September 23, 1654

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Martin Antonenko

A Fixture
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Jul 11, 2008
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Smolensk Surrenders!



On September 23, 1654, after a two-and-a-half month siege, the Polish-Lithuanian garrison of the Smolensk Fortress (speak: "Smaljensk") surrendered to a Russian army under the leadership of the second Romanov Tsar, Aleksej I (1629 - 1676) ...




This is an important step towards the expulsion of the Polish-Lithuanian occupiers from the Russian heartland!

The forces of besieged and besiegers are very unevenly distributed:

The Tsar has 25,000 men (including 14,000 infantrymen) and 40 siege guns, while the Smolensk garrison has only 5,000 infantry and cavalry men - and 1,300 (forcibly) recruited militiamen from residents of the city.

As for the commander and governor of Smolensk, Pylyp Kasimir Obuchovich (1600 - 1656)


... can hold out for so long at all, is the hope of relief!

The Russians undermine part of the fortress walls and blow them up - afterwards there is a storm ...:



This assault on August 16 is bloody repulsed - when the defenders blow up a stone tower of the fortification, which buries many attackers under itself, Tsar Aleksej has to call for a retreat!

But the siege continues ...:







When a little later at the Battle of Shklow (Belarus) on August 24, 1654 ...



... a 6,000-strong Polish-Lithuanian relief army under the hetman Janusz Radziwill (1612 - 1655) ...



... of 15,000 Russians under Prince Jakow Tscherkasskij ...



... is beaten ...







… The situation in Smolensk is slowly but surely becoming untenable in Smolensk.

Cossacks fought on both sides in this battle ...:



A month later, on September 23, Smolensk surrenders after the garrison was promised safe conduct ...:



Finally, on September 25, the Russians will celebrate their victory in the fortress with a big banquet - at the table - one has to respect the brave opponent - the leaders of the vanquished will sit among several hundred people ...
 
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