User:Jan.Kamenicek/my sandbox/Siege of Olmütz

Siege of Olmütz (Olomouc)
Part of the Seven Years' War
Army of Habsburg Monarchy defending the city (reconstruction)
Date 20 May – 2 July 1758 Location Olomouc, Moravia, Habsburg Monarchy (now Czech Republic) Result Austrian victory
Belligerents
Prussia	Austria
Commanders and leaders
Frederick the Great	Ernst Dietrich baron Marschall
Strength
8,000 - 13,000	8,866 - 9,866
Casualties and losses
1139 - 1572 killed, wounded, captured or deserted	875 - 907 killed, wounded, captured or deserted

Siege of Olmütz was an unsuccessful attempt of the Prussian king Frederick the Great to capture the fortified city of Olomouc (German: Olmütz), during the Seven Years’ War.

Frederick the Great invaded Moravia (then part of the Habsburg Monarchy, now in the Czech Republic) in the beginning of May 1758. He expected the Austrian army to come to help the fortress, which would allow the Prussians to fight them in a big battle on the place of their choice. If not, they would conquer the fortress quickly and use it as a base for defending Silesia and increasing pressure on Wien. Olomouc defenders put up stiff resistence and after the Austrian victory in the Battle of Domstadtl, where a huge convoy with military materiel was destroyed, the Prussians had to finish the siege because of the lack of supplies and on 2 July before the dawn they retreated.

Pre-war preparation of the fortress

Frederick had already occupied Olomouc in 1742 during the War of the Austrian Succession. The city was not prepared for the siege then and so the garrison was ordered to retreat. This memory was probably the reason why he did not expect any problems in 1758 either.

Unfortunately for him, the city fortification was strengthened in the mean time. The work started 10 days after the Prussians left Olomouc in May 1742. Military architect baron Pierre Philipp Bechade de Rochepine, inspired by works of military engineers Marquis de Vauban or baron Menno van Coehoorn, built modern fortification with bastions, casemates and wet ditches, implementing old medieval walls on some places as well. The whole city was changed into a large fortress, officially called k.k. Haupt-Gränzfestung (Imperial and Royal Main Frontier Fortress).

Beginning of the Seven Years’ War

The Seven Years’ War started in 1756, when Frederick invaded Saxony and Bohemia, but after victories at Lobositz (Lovosice) and at Prague he lost at the Battle of Kolín and had to retreat. Two years later, after heavy fights in Prussia and Silesia, he decided to invade the Habsburg territory again. First in April 1758 he concentrated his army between Landshut and Friedland (now Mieroszów) pretending that he was going to repeat his invasion to Bohemia. He sent some troops into the Broumov region, where they were despite their higher number stopped by several regiments under the commandment of Major General Gideon von Laudon. However, Frederick, who meanwhile captured the fortress of Świdnica, marched towards Moravia instead.

Preparation of Olomouc for the siege

The information about plans of the Prussian king reached the Austrian Field Marshal Leopold Josef Graf Daun on 25 April, but the Prussian manneuvers near Broumov made him hesitant. He let the information know to his troops located in Moravia, including the Olomouc fortress, but no more action was done.

Feldzeugmeister Ernst Dietrich baron Marschall, commander of the fortress, ordered its supplying with groceries, fodder and various material needed for repairing damages caused on fortification during the expected siege, requisition of horses and driving all cattle out of the reach of the coming enemy. All young people, who might be forced to join the Prussian army, were evacuated from the Olomouc surroundings. All people who were not able to make necessary supplies for themselves, had to leave the city. All ill or injured soldiers were transported to south Moravia into new military hospitals in Znojmo and the former Louka Monastery nearby. 100,000 guldens were sent from Brno military coffers to ensure enough money for the soldiers’ pay during the siege.

The Olomouc garrison consisted of 7,500 – 8,500 foot-soldiers in 16 infantry battalions, including two battalions of frontiersmen from Varaždin, 200 dragoons, 100 hussars, 150 artillery men and 42 sappers. Unfortunately, Austrian sources gave no information about the arms available for the protection of the fortress. According to the Prussians it was protected by 327 cannons. Among them there were field cannons with 3-6 pound shots, battery cannons with 12-24 pound shots, howitzers with 12-pound shots and mortars with 60-100 pound shots.

