Siege of Kolberg (Seven Years' War)

A first siege in 1758 was repelled by the Prussian defenders. Fermor dispatched 4,000 troops and 20 artillery pieces, commanded by General-Major Johann Palmenbach to siege Kolberg, commanded by Heinrich Sigismund von der Heyde who had just upgraded the defense works and stocked supplies. Siege was laid on 4 October. Though Russian reinforcements brought up Palmenbach's strength to 5,000 the following month, heavy rain and storms rendered successful construction of siege works impossible. In addition, 27 Russian warships arrived to assist the siege from the seaside, yet throughout October, storms wrecked 21, and none came close enough to participate. The siege was lifted on 1 November after several unsuccessful attacks. ==Second siege (1760)==

• 8,000 of Heyde with a map of Kolberg, Berlin On 27 August, Kolberg was bombarded from the sea by the entire Russian Baltic fleet: 21 ships of line, three frigates and three bomb vessels, all of which had arrived the day before. On 29 August, they were joined by six ships of line and three frigates of their Swedish allies. Some 8,000 troops of Oberzeugmeister I. V. Demidov were deployed and started constructing siege works on 6 September, covered by cavalry units. The Prussian defense was commanded by Colonel Heinrich Sigismund von der Heyde. After the battle, Frederick promoted both Werner and Heyde to lieutenant-general. ==Third siege (1761)==

• 22,000 men, 70 guns }} 140 garrison guns • Colonel Bibikov's attack:500 men and 2 guns captured. • Brigadier Nevedomsky's attack:7 guns taken away. • Fortification XXXV:Entire garrison became prisoners. • Treptow an der Rega:59 officers and 1,840 soldiers taken prisoner. • Capitulation:76 officers, about 2,800 soldiers, 136 guns, and many cannonballs or bullets captured. 2,929 men, 146 guns, 28 standards and colours captured}} }} Tottleben, who had commanded the Russian spring campaigns in Pomerania the year before, Württemberg reached Kolberg on 4 July, and he commanded a reinforced defense force of 12,000 troops. Russian commander Lieutenant General Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky, commanding a weaker force, took quarter in nearby Köslin (now Koszalin) on 23 June, awaiting reinforcements. Vice Admiral Andrey Ivanovich Polyansky's squadron carried out the blockade from the sea. It included 24 ships, 1,300 guns and 7,000 marines. There was also allied with Russia a Swedish detachment of 9 ships and 438 guns. Württemberg's plan to attack Rumyantsev as long as the odds favoured Prussia was cancelled by Frederick as too risky. After 3,000 Russian troops had reinforced Rumyantsev in mid-August, he laid siege to Kolberg on 22 August. , 1911–1915) Twenty-three Russian warships assisted Rumyantsev; an additional eight Swedish warships joined later. The town was continuously bombarded from 25 August to 25 September. On 18 September, Rumyantsev stormed Württemberg's defense outside the town, suffering 3,000 casualties with little ground gained. He then changed his strategy from preparing storms to cutting off Kolberg from supplies. On 16 December, Kolberg capitulated to Rumyantsev, enabling his forces to take winter quarter in Brandenburg-Prussian Pomerania. The siege of Kolberg of 1761 was an important milestone in the development of Russian military art. Here Rumyantsev pioneered a new tactic — the action of troops in battalion (regimental) columns, combined with a scattered formation of jaegers. ==Aftermath==

By the time of the sieges, Russian Tsarina Elizabeth of Russia was suffering from an illness, which led to her death on 25 December 1761 (OS) or 5 January 1762 (NS). Elizabeth was succeeded by her nephew, Peter III of Russia, an admirer of Frederick partially raised in Berlin. ==See also==