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The Seven Weeks’ War

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The Seven Weeks’ War
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Author(s): H. M. Hozier
Date Published: 2013/01
Page Count: 532
Softcover ISBN-13: 978-1-78282-011-6
Hardcover ISBN-13: 978-1-78282-010-9

The creation of a new Europe in fire and blood

Europe during the second half of the nineteenth century was in turmoil. Ancient empires sought to hold and consolidate their power, smaller states struggled to forge themselves into new nations and old enmities fanned the fires of conflict. The Seven Weeks War of 1866, the subject of this book, was also known as the Austro-Prussian War, the German War, the Unification War, the German Civil War and the Fraternal War—and when considered as part of the process which brought about the unification of Italy, the Third Independence War. A substantial confederation of German states under the influence of the Austrian empire fought Prussia supported by its own German allies and the kingdom of Italy. The outcome was a decisive victory for Prussia and Italy that ensured future Prussian dominance over the states of Germany; Austria’s power over Italy was further destabilised by territorial gains achieved by Italy in Venetia. Eight significant battles on land and sea were fought between the 24th June and the 22nd July 1866. Koniggratz, fought on the 3rd July, 1866, was probably the most decisive Prussian victory and is the battle most remembered today, although 17 days later the Austrian fleet inflicted a significant defeat upon the Italian navy at Lissa. The Austro-German alliance acquitted itself well in battle but was significantly outnumbered by its opponents and suffered almost twice as many casualties. This book is a thorough and scholarly examination of this European war which was fought while the British Empire was preoccupied with consolidation of its territories or the fighting of comparatively small colonial wars. It was one of the earliest wars of the industrial age and will interest all those fascinated by the history of the creation of modern Europe.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.

It was ten o’clock when Prince Frederick Charles sent General Stülpnagel to order the attack on Sadowa, Dohalitz, and Mokrovous. The columns advanced covered by skirmishers, and reached the river bank without much loss, but from there they had to fight every inch of their way. The Austrian infantry held the bridges and villages in force, and fired fast upon them as they approached. The Prussians could advance but slowly along the narrow ways and against the defences of the houses, and the volleys sweeping through the ranks seemed to tear the soldiers down. The Prussians fired much more quickly than their opponents, but they could not see to take their aim; the houses, trees, and smoke from the Austrian discharges shrouded the villages.<br>
Sheltered by these, the Austrian Jägers fired blindly where they could tell by hearing that the attacking columns were, and the shots told tremendously on the Prussians in their close formations; but the latter improved their positions, although slowly, and by dint of sheer courage and perseverance, for they lost men at every yard of their advance, and in some places almost paved the way with wounded. Then, to help the infantry, the Prussian artillery turned its fire, regardless of the enemy’s batteries, on the villages, and made tremendous havoc among the houses. Mokrovous and Dohalitz both caught fire, and the shells fell quickly and with fearful effect among the defenders of the flaming hamlets; the Austrian guns also played upon the attacking infantry, but at this time these were sheltered from their fire by the houses and trees between.<br>
In and around the villages the fighting continued for nearly an hour; then the Austrian infantry, who had been there, driven out by a rush of the Prussians, retired, but only a little way up the slope into a line with their batteries. The wood above Sadowa was strongly held, and that between Sadowa and Benatek, teeming with riflemen, stood to bar the way of the seventh division. But General Franzecky, who commanded this division, was not to be easily stopped, and he sent his infantry at the wood, and turned his artillery on the Austrian batteries. The seventh division began firing into the trees, but found they could not make any impression, for the defenders were concealed, and musketry fire was useless against them. Franzecky let them go, and they dashed in with the bayonet.<br>
The Austrians would not retire, but waited for the struggle, and in the wood above Benatek was fought out one of the fiercest combats which the war has seen. But the wood was carried. The Austrian line of advanced posts was now driven in on the Bistritz, but its commander had formed his main line of battle a little higher up the hill, round Lipa, still holding the wood which lies above Sadowa.<br>
Then the Prussian artillery was sent across the Bistritz, and began to fire upon the new Austrian position. At the same time the smoke of General Herwarth’s advance was gradually seen moving towards the Austrian left. He had at Nechanitz found the brigade of Saxon troops which formed the advanced front of the corps at Problus, with some Austrian cavalry, and was driving them towards Problus and Prim, himself following in such a direction that it appeared he would turn the Austrian left flank. But the Austrian commander seemed determined to hold his position, and heavy masses of infantry and cavalry could be seen on the upper part of the slope.<br>
By eleven o’clock the eighth division of the Prussian infantry had taken the village of Sadowa, the fourth that of Dohalitz, and the third that of Dohalicka. The eighth division was now sent against the wood, which, above these places, runs along the side of the Sadowa and Lipa road, while the third and fourth divisions attempted to bear the battle up the hill towards Lipa, and to attack the left flank of the wood. The Prussians advanced against the nearest trees, but did not at first make much impression, for the Austrians being here again concealed, the fire of the needle-gun did not tell, and a whole battery placed at the far end of the wood fired through the trees, and told on their ranks with awful effect.<br>
But the assailants fought on, at last broke down the obstacles at the entrance, and then dashed in. The fighting continued from tree to tree, and the Austrians made many a rush to recover the lost position of the wood, but in this close fighting their boyish troops went down easily before the strong men of the eighth division; but when the defenders drew back a little, and their artillery played into the trees, the Prussians suffered fearfully, and about halfway up in the wood the fight became stationary.<br>
For two hours more it continued so; in vain Horne, who commanded the eighth division, strove to push along the road or through the trees to storm the battery beyond. The fire was too terrible, and his men became gradually exhausted.<br>
A few minutes after the Prussians had occupied the villages along the Bistritz, Feldzeugmeister Benedek was informed that the sixth Prussian corps belonging to the army of the crown prince was threatening his right flank. He sent orders that this attack should be checked or detained, and appears to have calculated that the crown prince could be held in check until he had time to inflict a severe blow upon the army of Prince Frederick Charles. With this aim he made his preparations for a counter-attack between Problus and Lipa, which was to be made as soon as his artillery had shaken the Prussian line sufficiently. Sixty-four guns were stationed between Lipa and Streselitz to fire on the third and fourth Prussian division, and some of the reserves of cavalry and infantry were moved up to positions favourable for making the counter-attack. <br>
At this time the Austrian artillery were making splendid practice, and about one o’clock, the whole battle line of the Prussians could gain no more ground, and was obliged to fight hard to retain the position it had won. At one time it seemed as if it would be lost, for guns had been dismounted by the Austrian fire, and in the wooded ground the needle-gun had no fair field, and the infantry fight was very equal.<br>
Then Prince Frederick Charles sent the fifth and sixth divisions forward. They laid down their helmets and knapsacks on the ground, and advanced to the river. The king was now near to the Bistritz, and the troops cheered him loudly as they marched into the battle. They went over the Sadowa bridge, disappeared into the wood, and soon the increased noise of the musketry told they had begun to fight; but the Austrian gunners sent salvo after salvo among them, and they did not push the battle forwards more than a few hundred yards, for they fell back themselves, and they could not reach the enemy. Not only did the fragments of the shells fly about among them, scattering death and awful gashes among their ranks, but the portions of the trees, torn by the artillery fire, flew thickly about, huge ragged splinters that caused even more frightful wounds.