Battle of Mir (1792)



Battle of Mir was one of the first battles of the Polish–Russian War of 1792. It took place in the town of Mir, which is now part of Belarus, on June 11, 1792.

Despite Lithuanian numerical superiority (8,000–10,000 against 5,500), they were defeated.

Boris Mellin's corps encamped at the village of Świerżeń Stary (10 June N.S.). On 11 June he attacked the Polish-Lithuanians hiding in Mir. The Russian jaeger battalion was the first to enter the place. The Polish-Lithuanians cleared it. F. Buxhoeveden with the Smolensk Dragoon Regiment pursued General Bielak at a distance of 9.6 km and captured 2 cannons. L. Bennigsen with the Izyum Regiment and a battalion of the Murom Infantry Regiment pursued at a distance of 7.4 km up to 10,000 men under Józef Judycki, who had fled to Słonim.

The Russian army of B. Mellin defeated the Lithuanian force under General Judycki. The confrontation could have gone the other way if the 900 troops under Stanisław Kostka Potocki and Tomasz Wawrzecki were used to augment the defence; instead Judycki called a two-hour counsel. This gave time for the Russian forces to regroup and they were then able to prepare a final counterattack.

On that day there was also an assault and conquest of the Mir Castle Complex by Mellin's corps. Judycki left his troops and resorted to Grodno.

Disgraced Judycki was relieved of command soon afterwards, on June 17, to be replaced by Michał Zabiełło.