Battle of Gdów

The Battle of Gdow (Polish language: Bitwa pod Gdowem) took place on February 26, 1846 near Gdow, Free City of Krakow. It was the only battle of the Krakow Uprising: a 380-strong rebel unit commanded by Jakub Suchorzewski was defeated by a 480-strong Austrian Army detachment under Ludwig von Benedek. The Austrians were supported by some 500 local peasants (see Galician slaughter). Rebel losses were estimated at 154 killed in action, while Austrian losses were negligible.

After the Krakow Uprising had begun, an Austrian detachment under Colonel Ludwig von Benedek left Tarnów, heading towards Krakow. Von Benedek had almost 500 men, including 330 infantry and 150 cavalry. Along the way, his unit was reinforced by local peasants from several villages, such as Marszowice, Nieznanowice and Pierzchow. They peasants were promised a hundredweight of salt and 5 Krakow zlotys for each captured rebel.

Meanwhile a rebel unit of 380 men (mostly residents of Krakow and local szlachta) under Colonel Jakub Suchorzewski concentrated in Lazany, 8 km southeast of Wieliczka. The rebels were attacked near Gdow, and after a fierce battle they had to retreat, with heavy losses among the rebel infantry. A unit of kosynierzy was surrounded at a local cemetery, where they were murdered by the peasants. Suchorzewski himself fled from the battlefield to Dobczyce, taking with him rebel money.

Altogether, rebel losses were 154: all were buried in three pits, dug at the cemetery. Survivors fled to Krakow, while on the next day the Austrians entered Wieliczka.

Sources

• Mała Encyklopedia Wojskowa, 1967, Wydanie I
• Jerzy Zdrada, Historia Polski 1795-1914, Warszawa 2007
• Julius Kreipner, Geschichte des K.und K.Infanterie-Regimentes Nr. 34 für immerwährende Zeiten Wilhelm I. Deutscher Kaiser und König von Preussen, 1733-1900, Kosice 1900

See also

• Austrian Poland
• Revolutions of 1848