The Seven Weeks' War

by H M Hozier

  On the evening of the 19th of June, the crown prince received orders from the king, through General von Moltke, the chief of the staff of the army, to leave only one corps on the Neisse, to move the first corps to Landshut, and to station the two other corps in such positions that they might be ready, either in conjunction with the first corps, to move into Bohemia, in order to effect a junction with the First Army, or, if it were necessary, to be equally ready to strengthen the corps on the Neisse.

  As the Austrian troops kept moving into Bohemia, it became hourly more probable that the Prussian Second Army would be required to cross the mountains into that province. In order to lead the Austrian staff to believe that this movement was not contemplated, the sixth corps was drawn entirely to the left bank of the Neisse, and received orders that it should, immediately on the outbreak of hostilities, make a strong demonstration against the Austrian frontier in that direction. Officers were at the same time sent to prepare quarters for all the corps on the right bank of the Oder, as if a general movement in that direction was intended.

  On the evening of the 20th June, a further order came from the king, which directed the crown prince to send intimation in writing to the commanders of the several Austrian outposts, that Prussia considered Austria’s bearing at Frankfort as a virtual declaration of war.

  As soon as the existence of war between the two great powers was actually recognised, the crown prince issued the following general order to his troops:—

  Neisse, 20th June,

  Soldiers of the Second Army!—You have heard the words of our king and commander-in-chief! The attempts of His Majesty to preserve peace to our country have proved fruitless. With a heavy heart, but with strong confidence in the spirit and valour of his army, the king has determined to do battle for the honour and independence of Prussia, and for a new organisation of Germany on a powerful basis. I, placed by the grace and confidence of my royal father at your head, am proud, as the first servant of our king, to risk with you my blood and property for the most sacred rights of our native country. Soldiers! for the first time for fifty years a worthy foeman is opposed to our army. Confident in your prowess, and in our excellent and proved arms, it behoves us to conquer the same enemy as our greatest king defeated with a small army. And now, forward with the old Prussian battle-cry—‘With God, for King and Fatherland.’

  (Signed)

  Friederich Wilhelm.

  On the 22nd of June the crown prince received from the king the order to prepare to assume the offensive in Bohemia, in order to join the First Army in the direction of Gitschin.

  This order had been anticipated by the crown prince. On the previous day he had sent a letter by post, to request permission from the king to move towards his right At the same time he expressed a wish to be allowed to send the sixth corps, which had been ordered to remain near Neisse, into the county of Glatz. By this disposition the sixth corps would both be available for the defence of its native province, Silesia, and, if necessary, could more easily be joined to the main army than from its previous position.

  On the 23rd June the crown prince received by telegraph permission to move the sixth corps as he desired. He had, however, on the 22nd, already acted before receiving this permission. That day he sent the sixth corps from Neisse in the direction of Olmütz. This corps crossed the Austrian frontier, and moved through the highland border districts of Friedberg, Freywalde, and Zuchmantel, while the soldiers everywhere spread the news that they formed the advanced guard of the entire army of the crown prince. Some slight skirmishes between the advanced guards and some Austrian hussars ensued without much damage to either side.

  In consequence of this demonstration, however, Feldzeugmeister Benedek held the second and third Austrian corps between Hohenmauth and Bömisch Trübau in such a position that they could not be opposed to the Prussian columns at the point where the latter really crossed the frontier. On this day, the 22nd June, the headquarters of the crown prince remained at Neisse; the fifth corps was in the neighbourhood of Ottmachau; the corps of the Guards was drawn together round Münsterberg; the first corps was at Landshut, the sixth corps, as already stated, over the Austrian frontier, and engaged in its demonstration against Austrian Silesia.

  The Second Army was now moved into positions which would facilitate its irruption into Bohemia; and on the 25th June, its one hundred and twenty-five thousand warriors were posted, so that the first corps was at Schömberg, the Guards at Schlegel, the fifth corps between Glatz and Reinerz, the first brigade of the sixth corps at Glatz, and the remainder of the sixth corps at Patschkau, the cavalry division at Waldenburg. On the same day the crown prince changed his headquarters from Neisse by way of Camenz to Eckersdorf.

