A Russian garrison of some 2,000 was stationed in Vilnius in the spring of 1794, while Commonwealth forces had less than 400 soldiers. On the night of April 11 / 12, upon order of Russian General
Nikolay Arsenyev, several rebels were arrested. On April 21,
Grand Lithuanian Hetman Szymon Kossakowski came to Vilnius, urging the Russians to capture yet more rebels, and attack rebel forces concentrated around the city. Under the circumstances, Jakub Jasiński decided to initiate the insurrection. It began on the night of April 22 / 23, and after a short fight, the city was under rebel control. On April 24 the “Act of Rebellion of the Lithuanian Nation” was announced. The rebels declared their unity with the Kościuszko Uprising, which had begun in
Lesser Poland. On the same day, April 24, the so-called High Temporary Council was created, headed by the Mayor of Vilnius,
Antoni Tyzenhaus, and
Voivode of
Novogrudok,
Józef Niesiołowski. It had 31 members and formed separate offices to manage the military forces, the administration and the treasury. Jakub Jasinski was named commandant of rebel forces in the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania. On April 25, Grand Lithuanian Hetman
Szymon Marcin Kossakowski was hanged as a traitor of the Commonwealth. == Aftermath ==