|
Military art prints of the Battle of
Leuthen by leading military artists, published by Cranston Fine Arts, the
military print company.
Battle of Leuthen during the seven years
war. After hearing of the Prussian defeat at Breslau and the capture
of August Wilhelm Duke of Brunswick-Bevern. Frederick the
Great marched his troops 170 miles in 12 days. His small force of
13,000 troops were joined by another 30,000 men most of whom were the remnants
of the Prussian army defeated at Breslau. With an army made up of a
mixture of regular troops, garrison and new recruits he decided to re take
Breslau from the Austrians. During his march to Breslau he found his
way blocked by a Austrian Army 72,000 men strong at Leuthen. The Austrian
Army was commanded by the brother in law of Holy Romans Empress Maria
Theresa. Prince Charles of Lorraine and Marshal Count Leopold von Daun.
The Austrian Army was deployed along a 5 mile front. and on the 5th of December
Frederick the great started the Battle with an immense artillery barrage
concentrated on the Austrian defence works. (The artillery he was
using was the heaviest used at that time. 10 fortress guns ) The Prussian
concentrated its attack on the extreme left of the Austrian Army which
gave them superiority on that flank, breaking the Austrian Line and successfully
moving down the Austrian Line. At the Village of Leuthen the
Imperial Infantry tried to change their front but was overwhelmed. also
the Austrian cavalry routed by general Hans von Zietens Prussian
cavalry. By late evening the Prussians had won the days, but
their losses amounted to 6,000 killed or wounded. The same number of
dead and wounded on the Austrian side. BUt 20,000 Austrian troops
surrendered. Due to Frederick the greats victory at Leuthen,
Breslau was re captured 5 days later. This was the last battles of
1757. Frederick the great in a six week campaign had repulsed the French
, taken Saxony and beaten the Austrian's so convincingly the the Austrian
army would not be able to fight again until the summer of 1758.
|
