The First Round: Action At Unter-Gundersdorf June 28

The guns that fired on Mosel's advance guard at Unter-Gundersdorf belonged to Loudon's detachment. This force had seized Domstadtl on June 27th, thus blocking the route to Olmutz. Leaving 300 cavalry to hold the town, Loudon took up position north of UnterGundersdorf to attack the convoy as it passed along the road. Although he had the advantage of surprise, Loudon was outnumbered more than 2:1 as Siskovics and St Ignon were still a day's march away. The gunfire drove the leading Prussian units (1st Btn Jung Kreytzen and Grenadier Btn. Alt-Billerbeck) away from the road to some rising ground to the south. From here they held off attacks by the Austrian Grenzer for some time until they were outflanked and forced to retreat eastwards up the road, abandoning the wagons at the head of the column. As the Grenzer dispersed to plunder these, Mosel was able to regroup his forces. Three battalions ( IR Jung-Kreytzen and Grenadier Btn. AltBillerbeck) counter-attacked in an extended two-rank line, supported by two other battalions (Prinz Ferdinand recruit btn. and 1st Btn. Garrison Regiment Mutzschefahl). A sixth battalion (2nd btn. GR Mutzschefahl) covered the left flank. The Grenzer were driven off the rising ground at bayonet point. Loudon tried five times to recapture this area, but was beaten back by the Prussian infantry and battalion artillery. Meanwhile, Zieten had been alarmed when Werner reported that his patrols were unable to make contact with the convoy. He set out with his entire detachment (about 2,000) to join Werner at Giebau. News of his approach prompted Loudon to break off his fruitless efforts and retreat towrds Barn, pursued by three Prussian battalions. The Prussian cavalry failed to form up in time to be of any use, while Zieten did not arrive until 4 p.m., having been forced to halt for a rest at Giebau. Mosel's energetic action had saved the convoy and had given Loudon a severe drubbing [5], but only at the cost of 425 officers and men and 200,000 talers plundered from the wagons. The fact that over one-third of this money was later found on Prussian marauders, and that despite twelve hours of combat, the cavalry with the convoy failed to engage the enemy, were hardly encouraging indications of the Prussians ability to resist further attacks. Zieten now took charge and decided to reorganize the convoy before continuing on with the journey. Although he was subsequently criticized for not pushing on to Olmutz directly, it is difficult to see how he could have done so immediately. Both the relief force and the escort were exhausted, he was still over 20 miles from the city, and the nearest fresh troops (Grenadier battalions Manteuffel and Unruh, sent by Frederick) were still a day away. Loudon was dispirited by his reversal, but Siskovics was determined to at least delay the convoy to give time for Daun's relief efforts.

Accordingly, he moved to intercept the convoy as it passed between Altliebe and Domstadtl. A thousand Warasdiner Grenzer were concealed in two woods southeast of the road with a four-gun battery of artillery between them. An additional 3,000 men were drawn up behind with the grenadiers on the right, the Saxon cheveau-leger in the center, and the Haller infantry regiment and battalion guns on the left. Meanwhile, Buccow sent reinforcements and fresh supplies to Barn to encourage Loudon to make a fresh attack from the northwest.

The Second Round: Action At Altliebe & Domstadtl, June 30

The reorganization of the convoy and the need to form a defensive wagonburg each night as a precaution, delayed the convoy's onward journey. It was not until 8 a.m. on June 30th that the wagons left Altliebe. Werner went on ahead to secure Domstadtl with some cavalry and grenadiers, while the rest of the convoy trudged along behind in the pouring rain. With a fine sense of timing, Siskovics waited until the advance guard had passed Domstadtl and the whole convoy was strung out on the four mile stretch from Altliebe before opening fire.

Zieten immediately decided to counter-attack. Taking three and one half battalions and 200 hussars, he attacked the left (southern) of the two woods [6], while Major Reichmann led one and one half battalions against the other woods [7].

One cuirassier regiment (Kyau) was sent to reinforce the advance guard [8] while the other (Schmettau) cuirassier regiment and 400 hussars were posted north of the road to watch for any attack from Barn. Meanwhile, General Puttkamer drew the wagons into a defensive circle close to Altliebe.

Despite the rain, Zieten had some initial success, ejecting the Warasdiner Grenz from the left wood after a short melee. However, disordered by the trees, the Prussians were surprised by Siskovics' dragoons and hussars hidden behind the wood, and they were thrown back towards Domstadtl with heavy loss. On the left, Reichmann's initial bayonet attack had the Grenzer on the run, until his men were, in turn, taken in the flank by the Austrian horse grenadiers. Covered by the Prinz Ferdinand recruit battalion, Reichmann retreated towards the road. It was now midday and the situation was critical. 

Alerted by the sound of gunfire, Loudon had left Barn at 11:30 a.m. Hurrying on ahead with his hussars and dragoons, he drove in the Prussian hussars posted southwest of Neudorfel. As his infantry came up, the Prussian Schmettau cuirassiers were also forced to retreat, enabling Loudon's artillery to open fire on the Wagenburg. His right now advanced eastwards to join Siskovics' victorious troops on the road, capturing those wagons which had failed to withdraw in time.

Leaving Major Roth to regroup the shattered Prussian right by Domstadtl, Zieten managed to join Reichmann's retreating infantry before the Austrians cut the road. Puttkamer formed the remaining battalions in a protective semi-circle around the wagons, with three units facing Siskovics and three opposite Loudon [9]. Zieten counter-attacked with the Prinz Ferdinand recruits, but to no avail. The Austrians now closed in from the north, west and south. Some powder wagons exploded, adding to the confusion. Many of the civilian drivers cut the traces and fled on the tranport horses. Even the regular cavalry abandoned the struggle and retreated slowly towards Troppau, leaving the infantry to their own fate.

The situation was now desparate. The Grenzer broke into Altliebe, but were driven out in a final effort by the beleaguered Prussians. Under the strain of renewed attacks at 4 p.m., Prussian morale cracked and the men fled through the village, escaping only due to the brave resistance of a single battalion of the Tresckow regiment and their opponants exhaustion. Almost 3,000 managed to reach Troppau along with Zieten on July 2 to join the 1,200 cavalry. Loudon remained at Altliebe until the evening, supervising the collection of the 3,000 captured wagons. What could not be moved was burnt and the surplus ammunition blown up.

Meanwhile Siskovics' left wing had turned its attention to the remaining Prussians still in Domstadtl. Here again the Prussian cavalry failed to aid their comrades. While the Kyau cuirassiers stood idle on the heights southwest of the town, remnants of the Carlowitz and Rath grenadiers were cut down and the other infantry thrown out of the town. Having at last been reinforced by the two fresh grenadier battalions sent by Frederick, General Krockow collected the survivors and joined the main army at midnight with the 100 remaining wagons [10]. Altogeather, 2,386 officers and men were killed, wounded or captured; along with 12 cannon and 3,000 wagons over and above what had been lost on the 28th.

The Ambush of the Olmutz Convoy At Domstadtl June 28-30, 1758

Introduction
The Olmutz Convoy
Rounds 1 and 2
Commentary, Footnotes, Bibliography
Orders of Battle: Prussian and Austrian
Jumbo Campaign Map (very slow: 237K)
Large Convoy Map (slow: 76K)

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