Romuald Giedroyć

Romuald Tadeusz Giedroyć (; ; 7 February 1750 – 15 October 1824) was a Polish-Lithuanian prince from the princely Giedroyć family, who fought in the Bar Confederation, War of 1792 and the Uprising of 1794 as part of the Grand Ducal Lithuanian Army. From mid-1812 to early 1813, Giedroyć was also the commander of the Polish-Lithuanian regiments raised during the French invasion of Russia. In early 1813, he was captured by the Russians and exiled to Arkhangelsk. In 1815, Alexander I of Russia amnestied Giedroyć and made him a Lieutenant general of the Army of Congress Poland.

Biography He came from a Lithuanian princely family. His father was Józef Giedroyć, starosta of , his mother was Józefa Kiełpsz. He was born on 7 February 1750 in .

Bar Confederation From 1765, he was in the Corps of Cadets in Warsaw. Giedroyć began his military career in 1765 as a cadet in the 2nd Foot Regiment of the Grand Ducal Lithuanian Army, part of the Polish-Lithuanian military forces. The regiment in which he served followed Casimir Pulaski. In it, Giedroyć reached the rank of major. In 1771, he served in the unit led by Michał Kazimierz Ogiński. At the battle of Stołowicze in 1771, Giedraitis was distinguished by his valour and was wounded eight times.

After a long recovery he became vice-commander of the 1st Lithuanian National Cavalry Brigade in 1778. In 1784 he was delegate to the Grodno Sejm.

War of 1792 Giedroyć fought in the War of 1792, during it he was elevated to the rank of major general. When Stanisław August Poniatowski signed the Targowica Confederation, Giedroyć wrote a letter to the king demanding to be released from military service.

Uprising of 1794 In 1794, he was one of the organizers of the Kościuszko Uprising in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. On April 16 in Šiauliai, together with Antoni Prozor, and Franciszek Niesiołowski, announced the first act of uprising in Lithuania. On April 18, Giedryoć with 200 cavalrymen advanced to , where he fought against Kossakowski's regiment which supported the Russians. From April 24, he was a member of the . On April 30 he arrived to Vilnius.

From June to August, he commanded the Samogitian Division's right wing. Together with Tomasz Wawrzecki, they took over Liepāja. In July, Giedroyć took over Salistrovski's command of a corps, and on July 3, fought with the Imperial Russian Army near Pušalotas. A week later, on July 10, the Russians attacked him once more. After a fortnight and a few more days, on July 28, Giedraitis won a battle near Vaiškai. On July 29, he won the Battle of Saločiai 1794. In the battle, he dealt a heavy defeat to the stronger Russian unit of Lieutenant General . Thanks to this victory, southern Courland came under the control of the insurrectionary forces. He was wounded during his capture. Ludwik Jerzy (born 1785) Stefan Józef Franciszek Ksawery Giedroyć (1787-1855), Colonel of the French Army (1808-1815), fought in the Battle of Waterloo. He received French citizenship in 1835, as Joseph Étienne François Xavier, prince Giedroyc. He married Franciszka Szymańska in 1821. (1793-1883), Lady-in-waiting of Empress Joséphine and the Russian Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna. She married Jerzy Białopiotrowicz (1785-1871) in 1825. Barbara Łucja Giedroyć (1798-1886), wife of general Józef Rautenstrauch (1773-1842) from 1828 Aleksander Konstanty Julian Giedroyć (1805-1844), Kammerherr of the Imperial Russian palaces. He married Alina Aleksandra Podoska in 1841

Commemoration On 30 April 2004, the General Romualdas Giedraitis Artillery Battalion of the Lithuanian Armed Forces was given the name of General Romuald Giedroyć.