Battle of Jičín

Battle of Gitschin. Illustration by Hugo Schüllinger (1896)

Date	29 June 1866
Location	Jičín, Bohemia
Result	Prussian victory

Belligerents

Prussia

Austria

Saxony

Commanders and leaders

Strength

2 divisions

60.000 but only 40.000 engaged

Casualties and losses

1553

Austrian army: 4704
Saxon army: 591

The Battle of Gitschin or Jičín (German: Schlacht bei Gitschin) was a battle of the Austro-Prussian War on 29 June 1866, ending with a Prussian victory over the Austrian forces. There is a memorial there today at Jičín in the Czech Republic.

After being beaten at Münchengrätz, Iser army under Clam-Gallas redeployed at Jičín. Unaware that after the Battle of Skalitz Benedek had halted North Army's advance towards Jičín, where under the Austrian battle plan the conjunction of both armies would have taken place in order to fall upon one of the Prussian main armies to beat them in detail, Clam-Gallas was under the impression that he would be directly supported by Northern army's advance units (III Corps), and decided to give battle. Clam-Gallas' battle line consisted out of Abele's brigade at the Privysin heights on the left, supported by Ringelsheim's brigade blocking the road from Münchengrätz at Lochov, the center at Brada Hill was held by Poschacher's brigade, supported by Leiningen's, and the town of Eisenstadtl on the right was to be held by Piret's brigade and the 1st Light Cavalry Division. The position between Poschacher and Piret was to be held by the Saxon army, which after taken a longer southern route from Münchengrätz had the previous night camped some 10 kilometers south of their designated position in the battle line, leaving a vulnerable gap between the Austrian center and right. The gap was temporarily filled by a 56 gun Austrian grand battery.

On June 29, 1866 after having won at Münchengrätz, the Prussian Elbe army and 1st army each sent an infantry division towards Jičín. From the north, the Prussian 5th Division, under Ludwig Tümpling, advanced towards Jičín. After using his artillery batteries to soften up the Austrian position Tümpling attacked the center and right. The cannon fire startled the Saxons, whose advance brigade was still four kilometers from their designated position in the battle line. By 6:00 PM Poschacher's brigade was able to hold off attacks on their hill position by the Prussian 9th Brigade, and Abele had been able to stop the Prussian 10th Brigade's attack on the Privysin heights. At 6:00 PM advancing from the west, advance units from the Prussian 3rd Division, part of Elbe army and led by August von Werder, attacked Ringelsheim but were held off.

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