Battle of Brest (1794)

Battle of Brest
Part of the Kościuszko Uprising
Date 19 September 1794 (8th O.S.) Location Near Brest, present-day Belarus Result Russian victory, destruction of Sierakowski's forces
Belligerents
Russian Empire	Polish rebels
Commanders and leaders
Alexander Suvorov	Karol Sierakowski
Strength
13,000 men ~30 cannon	8,000 14 cannon
Casualties and losses
about 1000 men killed	about 5,000 men killed 500 taken prisoner

The Battle of Brest (referred to by Polish historians as "Bitwa pod Terespolem" (Battle near Terespol)) was a battle between Russian imperial forces and Polish rebels south-west of Brest (near the village of Terespol), present-day Belarus, on 19 September 1794. It was part of the Kościuszko Uprising.

Before 19 September, Polish rebels fortified themselves in the marshes near the town of Brest. At night (at 2 AM, according to one source),Alexander Suvorov moved his troops near the Polish positions, and attacked at dawn. The fighting lasted for six hours, often involving hand-to-hand combat, but the Russians finally managed to gain the upper hand, destroying the Polish force. 500 of Sierakowski's men were taken prisoner, and the fields all around Brest were covered with corpses. The Polish lost all of their 28 artillery pieces and two banners. According to Russian sources, Sierakowsky himself fled to Siedlce with a detachment of his cavalry corps. A Russian military report stated that losses on their side stood at 95 killed and 228 injured, however in reality it is estimated that around 1000 Russians were killed.

The Russian victory at Brest took a major hit on Polish morale. Tadeusz Kościuszko himself was distraught by the loss. In August, he announced at a meeting that by September, the Ottoman Empire would declare war on Russia and that "Suvorov, occupied by [them], could not be in Poland." Subsequently, there were rumors that a relatively low-raking Cossack general named Suvorov, as opposed to the well-known one, was going to lead the Russian fight in Poland. After the Battle of Brest, however, it became clear which Suvorov was on the front lines.

Kościuszko rushed to Siedlce to rally his troops and prevent the spread of panic. He explained the defeat at Brest as not the fault of the Polish commanders, but rather that the Russians simply had a numerical superiority. He also presented several of his commanders with new awards, with golden rings inscribed with the slogan, "The fatherland to its defender". Despite Kościuszko's efforts, Polish morale still suffered. This is evidenced by a report presented by Kościuszko, to the commanders of the Lithuanian army in Grodno:

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