  The staff of the crown prince knew that the Austrian first corps and the army of Saxony were engaged against Prince Frederick Charles, and that the second Austrian corps had pushed forward towards the county of Glatz. It was, therefore, correctly argued, that only four Austrian corps could be opposed to the Prussians in issuing from the mountains; but even under these circumstances the march of the Army of Silesia through the passes was exposed to great difficulties, and to considerable danger.

  The county of Glatz forms a salient bastion of hills in the highland frontier between Prussian Silesia and Bohemia. From Glatz four great roads lead into the Imperial dominions: the first on the north-west by Wünschelburg to Braunau, the second on the west by Reinerz to Nachod and Josephstadt, the third on the south by Mittelwalde to Gabel and Wildenschwert, the fourth on the south-east by Wilhelmsthal to Altstadt On . The east of the county of Glatz, a road runs from Neisse by Ziegenhals and Würbenthal in the direction of Olmütz, and on the west of the county a road runs from Landshut by Liebau to Trautenau and Josephstadt The passage of the frontier by the Second Army had necessarily to be effected by one of the six frontier passes. The strategical intention of effecting a junction as soon as possible in Bohemia with the First Army, determined the selection of the three roads to Trautenau, Braunau, and Nachod, the directions of which also afforded to the Army of Silesia the advantage of being able to make its advance in three columns, which could afford to each other mutual assistance in case of any one being attacked by the enemy.

  The roads on either flank were good. That by Reinerz and Nachod led through a defile five miles in length, and it was only beyond Nachod that troops who marched through it could deploy. The pass to Braunau in the centre had the advantage that the Bohemian frontier at this point advanced for a space of twenty miles. In consequence of this geographical configuration it was the least liable to be blocked or broken up by the enemy, and the troops that marched by it were the least likely to be impeded in their formation after debouching. They would consequently be available to support either of the flank columns in case of opposition being made to their issue from the mountains. After passing the mountains, the junction of the Army of Silesia with that of Prince Frederick Charles could only be effected by a flank move to the right. In order to facilitate this subsequent movement, the plan of the passage of the army of the crown prince was determined as follows:—

  The right wing, which consisted of the first corps, was to move, followed by the cavalry division, from Landshut by Liebau on Trautenau. The fifth corps on the left was to occupy the pass of Nachod.

  The corps of the Guards in the centre was to move by the intermediate road from Wünschelburg on Braunau, in order to act as a reserve to either of the flank corps, or if necessary to occupy the pass of Eypel. The sixth corps was to remain for a short time on the south of the fortress of Neisse, but as soon as possible was to be withdrawn from this position and to be advanced to Reinerz to support the fifth corps. The protection of Upper Silesia was handed over to the detachments under Count Stölberg and General Knobelsdorf. After passing the mountains the whole army was to make a wheel to its left, pivoted on Nachod and Skalitz, to seize the railway from Josephstadt to Türnau, and along that line gain its junction with the First Army.

 
; To carry out the preliminaries of this plan, on the evening of the 26th June the first Prussian corps was stationed at Landshut with its advanced guard at Liebau. The guards occupied Münsterberg with advanced posts at Frankenstein and Silberberg. The fifth corps was at Ottmachau with its advanced guard at Lewin. The main body of the sixth corps was near Zuchmantel.

  The Austrian commander thought that he had secured the left wing of his whole army by the first Austrian corps and the Saxons under Count Clam Gallas, and on the 26th June held his remaining forces in the following positions:—The tenth Austrian corps was at Pilnikau, the fourth at Königinhof, the sixth moved that day from Opocna to Skalitz, the eighth was in the rear of Josephstadt, the second further south in reserve, and the third round Bömisch Trübau.

