near Sadowa, and Frederick Karl planned to attack the next
morning. Moltke ordered the Crown Prince Frederick to join
forces with the other two armies at the point where the
Austrians were assembled, but the telegraph lines to the
Second Army’s positions were out, necessitating the dispatch
of two mounted officers at midnight to ride the twenty miles’
distance in time. They arrived at 4 a.m. The Crown Prince’s
Chief of Staff, Leonhard von Blumenthal, an able logistician,
immediately reorganised Second Army’s route plan.
The Battle
The Austrian army of 240,000 faced the Prussian Army of the
Elbe (39,000) and First Army (85,000) on 3 July. The Austrian
infantry was partially fortified and supported by cavalry in the
rear and artillery units with firing range across hilly, wooded
terrain. The battle began at dawn in subsiding rain and mist as
Prussia took its position west of the Bystřice River. Shortly
before 8 a.m., the Austrian artillery opened fire, pinning down
the Prussian right flank under Herwarth von Bittenfeld. The
Saxons on the Austrian left fell back in good order, and
proceeded to rain down fire on the advancing Prussian right
from higher ground. Herwarth von Bittenfeld hesitated to
order a full attack, and instead the advance guard of seven
battalions, under Brig. General von Schöler pulled back to the
river around 10:00 and took a defensive stance.
The Prussian centre, with the Prussian 7th Division under
General Eduard Friedrich Karl von Fransecky, having secured
the Prussian rear earlier, led the advance into Swiep Forest,
where it was met by two Austrian corps. The 7th Division had
to both clear out the forest, and cover the Prussian left until
the Second Army, under the crown prince, arrived. The
morning. Moltke ordered the Crown Prince Frederick to join
forces with the other two armies at the point where the
Austrians were assembled, but the telegraph lines to the
Second Army’s positions were out, necessitating the dispatch
of two mounted officers at midnight to ride the twenty miles’
distance in time. They arrived at 4 a.m. The Crown Prince’s
Chief of Staff, Leonhard von Blumenthal, an able logistician,
immediately reorganised Second Army’s route plan.
The Battle
The Austrian army of 240,000 faced the Prussian Army of the
Elbe (39,000) and First Army (85,000) on 3 July. The Austrian
infantry was partially fortified and supported by cavalry in the
rear and artillery units with firing range across hilly, wooded
terrain. The battle began at dawn in subsiding rain and mist as
Prussia took its position west of the Bystřice River. Shortly
before 8 a.m., the Austrian artillery opened fire, pinning down
the Prussian right flank under Herwarth von Bittenfeld. The
Saxons on the Austrian left fell back in good order, and
proceeded to rain down fire on the advancing Prussian right
from higher ground. Herwarth von Bittenfeld hesitated to
order a full attack, and instead the advance guard of seven
battalions, under Brig. General von Schöler pulled back to the
river around 10:00 and took a defensive stance.
The Prussian centre, with the Prussian 7th Division under
General Eduard Friedrich Karl von Fransecky, having secured
the Prussian rear earlier, led the advance into Swiep Forest,
where it was met by two Austrian corps. The 7th Division had
to both clear out the forest, and cover the Prussian left until
the Second Army, under the crown prince, arrived. The
Prussians methodically cleared the villages of Austrian
defenders. King Wilhelm I of Prussia ordered the First Army
across the river to support Fransecky. Sadowa was captured, but
a fierce battle ensued in a nearby forest. The Austrian artillery
held off the Prussians by firing into the smoke of the Prussian
advance. The Prussians were slowed, and although the river was
easy to wade, transporting artillery across it was extremely
difficult. The Prussian attack was halted as the advancing
Prussian 8th and 4th Divisions were cut down by the Austrian
artillery as soon as they emerged from the smoke. However, the
Austrian leader, Benedek, refused to call for a cavalry charge
which later commentators have argued might have won the
battle. Reserve units were deployed at noon, but the outcome of
the battle was still uncertain and Prussian commanders
anxiously waited for the crown prince.
Needle Guns
To this point the Austrian superiority in numbers and position
had held the day. Their weapons had longer range, which meant
that the outnumbered Prussians could neither advance against
the artillery barrage, nor effectively engage the Austrian
infantry. The Prussians had attempted to bring three armies
together for the battle, but problems with sending orders by
telegraph and moving men by railroad had meant that only two
of the three armies had arrived in time. The Prussian centre, in
the cover of the forest, was able to hold its position, and
discourage a mounted charge by the Austrians, who were
thought to have superior cavalry. However the close contact of
the fight in the forest began to negate these advantages, the
Austrians could not train their artillery on the close fighting; the
damp weather made a cavalry charge risky, and Austrian IV
Corps was committed piecemeal to the fighting. At this point
defenders. King Wilhelm I of Prussia ordered the First Army
across the river to support Fransecky. Sadowa was captured, but
a fierce battle ensued in a nearby forest. The Austrian artillery
held off the Prussians by firing into the smoke of the Prussian
advance. The Prussians were slowed, and although the river was
easy to wade, transporting artillery across it was extremely
difficult. The Prussian attack was halted as the advancing
Prussian 8th and 4th Divisions were cut down by the Austrian
artillery as soon as they emerged from the smoke. However, the
Austrian leader, Benedek, refused to call for a cavalry charge
which later commentators have argued might have won the
battle. Reserve units were deployed at noon, but the outcome of
the battle was still uncertain and Prussian commanders
anxiously waited for the crown prince.
Needle Guns
To this point the Austrian superiority in numbers and position
had held the day. Their weapons had longer range, which meant
that the outnumbered Prussians could neither advance against
the artillery barrage, nor effectively engage the Austrian
infantry. The Prussians had attempted to bring three armies
together for the battle, but problems with sending orders by
telegraph and moving men by railroad had meant that only two
of the three armies had arrived in time. The Prussian centre, in
the cover of the forest, was able to hold its position, and
discourage a mounted charge by the Austrians, who were
thought to have superior cavalry. However the close contact of
the fight in the forest began to negate these advantages, the
Austrians could not train their artillery on the close fighting; the
damp weather made a cavalry charge risky, and Austrian IV
Corps was committed piecemeal to the fighting. At this point
Above. Battle at Königgrätz, Prince Friedrich Karl orders his enthusiastic troops into battle. Reproduction of a painting, artist
unknown. United States public domain. Wikimedia Commons.
