1. Poltava June 28, 1709 Strategic Context Stakes
Charles XII of Sweden easily defeats the Russians at the Battle of Narva in 1700 at the outset of the Great Northern War, which involves all northern European powers at some point. Charles thus expects a quick victory when he invades Russia in winter However, he fails to bring Peter the Great’s revitalized army to a decisive battle in Rather than withdraw from the Smolensk river gate to a firm winter base, Charles opts to march south into the Ukraine to join with Mazeppa’s Cossacks who promise supplies and a 30,000 cavalry contingent. However, Peter learns of and then crushes the Cossack revolt, stranding Charles’ army in the Ukraine which is now further from his base in Poland and goal of Moscow. Charles advances east in 1709 and besieges Poltava as Peter concentrates his massive army along the River Vorskla. On June 17, Charles is struck by a bullet in the leg and is no longer able to walk. When Peter learns of this, he shifts his camp away from the vital Petrovka ford but closer to the Swedish army and fortifies it. He also begins building a system of redoubts in the hopes of an advantageous general engagement. Despite his injury, Charles resolves to attack, passing tactical command to Karl Rehnskjold.
Stakes
+ A Russian victory would ensnare the Swedes in increasingly hostile and barren territory facing a growing army.
+ A Swedish victory would force yet another Russian retreat further into the interior of Russia, wrecking their confidence.
By Jonathan Webb, 2011 ©

2. Poltava, 1709 Strength Russians Well Swedes Well Peter the Great
Karl Rehnskjold
Charles XII
30,500 infantry
8,200 infantry
11,500 cavalry
8,800 cavalry
89 guns
4 guns
By Jonathan Webb, 2011 ©

4. (Karl Rehnskjold/Charles XII) 8,200 infantry 8,800 cavalry 4 guns
As the main Swedish force moves north, Rehnskjold struggles to locate the rest of his army. Lewenhaupt’s force is obscured from view in a ravine as it prepares to assault the Russian camp single-handedly, but Rehnskjold spots it in time as it advances. Rehnskjold urgently orders Lewenhaupt to rejoin the main army; furious, Lewenhaupt complies. Of course, a third of the infantry are still missing to Rehnskjold. Reciprocally, Roos wishes to rejoin the main army but does not know where it is; he retreats to the forest to reform before locating it. Roos’ depleted force is now trapped on the wrong side of the redoubts as Russian troops reoccupy the ones lost. Peter recognizes the vulnerability of Roos and sends a mixed force under Rentzel to destroy the lost Swedish infantry. As the Swedes assemble in the plains in full view of the Russians, their confidence grows at the tiny size of the Swedish army.
The Swedish attack on the redoubts begins as dawn breaks; Roos easily captures the first two redoubts but is repulsed by the third. Menshikov leads his cavalry forward to attack the Swedish infantry but they are instead met by the Swedish cavalry. Hamilton’ cavalry advance in response, provoking Bauer and Ronne’s participation in a general cavalry battle.
Rehnskjold deploys the infantry in four columns with the cavalry to the rear. Charles’ plan is for the infantry to quickly bypass the redoubts and reform on the plain to the north while the cavalry sweeps the Russian cavalry from the field; once formed up, the Swedes can march northeast, cutting off the Russians from the Petrovka ford they rely upon for supplies. Rehnskjold is tasked with carrying out the plan while Charles is carried on a litter; due to Charles’ concerns of secrecy, only a select few officers know the plan in its entirety. Peter is anyways aware of an imminent Swedish attack and deploys his cavalry behind the redoubts. Peter is still constructing a second line of redoubts perpendicular to the first to form a T-shape with the hope of dividing and repulsing the Swedes. Peter posts Cossack cavalry to the south and west to protect against any outflanking maneuvers.
Rentzel’s detachment quickly surrounds Roos’ tired force. Meanwhile Rehnskjold sends a small mixed force under Sparre to locate Roos; Sparre is unable to recross the redoubts and recoils. As Rehnskjold awaits Sparre’s return, Russian artillery fire begins to fall on portions of the Swedish army within range, forcing the entire army to shift west to lower ground out of range and view. Rehnskjold sends messengers back to the baggage train with orders to bring up the Swedish artillery in response but this will take time, assuming they get through at all. Meanwhile, Peter patiently organizes his army for his desired general engagement.
Menshikov urges Peter to send up the infantry to hold the line of redoubts but Peter, seemingly unable to believe his cavalry is performing so well, repeatedly orders Menshikov to withdraw. Menshikov reluctantly withdraws north and south of the Russian camp when Ronne is killed. The Swedish cavalry pursue into the plains, followed by the infantry. Some officers waste resources in reducing redoubts, unaware of the overall Swedish plan, while Lewenhaupt leads a force off to the right towards the Russian fortified camp. Roos especially is unaware he is only to mask the redoubts for the other columns before following them into the plains; instead, he draws in more troops to launch aggressive but unsuccessful attacks against the third redoubt.
Sparre returns to Rehnskjold with no knowledge of where Roos’ force may be, placing the Swedish army in a perilous position. Rehnskjold considers three options: try to break through to the north and block Russian access to the Petrovka ford, attack the entrenched Russian infantry, or withdraw. Rehnskjold chooses to withdraw and issues orders for the army to retrace its steps across the marshland. Peter decides the matter for Rehnskjold as the Russian army efficiently pours out of its camp, forcing the Swedes to fight. On the other side of the battlefield, Roos surrenders his command.
Swedes
(Rehnskjold/Charles)
Hamilton
Swedes
(Karl Rehnskjold/Charles XII)
8,200 infantry
8,800 cavalry
4 guns
Rehnskjold/ Charles
Kreutz
Rehnskjold/ Charles
Roos
Rehnskjold/ Charles
Kreutz
Lewenhaupt
Hamilton
Hamilton
Lewenhaupt
Roos
Sparre
Lewenhaupt
Bauer
Rentzel
Rentzel
Kreutz
Ronne
Roos
Menshikov
Roos
Russians
(Peter the Great)
30,500 infantry
11,500 cavalry
89 guns
Bauer
Peter
Menshikov
Russians
(Peter)