  It is naturally difficult to say what was the intention of Feldzeugmeister Benedek: if, however, he had the idea of at any time assuming the offensive, he ought to have with might and main attacked the heads of the Prussian columns with overwhelming masses as they issued from the mountains. He was bound at any cost to prevent the passage of the fifth corps, which was the pivot of the Prussian Army, and on the same terms to defeat the first corps and the Guards before they could reach the line of the Aupa, It must have been on the defeat of the army of the crown prince that he depended to be able to assume the offensive with superior numbers against the First Prussian Army and the Army of the Elbe.

  Early in the afternoon of the 26th of June, the first Prussian corps was concentrated near Liebau, the corps of the Guards round Wünschelburg, and the fifth corps at Lewin.

  That evening the heads of the columns of the Guards pushed across the frontier at Tunschendorf and Johannisberg, under the direction of the crown prince in person. The troops cheered loudly as they stepped upon Austrian ground. Some detachments of the third regiment of Uhlans of the Guard had a little beyond the frontier a skirmish with some of the Austrian Windischgrätz dragoons and Mexican Uhlans, in which the Prussians had the advantage. Certainly Austrian prisoners and captured horses were brought into the Prussian headquarters, and the cavalry of the Second Army acquired the idea that it was fully equal if not superior to the horsemen opposed to it. The Guards bivouacked that night between Politz and Braunau.

  On the left wing, the fifth corps the same evening was pushed forward towards the frontier in the direction of Nachod. The bridge over the little river Metau, which forms here the boundary line, had been broken; and as the Prussian scouts approached the river, two Austrian vedettes with two infantry sentries could be made out hidden behind some willow-trees at the Bohemian end of the bridge. These were dislodged by a few Prussian Jägers, who forded the river and pushed on in pursuit At a toll-house about four hundred yards further on they were checked by the fire of two Austrian field-guns, and were driven back

  to the river, where the Prussian pioneers were already engaged in the repair of the broken bridge. Two Prussian guns were quickly brought up, and after a few shots being exchanged the Austrian pieces withdrew, with their escort of two squadrons of cavalry and about ninety foot soldiers. General Löwenfeld, who commanded the leading division of the fifth Prussian corps, sent his Jägers in pursuit, and secured without opposition the town of Nachod, and the strong castle which about three-quarters of a mile from the Metau covers the issue of the pass, and could have been easily held, by a handful of determined men, for at least two days against the whole Prussian Army.

  After these preliminary movements on the 26th, on the 27th commenced the series of brilliant operations by which the army of the crown prince wrestled its way through the mountains.

  CHAPTER 2: Passage of the Right and Central Columns of the Army of Silesia through the Mountains

  The first corps, which formed the right column of the army of the crown prince, was under the command of General von Bonin. This officer ordered his advanced guard to advance from Liebau at four o’clock on the morning of the 27th, and to follow the road by Golden-Oels to Trautenau. At the latter town it was to halt until the main body arrived at Parschnitz in the road between Schömberg and Albendorf, then it was to move forward upon Arnau. The reserves of infantry and of artillery were to follow the advanced guard, the reserve of cavalry the main body.

  The march commenced Hostile dragoons were descried in front of the heads of the columns, but did not yet attack. The main body first came up to the advanced guard, which had halted at Parschnitz at eight o’clock, about ten, when the latter was ordered to move forward, and soon commenced

  THE FIRST ACTION OF TRAUTENAU

  The town of Trautenau lies on the River Aupa, in a basin almost surrounded by mountains: by the river the ground is wet and marshy, on the hillsides it is rough and broken, so that it is nowhere particularly favourable for the action of cavalry or artillery.

  The great heat made the Prussian troops suffer much from fatigue and thirst on their march, and they were weary when they reached the town of Trautenau. But the Austrians were in the town, and General von Bonin was forced to attack them, as his road to join the crown prince, who was with the left column, led through Trautenau. The head of the advanced guard broke down the barricade on the bridge over the Aupa. The infantry fight soon began in the streets, and the Austrians were pushed back gradually from house to house. But the Austrians reinforced their troops, and then maintained their position, till the Prussians, calling up more battalions, again got a little the better of the combat. Both sides suffered heavily, and the Prussians gained ground but slowly, for from every house and from every corner hidden marksmen poured bullets into the ranks of the battalions that tried to push along the streets.