The invasion

On 29 April Frederick occupied south-Silesian town of Opava with the vanguard of his main forces formed (according to Austrian sources) by 17 infantry battalions and 33 cavalry squadrons. Here he was joined by 5 infantry battalions and 25 cavalry squadrons commanded by Friedrich II Eugen, Duke of Württemberg. The Prussian sources give slightly different numbers: 21 infantry battalions, 63 cavalry squadrons and 1 troop of Jägers altogether.

North Moravia was guarded by a brigade of 12,000 (some sources state even only 6,000) soldiers, 1,000 of which were infantry and the rest cavalry under the commandment of Marquess de Ville. Before the invasion they were all placed near Opava, but de Ville decided to retreat and on 2 May his infantry joined the Olomouc garrison while he camped with the cavalry outside the city walls and sent some troops to destroy all the bridges in the direction of the advancing Prussians.

The same day the Prussian main forces, which included about 38,000 soldiers in 48 and half infantry battalions, 43 squadrons of cuirassiers, 30 squadrons of dragoons, 30 squadrons of hussars and two companies of Jägers, commanded by Field Marshal James Keith, joined Frederick. On 3 May the Prussians encamped near Šternberk and started occupying its surroundings (towns of Uničov and Litovel and some villages nearby). The first Prussian reconnaissance troops also appeared near Olomouc and penetrated even south of the fortress and occupied Prostějov, while de Ville retreated to Plumlov and Tovačov.

Marschall ordered demolition of Olomouc suburbs outside the city walls Povel, Zelená Ulice, Střední Ulice and Nové Sady so that the enemy had nowhere to hide. Near bridges and mills were pulled down. Ditches and floodplains round Olomouc were flooded with water, but its level was kept relatively low in order to keep the city's connection with Croatian garrison in the near Hradisko Monastery and in some near villages, and to leave some pastures for cattle. The water level could be raised later, if needed. Roofs of some houses in the western part of the city were pulled down in order to diminish the danger of fire. 3,000 pieces of timber were used to protect magazines and bakeries. Because most of clergymen had left, empty Olomouc monasteries were changed into hospitals. In the centre of the city a gallows was built to warn potential traitors or defeatists, as well as usurers.

In that time Daun was gathering his army in Litomyšl. Most of his troops reached the place by 5 May and so he had about 58,000 soldiers at his disposal. He sent some of his soldiers eastward so that the Prussian army was surrounded with a chain of light enemy troops which could make them troubles when getting new supplies.

On 8 May the Prussians were already settled in 4 camps round Olomouc. The main camp was in the village of Slavonín. The artillery camp was placed the village of Křelov, where the first convoys with military materiel arrived between 16 and 18 May. The last of them, commanded by Major General Georg Ludwig von Puttkammer, was surprised by troops of Lieutenant Colonel Count Lanius von Wallenberg at Čabová near Moravský Beroun at night between 16 and 17 May. About 140 Prussian soldiers and 10 officers were killed or wounded and a part of the convoy destroyed. Then the Austrians retreated and the rest of the convoy reached Křelov. Finally there were 116 cannons (15 cannons with 24-pound shots, 66 with 12-pound shots, 19 howitzers with 10-pound shots and 16 mortars). The Prussian brigade preparing for the siege was concentrated here as well. It consisted of 18 infantry battalions and 15 cavalry squadrons; 13,000 soldiers altogether (Prussian sources state 8,000, out of which 6,750 were foot-soldiers) under the command of James Keith.

The siege

Enclosing the fortress

Frederick came to visit the camp and on 20 May he ordered to start the siege. The whole fortress was enclosed with the exception of the flooded sides. The sieging brigade consisting of 8,000 - 13,000 soldiers, commanded by James Keith, was placed in a semicircle with its right wing south of the fortress at the right bank of the Morava River and the left wing north-west of Olomouc at the village of Horka nad Moravou.

The area on the left bank of the River Morava was under the control of troops of Major General Meyer. Because their main task was to keep connection with Silesia, while the main fights took place on the other side of the fortress, they consisted only of one infantry battalion, 10 squadrons of dragoons, 2 squadrons of hussars and a troop of 200 jägers. Because of their small number, the troops were dispersed just in several villages with patrols moving between them. Two infantry batallions occupied a near town of Šternberk.

