Battle of Fraustadt

Battle of Fraustadt
Part of the Great Northern War
Battallie bei Fraustad – Johann Christian Marchand
Date 2 February 1706 (O.S.) 3 February 1706 (Swedish calendar) 13 February 1706 (N.S.) Location Fraustadt (Wschowa), Poland Result Swedish victory
Belligerents
Swedish Empire	Saxony Tsardom of Russia
Commanders and leaders
Carl Gustaf Rehnskiöld	Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg (WIA)
Strength
9,400:[1] 3,700 infantry 5,700 cavalry, (no artillery)	20,000:[2] 16,000 infantry 4,000 cavalry, 32 artillery pieces
Casualties and losses
1,500:[3] 452 killed, 1,077 wounded	15,000:[4] 7,377 killed 7,300–7,900 captured

The Battle of Fraustadt was fought on 2 February 1706 (O.S.) / 3 February 1706 (Swedish calendar) / 13 February 1706 (N.S.) between Sweden and Saxony-Poland and their Russian allies near Fraustadt (now Wschowa) in Poland. During the Battle of Fraustadt on February 3, August II was only 120 km away, with a cavalry force about 8,000 men strong. According to Cathal Nolan that caused Swedish General Rehnskiöld to rush to engage Schulenburg. The Swedes were outnumbered by more than two to one by Saxons, mercenaries, and Russians. Ignoring the odds, Rehnsköld attacked the enemy's well-entrenched position. He sent cavalry to drive off defending Saxon horse on either wing and complete a classic double envelopment. The manoeuvre meant they could attack from behind into the center rear of the enemy's main line. The result was 8,000 Russian deaths and 5,000 Saxons and German mercenaries taken prisoner. The battle is a textbook example of a perfect pincer movement and was one of Sweden's key victories in the Great Northern War.^[5]