Battle of Hochkirch

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battle of Hochkirch

Date	October 14, 1758
Location	Hochkirch, Saxony
Result	Austrian victory

Combatants

Prussia

Austria

Commanders

Frederick the Great

Marshal Leopold Josef Graf Daun

Strength

31,000 men

80,000 men

Casualties

>9,000 men

8,300 men

Seven Years' War: European theatre
Minorca – Lobositz – Reichenberg – Prague – Kolin – Hastenbeck – Gross-Jägersdorf – Moys – Rossbach – Breslau – Leuthen – Krefeld – Domstadtl – Zorndorf – Hochkirch – Bergen – Kay – Minden – Kunersdorf – Hoyerswerda – Maxen – Meissen – Landshut – Warburg – Liegnitz – Torgau – Villinghausen – Kolberg – Burkersdorf – Lutterberg – Freiberg

The Battle of Hochkirch was a battle fought on October 14, 1758 during the Seven Years' War. The battle took place around Hochkirch, which is 9 km east of Bautzen, Saxony.

A Prussian army of 31,000 men was defeated by an Austrian army of 80,000 men. The Prussians lost over 9,000 men, the Austrians 8,300. It was one of Frederick the Great's three worst defeats in battle, along with Kunersdorf and Kolin. Ironically, the defeat was brought about by the Austrian Marshal Daun's use of a variation on Frederick's own oblique order of attack. Frederick's army was deployed facing east, with its right flank in front of the village of Hochkirch. By use of a secret overnight march (camisado), Daun fell upon Frederick's right, and in heavy fighting drove the Prussians off Hochkirch hill, forcing them to retreat.