Austrian troops of Jägers, hussars and dragoons managed to keep their positions in Hradisko, Pavlovice and Chválkovice, which later enabled them to attack Prussian positions from time to time and to keep Olomouc in contact with the Daun's army.

First fights

All the time during the long preparation, when the Prussians placed their troops round the fortress, occupied surrounding villages, tried to ensure safe crossing across the Morava River and built a chain of lunettes and redoubts to protect themselves against a counter-attack from inside the fortress, they had to face many sudden Austrian attacks led by Major General Laudon.

Despite some partial success, Laudon’s troops, located west of Olomouc between Náměšť na Hané and Konice, were quite isolated without any chance of help. Frederick therefore ordered Friedrich II Eugen to cut Laudon’s way towards de Ville’s forces, who had been pushed out southwards to Brno. At the same time Lieutenant-General Hans Joachim von Zieten was supposed to attack him from the right flank, and Major General Puttkammer and Major General Geist from the front. Prince Moritz of Anhalt-Dessau was asked to send some troops, which would attack Laudon from the left flank and from behind. The action should have taken place on 23 May (or 22 May according to Prussian sources) at the dawn. However, the plan was revealed and Laudon suddenly rushed at surprised Friedrich, routed his battalion of grenadiers and left the battlefield. The Prussian troops then returned to their previous positions.

On 23 May the main Habsburg forces moved nearer Olomouc, but Daun kept avoiding a big battle, which he considered too risky. He was convinced about the quality of Olomouc fortification and so tried to postpone the final decision until the Prussians would get exhausted by the siege, various minor clashes and lack of supplies. From his new camp near Jevíčko he was sending small troops to attack Prussians and to reduce their possibilities of supply acquisition. The Prussians therefore tried to transport their supplies in convoys from Silesia, but they were also often subjects of sudden attacks with many casualties.

Meanwhile the besiegers decided to attack the bastions No. 7 and 8 at the southern corner of the western side of the fortress. They chose this place because this side was not protected with water and they could lead the attack from a hill (called Tabulový vrch, English: Table Hill) here. However, they underestimated effectiveness of the advanced Salzer's Redoubts (due to their water protection often called Little Water Forts), which guarded the fortress on the south, and overestimated the possibilities of their artillery in silencing them.

Getting closer the walls

The earthwork necessary to get closer to the walls and to overcome them started at the western side on 27 May at night. They were led by Colonel Giuseppe Federico Balbi. The excavations of the first parallel trench started on Tabulový vrch. The distance was almost 1.5 kilometres. 1,325 foot-soldiers and 300 peasants from near villages were sent to do the job. By 30 May its length was about 630 metres and 6 artillery batteries were placed along. It was built just outside the reach of the fortress artillery, but cannons from the advanced forts caused some damages and so protecting traverses had to be piled up.

On 31 May early in the morning the Prusians started bombarding the city. However, they found out that the distance was too big for their cannons as well. Out of every 100 shots hardly two reached the city fortification. And because the elevation had to be very high, there was no chance of trying to target the shots. The Prussians had to overload their cannons with gunpowder, but as a result wooden bearings of some mortars were being damaged by too strong recoil and several of them even blew up. The damages on the fortification and in the city were not significant, and because most of the garrison and inhabitants moved to the east part of the city, there were almost no casualties.

Field Marshall Keith therefore ordered Balbi to excavate another parallel trench, nearer the fortress. On 2 June the Prussians started digging a zigzag trench towards the walls. On 4 June at night 200 Austrian grenadiers and 120 workers sortied agaist them and drived them out of the trench, killing one Prussian major with 100 of his men, and capturing two other officers and 20 more men. Austrians lost two officers and 30 men. The next night Croatian frontiersmen attacked the Prussians again, but this time they were prepared. All three officers leading the attack and 19 other frontiersmen were killed, without gaining any success.

Despite these complications between 5 and 6 June the Prussians finished the second parallel trench, 800 metres far from the walls. The works were accompanied with mutual bombardment. The Prussians placed 4 cannon batteries and 3 mortar batteries along the new trench. The battery on the right wing, consisting of 21 barrels, was supposed to silence the advanced forts, because their cannons made big damage in Prussian positions.

