In early 1758, the Austrian camp had no cause for celebration. In September the year before,
Prince Charles commanded up to 90.000 soldiers. By winter, these melted to under 30.000, with over
40.000 soldiers taken prisoner, and countless numbers of baggage, provisions and weaponry lost.
Despite the enormous setback, loss of face and the reluctance of their French ally to contribute
any troops directly against Prussia, Maria Theresa was not ready to make peace just yet.
Whoever hinted at making peace at court faced the tirade of Count
Kaunitz, who considered Prussia's destruction his personal mission.
After so many disasters in battle, Prince Charles was finally relieved of command. General Nadasdy,
Zieten's worthy nemesis, retired in anger at the court intrigues. Marshal Daun replaced Charles.
His army was augmented by the massive conscription campaigns held in Hungary and Croatia,
the favourable amnesty policy for deserters and even prisoner exchanges with Prussia.
A pandemic and harsh winter caused the Austrian army to be in a dire state in spring 1758.
It was not all doom and gloom for the Austrian Empress. The Russian Empress was like-minded
when it came to Prussia's destruction. After Marshal Apraxin's withdrawal from East Prussia
at the Battle of Gross Jagersdorf, she ordered his court-martial and appointed General Fermor
in his place. In mid-winter, January 1758, the Russian army crossed into East Prussia.
Generously subsidised, Fermor's army numbered 80.000 by spring. His goal
was to seize Brandenburg or even Silesia. Britain was meant to send a fleet to the
Baltic against the Russians, and soldiers to Hanover to strengthen the western front.
In the event, they did neither. Instead, Frederick learned of Fermor's advance in the Duchy while
simultaneously receiving news from France that King Louis did not want to open any negotiations.
Whereas Austria's army was in poor condition, Prussia was arguably in a worse state. Sure,
they won two great victories. But many soldiers were killed and wounded, and even more,
died of an epidemic which also hit the Austrians. Officers recruited many new
recruits from outside German principalities, Swedish Pomerania, Saxony and Mecklenburg.
Prussia's finances were nothing to write home about either. 1757 cost Prussia around
31 million Thaler. To subsidise the new year's worth of campaigning, Frederick
launched a campaign to squeeze Saxony, impose forced loans on Breslau merchants and Jesuit
institutions, and, of course, England subsidised him with another 5 million.
Combined, this was enough to sustain his army for the initial campaigning.
Not Frederick, but his brother-in-law Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, opened the 1758
campaign. Commanding a Prussian-Hanoverian army, Brunswick launched a lightning campaign. First,
he pushed the French army commanded by Louis de Bourbon, the Count of Clermont, across the Rhine.
This allowed Frederick to concentrate on the Austrians. Conjuring up an ambitious strategy, he
wanted to invade Moravia via Silesia. He planned to lay siege to Olmutz, the final stronghold
before Vienna, push the Austrians back to Austria, before moving against Prague and the Russians.
[Moravian campaign.]
["If you tell the enemy of my march, I will have you all hanged without
mercy." - Frederick the Great to monks providing him shelter for the night.
(One monk said to an aide, "His Majesty is very gracious;
it is a pity he is so ready to have people hanged.")
["I've gained nine days [on Marshal Daun]. So much for the opening of the campaign;
it is now a matter of ending it as it has begun."]
In April, Frederick collected half his army and embarked on a march towards Neisse. Keith followed
at a distance to deceive the Austrians. Zieten remained at Landeshut and another army at Glatz.
From Neisse, Frederick began his march. On May 11, Frederick reached Olmutz virtually
uncontested. It wasn't until May 29 that the first bombardments of the siege began.
Logistics-wise it became painfully obvious the Prussians were understaffed
and underequipped. The fortress was stocked up on food and ammunition with solid walls garrisoned
by 8500 energetic defenders and 324 guns. Frederick's hope was for the Austrians to attempt
to relieve the city. He would force Daun into a large battle, where he would hopefully beat them,
seize Olmutz and become an acute danger to Vienna. In the event, none of this happened.
Daun was slow to march to Olmutz's relief. But that was no bother,
for the Prussians quickly ran behind on schedule. Frederick hoped to own the fortress by mid-June,
but the second delivery of big guns only arrived around that time. By late June, the supply line
issues became painfully obvious, and Daun was closing in. Frederick was none the wiser,
thanks to the protective screen of Austrian irregulars preventing any scouting outposts.
These flocks of irregulars also posed a significant threat to small supply convoys. As
Olmutz was weakening, this final artillery batch would prove the decisive blow. Surely, one large
column, well-defended by many soldiers, was safer for transport than all the small columns subject
to constant harassment. Frederick began organising the logistics for such a convoy to depart.
