While it may be said that the opening phases of the Austro-Prussian War went exceedingly well for the Prussians, a major mistake by Von Moltke cost them their king, a major battle, & the war. By July 3rd, 1866, the Austrians had pulled back to Koniggratz after a week of being pushed back tactically & strategically by the Prussians. Ludwig Von Benedek pulled back to the Austrian fortress, but decided to deploy his army in front of the Elbe River rather than behind it. With 240,000 men, Benedek decided to lay a trap for the advancing Prussians. Their 1st (85,000 men) & 3rd (35,000 men) Armies were coming down from the NorthWest, but were almost a day’s march ahead of 2nd Army (110,000 men) coming down from the NorthEast. Von Moltke hoped to catch Benedek’s Austrians in a vice, but Benedek held the central position & could concentrate all his forces against one force & then turn on the other.
The pursing Prussians, who could not see Benedek’s dispositions in the rain & mist, immediately set off after what they believed was a rearguard while the main army retreated across the Elbe. While the Austrian infantry had been punished in their earlier encounters with the Prussians because they were still using rifle muskets against the Prussian Needle rifles, Benedek knew he could bring his superior artillery to bear & tip the scales. Indeed, at 7:45 am, King Wilhelm arrived at the heights of Dub with Moltke & Bismarck to watch the battle unfold. Shortly after, Austrian guns bracketed the position. Prussian luck, which had been so good up to this point in the campaign, failed. Bismarck was killed instantly & the King mortally wounded. The Prussian 1st army, which had begun the advance across the Bystrice River, was shielded from this news. Austrian shells continued to plunge into their ranks & Prince Friedrich Karl, eager for glory, pushed his divisions into the teeth of the Austrian position. Prussian attempts to push artillery up in support were smothered by battery fire from the Austrians. Despite their superiority in artillery, the Austrian troops were slowly being forced back by the Needle rifles of the Prussians. Yet rifles could not stop artillery. Having occupied the key positions of Hradek, Svib Forest, & Masloved, the Austrians proceeded to shoot the poor Prussians to pieces. The Saxons on the left flank held up the Prussian 15th & 16th Divisions while the Austrian III & IV Corps flung back Fransecky’s 7th Division. The supporting 8th & 4th Prussian Divisions were also mauled by the Austrian batteries. By 11am, the Prussian 1st & 3rd Armies were in deep trouble & as they pulled back, Benedek released his cavalry & infantry on the Prussians. While taking tremendous casualties from Needle rifle fire, the Austrians managed to break the Prussians & capture Prince Friedrich Karl & Moltke. With his scouts seeing the advanced elements of 2nd army coming down towards them, Benedek wheeled his army around & prepared to face the Prussians. While bloodied, the Austrians clearly still held the numbers advantage & proceeded to transfer their artillery over to face Crown Prince Fredrick. By 2:30pm, the Prussian 2nd Army began its assaults, but was quickly stymied. A courier from the remnants of 1st & 3rd Armies arrived to inform the Crown Prince he was the King. Fredrick immediately called for a cease-fire.
In the coming weeks, Prussia’s defeat at Koniggratz would heavily influence events. Austria would walk away the winner, after having beaten Italy to the South & Prussia to the North. All of Bismarck’s plans for bringing together a German unification through Prussia were gone. Fredrick, who had been kept out of key positions by Bismarck because of his Progressive views, changed Prussia from a militaristic state to something much less so. His time spent with Queen Victoria ensured a state that stayed closely tied with England. The liberalism that Prussia went through kept it from becoming involved in the petty European conflicts that arose sometime later.
Some speculate as to what may have happened had Prussia won & the King & Bismarck had lived. A successful Prussia may have come to grips with France a few years down the road, & if they had won, it may have led to German unification. A unified Germany could have brought Europe to a bloody World War by the beginning of the 20th Century. Who knows what other wars that could have led to……
The pursing Prussians, who could not see Benedek’s dispositions in the rain & mist, immediately set off after what they believed was a rearguard while the main army retreated across the Elbe. While the Austrian infantry had been punished in their earlier encounters with the Prussians because they were still using rifle muskets against the Prussian Needle rifles, Benedek knew he could bring his superior artillery to bear & tip the scales. Indeed, at 7:45 am, King Wilhelm arrived at the heights of Dub with Moltke & Bismarck to watch the battle unfold. Shortly after, Austrian guns bracketed the position. Prussian luck, which had been so good up to this point in the campaign, failed. Bismarck was killed instantly & the King mortally wounded. The Prussian 1st army, which had begun the advance across the Bystrice River, was shielded from this news. Austrian shells continued to plunge into their ranks & Prince Friedrich Karl, eager for glory, pushed his divisions into the teeth of the Austrian position. Prussian attempts to push artillery up in support were smothered by battery fire from the Austrians. Despite their superiority in artillery, the Austrian troops were slowly being forced back by the Needle rifles of the Prussians. Yet rifles could not stop artillery. Having occupied the key positions of Hradek, Svib Forest, & Masloved, the Austrians proceeded to shoot the poor Prussians to pieces. The Saxons on the left flank held up the Prussian 15th & 16th Divisions while the Austrian III & IV Corps flung back Fransecky’s 7th Division. The supporting 8th & 4th Prussian Divisions were also mauled by the Austrian batteries. By 11am, the Prussian 1st & 3rd Armies were in deep trouble & as they pulled back, Benedek released his cavalry & infantry on the Prussians. While taking tremendous casualties from Needle rifle fire, the Austrians managed to break the Prussians & capture Prince Friedrich Karl & Moltke. With his scouts seeing the advanced elements of 2nd army coming down towards them, Benedek wheeled his army around & prepared to face the Prussians. While bloodied, the Austrians clearly still held the numbers advantage & proceeded to transfer their artillery over to face Crown Prince Fredrick. By 2:30pm, the Prussian 2nd Army began its assaults, but was quickly stymied. A courier from the remnants of 1st & 3rd Armies arrived to inform the Crown Prince he was the King. Fredrick immediately called for a cease-fire.
In the coming weeks, Prussia’s defeat at Koniggratz would heavily influence events. Austria would walk away the winner, after having beaten Italy to the South & Prussia to the North. All of Bismarck’s plans for bringing together a German unification through Prussia were gone. Fredrick, who had been kept out of key positions by Bismarck because of his Progressive views, changed Prussia from a militaristic state to something much less so. His time spent with Queen Victoria ensured a state that stayed closely tied with England. The liberalism that Prussia went through kept it from becoming involved in the petty European conflicts that arose sometime later.
Some speculate as to what may have happened had Prussia won & the King & Bismarck had lived. A successful Prussia may have come to grips with France a few years down the road, & if they had won, it may have led to German unification. A unified Germany could have brought Europe to a bloody World War by the beginning of the 20th Century. Who knows what other wars that could have led to……
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