In that time the sieging forces were visited by Frederick, who showed big displeasure towards Colonel Balbi because of the wrongly planned first parallel and ordered him to stop the bombardment of the city and focus just to its fortification, because he reckoned with Olomouc as a base of his troops in Moravia after it would be taken, and did not want to destroy its infrastructure too much.

The first results appeared quite quickly. The cannons on the counterguard in front of the bastion No. 7 were silenced and a breach in the bastion wall started appearing. This was partly also due to bad architecture, because the walls had been weakened by locating artillery casemates here. To exclude the possibility of a break-through, the defenders made wooden boxes filled with stones and filled up the inner casemates with them.

The Prussians dominate despite problems

At this time the Prussian supply problems were getting worse. While the defenders’ grocery reserves were still sufficient, there was a serious lack of food in the Prussian camp and every day several Prussian deserters appeared at the fortress guards. The blockade was so imperfect that peasants from surrounding villages kept penetrating it and sold their products at the city marketplace. Olomouc also managed to keep in touch with the Daun’s army, and on 11 June Colonel Ernst Friedrich Alexander Count Giannini together with two engineers and 15 artillery men slipped through into the besieged fortress to help the defenders. Thanks to this connection Daun knew that he did not have to hurry to relieve Olomouc. He was also aware of the fact that the long presence of large numbers of Prussian troops in Moravia would give time to his Russian ally army to get to the west, nearer the centre of the war. Therefore he decided to wait until the fortress gets on the very edge of being taken. Daun and Marschall arranged a system of flare signals which would have let him know that the defenders were able to resist only eight or six more days.

Both sides bombarded the positions of their enemies heavily, but the Prussians started to gain more success, especially with damaging the artillery on the bastion No. 7 counterguard every time when the defenders tried to restore it. The Prussians fired about 3,000 cannon shots and 1,000 mortar bombs and grenades onto the fortress every day. However, they still did not manage to silence the cannons in the Salzer's Redoubts which kept causing serious damages by bombarding their positions from their right side. The fortress artillery fired about 5,300 cannon shots and 200 mortar bombs at the Prussian positions.

The Prussians also built two new zigzag trenches towards the walls and thus they got to the distance of mere 200 metres from the glacis. Marschall therefore ordered a counter-attack. Four troops were sent to do the job. The first one, led by Major General Josip Kazimir Drašković, rushed forth from a ravelin in the north-west corner and attacked the Prussians in their trenches from the side. During their succesful assault they also managed to destroy several cannons, mortars and howitzers. The second troop, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Calvaria, who was severely injured during the assault, penetrated into the left wing of the second parallel trench, but they suffered a lot of casualties and had to retreat. Captain Messić was leading a troop of 100 unarmed workers whose task was to destroy the trenches, but they were always pushed back. The last troop, led by Captain Riera, got over a deep water ditch and attacked cannon batteries on the right wing of the second parallel. The Austrian soldiers routed the artillery crew and destroyed several cannons. Then several more Prussian battalions came to the battlefield and all the Austrians retreated. They suffered 26 killed, 56 wounded and 55 missing men. The Prussian casualties according to the Austrian sources were much higher, about 200 soldiers, but the Prussians admitted only 15 killed, 48 wounded and 10 missing men.

Despite these problems the Prussians seemed to start dominating. The counterguard in front of the bastion No. 7 stopped being able of defense. The Prussian ditches, despite being under constant fire of both artillery and small arms, were getting longer and closer to the walls. A 4-metre breach appeared in the wall of the bastion No. 7 and the defenders had to keep repairing it with timber and boxes and sacks full of stones, but it was always destroyed again in a short time. The part of the city which was nearest to this place was in ruins.

Fights in the south-east

Throughout the siege, both Prussian and Austrian troops were maneuvering in a large part of central and north Moravia, trying to blockade the enemy and improve their own positions. On 12 June two Prussian infantry battalions and 17 cavalry squadrons shifted south-east of Olomouc and thus cut off Daun’s connection with the city. Troops of General Count de Saint Ignon were sent to clear the way again.

Saint Ignon got a message from Marschall that there are 3-4 thousand Prussians in the village of Bystrovany, but only about 400 Prussian foot-soldiers in the village of Holice. The Austrians easily pushed them away from both positions, killing about 200 and capturing about 130 enemy soldiers.

