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The Battle of Münchengrätz () or Battle of Mnichovo Hradiště () was fought near
Mnichovo Hradiště Mnichovo Hradiště (; ) is a town in Mladá Boleslav District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 9,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Republic ...
, modern day
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
, on 28 June 1866 during the
Austro-Prussian War The Austro-Prussian War (German: ''Preußisch-Österreichischer Krieg''), also known by many other names,Seven Weeks' War, German Civil War, Second War of Unification, Brothers War or Fraternal War, known in Germany as ("German War"), ''Deutsc ...
. It ended in a
Prussian Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, the House of Hohenzoll ...
victory over the
Austrian Empire The Austrian Empire, officially known as the Empire of Austria, was a Multinational state, multinational European Great Powers, great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the Habsburg monarchy, realms of the Habsburgs. Duri ...
.


Events

Having lost the engagements at Hühnerwasser and Podol, and with the Prussian Elbe Army and
1st Army First Army may refer to: China * New 1st Army, Republic of China * First Field Army, a Chinese Communist Party unit in the Chinese Civil War * 1st Group Army, People's Republic of China Germany * 1st Army (German Empire), a World War I field Army ...
bearing in on them from the west and the north, Clam-Gallas and his ally, Prince
Albert of Saxony Albert of Saxony may refer to: * Albert, King of Saxony (1828–1902) * Albert I, Duke of Saxony (ca. 1175–1260) * Albert II, Duke of Saxony (ca. 1250–1298) * Albert III, Duke of Saxony (1443–1500) * Prince Albert of Saxony, Duke of Teschen ...
, decided to have the Iser Army abandon its exposed position near
Mnichovo Hradiště Mnichovo Hradiště (; ) is a town in Mladá Boleslav District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 9,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Republic ...
. While three Austrian brigades, under Count Leiningen, remained to slow the Prussian pursuit, Clam-Gallas sent Ringelsheims's and Poschacher's brigades east towards
Jičín Jičín (; or ''Gitschin'') is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 16,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Republic)#Monument reservatio ...
, while the five Saxon brigades marched south to Jungbunzlau. Leiningen deployed his Jäger units in town and posted the line regiments from his own brigade across the Jizera river in Klaster, Piret's brigade deployed on Musky Hill, and Abele's brigade drew up in battalion columns on the road from Podol. The Prussian 31st Brigade, part of the Elbe Army, started the battle and attacked Klaster making the 38th Austrian Regiment, consisting out of Venetians, to rapidly abandon their position on the hill. In the north, Prince Frederick Charles attacked the north side of Musky Hill with his Prussian 8th Division, under Horn, where they encountered Piret and Abele, while the Prussian 7th Division, under Fransecky, marched through the morass behind the heights to cut the Austrian communication lines to Mnichovo Hradiště and Jičín. Seeing the danger of being encircled, Leiningen ordered his brigade to withdraw from the town. The Prussians of the Elbe Army then occupied the town and, being thirsty and hungry from the long march, abandoned formation to sack the town and drink at the local brewery. Abele's brigade held long enough on the slopes of the hill for Leiningen and Piret to untangle and the Austrian brigades escaped to the east, leaving some 3,000 men in killed, wounded and prisoners. The Prussians, having only engaged with 14 battalions, only lost about 300 men, but managed to link up their two armies and drive the Austrians and their Saxon allies out of their Iser line.


References

*
Geoffrey Wawro Geoffrey Wawro (born 1960) is an American professor of military history at the University of North Texas, and director of the UNT Military History Center. His focus is modern and contemporary military history, from the French Revolution to the pres ...
, ''The Austro-Prussian War. Austria's war with Prussia and Italy in 1866'' (New York 2007), pp. 156–159. * Heinz Helmert; Hans-Jürgen Usczeck: ''Preußischdeutsche Kriege von 1864 bis 1871 - Militärischer Verlauf.'' 6. überarbeitete Auflage, Militärverlag der deutschen demokratischen Republik, Berlin 1988, * German General Staff, ''Campaign of 1866 in Germany'' Battery Press, Nashville 1994 {{DEFAULTSORT:Munchengratz Conflicts in 1866 Battles of the Austro-Prussian War Battles involving the Austrian Empire Battles involving Prussia 1866 in the Austrian Empire 19th century in Bohemia June 1866 History of the Central Bohemian Region