting common to invading armies. He arrived at the commonwealth’s capital on May 14, 1702.

  While occupying Warsaw Karl called upon Radziejowski to induce the Sejm to dethrone Augustus and elect a new king. Augustus, meanwhile, had slipped out of the city ahead of the Swedish arrival and moved to Krakow. The good cardinal played for time while the neutralist party tried to negotiate with the Swedish king.

  Augustus convened a Sejm in Krakow and persuaded the commonwealth’s Senate to give him permission to bring Saxon troops into Poland to confront the Swedes and he was given command of the Polish Crown Army to use against Karl. The elector-king ordered his Saxons to meet him in Krakow and he set the Polish Army under Luomiski in motion.

  Karl ordered Gyllenstierna in Swedish Pomerania, who had almost 10,000 troops, to head for Krakow. The same order was passed to Mörner with his 4,000 men. Karl left Warsaw leading 8,000 soldiers en route to Krakow. He wanted to intercept the Saxon army before the Poles arrived. Spilling Polish blood would only complicate his situation. Augustus, on the other hand, wanted to meet Karl before Gyllenstierna could join him.

  By mid–June Augustus was encamped at Pinczów with 14,000 Saxon troops. Karl was near Kliszów waiting for Mörner to arrive. Augustus moved closer to the Swedish camp. He had time. Gyllenstierna was still in Brandenburg and would not arrive until sometime in August. The elector-king was confident of victory. He was only waiting for Lubomirski, who had asked Augustus to hold off until he got there so as to cover his army in the glory of the victory. Having superior numbers and the renowned Saxon army, Augustus and his staff expected to take the offense and initiate the battle on their terms. They were quite surprised when, on July 9 at mid-day, what they thought were reconnaissance patrols turned out to be King Karl XII and the main Swedish army on their front. The Saxon officers, about to take noon meal, ordered their servants to hold lunch while they took care of a few Swedes.

  Mörner had arrived at the Swedish camp the night of July 8 after two days of forced March. Karl passed the word they would attack the next morning. Piper and some of Karl’s staff counseled waiting until the fresh arrivals had time to rest, to which the king retorted, “hungry dogs bite best.”2

  After a hot evening meal, the first in days for Mörner’s 4,000 men, and a good night’s sleep the troops were rolled out at 6:00 a.m. for morning prayers. The troops fell into line as reports came of a Saxon advance. When this proved false Karl ordered a march on the Saxon camp. Four columns navigated the five miles of woods without drum or fife in order to surprise the enemy.

  Exiting the woods in front of the Saxon camp the Swedes deployed in the usual manner, infantry in the center flanked by cavalry. The surprised Saxons quickly formed up with infantry and artillery in the center, horse on the right and left. But the Swedes also got a surprise, for on the Saxon far right Hieronymus Lubomiski pulled into position with his magnificent Polish Crown Army. There were four lines of the famous Polish cavalry resplendent in scarlet tunics and shining armor, on their big powerful war horses. There were the aristocratic Hussars with lance, sword and engraved musket, and the chain-mailed Panzers with spear and mace.

  In all, Augustus had 9,000 Saxon cavalry, 7,500 infantry, 8,000 Polish cavalry and 46 guns. Karl could muster only 8,000 foot and 4,000 horse. His artillery was still struggling through the woods. He had a total of 4 three-pounders that had caught up with him. His right wing was commanded by Rehnskiöld and his left by his brother-in-law Frederick, duke of Holstien-Gottorp. Karl, with almost no field guns, was outnumbered two to one.

  The young king surveyed the situation. The Saxon left wing was anchored against the river and had a marsh running in front of it as did the center. Only in front of the right wing was there a clear field though even here the enemy had an advantage of being on higher ground than the Swedes. Karl shifted his infantry, especially pikemen, from the center to the left and advanced his left wing to take the high ground.

  The Saxon guns opened up on the Swedes and Frederick was cut in two by a cannonball. Karl took personal command of the left wing as the Polish cavalry charged home. They were met by Småland and Scanian cavalry under Vellingk interspersed with units of infantry led by Stenbock. Pikemen in the front brought the Polish charge to a halt and repeated musket volleys from the rear decimated their ranks. The Polish cavalry wavered then fled, exposing the Saxon right wing to a flank attack. The whole right wing collapsed and was scattered.

