Battle of Kesselsdorf

Part of the War of the Austrian Succession

Leopold von Dessau & Frederick Augustus Rutowsky

Date	15 December 1745
Location	Kesselsdorf, near Dresden, present-day Germany
Result	Prussian victory

Belligerents

Prussia

Saxony

Austria

Commanders and leaders

Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau

Field Marshal Rutowsky

Strength

32,000
33 field guns
additional battalion guns

35,000:

28,000 Saxons
7,000 Austrians
80 field and battalion guns

Casualties and losses

5,100:

1,600 killed
3,500 wounded and missing

10,500:

3,800 dead and wounded
6,700 captured
48 cannon

35,000:

5,100:

10,500:

The Battle of Kesselsdorf was fought on 15 December 1745, between the Kingdom of Prussia and the combined forces of the Archduchy of Austria and the Electorate of Saxony during the part of the War of the Austrian Succession known as the Second Silesian War. The Prussians were led by Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, while the Austrians and Saxons were led by Field Marshal Rutowsky. The Prussians were victorious over the Royal Saxon Army and the Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Emperor.

Two Prussian columns, one led by Frederick, the second by the Leopold the 'Old Dessauer' were converging on Dresden, the capital of Saxony, which was then an Austrian ally. Interposed between Leopold and Dresden was Rutowsky with an army of Saxons. Rapidly marching towards Dresden and Rutowsky was prince Charles who hoped to be able to reinforce both. Leopold moved slowly and deliberately forward entering Saxon territory on 29 November and advanced on Rutowsky at Leipzig, whereupon Rutowsky retired towards Dresden. By 12 December, Leopold reached Meissen and joined with a corps under Lehwaldt. Rutowsky was reinforced by some Austrians under Grünne and took up a position at Kesselsdorf, 5 miles west of Dresden, that covered Dresden while leaving him closer to the advancing Charles than Leopold was to Frederick. The Saxons deployed along a ridge that ran from Kesselsdorf to the river Elbe and that was fronted by a stream and marshy ground. The 7,000 Austrians under Grünne formed on the right near the Elbe. The line was long and there was a considerable gap in its center between the Saxons and the Austrians. On the fifteenth, Leopold finally came up. There was much snow and ice on the field.

...
Wikipedia