Battle of Mollwitz - Battle

Battle

The Prussian forces advanced on the Austrian line in two sections, but 6 regiments of Austrian cavalry numbering 4,500 to 5,000 men and horses crashed into the cavalry of the right wing of the Prussian Army and shattered it. This left the Prussian flank open to attack and the Austrian cavalry then turned on the unprotected infantry. Schwerin, the Prussian military commander under Frederick, now advised Frederick II to leave the battlefield because it looked as though the Prussian army was about to be defeated, and the king heeded this warning. Abandoning the field, he was nearly caught and almost shot. Many historians believe that Schwerin advised Frederick to leave so that Schwerin could take command of the troops himself since he was a veteran general who had served in other armies. The scene was very chaotic because the perpendicular infantry units deployed in between the two Prussian lines were fleeing or firing on other Prussian troops as the Austrian cavalry drove into their flank, but at some point the Prussian infantry, drilled and trained to perfection under Frederick William I, began spontaneously turning right and firing volley after volley at the Austrian cavalry, causing tremendous losses. The leader of the Austrian cavalry General Römer received a fatal head shot from a Prussian musket ball and with both leaders of the wings dead, an officer asked Schwerin where they should retreat to. Schwerin famously replied "We'll retreat over the bodies of our enemies" and soon restored the situation on the Prussian right wing. A second Austrian cavalry attack on the left side was beaten back and Schwerin ordered a general advance of all Prussian forces. The Prussian infantry soon engaged the Austrian battle line and since they were some of the most well-drilled infantry of the period, were able to fire 4-5 shots a minute with their flintlock muskets, seriously outgunning their opponents. Soon the Austrians were routed off the field and Frederick the Great stood victorious.