The Battle of Sosnowiec was one of battles of the January Uprising. It took place in the night of 6âÂÂ7 February 1863, between Polish insurgents under Colonel Apolinary Kurowski, and the Imperial Russian Army garrison stationed in the town of Sosnowiec, in the Russian-ruled territory known officially as the âÂÂKingdom of PolandâÂÂ, otherwise Congress Poland.
On 5 February 1863 Kurowski and his men left Ojców, and marched towards Olkusz. He had some 150 men, who were joined by additional 100, including cavalry, riflemen and kosynierzy. The unit spent the night at Olkusz, and in the morning of 6 February they marched westwards, to Sà Âawków and then Maczki (now a district of Sosnowiec). At that time Maczki was a very important railroad station, located at the border of the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia.
The insurgents captured a train with the assistance of rail workers and coal miners from the Zagà ÂÃÂbie Dàbrowskie region, and at 9 p.m. left Maczki, heading to Sosnowiec via Dàbrowa Górnicza. At 2 a.m. on 7 February, insurgent infantry left the train near Sielec, marching to the Sosnowiec Main Station. Then they attacked Russian garrison, which manned the station and nearby custom house. After some time, the Russians fled either to Modrzejów, or towards the nearby Prussian border. The Poles then released 30 captured prisoners of war, but several joined the insurgents.
The insurgents seized 40 horses, weapons, and 97,000 roubles, sharing the money with Polish National Government. For the next two weeks, Poles controlled Sosnowiec and other areas of Zagà ÂÃÂbie Dàbrowskie, with Polish banners hanging from administration buildings.