Slag om Posen

Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu, Wydział Historii, Pracownia Historii Wojskowej, Karol Kościelniak, kkos@amu.edu.pl

CH-785


Bilthoven, 27 april 2023

Dear dr Karol Kościelniak,

Recently I read your two articles “The impact of the Great Northern War on Poznań and the lives of its inhabitants” and “Battle of Poznań of 19 August 1704 between the Saxon and Swedish Armies”.

I am very interested in the information you found. The reason is that I study the European history of my family, more particularly the life of the Swedish general Johann August von Meijerfeldt (1664-1749), later Governor-General over Swedish-Pomerania. On my website one paragraph is devoted to his march from Gdansk to Poznan and the next one to his defence of Poznan, all in Dutch I’m afraid. I have used Swedish, German, French and even an early Dutch book: Isaac le Long, “Het leven van den heldhaften Carel den XIIden, Koning der Sweden”, Amsterdam 1721, page 182 etc. You are very right the Polish sources have almost not been used. I will enrich my paragraphs with your facts.

You mention one source you used in The Ossolinski Library in Wroclaw, Manuscript number 233, General Meijerfeldt’s report to His Majesty the King of Sweden about the need with the Saxons in Greater Poland, August 20, 1704. On the website of the library I cannot find a scanned copy of the manuscript. In case you scanned it for your own purpose, would it be possible to share it with me?

I have another question with regard to the follow up the battle of 19 August 1704. Am I right that Brandt and Patkul did leave Poznan in October, but not without any fight? Meijerfeldt returned to Poznan as well. On 8 September (Swedish calendar) he marched in and out an amazed city, raided Radomicki’s men in their sleep, defeated Saxon troops at the Warta riverside, and withdrew in the city. On 4 October (Swedish calendar) the Russian artillery bombarded the city for at least two weeks. The citizens repaired the damage to the walls and towers during the night. The walls and towers didn’t catch fire because they were filled with sand and manure. The Russians and Saxons prepared a big raid, which would have been successful, provided they had not left due to the (wrong) information that Charles XII was on his way with the main army.

Thank you in advance for the attention and effort you invest in my e-mail.
Hugo von Meijenfeldt


Poznan, 27 april 2023

Hugo von Meijenfeldt

I am very pleased that you have taken an interest in my research. If only I can help then I will do it with pleasure.

I have the General’s Report, which I am attaching to this message, in addition I am attaching my text about the 1704 siege of Poznań and an extended article about the 1704 Battle of Poznań, only that everything is written in Polish. The general’s report was additionally transcribed by me from the original (the corresponding file is also attached) maybe it will be easier to read and translate it.

As for your questions, you will find everything in my work on the siege of Poznan, but due to the fact that it is in Polish (I am considering whether to translate it into English and republish it) I will try to answer them. After Meijerfeldt left Poznañ after the battle with Schulenburg, he only returned when the Saxons departed eastward toward Warsaw. At that point the Swedes had relative freedom of action, but they were hindered by Radomicki with his men. Meijerfeldt was summoned again near Poznañ. He arrived in the city on September 19. On the morning of September 20, a meeting of the higher commanders was held, at which it was decided to attack, later that day, Radomiski, which was done. The Swedes attacked Radomiski in Konarzewo, surprising him and smashing his unit. Into the hands of the victors fell the camp along with supplies. Thanks to this victory, the Swedish garrison in Poznan was supplied and gained complete freedom of movement.

On September 28, General Brandt and his cavalry arrived near Poznañ and a few days later Patkul arrived with Saxon-Russian infantry. Preparations were made for the siege, but it was not until October 15 that artillery firing began. These were mainly Saxon guns that had been specially sent from Saxony (large caliber). The effectiveness of the fire was very poor. About 4,000 bullets fell on the city, but according to reports, they killed only one person, destroyed numerous residential buildings, monasteries and churches, but failed to cause a single fire, as the city commander engaged the residents to extinguish them. Of course, a general assault was being prepared, ladders and necessary equipment were prepared, but as a result of an order from Augustus II, who feared the arrival of Charles XII, Patkul and Brandt had to withdraw from under Poznan on November 3. The lack of decisive action on Patkul’s part resulted in a missed opportunity to capture the city as early as around October 28.

I hope I have been helpful. I wish you success in your search for news about your ancestor. If you will need any documents from Poland, please feel free to write.

Best regards
Karol Kościelniak


Bilthoven, 28 april 2023

Dear Karol Kościelniak,

Thank you very much for your immediate and helpful response.

I was surprised to discover that the report of Meijerfeldt is written in the Polish language. The handwriting is not his own or of his secretary Löwenheim. I presume someone else translated the original Swedish or German report into Polish, perhaps for king Stanislaus. Although, Stalislaus and Meijerfeldt wrote French letters to each other and their secretaries Latin.

Your transcription of the scanned report made it possible for me to use Google Translate and understand the content. Meijerfeldt’s account is glorious for his Swedish troops, I guess to please his king. Gustaf Adlerfeld, then the chamberlain of Charles XII, copied this story in his diary, and is therefore equally subjective. If Meijerfeldt would have been modest he still could have stated that after the battle in August and the siege in October he only had few casualties and kept Poznan against a much larger enemy.

I will translate your two longer pieces. If you decide to write a longer article in English about the Poznan I’m interested.

Thank you for answering my last question. I can add one colourful detail of J.A. Nordberg (then second pastor for Charles XII). In Konarzewo Meijerfeldt got hold of Radomicki’s general staff decorated with plumes. In vain Radomicki offered him 2,000 ducat ransom. Swedish, Saxon and Russian troops have been a plague for the Polish population. If the soldiers would have limited themselves to confiscating each other’s flags, staffs, timpani, etc. it would have been relieved.

Best regards and have a nice weekend,
Hugo von Meijenfeldt


Poznan, 1 mei 2023

Dear Hugo von Meijenfeldt

Thank you for your recent message. The General’s report is included in the 18th century copybook, these are not original documents just copies.

Thank you for the offer to write an article about Poznan. Please tell me from what subject area would this text be? What exactly are you interested in? For when possibly would this article be, and where would it be published? I like your proposal very much and would be happy to write an axis about Poznan.

Best regards
Karol Kościelniak


Bilthoven, 1 mei 2023

Dear Karol Kościelniak,

Thank you very much for explaining the context of the Polish translation of Meijerfeldt’s report. I can’t find the original Swedish text in the Riksarkivit in Stockholm, but the Polish translationis makes the content clear enough to me.

I only wanted to stipulate that I will use your information in order to improve the two paragraphs on my website. Sorry that I made you enthousastic and gave you the impression that I am going to write a seperate article about Poznan for a publication. That is not my intention. Since I am not a professional historian I should be modest with regard to publications.

I will continue to follow your historical publications.

Best regards,
Hugo von Meijenfeldt


Pozan, 1 mei 2023

Dear Hugo von Meijenfeldt

Thank you for the clarification. I hope that my research will be useful to you in better describing your ancestor’s history.

Best regards
Karol Kościelniak