Editing Battle of Berestechko (section)

== Siege of the Cossack–Tatar camp ==
The [[Crown Army]] and Cossack camp exchanged artillery fire for ten days while both sides built fortifications. The Poles tried to blockade the camp.<ref>Hrushevsky, pp. 314 and 316</ref> Leaderless without [[Bohdan Khmelnytsky]], the [[Zaporozhian Cossacks|Cossacks]] were commanded by [[Colonel]] [[Filon Dzhelaliy|Fylon Dzhalaliy]] who was replaced by [[Ivan Bogun|Ivan Bohun]] on 9 July. Other accounts state the commander was Matviy Hladky.<ref>Hrushevsky, pp. 314–315</ref> The Cossack morale was decreasing and desertions started to the other river side, though they maintained a high rate of artillery fire and made occasional sorties. When the offered terms for surrender were rejected, the Poles prepared to dam the Pliashivka River so as to flood the Cossack camp. [[Stanisław Lanckoroński (hetman)|Stanisław Lanckoroński]] with a cavalry force of 2,000 moved across the river on 9 July to complete the encirclement of the [[Zaporozhian Cossacks|Cossacks]]. When they found out about the Polish advance, Bohun called for a council with other leaders of the registered [[Zaporozhian Cossacks|Cossacks]] on further actions.<ref>Hrushevsky, pp. 317–318</ref> However, none of the peasant militia was invited to the council. The [[Zaporozhian Cossacks|Cossacks]] built three bridges and Bohun led 2,000 cavalry with two cannons to the other river side by the morning of 10 July to attack Lanckoroński. The uninformed peasants thought they were abandoned, started to panic and flee across the river.<ref>Hrushevsky, p. 318</ref> Lanckoroński didn't expect a large movement in his direction and retreated. Bohun returned to the camp and tried to restore order, but in vain. The main Polish force observed the disorder, but didn't launch an attack on the Cossack camp immediately thinking of a trap. They assaulted eventually, breached the defences and made their way to the river crossing. A few Cossack regiments managed to retreat in order though. Some [[Zaporozhian Cossacks|Cossacks]] drowned, but archaeological excavations on the river crossing site revealed about a hundred Cossack human remains all showing damage from melee weapons which suggested heavy fighting. A rearguard of 200 to 300 [[Zaporozhian Cossacks|Cossacks]] heroic protected the river crossing; all of them were killed in battle rejecting surrender offers. "Khmelnytsky's tent was captured intact, with all his belongings", which included two banners, one he received from [[John II Casimir Vasa|John II Casimir's]] 1649 commission and one from [[Wladyslaw IV]] in 1646.<ref>Hrushevsky, pp. 321–322</ref> Although it was difficult to estimate how many [[Zaporozhian Cossacks|Cossacks]] and peasants were killed in the retreat, Piasecki and Brzostowski, who participated in the battle, mentioned 3,000 killed. Tsar's ambassador [[podyachy]] Bogdanov in his report to Moscow mentioned 4,000 killed.<ref name="Igor Svieshnikov, p. 124">Igor Svieshnikov, p. 124</ref> Most Cossack artillery pieces were either lost to the Poles or drowned in the marshes. Many spoils were collected in the Cossack camp including the army treasury of 30,000 talers.

===Schematic map of the battle===
[[File:Bitwa pod Beresteczkiem.jpg|1000px|center]]