HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Jan Nepomucen Umiński of Cholewa (1778–1851) was a Polish military officer and a brigadier general of the
Army of the Duchy of Warsaw The Army of the Duchy of Warsaw ( Polish: ''Armia Księstwa Warszawskiego'') refers to the military forces of the Duchy of Warsaw. The Army was significantly based on the Polish Legions; it numbered about 30,000 and was expanded during wartime t ...
. A veteran of the
Kościuszko Uprising The Kościuszko Uprising, also known as the Polish Uprising of 1794, Second Polish War, Polish Campaign of 1794, and the Polish Revolution of 1794, was an uprising against the Russian and Prussian influence on the Polish–Lithuanian Common ...
,
Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
and the
November Uprising The November Uprising (1830–31) (), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in Russian Partition, the heartland of Partitions of Poland, partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. ...
, he died in exile in
Wiesbaden Wiesbaden (; ) is the capital of the German state of Hesse, and the second-largest Hessian city after Frankfurt am Main. With around 283,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 24th-largest city. Wiesbaden form ...
.


Biography


Napoleonic period

Jan Nepomucen Umiński was born to a Polish gentry family in Czeluścin in
Greater Poland Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; ), is a Polish Polish historical regions, historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed by Kalisz, the oldest city in Poland. The bound ...
on 22 January 1778.Umiński, p. 1 He joined the Army of the
Republic of Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
early in his life and took part in the failed
Kościuszko Uprising The Kościuszko Uprising, also known as the Polish Uprising of 1794, Second Polish War, Polish Campaign of 1794, and the Polish Revolution of 1794, was an uprising against the Russian and Prussian influence on the Polish–Lithuanian Common ...
of 1794 as an
adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an Officer (armed forces), officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of “human resources” in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed ...
to General
Antoni Madaliński Antoni Madaliński (1739–1805) was a Polish Lieutenant General and commander of the 1st Greater Polish National Cavalry Brigade during the Kościuszko Uprising. Military career Madaliński actively participated in the Bar Confederation and l ...
. Following the Polish defeat, he escaped Russian-held Poland and briefly settled in
Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...
, where he served as an emissary of the Society of Polish Republicans and General
Jan Henryk Dąbrowski Jan Henryk Dąbrowski (; also known as Johann Heinrich Dąbrowski (Dombrowski) in German and Jean Henri Dombrowski in French; 2 August 1755 – 6 June 1818) was a Polish general and statesman, widely respected after his death for his patri ...
. When
Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
started he joined the French and took part in the fights of the
War of the Fourth Coalition The War of the Fourth Coalition () was a war spanning 1806–1807 that saw a multinational coalition fight against Napoleon's First French Empire, French Empire, subsequently being defeated. The main coalition partners were Kingdom of Prussia, ...
, notably the 1807 siege of Danzig and the battle of Tczew. Taken captive by the Prussians, he was set free after the armistice and joined the French cavalry, where he quickly rose to the rank of Major. He was soon transferred to the
Army of the Duchy of Warsaw The Army of the Duchy of Warsaw ( Polish: ''Armia Księstwa Warszawskiego'') refers to the military forces of the Duchy of Warsaw. The Army was significantly based on the Polish Legions; it numbered about 30,000 and was expanded during wartime t ...
, where he served in
Poznań Poznań ( ) is a city on the Warta, River Warta in west Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business center and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John's ...
as the commanding officer of a cavalry honour guard squadron. He took part in the brief
Polish–Austrian War The Austro-Polish War or Polish-Austrian War was a part of the War of the Fifth Coalition in 1809 (a coalition of the Austrian Empire and the United Kingdom against Napoleon's French Empire and allied states). In this war, Polish forces of ...
; as part of the forces under General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski, Umiński took part in, among other battles, the taking of the town of
Sandomierz Sandomierz (pronounced: ; , ) is a historic town in south-eastern Poland with 23,863 inhabitants (), situated on the Vistula River near its confluence with the San, in the Sandomierz Basin. It has been part of Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship (Holy ...
. In 1812 Umiński took part in
French invasion of Russia The French invasion of Russia, also known as the Russian campaign (), the Second Polish War, and in Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812 (), was initiated by Napoleon with the aim of compelling the Russian Empire to comply with the Continenta ...
, where he fought at Smolensk and the
Battle of Borodino The Battle of Borodino ( ) or Battle of Moscow (), in popular literature also known as the Battle of the Generals, took place on the outskirts of Moscow near the village of Borodino on 7 September 1812 during Napoleon's invasion of Russia. ...
. His unit of
hussars A hussar, ; ; ; ; . was a member of a class of light cavalry, originally from the Kingdom of Hungary during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely adopted by light cavalry ...
was the first to enter the city of
Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
. Following Borodino, in the Battle of Mozhaysk, he was promoted to the post of a brigade commanding officer. After the French retreat and the subsequent Russian capture of Poland, Umiński remained loyal to Napoleon and remained in Prince
Józef Poniatowski Prince Józef Antoni Poniatowski (; 7 May 1763 – 19 October 1813) was a Polish general, minister of war and army chief, who became a Marshal of the French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. A nephew of the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lit ...
's corps, with which he took part in the disastrous Battle of Nations. Wounded, he was taken prisoner of war but was released by the coalition forces in 1815.


