On November 5, Frederick's 22,000-man army was in camp near Rossbach, with the Soubise's army nearby to the west. Though he possessed nearly a 4-to-1 advantage in manpower, Soubise was reluctant to give battle and required urging from the Duke of Hildburghausen to take action.
Frederick the great's army snatched the initiative and moved first, killing two Curiassiers with cannon shot from Janus hill.
In the Franco-austrian turn the french curiassiers engage with the prussian cavalry, embroiled in a brutal battle with the 1st regiment of hussars. The french artillery battery fire on the prussian force taking down most of the kanitz grenadiers.
In the prussian turn the 1st dragoons open fire with carbines on Saxe-Hildburghausen but completly miss him.
The Jagers take up position in Lundstadt to the left flank while the battle between the hussars and curiassiers goes on, both sides taking heavy casualties. The Brandenburg curiassiers charge their austrian counterparts and another brutal cavalry fight takes place. the 42nd fusiliers and 9th musketeers form ranks in front of Prince henry and Frederick the great, opening fire on the french curiassiers killing most of them.
In the allies turn the hussars and curiassiers destroy each other and the austrian curiassiers wipe out the brandenburg curiassiers (with hardly any men left in their own unit).
Too late Saxe-Hildburghausen realises to late the vulnerable position he has left himself in, next turn he is blasted apart by the prussian musketeers. The 42nd then open fire killing another regiment of austrian curiassiers. The prussian artillery then Battery fire on their french counter parts destroying two cannons.
More black legion Jagers rush to fortify Lundstadt against the advancing french men.
The french Jacobites open fire on Lundstadt destroying the carbine armed garrison, and Charles Rohan force marches the closest french regiment straight towards Janus hill.
The 1st dragoons charge forward, intending to sell their lives dearly! They engage with the French Curiassiers and sacrfice themselves taking them down! Von Favrat's Jagers run back to Janus hill accepting Lundstadt for lost...
The 9th musketeers and 42nd fusiliers prepare for the final assualt whilst frederick rides up Janus hill to the artillery. They open fire, causing heavy casualties on the approaching french and austrian curiassiers and the french musketeers (who suffer a battery bombardment)
The French Musketeers shoot at the 9th destroying most of the unit.
The Prussian artillery open fire again destroying all but one of the french cannon.
A Prussian regiment of Irregulars comes on from the left flank, taking garrison in Lundstadt and the last Austrian troops finally flee the field. By now the french horse had come to a halt and was providing cover for the advancing musketeers.
The one cannon takes down with one lucky shot Baron von Steuben, standing bravely infront of his men.
The french Jacobites charge the Prussian irregulars and suffer a shocking ammount of damage from the untrained troops. Mean while the advancing musketeers continue to be subject to artillery bombardment and shots from the 9th regiment. The battle seems to be going Prussia's way with the 42nd destroying yet another regiment of curiassiers.
The Jacobite french suffer heavy casualties from the rregulars, but a new wave of Brunswick foot could be the turning point.
The Jacobites over come the irregulars with very few men left. The 9th muskets are finally wiped out by Rohan's ever weakened regiment of foot.
the 42nd with draw for the final assualt, firing a volley of shots into the last curiassier regimant wiping it out.
The Jacobites are Brunswickers head for Janus hill along with the rest of the reminging frenchmen.
The 42nd prepare to sell their lives defending the king and make a stand on Janus hill, firing shots into the musketeers closest to them.
Prince Henry rides round the rear of the French lines, out of Musket range.
Prince Henry rides round the rear of the French lines, out of Musket range.
Finally the fusiliers are brought low killing many french men and the artillery are also killed by a salvo of musket shot. After the battle only Frederick the great and Prince Henry escape.
Franco-Austrian casualties in the battle were around 31,500 dead/wounded. For the Prussians, the cost was 21,000 dead/wounded and 1captured. Even though the Prussian army was all but annihilated the cost in men to the Franco-Austrian force was invaluble to the Prussian campaign.
Franco-Austrian Tactical Victory
Prussian Strategic Victory
Get ready for this September the biggest Historic wargaming month of the year.
There will be many battle reports including the next installment of Frederick's campaign... The Battle of Leuthen!
