Battle of Torgau
The Battle of Torgau, fought on November 2, 1760, was a significant engagement during the Seven Years' War, which pitted Prussia against a coalition of Austria, Russia, France, and Sweden. As the conflict intensified, Prussia's military position had become precarious, with exhausted troops and critical losses in preceding years. Frederick the Great, facing an entrenched Austrian army at Torgau, devised a strategy to attack from a different angle, aiming to exploit a more advantageous terrain. His initial assaults encountered strong resistance, leading to heavy casualties and a precarious situation for the Prussian forces. However, an officer discovered a gap in the Austrian line, allowing a renewed assault that ultimately resulted in a Prussian victory. Despite winning the battle, the cost was steep, with approximately 24,000 Prussian casualties compared to around 16,000 for the Austrians. The outcome secured Frederick's control over much of Saxony, illustrating both his tactical audacity and the heavy toll of warfare during this period.
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Subject Terms
Battle of Torgau
Type of action: Ground battle in the Seven Years’ War
Date: November 3, 1760
Location: South of Wittenberg on the Elbe River
Combatants: 48,500 Prussians vs. 53,000 Austrians
Principal commander: Prussian, Frederick the Great (1712–1786)
Result: The Austrian army yielded the field, and Frederick the Great gained a pyrrhic victory
By 1760, Prussia’s position was increasingly critical. From the beginning of the Seven Years’ War (1756–1763), its armies had successfully faced and beaten the combined forces of Austria, Russia, France, and Sweden. However, by 1758, its men were weary, depleted, and confined essentially to the area between the Elbe and Oder Rivers. In addition, its enemies were better prepared and better commanded, and devastating reverses in 1759–1760 meant that only an equally decisive success could restore the equilibrium.
On November 2, 1760, Frederick the Great learned that the Austrian army was entrenched on the heights commanding the vital Elbe River crossing at Torgau. Knowing that the slope behind the Austrian position was easier to attack, Frederick crossed his army downstream, detached a part of the force to contain the Austrians, and led the remainder to turn the enemy position.
Unfortunately for the king, both movements were detected, and Austrian regiments shifted to meet the new threat. Both assaults failed with heavy losses, and the battle was in danger of being lost when one of the king’s officers discovered a gap in the enemy line. A fresh attack gained the heights, and the Austrians were forced to withdraw. The battle was won, but at the cost of 24,000 casualties. Austrian losses, including prisoners, amounted to fewer than 16,000.
Significance
Frederick executed a daring gamble by dividing his army and then failed to profit from it. Torgau, however, did enable the king to solidify his hold over most of Saxony.
Bibliography
Barry Lyndon. Fiction feature. Warner Brothers, 1975.
Duffy, Christopher. The Army of Frederick the Great. London: David & Charles, 1974.
‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. The Military Life of Frederick the Great. New York: Athenaeum, 1986.
Palmer, Allen. Frederick the Great. London: Weidenfeld, 1974.
Schweizer, Karl W. Frederick the Great, William Pitt, and Lord Bute: The Anglo-Prussian Alliance, 1756–1763. New York: Garland, 1991.