Battle of Chotusitz

Part of the War of the Austrian Succession

Date	17 May 1742
Location	Chotusice, Bohemia 49°56′N 15°23′E / 49.933°N 15.383°E / 49.933; 15.383Coordinates: 49°56′N 15°23′E / 49.933°N 15.383°E / 49.933; 15.383
Result	Prussian victory

Belligerents

Austria

Prussia

Commanders and leaders

Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine

Frederick the Great

Strength

30,000
40 cannon

28,000
88 cannon

Casualties and losses

7,000:
1,052 dead
5,000 to 6,000 wounded, missing including:
1,000 captured
18 guns

7,000:
1,905 dead
4,000 to 5,000 wounded, missing including:
1,000 captured

The Battle of Chotusitz, or Chotusice, sometimes called the Battle of Czaslau, was fought on May 17, 1742, in Bohemia between the Austrians under Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine and the Prussians under Frederick the Great. The battle was a part of the War of the Austrian Succession sometimes referred to as the First Silesian War. The armies were about equal at 28,000 to 30,000 each, with the Prussians having about 2,000 more infantry and the Austrians some 2,000 more cavalry. The Austrians were attempting to retake occupied Prague and the Prussians were trying to block them from accomplishing that. The battle of Chotusitz was especially notable in that it was the only major battle started by the Austrians during this war.

Prince Charles had entered Bohemia with the intention of liberating the occupied capital of Prague. Faulty intelligence misinformed him of the strength of the Prussians in the area and he was unaware that Frederick was before of him with the main Prussian force. The Prussian army had divided with Frederick leading the vanguard about 10,000 strong, marching on Kuttenberg, Kutna Hora, with the intent of preventing the Austrians from reaching Prague. The main army of nearly 20,000 followed a day later under Prince Leopold of Anhalt. With the two Prussians forces a day's march apart and out of supporting distance of each other Charles had an opportunity of inflicting a defeat in detail on one, or both, of the Prussian forces.

Unfortunately, a wary Charles hesitated for a day and the two Prussians forces, realizing the danger, both moved towards each other. Leopold marching through the night reached Chotusitz at 2 A.M. and established tenuous contact with Frederick. Leopold went into camp a little north of what was to be the field of battle on the plain in the valley of the Elbe near the small hamlet of Chotusitz. Charles of Lorraine, hoping to catch Leopold cut off from Frederick while the Prussians were divided, advanced north with his force in four columns. He decided to attempt a night attack, or camisade. Charles' overnight advance took longer than anticipated and it was well after dawn that he approached the field with 30,000 troops. Alerted to the danger, Frederick gave Leopold instructions to deploy on Chotusitz and hold until the rest of the Prussians could come up with Frederick, bringing their forces up to 28,000.

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