Towards 6 P.M. a semblance of order was restored to the Prussian right flank as the infantry held firm and the Austrian cavalry was pretty well spent. Five attacks had been repulsed; even the isolated grenadier battalions held their ground, before gradually moving back to rejoin their comrades on the main battle line. Ammunition was beginning to run low (each man carried 30 rounds in his cartridge pouch that day) and Schwerin sensed that the Austrian morale was crumbling, especially when the Austrian infantry in the center refused an order to advance on the Prussian line.

It is said that the Prussians were able to fire five shots that day for every two that the Austrians fired back. Much has been made of the fact that the Austrians were still using wooden ramrods, whereas the those of the Prussians were made of iron. More likely, the major difference was that the Prussian infantry was trained to pour out a high volume of fire and were reputed to be the fastest firing troops in Europe. In contrast, many of the Austrians were new recruits and lacked the degree and uniformity of training that their Prussian counterparts had. Schwerin then ordered a general advance of the entire Prussian line and the Austrians were only too glad to be herded off of the field.

Duffy provides us with another first hand account of the Prussian attack from the Austrian vantage point (Ibid, page 149):

"The cavalry of the Austrian right at last began to move, but since the infantry refused to advance, our cavalry became so disheartened that it could in no way be persuaded to attack, even though General Berlichingen tried to inspire them through his personal example. He spurred to within twenty paces of the enemy, he exhorted, lie threatened, all without any effect.... Our infantry kept up a continuous fire, but could not be made to advance a step. The battalions sank into disorder, and it was pathetic to see how the poor recruits tried to hide behind one another, so that the battalions ended up thirty or forty men deep, and the intervals became so great that whole regiments of cavalry could have penetrated between, even though the whole of the second line had been brought forward into the first."

The battle was won. Prussian casualties were 4,850 and the Austrian casualties were 300 less. All of Europe was astounded by the news of the Prussian victory, but probably not nearly as much so as Frederick when he heard the news. Some say that he never forgave Schwerin for urging him to safety, such was his vanity; for in Macaulay's words, "so unpromising was the first appearance of the greatest warrior of that age!"

In the diplomatic arena, France and Bavaria were eager to join Prussia in an alliance against the Austrians, while other states in the German empire were having second thoughts about supporting Austria. Late in May 1741, Prussian and France signed a secret treaty and Bavaria, Saxony, Spain, and Sardinia would join the alliance to begin the War of Austrian Succession. Of all the major powers, only England remained faithful to the Pragmatic Sanction.

Battle of Mollwitz: April 10, 1741

Background and Austrian Counter-Attack
The Action Begins
The Austrian Cavalry Charge
Momentum Swings to the Prussians
Order of Battle and Wargaming Mollwitz

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