1762 - Siege of Schweidnitz
Hierarchical Path: Seven Years War (Main Page) >> Sieges >> 1762 - Siege of Schweidnitz
The siege lasted from August to October 1762
Introduction
After the storming of Schweidnitz, on October 1 1760, the Austrian troops had reinforced the fortifications and erected additional works to make another surprise attack impossible.
Map
Description of Events
This article rapidly becoming quite large has been split into five distinct articles:
- Preparations (July 21 to August 7, 1762) describing the state of the fortrees and the arrival of the Prussian army and its initial deployment.
- Siege till the battle of Reichenbach (August 8 to 16, 1762) describing the initial siege operations and the battle of Reichenbach.
- From the battle of Reichenbach till the beginning of mining operations (August 17 to 22, 1762) describing the continuation of the siege after the Prussian victory at Reichenbach, the Prussian unsuccessful attempts to storm the place and the decision to rely on mining operations to conquer the fortress.
- First phase of the mining operarions (August 23 to September 22, 1762) describing the initial mining operations till the direct intervention of Frederick II.
- Second phase of the mining operarions (September 23 to October 11, 1762) describing the mining operations from the arrival Frederick II to the capitulation and occupation of the fortress.
Outcome
The Austrian entire loss was 3,552 killed and wounded and some 9,000 men taken prisoners, that of the Prussians 3,033 men. Guasco died in Königsberg before the peace came.
The capture of Schweidnitz was the last operation of the Seven Years' War.
Order of Battle
Austrian Order of Battle
Commander-in-chief: Field-Marshal-Lieutenant Guasco
N.B.: this order of battle gives an overview of the deployment of Guasco's force on a given day, but we do not know the precise date.
The Austrian garrison consisted of converged battalions amalgamating companies from various regiments:
- at the Bögen Fort
- Neipperg (291 men)
- at the Garten Redoute (from south)
- Starhemberg (? coys)
- Sachsen-Gotha (? coys)
- d'Arberg (? coys)
- Haller (? coys)
- Andlau (208 men)
- at the Garten Fort
- at the Jauernick Redoubt
- Loudon (? coys)
- Baden-Durlach (? coys)
- Leopold Daun (? coys)
- at the Jauernick Fort
- between the Köppen Gate and Kirchen Redoute
- de Ligne (? coys)
- Kolowrat (? coys)
- Baden-Baden (? coys)
- Batthyányi (? coys)
- in front of the Evangelische Kirche, behind the left wing of the Galgen Fort
- Platz (? coys)
- Königsegg (? coys)
- Erzherzog Ferdinand (? coys)
- at the Cremalliere
- at the Neumuhle (M?ynówka) in front of the Wasser Fort
- Karlstädter-Lykaner Grenzer (4 coys) 2 in front of fort, 2 on both sides of the road to Habelschwerdt (Dzier?oniów)
Prussian Order of Battle
Order of battle during the siege
Commander-in-chief: Frederick II
Prussian units besieging Schweidnitz under the command of Lieutenant-general von Tauentzien
- Major-general Gablenz Brigade
- Grenadier Battalion 29/31 Falkenhayn (1 bn)
- IR37 Braun Fusiliers (2 bns)
- IR40 Gabelentz Fusiliers (2 bns) till October 9
- IR29 I./Knobloch (1 bn)
- Major-general Prince von Bernburg Brigade
- Grenadier Battalion 35/36 Schwartz (1 bn)
- IR34 Ferdinand von Preußen (1 bn)
- IR35 Prinz Heinrich von Preußen Fusiliers (2 bns)
- IR3 Anhalt-Bernburg (3 bns) from August 4 to 19 (transferred to the contravallation)
- DR10 Finckenstein Dragoons (5 sqns) each squadron was deployed in an interval between two battalions
- Major-general von Thadden Brigade
