Battle of Hochkirch

Battle of Hochkirch
Part of the Seven Years' War
The Fall of the Prussian camp at Hochkirch
Date 14 October 1758 Location Hochkirch, Saxony Result Austrian victory
Belligerents
Prussia	Austria
Commanders and leaders
Frederick the Great Hans Joachim von Ziethen	Feldzeugmeister Leopold Josef Graf Daun Franz Moritz von Lacy
Strength
30,000–36,000 men	80,000 men
Casualties and losses
9,400 men, 101 cannons, nearly all their tents; 28 flags and two standards; 70 munitions wagons	7,300 men, 3 flags

The Battle of Hochkirch occurred on 14 October 1758 during the Seven Years' War. After several weeks of jockeying for position, an Austrian army of 80,000 commanded by Feldzeugmeister (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 around the village of Hochkirch, which is 9 kilometers (6 mi) east of Bautzen, Saxony. The battle ranks among Frederick's greatest blunders, although the failure of the Austrian commander to follow up on his victory nullified the loss.

In September and early October 1758, Field Marshal Count Leopold Joseph von Daun and his 80,000-man army camped near the town of Stolpen. Frederick, King of Prussia, had tried several times to draw the Austrians out of Stolpen into a battle: Daun had refused the bait. By 5 October, Frederick and his army had marched within 8 km (5 mi) of the Austrians, but Daun had pulled his army away, again, refusing to be drawn into battle. Upon the Austrian withdrawal, Frederick sent troops in pursuit; these were driven off by Daun's rearguard. In frustration, Frederick shadowed Daun by maneuvering his army toward Bautzen; while there, Frederick learned that Daun had established a camp about 5 km (3 mi) east of him in the hills directly east of Hochkirch. He dispatched an entire Prussian corps to those hills in late September; by early October, General Wolf Frederick von Retzow's corps was within 2 km (1 mi) of the Austrians. Frederick ordered Retzow to take the hill that commanded the area, called Strohmberg. When Retzow arrived there, he discovered that the Austrians already had laid possession with a strong force. Retzow chose not to attack; Frederick had him removed from command and arrested.

Hochkirch stands on slight rise in terrain, surrounded by mildly undulating plains; the village can be seen from the distance, except from the south, where several heights abut the village and block visibility. The church stands near the highest point, granting visibility east, west and north.

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