Page 81 - All About History - Issue 180-19
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Battle Of Leuthen
Heroic rearguard
10 action
Several squadrons of Austrian cavalry
and a handful of infantry regiments
09 10 conduct a fighting retreat that keeps
the Prussian cavalry from cutting off
the Austrian army’s escape.
01
Austrian line
07 09 dissolves
The swirling cavalry melee in the
late afternoon disrupts the right
flank of the Austrian infantry line.
05 Many of the Austrian musketeers
cast aside their weapons and flee
for their lives. Prussian cuirassiers
run down many of them.
08
Mounted
08 melee
Sixty-five squadrons of cavalry
posted on the Austrian right wing
06 charge the Prussian left flank
at 4.30pm, but their advance
is disrupted by 55 squadrons
of cavalry from the Prussian
left wing cavalry. Some of the
Austrian horsemen fight with great
determination, but others ride
away believing the day is lost.
03
Defence of the
02 07 Sunken Road
The Austrian infantry that survive the
street fighting in Leuthen withdraw after
an hour-long battle to a sunken road
on the north side of Leuthen. When
Prussian musketeers attempt to push
north from the town, they are greeted by
04 heavy volleys of musketry. In addition,
Austrian guns on the high ground near
the windmills north of Leuthen shell the
Prussians, producing heavy casualties.
The pinned-down Prussians await artillery
support and reinforcements before they
can resume their advance.
04 Sabre fight
The cavalry posted
on the Austrian left wing
counterattacks the Prussian
infantry. Before they can inflict 05 Austrians reform at Leuthen 06 Spirited defence of the Churchyard
casualties on the Prussian foot Austrian senior commanders realise that the The musketeers of the Rot-Wurzburg battalion man the walls
soldiers, Prussian cuirassiers Prussian main attack is coming from the south. They issue and turrets of the Catholic Church in Leuthen. Six Prussian battalions
and dragoons posted on the far orders for the infantry and cavalry posted to the north to are committed to the assault on the fortified church. The Austrians
right intercept them. A series of march immediately to Leuthen to establish a new defensive repeatedly hurl back the attackers, but the elite Prussian guards
mounted melees unfolds over line facing south. Some Austrian infantrymen have to march eventually fight their way into the churchyard. Some of the Prussian
the next hour on the low-lying three miles to reach Leuthen. Because the new line is only guards fight their way through a side gate, while others storm through
ground south of Leuthen. two miles long, the Austrians are crowded together. a breach in the walls made by the Prussian artillery.
© Nicholas Forder
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