June 20th: The day begins with heavy skirmishing continued from the previous day between Lithuanian Governmental forces and the Polish-Lithuanian Insurrectionists. The Wilno Army (lead by Army Commander Alfred Halwic) reinforced by new recruits from within the city to a strength of 10,000 irregulars supported by looted mortars and field and flak guns launches a series of offensives against the the 3rd Life Guards Battalion and 1st Vilnius Military School Demi-Battalion holding out in Life Guard Barracks and New Presidential Palace, followed by probing attacks against the 2nd Vilnius Military School Demi-Battalion positioned at the Gediminus Tower. Other Governmental positions are screened by blocking detachments to prevent them from breaking out of their isolated pockets.
The remaining cadets and instructors of the Vilnius Military School, formed into the 3rd Vilnius Military School Demi-Battalion make repeated sorties to break the seige around the New Presidential Palace, without success, before retreating to their defensive position within the Vilnius Military School.
National Police counter-attack the Insurrectionists holding out in the University of Vilnius and drive them from the building, only to be thrown-out of it an hour later by a fierce counter-attack supported by artillery. The 3rd Security Battalion joins up with the City's police for a second attempt and once again the Univerity changes hands. The Insurrectionist hurl three attacks into the University but fail to dislodge the Governmental troops now firmly ensconced within the now battered building. Insurrectionist troops manage to eject National Police and Security Troops from their holdout positions in the Governor's Palace and the Town Hall, securing an enlarged holding in the city center for the Insurrection.
Brigadier-General Vicas Apanivius, leads a column of Governmental troops from Kaunas to Vilnius to Lift the siege. Apanivius in contridiction of his orders, divides his column into to attack groups ancd approaches the city from the west. Apanivius's forces collide at midday with the Rudiminas Army (Lead by Army Commander Bartold Jasunski) at Lentvaris, and the Merkys Army (lead by Army Commander Bogdan Kawecka) at Grisgiskes. The Polish-Lithuanian Insurrectionists field approximately 5,100 men (4,550 foot, 450 mounted, 100 artillerymen with 12 x 75-mm guns, 4 x 76.2-mm guns, 4 x 105-mm guns) in the former army and 2,000 men (1,400 foot, 560 mounted, 40 artillerymen with 8 x 76.2-mm guns) in the later.
Apanivius, leads his I Field Corps's 2nd Field Column (the 14th, 15th and 16th Security Battalions, 1st and 3rd National Guard Battalions, seven mounted National Police companies supported by 40 x 75-mm guns, and 18 armoured cars: approximately 3,422 men) towards Lentvaris. He is confident he can sweep aside an Insurrectionist force between him and Vilnius. Jasunski launches a series of probing attacks with his mounted troops and uses his 105-mm guns to harass the advancing 2nd Field Column as it makes it's way into Lentvaris, where he has entrenched the bulk of his infantry and artillery. Apanivius, groaded by these pin-prick attacks, launches a series of repeated attacks upon the entrenched positions in and around Lentvaris. These fail with heavy loss. Apanivius losses 1,800 of his men dead, wounded and missing by the end of the day, along with 9 x 75-mm guns and six armoured cars. Jasunski losses 1,700 dead, wounded, missing or taken prisoner along with 3 x 75-mm, 1 x 76.2-mm and 1 x 105-mm guns. Baffled Apanivius starts to withdraw his bruised force, his withdrawl is nearly turned into a route by the nightfall arrival of the Ulla Army (600 mounted, 220 foot and 80 artillerymen with 16 x 77-mm guns) under Insurrectionist Army Commander Teodor Rybak which has been forced marched from the south to Rudaminas Army's aid.
At Grigiskes, Merkys Army holds out against ferocious attacks by Apanivius's 1st Field Column (17th, 18th and 19th Security Battalions, 13th National Guard Battalion,two mounted National Police companies, and 28 x 75-mm guns and 20 armoured cars: approximately 2,362 men). Hearing of the defeat of Brig.General Apanivius, the commander of the 1st Field Column, Colonel Letas Milkus decides to withdraw from the field, after suffering the loss of 900 men killed, wounded or missing, and the loss of 5 x 75-mm guns and 8 of his armoured cars. The Merkys Army suffers the loss of 560 men killed, wounded or missing and 3 x 76.2-mm guns.