After this success Saint Ignon started retreating, when he got another message that about 300 Croatian frontiersmen and 150 dragoons sortied against the Prussians, and so he decided to support them. During the following fights about 700 Prussian soldiers and 8 other officers, were killed or wounded (including wounded Major General Meyer) and 254 captured, while the Austrians lost only about 80 men, including 3 officers. They also seized 7 cannons and at the Meyer’s command post his cashbox and various documents.

The fortress on the edge of being taken

The heavy bombardment of the city continued and caused significant damages. When Frederick visited his sieging forces on 18 June again, Keith reported him that besides several light cannons there are only four active cannons and five mortars inside the fortress, and five cannons in the Salzer's Redoubts. Prussian artillery managed to break the counterguard in front of the bastion No. 7 and the breach, which the defenders kept filling in with wooden boxes full of stones every night, was almost 10 metres wide. The neighbouring ravelin No. 29 was also in ruins. Marschall’s report to Daun, dated from 17 June, confirms this bad state of Olomouc fortification those days. The Prussians also tried to get nearer through underground saps, but they always had to stop because of groundwater.

Marshall was also unsatisfied with the fact that a lot of Olomouc defenders were new recruits and on 19 June he asked Daun to send him some experienced soldiers including officers. The next day Major General Friedrich Ferdinand Büllow with 1,366 men set out to Přerov. Because there were a lot of Prussian troops in the surroundings of the town and the Austrians wanted to avoid any casualties before they would reach the fortress, on 21 June Saint Ignon moved his troops to Velký Týnec in order to attract the attention of the Prussians and at night Büllow avoided them through Újezd, Hlubočky, Véska and Svatý Kopeček to reach Olomouc at the dawn without notice.

Although the defenders received thanks to Büllow's coming important reinforcement, both physical and psychological, their situation was still critical. On 26 June the Prussians started building the third parallel trench, less than 100 metres far, and started digging a sap towards raveling No. 29. Their advance was very difficult because they were bombarded by mortars and sniped with guns, and every night had to face counter-attacks of small groups of defenders. Despite this on 28 June the front side of the sap was at the foot of the glacis.

Baron Marschall expected an assault to come soon. Therefore he ordered to build traverses on the top of the bastions and curtains neighbouring with the endangered parts of the fortification to protect the defenders in case the Prussians managed to climb up the main wall and to enable to keep their plunging fire. To prevent the attackers advance into the city, an inner defending line was build, consisting of mounds, wooden walls and stone barricades. This was quite unusual, the final assault of the so called forlorn hope was usually avoided and the defenders gave up at this point. Continuing defense could get some time and cause big casualties to the attackers, but the inhabitants of the city could not expect any mercy after the city was taken. Therefore it was not considered disgraceful if the commander of the fortress surrendered to spare lives of the citizens.

However, Marschall was aware of the fact that the sieging forces were running out of materiel. On 18 June Keith reported to Frederick that their ammunition supplies were sufficient just for ten days. The following days the Prussian artillery probably slightly reduced the rate of bombardment, because on the 28 June he reported they had the ammunition for three of four more days. The biggest Marschall’s hope was the Daun’s army with about 74,000 soldiers, which was already coming to help.

Battle of Domstadtl

Main article: Battle of Domstadtl

The only hope for the Prussians to continue in the siege and to be able to fight with the Daun’s army, was to get supplies with military materiel. However, a lot of convoys had already been destroyed by Austrian troops on their way through northern Moravia and Frederick was afraid that the chances of new convoys were not very high either. Therefore decided that one huge convoy guarded by strong troops should be sent. The supplies were collected in Silesia and at the end of June it arrived in the territory of Moravia.

The convoy was so big that there was no chance it could be kept in secret. It contained about 4,000 wagons loaded with military materiel and accompanied by about 2,500 head of cattle. As it set out on its way, it stretched 45 km long. It was protected by 10,870 soldiers, commanded by Colonel Wilhelm von Mosel.

