Battle of Hochkirch - The Finale

The Finale

At first Frederick thought the sounds of the battle were just an outpost skirmish, but was soon alerted when his own Prussian cannons started to fire on his camp. By daybreak the fog had lifted and the soldiers could make out friend from foe. At this point the two armies were trying to outmaneuver the other all the while the village of Hochkirch was beginning to burn to the ground. The Prussians mounted a large counterattack that caused considerable damage, but the Austrians started to close in on their flank and rear, forcing them to fall back. A lot of the fighting occurred in the village, volleys being exchanged between buildings. These maneuvers continued back and forth between the two. Eventually the orderly Austrian army caused the shocked and disarrayed Prussians to fall back to the walls of Hochkirch and eventually poured out of the village in complete retreat. Prussian counterattacks were launched; however, all fell short. The last regiment in the village, under cover in the churchyard, was mowed down during a final desperation charge. After this unit was destroyed there was no real hope for Prussian victory in the town of Hochkirch. Around 10 a.m. the Prussians retreated to the north-west.