- Grenadier Battalion 17/22 Rothenburg (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 12/39 Görne (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 24/34 Drache (1 bn)
- IR16 Syburg (2 bns) from August 4 to October 11
- IR46 Duke von Württemberg Fusiliers (1 bn) aka Bülow from August 7 to October 9
- IR11 Rebentisch (1 bn) from August 2, when it was posted at Würben, to October 9
- HR7 Malachowski Hussars (10 sqns)
- GR7 I./Garnison Regiment No. VII Itzenplitz (1 bn) cantoned at Wilkau
- KR9 Bredow Cuirassiers (5 sqns)
- Siege Artillery (100 pieces)
- 28 x 24-pdr guns
- 30 x 12-pdr guns
- 10 x 12-pdr guns sent from the main army
- 20 x 50-pdr mortars
- 12 x 7-pdr howitzers
- Ingenieurs
- 1st Brigade
- Captain von Guion
- Lieutenant von Gerhard
- Lieutenant von Legat
- Lieutenant von Pernet
- Lieutenant von Boulet
- Driver Kühfuss
- 2nd Brigade
- Captain von Haabe
- Lieutenant von Maske
- Lieutenant von Müller
- Lieutenant von Kleist (from IR27 Lindstedt)
- Driver Stein
- 3rd Brigade
- Captain von Castillon
- Captain von Harroy
- Lieutenant von Kistenmacher
- Lieutenant von Wolf
- Lieutenant von Hermann, adjutant to Major-general von Thadden
- Lieutenant von Freund, adjutant to Major Lefebvre
- Driver Rose
- 1st Brigade
N.B.: three regiments had one of their battalions detached in the garrison of Breslau:
- IR29 Knobloch (1 bn)
- IR46 Duke von Württemberg Fusiliers (1 bn) aka Bülow
- IR11 Rebentisch (1 bn)
Prussian units defending the contravallation entrenchments
- Grenadier Battalion 3/6 Hacke (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 4/16 Thielau (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 15/18 Anhalt (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion G-NG/G-III/G-IV Carlowitz (1 bn)
- IR6 Grenadier Garde (1 bn) from August 4 to October 10
- Grenadier Battalion 21/27 Budberg (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 28/32 Schätzel (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 33/42 Mosch (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 37/40 Kleist (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 41/44 Beneckendorff (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 47/G-VII Bock (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion G-VI/G-VIII Busche (1 bn)
- IR3 Anhalt-Bernburg (3 bns) from August 19 to September 25
- IR4 Thadden (2 bns) from August 12 to October 10
- IR21 Hülsen (2 bns) from August 11 to October 10
- IR28 Thile (2 bns) from August 14 to October 10
Order of battle on October 14 1762
work in progress, some units are still missing
Besides the Bevern's corps and the units sent to reinforce it, there were several Prussian corps surrounding Schweidnitz. Here follows their order of battle on August 14.
- Zastrow Corps (on the hill near Reichenau)
- D1 Zastrow Dragoons (5 sqns)
- D9 Pomeiske Dragoons (5 sqns)
- H2 Zieten Hussars (5 sqns)
- Frei-Infanterie Hüllessem (150 men)
- Artillery (??? guns)
- Rittmeister Kohler Corps on the Gottesberg
- Frei-Infanterie Salenmon (100 men)
- H2 Zieten Hussars (200 men)
- Ramin Corps at Seifendorf
- IR13 Kaiser Peter III (2 bns)
- IR1 Zeuner (2 bns)
- Frei-Infanterie Salenmon (remainder of the bn)
- D5 Markgraf Friedrich von Bayreuth Dragoons (5 sqns)
- Manteuffel Corps at Barsdorf (assisted by Schenckendorf and Lottum)
- IR19 Markgraf Carl (2 bns)
- IR5 Alt Braunschweig (2 bns)
- IR23 Forcade de Biaix (2 bns)
- IR27 Lindstedt (2 bns)
- Frei-Infanterie Hüllessem (remainder of the bn)
- H5 Lossow Hussars (5 sqns)
- Feldjäger zu Fuß, at Hausdorf
- Zieten Corps at Neu Gericht
