The first “real” encounter of the war between Austria and Prussia took place in Gitschin on the 29th of June. A few battles had already taken place in Italy as Austria defeated the Italians. But in Gitschin, the course of the battle would be very different: The Austrians and the Saxons would suffer way higher casualties than Prussia and would retreat in a very disorganized manner.
Strategy was very difficult to function, as the officers from different ethnicities would not always listen or trust each others. The Hungarians would often disobey the Austrian High Command, and the same thing would happen several days after that, in Sadowa.
This battle is perhaps one of the most important in the military history. Not only because it would consolidate the position of Prussia as the main power in Germany, but also because it would be a glimpse of the modern tactics that would be later used in the Franco-Prussian War, World War I and many, many more.
Let’s get back to the battle. Gitschin was the first opportunity for Austrians to see the Prussians in front of their cannons and it would prove to be a harsh discovery. But on the 3rd of July 1866, it would be a disastrous lesson. The Austrian Army, strong of around 215,000 men, would face in the morning only 120,000 Prussians, divided into two groups. Hiding behind fortified positions and with artillery support, the Austrians were confident. As they first encountered the enemy, they fired and then decided to retreat behind a river, in good order. The beginning of the Battle was in the advantage of the Austrians.
The Prussians were advancing, but very slowly and even if the river was easy to cross for Infantry, it wouldn’t be the same for the artillery. Austria’s manpower and firepower held the high ground.
At 11:00, the Austrians decided to attack the Prussian Infantry stuck in the woods around Sadowa. Meanwhile, the Hungarian officers decided to attack on their own. A general counter attack would have been decisive: the Prussian frontline may break, and what would happen then?
Unfortunately, the right flank of the Austrian army was now weakened and the Prussian saviors arrived, another army of around 100,000 men. They attacked the flank of the enemy, inflicting high casualties as the Prussian artillery pounded the center of the Austrian army. It was time for a general attack from the Prussians, as the three groups engaged in the battle attacked simultaneously, destroying the Austrian lines. The Austrian Army was broken. Even when the Prussians lost around 9,000 men, the Austrian lost more than 32,000. Retreat was inevitable.