page_title: Józef Dwernicki
section_title: After the Napoleonic Wars
hierarchical_section_title: Józef Dwernicki / Biography / After the Napoleonic Wars
caption_attribution_description: English: General Józef Dwernicki crossing Austrian border 1831
context_page_description: Józef Dwernicki was a General of Cavalry in the Polish Army, and a participant in the November Uprising.
context_section_description: Following the Napoleonic Wars, Dwernicki returned to Congress Poland, joining the Freemasons in 1816. He was named commandant of the 2nd Uhlan Regiment, which was stationed in Podlasie. His military skills were greatly appreciated by Russian Governor of Poland, Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich, who awarded him several orders. In 1826, Dwernicki was transferred to Warsaw, and in 1829, was named Brigadier general. Soon afterwards, he wrote a book on rules and regulations of Russian cavalry.
  In the autumn of 1830, when the November Uprising began, Dwernicki was stationed in Sieradz, where he commanded 3rd Regiment of Mounted Rifles. He was immediately ordered to return to Warsaw, where he was tasked with creating new units of the Polish Army. By January 1831, Dwernicki created 18 squadrons, ready to enter combat.
  In late January 1831, the Polish National Government decided to send an army corps to Podolia, Volhynia and Ukraine. Dwernicki was named commandant of this unit, but in February 1831, when Russian Army entered Congress Poland, Commander in Chief Michal Gedeon Radziwill ordered him to stop the advance of General Teodor Geismar. On February 14, 1831, the Russians were defeated in the Battle of Stoczek, and Dwernicki was afterwards promoted to Divisional general. Following the battle, Dwernicki and his unit marched to Góra Kalwaria, and then engaged the Russians in several places, such as Warka, Kozienice, Puławy, Lublin and Zamość.
  In early April 1831, Dwernicki crossed the Bug river, and marched into Volhynia, hoping to start the uprising in this province of former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. His corps consisted of some 7,000 soldiers, but their situation quickly deteriorated. There were few volunteers, and local population did not respond to Dwernicki’s announcement to the residents of Volhynia, Podolia and Ukraine. On April 11, 1831, Dwernicki clashed with Russians near Poryck; four days later he fought the Russians again near Beresteczko. Disappointed by lack of support of local residents, he then marched to Podolia, but once again, he failed to rouse the population. Facing encirclement, on April 27, 1831 Dwernicki and his unit crossed Russian - Austrian border near Radziwiłłów.
caption: General Dwernicki Crossing the Austrian Border, by Georg Benedikt Wunder (1786-1858)
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