The Russian Army at the Siege of Riga

August-October 1656

Vladimir Velikanov

The main event of the 1656 campaign was the siege of Riga by Russian Army under Tsar
Alexei Mikhailovich. The fortifications of Riga consisted of a wall with ditch and 5
bastions around the old town. In 1652 Swedes had started construction of a new wall with
12 bastions around suburbs, but by 1656 the work was not completed. The Russian
vanguard consisting of the Vladimir v. Vizin Reiters, Daniel Krafert Foot and Iunkmann
Dragoons approached Riga on Aug 20 and easily threw back the Swedes under GM H. v.
Thurn into the city. Von Thurn was killed or captured in the action. The Swedes
evacuated the suburbs and withdrew to the old town. A few days late, the main army
under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich arrived on the ships on the Duna River, and laid siege to
Riga. Russians occupied three camps, two on the east bank of Duna in Riga's suburbs,
and a Corps under Ordyn-Nashokin on the west bank of Duna opposite the Kobrun
entrenchment. The events of the siege were recorded in an engraving by Adam Perelli
that was first published in 1697 in Samuel Puffendorf's work, Konung Carl X Gustafs
Bragder.






















The engraving shows Russian positions around the city and main moments of the siege:
- arriving and disembarkation of the main army (#15, in the left bottom corner).
- Action on Aug. 20, the Russian advance guard fighting the Swedes under GM H. v.
Thurn (#16, in the field left and below the city).
- Swedish sally of October 2 (#17, in the field right and below the city).
- The arrival of the Swedish fleet with reinforcements (#18, in the Duna River above the
city).
During the siege, the main Russian Army was located in the suburbs inside the outer
walls. The engraving shows positions of foot and dragoon regiments of the "New
Model", Streltzi and siege batteries. The exact positions of the feudal levy and reiter
regiments are unknown.
Numerorum Explicatio. Explanations
(words in bold letters - original text from the engraving):

1. Magni Czaris opera et accefsus
Camp of the Main Army under Tzar Alexei Mikhailovich1 . The camp also shown in the
left bottom corner of the large image, but in fact it was inside the walls.
2. Generalis Alex Leslie opera et accefsus
Camp of the Corps under General Avraam Leslie. Alexander Leslie was baptized in the
Orthodox faith and changed name to Avraam. His Corps included units #9-13 below.
3. Generalis Knees Iakobs opera et accefsus
Camp of the Corps under Prince Iakov Tcherkasski (Cherkasski). It included units #4-8
below. The camp also is shown in the right bottom corner of the large image.
4. Statio Tribuni Francisci Straforti
New Model Foot Regiment under Franc Strafford. Strafford died during the siege and his
regiment was given to Lieutenant General Thomas Daleyll
5. Statio Tribuni Iakobi Renardi
New Model Foot Regiment under Iakob Renard
6. Statio Tribuni Hermanni a Staden
New Model Foot Regiment under Herman v. Staden
7. Statio Tribuni Iuly Sickleri
New Model Foot Regiment under Elisey Sinclair. Sinclair was severely wounded and
taken prisoner during the Swedish sally on 2nd October. His regiment was possibly given
to Major General Drummond.
8. Statio Tribuni Christiani Iunkmanni, Iohannis ab Hoewen et Trib. Allingy tres
Legionum Dragonum
Three regiments of "settled" dragoons under Christian Iunkmann, Ioghan v. Hoewen and
William Alling.
9. Statio Tribune Danielis Krafferti. New Model Foot Regiment Daniel Kraffert
10. Statio Trib. Alexandri Gipsonij. New Model Foot Regiment Alexander Gipson
11. Statio Trib. Abrahami Leslie, Butleri et Trib. Hammeltonij tres legiones
Strelizoe. New Model Foot Regiments of General Avraam Leslie, Alexei Butler, Andrew
Hamilton and 3 "prikazes" (regiments) of Moscow Streltzy2. Butler died during the siege
and his regiment was given to Major General Drummond.
12. Statio Trib. Thom Boeli cum 2 Legionibus Strelizoe. New Model Foot Regiment
Thomas Beli and 2 "prikazes" (regiments) of Moscow Streltzy2.
13. Strelizoe. Streltzy2.
14. Suggestut Rusorum. Russian siege batteries.
Footnotes:
1 - "Gosudarev polk" (Tzar's Own Corps) in Riga campaign included 13 "sotnia" (a unit
of about 100 men) of Moscow nobles and gentry, 22 "sotnia" of feudal levy from other
towns, "sotnia" of don Cossacks, 3 "sotnia" of Tartars. Their exact positions are
unknown. Possibly part of them stayed with Tzar, and part on the other bank of Duna
with Ordyn-Nashokin.
2 - There were 8 "prikazes" (regiments) of Moscow Streltzy in Riga campaign: Yakov
Solovtcev, Semen Poltev, Artamon Poltev, Ivan Baskakov, Osip Kostiaev, Ivan Nelidov,
Andrei Ostafiev, Ivan Zubov. Their exact positions are unknown. At least 1 "prikaz" was
in Tcherkasski's Corps.