counterparts towards the south. At this point, Sheremetyev's forces were still waiting across the river from Holowczyn. They had been on full alert for hours, in the belief that the attack on Repnin was a feint and expecting the main Swedish attack to come from Holowczyn. Finally, Sheremetev took the initiative to attack the almost undefended Swedish camp to the west. However, when news of the Repnin's setback reached Sheremetev, he decided not to wait for a Swedish attack on his rear, but instead began retreating towards Shklov by the Dnieper. Aftermath The victory provided the Swedes with a defensive line along the Dnieper and the area around Mogilev could be used as a base of operations in their campaign against Russia. However, since so many of the Russian troops were able to escape it was not a decisive strategic victory. On the Russian side, Generals Anikita Repnin and Heinrich von der Goltz were put on trial for the lack of coordination between the troops and other mistakes made by the Russian command at Holowczyn, but were released afterwards. According to official Swedish and Russian reports, the Swedes lost 1,293 men killed and wounded against 1,655 for the Russians. Alexander Gordon, a Russian officer of Scottish descent, however, puts the Russian losses at 2,000 killed, including one otherwise unknown major general and 26 officers more, with an unknown amount of wounded. According to Swedish sources, after having seized the battlefield, the Russians had lost up to 5,000 or 6,000 men in the battle and pursuit, while Russian sources in turn estimated a total loss of 2,000 or 3,000 Swedes. References Orders of Battle Holowczyn Holowczyn Holowczyn Holowczyn 1708 in Europe 18th century in Belarus Vitebsk Voivodeship Military history of Belarus