Imprisonment, escape and the November Uprising

He returned to the newly established
Kingdom of Poland The Kingdom of Poland (; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a monarchy in Central Europe during the Middle Ages, medieval period from 1025 until 1385. Background The West Slavs, West Slavic tribe of Polans (western), Polans who lived in what i ...
and joined its armed forces. On 20 January 1815 he became the commanding officer of the 1st Mounted Rifles Regiment. However, already in December of that year he retired, and settled in his family estate of Smolice and Czeluścin in Prussian-held Greater Poland.Umiński, p. 3 A founder of a secret patriotic Scythemen Association, soon he joined
Walerian Łukasiński Walerian Łukasiński (15 April 1786 in Warsaw – 27 January 1868 in Shlisselburg) was a Polish officer and political activist. He was sentenced by Russian Empire, Russian Imperial authorities to 14 years' imprisonment. He died after 46 years of ...
's Patriotic Society. Under close observation by Prussian secret police, Umiński was considered an "incorrigible traitor of the state" and "zealous and criminal
chauvinist Chauvinism ( ) is the unreasonable belief in the superiority or dominance of one's own group or people, who are seen as strong and virtuous, while others are considered weak, unworthy, or inferior. The ''Encyclopaedia Britannica'' describes it ...
due to his earlier involvements in Polish patriotic uprisings.Umiński, pp. 3 and 7 However, his activities remained unknown to the Prussians for some time. His situation became much more complicated after the Russians had arrested Walerian Łukasiński and his closest associates.Umiński, p. 4 Denounced to Prussian authorities by Łukasiński and
Ignacy Prądzyński Ignacy Prądzyński (; 20 July 1792– 4 August 1850) was a Polish military commander, general of the Polish Army and an engineer. A veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, he was one of the most successful Polish commanders of the November Uprising a ...
, he was finally arrested in 1826, together with Count Maciej Mielżyński. Despite protests by the youth of Poznań and other towns of the
Grand Duchy of Posen The Grand Duchy of Posen (; ) was part of the Kingdom of Prussia, created from Prussian Partition, territories annexed by Prussia after the Partitions of Poland, and formally established following the Congress of Vienna in 1815. On 9 February 1 ...
,Umiński, pp. 5-6 Umiński was charged with high treason and conspiracy, and sentenced to 6 years in a prison in Glogau.Umiński, pp. 1 and 8 His village of Czeluścin was confiscated by Prussian authorities and sold to a new owner.Umiński, p. 9 When the
November Uprising The November Uprising (1830–31) (), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in Russian Partition, the heartland of Partitions of Poland, partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. ...
broke out, Umiński's situation became more complicated. Already in mail contact with various factions throughout Europe, he was put under closer surveillance by the Prussian authorities. In front of his cell two guards were posted at all times, and an officer was stationed in his cell.Umiński, pp. 10-11 However, as the discipline within the fortress was lacking, on 17 February 1831 Umiński organised in his cell a party for numerous officers stationed in the fortress. When at 20:00 the gates of the fortress were closed, it turned out that Umiński had escaped, leaving a group of drunk German officers behind. Eduard Heinrich von Flottwell ordered a complete blockade of all major roads leading towards Poland and dispatched hundreds of patrols in search of the fugitive, but the pursuit proved fruitless. Umiński had a relay of horses and assistants organised for him. Through Siedlnica, Książęcy Las (where Prince Antoni Sułkowski provided him with money),
Rawicz Rawicz (; ) is a town in west-central Poland with 21,398 inhabitants as of 2004. It is situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship (since 1999); previously it was in Leszno Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is the capital of Rawicz County. History The ...
, Chwałkowo, Konary, Grąbkowo and
Rusko Rusko () is a municipality of Finland. It is located in Western Finland and is part of the Southwest Finland region. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density Population densi ...
