The Russian Army commanded by Field Marshal Hans Karl von Diebitsch entered Poland on February 4 and started a fast advance towards Warsaw. Dybich planned to outflank the Poles from the north and sent a Corps under Teodor Geismar to the Brest road. Although both Geismar and Dybich were informed of the Polish presence in the area, they underestimated the enemy and decided to ignore the Polish units operating in the area. General Józef Dwernicki, commander of the Polish forces in the area, decided to reorganise his units into a weak cavalry division. He managed to gather 14 cavalry squadrons, 3 infantry battalions and 6 guns (approximately 1000 men at arms altogether) and on February 10 he crossed the Vistula River.