Battle of Maxen, 20 November 1759
Prussian defeat during the Seven Years War. A Prussian army of 14,000 men, commanded by Frederick Augustus Finck, one of Frederick the Great's most able generals, was sent behind the Austrian armies, with the intention of cutting their lines of communication with Bohemia. Frederick expected the Austrian general, Leopold von Daun, to withdraw once his lines were threatened, but instead he took advantage of Finck's isolation, and cornered him between three seperate armies, outnumbering his force. On the 20th of November, the Austrian attack was launched, forcing Finck back off his strong position at Maxem. His retreat was blocked by the Imperial army, and on the 21st Finck was forced to surrender with his entire army, a crushing victory for the Austrians, although von Daun failed to follow up on his success.
How to cite this article: Rickard, J. (5 November 2000), Battle of Maxen, 20 November 1759, http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_maxen.html