For the first time it was attacked by troops of Major General Laudon at the village of Guntramovice on 28 June. Although the Austrians were forced back, their casualties were much smaller than the Prussian ones. Several hours after that Mosel was joined by 20,000 men of Lieutenant-General von Zieten. The next day they spent with rearranging the convoy and repairing some damages. Meanwhile, Major General Joseph von Siskovits prepared an ambush in woods near the village of Domašov nad Bystřicí (German: Domstadtl). The convoy arrived on 30 May in the morning. Siskovits troops attacked them from the left side, supported by artillery, and fighted succesfully despite being outnumbered 3 to 1. And when Laudon’s troops appeared from the other side the result of the battle was determined. After 7 hours of fight the Prussian convoy was routed.

Although the total number of fighting Austrian soldiers was approximately 12,000, they lost (at Guntramovice and Domašov together) only about 600 of them. The Prussian casualties were much higher, about 2,700 - 3,900 killed, injured, captured or missing soldiers.

End of the siege

Frederick learnt about the loss of the transport on 1 July early in the morning. The defeat at Domašov shocked the Prussian camp. The human casualties were not insignificant for them, but the loss of the transported supplies was crucial. In that time the Prussians were just 28 metres from the bastion No. 7 and 7 metres from the ravelin No. 29, but Frederick could not see any way how to finish the siege succesfully and how to face the nearing forces of Marshall Daun at the same time. He immediately called his generals together to explain them their situation, and because the way back to Silesia was blocked, he ordered the retreat westwards to Bohemia.

This day the city was bombarded with increased intensity: about 4,000 shots and 600 bombs were shot against the fortress, which tried to answer in the same way. Most of the Prussian cannons silenced their fire at midnight and just five mortars continued with the bombardment.

While the defenders were expecting the final assault against their walls, the Prussians started retreating. Marschall soon realized what was happening and sent some small troops to explore the situation. At 3 o’clock a. m., after he received their report, he ordered his 300 cavalry men a raid against the Prussian positions. In that time most of the Prussian cannons were already away, but the Austrians still captured a lot of Prussian soldiers who did not manage to retreat in time.

Because of thick fog, which followed heavy rain that night, Daun, who was camping with his army in Velký Týnec, did not notice the Prussian retreat. The news did not reach him until 2 hours after the dawn, and he still did not know, which direction Frederick went. Thus the retreating forces were from time to time attacked just by some smaller Austrian troops dispersed in the region, including Laudon's troops. Daun learnt about Frederick’s moves on 2 July and decided to follow him in order to prevent him to settle anywhere in Bohemia. However, their armies did not get in contact until the beginning of August, and after several months of maneuvering and minor clashes the Prussians were expelled back to Silesia.

Casualties

During the siege the Prussians fired at Olomouc 103,533 cannon shots, 25,624 bombs and grenades and 700 stone projectiles, while the defenders fired at the Prussian positions 58,200 cannon shots, 6,100 bombs and grenades, 2,700 stone projectiles, 538 hot shots and 524,131 gun shots. The bombardment destroyed a great number of buildings, especially on the west side of the city, but only 12 civilians were killed and 13 wounded. However, the usual mortality rate rose due to various diseases and malnutrition. Among the soldiers, 189 were killed (including 9 officers), 565 wounded (17 officers) and 58 missing. 8 soldiers and 1 officer were captured and 53 soldiers deserted. On the side of the Prussian sieging forces 166 soldiers were killed (including 9 officers), 943 (23 officers) wounded and 52 captured. However, Habsburg sources state that 462 Prussians deserted into Austrian hands and 143 soldiers (including 5 officers) were captured. Besides these, 281 wounded or ill Prussian soldiers were found in the Olomouc surrounding after their army withdrew from Moravia.

Besides these, Prussians lost 230 soldiers at Čabová, 954 in the clash at Holice and 2,700 - 3,900 at Guntramovice and Domstadtl. The Austrians lost about 80 killed or wounded soldiers at Holice and about 600 killed or wounded soldiers at Guntramovice and Domstadtl.

Summary of Prussian tactical mistakes

Frederick the Great, probably due to his experience from the War of the Austrian Succession, underestimated the Austrian army and the ability of the fortress to resist his attack. He expected that the threat of taking the Olomouc fortress would make Daun's badly prepared army to accept an early battle. Considerate actions of Daun, who left the Prussians to suffer casualties at the Olomouc walls and caused them troubles with sudden attacks led by smaller infantry and cavalry troops, destroyed this tactics.

