The battle of Lesnaja (28 September OS, 29 September Swedish Style, 9 October NS) saw the defeat of a Swedish supply column that had been attempting to catch up with Charles XIIâ??s main army during his 1708 invasion of Russia (Great Northern War). That supply column had started as the Baltic army, 11,400 strong and commanded by General Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt. In May 1708 he received orders from Charles to gather enough supplies to last both his and the main army for three months. The supply column was expected to leave Riga at the start of June 1708.
In the event it took Lewenhaupt much longer to gather the required supplies and the thousands of wagons needed to carry them. The convoy was not able to get underway until the end of June. Lewenhaupt had orders to march to Berezina-Pazowska, where he would receive new orders. When the convoy did depart from Riga, it was guarded by 12,500 men (5,000 cavalry and 7,500 infantry). Lewenhaupt joined the column on 29 July (OS).
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