Intelligence reached the Austrians of this plan. But frankly, the column was enormous to the degree
the Austrians could not have missed it. Four thousand wagons filled with ammunition, weaponry,
provisions, gunpowder and large artillery, escorted by eight battalions of infantry.
Major General Gideon von Loudon embarked to intercept it.
Frederick, suspecting the convoy was a prime target, dispatched Zieten to defend it.
[Battle formations]
The Prussian convoy departed from Bautsch on the morning of June 28. Besides 4000 wagons,
2500 head of cattle travelled along, protected by nearly 11.000 soldiers—1341 cavalry and
eight infantry battalions, mainly comprised of levied recruits and recently recovered
veterans. The column's total length was over 45 kilometres. The roads were in very poor condition.
Loudon shared command with General Josef von Siskovics. Loudon positioned himself
at Gundersdorf. He commanded around 6000 men, four infantry battalions,
some dragoons, hussars and an artillery battery. This would not be enough to face the Prussians.
Siskovics got lost on his way to Gundersdorf and his army ended up somewhere between Herlsdorf
and Nurnberg to the south. When the convoy approached, Loudon decided
there was no time to waste and launched an attack, disregarding his numerical inferiority.
The column's advance guard trekked towards the village when Austrian
infantry and artillery opened fire. Lieutenant Colonel von Mosel mounted a spirited defence.
A prolonged firefight between infantry and artillery continued, with the Prussians
unable to advance toward the city, and the Austrians unable to inflict decisive damage.
Eventually, outnumbered and not seeing any opportunities,
Loudon retreated towards Barn. Due to the lack of cavalry, the Prussians did not launch a pursuit.
A few hours after the battle, Zieten arrived with his corps.
Reinforcing the column, they took their time to repair the damage.
They outnumbered Loudon, after all. On the morning of June 13, they re-embarked on their march.
But in the background, the Austrians had prepared a second attack. Siskovics, who got lost in the
woods, finally took position between Herlsdorf and Nurnberg. Sprinkled with hills and woods,
it was ideal for his infantry to hide. Loudon moved to the south from Barn.
When the Prussian vanguard of nearly 5000 soldiers and 250 wagons passed
Siskovics, he ordered his men to lay dormant. The main body following was their prime target.
Once these passed his army, the artillery on the hills opened a deafening volley of fire.
South of Neudorfel, battle cries shook the main Prussian column. Artillery lit up the column,
while Austrian infantry launched volleys of fire. Prussian infantry defending the column hastened to
take their positions and protect the baggage train against the irregulars. Savage fighting broke out.
The Prussians fiercely resisted. But then, the other side of the convoy heard a terrible
sound. From the north, Loudon descended on the Prussians. Zieten's corps manned this
part of the line, and his hussars launched a counter-charge against Loudon's soldiers.
Heavy combat broke out, but the panic was too widespread. Despite a spirited defence,
Zieten's cavalry was bested and the entire convoy deteriorated into a rout.
Upon seeing the carnage to their north, the Prussian infantry fighting Sikovics broke as well.
Zieten's hussars retreated towards Troppau to the northeast.
Many Prussians were captured, and many scattered in the hills and woods.
The Austrians seized over 3000 loaded wagons, 2200 horses, two million thalers and twelve
heavy cannons, losing only 680 men. They packed everything they could carry
on their baggage train and burned the rest. The munition and wagons were burned. Besides
their valuable artillery- and supply convoy, the Prussians lost between 2300 and 2700 men.
[Aftermath]
[Text: "It is better to make an unpleasant decision than no
decision at all." - Frederick to James Keith after the defeat of Domstadtl
Of the 250 wagons in the vanguard, only 100 reached Olmutz by midnight. Besides the wagons,
remnants of nine battered infantry battalions and a handful of cavalry squadrons arrived.
Lieutenant General Anton von Krockow relayed to Frederick how most of the 9000-strong escort
was last seen in wild retreat towards Troppau. Frederick received the news with commendable
stoicism. He ordered James Keith to lift the siege, collected his soldiers and organised
the retreat back to Silesia. In July, he set up camp at Koniggratz, hoping Daun would attack him.
But the Austrian Field Marshal knew the Russian threat was approaching in the east. He did not
need to wage battle against Frederick now, with Olmutz safe from any Prussian threat.
Daun's patience would be rewarded soon enough, when the enormous allied Russian army arrived.
The battle of Zorndorf drew near, one of the most iconic battles of the entire Seven Years' War.
Thank you for watching this video.