Prussians made big mistakes also in preparation of and during the siege. Although the Prussian forces were settled in camps near Olomouc on 8 May, they had to wait for 2 weeks for artillery and needed materiel, which gave time to Daun to send some troops against them. More time was lost by digging the first parallel trench in ineffective distance from the city walls. The Prussians also understimated effectiveness of the cannons from the so called Water Forts, advanced forth from the walls.

Besides unnecessary losts of time, Prussians also did not have enough soldiers to besiege the city and cut it off from getting supplies and connection with Daun's army. They did not anticipate the problems with supplying their own soldiers so deep in the enemy territory. The enormous convoy, which was routed at Domašov, was the last risk.

The Prussian involvement at Olomouc also gave time to Russian army to come and take part in military operations in Silesia, which significantly strenghtened the chances of the anti-Prussian coalition in the war.

Aftermath

Decorations, titles and commemorations

After the succesful defense of the fortress a lot of Austrian officers were promoted and decorated with medals. The first one was Major General Drašković, who delivered the news about the victory to the Empress Maria Theresa and immediately was promoted to lieutenant field marshal. Later Feldzeugmeister Marschall, as a commander of the fortress, was promoted field marshal and Bretton, second in command, feldzeugmeister. Rochepine, the main architect of the fortress, was promoted lieutenant field marshal. Commanders of the troops who supported Olomouc from outside the city walls were also awarded. A medal honouring Daun was minted, bearing the Latin inscriptions “Leopoldus comes de Daun, Germanorum Fabius Maximus” (English: Leopold Count Daun, German Fabius Maximus) on the obverse and “Ollemucium ab obsidione prussica liberatum. D. 2. Jul. 1758. Cunctando vicisti, cunctando vincere perge!” (English: Olomouc freed from the Prussian siege. 2 July 1758. With circumspection you have won, with circumspection aim to victories) on the reverse. Major General Laudon was promoted lieutenant field marshal. New knights of the Military Order of Maria Theresa were decorated. The Grand Cross was awarded to Marschall and Laudon and the Knight's Cross was awarded to officers Ville, Drašković, St. Ignon, Büllow, D’Alfson, Giannini and Rouvroy.

Olomouc citizens were also awarded with various honours. 11 members of the city council and 5 other citizens earned a title of nobility. 5 citizens who commanded a troop of riflemen received a golden medal. Maria Theresa also ordered to pay 24,328 Austro-Hungarian guldens as compensation for the destroyed buildings. Some owners placed cannon shots, which had caused the damages, into the repaired façades of their buildings to commemorate the siege. A gilded replica of a shot was placed onto the stem of the Holy Trinity Column, which had suffered significant damages too.

Olomouc citizens were also given a privilege to celebrate anniversaries of the end of the siege with a riflemen's celebration, which was annually supported with 800 guldens from the state coffers.

In 1762 the Empress formally acknowledged Olomouc as the capital city of Moravia (although de facto it had been Brno since the Thirty Years’ War, as all important offices were residing there). The city was also given the right to add letters FMT (standing for names ”Franciscus” and ”Maria Theresa”) on the breast of the eagle in the city coat of arms. The letters were removed after the break up of the empire in 1918.

Fortress after the war

Good experience with defending the fortress led to its further improvements after the war. Between 1759 and 1769 all the damages were repaired (including building new bastions No. 7 and 8 and ravelin No. 29). Although the siege proved that the unprotected hill Tabulový vrch was the weakest place of the fortress, enabling the enemy to observe and bombard the city, it was still remaining outside the fortification. The so called Salzer's Redoubts showed the way how to keep the enemy farther from the walls and in 1839 more redoubts started to be built in two circles round the city. However, since the Seven Year's War the city has not been attacked anymore and so the fortification limited its development uselessly until 1886, when the walls were allowed to be pulled down.

Notes

{WPMILHIST}

Recommended literature

• (in Czech) Chytil A.: Prusové na Moravě r. 1758. Olomouc, 1900. It is an Czech translation of Diarium (diary) by citizen of Olomouc Jan Tadeáš Kniebandl originally published in German language in 1758.
• (in Czech) Spáčil V., Müller K. & Kašpar Z: Odměna za věrnost a statečnost. DANAL, Olomouc, 1998, pages not counted, ISBN 80-8597-55-3.

External links

• (in Czech) Scientific Library in Olomouc gets unique map of Siege of Olomouc, photo