Insurrectionist Army Commanders Jasunski, Kawecha and Rybak confer after the twin battles and discuss the possiblity of pursuing the beaten I Field Corps as it withdraws to Rykantai. However the Rudiminas and Merkys Armies are in no fit state to move, much less fight after the battles of Lentvaris and Grigiskes. The Ulla Army is too exhausted by it's forced march to move for at least a day or two.
21st June: After much argument, Rybak decides against the better judgement of his fellow Insurrectionist army commanders to advance from Lentvaris to catch withdrawing elements of the Lithuanian I Field Corps. Jasunski and Kawecha point out their armies are physically exhausted, and lack ammunition and medical supplies. They must withdraw themselves to rest and refit. Rybak vehemently disagrees and believes his Ulla Army must advance to keep up the pressure on Governmental forces near Vilnius.
The Ulla Army advances sluggishly throughout the day, they men and horses of the Ulla Army have not sufficiently recovered from their march of the previous day. Apanivius's armoured cars and mounted troops keep him appraised of the unexpected and unsupported westward movement of the Ulla Army. At Dedeliskiai and Matiske the I Field Corps comes to a halt. Apanivius decides to move to trap the Ulla Army, he orders the 1st Field Column to leave Dedeliskiai, and march westward to Karatiskiai, then southwestward to Kariotiskes, then march eastward to join his 2nd Field Column at Matiske. The march by the map is 5 miles, but it remains to be seen if Colonel Milkus's troops can manage it in the time Apanivius requires. Apanivius realises his I Field Corps has been badly mauled and is not really fit for another battle, but his reputation is on the line, and his anxious to repair his blunder at Lentvaris and Grigiskes.
Rybak drives his troops forward to maintain contact with the 2nd Field Column, his tired troops begin to straggle, as men and horse start to lag and fall behind in ones and twos along the route of march. Rybak rides up and down urging his dusty, limping army forward. He desires to strike a blow upon the retreating Government force before it can withdraw beyond reach. At Matiske, the Ulla Army runs head long into a hurriedly thrown up field work across the road. Apanivius has posted 400 of his fittest men and 10 of his artillery pieces within the work, dubbed by the men Fort Vicas. The 200 mounted men of Rybak's Vanguard fall back under shell and machinegun fire from Fort Vicas. Rybak arrives upon the scene to examine the situation, furious he orders an attack. The fort will not hold his army for half an hour, he remarks to an aide. Matiske, will be his by late noon. The Ulla Artillery is brought up and sited upon the fort. 16 77-mm guns and 10 75-mm guns begin a duel that will last over an hour, without decisive result for either of the combatants. Apanivius manovers the rest of his forces at Matiske, forming up behind and to either side of Fort Vicas. He manages to put 1,000 men and 17 artillery pieces into the line. He holds his 12 remaining armoured cars, 4 artillery pieces and 200 men in reserve in Matiske itself. Rybak does not realize his danger, he can only see Fort Vicas, much of Apanivius's other troops are screened by forests.
After wasting over a hour trying to hammer Fort Vicas into submission, Rybak decides to attack the work with his infantry, all 220 of them, supported by the artillery and 400 of his mounted troops making dismounted attacks on the on the fort's left and right flanks. Apanivius observes the attack going in and orders his battle line forward. He has recieved a message from Milkus, the 1st Field Column has only gotten as far as Karatiskias. The Merkys Army had moved forward to probe his former position at Dedeliskiai, Milkus will not continue to withdraw before them he digs in and prepares to fight them off. Milkus has however sent 500 men, 10 armoured cars and 8 of his guns to help. The commander of the Lithuanian I Field Corps is annoyed by this development but there is nothing for it, he must fight Ulla Army with what he has available.
Apanivius's troops advance out of the tree line, firing as they come. The Ulla Army caught in the act of surrounding Fort Vicas is raked by heavy small-arms fire, it's lines buckle and wobble, then they brake as Apanivius throws in his reserve. Rybak frantically tries to rally his army, but he has no reserves and his losses are mounting by the minute. A Lithuanian sniper solves Rybak's dilemma, a moment later, when Teodor Rybak is shot through the head. His men seeing him fall from his horse, break and begin to run. Milkus's detachment arrives in time to help Apanivius's reserve overrun the Ulla Army's fragile battle line. The smallest of the Insurrectionist armies loses all 16 pieces of it's artillery in the resulting rout, of it's 900 men: 440 are killed or wounded, 400 are captured and 60 go missing in the battle of Fort Vicus.
This post has been edited 7 times, last edit by "Agent148" (Dec 17th 2007, 7:32am)