The battles of Kesselsdorf took place in the west of Dresden, on December 15th, 1745, during the War of succession of Austria. It is a victory of the Prussians over the Saxon ones, acquired at the price of the corrosion of the Prussian infantry by the Saxon guns.

Circumstances

Frederic II of Prussia entrusted to the prince Léopold de Anhalt-Dessau, ordering army of Elba, the mission of neutralizing the Saxonne army. After an occasion missed in Leipzig, the army saxonne approaches an Austrian reinforcement. When Anhalt-Dessau manages to catch up with them, the December 15th, in Kesselsdorf, the Saxon ones however had time to be reinforced by the Austrian quota of the general Grunne.

The battle

At the beginning of after midday, Dessau decides to attack: it advances its troops in line of battle in coldly fallen snow. In spite of an artillery ramming and shootings of grapeshot with bearing end, the Prussian right wing arrives in contact with Saxon pomegranates in Kesselsdorf. The Prussians do not manage to dislodge the Saxon ones and start to move back. The Saxon general Rutowski interprets the fold of the Prussians like a rout and gives the order to counter-attack.

The counter-attack is violently pushed back, with the assistance of the cavalry. The Saxon pomegranates, tested hard, turn over to the shelter in Kesselsdorf, while the center of the Prussian army reaches the enemy lines, partly thanks to the counter-attack saxonne which masked the batteries saxonnes during long minutes, which limited the damage due to the fire of the guns.

The army saxonne does not resist this second shock, and collapses.

For Frederic, the battle is gained, and it lasted less than two hours. The losses are raised enough, the Prussians lost 5.100 men and theSaxon ones between 7.000 and 10.000 men, and more than 40 guns.

Consequences

• Saxony proposes peace with Frederic the very same day.

• For the strategy of Frederic, this example of a victorious frontal offensive vis-a-vis artillery is a discovery. Unfortunately, it is very expensive in human lives, and with the years, Frederic will see his manpower melting.

Anecdote

• Kesselsdorf is the last battle delivered by the prince Anhalt-Dessau, large military reformer (inventive of the iron rod) and inspirer of Frederic II.

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