- Wied Corps at Henrichen and Schmidegrund (assisted by Saldern, Braun and Knobloch)
- Frei-Infanterie von Wunsch (2??? bns)
- IR4 Thadden (2 bns)
- IR12 Finck (2 bns)
- IR31 Lestwitz (2 bns)
- IR43 Jung Zieten Fusiliers (2 bns)
- IR22 Prinz Moritz von Anhalt (2 bns)
- IR28 Thile (2 bns)
- Grenadier Battalion 33/42 Mosch (1 bn)
- H8 Gersdorff Hussars (5 sqns)
- D5 Markgraf Friedrich von Bayreuth Dragoons (5 sqns)
- Mollendorf Corps at Steinseisersdorf
- Grenadier Battalions 37/40 Kleist (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 21/27 Budberg (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 47/G-VII Bock (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 41/44 Beneckendorff (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion G-VI/G-VIII Busche (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 4/16 Thielau (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 3/6 Hacke (1 bn)
- Grenadier Battalion 15/18 Anhalt (1 bn)
- III./IR15 Garde (1 bn)
- IR18 Prinz von Preußen (2 bns)
- on the patch near Peterswalde
- Frei-Infanterie Courbière (1 bn)
- Frei-Infanterie von Hordt (1 bn)
- near Steinkutzendorf
- Frei-Infanterie von Hordt (1 bn)
- Zieten Corps at Peterswaldau
- K13 Garde du Corps (3 sqns)
- K10 Gens d'Armes (5 sqns)
- K8 Seidlitz (5 sqns)
- K7 Manstein (5 sqns)
- K6 Vasold (5 sqns)
- K12 Spaen (5 sqns)
- K2 Prinz von Preußen (5 sqns)
- D4 Czettritz Dragoons (5 sqns)
- Werner Corps near Peterswaldau
- H2 Zieten Hussars (5 sqns)
- H5 Lossow Hussars (5 sqns)
- Bosniaken (10 sqns)
- Bevern's Corps on the Fischerberg
- IR2 Kanitz (2 bns)
- IR41 Wied Fusiliers (2 bns)
- IR42 Markgraf von Brandenburg Fusiliers (2 bns) between Spitzberg and Fischeberg
- IR45 Erbprinz Hessen-Cassel Fusiliers (2 bns) in Fischerberg
- Grenadier Battalion 28/32 Schätzel (1 bn) on the left wing
- H3 Möhring Hussars (10 sqns), 5 sqns on the right wing, 5 sqns on the left wing
- D8 Alt Platen Dragoons (5 sqns), on the right wing
- D3 Flanss Dragoons (5 sqns), on the left wing, sent after the beginning of the battle
- D12 Herzog von Württemberg Dragoons (5 sqns)
References
The article is mainly a condensed translation of:
- Tielke, J.G.: Beytrage zur Kriegs-Kunst und Heschichte des Krieges von 1756 bis 1763, Vol. 4, Freyberg, 1781, pp. 151-359
A few paragraphs are excerpts from the following books which are now in the public domain:
- Carlyle T.: History of Friedrich II of Prussia vol. 20
- Jomini, Henri: Traité des grandes opérations militaires, 2ème édition, 4ème partie, Magimel, Paris: 1811, pp. 215-224
- Pajol, Charles P. V.: Les Guerres sous Louis XV, vol. V, Paris, 1891, pp. 301-304
Other sources
Archenholz, J. W. von, Geschichte des Siebenjahrigen Krieges in Deutschland, Berlin: 1828
Duffy, Christopher, Fire and Stone: The Science of Fortress Warfare (1660-1860), David & Charles, London: 1975
Fiedler, Siegfried, Geschichte der Grenadiere Friedrichs des Grossen, München 1981
Grosser Generalstab, Die Kriege Friedrichs des Grossen, Hiller, Berlin, 1830-1913
Jany, K., Geschichte des Koniglische Preussische Armee, t. 2, Berlin 18??
Plan der Festung Schweidnitz nebst der Kayserl. Konigl. Attaque A(nn)o 1757 - Collection of Krzysztof Czarnecki
Tempelhoff, G. F., Geschichte des Siebenjahrige Krieges in Deutschland, t. VI, Berlin 1801, pp. 140-155
Acknowledgments
Carlo Bessolo for the initial version of this article
Krzysztof Czarnecki for the Austrian order of battle
Tomasz Karpi?ski (student at the Institute of History, University of Adam Mickiewicz in Pozna?, Poland) for the Prussian order of battle on October 14