  Meanwhile the Saxon left wing had worked its way through the marsh and was assaulting the Swedish right. With over 4,000 horse against the Swedish 2,000 they had outflanked the Swedes and were pressing in on three sides. Rehnskiöld ordered his rear ranks to turn about so that he had parallel lines back to back. At the end of the lines, the Drabants made a link between the two lines forming a U-shaped defense. The situation appeared bleak for the Swedes, but the Saxon horse had been schooled in the caracol cavalry tactic of trotting to the front, discharging pistol and carbine, then falling back to allow the next rank to perform the same maneuver.

  Rehnskiöld unleashed his mounted troops in their accustomed full-gallop close-order charge. Firearms were discharged only at point blank range and only if they did not slow the attack. The Saxon squadrons fell back and then fled in disorder. They ran for the marsh and the river. Horses sank in the bog, spilling riders and leaving them afoot. In the river many a horse and trooper were drowned.

  Even the weak Swedish center charged the Saxon infantry at a run. Six battalions led by Major General Posse struggled across the marsh under heavy fire, then dashed into the midst of the Germans. Heavy hand-to-hand combat marked this portion of the front and it was here that most of the Swedish casualties were sustained. But once Karl had secured the left he began sending squadrons of cavalry into the center. The Saxons were driven back from their guns which were taken and employed by the Swedes. The Saxon infantry broke. Some fled into the marsh at their backs. The rest were surrounded.

  In all, 2,000 Saxons and Poles lay dead on the field. Another 1,000 were prisoners. Karl lost 300 dead, including his brother-in-law Frederick, and 600 wounded. Credit for the victory goes to the aggressive tactics of the Swedish army, the training and discipline of the troops, the professionalism of the officers and generals, but above all it was Karl’s triumph. His cool headed shift to the left of the army, his handling of the unexpected arrival of the Polish Crown Army and his performance as general-in-the-field were nearly flawless and made the difference.

  Karl made his headquarters in Krakow. Augustus, who had escaped across the marshes, slunk back to Lamberg in south-central Poland to collect his scattered army. The emperor tried to negotiate a Swedish-Saxon peace, but the elector-king showed no sign of willingness to compromise. The tsar sent troops into Lithuania proclaimi
ng himself protector of the grand duchy. More Russians moved up the Dnieper into Poland and Peter sent troops to Augustus’s army.

  In late 1702 the elector-king moved his army north across the Vistula for safety. Peter, meanwhile, had been busy in the Baltics. He built a navy on Lake Ladoga and sent it against the Swedish flotilla. The Swedes were routed giving the tsar control of the lake. Russian forces had defeated Schlippenbach at Hummelshot in July confining Swedish control to the cities and fortresses. Peter brought in Asiatic tribesmen, including some of the Crimean Tartars, to loot, sack, burn and carry away captives for sale as slaves. One of these Livonian peasant girls wound up among the Russian soldiers and eventually became Peter’s wife and later empress as Katherine I.

  The devastation was so complete that the Baltic provinces ceased to be a source of supply for the Swedish army. Peter next invaded Ingria, storming the fortress of Nöteborg in October 1702. In May 1703 Peter would move down the Neva to its mouth where he captured the small fort of Nyeuschantz and renamed it St. Petersburg. This would be his capital, Russia’s window to the West. He built a fort on an island in the mouth of the Neva to protect his city and extended control along the south shore of the Gulf of Finland, taking Koporé and Jama. In 1704 he took the university city of Dorpat and finally he captured Narva.

  To try to intimidate the Russians, Karl moved his army north to Praga just east of Warsaw. Augustus, afraid of being encircled, sent his infantry to Thorn, already held by a Saxon garrison. His cavalry, under Steinau, he sent east to link up with the Wisüiowiecki forces in Lithuania.

  Karl led 3,000 cavalry and dragoons in a drive east to catch the Saxons. At Pultusk the two sides fought it out on a bridge leading to the city and in the city streets. Steinau fled leaving 200 dead and 800 taken prisoner. Karl lost less than 20 men. It was Karl’s first battle in complete command without any of his senior generals in support. He returned to the main army and proceeded to Thorn where he laid siege to the town and the 6,000 Saxons inside.