reached the Polish border. In the afternoon of 18 February Umiński arrived to
Kalisz Kalisz () is a city in central Poland, and the second-largest city in the Greater Poland Voivodeship, with 97,905 residents (December 2021). It is the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of Gr ...
. Despite a lengthy investigation, the Prussian authorities never learned of the true extent of the conspiracy that made Umiński's escape possible.Umiński, p. 13 On 21 February 1831 Umiński rejoined the Polish Army. Initially in the rank of an ordinary soldier, Umiński took part in the First Battle of Wawer and the bloody
Battle of Olszynka Grochowska The Battle of Olszynka Grochowska, or the battle of Grochów, was fought on 25 February 1831 in the woods near Grochów, on the eastern outskirts of Warsaw. The Polish army, commanded by Józef Chłopicki, succeeded in preventing its Russian ...
. Soon he was discovered by his former colleague, General
Henryk Dembiński Count Henryk Dembiński (; 16 January 1791 – 13 July 1864) was a Polish engineer, traveler and general. Dembiński was born in Strzałków, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In 1809 he entered the Polish army of the Duchy of Warsaw and took part ...
, who promoted him to a Colonel, then a Division General, and gave him command over the I Cavalry Corps. His Corps took part in the battles of Jędrzejów and the Battle of Ostrołęka, one of the bloodiest battles of the uprising, plagued by indecisiveness and bad command decisions on the side of the Polish Commander-in-Chief General
Jan Zygmunt Skrzynecki Jan Zygmunt Skrzynecki (8 February 1787 – 12 January 1860 or 1 December 1860) was a Polish general, and commander-in-chief of the November Uprising (1830–1831). Biography He was born in Żebrak, Siedlce County, in 1787, and completed his ed ...
. Critical of his superiors, Umiński nevertheless remained in the army until the very end of the uprising, taking part in the lengthy battle of Warsaw. Following the Polish defeat, he led the remaining Polish forces to Modlin and
Płock Płock (pronounced ), officially the Ducal Capital City of Płock, is a city in central Poland, on the Vistula river, in the Masovian Voivodeship. According to the data provided by Central Statistical Office (Poland), GUS on 31 December 2021, the ...
, where on 23 September 1831 he was nominated to the post of the Polish Commander-in-Chief. Opposed by many generals, he held it for only a single day and ceded his duties to General
Maciej Rybiński Maciej Rybiński (; born 24 February 1784 in Slavuta in Wołyń, died 17 January 1874 in Paris) was a Polish general, who was the last chief of State of November Uprising The November Uprising (1830–31) (), also known as the Polish ...
. After the fall of uprising, Umiński went into exile in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. A close associate to Prince
Adam Jerzy Czartoryski Adam Jerzy Czartoryski (14 January 1770 – 15 July 1861), also known as Adam George Czartoryski, was a Polish szlachta, nobleman, statesman, diplomat and author who served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Russian SFSR, Chairman of ...
, he was one of the founders of the Literary Society of Paris, one of the most important Polish cultural and scientific associations of the 19th century. He then moved to
Wiesbaden Wiesbaden (; ) is the capital of the German state of Hesse, and the second-largest Hessian city after Frankfurt am Main. With around 283,000 inhabitants, it is List of cities in Germany by population, Germany's 24th-largest city. Wiesbaden form ...
in Germany, where he died on 15 June 1851. He is a patron of streets and schools in numerous towns, as well as the 5th Reconnaissance Battalion of the
Polish Army The Land Forces () are the Army, land forces of the Polish Armed Forces. They currently contain some 110,000 active personnel and form many components of the European Union and NATO deployments around the world. Poland's recorded military histor ...
.


References


Citations


Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Uminski, Jan Nepomucen 1778 births 1851 deaths Knights of the Virtuti Militari Generals of the November Uprising People from Gostyń County Polish commanders of the Napoleonic Wars Polish political prisoners in the Prussian partition