5. (Karl Rehnskjold/Charles XII) 8,200 infantry 8,800 cavalry 4 guns
Kreutz shifts his attention to fending off Menshikov’s cavalry as the infantry lines fight in close combat. The Russian infantry are holding back the Swedish attack after counterattacks by the second line and are beginning to exploit the large gap between the Swedish wings. The Russian right is already pushing back the Swedish left; Hamilton leads his cavalry into battle but they are immediately stymied by Russian musket and cannon fire, and then violently attacked by Bauer’s cavalry.
Kreutz chases away Menshikov’s cavalry only to discover the infantry are already routing. The Swedish left is first to break, hotly pursued by Russian cavalry and the Cossacks which spring into action. The Swedish extreme right is the only part to retreat in some semblance of order, south back through the redoubts, with the cavalry, accompanied by Charles and Lewenhaupt. Not as lucky, Rehnskjold soon becomes a prisoner.
Rehnskjold deploys the infantry in a thin line with worrisome gaps in an attempt to match the length of the Russian lines. The Swedish cavalry is in complete disarray on marshy terrain: Kreutz’ units are still mostly to the rear while Hamilton is preoccupied with Cossack activity to the north. Rehnskjold plans to smash the Russian left with a stiff attack, spreading confusion and routing the inexperienced Russian soldiers of past battles. Peter deploys the infantry in two orderly lines – each at least twice the size of the single Swedish line – with a reserve within the camp. Cavalry occupy the wings. Artillery is divided between the frontline, and the ramparts where they can fire over the heads of the Russian infantry. Peter plans to stand firm against the Swedish attack he has provoked and then counter, utterly crushing it.
Rehnskjold orders the attack as Russian artillery fire continues to assail the Swedish army. Kreutz leads his cavalry against the Russian extreme left but Menshikov takes him in rear with a wide flanking maneuver. The Swedish right defies the concentrated fire and smashes the Russian left but the Swedish left loses half its strength before it reaches the Russian line; a large gap thus develops between the Swedish left and right. Hamilton’s cavalry sit idle on the Swedish extreme left rear.
Swedes
(Rehnskjold/Charles)
Swedes
(Karl Rehnskjold/Charles XII)
8,200 infantry
8,800 cavalry
4 guns
Hamilton
Kreutz
Lewenhaupt
Menshikov
Bauer
Peter
Sheremetev
Repnin
Russians
(Peter the Great)
30,500 infantry
11,500 cavalry
89 guns
Russians
(Peter)

6. Poltava, 1709 Casualties & Aftermath
Russian Army:
Swedish Army:
4,600 or
11%
9,700 or
57%
Lewenhaupt and the remnants of the Swedish army surrendered to Menshikov two weeks later. Charles escaped to Turkey and provoked a war between Turkey and Russia in which Peter and his army were surrounded and forced to accept the harsh terms of Treaty of Pruth in This did not stop Peter from invading Swedish territory in 1713 and imposing peace in 1721, three years after Charles’ death in battle. Russia’s victory displaced Sweden as the premier power in the Baltic, gaining all of its territory along the coast in the Treaty of Nystad.
By Jonathan Webb, 2011 ©

7. The Art of Battle: Animated Battle Maps
By Jonathan Webb, 2011 ©