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The present article analyses insurgent platoons and tactical peculiarities of units during the January Uprising of 1863ñ1864 in present Lithuania and neighbouring territories (Kaunas, Vilnius, Augustavas provinces). It also addresses march and battle tactics and tactical ruse. Insurgentsí actions in Lithuania during the period of 1863-1864 may be considered as full-scale guerrilla warfare. Insurgents successfully adopted the experience of previous uprisings in 1794 and 1831 and made use of the skills of officers and soldiers who previously served in the Imperial Russian Army and joined the insurgents during the January Uprising. Fighting efficiency of separate insurgent platoons mostly depended on their commanders and their ability to teach insurgents warfare, maintain discipline and great fighting spirit. Most efficient and most commonly used insurgent tactics included ambush, tree barrier, diversion, and attacking infrastructure and administrative objects. When fighting with the Imperial Russian Army took place in an open battlefield, success usually came to Russian forces. Insurgentsí defeat was determined not only by particular military-tactical reasons but also by overall political situation, severe repressions of Russian administration against the uprising supporters, and also gradual loss of residentsí support. In 1864, the last hope of receiving military support from abroad was lost and the January Uprising was suppressed. |
