The Seven Years' War

As a reminder

In April 1757, Frederick 2 invaded Bohemia with 120,000 men. After the defeat at Sterbohol on 6 May 1757 the Prussians besieged Prague. Austrian Marshal Leopold Daun defeated the Prussian King Bedřich 2 at the Battle of Kolín on 18 May 1757 and he began to retreat from Bohemia. The Prussians then marched on Nymburk and on to Litomerice where Bedřich handed over command to his brother August Wilhelm.Most of the Prussian army was concentrated in northern Bohemia. After the capture of Jablonné by the Imperial troops and the breaking of the Prussian connection with Zittau, the Prussians quickly began to retreat from Bohemia.

BATTLE OF STUDENCE 18-20 July 1757

The Imperial infantry-corps of Generals Hadik and Kleefeld overtook the Prussians at Česká Kamenice and occupied the slopes of Studenc. On 18 July the Prussians tried to pass with ammunition and supplies through Horní Kamenice and Liska to Chřibská. It was a dark night that day, so they lit their way with torches and lanterns. The wagons were accompanied by a cavalry regiment and four infantry units.

At Liska there was fierce fighting for the wagons with ammunition and supplies. General Beck's Austrian troops attacked the illuminated procession from three tents in the pass. The Prussians made a wall out of the wagons and called for help some troops from Chřibská. Between Liska and Kunratice the battle was fought with alternate fortunes on July 19; after the Prussians were driven from the wagons, a counter-attack followed which brought confusion to the Imperial ranks. Some of the Austrian troops formed up at the Mills.

The Prussian losses were heavy, the Austrians counted 72 dead and 94 wounded. After heavy fighting, the Prussians had to withdraw without most of their ammunition and supplies and chose to retreat through Studeny. Here they were ambushed by four of General Hadik's corps on the evening of the 19th, and after a short battle the Austrians captured 46 wagons and 186 horses.

When the Prussians received reinforcements from Chřibská, they launched a counter-attack which was repulsed by General Kleefeld and dragged on until morning , the last engagement taking place at Studený on 20 July. The villages of Liska and Kunratice were the most damaged, and Chřibská and Krásná Lípa were also damaged. Most of the ammunition and supplies were destroyed, but the Prussians managed to get through.

The fighting around Studenc ended on July 21, 1757. Records show piles of dead bodies, the Austrians lost 164 men and had 264 wounded. The Prussians counted 486 dead, 135 captured and 423 deserters. On 22 July on Mary Magdalene Day, 700 soldiers were buried in mass graves at Studence. Until 1945 they were called Čakrt graves after the owner of the plot. Others were buried in the forest clearing where it is still called U Křížového Buku.

To this day, monuments stand at Studené in Liška and at Křížový Buku in memory of this battle. On the photo is Marshal Leopold Daun and Prussian map of Bohemia from 1778 ( around Č. Kamenice)

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You can search for artifacts from this war with our metal detectors.