  When all the Prussian reinforcements had arrived, a general attack was made, and the Austrians were pushed out of the houses into the open country beyond. The Prussians pursued and followed step by step their slowly-retreating enemies. Beyond the town one of Austria’s most celebrated cavalry regiments, the Windischgrätz dragoons, stood waiting to sweep the Prussian battalions from the open ground if they issued from the shelter of the houses. These dragoons have long held a high reputation, and, for a record of brave deeds done by the regiment, alone in the Austrian Army wear no moustache. The Prussian infantry could not advance, and it seemed that the houses of Trautenau had been won in vain. But assistance was at hand.

  The 1st regiment of the Prussian Dragoons came trotting along the main street, deployed into line almost as they debouched from the town, and with their horses well in hand, and their sword-points low, bore in a steady canter straight down upon the Austrian cavalry; these did not wait inactive to receive the attack, but rushed forward to meet their foes; no shots were exchanged, not a saddle was emptied till the close. When within a few yards of each other, both sides raised a cheer, and, welcoming the hug of battle, the two lines rushed upon each other. Horse pressed against horse, knee against knee, swords went up quick and came down heavily on head-piece or on shoulder, points were given and received, blows quickly parried were returned with lightning speed; here an Austrian was borne to the ground, there a Prussian was sent reeling from his seat, and for a few minutes the mass of combatants swayed slowly backwards and forwards. But then, as if some mighty shell had burst among them, the Austrian soldiers flew scattered from the mêlée, and the Prussians riding hard after them drove them from the field, but themselves being under the fire of small arms suffered a heavy loss.

  The Austrian infantry, which consisted of Mondel’s brigade of the tenth Austrian corps, formed on a hill called the Capellenberg, which afforded a strong position beyond the town. This hill could only be scaled by the assailant infantry with great difficulty. Notwithstanding the unfavourable nature of the ground, and the strong resistance of the defenders, the right wing of the Prussian advanced guard under Colonel Koblinski, which consisted of two battalions of the 41st regiment and a company of Jägers, gained the Capellenberg between twelve and one o’clock.

  The Austrians retired a short distance. The Prussian commander ordered eight battalions to advance fr
om Parschnitz, cross the Aupa, and attack the right flank of the Austrian position. These battalions had great difficulties to encounter: the wooded hills close to the Aupa could only be traversed in extended order, and as soon as the open ground was gained they suffered much from some hostile skirmishers concealed in the standing corn.

  Notwithstanding these disadvantageous circumstances, they gained ground. About three o’clock the advanced guard seized the village of Hohenbruck, south of Trautenau, and the brigade on the left wing occupied the heights on the west of the road from Trautenau to Rognitz. It was now three o’clock, the Austrians had retired, and General von Bonin considered that the action was over.

  The retreat of the Austrians had, however, been but a tactical manoeuvre, and for once in the history of war a tactical retreat resulted in an advantage to the general who had made it, though even in this case the gain was only of a temporary nature. About half-past three o’clock the action began again. General Gablenz, who commanded the tenth Austrian corps, had advanced from Pilnikau with his whole force, and at that hour made a heavy attack on the Prussian troops, who were already weary with a hot march and a lengthened combat General Gablenz directed some of his battalions against the Prussian front, and with others made a movement against General Bonin’s left flank. At half-past four o’clock the Austrians recovered Hohenbruck, and at five the Prussian troops commenced their retreat.

  In order to cover this movement General Barnekow, with the 43rd Prussian regiment, occupied the commanding hills and plantations which lie on the north of the Capellenberg, supported by the 3rd regiment of Grenadiers, which was posted on the hills lying further back. The 43rd stopped the Austrian pursuit, though with great loss to its own strength, for an hour and a half, but they had to be withdrawn a little after six o’clock. The grenadiers again brought the Austrians up, and stayed their advance until all the Prussian troops had gained an unpursued retreat.