Battle of Burkersdorf (1762)

Battle of Burkersdorf
Part of the Third Silesian War (Seven Years' War)
Date21 July 1762
Location
Burkersdorf, present-day Poland
50°47′35″N 16°27′58″E / 50.793056°N 16.466111°E / 50.793056; 16.466111
Result Prusso-Russian victory
Belligerents

Kingdom of Prussia Prussia

 Russia
Habsburg monarchy Austria
Commanders and leaders
Frederick the Great Leopold Joseph von Daun
Strength
23,000[1] 20,000[1]
Casualties and losses
1,600 killed or wounded[1] 3,000 killed, wounded, captured, or deserted[1]
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
200km
125miles
20
Siege of Schweidnitz (1762) from 7 August to 9 October 1762
19
18
Battle of Torgau on 3 November 1760
17
Battle of Liegnitz (1760) on 15 August 1760
Dresden
16
Siege of Dresden from 13 to 22 July 1760
15
Battle of Kunersdorf on 12 August 1759
14
Battle of Hochkirch on 14 October 1758
13
Battle of Zorndorf on 25 August 1758
12
Siege of Olomouc from 4 May to 2 July 1758
11
Siege of Breslau (1757) from 7 December 1757 to 20 December 1757
10
Battle of Leuthen on 5 December 1757
9
Battle of Rossbach on 5 November 1757
8
Battle of Kolín on 18 June 1757
Prague
7
Battle of Prague (1757) on 6 May 1757
6
Siege of Pirna from 10 September to 14 October 1756
5
Battle of Lobositz on 1 October 1756
4
Battle of Hennersdorf on 23 November 1745
3
Battle of Hohenfriedberg on 4 June 1745
2
Battle of Chotusitz on 17 May 1742
1
Battle of Mollwitz on 10 April 1741
  current battle

The Battle of Burkersdorf took place on 21 July 1762 during the Third Silesian War (part of the Seven Years' War). A Prussian army of 23,000 men fought an Austrian army of around 20,000 men.

After the death of Elizabeth of Russia, czarina of Russia, her nephew Peter III came to the throne. Peter was a great admirer of Frederick the Great and all things Prussian, and Frederick used this to his advantage. Peter promptly withdrew his army from the war, abandoned Russian-occupied East Prussia, and signed a treaty of peace with Frederick. Peter then sent a force to aid the Prussian army in the campaign against the Austrians.

Peter's reign was short-lived, however, as his wife Catherine the Great seized the throne, and he died shortly afterwards. Catherine withdrew from the war and sent orders for Count Zakhar Tchernyshov aiding the Prussians to withdraw.

The Austrian army was not aware of the exit of the Russian forces until Frederick began the battle.[2]

Frederick attacked and won, and the Russian force returned home. Catherine's attempts to resume the war against Prussia were in vain, as peace talks were already being initiated at Hubertsberg.

  1. ^ a b c d Bodart 1908.
  2. ^ Carlyle, Thomas (1916). Frederick the Great. Oxford University Press. pp. 279–280.