THE FORTRESS YESTERDAY

We would like you to learn more about the history of Zamość sieges and fortress-capturing techniques.

Zamość in 1648. On 6 November Cossack and Tatar army consisting of several thousand soldiers commanded by Bohdan Khmelnytsky approached Zamość Fortress defended by 2300 soldiers and 2400 townsmen and noblemen. The town’s fortifications were strong but the defenders had no idea that Zamość would become a refuge for many thousand Ukrainians and failed to collect enough food supplies. The town was blockaded and its outskirts and neighbouring villages plundered and burnt. The undefended fortified palace of Tomasz Zamoyski, the so-called “Zamczysko” situated on the southern bank of Great Pond was also damaged. On 8 November, as soon as artillery arrived, Khmelnytsky started a cannonade of the town. The storming on the side of Przedmieście Janowickie was repelled. Destruction of the weir on the side of the Szczebrzeska Gate by Cossacks was a strong blow to water obstacles in the south. Finally, after prolonged negotiations, a ransom of PLN 20 thousand was paid and Khmelnytsky’s troops left the site on 23-24 November.

Zamość in 1656. The fortress was well-prepared for the expected Swedish invasion. On 24 February Swedish troops commanded by Field Marshal Robert Douglas approached the town and demanded that the fortress surrender. Due to defenders’ refusal to do so, Swedes started to make sconces (earthworks). On 27 February an 18-thousand Swedish army commanded by King Carl Gustav himself approached the town. On 27 February at night a cannonade of the town started, broken off only by repeated demands that the fortress surrender. Since Swedes did not have heavy cannons, their fire was ineffective, which improved the defenders’ mood. In these circumstances, on 1 March King Carl Gustav lifted the siege. Swedes’ failure to capture Zamość Fortress, just like the successful defence of Jasna Góra monastery, became famous all over the country.

Zamość at the time of the Northern War. In February 1703 Zamość Fortress withstood unharmed a week-long blockade of Swedish troops commanded by General Magnus Stenbock but in the following year a reduced crew of only 260 defenders surrendered the fortress to a much stronger Swedish army. However, the Swedes did not stay long in Zamość. In 1705 the Fifth Entailer Tomasz Józef Zamoyski became a supporter of King Augustus II and agreed that a thousand Russian soldiers be stationed in the fortress. Russians left Zamość in May 1706 and in 1715-1716 Saxon troops stayed in the fortress.

Zamość in 1809. Austrians commanded by Colonel Ferdynand von Pulszky stationed in the fortress from 1882 and, expecting a war with Napoleonic troops, started to supplement the fortifications at the last moment; they started the construction of a sconce – redan* in front of the Szczebrzeska Gate, repaired the walls in the northern part of the fortress and Bastion V. Fortress crew consisted of 3000 soldiers. Duke Józef Poniatowski sent to Zamość a unit commanded by General Ignacy Kamieński, which reached the fortress on 15 May. However, because the unit was too small to launch an attack, on 17 May it was supplemented with a unit of General Jean Pelletier, who took command. A total of 1500 soldiers launched an attack. At first the eastern part of the fortress was cannonaded heavily to divert the defenders’ attention from the real direction of planned attack. Another sham attack was prepared near the Szczebrzeska Gate. The main offensive focused on the Lubelska Gate. As a result of heavy artillery fire, the northern face of Bastion IV collapsed. After capturing a small adjacent gate, attackers forced their way into the fortress and captured the Lubelska Gate from the inside. Meanwhile, in the face of weak defence, the sham attacks on the other gates turned into real ones. Attacking units forced their way into the embankments and crossed the gates. Defenders withdrew to the centre of the town where they gave up. Poles took about 2500 prisoners and about 300 Austrians were killed with only 30 victims on the side of the attackers. Joanna Żubrowa, the first woman to have been awarded the War Order of Virtuti Militari, showed extraordinary courage during the attack. It should be remembered that the troops of the Duchy of Warsaw were assisted by residents of Zamość and the neighbouring villages who provided information about weaknesses of the fortress and took part in actual fighting.

Zamość in 1813. Modernised fortress was prepared for a long defence. The crew consisted of about 3000 soldiers and the commander of the fortress at that time was Maurycy Hauke. The fortress was equipped with 130 guns. In February 4-7 thousand Russian soldiers commanded by General Rath came to Zamość and laid a regular siege. Russian forces gradually increased until in August they consisted of about 17 thousand soldiers with 160 guns. The heaviest fights – artillery fire lasting for many days and defenders’ sorties - took place in March and April. In May the fortress was blockaded. A short truce did not provide a possibility for substantial replenishment of food supplies and soon diseases and hunger started to plague the defenders. At the end of November news about Napoleon’s defeat at Leipzig reached Zamość. On 19 November the fortress surrendered. During a ten-month siege about 1500 people died of diseases or were killed. On 25 November Polish Garrison left the fortress.