Battle of Hochkirch
The Battle of Hochkirch took place on 14 October 1758, during the Third Silesian War (part of the Seven Years' War). After several weeks of maneuvering for position, an Austrian army of 80,000 commanded by Lieutenant Field Marshal Leopold Josef Graf Daun surprised the Prussian army of 30,000–36,000 commanded by Frederick the Great. The Austrian army overwhelmed the Prussians and forced a general retreat. The battle took place in and around the village of Hochkirch, 9 kilometers (6 mi) east of Bautzen, Saxony.
| Battle of Hochkirch | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Third Silesian War | |||||||
Der Überfall bei Hochkirch am 14. Oktober 1758, Hyacinthe de la Pegna | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Austria | Prussia | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Leopold von Daun Franz von Lacy Ernst Gideon von Laudon |
Frederick II James Keith † Hans von Ziethen Friedrich Seydlitz | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 80,000 | 30,000–36,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 5,400 killed and wounded | 9,400 killed, wounded and captured | ||||||
Location within Saxony Battle of Hochkirch (Germany) Battle of Hochkirch (Central Europe) | |||||||
Historians generally consider the battle as among Frederick's greatest blunders. Contrary to the advice of his subordinates, he refused to believe that the typically cautious Austrian commander Leopold von Daun would bring his troops into battle. The Austrian force ambushed his army in a pre-dawn attack. Over 30% of Frederick's army was defeated; five generals were killed and he lost his artillery park and a vast quantity of supplies. Although Daun had scored a complete surprise, his attempt to pursue the retreating Prussians was unsuccessful. The escaped force united with another corps in the vicinity, and regained momentum over the winter.