The battle of Coștangalia was the battle fought on 15 July 1863, near the village of
Coștangalia,
Romanian United Principalities
The United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia ( ro, Principatele Unite ale Moldovei și Țării Românești), commonly called United Principalities, was the personal union of the Moldavia, Principality of Moldavia and the Wallachia, Princip ...
(now located in
Moldova
Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The List of states ...
). It was fought by the Romanian forces, against the
Polish rebels marching through territory of Romanian United Principalities, to join the rebels fighting in the
January Uprising
The January Uprising ( pl, powstanie styczniowe; lt, 1863 metų sukilimas; ua, Січневе повстання; russian: Польское восстание; ) was an insurrection principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at ...
, in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
. The battle ended with Polish victory and the retreat of the Romanian forces. Despite the victory, the Polish insurgents capitulated to Romania two days later, on 17 July.
Background
Following the start of the
January Uprising
The January Uprising ( pl, powstanie styczniowe; lt, 1863 metų sukilimas; ua, Січневе повстання; russian: Польское восстание; ) was an insurrection principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at ...
in January 1863 in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
by the
insurgent forces against the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
, the government of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, allowed Polish expatriates to form revolutionary forces on their territory that would aid the rebellion in Poland. The unit was formed in the city of
Tulcea
Tulcea (; also known by other alternative names) is a city in Northern Dobruja, Romania. It is the administrative center of Tulcea County, and had a population of 73,707 . One village, Tudor Vladimirescu, is administered by the city.
Names
Th ...
, and included 213 armed people. It was commanded by colonel
Zygmunt Miłkowski
Zygmunt Miłkowski, pseudonym Teodor Tomasz Jeż (March 23, 1824 in Podolia Governorate, Russian Empire – January 11, 1915 in Lausanne, Switzerland) was Polish romantic writer and politician who struggled for independence of Poland as leader o ...
. The unit marched through Ottoman territory towards the border of the
Romanian United Principalities
The United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia ( ro, Principatele Unite ale Moldovei și Țării Românești), commonly called United Principalities, was the personal union of the Moldavia, Principality of Moldavia and the Wallachia, Princip ...
, with the plan of crossing its territory, to reach the
Bessarabia Governorate
The Bessarabia Governorate (, ) was a part of the Russian Empire from 1812 to 1917. Initially known as Bessarabia Oblast (Бессарабская область, ''Bessarabskaya oblast'') as well as, following 1871, a governorate, it included ...
, Russian Empire, and then move to the
Podolian Governorate
The Podolia Governorate or Podillia Governorate (), set up after the Second Partition of Poland, was a governorate (''gubernia'', ''province'', or ''government'') of the Russian Empire from 1793 to 1917, of the Ukrainian People's Republic from 1 ...
, where they hoped to reactivate fighting in the region of modern
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
.
[
]
Battle
After the Polish insurrectionaries crossed the border, Alexandru Ioan Cuza
Alexandru Ioan Cuza (, or Alexandru Ioan I, also anglicised as Alexander John Cuza; 20 March 1820 – 15 May 1873) was the first ''domnitor'' (Ruler) of the Romanian Principalities through his double election as prince of Moldavia on 5 Januar ...
, the ruler of the Romanian United Principalities, sent forces to stop them from marching through his country. These forces (a regiment from Ismail
Ishmael ''Ismaḗl''; Classical/Qur'anic Arabic: إِسْمَٰعِيْل; Modern Standard Arabic: إِسْمَاعِيْل ''ʾIsmāʿīl''; la, Ismael was the first son of Abraham, the common patriarch of the Abrahamic religions; and is cons ...
, with reinforcements from Galați
Galați (, , ; also known by other alternative names) is the capital city of Galați County in the historical region of Western Moldavia, in eastern Romania. Galați is a port town on the Danube River. It has been the only port for the most par ...
and Reni) consisted of 7 companies
A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...
of infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
, counting 1,260 soldiers, with additional aid of 60 cavalrymen
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating a ...
, all commanded by colonel Athanasie Călinescu. The Polish insurrectionaries were ordered to disarm, which they refused. As such, both sides began the fight on 15 July 1863, near the village of Coștangalia (now located in Moldova
Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The List of states ...
).[Stefan Kieniewicz: ''Powstanie styczniowe'', ]Polish Scientific Publishers PWN
Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN (''Polish Scientific Publishers PWN''; until 1991 ''Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe'' - ''National Scientific Publishers PWN'', PWN) is a Polish book publisher, founded in 1951, when it split from the Wydawnictwa Szkolne i P ...
, Warsaw, 1983, pp. 610–612.[Karol Brzozowski: ''Bitwa pod Kostangalią'', In: ''W czterdziestą rocznicę powstania styczniowego'', 1863-1903, Komitet Wydawniczy, Lwów, 1903, pp. 79–94.][Zygmunt Miłkowski: ''W Galicji i na Wschodzie. Przyczynek do dziejów powstania 1863'', Wydawnictwo Żupański, Poznań, 1880, p. 135.]
Miłkowski ordered the infantry under the command of Józef Jagmin
Józef Jagmin ( 1810 – 31 September 1877 in Shumen) was a Polish officer. He was born to a noble Samogitian family.
Military career
Józef Jagmin took part in the November Uprising in Lithuania under the command of General Henryk Dembiński, a ...
to scatter across the valley. On the right wing, the insurgents had captured local houses, and on the left, they had hidden behind trees. Soon after that, the Romanian forces began firing at the insurgents. In response, Polish infantry charged at the enemy. At the same time, the Romanian cavalry charged at Polish forces, however, they were destroyed before their reached their target. One of the Romanian companies attempted to flank the enemy from the right wing, however they were defeated by soldiers with bayonet
A bayonet (from French ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon.Brayley, Martin, ''Bayonets: An Illustr ...
s, while the central line of the Romanian forces had been breached by the insurgents. Due to the casualties and the chaos of the battlefield, most of the Romanian forces retreated. The exception was the left wing of the infantry, which charged at Polish forces. However, they were not able to reach their target, and under heavy fire, were forced to retreat as well. The Polish insurgents captured weapons and ammunition abandoned by retreating Romanian forces.[Stanisław Zieliński: ''Bitwy i Potyczki 1863-64'', p. 347.]
Aftermath
The battle was won by the Polish insurrectionaries, who had 6 fatal casualties, and 20 soldiers injured, including 12 heavily injured. The Romanian forces had 17 deaths, 3 wounded officers, and 45 wounded soldiers. The Polish forces continued the march, crossing the Prut River
The Prut (also spelled in English as Pruth; , uk, Прут) is a long river in Eastern Europe. It is a left tributary of the Danube. In part of its course it forms Romania's border with Moldova and Ukraine.
Characteristics
The Prut originates ...
. Two days later, on 17 July, without high hopes to continue the march to the Russian border, the soldiers surrendered their weapons to Romanian soldiers and were interned
Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simply ...
at Cahul
Cahul (; also known by other alternative names) is a city and municipality in southern Moldova. The city is the administrative center of Cahul District; it also administers one village, Cotihana. As of 2014 census, the city has had a populatio ...
. Subsequently, they were allowed to continue their travel to Poland individually, without their weapons.[
]
Notes
References
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Coștangalia, battle of
Coștangalia, battle of
Battle of Coștangalia
Battle of Coștangalia
Battle of Coștangalia
Coștangalia, battle of
Coștangalia, battle of