Battle of Wenden (1626)

The Swedish army of 1,900 infantry (mainly musketeers) and 1,780 cavalry under the command of Gustav Horn had reached Drobbusch late on December 2, and there decided to establish a camp for the troops to rest. However, as there were not enough houses for the whole army, only the infantry was quartered within the village, and the cavalry instead rested in nearby woods. During this time, unbeknownst to the Swedes, the Polish field marshal Aleksander Gosiewski approached in their direction with his army of 1500. Gosiewski's aim was to evict the Swedish troops from the village via a surprise attack. At dawn of the next day, November 3, Gosiewski reached the village and executed the attack.

The Lithuanians tried to sweep through the entrances of the roads leading to the village, but were repulsed by Swedish sentry detachments long enough for further Swedish support to arrive from the village. Meanwhile, two banners of Cossack (Kozacy) cavalry attempted to cross through the woods in order to outflank the Swedes but were engaged and stopped by a detachment of musketeers. After some fierce fighting in hand-to-hand combat the Lithuanian infantry was repulsed after having suffered several killed and captured.

Horn, then took the initiative and with some musketeers, forced the Lithuanian cavalry away from their advantageous position which had been preventing the Swedish cavalry from participate in the battle. Then, being able to deploy, one Swedish squadron of Finnish cavalry managed to charge and rout, according to letters of Swedish generals, five squadrons of Lithuanian hussars who lost four banners. After a short but fierce fighting the remains of the Lithuanian army were defeated. The Swedish casualties of the battle were light. The Lithuanians however, lost 400 men dead, 40 captured and eight banners.