Battle of Liegnitz (1760)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Liegnitz on August 15, 1760 saw Frederick the Great's Prussia
n Army defeat the Austrian army under Ernst von Laudon
.
The armies collided around the Prussian Silesian city of Liegnitz (Legnica)
. Frederick split his army in 2, one part commanded by Field Marshal Zieten. Frederick heard the sound of skirmishing and thought Zieten was already fighting. He sent ten grenadiers' battalions out of the woods to assist an attack that wasn't happening. 5,000 were cut down in 30 minutes.
Laudon's Austrian cavalry attacked the Prussian position in the early morning but were beaten back by General Zieten
's Hussars. An artillery duel emerged which was eventually won for the Prussians when a grenade hit an Austrian powder wagon. The Austrian infantry then proceeded to attack the Prussian line, but was met with concentrated artillery fire. A Prussian infantry counter-attack led by the Regiment Anhalt-Bernburg on the left forced the Austrians into retreat.
Shortly after dawn the major action was over but Prussian artillery fire continued to harass the Austrians. General Leopold von Daun
arrived and, learning of Laudon's defeat, decided not to attack despite his soldiers being fresh.
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n Army defeat the Austrian army under Ernst von Laudon
Ernst Gideon Freiherr von Laudon
Baron Ernst Gideon von Laudon Baron Ernst Gideon von Laudon Baron Ernst Gideon von Laudon (German: Ernst Gideon Freiherr von Laudon (originally Laudohn or Loudon) (Tootzen, now Latvia, February 2, 1717 – July 14, 1790 in Nový Jičín, now Czech Republic) was an Austrian field marshal, one of the most...
.
The armies collided around the Prussian Silesian city of Liegnitz (Legnica)
Legnica
Legnica is a town in south-western Poland, in Silesia, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the plain of Legnica, riverside: Kaczawa and Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county...
. Frederick split his army in 2, one part commanded by Field Marshal Zieten. Frederick heard the sound of skirmishing and thought Zieten was already fighting. He sent ten grenadiers' battalions out of the woods to assist an attack that wasn't happening. 5,000 were cut down in 30 minutes.
Laudon's Austrian cavalry attacked the Prussian position in the early morning but were beaten back by General Zieten
Hans Joachim von Zieten
Hans Joachim von Zieten , also known as Zieten aus dem Busch, was a cavalry general in the Prussian Army...
's Hussars. An artillery duel emerged which was eventually won for the Prussians when a grenade hit an Austrian powder wagon. The Austrian infantry then proceeded to attack the Prussian line, but was met with concentrated artillery fire. A Prussian infantry counter-attack led by the Regiment Anhalt-Bernburg on the left forced the Austrians into retreat.
Shortly after dawn the major action was over but Prussian artillery fire continued to harass the Austrians. General Leopold von Daun
Leopold Josef Graf Daun
Count Leopold Joseph von Daun , later Prince of Thiano, Austrian field marshal, was born at Vienna, as son of Count Wirich Philipp von Daun.- Background :...
arrived and, learning of Laudon's defeat, decided not to attack despite his soldiers being fresh.